Thank You Card

Hello my friends and fellow bloggers.  Isn't this weather fabulous for the time of the year.   Washing done and ironed as well.   Yesterday I had a die cutting day.   Most of them Christmas dies too,  so now that they are cut they will be ready to use on some cards.   The card I am showing today is a Thank-You card I made a while ago and felt it needed something else in the way of embellishments.  I feel a lot happier with it now, so that is one for the box.   Now I 'm off to clean up all the tiny bits from my dies, I have a rubbish bin by my side ,but for some reason they keep missing it.    Enjoy your Day/Evening.    Hugs Rita xxxx

Octagon Gift Box

Hello Folks.   Sorry I have not been on my blog recently,   due to this miserable cold.   However,  I do feel better today,  but still not got much energy.   Like most of you though life has to go on.  
My Octagon box is one I made about a month ago ,  but left it without a lid.   So  yesterday I thought I would do the lid and finish decorating the box.   I could have made a good few cards in the time this box has taken.  My own fault of course as I wanted to line the inside as well as the outside,  the same with the lid.    I used the beautiful papers from Craftwork Cards ,  they really are a joy to work with.  The outside papers are called Vogue and the inside papers are from a LOTV pad called Nitwit papers.   The beautiful lace was a gift from my friends Patricia & Hazel and they both know how much I love lace.   All the flowers on the lid were made my myself,  the largest ones I made when my dear friend Jennie was down from Shetland.   I added lots of pearls to make it look quite vintage.   It is quite large at 5" across by 6 .5 in height,  and the lid is really quite deep.    I used 350 gsm card ,so it's very sturdy.
Hope you like my box as much as I do.   Saying that,  I find the Hexagon boxes are much easier to make.
Lots of Hugs to All.    Rita xxxxxx

Golf Card & Wallet

Hello Folks.  A bit later than I meant to be with this post.   Yesterday I felt as if I was coming down with something , and today I have had a terrible headache and coughing and sneezing ,  so it looks like I have the miseries of the cold.   I think I'll be fine as long as I keep taking hot drinks and paracetamol.
  This was the Golf card that had to finished for yesterday,  so at least I managed that.   Luckily the Ryder Cup is here in Scotland at the moment , so what better theme could I have used.  The main picture and the the one on the wallet are of Gleneagles Golf Club , to them I added a few embellishments.   The card itself is an easel card and the wallet was made to suit.   No more themed cards, unless for family,  not really my thing.   Hugs to All.  Rita xxxx

 

Decorated Floral Box

Hello my Friends and Fellow Bloggers.   Been another lovely day here, long may it continue.   Hope you are all well and those who are suffering I hope things get better soon.
This is  a box that was made a few weeks ago ,  just a plain and simple box,  then I decided to give it a top and bottom from some die cuts that were in my stash.   I then decorated it with some flowers that I made and added a few swirls , a pin and a bow.  Some teal pearls were added to finish it off.   I filled the inside with six Yankee candles ,  a little bit deeper it would have held a dozen. 
Now I'm off to finish an 8 X 8 easel card for a golfer, I really don't like doing themed cards very much. But I need to get on with it anyway.    Please Take Care and I'll be back soon.   Hugs Rita xxx

Christmas Card Club Challenge 20: Winter Scene.

Hello Folks.   Time for another card over at Christmas Card Club ,  where the lovely Christine chose  a Winter Scene for Challenge 20.
My card is another 8X 8 ,  and the scene that I created was on clarity card using distress inks and Clarity stamps from a good few years ago.   The frame was made with the Martha Stewart snowflake PATP ,  to that I  added the new Sue Wilson Pine bough  along with some glitter.   No bows or flowers on this one .  
I had a really lovely day in Glasgow yesterday with two of my  blogging friends  Patricia and Hazel.   It was great to put faces to names and although we keep in touch regularly, we had never met.  They are two of the nicest people you could ever meet,  and it seemed like we knew each other so well and hopefully we will do this again soon.   Thank You ladies so much for a great day out.   Hugs Rita xxxx

