Last week's creations

This week, managed to get out of Awail and had a wee jaunt over to my favourite craft shop on the island. The first two cards are made using some of the goodies that I bought. The first card is for a friends anniversary.

Cardstock - BoBunny Crazy Love

Ribbon - from stash

The second for a family friend's birthday.

Flowers - Basicgrey's Get Your Shine On epoxy stickers

Mat - from stash

The final card was for a new baby. Used some freebies that I got a while back.

Thanks for popping by.

A Square Roundabout!!!!!!!

A wee update on yesterday's post on the demolition of a famous Bahrainin landmark - The Pearl Roundabout, which during the recent troubles and protests was referred to by the international media as Pearl Square.

A local resident came up with this wee ditty about the phenomemon of a square roundabout.

Thanks for popping by.

Pearl Roundabout

Those of you who pop by to visit me, know that I live in Bahrain and also know that it has been in the news recently. Things have been a bit fraught with protests focusing on the landmark, locally known as the Pearl Roundabout. Or as the world media called it 'Pearl Square'

However the Pearl Roundabout is no more. Sorry the 'after' photo isn't that clear but it was taken as I passed by on the highway yesterday.

Thanks for popping by.

What Spellchecker did they use!!!!!

Got a pack of laminating pouches at work and couldn't believe the warning on the side of the pack. I know my grammer isn't always perfect but all I could do was shake my head in disbelieve!!!!!

Thanks for popping by.

Candy - Build A Blossom

Jak Heath, an inspirational crafter and designer, has on offer some fab candy - 2 sets of her latest range - Build A Blossom.

Build A Blossom - Set 1

Build A Blossom - Set 2

Not only is Jak giving away both sets she is including all the tools needed to make the blossoms.

To be eligible for the candy pop over to Jak's and leave a comment and add it to your blog, but do it before midnight on Wednesday 9th of March.

Thanks for popping by.

This week's efforts

As many of you might know, I stay in Bahrain and just now we are in the middle of a wave of anti-government protests. We are safe, well away from the main protest areas. However the school that I work is quite near the hospital that was at the centre of the focus last weekend. As a result we have had a few extra days holidays, but back to work tomorrow :(

Any what have I been doing with all this free time, card making of course. The first card is for my neighbours in Awali who are retiring. Will miss them heaps, but at least will see them at Sarah's wedding in August.

The second card is for Sarah's future mother-in-law. The decoupage was pre-cut which I layered up with silicone and foam pads. Mats were made using circle nestabilities - plain circle and crown circles. Finishing off with a happy birthday peel off.

The final card is for my Dad, who happens to share the same birthday as Sarah's future MIL. For this one I took out my Nested Owls nestabilities and cut an owl aperture. Then cut a larger owl aperture on a plain coloured mat. Distressing both the mat and card with Distress Ink - Brushed Corduroy. Stamped a couple of owls - BoBunny falling for you- and colouring them with a combination of Copics and Promarkets and decoupaging them. Finishing off with a couple of button embellishments.

Thanks for popping by.

Mr Fix It

This is the final card for just now as I am heading home to chillier climes for a wee break. Well that's I would like, but reality is different. Heading home to do some more organising for my daughter, Sarah's big day in August.

The card will be winging its way over the water between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to a good friend, who is a bit of a Mr Fix It. The decoupage image again came from Crafts U Print and designed by Cheryl Seslar.

Thanks for popping by.

Mama Tone

This card is from to Lynn that I work with. Lynn is my commuting and gym buddy. She is a bit of a rock chick and is locally know at 'Mama Tone'. Her kids, Gary (guitar and lead vocals) and Gill (the drummer), are members of The Boxtones. So thought this image was quite apt, again it came from Craft U Print, designed by Chris and Steve.

Thanks for popping by.

More School Birthday

A couple more birthdays at school this week, or should I say on Saturday.

The first one is for Celia. Used a decoupage image from Cheryl Seslar which I found on a great website - Craft U Print. The backing mats were just scraps that I had lying about and border punched one with Fiskars Threading Water.

The second one is for Lynn. Used another decoupage sheet from Craft U Print but this one designed by Rebecca Brindley.

Thanks for popping by.

With sympathy

This card is for one of the girls at work who lost her grandmother last week. A sympathy card is one of the types of cards that I don't really like having to do. For sympathy cards I prefer go down the simple route.

For this one I chose paper from Papermania Exquisite paper collection, which trimmed down to fit my card. I took another sheet and trimmed it down to 4 squares and rounded off the corners and matted it on a piece of white cardstock again with the corners rounded off. Using the same white cardstock punched out a 2" square rounding off the corners and stamp a 'with sympathy' sentiment. Mounted the two mats using two different thicknesses of foam pads.

Thanks for popping by.

New Home

One of my son Will's buddies, Susan, and who also happens to be our photographer for Sarah's wedding has just moved into a new home. So here's my card to wish her many years of happiness in her new home.

The image is from Digistamp Boutique's New Home set, coloured with promakers and made into a mat with Nestabilities Labels Ten. Adding some black gems and a printed sentiment. The cardstock on this came from Bo Bunny's Alissa range with the black cardstock being edged with Fiskars Threading Water border punch.

Pop over to Paperdoll Photography to see what Susan come up with. I can only speak from experience to say that a photo session at Paperdoll Photography is a very relaxed affair and I think she captures the essence of who she is photographing. Our session was a silver wedding anniversary present from our kids (photo 2 in images - celebrations).

Haven't entered any challenges or competitions recently, so have entered this one into Digistamp Boutique's February Competition.

