Happy Birthdays....

and lot's of them this month...Two today in fact plus this one for 'Jen' who is apparently enjoying her birthday in Istanbul .....immediately an old map of Istanbul came to mind, and as luck would have it I was able to download a free printable one!  I duly aged it and distressed around the edges curling one or two corners and added to a background stamped with LoTV stamps and Stampin'up Crumb Cake ink, the white card was then backed onto a lovely shade of Mocha card this is for LIM challenge here before I pop it into the post....not to Jen as hopefully she will see it on the blog, but I think maybe to my Friend Ruth who is 60 in a few days and is currently travelling too (I managed to grab a few days recently and met up with her in France where we had a fab time exploring Nimes, Avignon, Beaucaire, Pont du Gard etc etc ) so maybe I will add a tiny tag to the map with 60 on it...or maybe not I'll see.....ooorr maybe I'll try and find another map... of France.........

Hexagons

What with one thing another it's been  a while, but, I have managed a card for this weeks LiM challenge.  I have tried to keep it simple and used a SU stamp and some hexagons which I cut out and blocked onto the design using the overstamping technique.  I raised the stamped hexagons a little for more effect...see the close up below.  I also decided to go for a chocolate coloured effect with no colouring in to keep it simple as it is quite a busy stamp and I think the dog roses look effective enough ....I have just returned from a few days in France and have some lovely photos to share later on as they would make lovely design ideas...French blue windows peeping through Arches and beautiful wrought iron and flowers and ruins.....not to mention the cheese, wine and pattiseries Heehee....

Rhubarb and Damson Gin Sorbet

Some pink and pretty early Rhubarb and what to do with it.......mmhm BBQ this evening so what nicer for the grown ups than a Sorbet made from Damson Gin (the last of 2012's batch!), a little additional Bombay Sapphire, a squeeze of fresh lime to taste and all stirred into cooled rhubarb which was stewed with sugar for about 10 minutes and whizzed in the blender...Place in container in freezer and wait patiently for about 4hrs...

          The most delicious Sorbet you can imagine....BBQ or Dinner PartyHeaven!  

Oh Dear.....

....it's taken me nearly all week to realise....'Yes'  I do have a dog stamp...a digi one actually and I'd forgotten I had it, although it has been well used in the past! (It's for my favourite LiM challenge) Here it is adapted from the PP Frillie Millie Digi which I cut and pasted enlarged and shrunk and flipped etc etc all those wonderful things you can do with a computer, I also decided to go they with a black / neutral theme except for a bit of bright pink on one little poodles top know, the background is also from Pink Petticoat but I printed them in grey scale to go with my theme.  Here is the result hope you like it..........mmm think I may neeed to shop for some more animal stamps... As I am sitting here in my kitchen the sun has peeped through and the flowers that are blooming in the garden are looking gorgeous...fingers crossed for a lovely bank holiday for everyone.

Pretty Giveaways and and Pretty Jam Jars

Twine and Flowers Give away, what more could a crafty girl (or boy!) want pop over to see what's on offer at The Ribbon Girl blog.  Interesting....need to have a think about these, they would make some beautiful cards and I have a couple of notebooks for the grandchildren that need fronts...mmmm!

Busy day today filling our hanging baskets, will take a picture once we get a bit of sunshine to make them bloom.....
 Some Early Rhubarb sent me dashing off to the kitchen and this is just some of what I came up with...Rhubarb and Ginger Jam, Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam and Rhubarb Apple and Cranberry Chutney...all tied up with some pretty papers labels and cords. 

Hollyhocks and butterflies

Hello, hello, hello on this windy morning, but at least the garden is beginning to bear fruit and I have made some Rhubarb and Ginger Jam and the flowers are starting to bud .

I decided this morning to try something new after a busy week and play with my purchase of a few months ago in Dubai of all places (where I've found a couple of craft shops at last!)....a Donna Downey Mask called Hollyhocks. 

Well where does the time go....

I've spent most of this morning 'playing' with the mask using different colouring techniques never having used one before I don't think this will be my last mask and I decided I liked the end result of this one enough to enter it in for this weeks challenge at LiM which is a Colour Challenge - choose TWO opposite colours from the Colour Wheel

 I added a tiny bright orange butterfly (highlighted in glossy accents) to my deep blue hollyhocks which I trimmed to size....my final picture not the mask I hasten to add .......and backed onto card which I printed from the Colour Collection in Boutique Blue by PP.   The verse is one of a series I love and use over and over again they are also from PP 'Simple Sentiments'.

Mr Moustache

 

It's been a while....and I thought I would ease myself back into things using a little inspiration from LiM...week 117 sketch challenge..so here goes....

 

I have used my new purchase from Pink Petticoat to make a plain and simple get well card for my 14yr old niece who is recovering amazingly quickly and so well after a major 10hr spinal op for scoliosis (in her words not mine....Yay.. no longer a wonky donkey!) she has even grown overnight by 4"!!! I'll be off to visit her with this card later this afternoon.

 

...I digress....anyway, she loves moustaches...in the form of necklaces, tops, skirts etc....hence 'the moustache'  get well card in a warm daffodil yellow to bring a bit of sunshine with a hint of black to make it 'pop' a little.  I cut 3 circles in black, plain daffodil, daffodil moustache and layered them with just a hint of each colour showing to make it a little more interesting.  The insert also has a strip of Mr moustache in black running down one side. Laughing makes you better - computer generated and printed on daffodil Mr Moustache, as was the smile which is a PP image.  I cut the V in the banner with a corner of a square punch...easier than scissors and finished with a sparkly.