Thursday 27 January 2011

Thank You cards

Hi, and welcome!

You may remember me posting, a few weeks ago, about my daughter's mother-in-law, Sheila, leaving home to serve as a full-time missionary for our church.

She's doing really well, from all accounts, and is loving what she is doing.  She's one of those people who thrive on being busy, especially on behalf of others, so she's in her element.
I can't help wondering how many tyre changes her wheelchair is going to need, over the next 18 months!
Well, a goodie box is being sent to her, at the weekend, and I thought she might have a use for a set of Thank You cards that she can give to kind people who invite her for meals, etc.

I've been really busy for the past few days, so had to do these in a hurry, which is why they are a bit on the plain side.....no fancy embellishments, glitter, buttons (shame), but hopefully, they'll come in handy, anyway.

I made six in pink......


and six in blue.


I think these are known as CAS cards, i.e. Clean and Simple :)
Just a panel of white card, embossed with a Cuttlebug folder (in my BigShot), a piece of DP cut into a Nestie label, a freebie digi sentiment, and a strip of DP behind....a little inking around the background, and there y' go!
Sorry, Petra....didn't get around to the photo editing bit yet :)...but I will!

Hope you....and Sheila....like them!

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x


Wednesday 26 January 2011

Inspiration Blooms - Blog Candy

Welcome!
I've been a follower of the lovely Michelle over on inspirationblooms.blogspot.com for some time, and always love her posts.
Today, she's making us an offer we just can't refuse!!
Check it out......

Good enough to eat, or what!
Please do take a look at her blog....it's got lots of eye candy :0

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Tuesday 25 January 2011

I'm back!

Hi, and welcome!
I have not been able to  blog, follow my favourite blogs, catch up with emails.....y'know, all the IMPORTANT stuff, lol......because my lovely little netbook decided it did not want to connect to the internet for a while, (I suppose I HAVE been working it hard), so it had a little holiday until my LUVERLY son-in-law, Ian, came to my rescue....and it's not for the first time, I might add ;D

Well, I actually managed to make the time to make a birthday card for my Mam....she's going to be 81 on 3rd February, but I still have to shop for a little gift for her.  She still likes girlie stuff....handbags, shoes, jewellry (especially earrings!), makeup.....and she recently discovered Yankee Candles....so it shouldn't be difficult to find something for her.....I hope those aren't famous last words, lol.

I used the sketch from crazy4challenges.blogspot.com and would like to enter their challenge for this week.

I used cotton lace because my Mam is a very feminine young lady, so I would also like to enter this card here adayfordaisies.blogspot.com for their Challenge#10 "Organic Soul".

I used 100% cotton to sew around the blue circle, and the sentiment label....and there are little touches of blue fairy dust on the flower pot.......fairy dust IS organic, isn't it ....I'm sure I learnt that in a long-ago class :)

What do you think about the quality of the photos?  My lovely friend from my Secret Pals group, Petra, has given me some good advice about getting my photos clearer and sharper.....Thank you, Petra......and I think they look better.
It would be lovely to get your thoughts, so please keep them coming!

I'd also like to enter toptiptuesday.blogspot.com  asking for a card with flowers on.

And here claudiaandcompany.blogspot.com for the Recipe challenge.


paperprettiesblog.blogspot.com Stitching (my hand-stitching on labels)

Hopefully, will see you tomorrow, and thanks for looking in.

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x


Friday 21 January 2011

No Internet!!!

Hi, there.....and let me say, first of all, that I have REALLY missed my blog for the past couple of days!
I've had no internet connection on my little notebook, which is what I use almost all the time for blogging, catching up with emails, etc., so I've been forced to use our old PC....which drives me CRAZY because it is so sloooooooww!  But, needs must, as they say, lol.

I've been dying to share this next card with you, simply because I'm really not sure about it.....it took me out of my comfort zone, and is what I think of as VERY LOUD!
I made it with a particular lady in mind.....not that she's very loud, but she certainly has ATTITUDE, and that's what I like about her :)




The image is another freebie from Paulette, and I coloured LOUDLY with Promarkers, then added lots of Beadazzles to the handbag, stick and shoes.  I added three flowers....and then the one with the red gem in it is metal with added white Beadazzles.  Hope she likes it!

