MY FAVOURITE FIVE OF 2012!

Hi there lovely bloggers! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas?

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This is my first time at Debby's "Favourite Fives" - if you would like to join in the fun and share your five most favourite cards of 2012 , you can find the link HERE!    
Many thanks to Debby
 for organising such a brilliant end-of-year "get-together"!

So - here are my choices ~ (clicking the pics. gives more detail)!
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Really enjoyed all the inking, and this is one of my fave. LOTV fairies.
The original Post is HERE 

A bit of resisting, and a lot of inking - so enjoyable !
The original Post is HERE

Really enjoyed making my first ever Book Card, but it was difficult to photograph! More details can be seen on the original Post, which is HERE

Cinnabar - one of my all-time favourite stamps.

The original Post is HERE

More inkiness and "resisting" !

The original Post is HERE

***
Thanks for looking ~

Wishing you all a very Happy and Peaceful 2013.

Hugs, 

Update - 8th January -  thanks to Mr Random Generator, who picked my Number, I am the lucky winner of Debby's gorgeous candy!  I am a very happy bunny! 
 Thank you again Debby, and thank you Mr Generator! 
XXX

SENDING LOVE AT CHRISTMAS

Hi peeps!  This is a Christmas card and a Thank You card rolled into one,  for all my wonderful crafting friends, followers and visitors - you are awesome!  

Thank you for all your lovely comments, your friendship, and your inspiration. I can hardly believe it's three and a half years since I started my Blog ~ it would have been pretty boring without you!!     (Oooooh - candy alert for May 2013)!!!

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Sending love, and wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.
***

As you  have probably noticed, I don't often do cute, but I saw this gorgeous 

"Rosie and Sledge" digi  image  HERE  at the Digi Stamp Boutique, and couldn't resist!

Recipe:-

Papermania Kraft card

Pink Petticoat snowflake papers

Image coloured with Copics.

Fun Flock and glitter on the clothing.

Memory Box Crystal Snowflake

LOTV sentiment cut with a CB die.
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I am entering this card into the Digi Stamp Boutique December challenge.
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Lots of love to all ~

OUR LAST CHALLENGE OF 2012, AT IN THE PINK!

Hi lovely bloggers - hope you are all keeping warm and happy, wherever you may be.

It's our last challenge of the year at In The Pink, so why not pop over to the Blog and join in the fun!  You can also find out who the Perfect Pinkies are for the Pink Christmas challenge.

Our theme this fortnight is PINK AND PEARLIE - easy-peasy or what!

This is one of my favourite LOTV Fairies, and I was aiming for a shabby-chic, soft focus, gently coloured creation - not sure if my plan worked!!
Recipe:-
Papers -Papermania Rose Garden (had them for ages).
The Fairy is very softly coloured with Copics.
MS Doily Lace border punch.
Some distressing around the image.
Lace and a little Glamour Dust, and 6 pearl gems to finish.
The base card is SU Pink Pirouette.
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Christine and I  will be back with our next Challenge on January 10th 2013.
Huge thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share their beautiful creations with us over the last few months - we are so looking forward to seeing you again in 2013.
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On a very different note - some of you may remember my FIL celebrating his 100th Birthday two years ago - I posted a little bit about it HERE.
Amazingly, he reached his 102nd Birthday last week - he still lives in his own home (with a great deal of support, particularly from my dear Hubby), he is quite healthy, and has an excellent memory -  There is hope for us yet!!
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Lots of love, and thank you so much for your wonderful comments.

HAPPY INKY CHRISTMAS!

Hi lovely bloggers friends and followers - hope you are all having a happy day?

Just popped by to share a card which I have made for the Xmas Card Swap at the Chocolate Baroque Online Community Group. 

I thought you might like to see it and here it is ~

The Chocolate Baroque stamp  is from the Christmas Flourish set - one of my all-time favourites.

The image was stamped onto white card with Versamark ink and heat embossed with white emb. powder.

Several shades of blue Distress Inks were applied over the image with a TH Inkssentials applicator. 

