Cards from Lynne`s Loft

Less is More # 70 Red, White and Blue

2012-06-03T11:38:00.000+01:00

Happy Sunday All!

Well the Jubilee weekend has got off to a bad start weather wise.We have heavy rain up here and it looks to be set in for the day. Mind you we shouldn`t expect any different really, seeing as it always rains on bank holiday`s. Mother Nature has a weird sense of humour sometimes.

We have a colour challenge this week at Less is More. The ladies want to be all patriotic and use
Red White & Blue

I must admit to struggling a bit (again) with this one. I felt a bit odd yesterday and couldn`t muster up much enthusiasm and then I woke up this morning with a rotten head cold. I also didn`t want to go down the obvious route of using the Union Flag but couldn`t thinkof anything that hadn`t already been done. There are some fabulous entries already this week. I finished up making this half hearted effort which I`m not very proud of.
With hindsight I think I should have stamped something in the rectangle before adding the daisy and butterflies.

I masked of a rectangle with post- its and inked it up with Memento Bahama Blue and Danube Blue, then made a frame with nestie rectangles.
I punched two daisies and layered them up adding a clear gem to the centre.
Then I punched some tiny butterflies in red, white and blue card and arranged them over the frame adding a tiny gem to each.
Again with hindsight I should have done my sentiment straight onto the card but left it too late so I`ve cut one out and raised it with foam pads.
As I said I`m not 100% happy with this one but I`m blaming my fuzzy head lol.

Enjoy your extended weekend and I hope the weather gets much better. Spare a thought for me, I`m working both monday and tuesday. Oh the joys of working in retail :(

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

W

St Lukes Charity Card Challenge ...Furry Friends

2012-06-01T00:02:00.001+01:00

Good Morning to you all.I hope I find you well.
As it`s the 1st of the month that means it`s a brand new challenge at St Lukes Charity Card Challenge. We have a fun challenge for you this month to let you all get over the trauma of one layer month lol.

Our little Furry Friends.
include an image, charm or papers which feature something cute and furry- dogs, cats, teddies or even a furry monster.
My card features something that some of you might consider to be little monsters but these ones are really cute.

I`ve used this gorgeous stamp from Crafters Companion Beatrix Potter collection called Appley Dapply`s Nursery Rhymes coloured with Promarkers.
I used Pink Petticoat DP from the Vintage Roses set for the background.
The image is cut out using a nestie circle matted onto a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis motifs circle.
Some punched daisies with gem centres and computer generated sentiment cut out with a lacey oval die to finish.

We have another fabulous prize for you this month for the outright winner, this terrific Text It background stamp from Waltzing Mouse,

How cool is that?
Don`t forget to check out the rest of the DT inspiration over on the main blog and also you can donate your card to sell at one of the summer fairs that Tara will be joining to raise funds for this wonderful cause.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Wedding card

2012-05-31T11:42:00.000+01:00

Good Morning All!

Not a very nice day here today,we have rain. It`s my day off but I`ve got to go out to the hairdressers this afternoon. Is there any wonder that we`re obsessed with the weather in this country?
Anyway the forecast is looking good for saturday which is when my neice is getting married. Unfortunately we can`t be there but I`ve made a card to send. I`ve kept it simple as it has to go in the post.

I scored a lattice pattern onto some pink pearlescent card and matted it onto some silver mirri card before placing it using foam pads.
The sentiment is by Rubbadubbadoo, stamped in embossing ink and embossed in silver detail EP, then cut out with a nestie Labels 4 die. I place that with foam pads.
I added some white pearls to where the lines cross and,`Voila! All ready to pop in the post.

Don`t forget to pop back tomorrow where we have a brand new St Lukes Challenge, I think you`ll like this one.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Poppy Anniversary Card.

2012-05-30T15:09:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon All!

Well the beautiful sunshine we`ve been enjoying has finally come to an end. I wonder if it`s because I have a day off tomorrow lol. The clouds are building but it`s still warm, hopefully summer will start proper week after next when I`ve got a week off work ;)

It was Cheryl and Darren`s wedding anniversary last sunday so ofcourse I made them a card. As Cheryl`s fave colour is red and she once told me her favourite flowers were Poppies, I`ve once again gone with a red poppy card. In fact she loves poppies so much Ruby was going to be Poppy for a while.
Anyway, enough waffle, here`s the card,

It`s a rubbish photo I`m afraid. I had a marathon card making session over the weekend and by the time I took piccy`s the light was at the wrong side of the house so all this weeks pics are dreadful. Note to self...take photographs in the morning.
Back to the card.
Red base card run through the cuttlebug with Crafts Too Damask EF.
Poppy stamp from Chocolate Baroque Fresh Florals set stamped onto strip of white card and coloured with Promarkers.Corners rounded and then raised using foam pads.
Sentiment by Rubbadubbadoo stamped onto a tiny strip of white card and placed across panel with foam pads.
Nice, simple but effective card.

