Vintage Ladies and Friendship

I would like to say a big thank you for all your lovely comments about my ICAD and Pocket Watch, they really gave me a big boost!  Just what I need when Mr Mojo has gone off on an extended holiday.....

Today I want to share my Design Team piece for Nicecrane using Ignatio's Parisien Ladies (which sadly is not available at the moment but hopefully will be again soon).  However, Ignacio has lots of other fabulous Vintage Lady designs which can be found HERE.

This is a fairly simply design, as the image says it all really - three friends having a chat.  I love this gorgeous image.  The paper looks positively vintage and slightly distressed.  Click on the photo for a closer look.

The base card is Kraft coloured and I simply matted and layered patterned and plain papers to tone in with the colours on the image.  The edges are all distressed and finished with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.  The script paper is BoBunny, the larger mat is Craftwork Cards.  I added some lace and a metal corner.

The book plate is Tim Holtz and I dabbed Vintage Photo Distress Paint over the book plate and the metal corner to dull them down and then lightly brushed Treasure Gold over the raised areas.  The word friend is from Tim Holtz Simple Sayings set of stamps.

This is my entry to Sunday Stampers where the wonderful Hels has set the challenge theme as 'Friends'. My card will be winging it's way off to a non-blogging friend soon.

Edited: I also wish to enter this into the Frilly and Funkie challenge, where Anything Goes.

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Now - on to Friendship, I have a little story to tell you, if you are interested (I hope you are). Long story, shortened version.

Those who know me well, know that I am every so slightly obsessed with a certain Tim Holtz.  You will also know that I missed out on his recent visit to the UK, despite spending 5 whole hours on the phone!  I was seriously distressed afterwards - I know, I know, there are more important things in life, but I was very upset.

On the day of the class, DH took me out to cheer me up and take my mind off things.  Well believe it, or believe it not, my amazing crafty friends Jenny, Annie, Rita, Alison, Kath and Brenda all frantically tried to contact me to tell me there was a place available in the afternoon session.  Did I get the message in time?  No, of course not, I was out shopping!  This was a double whammy for me and I think I was even more upset than the first time round..........

A few days later I got a parcel in the post from the lovely Jenny (Buttons).  It contained a personally signed, addressed to me, copy of Tim's Compendium of Curiosities Book and a Ranger apron!  You could have knocked me over with a feather!  I have since been in touch with Jenny who says that she interrupted Tim's lunch to tell him my sad story and he signed the book straight away!   The apron is from the very kind and generous Brenda (Bumblebees and Butterflies).  It is a long time since I have been so touched by a group of wonderful friends, each one met through crafting and blogging.  I know people say it all the time but crafters really are the loveliest, kindest and most generous of people - EVER.

I also need to mention my friends Mo, Darnell, Nicola and Laura who have all done some very kind things behind the scenes to try to both help and console me.  There may be others behind the scenes who have tried to help too and I apologise if I have not mentioned you.

So I want to say a very big,  personal and public THANK YOU to all of you, from the bottom of my heart. No one could ask for a more lovely group of friends.  Apologies, I did not mean to write a novel here....

So, why am I telling you all this?  Well, apart from wishing to thank these special people I want to do a 'Pay it Forward'.........  I have in my possession a used, but in excellent condition, copy of Tim Holtz Compendium Volume II (my old copy - alas, not signed by Tim though).  If any of you do not have this amazing book already, please say so in your comment and I will get DH to do a draw early next week.

Thanks to you if you have read through and reached this point!  Hope you are all getting some crafty time and please don't forget to enter our 'Forgotten Things' challenge over at Our Creative Corner if you get the time.

Big hugs, Anne xx