Sentiment - "Christmas" from HOTP,  "Wishes" from Layers of Color.

A mixture of water with a tiny amount of household bleach was spritzed over the ink to give a snowy effect.

A sprinkling of Glamour Dust added here and there to the Holly leaves.

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I would like to enter the following challenges ~
Christmas at Sweet Stampin Challenge - "Christmas Anything Goes"
Try It On Tuesday - "Lets Get Inky"
My Craft Spot - "Merry Christmas"
Victorine Originals - "Blue and White"
The Stamp Man - "In The Bleak Midwinter"

Love and Hugs,

IT'S GONNA BE A PINK CHRISTMAS at IN THE PINK!

Hi peeps - are we all ready for Christmas with cards made and presents  wrapped?  No, neither am I !  So, here  is an opportunity to make at least one more Christmas card -

our challenge at In The Pink this fortnight is ..... 

"IT'S GONNA BE A PINK CHRISTMAS"!

Of course, it doesn't have to be a card - it could be a gift box, a Turkey, or anything else  Christmassy, but it must have LOTS of PINK on it ! 
*********
We had so many gorgeous entries for our last challenge, it was difficult for Christine and I to choose just 4 Perfect Pinkies - do pop over to the Blog to find out who they are!

Recipe:-
Card-stock - Stampin' Up and Bazzil.
Image - Mo Manning Christmas Fairy Holly, coloured with Copics.
Nestie Dies -  Labels #1, and Lacy Squares.
Sentiment - Cuttlebug alphabet die, and Woodware tiny snowflake punch.
Glossy Accents on the  snow globe, and SU Dazzling Diamonds glitter here and there.

( the detail looks so much better when you click the pic. to enlarge - honest it does!! )
Look forward to seeing more of  your  fabulous projects -
take care, keep warm, and Happy Crafting

I would like to enter my card into 
Mo's Challenge - Favourite colour combo + a Mo image.
and
Fab.'n' Funky Challenge - Use 3 of something (3 letters).

Love and Hugs, 

PUNCHES AND DIES AT IN THE PINK !

Hello lovely bloggers, followers and friends - I hope you are all having a happy week.

~

For all those lovers of Pink, it's In The Pink challenge time again, and we would like you to use PUNCHES AND/OR DIES on your project, (plus lots of PINK of course), and it doesn't have to be Clean and Simple this time, so you have no excuse for not joining in the fun!  Do pop over to ITP to find out who the CAS Perfect Pinkies are!

~

Must admit - I went a bit overboard with the amount of dies and punches used!

Dies used:-

Memory Box Madera Corner

Tim Holtz Tattered Florals

Sizzix Ornate Frame and Ovals

Nestabilities  Fancy Tags 2

~

Punches Used:-

Anna Griffin Butterfly

Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace

~

Papers: -  Craft Creations

Sentiments:-  HOTP and Anna Griffin

Ink:-  Memento London Fog

Finished off with Machine Stitching, Pin Pricking and a little Glamour Dust.

~

I'm so looking forward to seeing all your beautiful creations!

~
I would like to enter my card into the Penny Black and Allsorts challenge - 
Any Die Will Do!

~Happy Crafting~

CHALLENGE #7 AT IN THE PINK!

Hello lovely friends, followers and bloggers - hope you all enjoyed your Halloween celebrations?

You can now put the orange and black inks away, and get out the  PINK ones!  Yes - it's time for our 7th challenge at In The Pink, and this fortnight  Christine and I  would like to see ....................

 CLEAN AND SIMPLE, WITH LOTS OF "PINK SPACE", and MINIMUM EMBELLISHMENTS!  

Thanks to everyone who joined in last time - your projects were amazing!

Do pop over to the ITP Blog to see who the Perfect Pinkies are!

All materials are from Stampin' Up ~
Cardstock - Very Vanilla and Pink Pirouette.
Apothecary  Art stamp set and matching Labels Collection die set.
Leaves from the Bird Builder punch.
Dazzling Diamonds glitter (can only be seen if you click to enlarge)!!