I had a better nights sleep last night which is just as well as we`ve been mega busy at work today and I`ve got a wedding card to finish so I can mail it tomorrow. See you then.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

More man cards

2012-05-29T21:25:00.000+01:00

Hello All!

A really quick post from me today `cos it`s getting late and I`m tired.
In Hull we have two rugby league teams, Hull Kingston Rovers who play in a red and white strip and Hull FC who play in a black and white strip. I thought these little cards would be a fun addition to the fundraising box.

I printed the stripes from Pink Petticoat onto white card.
The little rugby player is by Creative stamping and I stamped him onto the base card. I cut a strip of the stripes to the required width then cut an oval with a nestie, ( because it resembles a rugby ball) lined it up with the image then cut the length.
I`ve raised that panel with foam pads. The sentiment is by Anita`s and that is placed with foam pads too.
The image is coloured with Promarkers.

Right that`s it from me, I`m done in.
Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Vintage Toppers

2012-05-28T16:12:00.002+01:00

Good Afternoon All. I hope you are all well.
Last week Tracy from Cardmakers Delight sent me some of her gorgeous toppers to try and I all I had to do in return was to make a card and blog it. How cool is that?
The most difficult part was choosing just one topper to make my first card with. I decided on this gorgeous birdcage one,

Not the best photo, the lights not very good at this time of day up here I`m afraid.
The colours in the topper were perfect to match up with these papers from Papermania Blueberry Hill.
I`ve simply added a doily, some flowers from my stash and a computer generated sentiment.
I`m really pleased with this, the colours are so summery and fresh.
I would like to call it " Shabby Chic" but I just can`t bring myself to do the shabby bit. I love other peoples creations when they do distressing and rough edges but the neat freak in me simply won`t allow me to. I like my edges clean and crisp. Does that make me A/R? probably lol. Anyway check out Tracy`s store and her toppers. They are absolutely fabulous and there are such a lot to choose from.

Hope you like it Tracy x

I`m entering this card into this weeks DYSU challenge,` A little bird told me`
(thanks Tara)
and also Our Creative Corner who want Shabby Chic.
Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Casual Fridays Masculine

2012-05-27T13:54:00.000+01:00

Good Afternoon Everyone.
In all the excitment of seeing Ruby yesterday I forgot to welcome my new followers. Very remiss of me I know and I apologise. So I would like to extend a very warm welcome to Samantha, Tracy and Misseke. Thank you for choosing my blog to follow.

Over on CAS- ual Fridays the challenge is to make a clean and simple male card. Now you all know how I struggle with man cards and the men themselves don`t exactly help do they? I swear if it was left to my OH there would be no such things as greeting cards at all. But I have to make a start on some for the fundraising box so this is my first one of (hopefully) many.

I know I seem to be using this design a lot lately but it works for me.
Background is Pink Petticoat Chevron in Duck Egg.
I printed the letters on the PC using Ariel Hollow font and then filled them in with blue glitter using a fine tip nozzle. Wasn`t sure about glitter on man cards but hey..even men need a bit of sparkle in their lives don`t they?
The sentiment is from 2 different stamp sets and I can`t remember which sorry, stamped inVersafine Onyx. The banner is simply a strip cut with the trimmer and I`ve made the `v`s` with the corner of a square nestie.
Nice simple little card. I haven`t joined in with the casual girls in ages so I`m pleased I had the time to do this one.

We had a lovely afternoon with Ruby and her mum & dad yesterday. Ruby arrived dressed in her new Tinkerbell dress and the easter bonnet I made for her. Believe me it`s a look only a three year old can carry off, hee hee she looked a picture. After the obligatory counting of the fish in the pond and watering the plants ( something that has become a ritual) she found the biscuits and settled down to stuff her face. All was going so well until she decided to climb onto a dining chair and promptly slid off between the back rest and the seat banging her head on the radiator control knob. She has a huge egg on the back of her head and there were tears all round, including me but she`s fine again now. Poor little mite, as if she`s not going through enough right now.

