Cuttlebug Challenge – be Inspired #27 - Numbers

Well, it’s the start of a new week and just as I was hoping to get back to some serious crafting, I hear that my insurance company has given the go-a head for the work to be done after the flood and the decorator is starting on Thursday.
This means that I have to clear the room of all the furniture ready for them and store it in my bedroom and in here, which won’t leave my any room to work.

Added to that I have the guy coming to measure up for the bespoke fire surround on Tuesday, I have to see the nurse to have the dressing removed from my knee on Wednesday, I have the weekly shop with dad (as well as the start of the decorating) on Thursday and I have to take my brother to the hospital for the pre assessment of his cataract operation on Friday, so I have quite a full week.

Taking all the above into consideration this 50th birthday card that I made for last Wednesdays Cuttlebug Challenge may well be the only card I get to show you this week.

The number was cut on my Robo and I’ve added some embossing, a little bit of doodling and some faux stitching.

Card Blank – Craft Creations
Papers– Basic Grey, Granola
Ink – Ranger Distress Ink (Faded Jeans)
Embossing Folder – Cuttlebug (Spots and Dots)
Dies – Sizzix (12in. Hunky Dory Alphabet), Spellbinder Nestabilities (Large Standard Circle)
Large Brads – Basic Grey (Boxer)

Basic Grey - Challenge #31

This is another of the cards I managed to make this week.

It turned out to be a really bright and cheery card thanks to the gorgeous ‘Pheobe’ papers from Basic Grey and it wasn’t until this afternoon that I realised it fits in perfectly with this weeks challenge on the Basic Grey challenge site.

The cute little paper pieced birdie was a template that I found in an old copy of Paper Crafts.

Card – Craft Creations
Patterned Papers – Basic Grey, Pheobe
Gem Brad – K & Co
Flower Eyelet – K & Co
Ink – Ranger Distress Ink (Broken China)
Glitter Glue – Craft Planet (Iridescent Sparkle)
Dies – Spellbinder Nestabilities (Large Classic Scalloped Circle & Large Standard Circles)
Paper Punches – Mather Stewart (Cosmos) Small Flower unknown
Gems – Anita’s Tiny Gem Wheel

Other Stuff
Ribbon
Blooms
Small Brad
Computer generated greetings

DCM's - Toys for Boys

Yah, I’ve actually managed to get back to a bit of crafting this week.........can't believe how much I've been missing it.
I'm still not able to spend too long sitting with my knee bent but at least it’s a start and it's getting better all the time.

I thought I would start on my Daring Cardmakers card for this week but unfortunately it wasn’t finished in time for the Friday dare and more to the point it still isn’t finished.

It will be my nephew’s 21st birthday at the start of next month and I have to make three cards for him. Two will be straight forward cards but I wanted to do something a bit special for him from his Granddad, so I decided to make a chipboard book.

As I said, it’s not finished but I’ve decided to show you the first two pages because they fit in with Rein’s dare which is Toys for Boys.

All the papers are Basic Grey, Oh baby! Boy and all the other various bits and bobs are from my stash.

Keep an eye open and I'll show the finished book when it's complete.

So Many Messages

Afternoon all.

I just thought I would drop in and give you a quick up date on my progress.
The good news is that I’m still virtually pain free which is something I’m so relieved about having been in agony for almost 10 months, so I decided to do a little bit of blog hopping and thank a few people while I'm on my travels and then head off to make a cup of coffee.

But before I disappear again I just thought I’d point you in the direction of Stamped Smiles where Vicki where she’s offering two mega piles of fabulous blog candy.
Get over there and have a look for yourselves!

Anyway, thanks again for all your get well messages and have a great Easter Weekend.
Love
Sue
x

On The Mend!

Hi all,
Well I'm home and the knee op is well and truly all behind me now.

My surgeon said he was happy with the way it went.
He trimmed the tear in the cartilage and also removed the debris from behind the knee cap that was causing the grating in my knee, but it didn’t all go quite to plan.

It was intended that I would have a general anaesthetic for the procedure but when the anaesthetist came to see me before the op she said that there was still a problem with thyroid levels and they had decided it wouldn't be safe to go down that route. This meant having to have an epidural instead and being awake throughout ………..very strange experience. There was no pain though, just the sensation of being pushed and prodded but I really didn't like not being in control of my legs and not being able to move them myself.
I was able to watch the procedure on the screen at the side of me and the strange thing was I didn’t actually relate to the fact I was looking at the inside of my own knee because I couldn’t feel anything.

