Bye for Now

Hi everyone, especially my loyal followers who have taken the trouble to pop into my blog and leave very lovely comments on my cards. I have really appreciated your support.

I have decided that blogging isn't for me. You have to work at it really hard to get it going properly and I really don't have the know how or the time to keep it up.

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me and helped me along the way (albeit short). I shan't close the blog in case at some time I get my mojo back and I shall keep following your blogs as I love to look at your FABULOUS creations.

So its bye for now from me. Helen xx

A steamy weekend

Hi Everyone

Thought that title may make you sit up and read my blog! Now for the let down lol. Spent Sunday travelling on a steam train (King Edward 1st)from Bristol to Dartmouth. I went with 3 friends and we had a fab day, albeit very long. We had full breakfast on the train going down which was scrummy, every bit, explored Dartmouth and (those who had room ....not me!) lunch. Then a trip up the river Dart sadly in the rain but nevertheless interesting. As soon as we returned to dry land, so did the sun. We strolled back to the train and on the way back had a 3 course dinner, also extremely scrummy washed down with a bottle of merlot. Arrived back at my pad at around 11pm after a really lovely day.

My offering today is a birthday card for a very dear DC buddy. I used My Craft Studio to colour the coffee and cream background papers and the magenta paper is from Papermania. The roses are from my stash and the topper was from a sheet of vintage children from Crafts u Print which I also enlarged through the MCS graphics programme. The other bits and pieces were from my stash. The lace was originally white and as I didn't have any suitable cream lace I dunked it in coffee.....as you do lol.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I do hope you like my card and any comments you wish to leave will be gratefully received. Hells xx

Busy Doing Nothing

Hi All

Its been a hugely busy week so far and yet I can't tell you what I have done. Of course, I have been busy watching Wimbledon in the afternoons. I remember my mother saying she only watched it now and again as she was busy keeping the home nice for my father and me and didn't have time for such frivolities. This was proved to be wrong by a most unusual source - our budgerigar, who said "new balls please" just at the wrong moment! lol.

My torn tendon continues to be a problem but my arch support has been built up even higher by the podiatrist this week and has made walking a little more comfortable, so I'm grateful for that.

My card today was a bit of a rush job. I had already made a card for my friend and suddenly realised that it is her 60th birthday this year so I hastily made the card you see here. I hope you like it. It is made mainly from bits and bobs from my stash. The ribbons are actually pink and grey but have come out darker in the photo.

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my previous cards and for your continued support. I so appreciate it.

I hope you are having a good week. Thanks for popping in. Come back soon. Helen xx

Handmade Cards By Jo: Out of this world blog candy!!!!!

Handmade Cards By Jo: Out of this world blog candy!!!!!

Life is full of little disappointments

Hi Everyone

I am gutted!! I have just found out that this year there will be no craft fair in Cardiff as it clashed with the Ryder cup. I mean...... get your priorities right! I shall have to find a fair somewhere nearish to go to or I might break out in boils.

Hope you are all having a great week and enjoying all this fab weather. I did a spot of weeding earlier on which is probably why it looks like rain at the moment. I hope to have a relaxing weekend this weekend. The cat is already honing her relaxing skills ready to join in.

The image on my card today is from the Pamela West CD2. I love the CD and I also love the idea of the digital images already coloured in as my colouring is rated somewhere below a four year old. The background paper is also from the CD with some plain card and peeloffs from my stash. I cut out the leaves from the backgound to embellish the image. I hope you like my offering and thanks so much for popping in to read my rantings. I do appreciate it and love receiving your comments. Hells xx

Perpetual weekend

Evening all

As another weekend draws to a close, I count my blessings that I don't have to go to work in the morning. Sunday evenings no longer have that feeling of gloom and doom that they used to and I look forward to another week with anticipation. I have spent the weekend with a friend and had a very lazy time....lovely, good food and good wine and lots of laughter. Popped to the garden centre this morning for a couple of plants to finish off my patio tubs and bought some really healthy looking geraniums and miniature asters. I shall be gardening in the morning. Weather permitting.

My card today has been requested by a friend. I can't remember where I got the image from, I have had it such a long time but the papers are papermania rose garden (I love 'em all) and the peel offs are from my stash (such that it is). I hope you like the card and many thanks for popping into my blog and for any comments you leave. Enjoy what's left of the weekend. Hells xx

Another week gone by

Hi All

Another week has flown by. Nothing exciting to report this week as I have been recovering from last weekend! I have a torn tendon and after doing quite a bit of walking last weekend needed to put my feet up this week. All good for crafting of course and I have managed to make a couple of Christmas cards but won't display them in case it gives you all apoplexy!