Right I`m off again to enjoy the sunshine while I can.
Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 69 Recipe

2012-05-26T15:54:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon all. I hope you are all well and enjoying the lovely late spring weather. Last week I couldn`t stand being in the loft as it was so cold but this week it`s too hot. I can`t win, not that I`m complaining, honest.

This week at Simply Less is More, the challenge is a recipe, NOT A SQUARE or a rectangle either.
We are asked to make a shaped card. I used to make loads of oddly shaped cards when I first got into cardmaking but have concentrated on more regular square or rectangle ones lately so it was a nice change to do something different.
My plans to make a pile of baby cards last week didn`t come to much as I couldn`t get motivated for some reason so for my card today I`m sticking with babies.

I had coloured lots of these Giraffes in advance so I simply cut around it.
The card base is made from a Spellbinders Lacey Circle Die.
I`ve added a piece of blue gingham across the middle and placed the giraffe with foam pads.
The sentiment is by Personal Impressions.
Both the giraffe and the gingham are from Pink Petticoat.

I`m quite pleased with this one but if I get some time I might have to have another go.

Ruby is coming to see us soon. She came back from hospital last night for the weekend after having a full week of Radio therapy and a new variation of Chemo. Honestly, that child is amazing. Nothing gets her down at all.

This is Ruby last tuesday after her first R/T session and halfway through a five hour Chemo session. I really don`t think I`d feel up to painting anything after all that.
Where Ruby and her family live is classed as `deprived` but as with anywhere there are good and bad, mostly good I hasten to add.
On thursday one of the neighbours asked which was Ruby`s favourite Disney Princess as her young daughter wanted to draw Ruby a picture. That in itself made Mum Cheryl cry but..it was all a ruse. Unbeknown to anyone, a couple of neighbours went to every house in the street collecting to buy her a present for when she came home. Cheryl rang me this morning in tears, apparently you can`t move in her livingroom for dressing up clothes, dolls, bags everything including cutlery and a placemat. All from the Disney shop which isn`t cheap.
It just goes to show how kind and thoughtful people really are and I can`t find words to thank them enough.
I think I`m going to cry again now.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 68...Baby or Child

2012-05-20T12:41:00.000+01:00

Good Afternoon All!
I hope I find you all well and managing to stay warm in these chilly temps. The weatherman says it`s going to get warmer during the week. About flippin` time too I say.
I`d like to welcome my new follower too. Thank you for choosing my little blog to take a look at.

I was only thinking during the week that I ought to get some baby cards made for the fundraising box and also for St Lukes and lo and behold, the gods were listening.
The challenge at Simply Less is More this week is to make a clean and simple card for a baby or a child.Yaaayy!

I started yesterday with these two,

The Giraffe is a digi from Pink Petticoat coloured with markers.
I printed the gingham, also from Pink Petticoat, straight onto to some card and cut a panel the same height but slightly narrower than the card and placed it using foam pads
I made the bow a double layered flat one this time for a change and added a heart gem in the centre.
The image is cut out with a nestie oval as is the sentiment which is computer generated.
I thought a pink one and a blue one is a good start.

Then I thought there might not be enough `white space` for Mandi and Chrissie`s exacting standards ;) so I made this one this morning.

The stamp is by PSX now out of business. I tried for years to get my hands on this stamp. I adore it.
It`s such a beautiful image and gives a really clean crisp finish. I eventually found this one at Bladerunner and could have cried when I found it. How sad am I? And then I`ve hardly used her.
Anyway, I`ve stamped the image and coloured her with markers adding a little Glamour dust to the moon and star. She`s cut out with a Spellbinders Fleur de lis square and mounted onto a square card using foam pads.
I`ve added a small bow and a tiny rosebud to finish.
No sentiment because I thought it could be either a birth or christening card.

I might have to play for a while longer with this baby stamp to get my stocks built up. I`ve lots of ideas in my head and none of them are particularly clean and simple. I`m thinking layers...lots of layers lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Sketchbook Saturday # 59

2012-05-17T15:24:00.000+01:00

Good Afternoon All!

It`s ages and ages since I last played in the Sketchbook Saturday Challenge over on Chupa`s Blog but this week she has such a wonderful CAS sketch it would have been rude not to join in.

As I still had some snippets of the papers I used in my last post, I can also enter this one into Pixies Crafty Snippets. ( Yes Di I have Jelly Babies this week)

Ofcourse you know me, I couldn`t make just one card, I had to make three.

