Sunday 31 October 2010

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

There are some truly fabulous Halloween pieces out there in craft land this year. One in particular has been made by Hels Sheridan. Pop over and have a peek if you get the chance. I haven't really had a play this year apart from a couple of ATCs and an altered frame, but I have received Tim's new stamps, a die and embossing folder which will come in very handy next time around.

I seem to be on a roll with Xmas just now and have completed 2 cards! Wow! That's good for me. Actually it's not 'cos I am so behind with other cards, like birthday, which really isn't good. Here's a quick look at what I've done so far.

Both designs are from the new Magnolia magazine, but as you can see, I've adapted them 'cos I don't have the Magnolia stamps. I'm particularly pleased with the second card. It's really quite lovely ....ooh! self praise.
I'm packing my best stash today as we are going down the road to Southport for a few days in the motorhome. My friend, Sonia, is coming on Tuesday for a day of crafting and I hope to be able to show her some Ranger techniques as taught to me by Lindsay when I've watched her demos and attended her workshops. Sonia is fast becoming a DI addict and wants to move on a bit, so she will be able to play with all the stamps and alcohol inks plus lots of other goodies such as dabbers, perfect pearls, stickles, fragments and dies. Her attention to detail is excellent so I reckon she will end up showing me.
I will take photos, or better still, I'll get 'peg leg' to take a few, and blog them as we go along.

Thursday 28 October 2010

ONE MORE DONE - 8 TO GO

I actually made a Christmas card yesterday!!! I just started it and before I knew it was done. Hope all the others appear as quickly.
I finished another page for the chunky book swap being run by She. Here is a little sneak.
No more on that though.
I've spent a little while going through my new Magnolia magazine and can  say the cards in this issue are unbelievable. I'm going to try and make another Christmas card based on one on page 19. I don't have any of the products used so spent a while last night going through my stash to find card, paper and embellishements that will make something similar. However, that blooming wallpapering isn't done yet, 'peg leg' was so poorly yesterday that he was either asleep on the settee or in bed. I didn't get it done, so today's the day. Yak!

Wednesday 27 October 2010

WOYWW BEFORE THE CLOCKS GO BACK

Can you believe the clocks are about to alter for another winter?? I hate it when it happens but get used to it as the weeks go by and snuggle up at night in my dressing gown watching tv. But how nice would it be to never see the winter??? Well I for one would not mind 12 months of summer for at least one year. That's just what my neighbours have EVERY year!! They set off at 5am this morning for Goa and will not be back until next April!!! How exciting is that?? Safe trip you two, see you in blogland, email land and Skype for the next 6 months.
We, on the other hand, can jet over to Julia's to spy on the craft desks of the world from the comfort of our own little pads. I have been up to a few bits and bobs these last few days, making pages for She's chunky book swap.
I used Tim's papers to stamp flowers on to and made up 3 roses. My, do I find it hard to get the 2 petals bit folded correctly. These flowers are made with a medium size stamp, but I also stamped out some tiny flowers and will have a go at those today. Doubt they will have middles made with the 2 and 1 petal bits!!
I also found some 'fluffy stuff' in my cupboard which I haven't used yet, so I 'splodged' a bit on a punched snowflake to see what happened. Nothing! so I heated it a bit and it did 'puff' slightly.


I must practise more with this 'cos it's time for those Xmas cards!!!!









I should have been wallpapering yesterday, but the weather made the light really poor and I don't do artificial light. Just can't see properly in it. Ok, I'm using a desk lamp now - being 7am - but it's got a daylight bulb in it, so 'peg leg' and I went out instead. I was after the new Magnolia magazine, which I finally managed to get after a 40mile round trip.


The cards in this issue are a dream. I wish I could make them all and frame them.
I also ended up with 2 new Martha Stewart punches, one courtesy of my DH.


I was browsing a few blogs yesterday and came across a card which had the gorgeous border on it. Little did I think that I would have that punch by the end of the day. Better still, right next to it in the shop was the corner punch. Well, what good is one without the other eh???

My poor 'peg leg' has man flu now. He is in a right old mess because coughing is really bad for him what with his double hernia and all. I reckon a trip to the chemist for some cough medicine is on the cards today. Enjoy your woyww hopping everyone. I will try (probably in vain again) to get round everyone 'cos I love a good 'ol nosey.