Birthday Card

Hello Folks.   I  know this is a bit late in the day for me to be posting,  however I missed a blogging friends birthday and now that she has the card I thought you may like to see it.   So a Belated Birthday card from me.
It is my usual 8 X 8 card  and I layered a lovely lilac card that I embossed .  The next layer was done with Martha Stewart PATP  punch set,  and I also used one of Sue Wilsons new die sets from the Californian collection.  I added a sentiment to finish off my card.    Patricia  is very fond of lilac and purple,  so I know I got that bit right,  she also likes flowers and as most of you know she makes the most beautiful roses.   However,  I  now know she loved her card.    I am actually meeting up with Patricia & Hazel  her sister on Saturday.   Glasgow is the venue where we shall have lunch and lots to talk about I'm sure.
 Take Care and I'll be back on Sunday with my CCC  card.    Hugs Rita xxxx

Colourful Burlap Panel

Hello my Friends and Family of Bloggers.   Hope you have all been well and sending comforting hugs to those not so good.    Our blogging colleague Rachel ( Fishers cards & crafts) still needs our support as her husband  Shaun is still in ITU. 
As most of you know last Monday Jennie from Live the Dream came to visit both Annie and I,   and on the Tuesday we went to Annies for a crafty day.    During lunch, Annie produced some beautiful napkins and of course I love napkins and had to have one for my crafting needs,  followed by Jenny who loved them too.   On Monday of this week we had a day with Astrid and of course once she saw the napkins,  another one disappeared.
 Well girls , here is what I did with one of my  napkin squares.   I love trying different things in my crafting life,  even though its pretty limited at the moment.   I received a pair of burlap panels for my birthday in July,  and now I'm delighted to show you one of them completed using the said napkin.  Firstly I painted it with Gesso and once dry  I adhered the napkin pieces with gel medium and left it to dry  before giving it a top coat.   I used one of Dylusions stencils,  and added modelling paste with a plastic card and then very carefully painted around it using black Gesso , let it dry before adding treasured gold to highlight the stencilling.   I had great fun doing this and it was great to be up in my craft room again too.    I was taken by surprise this week to find that I was one of the winners on  Paula Cheney's giveaway .   Annie was one of the winners too on FSC,   our lucky week I think. .  
Take Care everyone.   Hugs Rita xxx

Astrid & I having fun whilst embossing.

 Annie & Astrid during a crafting break

Faux Metal hanging

Hello again folks.   Well what a great few days I have had.   Jennie arrived on Monday evening,  and after a leisurely meal and a glass of wine,  we adjourned to the craft room and talked about crafting and knitting and singing which are all the things we have in common.  The faux metal hanging was made for Jennie's visit and she loved it,  so now I can share it with you.    Jennie also gave me a gift of the most beautiful  1 ply cobweb lace wool spun in Shetland,  and the pattern book as well.  Wasn't I the lucky one.    On Tuesday Annie had a Crafty day and we had such a lot of fun and made some of Jennies stunning flowers.   After lunch I showed Jennie how to emboss with Toilet tissue,  so amid howls of laughter I did my demonstration and it was one that she hadn't done, so she enjoyed that too.  Then Annie did the Faux leather technique and then it was coffee and cake.  More crafting,  and I left Annie and Jennie to enjoy their evening meal together as I had to leave to see to Andrew.    A great day was had by all of us and we will definitely be doing it again in the near future.   Jennie left for Shetland today and left us both with great memories. Safe Journey home Jennie. 
 I  have added a few pictures and no doubt there will be more on Annie and Jennies blog.    I'll be back soon.

