Pretty in Pink

Here is my card for the Lilli of the Valley "Pretty in Pink" monthly challenge.  I don't have a huge selection of their stamps but this one I really love and have used many times.  Hope this one is pink enough for the challenge!  I actually made it for my neighbour's birthday hence the french greeting!

Today has been busy getting things together ready for our departure on holiday.  More washing (unfortunately that means more ironing later - don't you just hate it!), suitcases out ready for the packing to begin, pedicure and manicure ready for the beach, then have been out in the garden trimming one of our trees which has put on far too much growth for its own good!, then into the polytunnel and weeded, fed the tomatoes and melons and pinched out all the growing tips to ensure some good size fruit all round!  Harvested today:- cornichons (gherkins), french beans, runner beans, peas, courgettes, chillis.  Still no tomatoes yet but at last they are starting to colour up - hooray!  We were getting concerned as they are so late in ripening this year and even though they are a good size and we have had some hot weather we haven't had one to eat yet!  I read somewhere to pick a few green ones to allow the others to develop and to stop watering for a day or two.  I did this and low and behold they have started to ripen.  Could be coincidence of course but I'm just glad they are on their way to ripening now - can't beat a freshly picked tommie warm and straight from the polytunnel!!

Enough of my meanderings for today.  Hope you are having a good day!

Krafty Kim x

Summer Time!

........ and the livin' is easy!  Sorry, just had to say it.  Must be missing singing with the choir as we have broken up for the holidays now!

Just writing a line or two as we have been busy making jams and jellies this morning with the fruits we have harvested from the garden.  Hubbie made some more blackcurrant jam as the last jar was eagerly finished off by our visitors last week and we only had strawberry jam left in the cupboard!  I made some redcurrant jelly with the last of the currants - just a small jar as it is my first one and I am now debating with myself as to whether I need to waterbath it as the recipe suggests?!?  If anyone knows please send me a comment.  I have sterilised the jar in the usual way and it was hot when I put the jelly in the jar so not sure why I would want to waterbath it as well?  Any helpful advice will be greatly appreciated.

I have had a card crafty week as there are a few birthdays coming up in the next few weeks so thought I would get them done as it involved five cards but between two households so have been thrifty and sent two packages with all the cards inside!  We are also away for a few days next week so wanted to make sure they were done before I leave!  Here they are:-

 A gold card base matted and layered with cardstock and metallic paper.  A lovely donkey pyramid decoupage embellie, self adhesive paper lace and I added some gems (which you may not be able to see!) onto the lace to bling it up.  Perfect for a teenage girl's birthday.

I used some papers from the fab Making Cards magazine‎.  I added some highlights with a gel pen and 3 Card Candi's to finish off.

Our friends are both 70 this year so the above card is for the lovely Kay.  I used Making Cards ‎paper for the image (from their Flowers special edition), embossed some pearlescent cardstock, wrapping the mat with a ribbon and finishing with a punched border.

Some more from the lovely Making Cards for Men special edition magazine  (can you tell I am a fan!) I matted and layered onto chocolate cardstock and the image onto gold mirri card.

I also made this card for my lovely sister who is sadly in a home at the moment so I try to write a chatty note to her every few weeks inside a card.  Love these black outline stickers which I have used with double sided sticky paper with gilding flakes (a copper mix) and added a simple "just a note" rubber stamp.

It has been a busy few weeks with visits from family and friends but very enjoyable as the sun shone all the time and the little ones had so much fun running around the garden and dipping in and out of the splash pool!  The weather makes all the difference and we have been experiencing the best summer since we moved here!  It started out poorly which didn't help growing my plants and veg but it is making up for it now - hoorah!

We went to Chateau Villandry in June which was fabulous and the gardens were just - wow!!  We went with our good friends Bob and Pam and stopped overnight in Amboise which also was lovely.  Had a little taste of some Saumur wine and a tour of the "caves" there which was fascinating.  I have never seen so many bottles of wine in one place (not even at chez nous - hehe only joking!!)

Looking forward to our break by the sea now and meeting up with my cousin and his wife.  We are going down to Narbonne on the train so intend to take a bit of crafting to do along the way to keep me amused on the long journey!  I will post again on our return with news of our visit.  

Enjoy the sunshine and thanks for stopping by! 

If you have any questions or comments about my post, please leave them below - thanks!

Krafty Kim x