It was also a bit surreal at times too.
While they were getting me positioned on the operating table I looked up over the green cloth screen they had erected, only to see my left leg up in the air and my foot resting on the doctor’s shoulder.

I didn’t know I get my leg that high. Lol!


Anyway,
The good news is that I'm in very little pain, far less than I expected and I'm able to put my full weight on it already with no problem, although it’s very stiff. The three wounds were left open to allow the fluid they pumped into it to drain out and I have to go to see the nurse at my own surgery in two weeks to have them checked.
In the mean time I have to rest it to bring down the swelling and also have some physio exercises to do at home three times a day, then it’s back to see the consultant in six weeks.

So as I said I’m home, having been transported from the hospital by my wonderful friend Susan’s OH, Edd and just so wouldn't get boared they left me with a big pile of magazines to read and this rather large Easter egg

to munch my way through while I’m on the mend. Then yesterday my day was brightened by some more very special friends.
First there was a knock at my door in the morning and I was greeted by these beautiful flowers, sent by Nicki in Switzerland,

and then in the afternoon another knock at the door and this enormous box of Thornton’s chocolates arrived from the lovely Sharon.


How lucky am I to have such wonderful friends…..Thanks You Girls..........and Edd! (((hug)))

Well, I shall be back joining in all the challenges again as soon as I’m able to sit a my desk and computer in comfort but for now I have to rest it.

See you all soon I hope.

Sue
X x

100 Years Young!

I’ve been asked to make a very special card this week and I was under real pressure to get it right because it was a first for me and it was something that you don’t get asked to make very often.

My friend’s Great Uncle will be 100 next week………how amazing is that!

My brief was to make something with a gardening theme because his garden was one of his great joys when he was able to work in it. The other thing was to make sure the card had some texture to it so he would be able feel it...........as you can imagine, at that age his eye sight isn’t what it used to be.

My plan was to make the numbers look like little topiary trees and when I saw Keryn’s Daring Cardmakers challenge this week I knew exactly what I was going to do.

Feeling Fruity

Hi its Keryn. My dare this week is to put a piece of fruit on your card. Make your

card for any occasions and use any fruit you like the look of.

I don't really have much in the way of fruit themed things but as I was thinking along the lines of ‘Vintage’ and ‘A Ripe Old Age’ and what came to mind was my 'Tiny Grape and Holly Border' set of Tapestry Stamps.

Here’s the finished card:-


The Geraniums were stamped and embossed with Clear Embossing powder.

They were then coloured and cut out so that the flowers were separate from the pots and re mounted on 3D foam so they stand out from the card.

Next I stamped the hand cut numbers and the stems,, again mounting them on foam.

I then attempted to create the illusion of a grape vine trailing across the corner by tearing some card to fit and this was also stamped and mounted on the 3D foam.

Lots of layers…..you get the idea!

The final 3D image is the bottle, glass and bunch of grapes on the bottom corner which was stamped three times and then layered.

Card Blank – Craft Creations, Cream Hammer
Patterned Papers – Basic Grey, Boxer
Inks –Ranger Distress Ink (Peeled Paint & Worn Lipstick). Tsukneko VersaFine (Black) VersaMark (Clear) VersaColor (Boysenberry & Green Tea) Martha Stewart Pigment Ink (Leaf Bud, Stem Green & Brownstone)
Rubber Stamps – Rubber Stamp Tapestry (Tiny Grape & Holly Border & Nature Plate 4), Papermania ( The Secret Garden, Stems) Stick ‘n’ Stamp (Geraniums) Clear Stamps (Travel Set, Bunch of Grapes) Unknown (Wine Bottle & Glass)
Embossing Powder – Fun Stamps (Clear)
Pencils – Prisma Color

Other Bits
Brads
Gel Pens
Computer Generated Greeting


Well that's definitely it from me until after my op next week.

I went for my pre op test yesterday and then had my last blood test today so it's all go for Tuesday.

I'll only be in over night, at least that what they tell me, so I'll be back keeping my eye on what you’re all up to even if I'm not back crafting.

So while I’m gone............…….

Behave Yourselves!

See you soon
Sue
x