Ninety Years and a few Days

Recently Bobby, a friends Dad, celebrated his ninetieth birthday and this is the card I sent him.  It's based around the twenty-first and eighteenth cards I've made recently but the numbers on the centre topper were stamped using Papermania clear stamps which were overlapped in the style of the Woodware stamps I'd used for the other cards.

The patterned papers are from the Cuddly Buddly download A Patchwork of Papers Blue.  The  stamps were inked using VersaMark ink and then embossed using disco black embossing powder from Stampendous.  Once this had set the ninety was die cut using a square Spellbinders die and the inside of the numbers were filled with art glitter glue and silver glitter.  

This card was also put together in three tiers.  On the bottom one there are layers of blue pearlescent card, silver embossed card and a blue patterned paper.  The corners of the patterned paper were either stitched or had corners added on top made from the Happy Birthday paper.  Corners cut from the blue card using a Quickutz die were added on top of this.

The second tier has a scalloped square cut from blue pearlescent card paper with a layer of gingham paper and another layer of the blue card on top.  Peel off corners were added to the corners of the gingham paper and blue card.

The 90 topper was layered on to the blue pearlescent card and textured silver card and was the third layer.  The usual embellishment of ribbon and a bow were added.

A birthday party had been planned for Bobby's special "0" birthday with my friend and her two youngsters travelling up from North Wales to Orkney to celebrate with him.  After having been unwell through contracting shingles the celebrations were put on hold and a quiet day at home was planned instead.  Bobby became unwell on his birthday and through the following week he had a few ups and downs and shortly after being released from hospital yesterday he passed away at home.  Unfortunately his passing was a traumatic experience for his daughter and her young family and I imagine it will be one that will stay with them for some time to come.  Hopefully, with time and the support of family and friends, it will get easier for them.  Thinking of them all today.

Thanks for reading today

Liz xx

Forever Friends Baby Boy

Back in June Alan's niece gave birth to a baby boy and the Forever Friends Collector's Edition cds came out to make a card for baby Ronnie.  It's been a long time since I used these discs and I'd forgotten what lovely images were on them.

There's a matching paper and a little duck character for a bathtime topper so they were selected, sized and printed to make up this easel card.  The gingham and spotted patterned papers are from the Cuddly Buddly download A Patchwork of Papers Blue and the It's a boy backing paper was created on the computer.

The frame and backing layers for the topper and also the duck embellishments were cut using Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies.  Corners and buttons were cut from blue and yellow glitter card using Quickutz dies.  Martha Stewarts doily lace border punch was used to create the decorated edge on the backing panel for the topper.  The edge of this and the scalloped edges of the base card were sponged with Blue Encore metallic ink.

The verse was created on the computer and it, the name topper, the greeting on the back and their backing layers were cut using Spellbinders Labels 10 dies.  The letters for Ronnie's name were cut using Quickutz dies and shadow layered using yellow and blue card.  Pearls, ribbon and a little blue safety pin were the final touches.

This is a photo of the little chap shortly after he was born.

Thanks for reading today.
Liz xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Lilian's Retirement and Anniversary

Yesterday I posted pictures of card orders I'd made for Lilian but today I'm posting pictures of cards I've given her recently to mark her retirement and Ruby Anniversary.  The first one is her retirement card and is cased from this card.

The patterned papers used on this one are from the Nitwit Collection Always and Forever and the sentiment was created on the computer.  There are lots of lovely rose papers and embellishments in this collection.  Lily of the Valley have just released these papers as an 8" x 8" paper pad.

Lilian's husband Iain has also just retired and after celebrating their Ruby Anniversary a week ago they are now away on holiday.  If I remember correctly their anniversary day is also Iain's birthday.  Papers from the Nitwit Collection Always and Forever were also used to make an anniversary cake card for them.

The dies used to make this cake card can be found in this posting.  The sentiment was also from the Stampin' up set Petite Pairs and was stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with silver embossing powder.  The ruby and pink pearlescent cardstock used for the matting and layering are new colours from the Papeterie and the embossing folder used to emboss the cake tiers was a Cuttlebug rose one.

  

Here are the two cards together.

I'm sure it will only be when the schools go back after the summer holidays that Lilian will fully realise that she has retired.  I wish them both health and happiness in their retirement and many lost hours on the golf course.

