Hello, Crafters.
It was Mothering Sunday here in the UK yesterday and what a super day it was, despite still being in lockdown. I just have to share my weekend with you! Vicki, Jack and Molly did a doorstep visit on Saturday to drop off my card and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I put the card – unopened – on the side with the card I’d received during the week from my son, also unopened.
From left to right clockwise: 1), Molly, Vicki & me, 2). Leigh SIL & me, 3). Jack, me & Molly, 4). Stephen (my third grandchild), Jack & me, 5). Me & Molly in our onesies! 6). Vicki & me, 7). Me, 8). Jack, Othman & me, 9). Centre: me, and yes I do have clothes on! If you look closely you can see thin straps! I had to do a double-take! 😀
On Sunday, I turned Vicki’s card over to open the envelope and it read Moonpig! When I opened the envelope and saw the card I was blown away! I’ve posted a photograph above. Photographing a photograph and getting good results requires a photographer who knows what they are doing; not someone like me! Vicki had been through her photographs and picked out a selection of me with Molly, Jack, Leigh, Stephen, Othman and herself and had them made into a card. Inside it has been printed with very special words for me!
While she had been planning this, Vicki didn’t know Jack and Molly were planning a surprise for her because yesterday was also her birthday! Jack and Molly had asked me to sort out some photographs of “Mum” when she was young. Long story short, they added each photograph to an individual piece of gold or silver cardstock (leftovers from my pre-SU days). They then tied each one to a balloon they’d inflated with helium so the through-sitting room, dining room and kitchen had cards hanging from balloons all over the place! Leigh, Vicki’s husband took her out for a walk after their Zoom church service so Jack and Molly could get the balloons out of Jack’s bedroom and into the sitting room. They video’d Vicki walking into the room and it was fabulous! Oh, how I would have loved to have been there!
But I wasn’t neglected! For dinner, hubby cooked one of his fabulous chicken curries and he also made the most scrummy gluten-free cinnamon doughnuts!
Just to continue today’s blog being different from normal, I have two 3D projects to share with you! Have you bought any of our new Blending Brushes? They are fabulous, super soft and work much better for blending than daubers and sponges – these two are still needed for edges! I had a problem about how I was going to store them but solved it with one of the copper tins that Stampin’ Up! sold a couple of years ago. I think any tin that has straight sides and a flat bottom will work just as well. I measured the height of the tin and cut a piece of my chosen design from the Hydrangea Hill Designer Series Paper (DSP).
The 12″ length was just right and allowed a small overlap at the back. I used red sticky strip to adhere the DSP in place allowing a bit of copper visible top and bottom. I found some retired Washi Tape and adhered it around the top and the bottom to more or less cover up the copper colour. I used Tombow to adhere the ends down. Inside the tin I have two toilet roll tubes and it is having these in place that keep the brushes from sliding all over the place. If you’re not happy using toilet rolls, you can use a kitchen roll tube cut in half. To make them look a little bit less like toilet roll tubes, I painted mine, inside and out, with the Dark Wisteria Wonder Blendabilities – yes, I still have all of mine!
Next I decided to decorate one of my notebooks using the same sheet of DSP. I measured what I needed and allowed a small margin of craft to be seen all around. I cut two pieces – one back, one front. I decorated the front using the Playful Alphabet Dies and a scrap of DSP from Hydrangea Hill. It looked a bit bare so I fussy cut three pink butterflies from a design from the Butterfly Bijou DSP. Look how well the colours go together! I added a 1/8″ strip of Basic Black Cardstock down the inside front and back to make it look finished off.
I have seen this kind of project done before where the crafter has tied short pieces of ribbons around the loops of the spiral spine but I have decided to leave mine clean! I finished off the front by painting the butterflies, the middle of the flowers and the letters using my Clear Wink of Stella Glitter Pen. I hope you’ve enjoyed a blog that’s different from normal. Tomorrow I’ll be sharing another card I’ve made using the Suite Sampler Stamp Set.
