Some More Using Freebie Papers

Have managed to get another batch of christmas cards done. Again using the freebie papers from Creative Cardmaking.

Still have more to do. Hope I can get them finished by the 15th before I fly home for Christmas.

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A Couple of Cards

Mam wanted to say thank you to the Caledonian Society for the lovely bouquet of roses that she and Dad recieved at the St Andrews Night Ball to mark their golden wedding anniversary. She had spoken about going to the shops to get one. Speak about taking coals to Newcastle. So this is the one that I rustled up.

Since they arrived in Bahrain we found out that a member of the church that Mam goes to at home had died and she want a sympathy card to send. Although both the person who died and his widow were stalwarts of the church I didn't want to do a religious type of card, instead wanted to do something simple. I think this hits the mark and my mam seems pleased with it.

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Golden Wedding Anniversary

As usual after the St Andrews Night Ball we head to the Society's President's house for a final soiree with the band and guest speaker. However the only difference this year it happened to be my mam and dad's golden wedding anniversary. Unbeknownst to mam and dad we had arranged for a cake for them to cut. The cake was ordered from my favourite cake shop on the island and which makes the best carrot cake ever.

The cake was brought out to the band playing 'Congratulations'.

Last but not least here is the happy couple cutting the cake.

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St Andrews Night Ball

Last Thursday night saw posh frocks and kilts out in force for the annual St Andrews Night Ball in Awali. This year, like all years, it was held in the Bapco Club in Awali and music being supplied by the Glencraig Dance Band. The toast to St Andrew was given by Nicol McLaren, the leader of the Glencraig Dance Band.

We had a great night with almost 200 in attendance. There were several invited guests, one of whom was HE Jamie Bowden, British Ambassador to Bahrain and his wife, Sarah.

Committee and partners with Jamie & Sarah Bowden

The Committee

Billy and me

Mam and Dad

Also at the ball were my parents, who are out here just now and who celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary last Friday. More of that later, however at the Ball they were presented with a bouquet of white and gold roses. Like the good daughter that I was I forgot to take my camera to the ball. So this photo was taken on the morning after the ball.

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SOS from Mam

This week saw my mam emailling me with an SOS. She couldn't find a golden wedding anniversary card for her to give to my Dad and could I do one for her. Not normally a problem but I have already done the one that Billy and I are giving to them and the one from Dad to my Mum.

After tea and cake with my crafting buddy, Linda, we had a wander round the craft shop attached to the tea shop, with me looking for inspiration. I was beginning to despair until I saw a K&Company set of adhesive chipboard words, with one in particular really jumping up at me. Then it was fairly easy to get some cardstock to go along with the sentiment.

To make the card I started off with a piece of A4 cream card which I scored in half and the scored one of the halfs in half again. Matted the card with red and green cardstock. The hearts are the largest and smallest hearts from the concentric heart die.

I just hope Mam likes the card as just now I am finding inspiration very thin on the ground.

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Quick Get Well

This morning was tea and cake with my crafting buddy, Linda, at our favourite tea and craft shop. As Linda's hubby had had a wee op this week, I thought I would do a get well card for him. As it was a last minute thought I needed a card that could be done quickly. I resorted to a style that I had done before - Rectangles by Kim Dellow and which was featured in Papercraft Essentials issue 47.

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Making Use of Free Papers

After finally deciding to subscribe to a couple of cardmaking magazines as I was beginning to grudge paying the price of them out here and realising it worked out cheaper over the year I plumped for Creative Cardmaking and Papercraft Essentials.

When I received Creative Cardmaking Issue 7, I loved the free set of papers that came along with that issue. I began by following the instructions for some of the cards in the magazine, as I inspiration had got up and gone, but as I began to work on the cards, it has gradually come back. This selection were done using only about half of the papers.

I have to say I have enjoyed doing this set of cards as it has given me a way to relax and forget about all the trials and tribulations that we have been having at school just now, but I have to admit that over the last couple of days things seem to be falling into place and I am not coming home as stressed as I have been over these last few weeks.

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Same ingredients, 3 results!!!!

Well at long last I have made a start on my christmas cards. For the first batch, I resorted to my trusty 'bug', embossing green cardstock with the snowflake embossing folder and using a variety of christmas card stock and the Sizzix Shadow Box Letters cut out the word 'Noel' which was mounted on the green embossed card with foam pads.