Thanks for popping by.

School Birthdays

Since the New Year there have been a few birthdays at school. The first birthday was Lanie's, followed by Claudette and finally Layla.

For Lanie's card I used a cupcake stamp which are coloured with copics and promakers. The rest of the card was made using bits and pieces that I had lying around.

The image on Claudette's card came from Hero Arts' Four Dolls range and coloured with promarkers. The backing paper is wrapping paper that I bought a few years back but have never got round to use. I mounted the 'chinese' doll on mats of black and embossed gold mirri card using plain and scalloped oval nestabilities and adding a peel off birthday greeting.

The latest birthday is Layla. The image came from Digistamp Boutique's Doodle Flower set and coloured with promakers. The mats were again bits of cardstock that I had lying around. The edges of the white card are soften with Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Spun Sugar. All finished off with a paper flower, gem and peel off greeting.

Have entered Claudette's card into Moving Along With The Times - Red Challenge and Layla's card into Digistamp Boutique's February Challenge.

Thanks for popping by.

Help for Katie

Where to start with this one. Although 2011 looks like being a happy year for me for Katie it might be such a happy year. I came across her story via Jak Heath, who many of you know is a fabulous crafter and an inspiration to many.

You can read all about Katie here.

Anyway, Jak has got together with some very talented artists/crafters to help put together a package of digital designs that you can get by making a donation of £15 to the 'Help for Katie' cause. As Jak says on her blog what you are getting would cost you a lot more than £15 if you were to buy one of each item individually. As well as getting all the digital designs, each £15 donation will be eligible for a prize draw for a variety of crafting prizes.

I hope some of you out there decide to join me in donating £15 to the 'Help For Katie' cause. One reason why I have no hesitation in donating to this cause is that cancer has touched my family twice. Firstly my darling hubby - Billy - is a survivor - 20 years plus and second, my brother-in-law is currently fighting.

Thanks for popping by.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

First of all just to want to wish all of you in blogland a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011. And secondly apologies for being awol for a while, what with trying to get ready for St Andrews Night in November, a trip home for wedding preparations before that, then christmas I don't know where the time has gone.

2011 is a bit of a big year for us - our daughter, Sarah, is getting married in August and already the wedding preparations are in full swing. The early parts of 2011 will see me focussing on getting the wedding stationery done. So apologies first of all as until I get the wedding stationery finished, I think card making will have to be on an as and when required basis. The first batch of stationery - Save the Date - was taken home when we headed home for christmas along with the Thank You cards. Now it is working on the invitations.

It's nearly half way through January and I have only made one card - a birthday card for my favourite aunt. My inspiration came from a card I saw in Issue 63 of Papercraft Essentials and used a new technique to me, creating a flower from fabric or fabric paper - a wee tutorial. The card stock I used from 'The All Dressed Up' matstock by DCWV, the flower made from material that I bought a few years ago to do patchwork and quilting with, but never got round to it and a button from my stash.

Thanks for popping by.

Posh Frocks Galore

This weekend saw the Awali Caledonian Society celebrating Scotland's patron saint - St Andrew. It is one of the biggest dates in the Society's calendar. We had 200 sitting down for a four course meal which was followed by loads of dancing with the music being provided by the Glencraig Scottish Country Dance band, who have been coming out to the ball for the last 14 years.

The committee and the band -

Back row - Davie, Bill, Andy, Ally and Nicol.

Front row - Gordon, me, Nancy, Alison, Isobelle and Alex

The girls - Jan, Isobelle, Alison, Debbie and me.

Thanks for popping by.

Anniversary

Another celebration when I am at home, or the day after I get back to Bahrain is my mam and dad's wedding anniversary. Can't believe it is a year ago that they were out here celebrating their golden wedding.

I had thought about something a bit more lovey dovey, but by the time I came to make this card I thought I would go the simple route. So I used the same layout as I did for John's 70 years young card but embellished it with some flowers held together with brads.

Thanks for popping by.

Hanging About Just Chillin!

As school is off next week, I am heading home for a week. While I am home it is my son, Will's birthday. As he can be a cheeky monkey at times thought this image from Pink Gem was quite appropriate, which I coloured in with copic pens. Then just matted and layered the card up and used some brads to hold the image and mats together and on the sentiment strip which was attached to the card with foam pads.

Thanks for popping by.

3 Christmas Cards

Was asked to do another three cards for one of the girls at school. Two using the theme of the glittered foam christmas trees that I had done for her before and one for a special friend.

The christmas trees ones as I have said used the glittered foam that I used before. I used the same layout but a different size of card and a peel off sentiment.

For the special friend one I used a freebie image from Bugaboo Stamps called Santa Stocking. Used some backing papers called Christmas Wishes from the Christmas multi stack by DCWV, finishing off with some ribbon for the sentiment.

Thanks for popping by.

70 years Young

The weekend saw Billy and I off to a Pre 70th Birthday Celebration at a favourite Friday Brunch venue in honour of John.

I hope I look as good as John when I am 70 (a long way off yet, lol), despite John feeling a bit under the weather being full of the cold.

My card for his birthday was a simple affair, just matting some cardstock and cutting out a 7 and 0 and matting them with some foam pads. Lining the figures up with the sentiment 'years young'. Nice and quick card for a change for me.

Thanks for popping by.

Waking Up Is Hard To Do

Got an email this afternoon from a friend of mine with a link to this video. Don't know how I would feel if this was the scene that greeted me when I entered the operating theatre. At least I would go under smiling!!!!!

Thanks for popping by.