Twenty little pockets ...

Hello sweet friends ...

We have some rain today which is quite welcome ... the trees are all in bud and shoots are popping up everywhere ... so I for one am quite pleased that they are getting some refreshment ... it's so heartwarming to watch the gardens come back to life ... I am always fascinated at how tiny tender shoots can force their way up through the ground ... a few more weeks and I will be inundated with Forget-Me-Nots ... 

I have been busy preparing for my Thursday group ... it can get quite hard to come up with things for them to do week after week ... especially with their limited abilities ... but their enthusiasm has no limits I am happy to say ... This Sunday here in the UK we celebrate Mother's Day ... Last week they all made cards ... a lot of the group don't have mothers so we are always flexible ... one of my gentlemen crafters ... well, he has a 'thing' for Monkeys and Christmas ... so all year I take Christmas 'bits' and perhaps a picture or two of a monkey ... but he surprised me last week by asking to make a card for the Queen ... actually it was for the Queen  ...  to congratulate Prince William and Kate ... So I cut out a crown shape stuck it to a card and added lots of gems and he addressed it to the Queen .. (well he thinks he did ... ) So as the cards have been made ... this week we are going to do a gift ... a pretty photo frame and a pocket to put it in ... something like this ...

This is my example for them to copy ... 

Of course they will have their own picture ... they won't want one of me and hubby

Everything is ready for them to assemble ... 100+  punched flowers .... 20 frames cut and backed with acetate ... papers cut and printed (MTME digital "Just Perfect") ... and thick card cut and folded ... everything all just waiting inside twenty stitched 'pockets' made from envelopes ...

That pretty stamp was a gift from the lovely Deb Hickman who last year sent two enormous boxes of goodies for us to use ... 

All I need to do now is sort all the glue,  tape and embellishments .. oh and a monkey or two ... a ribbon for Nicola's hair ... (every week without fail she wants a new ribbon) ... something 'crackly' for Michelle to play with ... oh where is my list?

Till soon

~ Ros ~

City Crafters ... week 50

Hi there!

It's a party today over at City Crafter Challenge  ... sweet Cheryl is hosting for us and the theme she has chosen is "Celebrate the good times" ... her beautiful daughter comes home soon after being away as a missionary for quite some time ... so Cheryl has chosen that we use a Banner or the word Party this week.

 Here's my card ...

I thought I'd use an unusual sort of banner .. a banner of birds Lol!

and some of this paper was what I had left from my GD spot at Pixie Dust Paperie (our Sponsors this week)

My Little birds are digital ... "Flights of Fancy" all fussy cut

We have the wonderfully talented Olga ... better known as Pastilka as our Guest Designer this week ... please do go and visit her ... her creations are truly amazing!

So come on and join the party and help Cheryl to celebrate the safe return of her lovely daughter... we are looking forward to seeing all your creations ... and if you are looking for inspiration ... why not pop over to City Crafter and check out all the DT work ... 

I'll see you there!

~ Ros ~

Jingle Belles card 13

Good morning my lovely blog friends ... I hope you are well ... 

The sun is shining here again though the last few days have been cold ... but here is a little sign of Spring in my garden ...

The clocks 'sprang' forward this week end too ... so that means the nights get lighter and the days appear longer ... Wonderful! ... More time to create

So this week at Jingle Belles the theme is 'The Holly and the Ivy'... just include some sort of holiday foliage on your card ... so without further ado ... here's my card ...

A scrap piece Websters Pages paper ... a few stickers, lace, and of course holly leaves to which I added a flower and some berries and a white satin bow ...

... and the sweet little 3D bauble is from Stella ... 

I'm almost recovered from my painful foot ... and I am so grateful and touched by your warm wishes ... whatever did I do without you all? 

Have a wonderful day

Till soon

~ Ros ~

EDIT ... Don't forget ... there is still time to enter for my GiveAway ... just leave a comment HERE

Sleepless Nights

Hi there!

I hope you are well .... I have been suffering with foot problems these last few days and had two sleepless nights which meant a visit to the doctor this morning and more blood tests ... I am one of these people who seem to suffer from too much uric acid ... and some years ago was hospitalised with kidney stones (really painful!) and now the crystals are depositing in my toe causing arthritis ... (I so love this ageing process!) 

I made a card for the challenge at Waltzing Mouse yesterday and I guess being tired ... rushing to get to club (not wanting to let them down ... even though standing was painful)  I didn't post it before the closing time ... so I will share it anyway ... 

This was the sketch and this is my card

but I think it also fit the challenge of "Pastels and Ribbon" at Delightful Challenges 

This  card is mostly digital from various designers ... but a pretty happy card don't you think?

I hope you have a great day 

Till soon

~ Ros ~

CR84FN20

Hi there ...

It's a beautiful day here in Liverpool ... for the past couple of days we have had glorious sunshine and lovely warm temperatures ... It gets very cold at night but I can live with that ... Spring is definitely arrived and the birds and butterflies know it ...

 Yesterday I had my computer installed into my 'new' craft room ... which then prompted me to call my server as the system has been so ridiculously slow and as everyone knows ... these calls take forever ... the guy asked me to unscrew the phone line box and complete various tests ... I won't go into detail  ... suffice to say that it is impossible to lie on the floor and unscrew this box whilst holding a phone AND  read things on the computer screen especially when the computer is in another room!  Anyway, an hour later and it was all systems go ...  except by then ... my mojo had gone missing!

 I so needed to make something ... for my assignments ... for my group ... for my sanity! 

 Eventually came up with something for this weeks challenge at CR84FN ... this is the gorgeous inspiration picture ...

... and this is my card ...

The background paper is Core- dinations... the floral paper is Laura Ashley and the deep plum is BG from the Wisteria collection

Everything else is from my stash ...

I'm sooo glad I finally got something done ... I'll share some photos of my 'new' little space soon ...

Before I go I just want to say a Thank you to The Shabby Tea Room for awarding me a Terrific Top Three for my tea party box ... it was a great Birthday bash ...

Have yourselves a wonderful day ...

Till soon

~ Ros ~

Cute as a button ...

That's this weeks challenge at City Crafter ... hosted by lovely Linda ... (soon to be Grandma) so what could be more fitting than to make a card or project with a Baby Theme to include Button/s and Bow/s Here's the inspiration picture for you 

Our Guest designer this week is non other than Sandy Ang ... I tell you ... I am in awe of Sandy's projects ... go check out her lovely blog ... she is such a sweet kind hearted lady ... Our sponsor this week is Pixie Dust Paperie ... Have you bought from Pixie Dust? they have lovely goods and the postage is so reasonable even for here in the UK ... well worth a visit ...

So ...  for this weeks' challenge I decided to make something for me ... I apologise now for the pictures ... I found this so hard to photograph especially with the muted colours

I made a cute little folder with a frame 

using of course some buttons ...

... and a bow ... and yes that is my 'baby' ... 

I promise you ... this looks much nicer IRL

Is this any clearer?

It was all constructed from thick card ... covered with paper and embellished ... the frame is another thick piece of card cut and covered and there is some clear acetate providing a window for my picture 

... those cushions my 3 week old is lying on are hideous ... but back then (28yrs ago) I thought they were so nice Lol!

Well I hope that you will join us this week at City crafter Challenge ... and have a look at all the work from the rest of the DT ... we are now only a few weeks away from our 1st Birthday too ... 

Have a wonderful day 

Till soon

~ Ros ~