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Halloween

Last Thursday saw the Awali Football Club holding its annual Halloween Fancy Dress party. One of the traditions is that the children come round trick or treating. As Billy and I were not going to be in when the kids came round and did not want the kids to miss out on their annual 'sugar rush' I made up goodie bags and delivered them to the organisers so that they could hand them out on the night

I used the small pillow box template from WS designs and embossed the front of the pillow with a spider's web and then added a spider and a couple of bats.

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A Golden Anniversary

November also is the time for my Mum and Dad's wedding anniversary. This year is a landmark one - 50 years, and to be with them on the day, Billy and I have paid for them to fly out to Bahrain for a holiday. It is just a pity the kids couldn't manage to come out as well.

The first card I tackled for the anniversary was the one from Billy and me to Mum and Dad. I wanted something simply and elegant and I think I have got it just right. Embossed the top layer of the topper with 'Stylized Flower' folder and popped a couple of gold gems into the centre of the flowers. For a wee delicate touch, which does not show clearly on the photo is the heat embossed hearts on the gate folds of the card, which were stamped with clear ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. The sentiment was a rub on.

The second I have had to do for the occasion is the one from my Dad to my Mum. For this one I relied heavily on my trusty cuttlebug. Using the embossing folder 'Hearts Block', the concentric heart die and the heart die from the textile hearts cut and emboss set.

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November Birthdays

Again it has been a while since I posted mainly because I seem to have lost my mojo and also not knowing where the time has gone. Anyway I have managed to get all the birthday cards done for my November birthdays, 4 in the space of 8 days.

The first birthdays, my son Will's and my daughter's Sarah's best buddy, Kelly-Ann's are on the same day.

For Will's one used a La Pashe decoupage sheet from Remember When Series Two and for Kelly-Ann was as Kanban Decoupage sheet called Lippy Divas.

Then next one is for a long time family friend, Shona. This one I used a 'Snapshots' 3d Die Cut Iris Decoupage called Chihuahua. Just thought he was so cute.

The last November is my daughter Sarah. I used sheets from 'Say it with a Smirk' love and friendship set.

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Where has the time gone!

Can't believe it is six weeks since I update the Palace Noticeboard. To follow up on the last update 'Quarantined', I was allowed back to work after my enforced extra 7 days holidays. A wee update on that front, kids are only starting to come back to school following a ruling by the Ministry of Education here in Bahrain. There is a staggered returned of school pupils, with the kids starting back in Sunflower House on the 1st of November. Although we haven't had any kids we have been in every day since the beginning of September getting things organised.

In the same post I said that I couldn't post a photo of the project I had been working but I can now post a photo as it has been handed over to my cardmaking buddy here in Bahrain. She was chuffed to bits with it. The box, an exploding one, had the inside box filled with buttons and ribbons. The envelope was packed with stamped images.

I have made a few cards, one birthday and a few sympathy ones. The birthday one was for my daughter Sarah's boyfriend, Mikey. For some reason I didn't take any photos of the sympathy ones apart from one.

It has been quite a sad time for us recently as all we seem to hear about is death or friends fighting cancer. The biggest shock was the sudden death of Billy's boss. The funeral service was held here in Awali and at which I was asked by the family to do the reading. I was honoured to be asked but found it slightly daunting, but managed to get through it.

Last Thursday saw the Awali Callies holding their AGM and followed by the President's Gathering. For my sins, I was re-elected as Secretary. Billy was voted on as Treasurer again. The committee first task is organising the St Andrews Night Ball in November. My preparations are under way, with the posters done and work started on the menus and placecards.

Hopefully it won't be as long before my next post.

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Quarantined!!!!!!

Good evening one and all and apologies for neglecting the Palace Noticeboard over the last couple of weeks. I swopped the heat and humidity at the Palace for the wind and rain of my holiday home in Scotland. Although I got a break from the heat, it wasn't very restful as I spent a lot of the time catching up with all my gal pals back home who I didn't manage to see when I was home in July.

Anyway, bet you are wondered what is going on with the heading of todays' post. Well Tuesday saw me heading back to work to prepare the next school year. However, once there I was told to go home until Sunday as I had only got back into Bahrain and I had to be 'quarantined' for a week in case I had Swine Flu.

Spent some of my extra holiday time tidying up and re-arranging some cupboard. Also working a wee project, which I can't put up on the Noticeboard until I hand it over to a friend who sometimes pops in to read any Palace announcements.

Thanks for popping by.