Love to all ~

AUTUMN LEAVES

Hi peeps - don't you just love the Autumnal colours - such a shame those golden leaves have to fall from the trees isn't it. 

My card today is for the Autumn Challenge at Less is More.

Sorry about the blue patch on my white card - how does that happen when the whole card is facing the same light source when photographed - does anyone know please?!

The leaves are Cuttlebug dies, inked with lots of Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade and a little Fired Brick DI then spritzed with Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold. The veins were created with an embossing tool.

I curved the leaves to give dimension, then attached with silicone glue.

Sentiment from Paper Artsy, inked with Archival Coffee, mixed with a little Spiced Marmalade on the two bottom lines.
Update - November 2nd - My card has been Showcased at Less Is More - thank you Chrissie and Mandi!
I would also like to enter my card into the Opus Gluei  Challenge - Leaves and/or Halloween!

Have a great week ~

Hugs

BUTTONS AND BOWS - IN THE PINK!

Hello my lovely friends, followers and bloggers - I hope you are having a happy week!

Wow - another two weeks have passed already so it must be In The Pink time again!

Huge thanks to everyone who joined in our last challenge - there were over 100 fabulous entries, so do pop over to In The Pink to find out who the Perfect Pinkies are!

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Now onto this fortnight's challenge - Christine and I would like to see BUTTONS and / or  BOWS on your creations.  Of course there should also be a large amount of PINK!

I have used Buttons and Bows - but you may struggle to find them all!

The beautiful image is from Leanne Ellis, stamped with Coffee Archival then coloured with Copics.

Nestabilities Lacy Squares die (cut twice, then spliced to create a rectangle).

The flower is a Cuttlebug Poppy die - the top layer is the smallest flower from the TH Tattered Florals die.

Ribbon from Embsay Crafts. Buttons from my button box!

Linen Twine - Stampin' Up.

Tiny tag punch - Woodware.

Spotty paper - Zoe Pearn.

Vintage text stamp - Crafty Individuals. 

Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen DI.

Machine stitching.

Hugs  ~ 

CHALLENGE #5 at IN THE PINK - PINK AND ONE OTHER!

Hello my lovelies and Pink Lovers everywhere! Hope you are having a pinkilicious week!

Huge thanks to everyone who joined in our embossing challenge at IN THE PINK - there were some fabulous entries, but sadly there were several which did not include the required elements.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the Challenge requirements before you enter - we do not enjoy being the "bad guys" and having to leave negative comments - this is supposed to be fun for you, and for us.  It also helps if you let us know how and where you have included the required element. Thank you so much.

***************

So, onto this fortnight's challenge, which is "PINK AND ONE OTHER COLOUR" !

We don't mind if you also use neutral colours for SKIN, and a white or cream BASE CARD is also acceptable. However, the majority of the creation should be pink, plus ONE other colour, and one only!  

I have to say, this is a real challenge,  and I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with - I just know you will create something amazing!!  

**********

I chose Pink with Brown:-

This is another gorgeous image from A day For Daisies - I just love Tammy's artwork.
This beauty is called  "Vanity", and a mirror sprang to mind when I first saw her, as she seems to be looking at her reflection and admiring what she sees.
**********
The frames are both from the Sizzix "Oval With Ornate Edges" die set.
The outer, ornate frame has been cut from the same watercolour paper as the piece which the image is printed on, and the edges have been distressed with Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo DI.
The inner oval frame was stamped with the Indigo Blu Crackleglaze Background, then inked with the same DI as above, then a layer of  Diamond Glaze was added.
The beautiful image was loosely water-coloured with Distress Inks - Tattered Rose, Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick, and the same brown shades as above, for the hair. 
All edges inked with the above shades of brown DI.
 Computer-generated sentiment. 
Hand dyed silk ribbon from Crafty Individuals.
Pink Pirouette cardstock from Stampin' Up.

Love to all ~

WEEK 86 - TAKE 3 at LESS IS MORE!

Hello lovely friends and bloggers - this is just a quick post today, with a card for LESS IS MORE.