Thanks for reading today
Liz xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

A Visit to Leith Hall

This weekend saw the reopening of Leith Hall in Aberdeenshire and, with neither of us having been there before, Alan and I decided to go for a visit.  The forecast was for downpours on Sunday so, even though a fun day had been organised for that day, Saturday seemed the best option to make the trip.  During these past weeks Alan has had two separate weeks of holidays and we've taken the opportunity to use our NTS membership to visit some of their properties in this area.  I've also inherited one of Elaine's old cameras and have enjoyed recording these visits.  Here are some of the photos I took from our visit to Leith Hall yesterday.

The view of Leith Hall as you come up the drive.

Looking back down the drive to the main road.

Roses growing against the side wall of the Hall.

Flowers in the Garden.

I sneaked this photo from Alan's selection as it shows the depth of the flower borders.

We drove home via Clatt through to Alford and these are the views from the Suie Road looking down over Clatt.  There were some lovely cloud patterns in the sky. 

 

 

We stopped off in Alford and had a Mr Whippy cone for refreshment.  I did visit the craft shop Simply Create but managed to resist buying anything even though they have a 50% off closing down sale on.  Now that's what I call resisting temptation.

Hope you've enjoyed our tour around the Aberdeenshire countryside.

Thanks for reading

Liz xx

More of the Same and Some More

Although I haven't been posting very much recently I've still been making cards and photographing the end results so hopefully I'll get them all posted on here shortly.  Lots of friends and family have received those boxes of roses cards this year and when some card orders came along it was an opportunity to make some more.  

For a short time I worked as a Support for Learners Auxiliary in a local Primary School and it was there I met Lilian who, until her retirement this summer, has been head cook at the school since it opened.  After I stopped working there Lilian gave me numerous card orders for family members and friends.  This is the latest one which is a fiftieth birthday card for one of her sisters.

The items and papers used to make this card can be found in The Box of Roses posting and Boxes of Purple Roses posting.  The only change to this card was the addition of the number fifty to the tag instead of a greeting.  These were cut using Sizzix sizzlets dies and shadow layered using green and purple card.

Here are a few of the cards I've made for Lilian over the past few years.

A gatefold Sixtieth Birthday card for her husband Iain

A Birthday card for her lovely friend Molly

Silver Wedding Anniversary cards for family members

Special Birthday Cards

 

A Retirement Card sent off to Switzerland

A Bon Voyage Card for Australian visitors using photos taken around Westhill by our Elaine.

Thanks for stopping past today.  I hope you've enjoyed seeing the new card and a selection of some earlier ones.

Liz xx

I'd like to enter this in the following Challenge
Make It Monday - Anything Goes

A Family Celebration

Since my last posting our Ian has celebrated his 21st birthday and this is the card I made for him.

 

The twenty-one topper on the front of the card was made using a stamp from Woodware and the patterned papers are all from the Cuddly Buddly download A Patchwork of Papers Blue.  The 21 stamp was inked using VersaMark ink and then embossed using disco black embossing powder from Stampendous.  Once this had set the twenty one was die cut using a square Spellbinders die and the inside of the numbers were filled with art glitter glue and silver glitter.  A Woodware corner notch punch was used on each corner and a navy thread wrapped around the topper.  A few stray flecks of embossing powder had escaped and to add to this speckling I spritzed over the topper with a silver metallic pens which can just about be picked up in the photo below.

 

The card was put together in three tiers.  On the bottom one there are layers of blue pearlescent card and silver embossed card and a blue patterned paper.  The corners of the patterned paper were either stitched or had corners added on top made from the Happy Birthday paper. 

The second tier has a scalloped square cut from blue pearlescent card paper. Layered on top of this is silver embossed card, Happy Birthday paper and blue gingham patterned paper.  Corners of silver mirri card embossed with a Darice keys embossing folder were added to this layer.

The 21 topper also layered on to the blue pearlescent card was the third layer.  The usual embellishments of ribbon and brads were used with the addition of two silver keys.

 

 

 A double insert was made for the inside of the card using the blue gingham patterned paper for one layer and a message created on the computer for the second.

  

Ian wanted a quiet day of celebrations and here are a few photos from the day.

Presents and cards waiting for the birthday boy.

It's become a tradition at birthday's and Christmas that I wrap up a pack of coke as a present but this time I made a Coke Can Cake and even managed to find a coke bottle with his Ian's name on it.

Some of Ian's favourite foods for lunch.

After a meal out in the evening it was back home for a piece of birthday cake.

Us with the Birthday Boy

It's hard to believe Ian's reached this milestone age already and I hope the future holds good things in store for him.

Thanks for reading today

Liz xx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge
Make It Monday - Anything Goes