The papers are all from Pink Petticoat Brocade Collection in Pistachio, Sassy and Plum.
The sentiments are Layers of Color Happy Wishes stamp set stamped in Versafine Onyx.

I love this sketch and I think I`ll probably use it again and again. I`m thinking masculine cards now. All I need is some time arghh!

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Hip and trendy...

2012-05-15T15:27:00.000+01:00

...or at least that is what I`m aiming for.

Good afternoon All, I said yesterday that todays cards were going to be a little bit different. Whereas yesterdays Mum card was a bit twee and, in my opinion, aimed at older mums, todays will hopefully appeal to the younger mums out there.
We`ve been looking at wallpaper for our bedroom and while the colours I`ve used today are nothing like what`s going on our walls, I couldn`t help but notice the "in trend" colours for home decor. So that`s what I`ve gone with.

As you can see I`ve used the Brocade DP from Pink Petticoat again (love this paper) in Plum, Sassy and Pistachio.
The flowers are all made with tissue paper (Poundland) cut out with a nestie scallop circle die and scrunched.
The sentiment is computer generated and I`ve added some gem stones to finish.

Up here in my corner of the UK we tend to say Mam for Mother although Mum is creeping in more and more .As these are all for the fundraising box and the market I`m aiming at is more likely to say mam I thought I`d use it.

Ofcourse I could have got it all wrong and the truely hip and trendy will think they`re a bit naff but I won`t know until I try will I ?

The weather here today is awful. Strong winds and heavy showers and it`s sooo cold. More like february than may. I hope we`re going to get a heatwave in June or I might go into hibernation.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Wonderful Mum.

2012-05-14T15:33:00.000+01:00

Good Afternoon all!

A quick post for change from me. The playground over at Pixies Crafty Snippets has been extended to two weeks so this gives me a chance to show the second card I made from my white card snippets. This one is not for a specific Mum. It`s another card to go into the fund raising box and I thought it was time I made some cards especially for the mums. I really ought to be doing Dad cards but they take much more thinking about lol.
Anyway,here it is,

No image this time. I thought the embossing on the panel and the beautiful flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, were enough to keep it delicate and simple.
The sentiment is computer generated and cut out with a nestie label 4 die, mounted onto a nestie beaded oval.
I`ve added a pale pink ribbon and bow to finish.

I`ll be back tomorrow with some more Mum cards that are about as far removed from this one as you can get.
Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More #67

2012-05-12T17:31:00.000+01:00

Good Evening all!

It`s one layer week at Simply Less is More this week and Mandi and Chrissie have asked to use,
3 Stamps
not 4, not 2 but only 3 stamps.
It`s not quite as easy as it sounds.lol.

Now I know I`ve used this stamp before for a LiM challenge but it`s perfect for an A6 card and besides, I like it ...a lot.
The main image is a Flourishes stamp, Lenten Rose and the sentiment is from the same set.
The butterfly stamp is also by Flourishes, this time from the Gerbera daisy set. All coloured with a mixture of Spectrum Noir pens and Promarkers except the water in the vase and that`s a watercolour pencil.

Just to remind you that it`s one layer month over at St Lukes Charity Card Challenge this month too so why not make two cards and enter one there. You could also donate your card to sell to raise much needed funds for the hospice .
Which reminds me, I`ve got a million boxes and lids to make tonight so I can send my donations off, better dash.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

A whoo hoo, a Ruby update...oh and a card.

2012-05-10T14:25:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon all. I hope I find you well. It`s a bit breezy here today but at least no rain as yet, fingers crossed.

I`ll start with my whoo hoo.
About a month ago I recieved an e mail from Heather at Papercraft Inspirations Magazine asking if I`d like one of my cards to be included in the 100th edition. Well ofcourse I had to think about it...for about a nano second and it is now on the shelves. Co- incidently Tara and Jenny my fellow DT members from St Lukes are also on the same page. How spooky is that?
I`ve been wandering about with a massive grin on my face for a month now, this is so cool...I`ve been published..yayyy!