The theme this week is TAKE 3 CHALLENGES.   My 3 choices are - 
Tearing - week 81, Shades of Blue - week 22, Diecuts or Punches - week 55.

Somehow, I also manage to include Embossing - week 15 and A Touch of Red - week 9 !

Recipe:-

White cardstock

One of the stamps from the fabulous Stampin' Up Ornament Keepsake set, embossed with clear powder then cut out with the matching die.

Three  SU ink pads - Night of Navy, Marina Mist and Brocade Blue

Sentiment from the SU Beautiful Season stamp set

Tiny red gems.

*******

I don't suppose anyone missed me last week, (awwww), but I managed to find some hot sunshine whilst I was AWOL - any guesses where?!!!!!!!

This photo was taken inside the huge Church of Santa Maria Maggiore -
the beauty of it just takes your breath away.

And this should give you a clue - yes, I was in Rome!

Love to all ~

CHALLENGE #4 at IN THE PINK - EMBOSSING!

Hello lovely bloggers and Pinkie fans - hope your week is going well! I have been AWOL in blogland this week, searching for the sun, so this Post is scheduled.

********* 

We had some amazing entries in the "Anything But Square" challenge, and once again Christine and I had a difficult task choosing the Perfect Pinkies.  

Huge thanks to everyone who entered - we truly appreciate your enthusiasm and support.

If you pop over to IN THE PINK  you will find out who the Perfect Pinkies are!

********

So - onto this fortnight's Challenge, which is EMBOSSING, and it can be either  

HEAT EMBOSSING or DRY EMBOSSING.  Please  make sure that you also have plenty of PINK on your creation!  

I decided to go with Heat Embossing for the black grasses and Butterfly. 

I also used the resist technique - inking over the images with Distress Inks - Spun Sugar, Tattered Rose, and a little Bundled Sage. 

The butterfly was shaped by using an embossing tool on the reverse.

The scene was created on a rectangle of white card, covered with the pink inking, and spritzed with water.  

The sentiment and Dandelions were "second-stamped" with the black ink, but not embossed.

I pleated the seam binding, and attached with DSST.

******

Items used:-

Black Archival ink

Stampendous Detail Black embossing powder.

Indigo Blu stamp set - Wild Meadow (WM 1)

SU Pink Pirouette cardstock for the base card.

SU Basic Black card layer.

Rose Petal seam binding - WOC .

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Look forward to seeing more of your fabulous creations ~

Love to all  and huge thanks to my new followers.

FOLIAGE AND SEASONS

Hi peeps - thanks for popping by! Is it Summer, Autumn, or Winter weather in your part of the world today? It's definitely Autumn weather in this part of West Yorkshire!

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It's great to be joining the Limettes again at the  LESS IS MORE CHALLENGE
This week, it's ONE LAYER WEEK, and Mandi and Chrissie would like to see - FOLIAGE.

  

The little leaf stamp (22mm) is from an Artemio set. One of those things you buy "because 

you like it", but you get it home and it goes into the "I will never be able to make anything with this" drawer.

So thanks to Chrissie and Mandi for giving me a reason !!

Recipe:~

 Black Archival Ink.

Artemio stamp (10020057)

The leaves on the bottom circle are glittered, the other three are painted with
Derwent Watercolour pencils, hopefully giving a representation of the Four Seasons.

Stampin' Up Curly Cute sentiment.

The lines were drawn with a Pilot extra-fine pen.

X-cut corner rounder punch.

Hugs ~

ANYTHING BUT SQUARE, AT IN THE PINK

Hello lovely Bloggers - hope you are all having a happy week and some sunshine?  

Apologies for not being around in Blogland very much this past fortnight -  I do appreciate your wonderful comments, and I will catch up with you all as soon as I can.
A warm welcome to my new followers too!
***********

 It's time for another challenge at  IN THE PINK, and this week it's ANYTHING BUT SQUARE, and of course - lots of pink!  

Thank you to everyone who entered  the"Things With Wings" challenge - there were some amazing creations once again.   To find out who has won the Perfect Pinkie badges , just click the link above!