That’s it from me today. I look forward to being back with you tomorrow and in the meantime, please take care and stay safe. Happy crafting.
JanB. xx
What a fabulous post! Thank you so much for allowing us in to share such a wonderful time and memories for you! And thank you for the storage and notebook projects, too. Be well and safe!
Many thanks, Kimy. It was such a joyous day, even more special because we’re still under lockdown! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the 3D projects! xx
what a beautiful mothers day treat, its fills your heart with joy on occasions like these. LOVE the moonpig card :-). many happy returns to your daughter x
I too had a brilliant day /weekend seeing all but two of my grandchildren (i have 7, 5 girls & 2 boys) .
Love what you did with the tin Jan, really great idea. Keep up the good work .
God bless, happy crafting & stay safe
Kay
Many thanks, Kay. I’m so pleased you had a good Mothering Sunday, too! It’s so very uplifting even more so during lockdown! It’s amazing how useful toilet rolls can be! God bless you too, Kay. xx
What a beautiful story Jan especially when we think of what so many are going through at the moment it is just so special, we have zoom church on Sundays as well and I would love my husband to take me for a walk afterward but he always thinks he is too tired. We are so grateful for family even if they are spread far and wide. Thank you for your posts I love your inspiration.
Many thanks, Fran. Yes, I only have to look as far as some of my friends to see what they have to cope with every day! I’m the other way round! My husband always wants to go for walks but I normally say it’s too cold! Mind you, when I get back, I’m always pleased I made the effort! xx
A joyful celebration! A lovely family! Gorgeous flowers! Yummy donuts! AND an interesting project! (Brushes are on my next order list). Thank you for sharing the fun… Your life is blessed!
Hi, Billie. Yes, the Lord has truly blessed me and I’ll never forget nor take my blessings for granted! The brushes are so soft – they’re amazing! xx
Lovely card and enjoyed reading every word. Thank you for sharing. You mentioned putting your son’s card aside…but then you didn’t share his card. I so enjoyed your daughter’s that I was also looking forward to seeing/hearing about his card. They sounded so special.
Hi, Barbara. We always put early-arrival cards for birthdays and other special days aside and open them on the day. I’ll share a photograph of LD’s card on tomorrow’s blog. 😀
Happy Mother’s day! I absolutely love the card from your daughter. What a special treat that was. Thanks for always sharing your special moments with us. I love the 3D projects you made, I have all of my brushes in a blue mason jar. Have you had your vaccine yet? I’ve had my first one. I can’t wait to visit with family again. Take care Sheron
Many thanks, Sheron. Yes, I think the secret of storing the brushes is keeping the neck of the container fairly narrow in comparison to the height. That’s why I used two toilet rolls in my tin. I imagine a Mason jar is a great solution. Yes I’ve had my first jab and looking forward to my second! I will never, ever, ever take cuddling my children and grandchildren for granted again!! 💖xx
Thanks Jan for sharing so much of your family. It’s great to see that demonstrators actually have a life beyond paper, stamps and dies!
Love the notebook. I’ve done a bit of that too and yours is lovely.
Many thanks, Lola. Yes, most demonstrators are ordinary crafters with ordinary lives! 💖 xx
Morning Jan.
What a beautiful day you had with such lovely surprises. There is nothing like Family is there. So glad you were spoilt rotten. XX Mal
I loved your ideas…My husband converted my old upright sewing machine cabinet into a crafting spot for me and I lined the doors with peg board and now I am waiting on some products from a shopping network to hang on the peg boards to put supplies in and on and get started again. Also got some from the hobby store. Going to be so nice when I get it all together. I am so excited to get it done.
Many thanks, Reba. What a super idea! I can feel your excitement. It’s a great feeling to have your own crafting space! Enjoy it! xx
You are just blessed from head to toe!! What a wonderful idea.
Love and blessings,
Gloria
Hi, Gloria. Yes, and I never take my blessings for granted. 💖xx