Right, time to calm down now.
Ruby had to go to St James (Jimmy`s) hospital on tuesday as this is where they will be having her radiotherapy.
Tuesdays visit was to show her all the machinery and what it does so she wouldn`t be too scared when the process begins. She also had to have a mould made for a mask to protect her from the radiotherapy. The play co ordinator met her there and they turned the whole business into a game for her and she loved it apart from the actual laying down bit for the mask. Not a problem at all, they expected to have to sedate her and they did, everything went well and Ruby wasn`t fazed in the least.
The radiotherapy treatment starts next tuesday and she has to have treatment every day, monday to friday for three weeks. She is also having a different course of chemotherapy for the next 34 weeks. We are all still very positive but I think we`re still prepared for her to be a bit more poorly this time. Ruby still amazes us how well she has taken all the prodding and poking, treatments. surgeries, both major and minor and even the upheavel of being away from home. She is certainly one very strong spirited little girl.
I`ve added a couple of pics so you can see the toll it`s taken on her.

The first one is from Alans and Rachels wedding last september.

This one was taken in my living room 5 days after her major operation to remove the tumour and a kidney.
You can see how her hair has thinned and just how much weight she has lost but she just doesn`t let anything bother her. I know theres a long way to go yet but I`m sure with her spirit she`ll come through this even stronger than she is.

Phew, well if you`re still with me I`d better show you my card.

This is a style I`ve used lots of times before and probably will again. Very simple but I like it.
One thing I`ve found over the past few months is the amount of white card snippets I have accumalated. I tend to used a full A4 sheet to print a tiny sentiment or image so I`ve quite alot of nearly full sheets in the box.
This whole card is made from snippets so I`m entering it the playground over on Pixies crafty snippets. I missed last week and had hoped to have a selection for this week but it wasn`t to be.
I made the card by making a panel slightly smaller than the base card and running it through the cuttlebug with a swiss dots EF.
The image is from Flourishes Orchids set coloured with markers and cut out with a nestie labels 4 die.
The sentiment is from the same set and I`ve added a ribbon and bow.

I`d like to take this chance to welcome my new followers, Sparklygirl Tina,Kathy, Crafty Stamper and Alleta.
Thank you for choosing my littleblog to follow.

Well I don`t know about you but I`m worn out now after all that.
Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More #66

2012-05-06T16:24:00.000+01:00

Good Afternoon All!

First of all I`d like to welcome Rachel. Thank you for choosing my little blog to follow.

The first week of the month at Less is More is always a colour challenge and this week we are to use.
Yellow
Yellow is one of my all time favourite colours. It screams out sunshine, spring flowers and warmth for me, so, apart from orange, I`ll take yellow anytime. Thank you Mandi and Chrissie, you made my day.
After a really stressful week at work and not much crafting done, I got carried away yesterday and made 3 cards.

For my first card I printed a Quatrofoil pattern in sunshine yellow from Pink Petticoat straight onto an A4 sheet of card. I trimmed it down to a tent fold A6 and added a fishtail banner in white card.
To make the banner I simply cut a strip of card and used the corner of a square nestie to make the fishtail.
The flower is handmade using yellow tissue paper cut out with two sizes of scalloped circle nesties, scrunched up and held together with a pale yellow brad.
The sentiment is from Personal Impressions.

My second card is an A6 side fold white card. I made a panel and ran it through the cuttlebug using a Crafts Too Damask EF then matted it onto some bright yellow card. The panel is placed using foam pads.
I made a banner the same way as the first card but this time I matted it onto yellow card, then made some rolled roses using a Marianne Designs Rose die. This sentiment is also from Personal Impressions.

My last card is made from the left overs of the other two.
I started by printing the sentiment straight onto the card from the computer then trimmed to size (A6) tent fold.
I cut out the circles with nestie circle dies in 3 sizes and placed them using foam pads. I`ve added a heart gem to the 2 plain ones.

And there you have it. It`s been a horrible week at work, nothing that concerns me but y`know when there`s an atmosphere and some of the staff have been really upset, it rubs off on you? I think everythings sorted now anyway.
We decided to have a run out to the seaside today. The weather could have been better but what the heck. We got fish and chips from the best chippy in East Yorkshire ( Seafront Chip Shop in Hornsea) so, no sunday roast to cook Yippee!
Not a great deal to tell you about Ruby but I`ll give you an update during the week.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

St Lukes Charity Card Challenge...May 2012

2012-05-01T00:01:00.000+01:00

Good Morning All!
I hope I find you well and not too soggy after all this horrendous rain we`ve been suffering.

