Happy New Year

I wish all my followers and guests on my blog

a Very Happy New Year

I hope you have a wonderful year

Margaret

Last Christmas card of the year

Hi,
As always Vernons card is always the last to be made,  only this year it was only just made as I have a cold/flu and it started on the 16th and its still here.   I stamp the yes again that tree image  which I stamped on parchment and then embossed the snow and coloured lights on the back of the parchment,  I was going to do a border but in the end that went by the board and I just managed to mat it on dark blue card with a grey card backing.   He did like his card which I was pleased, its not my best work but when you are suffering and trying hard to get everything finished for christmas things dont go to plan.   I might add he now has the bug too so we are seeing the new year in together coughing and sneezing together.
I used the Penny black Fantasy tree stamp,
Hope you had a good christmas

                                             Margaret  

Happy Christmas

Hi,

To all my followers and guests to my blog I wish you a very Happy Christmas,  I hope you have a great day where ever you are and whatever you celebrate today.

Margaret 

Back to Basics Challenge - Resist Technique

Hi,

This is the last challenge of the year at Back to Basics and the final challenge of the year is Resist Technique.
To be honest I was right out of my comfort zone and something I have never tried before.  So I went back to my favorite stamp I seem to have used this stamp a lot this year,(I do have other stamps in case you are wondering)  I stamped and embossed the Penny Black Fantasy stamp with silver embossing power,  then with Versa colour ink in the colours of Sky Blue and Misty Mauve, I rubbed the ink over the trees,  then rubbed off the colour on the silver embossing.  I matted the card onto pale blue card and onto a dark blue card finished off with silver peel offs and a dark blue bow.

We would be delighted to see you at Back to Basics and beyond challenge blog with your entry,   here is a link to the blog

                                   Hugs

                               Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - Christmas Old and New

Hi,

This is the last challenge for the year,  this year has gone so fast,  this challenge was chosen by Jocelyn,   Christmas Old and New.

For my card I used an image and backing paper from the Magical Christmas Moments CD by Cup cake crafting.  I have tried to do something totally different I had some Vellum left over from the last card I made and I die cut shapes out of it  and then placed it over the image,  just showing parts of the image with the reminder covered but still showing through the vellum.  I die cut some pine leaves and a father christmas riding his sleigh across the sky finishing off with some red gems and red ribbon.

CD Sunday challenge now has a Facebook page for those who would like to enter the challenge and do not have a blog,   here is a link to the page

I hope you will visit the CD Sunday Challenge site, and remember if you want to enter the challenge you must use something from a CD no matter how small and let us know which CD you used.  Here is a link to CD Sunday Challenge blog  we would be pleased to see you.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend

                               Hugs
                            Margaret

Another 5 Ice drops of the 15

Hi,

This is the next installment of some tatted ice drops that I was asked to make,  she has now received them and was very pleased with them.

This is a list of the colours and patterns I used

1.  Bloomin by Diane  in Niagara Falls and White
2.  Tropical Ice Drop by Nicola Bowersox in Girly girl
3.  Heart Ice Drop by Marti Miller in Scottish Thistle
4.  Silver Crowns by Diane in Butterfly Breeze
5.  Barbaras Snowflake ice drop by Barbara Murdock in White with Purple beads

All the Ice Drops were tatted in Lizbeth thread No 20


Now for some good news,   I was discharge from Sheffield Hosptial clear of cancer and the eyesight has improved,  after going to see the Professor from 18 and half years,  I was discharged its a wonderful feeling that things are back to normal and the operation worked and the fluid that was caused through the radiation has also cleared up.  An early christmas present.

                              Hugs
                          Margaret

Back to Basics and Beyond challenge - Stamping / colouring Vellum

Hi

This fortnight at Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge we are doing Stamping / colouring Vellum.

This is not really me but I did find it a lot easier than I first thought,  as I had no vellum only parchment I had to go and buy some vellum,   Using my favorite stamp by Penny Black called Fantasy,  I seem to have used this stamp a lot this year.  