**********

Here are my two cards  for this fortnight's challenge~

Mannequin digi image from A Passion for Stamps.
Digital paper  from Sweet Shoppe Designs (Zoe Pearn).
Sentiment - a very old Docrafts magazine freebie 
MS border punch.  Black Archival ink.
Machine stitching.  Ribbon from stash.
Tiny black pearls (necklace)- Habico.
Dress softly coloured with Copics and a little Glamour Dust on the hem.
*********

Cardstock covered with Stampin' Up Cheerful Treat designer paper
Nestabilities  Labels 4 and Classic Ovals
Cuttlebug heart cut from the designer paper and coated with Glamour dust 
Sentiment - Papermania Chatsworth stamp set.
Blazing Red Staz-on ink
Ribbon from stash
**********
Have a fabulous weekend ~
Love and Hugs, 

A HUGE THANK YOU FROM "IN THE PINK"!

Hello Pinkies  and bloggers everywhere - hope your week is  going well ?
  
WOW -  you certainly turned out in your dozens to enter our very first challenge at IN THE PINK!

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, and to those who helped to spread the word on their blog.  Christine and I have been overwhelmed by your support and kind messages.   
Choosing the Perfect Pinkies has been extremely difficult, as there were so many stunning entries.  

You can find out who the Perfect Pinkies are, by clicking the link above!  Details of next fortnight's challenge can laso be found there.  
I hope you will  share more of your  fabulous creations with us - you have two weeks to create something wonderful!   Our theme for this fortnight's Challenge is "THINGS WITH WINGS" (and plenty of PINK!)  and here are my two inspiration projects - (it just had to be fairies for me)! Hope you like them!

(Please click the pics. to see the detail)

The easel card was created with Nestabilities  Circles (Scalloped and Standard).
The gorgeous image is "Talking With The Moon" from A Day for Daisies, coloured with Copics.  
Edges and background inked with DI - Tattered Rose and Spun Sugar.
Lots of glitter on this  one! (SU Dazzling Diamonds).
Sentiment - Crafty Individuals
Pink pearls - Hobby House.
Starry pink paper on the easel base - Kaisercraft.

This is another fabulous image from A Day For Daisies - "Morning Dew Fairy".

Image printed onto watercolour paper then painted with Distress Inks - 

Tattered Rose, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Old Paper, Bundled Sage and Peeled Paint.

Background sponged with Tattered Rose and Spun Sugar.

Other items:-  

Nestabilities Lacy Squares. 

Memory Box Wrought Iron Fence cut from Rose Red SU card.

Base card - Pink Pirouette, also from Stampin' Up.

Hero Arts sentiment.

********

Love to all ~

GLORIOUS COLOURS AND A BREAK AT FYI .

Hello my lovelies!  Hope your week is going well? 

***

This will be the last  FYI challenge for a while  - Steph has decided to have a much-needed  break for a few months, but hopes to return in January.

********

There are some amazing colours in this fortnight's inspiration photo,
 and as soon as I saw it , Alcohol Inks sprang to mind!  

(oooh - messy and inky - how fab)!

So out came the gorgeous colours - Wild Plum, Butterscotch, Willow, Aqua, Denim and  Stream.  The bottles of ink were  swirled and dabbed onto acetate in a very abstract way  (great fun!),  then the acetate was layered onto white and black cardstock.. 

Sentiment  from the SU Curly Cute set.

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Do pop over to FYIfor all the challenge details and some fab. DT inspiration! 

~Have a happy happy day ~ 

~ Hugs ~

OUR VERY FIRST CHALLENGE AT "IN THE PINK" !!

Good morning lovely bloggers - the PINK day has arrived at last !  I hope you are all poised with PINK crafty stash in hand,  ready to join in the fun at our very first  fortnightly Challenge at IN THE PINK 
All the details can be found on the Challenge Blog, but in case you are wondering what the first Challenge is all about ,  it's everyone's favourite - ANYTHING GOES, (with plenty of pink), or as Christine calls it - FIFTY SHADES OF ..... PINK! (no, I haven't read that book - have you??)!!!!!!!

We are really looking forward to seeing what you create - it can be anything you desire - card, scrapbook layout, box, book - I'm sure you get the idea!  

Each fortnight,  Christine and I will both be posting two projects on the Challenge Blog,  and here are my two cards for this first challenge ~  

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Two layers of white card, on a white base card, machine stitched around all edges.

The image is stamped on the centre layer, and coloured with Copics.

I cut an aperture on the top layer, with a Nestie Labels 4 die, then attached over the image with 3-d foam pads.

Stamp - "Sunrise" by  Rachel Anderson at Sweet Pea Stamps.

Sentiment - Penny Black.

Swirls of  very pale pink chalk for the  sky.

"Botanical" clear stamp from Kaisercraft, inked with Coffee Archival.

Image painted with Distress Inks.

Borders  punched with MS  "Eyelet Lace"  Punch Around the Page.

Pricking tool used around the edges of top layer of white card

Seam binding - Wild Orchid Crafts.

Sentiment - Hot off the Press.

***********

One last thing - it's Christine's birthday today so do pop over to her blog and leave her some lurve!!  

{ HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINE }

Love to all ~

DOES ANYONE HAVE A CRIMPER?!!

Good morning peeps - hope you are well and enjoying the Olympics?
   
The amazing photo Steph has chosen for us at this fortnight's  For Your Inspiration Challenge,  is a night-time view of  Cologne Cathedral  -love the turquoise  and gold!

and here is my take on the photo - a very clean and simple design, inspired by the architecture and the colours.

Recipe:

Cream cardstock.

My Minds Eye, Stella Rose spotty papers.

A paper Crimper was used on the ovals to replicate the lines on the bridge.

 It's the first time I've used this crafting tool for years!  What ancient craft tool have YOU got hidden away, unloved and unused? I would love to know!

I used  two sizes of Nestie Ovals, and the Lacy Squares die.

Corner rounder punch.

The banner was cut by hand, sentiment an old favourite from Hero Arts.

Tim Holtz brads and Distress Inks to finish.

**************

 Have a great weekend - 

Love and Hugs  ~

HOW CAN YOU RESIST DISTRESS INKS!

Hello peeps - sorry I haven't had anything to share with you during the last couple of weeks, but at last, another Post - my DT project for the For Your Inspiration Challenge. The colours of the inspiration photo were the starting point for my card, but you can interpret the image in any way you wish - hope to see lots more of your fabulous designs. You have plenty of time to enter - two weeks, so get out those inks and papers!

*************

Recipe:-

White cardstock

Hero Arts Clings stamp - Blooming Meadow, stamped onto white card with Versamark ink, then heat embossed with  white embossing powder.

Distress Inks applied over the image -  Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Bundled Sage and Peeled Paint. Surplus ink removed from the image with tissue paper. (As I'm sure you know, this is the  "Resist" technique - so called, as the embossing resists the ink).

Perfect Pearls Heirloom Gold was spritzed over the ink, but the shimmer doesn't show on the photo! 

*********

The double panels were not part of my plan  - I just chopped a bit off to make the large panel narrower, so it would fit on a smaller card.  When I saw them side by side on the table, I had a light-bulb moment and somehow ended up with this!!

Panels are layered onto  Stampin' Up Certain Celery.  
Linen Twine also from Stampin' Up.

Sentiment from Penny Black.

******

And here is the amazing inspiration  photo which Steph has chosen for you to work with ~

I would like to enter my card into the folowing challenges:-
THE STAMP MAN- Summer Colours.
FASHIONABLE STAMPING - Let's Get Messy and Inky!
July 31st - Update - in the Top 3 at Fashionable Stamping. Thank you ladies !
Update, August 3rd - Won Top Prize at The Stamp Man - wow!
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Apparently we are going to have some warm dry weather in the UK over the weekend - I do hope it reaches your part of the world.

*****

Sending lots of love to all ~