A card for my BIL

Well I'm another day closer to our mini Retreat, but I had to make a card for my Brother in law's birthday on Monday before I went away. He and my Husband run an Irrigation Company, and at this time of year, they are working their socks off, due to the weather. My poor Hubby will have to work over the weekend, but we're hoping to spend Sunday together, fingers crossed.

 Anyway, back to the card, I wanted to have an engineering theme on the card, so I used a TSS mould, and some silver metal, which I embossed, and then painted black. I rubbed the surplus paint off. I then cut out three cogs using the Tim Holtz Alteration Die from cardstock, which I sanded, and added two Ideology Game Spinners. I used a Craftwork Cards circle Sentiment for speed, as time is of the essence now! I have never used a TSS mould before, never been to a class, so for a first attempt, it went okay. Hopefully, he will like it anyway.

I'm also showing you a photo of Buzz my cat among the Bluebells in our garden a couple of weeks ago. We had lots this year, and most of them are past their best now. The Wisteria is out now, as well as Clematis and Lilac. I was a bit sad to see that the Chickens had trampled one of my lovely Alliums yesterday, they do a lot of good for the borders, but I'm not happy when they damage my delicate flowers.

I probably won't post again until we're back from our Retreat now, so enjoy the Bank holiday weekend everyone. Have a great half-term break if you are lucky enough not to work. I'll be back soon, Judith x

Looking forward to next week

Well, it's been a while again. Life will settle down soon, which will be nice for a change. I'm giving one of my jobs up, which I haven't been that happy doing. Also my Hubby and son who have both been dignosed with IBS seem to be settling down now. I just need to finish my current stint as an exam invigilator, and things will slow down a bit.
My blog friends, Elaine Jo, Lesley and I, are all going on a mini Retreat next week. We are hiring two cottages and spending a few days together just crafting and chatting. We don't see each other very often, as we live so far apart, so this will be a lovely treat for us. We have been planning our activities for weeks, and we only have until Tuesday now, and we will be meeting up. We are going to be making Circle Journals, and showing each other tips and tricks, and just having a really good crafting time. Me being the jewellery maker, I'm doing the beading class. Lesley is going to give us some tips for incorporating metal into our crafting and so on.

I've posted my May project on our other blog today here so take a look for the full details if you are interested. It wasn't an easy one this month, although it was meant to be!

Hopefully, we'll be back at the end of next week full of ideas, and lots of pictures. Judith x

Butterfly Birthday Card

Okay, I don't post for ages, then I post twice in one day! Here is the other card that I promised you that I couldn't post earlier. I've used an Artylicious background paper and Bazzil cardstock in a lovely grey. I used a Tim Holtz swirl which I placed underneath a fabric flower that I made from an old chiffon scarf in shades of beige and grey, in the centre of which I sewed a coin pearl. I tucked a Tim Holtz ticket underneath, after shading the edge with weathered wood DI. In the centre of my card, I placed an oval of watercolour paper, coloured with DIs and stamped with Elusive Images stamps in shades of greys and browns, over which I have placed a gorgeous butterfly cut from Glimmer Misted paper. The Butterfly is a Tim Holtz Die. I have made it look like it is flying towards the flower. I also made a boxelope to match.

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