I stamp the tree three times covering part of the tree at each end so they the side ones look behind the one in the middle,  I put coloured dots in the trees they are supposed to be lights in the trees,  the white for snow was harder as the white would not show though the vellum very well,   so in the end I got out my parchment kit and with a grid on the back,  did dots for the falling snow and snow on the branches.    I added some silver dots on the front to give the image a little sparkle.

I fixed the vellum to a dark blue card and then onto a grey card, added a snowflake Brad,  a white ribbon bow, and a Merry Christmas from stock.
We would be delighted to see you at Back to Basics and beyond challenge blog with your entry,   here is a link to the blog

                                        Hugs
                                      Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - Blue and White

Hi,
Another challenge from the CD Sunday,  after this one there is only one more left for the year,   This time its my choice and I have choosen Blue and White.l
I thought originally a christmas card,  but in the end its a birthday card using the CD Shoes in Bloom CD by Ooh La la creations, one of my favorite CDs.  I matted the card on blue card and then blue embossed card to one side,  the backing paper also belongs to the image.  I finished the card off with blue ribbon,  a spray of white feathers,  and a flower die which I brought from Amazon.  and square gems put as diamonds.

CD Sunday challenge now has a Facebook page for those who would like to enter the challenge and do not have a blog,   here is a link to the page

I hope you will visit the CD Sunday Challenge site, and remember if you want to enter the challenge you must use something from a CD no matter how small and let us know which CD you used.  Here is a link to CD Sunday Challenge blog  we would be pleased to see you.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend

                                       Hugs

                                   Margaret 

Happy Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving Day

To 

All my American Followers,

Hope you have a great day.

Happy Birthday

Hi,

Today is my husbands birthday and I made Vernon this card,  I do hope he likes it,
I used an image from Hunkydory,  I really love their images and this is a beautiful image of a stag deer.
The backing paper is from stash,  I kept it plain and simple this time.
We are off to Sheffield tomorrow for a check up on my eye,  as usual the weather is turning colder and looks like we might encounter a bit of snow,  hopefully not.
Hugs
Margaret   

Tatted Ice drops first 5 of 15

Hi,

It’s a beautiful but cold day here the sun is shining,  it’s going to get colder as the week goes on.

I was asked to make 15 ice drops,   Which I am doing at the moment. This is the first five which I have already sent her.

I am trying to make them all different,  my remit was purple, pink, green, blue and Christmas,  this is the first five as follows

Posy Ice drop by Nicola Bowersox in Purple Splendor and white

Swirl Ice Drop by Crea Helga in Raspberry Frappe,

Bloomin’ ice Drop by Diane in Red and White

Frivolity Ice Drop by Diane in Purple Splendor

Spring Garden by Diane in Niagara Falls

All thread used was Lizbeth no 20

I’ve nearly done the next five,  in different colours and different patterns, just shows how many patterns we have now on Ice Drop Adicts

Have a lovely weekend

                                                     Hugs

                                                 Margaret

Back to Basics and Beyond - An easy Easel card

Hi,
This fortnight at Back to Bascis,  our challenge is for an easy easel card.
I have made a simple easy card,  taking a card folding one side in half and adding another piece of card to the folded piece and therefore making a folded card that stands up.
I used an image from stash which is by Kanban, I matted it on red card and then gold card printed with Happy christmas,  added gold die cuts and a spray of poinsettia die cut with red gems in the middle and at the bottom a strip of the gold card white leaf die cuts and red ribbon and a couple of more red gems.

We would be delighted to see you at Back to Basics and beyond challenge blog,with your entry,  here is a link to the blog

Hope you have a nice day

                                        Hugs

                                    Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - Winter Wonderland

Hi,
On this rather sad day of Remembrance we at CD Sunday have a new Challenge.  this fortnight its Wynn's turn to choose and she has gone for Winter wonderland.
For my card I used a Winter walk in the countryside CD by Creative Crafting.  I used the matching backing sheets which went with the image,  There is a silver piece of card which goes across the card in the middle,  the image was matted onto a piece of brown card to bring out the rabbits and a red ribbon down the side.  I also glittered the snow in the scene.