As it`s the first of the month it means it`s time for a brand new challenge over on the St Lukes Charity Card Challenge.
This month we want to see your Single Layer Cards.
You can stamp, draw, emboss or any other technique that takes your fancy as long as it`s straight onto the base card.
We have another fabulous prize for the outright winner for May , two gorgeous stamps from Lili of the Valley,

And here is my card to give you some inspiration,

I`ve used a Humphrey stamp from Crafters Companion, coloured with Spectrum Noir pens and Promarkers. The sentiment is from the same set.
A really sweet and simple card. I don`t often do cute cards but I really love these Humphrey stamps. You may just be seeing a few more....

Don`t forget you can donate your card if you want to, or any others you might have spare. All funds raised by selling these cards go towards the care of terminally ill adults at the hospice. All details on the main blog.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 65 Sketch

2012-04-29T09:56:00.000+01:00

Good Morning All!

This might be a very quick post from me `cos I`m in the loft and it` flippin` freezing up here. What has happened to spring?

This weeks challenge at Simply Less is More is a nice simple sketch. We have a choiceof two,

Since things have settled down with Ruby now that her operation is out of the way, my mojo seems to have done a bunk. This is the best I could come up with I`m afraid.

6x6 white card base. I cut a circle frame using two nestie circle dies, then cut another circle from a scrap of rose pattered paper ( Papermania, Blueberry Hill). I placed the frame over the paper using foam pads.

I stamped a butterfly (Chocolate Baroque) and coloured it with markers then curled the wings with a bone folder and stuck it onto the paper with a tiny foam pad so the the wings just touched the sides of the frame.

The sentiment is from Flourishes Tag Lines.

Right that`s it from me. I`m off for a coffee before hypothermia sets in.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Ruby`s Get well Card.

2012-04-24T20:08:00.000+01:00

Good Evening All!

I made this card for Ruby a while ago but, although we knew she was seriously ill, she wasn`t poorly, so I decided to wait until she had her operation to give it to her.

I wanted something bright and cheerful for her and I chose this stamp from Sugar Nellie specially for the watering can. Ruby has an obsession with my watering can. Every time she visits, she insists on going out to look at the fish in the pond and then has to water everything, including the dogs if I don`t get there quick enough.
As all the papers and matted card are from my scrap box I`m entering this one into Pixies Crafty Snippets # 17.

As most of you know Ruby finally had her operation last friday. Now that was a day I don`t want to go through again. After over 5 hours in theatre she was taken to the High Dependancy Unit with an epidural for pain relief, a catheter and feeding tubes fitted. On saturday her dad Darren posted a pic on Facebook and, although she looked ok, you could tell she was still out of it.
But by sunday you could see a massive difference. She was a lot more alert and was chatting away.
On sunday evening the staff decided that the remaining kidney was functioning perfectly and the catheter was removed along with the epidural and yesterday (monday) the feeding tubes were taken out. She was allowed out of bed to walk to the play room and has been amazingly well.
You cannot imagine my surprise when I got home from work today to find a text on my ( not very mobile) mobile phone to say Ruby was coming home.
I`m sure it`s an age thing but I expected her to be in for at least another week but I`m sure the doctors know best. And just to prove it, I rang to see how she was and Cheryl told me that Ruby had been dancing around the living room and insisted on popping to Tesco`s with her dad ( quiet time across tea time). I suppose being so young has it`s advantages. If it doesn`t hurt, then it doesn`t bother her. I know full well that if I`d had an operation 4 days ago, I would have cotton wool wrapped around me lol.
She has been such a little star throughout this and I just hope that things carry on getting better.

Once again thank you so much for all your kind words and prayers. By the way I`m bringing smarties and marbles to the playground this week :)

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More #64 How Charming.

2012-04-21T17:58:00.000+01:00

Good Evening to you All!

I must admit to being a bit stumped at this weeks challenge on Less is More. It`s theme week and we have been asked to use a charm on our CaS cards. I`ve come to the conclusion that I`m the only person in the whole of the crafting world that has never put a charm on her cards. I keep looking at them and thinking I ought to buy some but never get round to it. So...what to do...
I did have one thing that could have passed for a charm but it is a bit vintage-y and won`t really go with CaS.
Then I had a flash of inspiration ( that doesn`t happen very often). A couple of Christmases ago, Alan bought me a bracelet and some charms to put on it and I`ve never got around to taking them to the jewellers to get put on. I`m not really a jewelry person so they`ve been put away in the depths of a cupboard. Anyway I raked them out to see if there was anything I could use and...Eureka!
As soon as I saw this charm a sentiment popped into my head, all I had to do was match it up with a stamp and I was off. This is what I came up with...

and a close up of the charm,

This took all of 15 minutes to make once I knew what I was doing.
The sentiment is computer generated.
The stamp is Inkadinkado Beside the sea (I think) stamped in Versacolor Brown.
I threaded the charm onto some gold cord and thats it, Simples!
I`m really chuffed with this one but I think I`ll be dismantling it and keeping the charm. And I will get round to having them all fitted one day.