I'm entering this card into these challenges:
Heavy Metal (my little flower)

pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com
Challenge#3 Anything Goes

catchthebugblog.blogspot.com
Mini challenge - Anything Goes

pennyschallenges.blogspot.com
Anything Goes


My next card is for my next-door neighbour.  She's 81 and very spritely, but recently fell. breaking her leg.....poor thing.  I did the same thing, last summer, and I'm a LOT younger than her....honestly :D





The background paper was a freebie with this months Simply Cards & Papercrafts....the rose image was another digi freebie (not sure where from)......and I used Promarkers to colour, Nellie Snellen's to diecut the image and it's background, and my smallest Nestie scallop for the Get Well message (which was stamped).
I love that tiny Nestie....just the right size for little embellies or messages! Added a few flat-backed pearls, and was done.....ta-daaa!

pollycraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com
Sweet Pastel Colours

This card is going into these challenges:
deliciousdoodleschallenge.blogspot.com
Challenge #9 Get Well

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Tuesday 18 January 2011

TWO new cards!

Hi, I hope you've been having a good day :)

I've got two cards to post today......been busy!

The first is for one of my grandsons........Harrison has recently been learning to play the drums, and his parents have been told that he's a very quick learner, and actually has a natural talent....how cool is that?
He'll be 10 years old at the end of the month, and I already had this digi image from Paulette, which I'm hoping he'll like.



Again, I've used scrap cardstock and papers from my stash.....the embellies are from a Cosmo Cricket sticker sheet that I've had for ages.....and the Special Day stamp is brand new .....cute eh?......from pinkgemdesigns.blogspot.com.

Here's my next effort.....this one is another Thank You card, (I seem to need LOADS of those, lol).......and - you've probably guessed - I used all scrap bits and pieces.  The digi is still my favourite from mamidoodles.blogspot.com, because it is SO versatile, and I added the brown spotty ribbon and a button......and there she is!



Still not happy with the lack of sharpness to my pics, though.  If anybody has any tips, please let me know........pretty please!

I would like to enter my Thanks card here:
crazy4challenges.blogspot.com

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Sunday 16 January 2011

Oops!

Well!  I have no idea why that last post got all mixed up like that!
It looked absolutley fine in the Preview.........wonder if it was because I copied and pasted BreAnn's story.

Oh well..........hope you got the gist, anyway, lol!

See you tomorrow......if the gremlins don't get at me, first :)

Anne-Marie x

F.R.O.G.

Hi, and welcome!

I've made a couple of cards, but can't post them, here, yet, because for the past couple of days, we've barely had daylight!
We've had a lot of rain, and the sky has been that awful dirty grey, so.......as my camera really needs good daylight to give me good enough pictures........I'll have to wait for the sun to come out :)

Some of you will already know a little about the condition that our youngest grandson, Bevan, has.
Tomorrow, he will turn 3 months old, but when he was 10 days old, the community midwife was making her final visit to Bevan and his Mummy, but thankfully, she noticed that he didn't look quite right.  His Mummy is only 20 years old, and he is her first baby and she had thought that he was just having a sleepy day.

To cut a long story short......Bevan was diagnosed with a too-rapid heartbeat that comes in "episodes".
The midwife certainly saved his life that day, because she told Bevan's Mummy and Daddy (our son), to get him straight to the hospital.  Just after arriving, as he was being examined, he had an episode.....and his heart stopped.

It took a doctor about three minutes to bring him back.
Bevan was extremely ill and was in ICU for some time.  It was during this awful time that I mentioned him on the Anything Goes forum, on Paper Craft Planet.
I asked for prayers for Bevan........and got SO much more.

Very quickly, those wonderful, generous women formed what has become known as Bevan's F.R.O.G. Support Team.
From all over the world, Bevan has received cards, small toys, bibs, and various other treats....all of which have a frog theme.

Why a frog?  Well, a lovely young lady named BreAnn shared this story.......

            I was told a story about a lady in the hospital who was near death when an area Chaplain came to visit her.


The first person to send something to Bevan was a sweet, loving lady named Bridget.  She sent a tiny ceramic frog, a larger frog ornament, and a soft toy frog......she said she had sent the three so that Bevan would always have a frog with him....his own little guardian angel......wherever he went.  His Mummy makes sure he does.

Bevan is now on a lot of medication, but we are told that he may grow out of this awful condition.  We have faith that he will.  In the meantime, he is growing chubby, he gurgles and babbles, and is a happy and delightful baby boy.

You might find all of this slightly corny........all I know is that I will be forever grateful to these people for their kindness, their generosity....even their love......for a tiny boy they have never met.  They continue to pray for him.  They continue to give me their support and friendship, and every time I see my little grandson with one of his frogs, I am reminded to Forever Rely On God.

Thank you for staying with me.  I appreciate every one of you.