CD Sunday challenge now has a Facebook page for those who would like to enter the challenge and do not have a blog,   here is a link to the page

I hope you will visit the CD Sunday Challenge site, and remember if you want to enter the challenge you must use something from a CD no matter how small and let us know which CD you used.  Here is a link to CD Sunday Challenge blog  we would be pleased to see you.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend

                                Hugs

                            Margaret

We must not Forget

Today is the anniversary of the end of the

 First War World War

We must never forget the thousands who died so we

could live in a Free country.

Knitted Poppies

Hi,

Oh what a lovely day today,  not  its pouring with rain and windy as I write this post for today

Next weekend is remembrance Sunday a day that we remember the two wars this country fought in and won.  I must add that we did win both wars.

I have been knitting poppies,  they are simple to knit and only took a less than a night to make.  They are knitted with double knitting wool.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend

                                    Hugs

                                Margaret

Back to Basics and Beyond challenge - Sketch

 Hi,
Its time for another challenge at Back to Basics and Beyond challenge blog.   This fortnight we have a sketch as above.

For my card I used an image from the Pamela West CD by Joanna Sheen which I had left over,  I matted the image on blue card,  a strip of pale blue card and a backing paper from stash.  added two die cut flowers and a butterfly with blue gems and a sentiment           which a did on the computer.

This card is actually for Vernons nephew who has just brought his own house. he likes to have a home made card for christmas and his birthday.  so I hope he likes this card I made for him.

We would be delighted to see you are there is a the Back to Basics and beyond challenge blog and here is a link to the blog

                                     Hugs

                                  Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - Christmas

\Hi,
Time for another challenge with the CD Sunday Challenge blog and this time Meg has chosen Christmas.
For this card I used House Mouse triple Cd by Joanna Sheen,  a new favorite of mine,  I used the backing paper that went with the image backed it onto green holographic card and then on red card,  The book on the image I decoupage.
I cut some die leaves from the Signature Die collection by Sara Davies called festive wonder.  Used the sentiment that was with the image and added two red bows.

CD Sunday challenge now has a Facebook page for those who would like to enter the challenge and do not have a blog,   here is a link to the page

I hope you will visit the CD Sunday Challenge site, and remember if you want to enter the challenge you must use something from a CD no matter how small and let us know which CD you used.  Here is a link to CD Sunday Challenge blog  we would be pleased to see you.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend

                                     Hugs
                                 Margaret

Autumn Ice Drop

Hi,

What a lovely autumn day here in Somerset,  a perfect day to show my latest Ice drop which I mad on holiday.

This is Atumn Posy ice drop by Nicola Bowersox,  I have been making a series of seasons with this pattern,  this is another one for my friend  who is suffering with depression,
I used Falling Leaves by Lizbeth thread no 20

Hugs
Margaret

Back to Basics and Beyond Challenge - Stencils or Masks

Hi,
Today we have a new challenge at Back to Basics,  Stencils or masks,  this is not my thing and I am out of my comfort zone and my mojo gave up.
I don't have any stencils or masks,  so I used an embossing folder as a stencil and inked it with Tim Holz Distress ink lucky clover which I won from Craftstash a while ago, the embossing folder is a cutterbug  embossing folder Holly leaves.
I matted the image on red glitter card and then on green holographic card,    for a change I put a red and a narrower green ribbon done the side,   finishing off the card with peel offs.

We would be delighted to see you are there is a the Back to Basics and beyond challenge blog and here is a link to the blog

                                        Hugs

                                    Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - off the cutting room floor

Hi,
Time for another challenge at CD Sunday,  and this time Carol has chosen "Off the cutting room floor"

This is a great challenge to use up all the bits left over from other challenges,  I don't waste much and I had so many pieces of paper left over that I wanted to use up as much as possible.   My idea turned into a bit of a nightmare but I got there in the end,   I used scrapes of paper cut them into one inch squares,  put them on a piece of paper sticking them all down separately in a diamond, from a host of CDs.  Hers my list
Joanna Sheens  One Summers day,,  and Pamela West CD twice,
The tale of Peter Rabbit CD by Crafters Companion
Pollyanna Pickering Woodland Birds Chapter IV Sketch Book Collection
The image was a left over from Joanna Sheens Pamela West CD
 I cover the diamonds with strips of peel offs before adding the image which was matted onto gold card.
It was a lot of work and I kept the card simple after the work on the backing paper.
It worked and I am pleased with the card.