One more thing before I go.
Ruby had her operation yesterday. Cheryl was told to ring the hospital on wednesday if they hadn`t heard anything, which she did,and was told to take Ruby in on thursday. She was to have her blood checked again and if it was still low she would have to have another bout of chemo but if it was ok they would operate at lunch time on friday.
Ruby`s blood test came back normal so the op went ahead a little later than planned. Five hours later she was back on the ward and, although a bit groggy, was talking away.
They have removed one of her kidneys and the tumour and the scan she had last week shows that the ones she has in her lungs and stomach have shrunk so the chemo is working. You cannot imagine the relief we all feel right now. We know she has a long way to go and has to endure lots more chemo but she`s getting there.
I knew what was happening when I last posted but decided not to say anything so as not to tempt fate. Now I want to shout from the roof tops. YIPPEE!
Once again thank you all for your positive comments and prayers. I`m convinced they`ve made a massive difference:)

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Daisy, Daisy...

2012-04-19T14:52:00.000+01:00

Good Afternoon All!
I hope the weather is better where you are than it is here. Now I know it`s April and it`s supposed to rain in April, but I expect showers, not constant downpours. Still I suppose we do need it and maybe it`s just getting it all out of the way ready for a long hot summer. Yeah, right...
Anyway enough grumbling, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time last week in the playground when I joined in at Pixies crafty snippets, so much so that I`m joining in again. This time I`m taking a bat and ball and some Dolly Mixtures to share. Maybe that`ll lure Mrs A from the bushes where she was seen lurking last week.

These are a great way of using up even the smallest of snippets. The card base is A5 and I scored the pattern using a score board.
The daisies are punched from small bits of coloured paper that I insist on saving. I`ve doubled each flower to give it some dimension and added a middle using a spring loaded hole punch and some scraps of white card.
The sentiment is made from the strip of card you get left with when you make a 6x6 card from an A4 sheet.

The sentiment itself is by Layers of Color inside a frame by Waltzing Mouse cut out with a nestie labels 4 die.
Altogether a bit calmer than last weeks entry lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Some more for the fundraising box

2012-04-16T16:19:00.001+01:00

Good Afternoon All!

Last week,whilst browsing the shades of green challenge at Less is More, I came across THIS card by the very talented Rosemary and decided to CASE it. Naturally I had to do more than one so here are my versions,

I love the cleaness of this design. The flowers are made from tissue paper (lots of layers) and I love the bright colours you get from it.
The leaves are cut out with Marianne Designs Leaf die from the English Rose set from Pearlised green card.
All the sentiments are from Flourishes Tag Lines and the tags are simply cut out with a paper trimmer but the inverted `V` is done with the corner of a square nestie.

Edited to add, the flowers were cut using a Spellbinders Scallop circle die in two sizes. I added a brad to the centres then scrunched them up and fiddled about with them a bit to get the shape I wanted.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More # 63 and Angies Close Shave

2012-04-14T18:11:00.001+01:00

Good Eving All!
Well Mandi and Chrissie have excelled themselves today with this weeks Less is More challenge. Not only is it a one layer card but they want us to add some DOODLING. This could be faux stitching, hand written or drawn elements on your card.
Argghh, that`s worse than acetate.
On the odd occasion that I do doodle, mine look like scribble. I can`t draw to save my life and my handwriting is atrocious.My fingers simply won`t do what my brain tells them to. Which is why I stamp...
I finally came up with this card...a total cop out but better than nowt.

The car stamp is by Hero Arts stamped in Memento Black and coloured with Spectrum Noir pens.
The sentiment is computer generated.
My feeble attempt at a doodle is the little puff of smoke from the back of the car. Sorry.
Maybe I`ll have a brainwave and come up with something else later.

