Daisy Dies Giveaway

These daisy Dies from Tonic Studios are gorgeous. They are the perfect finishing touch for your cardmaking or scrapbooking project. They are compatible with most leading Die-Cut systems (additional spacer plates acrylic mats or shims may be required. ) 
Here's a card I made that has been embellished with one of these Die cuts.

The lovely people at Tonic have provided me with a couple of extras, so now I am able to offer these to one of  you...

...if you would like to get your inky paws on these two little beauties, this is what you need to do.

If you are a follower, then please leave a comment on this post letting me know what kind of craft product you spend the most money on, and you will be entered into the draw.

If you would like a second entry, then post about the Giveaway on your blog and let me know where and you will get a second entry.

If you would like a third entry, become a follower of Studio Gilead, my page on Facebook and let me know in a comment here.

The winner has been chosen, using random.org. The winner is Nannapat! 
Congratulations ! But seeing as how there was only 4 of you that wanted new dies, I have a little treat for all of you. So please get in touch and let me have your addresses. Thanks.

Better than flowers

I'd been moaning about how my drawing pens had dried up  - I haven't used them in a while but have been starting to draw again. My sweet husband voluntarily went to the craft store on his way home from work and chose me a set of 5 pens!
If he had brought me a huge bunch of flowers I would not have been as delighted as I am with these - I LOVE getting new pens ! My husband knows me well!
I better do some drawing now!

Leaves, leaves and more leaves

The crisp, crunchy autumn leaves are very pretty, but they are also a lot of work. If we don't get them all off the driveway, they soon become a slippy, slimy mess.
When the wind blows, it's like a leaf blizzard around here!

I've had a bad neck and shoulder for a wee while now so have not been able to help out with the garden tidying, instead I've been thinking of theraputic sea air and  creating some shell Digi stamps.

Here's a card I made with some of them.

A gift returned

I made this butterfly cushion a couple of years ago for a dear friend. Sadly she has since had to move down to near her daughter's home in England and stay in Residential care.

There are only so many things you can take with you to these care homes and she had a  huge lot of stuff -  on top of that I am not even sure she would remember that I made it for her now, so I was around at her house on Saturday to pick up a few things from her daughter who has had to clear the house which has now been sold.

She thought I should have the cushion back. It was a sad thing to have to look around the house without my friend there, but I shall have happy memories of when I gave her this cushion. She wouldn't let anyone sit leaning on it  in case they crushed it, and she had it perched up on top of the back of a chair in pride of place. I shall miss my friend. She really loved butterflies - (hence the cushion.)

I drew the butterfly freehand with a Pitt artist pen onto a scrap of white vintage cotton sheet and then bordered it with some scraps of fabric I had been given by my sister-in -law. The tassels were made from cotton string and wooden beads.
(Perhaps I'll give you a little easy tassel tutorial sometime...)

On another note...here's a birthday card for a friend who doesn't read this blog
(I hope)

more details over at Blog Tonic

Bundt tin success

I was delighted that I managed to get my almond cake out our new Bundt tin in one piece. This is my first attempt. (I won't mention any names, but someone in this household has tried a couple times and they both broke - although they did taste delicious)   Mine turned out looking really nice (and the icing has been mixed with Amaretto liquor! ) Proof is in the eating though - I'll let you know!

A Frosty Day

photo by Naomi Smith

It's  been a beautiful crisp, frosty day here in the Highlands.
I've made a huge pot of butternut squash soup, some bread and butter pudding and a little sketchbook to add to my Etsy shop.

available here

Methinks it's one of those evenings for huddling around the log fire !