Hugs Rita xxx

Female Rugby Card

Hello Folks.   What wonderful sunshine we have been having over the last few days,  really warm too.    I thought I better do a post as  my lovely friend Jennie-  Live the Dream arrives this evening,  we both love knitting and Jenny spins her own wool,  so tonight will be taken up with Knitting talk.  Tomorrow,  Annie is having a craft day,  then on Wednesday Jennie goes back home.    My card for today was a commission for a Female Rugby player's birthday card.    However,  I managed the challenge and seemingly it was loved.
The two little baby blankies were done a while ago and Annie has them in her treasure chest.   Off to make my topping for a carrot cake.     Will update you as soon as I can, probably Thursday.     Love & Hugs Rita xxxx

Christmas Card Club Challenge 19. 'Something beginning with S'

Hello Folks.   Hopefully you are all well,  and those who feel a bit down,  I hope you get better soon.    My thoughts and prayers are with Rachel of Fishers cards & crafts,  whose husband Shaun had a massive heart attack and is in ICU.    Hope Shaun makes a full recovery and things improve for him and the family.
On a brighter note,  here we are in September and at CCC,   Challenge 19 was chosen by the ever talented Hazel and her theme was "Something beginning with S".    For me it had to be Santa and I used an image from Joanna Sheen's  Giordano Christmas CDRom.    I printed the image on JS Silk card and used vellum to print the backing paper.   My card is a 6 X 6 and I really don't make this size card very often.   I matted and layered on some green and red card then added the vellum and the image.  The pine branch was from SW,  and the pine cones were Sizzix.  Merry Christmas was a die from Cheery Lynn and to finish off a SB poinsettia.    Only two more sleeps till I meet my lovely friend Jennie and as she goes home on Wednesday,  the three of us intend to cram in as much craft as is possible in between the chatter.    Enjoy your Weekend and I hope you are having some of the beautiful sunshine we have here, lunch in the garden as it was so hot.     Hugs Rita xxx

     

Vintage Card

Hello my dear friends and fellow bloggers.    I am totally  overwhelmed by all the beautiful comments left regarding my Fabric /Lace Memory Book.    What makes me happy is the fact that my two daughters are very talented crafters,  and we all create different things.   My dear Son just likes working and sport, and of course spending time with his wife and 2 daughters and visiting us of course.
Anyway, my card for today is a vintage card,  just because I love this picture.   I used ivory card and embossed it with one of my 8 X 8 folders that I previously brayered with distress ink.   Added some lace along the top and some lovely brown satin ribbon from Meiflower.   The centrepiece  was made using the new Anja dies from Marianne.  The picture was one that I had in my stash from years back.   The beautiful stickpins were a gift from a friend.
I also finished another swallowtail shawl in a deep purple 1 ply wool that took me longer than normal.
Andrew had another pre-op today and now that his BP has settled down they are going ahead with his right knee replacement.  So we both feel relieved about that.    Shopping day tomorrow so no crafting will be done as I have visitors coming in the afternoon.   Then my good friend Jennie  arrives on Monday night from Shetland,  as Annie is having a crafty day on Tuesday,   so we are looking forward to that.   Enjoy your Weekend whatever your doing.    Hugs Rita xxxx

 The blocked shawl

Fabric & Lace Memory Book

Well, Hello again.  Please forgive me for taking so long to get back to you All.   Life has been extra busy here  and  and in between times I finished my dear daughter Annies  Memory Book.   In fact it is a picture heavy post,  so you may want to grab a coffee before you start reading.   I started it way back in May,  just after her birthday .  She actually set me a challenge to make her a memory book out of fabric and lace,  so here it is finished at last.   It has 16 calico pages,  not counting the front and back covers, with hindsight I should have done less as it took ages to cover with old lace and  hand crocheted doilys,  in fact I used some bought vintage lace as well.    Annie will add her own pieces to it as well,  but I have already added some of my mothers crystal beads and brooches etc.    Working out the basis for my book took a while as I wanted to leave a channel for each page .  I also made a bookmark to match.    The book measures 11.5 inches by 9 inches.  Mission Accomplished Annie.
I also managed to hem some curtains for my daughter-in-law as well as finishing a few other projects.   Now I have mountains of stuff to put back in order.    In fact my craft room is needing put back in order too if the truth be told.   So if I'm missing again you'll know where I am.    Take Care and look after yourselves.  Happy Crafting.
Hugs Rita xxxxx