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x
   
This Chaplain was a very young female with long blond hair.  She listened to the lady who was ill and left her a small gift for comfort.                                                                                    It was a tiny ceramic frog.

The next day one of the people from the lady's church came to visit. The lady told her friend about the beautiful young Chaplain who had come to visit her.  The friend was so impressed with the way the lady had improved and felt the need to talk to the young Chaplain.
In her search to find the young gal, she was repeatedly reassured that the chaplains are never very young and that there was never a gal that fit the description given.
Upon returning to the lady in the hospital, a visiting nurse entered the room and noticed the ceramic frog.
The nurse made the comment 'I see you have a guardian angel with you,' as she held the little frog. We asked why she made the comment and we were informed that the frog stood for:

(F) Forever
  (R) Rely   (O) On   (G) God

Wednesday 12 January 2011

My Dad's birthday

Hello, and thank you for dropping by.

Today would have been my Dad's 85th birthday.
For those of you that don't know, my Dad died, 12 days after he was diagnosed with cancer, last July.
It came as a great shock, because we didn't even know that he was ill, although he had lost a fair bit of weight.
Yes, he was 84.........but he was my Dad, and I didn't think of him as being an old man.

Today, I visited his grave, and took roses (his favourite flowers), and two tubs of daffodils, not yet in flower......but they will be....when the sun shines.
The grave still looks raw.......his headstone should have been in place by now, but there has been a delay......my Mam is so upset.  She really wanted it there for his birthday.
I didn't want this post to be maudlin.......I just wanted to mark my Dad's birthday.
He was a proud Scotsman, and I would normally have been taking him a hand-made card with a Scottish poem or song written inside.
As it is, all I can do is say "Happy Birthday, Dad....I love you".

On to today's card....hope you like :)




Again, (Petra would be proud of me!) I used scraps from my HUGE pile, and even got around to using one of those metal frames (the heart) that we all seemed to buy, when we first started to papercraft, lol.
I embossed the red scrap of paper with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, which I love, and I really like the colour combo.....what d'you think?

I'd like to enter this card in these challenges:

Cutie Patootie

Using it Up
                                                                           aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com

Challenge #134  Thank You card

scrappyfrogschallenge.blogspot.com

Use a Sentiment

fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com

Challenge #55  Let's get warm and toasty

craftysentiments.blogspot.com

Thank You card

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Clean and simple......

I suddenly remembered, this morning, that I needed a birthday card for a friend in the U.S.........good job I didn't have any other plans, so I was able to put together a very quick, very simple little card....phew!


Told ya it was quick and simple!
You can't see it on the photo, but there's a little glittery Spica on the frosting, and around the pink background paper........I don't think I've ever made a card so quickly, lol.

Thank you, again, for stopping by, and for all the lovely comments that you take the time to leave.........they are very encouraging, and very much appreciated.

Oh, by the way.........my lovely PCP friend, Petra has inspired me to use scraps from my stash, and this little card is one of the results!
Thanks, Petra..........why not visit her inspiring blog here.

I'd like to enter this card in these challenges:

toptiptuesday.blogspot.com
Challenge #17 Anything Goes

paper-craftingjourney.blogspot.com
Challenge #1 Use a digi

paperplaychallenges.blogspot.com
Challenge #14 Clean and Simple
Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Monday 10 January 2011

Getting the hang of it, now.....I think!

Hello, and welcome.......it's so nice to have company :D

I really enjoy looking through some of the papercrafting and scrapbooking magazines, although I'm sure you'll agree, some are better than others, lol.
One of my favourites, at the moment, is Simply Cards and Papercrafts, and I was taken with one of the articles in last month's edition, where they had made some beautiful cards with the new Lili of the Valley Tea for Two stamps.
I especially liked one of the colour palettes that was used on one  of the cards....a pale peachy yellow and a soft blue.....that's all.....just those two colours, sooooooo.......I used a lovely little freebie digi that I snagged some time ago........can't remember where, so if you recognize it, please let me know who I shoud be giving the kudos to.

Here it is.....hope you like.....




It's quite a simple little card, but it gave me a chance to practice my colouring......and by the way......you have been making some very encouraging remarks about the cards I've posted, so THANK YOU!

I really think I need a MUCH better camera, though.....no matter how I try, just can't seem to get clearer pictures.....ggrrrrr.

I've got a BIG birthday coming up in June, and would have started to drop some very big hints, but my very generous hubbie has promised me a trip to NEW YORK, so I can't really, can I?........Can I?........Although a clever new camera WOULD come in handy for sightseeing.....hhmmmmm.