Tuesday 26 October 2010

SUNDAY STAMPERS WEEK 126 - GREEN (onions)

Hop, skip and jump over to the Sunday Stampers - link in my sidebar - for details of this week's challenge.
Hels has set the colour GREEN for this one and you can make anything you like. Here's mine:


It's a very simple ATC but I've used my newly acquired (today actually) Martha Stewart punches on the corner and edge.
The base card is special glossy stock which takes alcohol inks. I used about 6/7 different inks and blew them across the card with an air can. The little bird is from Tim's Caged Bird die, simply distressed and highlighted with stickles before being stuck to the base with 3D foam.
I rubbed the tissue tape with distress ink and tore it up before adding that. The beads are stuck down with stickles.
I've never seen a bird like this one, have you??

Monday 25 October 2010

BEAUTIFUL ART

A lovely surprise for me yesterday, was to be given an ATC from Gez. Although she couldn't make it to the demo, she had sent this fabulous card for me.


I am such a fan of Stampotique stamps too.

Many thanks Gez. I owe you.









Not only did I receive this ATC, but She had also made 2 amazing tags for me. How lucky am I?



This tag is even more amazing in real life. The detail and embossing make it feel like wax. I love the rich colours too.



















This is a special tag for me because I just love orange and black coupled with Tim's fabulous Halloween stamps.

Again, the detail and combination is so good, right down to the black embossing around the edges. Fab.

Thanks again She. x







I managed to swap a couple of ATCs but can only find one. I think the other must still be in the car. I'll have to have a search. Anyway, this one is from Lindsay.



These colours are my all time favourite so I just had to pick this one.

I think I am right in saying that the background is alcohol ink on metal over stamped with one of Tim's stamps in black archival. Lindsay has written the words in white gel pen and stuck the word 'discover' on top of that.

It also looks like she has coloured some ribbon to match the card. Fabulous.
Thank you again ladies.

Sunday 24 October 2010

HAPPINESS COMES AT DEMOS

I had a lovely catch up with She today at Lindsay's demo in Dawn's shop. I also met another wonderful lady who is part of She's grungey book swap, Karen. But I missed Gez because she couldn't make it today. Get you next time gal.
Lindsay was having a ball showing us her fabulous cards. Here is just one:

Isn't this gorgeous. I have practised the techniques used to make this card on Lindsay's Ranger workshop, but never attempted anything as bold as this. Perhaps I should have a go.
We challenged Lindsay to make something using a 'cute' stamp and distress inking. It was an impossible task - the challenge her bit - because she is so clever I bet she could make anything at all.
Anyway, a few minutes later this gorgeous tag was completed.
Who said you couldn't combine  cute with distressing and the sophisticated.
I so enjoyed the banter with the girls and just wish I could craft every day with them all. Please pop back tomorrow because I have some amazing tags and ATCs to share with you thanks to the talent I met today and know.

Saturday 23 October 2010

12 - 3 = 9

Yep, done another page for the chunky book challenge. But the best part of this one is, I'm really pleased with it. Quite a statement for me.
I had a lot of fiddly bits to do on this one, but managed in the end. I wonder who it's for though??
Here's a little peek.




I actually made all those!!!!

Friday 22 October 2010

YELLOW & GREEN at SCD

Another week, another colour combo over at SCD. This Friday's choice is yellow and green.
Some of you may remember how I tried and tried to purchase a back issue of Craft Stamper magazine just to get the free stamp. In the end they actually sent me the stamp but the magazine was no longer available. Well this little ATC is made with that very stamp.

I made some green miri card by dragging a green Stazon pad over some silver miri then once dry, I stamped the image using pearlescence lime Brilliance. I cannot take credit for the wonderful spun background though, as it was a little pressie from Heather as part of one of her monthly swaps.
I used some 3D foam pads to mount the image on top of some yellow fibres and finished it off with some green bugle beads, yellow and green gems and a memo pin - which looks like a wand from a bottle of childs bubbles - a few drops of green stickles on the image and yellow stickles on the spun art.

I know I made this a while ago, but I've never entered it in any challenges so I hope it's acceptable.