CD Sunday challenge now has a Facebook page for those who would like to enter the challenge and do not have a blog,   here is a link to the page

 I hope you will visit the CD Sunday Challenge site, and remember if you want to enter the challenge you must use something from a CD no matter how small and let us know which CD you used.  Here is a link to CD Sunday Challenge blog  we would be pleased to see you.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend

                                          Hugs

                                       Margaret

I'm still here

Hi,

If you are wondering where I am, I'm still here, while we were in Turkey the wifi was crap,  yes I really mean crap,  I had a job just getting emails and looking at Facebook and everything else.
Now I'm home blogger has decided that it's wants to play up,  I can't sign in on my new iPad,  so to leave comments on your blogs I'm back using my old iPad,  how stupid is that.
So if you never got a comment over the last three weeks,  thats the reason why.  I'm trying to catch up with you all,  in the meantime I'm working hard to catch up.
Hope everyone is well,  and enjoying this beautiful day.
  I will write up a post on your holiday in Turkey,  I'm still trying to get use to the cold,  it was 40 to 45c that's 104 +f. every day in Turkey.  A lot hotter than normal for the time of year.
Hugs
Margaret

Back to Basics and beyond - Watercolours

Hi,
Another challenge at Back to Basics and this fortnight its Watercolours,
After a lot of tries and I mean that I finally got a card made, I do mean a lot of tries years ago I could have done a scene but today nothing work.
 So in the end  I embossed a card with the embossing folder called Bee by Darice and watercoloured the bees,
I matted the card onto golod card and put a peel off edge around it.
I finished off the card with some bees from stash which I have had for a while and peel offs

We would be delighted to see you are there is a the Back to Basics and beyond challenge blog and here is a link to the blog

                  Hugs 

              Margaret

The Atomium - Brussels

 Hi,
Whist we were in Brussels it was only fitting to go and see The Atomium,  We went by Metro to the see the Atomium which I wanted to show Vernon and of course see it again myself.
This was built in Brussels for the world exhibition in 1958,  which was the first exhibition after the second world war.
I was lucky to go in 1958 and saw this which today is an icon
I still have a copy of the original program that my parents brought,  I might add I was only 4/5 years old when I went.
The building consists of nine a unit cell of an iron crystal that correspond to the nine atoms making up .standing 102 meters high weighs 2,400 tonnes, and the spheres are linked by 20 tubes.
We did not go inside as the que was so long,  the lift which takes you to the top sphere was the fastest in world when it was built.
Between 2004 and 2006 the Atomium was restored it is now the most popular monument in the city and has become a world renowned symbol of Brussels.
In 2003 it was listed as the strangest building in Europe by the American news channel CNN.  in the ranking it was beaten by a building in the shape of a banknote in the City of Kaunas and Gaud's famous Casa Mila in Barcelona.
This year it is 60 years old and the picture below show the sign wishing the Atomium a Happy Birthday. 
It was a delight and a pleasure to see this icon again,  so Happy Birthday Atomium.
                       Hugs
                    Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - Autumn Days

Hi,

Time for another challenge at the CD Sunday Challenge and this fortnight its Janes turn to choose,   Her choice is Autumn days
For this card I used Pollyanna Pickering Sketch Book collection chapter V British wildlife,  I used the harvest mouse image and backing paper to match.
I matted the image onto some hammer gold card,  added some flower flowers from stash attaching them to the card with a flower brad.