My offering today is for a formula 1 fan's 60th birthday. I "asked Jeeves" for a suitable image which I have decoupaged. The chequered flag background was from the Lilac Garden site and the embellishments are from my stash. Hope you like it. I am rather pleased that I have managed to create a respectable "man" card....not an easy thing I find. Have a great weekend and enjoy the lovely weather. Helen xx

A Great weekend

Morning all. Just to let you know that Ann and I had a really great weekend, albeit shattering! Ann loved the leek and has taken it home with her to show her friends and family in Yorkshire. The leaves were looking a bit the worse for wear however, well its not every day that a leek gets treated with silver spray and sparkle is it.

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted a card ( or even made one) I am putting this right now with a birthday card I have made for a friend's sister.

The image was from crafts u Print a few months ago. I used a martha stuart punch for the edging and the bg and adhesive pearls are from my stash. The sentiment is computer generated.

Thanks so much my friends for popping in. I hope you like the card and please leave me your comments as I value them immensely.

Have a great day one and all

Hells xx

Thanks so much Doreen for choosing me as one of your 7 bloggers. I am SO chuffed, even though I am also so thick as to what to do re the rules. Well a girl has to learn.

I shan't have as much of a problem picking my 7 bloggers as I have only 9 and you are one of them! So sorry to the one I leave out.
My 7 are:

Netty
Joanne
Jenny
Sarpreet
Mandy
Edna
Irene

There are several rules to follow:


1. Thank and link the person who gave you the award
2. Display the award on your blog
3. Tell 6 lies and one truth about yourself or vice versa
4. Nominate 7 others and leave a message letting them know.
I would like to nominate the following people who I would like to receive this award which has been a difficult choice

I too will have to think about my lies and truths VERY carefully!!

Again, Thanks Doreen. Please let me know how I link back to you and I will do it asap. love Helen xx

When friends Meet

Hi There, What a glorious afternoon. As I write Ann (Cack cards) and her husband Kevin are wending their way south to come and stay for a long weekend in my little patch of heaven just to meet me. I am so looking forward to it. In her honour I have made up the Welsh bouquet right. I hope she has a laugh, I certainly had fuun putting it together.

The photo doesn't show it in its true glory. The leaves are drenched in spray and sparkle and the leek is wrapped in green dotty cellophane and held together with a gold bow. The hand made daffodil tag completes the bouquet.

I will let you know how we got on after the weekend.

Thanks for popping into my gallery. I hope yoou enjoyed your visit and please come back soon. Hells xxxxx

Perfect for crafting

Hi

Its a dismal day here, raining and cold. Thought I'd cheer myself up with a spot of crafting. Guaranteed to cheer me up unless it all goes horribly wrong.

Hope you all had a good Bank Holiday weekend. I spent yesterday outside Cheltenham chugging back and for on various steam engines at the Cheltenham Festival of Steam. Took me back to my childhood when if you didn't come home with a smutty face, you hadn't travelled by train. So much more exciting than the diesel variety. My friends brither Ray is the enthusiast and we go along to keep him company but always enjoy the day.

Its my friends birthday soon and her craft is cross stitching so with the help of House Mouse images I made her the card you see here.

Hope you like it.

Come back soon

Love Helen xx

Panic

Morning all

Sorry I haven't been around over the past few days. Haven't had much time to do anything other than leave comments on your blogs. My blog has been playing up too in that it hasn't been updating your posts so Ive had to go into your galleries to see if you've been doing anything. Anyone else had this problem? Its not a chore for me but those of you with loads of followers would find it impossible I guess.

I have left a picture of my no. 1 follower right. Her name is Jess and she turned 16 this month. She knows that she is certainly the best looking cat in South Wales, probably the world!

I found out yesterday that a friend from my decoupage class has a birthday early next week. Panic!! I am not the quickest card maker in the world but managed to make this one in 45 minutes. A record for me. I used papermania papers, MCS Nesties and a die cut decoupage kit from my stash. Some pink adhesive pearls and a computer generated sentiment to complete.

Hope the weather is still holding up where you are. Have a great day. Helen xx

A weekend off

I have been away for the weekend so no chance to do any crafting. Went out for Sunday lunch, a real treat as cooking lunch in this glorious weather is heavy going! Had a fab couple of days but back to reality now and the housework UGH!

I am posting a couple of stitched bookmarks. I am very fond of stitching cards and will post some here from time to time. In the meantime I hope you like the bookmarks. They can be removed from the sleeve and make useful small gifts for birthdays or Christmas.

Have a great day and make the most of this sunshine.

A Crafty Day

Another gorgeous day here. Off to my decoupage class this morning. Its a small class but we are all now great friends and have a lovely time. I have learnt so much at the class. I have posted one of my first completed pictures. It is now framed and on my dining room wall.

A New Start

After a slight hiccough I am starting over under a slightly different blog address. I am Helen, although better known as Hells or Bunny to my friends. One of my card making pals Nettie, a very talented crafter, persuaded me to start my own blog. As I always do as I'm told (!!!!!) this is my first post. I am uploading a couple of cards I have done recently and I hope you like them.