Thursday 21 October 2010

A TRUE BEAUTY

Some of you may know that I became hooked on Moth Orchids (paleanopsis) last year after receiving a gorgeous cerise one on Mothers Day from my son. My collection grew to number 10 in total. However, I lost one on holiday this year and it therefore remained in Brixham - the lucky thing .
Whilst in Devon I visited Paradise Orchids at Newton Abbott, Chelsea Flower show winners, for information on their keep. However, I was really lucky to be able to speak to one of the nursery men who gave me lots and lots of professional advice on their upkeep.
I took all my plants with me when we went down south, as leaving them for 4 weeks was not a good idea, so when I returned to the motorhome I immediately examined the 'nine' and found one was not happy according to the information just gleaned. Unfortunately, that plant is still in a 'coma' and it is looking less and less likely that it will survive, in fact, it may have already passed over!
On a much brighter note, I just want to share this true beauty with you. It has produced 11 perfect flowers which are almost pure white. What a dream to look at.


I hope you like it.

Wednesday 20 October 2010

WOYWW 20/10

Just a little amendment to say that the garage has just rung to say that the oxygen detector at the front  of the exhaust has failed and they have ordered one. I can pick my car up at 3pm.
YIPPEE  twice and thrice. Hooray, hooray, hooray. sobs of joy!!!!

Another week gone eh! and we had our first hard frost of the winter last night.
My little old car failed it's MOT on Monday - boohoo! so we have had to take it back to the garage today for some investigating because it failed on emissions. I did notice this morning however, that when I put fuel in on Monday the needle was on half full, but today it's on quarter and I've only done 44miles in that time. It's not leaking fuel so just hope the problem is only minor and not a costly one. Our son-in-law has borrowed 'peg leg's' car to be able to get to  his new job over here prior to a family re-location, so if my car fails completely and I have to scrap it - oh please don't let that happen - then we are without a car altogether. It just isn't practical to use the motorhome every day, it's too big. Please send big hugs to 'our cub', my little precious car.

Anyway, to craft, which after all is the meaning of today. Whats on your workdesk Wednesday, run by Julia. I have made a start on the 12 grunge pages for the swap I am in. Actually, I've completed 2 now - YIPPEE - so only another 10 plus backs to go. Here is a little sneak at the second:




I don't think it appropriate to show it all because each person has their own theme for this swap so will see their pages before they receive them and that would spoil the surprise in March.







I have a third in mind but only bits of it so far, so this is what is on my desk right now.





My hands are freezing after that early morning drive, plus, I have the washer and drier in my workroom and the latter is on at the moment meaning the window is open  for the drier to vent. Not good for the old circulation so I may not be able to handle those beads for a while.





I did receive some fantastic news this week. My son passed the exam (first stage) to his next promotion. Just when you think you couldn't be more proud eh? However, it was marred somewhat by the news that 'peg leg' has very high blood pressure plus a double hernia!!!!!!!!!!!! One more thing to add to his knee problem. So, in about 16 weeks he will have his knee operation then after that, he has his hernia operation. The doctor reckons that the pills he has been on since June have caused/or added to the blood pressure problem, so now he's only on paracetamol for the pain. Life is never dull at this house.
Ooh! must go, our new awning has just arrived.

Tuesday 19 October 2010

12 - 1 = 11

One down, eleven to go!!

Grunge book pages that is. She is running this swap for the next 5 months and after receiving the themes last weekend, I finally got my thoughts going and have ideas for a few of them. One in particular stumped me when I first read it and had visions of glorious lakes and waterfalls which I know I have  no chance of drawing or painting. What was it? it's 'the magic of water'. Yes Mrs Mason you really got me going there until I realised the idea behind it is the technique of the effects of water on distressed backgrounds. Still a challenge but good practise.

I don't think I should show the finished pages unless I get permission. So here is a little peek.


That's a really good rotten photo - if you get my drift!

Sunday 17 October 2010

SPOOKY

Please see my previous post for a daylight picture of the frame I made for the SCD and Artistic Stamper Creative Team challenge. I thought that today I would enter it into the Sunday Stamper challenge also, except I took a photo last night - in the dark!!!