CD Sunday challenge now has a Facebook page for those who would like to enter the challenge and do not have a blog,   here is a link to the page

I hope you will visit the CD Sunday Challenge site, and remember if you want to enter the challenge you must use something from a CD no matter how small and let us know which CD you used.  Here is a link to CD Sunday Challenge blog  we would be pleased to see you.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend

                                   Hugs

                               Margaret

Pillowcases

Hi,

A few months ago a friend gave me a pillowcase kit,  the kit had thread and two printed pillowcases.  During the heatwave it was just too hot to knit so I started the embroidery of the pillowcase number one.
Its a nice cotton material although its a lot more work than it looks,  I'm using two strands of embroidery silk,  its very fine work. with a lot of detail. 
This picture was taken a few weeks ago so there's a little more done.
I will update my progress as I carry on,  its a bit slow at the moment
                                       Hugs
                                    Margaret

Four Petals Bookmark

Hi,

Here is another bookmark from Robins new collection of bookmarks,   this is Four Petals,  its now a favorite design of mine.

I tatted this in Lizbeth thread no 20 Leaf Green med., and Summer fun

I have not blocked it yet in case you think its wonky,  the tassel I used both threads to make which was left overs from the shuttles.

                                 Hugs

                              Margaret

Alenalea Tatting Tat along on Facebook Finished

 Hi,

Its finished not quite how I wanted it to look bit at least its done.
I started off with pink and yellow flowers,  close up of the yellow flowers.
After doing the pattern until the point of adding the flowers,  but then I found I had made a mistake somewhere,  after cutting off the green rounds, and re-did it only to find the mistake must be in the coloured part,  I found that I only needed seven flowers,  what to do I had four pink and four yellow.
I did another three yellow flowers so now they are all yellow.
Now I finished the doily,  on the 7th row I did the rings in the same colour as the middle.
Middle Lizbeth White
Center and 7th round Lizbeth Tropical Punch
The green is Lizbeth is Leaf Green Med.
Flowers Lizbeth White and Yellow

All the threads were no 20.

It was a good tat along might have looked better if I had found the mistake. 
                           Hugs
                       Margaret

Back to Basics and Beyond - Inky backgrounds

Hi,
Today is a new challenge at Back to basics,   this fortnight we would like to see Inky backgrounds.
This has been a little out of my comfort zone,  I have a limited pallet of colours in ink pads, I used Versa mark ink on an embossed card using the embossing folder Extra Loren by Couture creations.   I patted the ink pads over the embossed surface.
Cut an fairy die using a Signature Fairy die and also ivy die by the same make,   the blue flowers die was a freeby from a magazine.
I glittered her wings and wand with silver glitter and place silver drops in the flowers centers.    I added a butterfly to the card.  this was a die cut that was sent to me some time ago and I cant remember who sent it,  so thank you if you know who you are.

We would be delighted to see you are there is a the Back to Basics and beyond challenge blog and here is a link to the blog

Hugs

Margaret

CD Sunday Challenge - G is for.....

Hi,
Time for another challenge at the CD Sunday Challenge,  this time it is Carol's choice and she has gone for G si for....
My card today is G is for Game Bird.
For this card I used Pollyanna Pickering Woodland Birds Chapter IV sketch book collection for the backing paper and the image of the Pheasant. 
I matted the image on gold miri card,  added a yellow ribbon bow and finished off with peel offs

CD Sunday challenge now has a Facebook page for those who would like to enter the challenge and do not have a blog,   here is a link to the page

I hope you will visit the CD Sunday Challenge site, and remember if you want to enter the challenge you must use something from a CD no matter how small and let us know which CD you used.  Here is a link to CD Sunday Challenge blog  we would be pleased to see you.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend

                                   Hugs

                                Margaret

Frivolity Ice Drop

Hi,

I thought you might like to see my latest Ice drops I made.  The pattern is by Diane and its called Frivolity Ice Drop.
I must say I do like this pattern,  its easy to do,
The top one is a Lizbeth thread called girly girl
This one at the side is again a Lizbeth thread called summer fun,   I was asked to make one by a friend when she saw the above and she wanted either a pink or blue well this summer fun thread has both colours shes is delighted and looks like she will want more.

I think they both worked out well.

Hope you are having a good weekend,
                                          Hugs
                                      Margaret