A little book from the heart.....

A peek at a little book I made instead of a card for my Grandaughter Fay's 9th birthday in September, I love making these little books, I put in a few pockets made from envelopes and filled with tags and ribbons and left some blank spaces for her to fill in about her day and maybe a photo or two......as they live abroad, just here for the summer hols I had to make this around some quiet times when they were out and mummy has taken it back in her case to give to Fay on her birthday....I thought the paper (sorry I can't remember it's name!) was so apt as life is so good with our grandchildren around.... 

A snippet of the inside

 

And this is the back....What a joy to make, especially as it's for a very special little girl, who says things like.............

"Grandma, what can we do for this caterpillar, I don't think he's very well as he hasn't moved off a leaf for ages"........and "don't move Grandma I've just put my pet slug down by your foot" yeuch!.........

Soooo as a final touch I bought a large paper butterfly that you wind up by twisting an elastic band and laying flat between two pages so that when she opens those pages the butterfly should fly out to lots of squeels and excitement (I hope!) and oh boy are we going to miss their singing and those squeels and shouts of laughter that only Three little girls can make!! 

 I hope you enjoy my little book/card

 

Linen and Lace....

 Anniversaries...Yes it's both my Daughter and Son in Law's  and my Son and Daughter in Law's  Wedding Anniversaries (on the same day a year apart...what an exciting 24months that was with all the planning and making of invitations dresses...well the list goes on for a wedding doesn't it!!) My Daughter has now been married 13yrs...our lucky number in fact as my husband and I were married on the 13th, 42yrs ago!!

Taking inspiration from this lovely weather and the garden I tried to capture a summer lacey effect with some tiny tiny stamps I haven't really used much and they tie in nicely with LiM challenge for this week of one layer and numbers. The numbers are computer generated.

 

This is my Son and Daughter in Law's Card and I have bought them something linen and needless to say something in lace for my daughter and son in law!!

 

 

I have been very busy this summer, hence no blogging and have made so much jam, chutney etc it's coming out of our ears....haha, will have to pass some on to friends and family when I get round to it and put some lovely new recipes on the blog too.   I have also had a wedding commission to do so am busy with that...exciting!   Hope you like

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.