It was Angie`s day for her head shave today. We have over £100 in pledges from sponsors so I`m chuffed to bits with that. All the money raised is for The Candlelighters Trust. This charity supports children with cancer and their families living in Yorkshire.
There are quite a lot of pics so here goes,

My Dad was doing the honours with the clippers and he really got into the spirit of things with a handmade barbers pole ( fixed at a very proper angle) and some rather large name tags.
Angie had biked the 5 miles from work so her hair wasn`t in the best of styles to start with hee hee.

Are you sure about this?

Too late now!!!

Definitely too late now.
Angie looks like she`s impersonating a pineapple and dads really got into the swing of things

Just a bit ( a lot) of tidying to do.

Almost done.
Did you want to keep the tufts around your ears?

A quick trim with the scissors by me to finish and we`re all done.
I have a sneaky suspicion that that smile is a little forced ha ha.
Never mind love, it`ll grow back in no time.
A big shout out for my dad for being such a good sport and very good with the trimmers for a first attempt :)

Ruby is home from the hospital now. She`s absolutely fine and they`re hoping to reschedule her op for next week.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Pixie`s Crafty Snippets # 15

2012-04-12T18:13:00.000+01:00

Good Evening All!

I enjoyed myself so much playing in the playground over at Pixies Crafty Snippets last week so I`m back with another batch of snippet cards for the fundraising box. This time I`m hoping someone will partner me on the see saw but if not I`ve got a very long rope for a group skip. I`ve also got sweets, half price mini eggs but who cares? I`m just hoping these pesky showers go away.

Terrible photographs I`m afraid and I`ve made them worse trying to edit them. The Brocade panels are left overs from my previous bright cards ( Yellow & Black and Pink & Pistachio)
The flowers are all made from snippets.
I made two more for the box but as the panels are not snippets ( but what is left over is so watch this space lol) I can`t enter them.

These two are both done with Pink Petticoat Quatrofoil.
All sentiments are computer generated.

I think I`m moving out of my bright phase for now and going a bit more CaS but I`ll see how the mood takes me lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

A Ruby update & an Easter Bonnet

2012-04-11T20:27:00.000+01:00

Good Evening All!
Ruby should be recovering from her surgery right now but unfortunately things didn`t go according to plan. When Ruby was admitted yesterday she had some blood tests done and her red blood count was very low. They decided to keep an eye on her overnight and see how things went but, as it was still low this morning it was thought to be too risky and she was being sent home. Mum & dad had all the bags packed ready for off when Ruby, who has had a bit of a runny nose for a couple of days decided to run a high temperature. She was readmitted to an isolation room where she is to stay for a couple of days until the antibiotics kick in and then she will be sent home until another date can be scheduled for her op.
I really feel for her Mum and dad. Cheryl was in a bit of a state yesterday and now has to go through it all again next week. I woke up at 3 o`clock this morning and couldn`t get back to sleep properly and have had stomach ache all day but Ruby seems oblivious to it, which I suppose is a good thing.
Anyway, watch this space, as they say and I`ll let you know as soon as anything happens. In the meantime here are some pics of the Easter Bonnet I decorated for her.

This is how it started out.
Bonnet and decorations from Poundland (where else)
Aqua Ribbon from stash.

And this how it finished up.

Posing with the Easter Bunny.

And a very unflattering photo of Ruby wearing it just before she set off for hospital. Looking very springlike in her winter coat and squinting at the camera flash.
I can assure you she is much prettier than this really, put it down to terrible photography.

Daughter Angie is having her head shaved this saturday. Her Grand dad is doing the honors and I`ve promised to do any tidying up thats needed ( of the head). She`s not going completely bald but it will be a close shave lol. Photo`s will be posted.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Sunshine and Daisies

2012-04-10T18:06:00.001+01:00

Good Evening All!
I hope you all had a lovely Easter and are full to the brim with choccies.

It`s Grand daughter Charlottes 16th birthday today and as Ruby has gone back to hospital ready for her op tomorrow, both Charlotte and Nathan are staying with us.
Charlottes favourite colour is yellow so I had to go with it and, because it`s spring Daisies seemed appropriate. Here is the card I made for her,

I thought that at 16 she`d want something a bit more grownup but still pretty and girly.
The paper are Pink Petticoat Daisy in Sunshine Yellow, positive and negative.
The daisies are punched and doubled to give them some dimension. The middles are done with the largest of my spring loaded hole punches exept the larger ones in the corners and they are done with a two hole paper punch.
The sentiment is computer generated with the `16` glittered with Glamour Dust.
Now all I need to do is work out how to keep 2 teenagers entertained for the next few days lol.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx