More "Movember" News

The charity (see my side bar entitled Movember) grew from strength to strength in our office this month. The boys grew the moustaches and instead of them raising sponsor money, the ladies in each department took it in turns to bake or buy cakes & pastry goods. The staff upstairs held a raffle & a name card. I'm not sure on the total raised but I'm certain we did reach £200!!!

This week was the turn of PIU, my department (Personal Insurance Unit). I did 30 homemade sausage rolls and was very proud of my efforts. Here are two photos. Can you tell I'm proud! ;0) Katie made a chocolate cake and lots of lovely butterfly buns. Andy (one of the tash growers) even made some chocolate buns which were tasty!!

I really enjoyed baking them, but the eating was far more enjoyable lol!!!

Happy Birthday, Katie!

Today, it is my friend (and work colleague's) birthday. She loves butterflies & birds, so I tried to combine both as girly and pretty as possible!

Materials Used;

Large scalloped card blank

Websters Pages Postcards from Paris Paper
TH Birdcage die cut (using Big Shot)

Bird & Butterfly stamps, Urban Papermania.

Flat Backed Pearls, Prima Marketing

Small Rose & Pink Vellum, Papermania

frosted lace Stickles (on petals of rose)

Large Pink Brad, Basic Grey

Birthday Greeting, Stampin' Up

scrap acetate from office

I layered up 3 butterflies using silicone glue & added the final vellum one for movement.

Carrie's Birthday Card

I made this card for Carrie, back in October, for her birthday.

I had forgotten that I had not shared it!

The background is a photograph I had taken while visiting the beautiful French market town of Piegut-Pluviers. I had never seen so many huge Hydrangea blooms & just had to lean over the wall to take a picture. I printed this picture onto a piece of canvas. The butterflies are stamped onto a scrap piece of the canvas & inked with Chipped Sapphire & Seedless Preserves (limited edition fall 2011) distress inks. The butterfly stamp is on the Friendship plate by ISC. I added silicone glue behind the wings so they would look as if they were in flight. It has become a favourite technique of mine lately as I love using butterflies in my work.

Carrie is very much into tactile pieces, which is why I used the canvas.

Thinking of You (both)

My sister, Tracy was involved in a car accident on Monday evening so I needed to make a quick card to let her know I was thinking about her & her poor baby car. My regular readers will remember the car got hit back in July while parked outside my flat when she came to visit. The driver was both drunk and uninsured & the car had to have £2,500 worth of repairs done on it.

This time it has been hit in the rear from a motorist whilst Tracy was at the wheel. She is hurt (whiplash) but thankfully not seriously injured and the other driver is okay too. The car will need a new back end again, that is two in 3 months.

It is Tracy's pride & joy so you can imagine how gutted she is. But metal can easily mend.

I made two cards because I smudged this first one but then I wasn't at all happy with the background of the second so decided to go with my original choice. My background is made simply by scribbling soft pastels & blending lightly with gesso. Image is Sent With Love -Gorjuss. Butterfly, bird & grasses, Papermania. Word stamps also Papermania.

It was luck I made the two cards because when I saw my friend Kate who I travel on the train with, she was sad because her pet cat had passed away. So this card fitted just right for her. I was just a little too heavy handed with the gesso towards the centre and it dried all wrong , but she loved it. Her mother was a fabulous artist using soft pastels a lot in her work so she appreciated the fact I had used them on her card.

I brought home the rest of the birthday cards I made to sell at work so that I could take the Christmas cards in their place and Claire, another train friend bought 9 of the 11 left so I was well chuffed. It was good to see them finally go!!

Christmas Cards to Share

These cards went on sale at work on 1st November. I'm hoping they sell well. I made 10 or 12 of each design (there are 9 other designs) making a total of 76 cards. I made them all during the month of October to get them out of the way. I'm hoping to get my special cards done next.

Funky Star made with patterned papers.

Large Swirl (the scalloped circle was cut, stamped & inked by me before placing on the cards)

The stars were cut from fine corrugated card. Swirl is TH die.

Gold Star. I made the stars in the same way as the scalloped circles.

I cut the "noel" using a die.

Ribbon bow & Baubles. The baubles were circles of white card stamped, embossed & coloured with distress ink. The tops have eyelets.

MOVEMBER - Moustache Month.....

Ladies (and Gentlemen) please take a moment to read the details below.

MEN'S HEALTH

I am helping my male colleagues to raise money for awareness of Prostrate and Testicular Cancer.

Please take a moment to sponsor my team. Any donation is gratefully received no matter how small. You can also gift aid your dontation.

It is going to be an interesting month, watching these blokes try to grow a moustache to be proud of!! But, it is all in a very god cause. We ladies are helping raise funds by making cupcakes, etc... right through the month. A link is in my sidebar.

You can find my page here.

It is all too easy to overlook these two deadly cancers so I urge you all to get your man to check himself carefully in the bath or shower, just as we do and seek medical advise if there are any concerns. They will not consider you a time waster.

It might be nothing but it is always better to know one way or the other as early as possible.