Hope to see you soon, and many thanks for dropping in.

There are some challenges I'd like to enter this little card into:

Digi

alyssundaychallenge.blogspot.com
Things with Wings


Hugs,
Anne-Marie x

Thursday 6 January 2011

Thank you, Leanie!

I was SO surprised, and definitely delighted, to receive a My Blog Has Attitude Award. and was nominated by Leanie, who has a really cool blog here.

Who knew that I would ever receive something this fabulous?

I am so grateful that you all bother to take a peek here, because I know just how many really awesome blogs there are, out there in Blogland.
Thank you so much.

Well, the rules that come with this award state that I have to tell you three things that make me different..........hhmmmmm.........and I also have to pass on the award to 5 other bloggers.

Ok.....three things that make me different......well.......

I am a qualified genealogist....OR....according to my 7 year old grandson, George......a gynecologist!

My favourite tv series of all time is The Waltons....sorry.......but that might go some way to explaining how I've ended up hanging 29 stockings on Christmas Eves!

I still have 6 baby teeth in my bottom jaw......I just never got adult ones, and my baby teeth grew larger when my other teeth came in.......always had really healthy teeth, and am the only one of my siblings who still has all my own!

Now to pass on the award.................and did I mention the $5.00 gift voucher?

She will delight you!

Now, this lady certainly has attitude....will make you laugh out loud!

So talented.....and funny!

I get such a lot of inspiration....she's amazing!

This lady is so very generous with her freebies, and never fails to give encouragement, too!

Ladies, you can find your award and the rules here.

I hope you visit each of these very creative ladies, and enjoy them as much as I do!

Thanks again, Leanie!

Hugs,
Anne-Marie x





Wednesday 5 January 2011

Learning, little by little, by little!

 Hi there..........thought I'd share the little card I made, yesterday, for a friend of mine.
I love this image.......isn't she sweet? She's from the Girl with Garland set from Mamidoodles. You can find her here
 As you can probably see, I'm still on a steep learning curve when it comes to colouring with Promakers......I love the effect they give, but I've got a lot to learn :)
I used a cream card blank, layered some paper from my stash, (bought it so long ago, I can't remember where it's from.......there's a theme, here, you might notice!), layered some red gingham paper with green stitched grograin ribbon....added some pretty lace, then hand-stitched around the main image, which is on pale ivory textured card...... added the funky red flower and button.....stuck three green card candy bits in the corner, and voila!

I've tried to follow tutorials for using Promarkers, but I know I'm my own worst enemy because I am SO impatient!
I don't really get all that much time to actually play, so I usually end up running into my ickle craft hidy-hole, and rushing through what ever it is I want to do (usually a last-minute birthday card!), so, actually following instructions is something I KNOW I need to do,  to get the results I want.....but time and impatience get the better of me!!
What can I say?

Anyway, I'm hoping my friend, Judi, enjoys the card.....I may always be in a rush, but everything I create is made with the most important ingredient.....love.

Thanks for visiting......and if you have any suggestions to help me on my way.....don't be shy :)

I would like to enter this card in these challenges:

Sketch

fabnfunkychallenge.blogspot.com
Anything goes

stampinroyalty.blogspot.com
Birthday project

scrapbooksisters.blogspot.com
Card challenge #17
Anything Goes

doyoustackup.blogspot.com
Challenge #1

Sunday 2 January 2011

It's about being brave!

Today, Hubby and I attended a special Church meeting to say Bon Voyage to our daughter's mother-in-law, because, tomorrow she leaves to serve an 18 month mission for our Church.

I am so proud of her, because she really is one of the bravest people I know.....for several reasons.
She has been a widow for 14 years, had to have a leg amputated and gets about in a wheelchair (you should see her go!), and has had all sorts of health issues.......BUT......she just gets on with it!  Did I also mention that she's 66 years old?

We share 4 beautiful grandchildren, and she has officially given me her share of the spoiling rights, but purely on a temporary basis!

I made this card for Sheila, in honour of her love for her family, and for her Father in Heaven.......and her willingness to give 18 months of her life in His service.




The message inside is to remind her that Bravery is not an absence of fear........it's being afraid, but doing it anyway.
Just about sums up Sheila, I think.

The sentiment was another lovely freebie from createwithtlc-createwithtlc.blogspot.com

I would like to enter this card in these challenges:
digistamps4joy.blogspot.com
Anything goes

catchthebugchallengeblog.blogspot.com
New beginnings


Hugs,
Anne-Marie x