Oops! . . . He Did It Again!

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted any makes, must admit I've not been feeling at my best - and as for Hubby . . .

Our wee Jack Russell, for some reason, seems to think that he hasn't been for a walk unless he's been out with Hubby. Recently he's been getting rather vocal in trying to get his way, it starts off with a rather wimpy whine & then progresses into a definite nagging bark telling hubby to get off his backside! Suitably chastised off they go out just before dinner. They weren't away very long. As they got in the door I discovered that the expensive, brand new, extending lead I'd just bought had been pulled out so far that it now refused to retract back into the handle - I proceeded to lecture the pair of them about pulling & being allowed to pull whilst on the lead.  After dinner hubby said he was going to have an early night which he does from time to time and I didn't think any more about it.

Fast forward several hours later when I'm having one of my can't sleep nights so settle downstairs to watch a film but must have dosed off a bit. I must have been in that not asleep but not awake mode when I had one of those strange feelings that I was being watched, as I turned round there was hubby looking white as a sheet and announcing "I think I've broken my arm!" Turns out when Jack pulled the lead right out hubby lost his balance & put his left arm out to try stop himself falling flat on his face.  He had then gone into 20+ years of Bootneck training that "it's only pain" until it went beyond the "only" stage - eejit! Can't believe the numpty waited 10 hours to tell me.

I quickly realised from the symptoms that he had managed to break the head of his left humerus less than 2 years after doing in the right one! I got his arm immobilised, gave him some of my strong painkillers & headed out to A&E. X-Rays show he's gone one better than last time & fractured it in 3 places! He's got exercises to do at home but it's back to hospital next week for the start of physio.


I have been making cards, I have even been following the Freshly Made Sketches Challenges, I just haven't got around to photographing & posting them. Anyway, I actually managed to get some photos done so here we go for this week's Freshly Made Sketches Challenge:

I had some stitched circle dies which have been rather underused so decided to get them out for this card.  The hedgehog & ladybug stamp is from the Penny Black set "Bubbly".  The strip across the card was run through the bottom section of my Darice "Grass" embossing folder to give a grassy effect.

I Used

Cardstock

Green - Ceraldo 270gsm

White - Fabriano 300gsm

Stamps, Dies & Embossing Folder

Hedgehog, "Bubbly" Set - Penny Black

Thanks Sentiments - Paula Pascal Personal ImpressionsStitched Circles - Die-Versions Whispers Nesting Dies

Grass Embossing Folder - Darice

Inks
Tiramisu Memento Brilliance - Tsukineko
Assorted Promakers - Letraset/Winsor & Newton

Other Cards

Cog Dies - X-Cut

Friends - Tim Holtz "Handwritten Love" Set
Checkerplate Embossing Folder - Crafters Companion

Mixed Media #2 & Stitched Rectangles - Tim Holtz

Lost Love

In spite of this week's title, it's not going to be a piece of romantic fiction, more like a case of forgetfulness/carelessness on my part.

I had decided that I was going to use a variety of Tim Holtz Mixed Media/ Alterations dies in this week's Freshly Made Sketches Challenge.

I had decided to use the Heart from the Scribbles and Splats set along with the "Love" from the Handwritten Love set.  I had the dies laid out but, unfortunately, when it came to cutting out the Love it had disappeared from where I left it/thought I'd left it.  Anyway I can't for the life of me find out where the heck it has got to but hopefully at some point it will show up and I will utter the immortal words "I wondered where that got to!" (apparently amongst family & friends I'm quite famous for it!).  I tried other sentiments but nothing was working so I had to improvise but I think it worked out ok in the end. 

I Used

Cardstock

White 300gsm Super Smooth - Fabiano

Plain Colour cardstock - Crelando

Stamps, Dies, Embossing Folders

Tim Holtz Crazy Birds, Cats, Dogs - Stampers Anonymous

Dyan Reaveley "How About Never"  - Rangers

Tim Holtz Crazy Birds, Cats, Dogs Thinlits - Sizzix

Tim Holtz Handwritten Love - Sizzix

Tim Holtz Mixed Media #2 - Sizzix

Tim Holtz Scribbles & Splats - Sizzix

Tim Holtz Alterations Stitched Rectangles - Sizzix

"That Folder" - Craft Stash

Hearts - So Crafty

Inks

Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Ranger

Promarkers - Winsor & Newton/Letraset

I had been playing with some backgrounds using Distress Inks, sprayed water, salt & sprayed bleach. I now have quite a few collected so decided to team some up with some of the Tim Holtz Crazies that I have been colouring & saving up and Dyan Reaveley sentiment stamps. Here are my three latest ones:

 

The pedestal column was cut from the lower half of "That Folder"

These next backgrounds were originally in browns and greens but the addition of some sprayed on bleach solution changed them into pinks and purples:

The ball of wool stamp and die from their Crazy Cats sets was wound with some twine coloured with Distress Ink.

Father's Day

It's been another eventful week one of good news and of bad.

My friend is continuing to make progress after her stroke although she is still unable to stand up on her own as she has been left with severe vertigo. She has had a visit from a Doctor from the Rehab Centre and they have said that as soon as a bed is available she will be transferred. She is desperate to get more intensive physio as she is wanting home soonest - unfortunately soonest is likely going to be longer than she wants.

Her Brother-in-Law, who had been in a coma for 3 weeks, unfortunately lost his battle last Monday evening. His 15 year old daughter had already started fundraising for the ICU where he was being cared for and it was planned that she, along with her Highland Dance school friends, would dance over the Forth Road Bridge on Father's Day. Everyone thought it would be cancelled but no, she bravely went on with her fundraising event.  That's one gutsy young lady & her Dad would be rightly proud of her!

I decided to use this week's Freshly Made Sketches Challenge as the basis for the Father's Day card my son commissioned from me and also for a Birthday Card.

After making the dandelion card last week the main dandelion die disappeared, been searching high and low for it for a week.  Couldn't understand how it could vanish into thin air.  Fast forward to Saturday when I was making the Father's Day card and got out my Tonic Studio nesting dies to create the background. Once I finished using them I was putting them back into their packaging and felt something on the back of the magnetic sheet - yep, it was the dandelion die!

I Used

Cardstock

White 300 gsm - Fabiano

Colours - Trim Craft

Stamps, Inks & Dies

Dog from "Bubbly" Stamp Set - Penny Black

Gathered Twigs Distress Ink Pad - Tim Holtz

Scalloped Rectangle Nesting Die Set - Tonic Studios 

Tim Holtz Stitched Ovals - Sizzix

For this Birthday card I used another Penny Black Stamp also from the "Bubbly" set. I went for the "Birthday Wishes" sentiment rather than a "Happy Birthday" as the impatient patient isn't a very happy bunny at the moment!

I Used

Cardstock

White 300 gsm - Fabiano

Stamps, Inks & Dies

Party Cat from "Bubbly" set - Penny Black

Birthday Wishes - Personal Impressions

Assorted Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Assorted Promarkers

Tim Holtz Mixed Media #2 - Sizzix

Tim Holtz Stitched Ovals - Sizzix

*****

One final card this week is a variation on one I made for a previous sketch. While I was doing the earlier version I realised it would be nice as a sympathy card - didn't dream I would need to make it quite so soon!

I slightly darkened the colours and instead of the round gems I used smaller tear drop shaped ones. The sentiment is by Cheery Lynn and was cut from card which had been shaded to match the feather background.