This scared the life out of me. I had put the frame on the shelf over the tv so the only light was from that and the ambient light behind it.
The skull in the middle was stamped with orange paint dabber but it looks luminous. How amazing that it showed up like this.
Not to mention that the skeleton had fallen off previously despite being stuck on with glossy accents. Anyway, it now has a large sticky zot keeping it in place.
I'm going to move it today, I don't want to be frightened again tonight. That Wagner on X-Factor scares me enough without a picture doing the same.

I had better put the daylight photo on so Hels can see it properly.

I had forgotten to mention yesterday that the flowers were also stamped with an Artistic Stamper rubber stamp, sequin waste, using orange Brilliance on the large flowers and distress embossing ink and disco black embossing powder on the smaller ones. I had also die cut some black actual sequin waste using Tim's tattered floral die, which formed the first layer on the left hand flower.






Now, if you want to hear a real life, genuine spooky story, pop over to Lindsay's blog. But beware, you will be frightened.......................Boo!

Saturday 16 October 2010

SCD WEEK 3 - ORANGE & BLACK

I am covered in black alcohol ink!  This is why:

I finally completed my entry for the SCD challenge this week, orange and black.
I just had to do Halloween as I found some skeletons yesterday which were perfect for this wooden frame.
The frame was painted with orange dabber and then distressed with wild honey and rusty hinge inks. I over stamped in several places with Tim's cobweb, paint splodge and greeting stamps then with the Artistic Stamper's chicken wire stamp. The tree is cut from black mount board using Tim's new branch tree die which I covered with clear rock candy crackle paint. The flowers are cut from black card and black sequin waste using Tim's new tattered floral die. The leaves are Martha Stewart autumn branch punch and the roses in the flower centres are from a local wholesale store made black with alcohol ink - hence my now black fingers! -
So to begin, I covered the skull stamp with orange paint dabber and stamped into the centre of the mirror. Once dry, I masked it and went over the whole thing with black alcohol ink - more black on my fingers! -  I then stuck some black lace all round the inside. I spread a thick layer of crackle paint to the place where the skeleton was to go, stuck the tree on plus the owl - some orange peel stickles gave him eyes - assembled the flowers and leaves then added some dried marigold distress stickles to various places such as the web. Finally, I glued some black and orange beads to the base of the tree in order to 'ground' it.

It looks better in real life and as I had no idea what I was doing all through the process, I think it's not bad.

Now, I'm not sure whether I can enter the Artistic Stamper Challenge twice, but if you use their stamps, you get entered twice anyway. No harm in trying eh?

GIVE ME CREATIVE THOUGHTS

Blogger is playing up this morning so not sure when this post will appear.

I have just received the instructions for the Grungey Book Challenge being run by She. We each have to make 12 pages by March 15th - crumbs!!! All I need now is a plethora of crafty ideas in  order to achieve this.

Thank goodness I finished my ATC swap for Heather's challenge this month.


I'm currently trying to complete a piece for the Artistic Stamper Challenge blog - layers, and the SCD challenge, orange and black, which I really must do today. I haven't even started the dreaded Xmas cards, then I have a few birthdays, oh and not to forget, Tim's 12 tags of Christmas. Busy time coming up me thinks.

In the meantime, 'peg leg' took his hospital letter to the doctors yesterday and was given the option to have surgery on his knee first or to have his double hernia operated on !!!!!!!!! Where did that come from ???? He also has high blood pressure mainly caused by the pills he has been on since June. I knew those things were only short time, now look what's happened. Anyway, on advice, the knee will be done first. I wonder what his aka will be then. Any suggestions????

Wednesday 13 October 2010

A SUNNY WOYWW

Happy Wednesday to you all and what a Wednesday. The sky is blue ready to give another glorious autumn day, and those brave Chilean miners are finally seeing the sunshine too. Now that's worth celebrating don't you think?

Not much on my desk today but I hope there will be quite a mess as the day goes on.


I downloaded a set of instructions for an inked hillside background, courtesy of Artylicious, but have not tried it yet. The scrap card you can see is a practise piece I ran through my Martha Stewart snowflake punches. Rather gorgeous.



Here you can see the remnants of some card I alcohol inked yesterday as part of a 'Warrior Women' tag I made following a post on the Artistic Stamper blog. Do check this out as it's not only a breast cancer support post, but there is some candy up for grabs too. I have a link in my sidebar also.
Notice those little golden beauties in the last photo. Here is a closer look.



'Peg leg' made these for me and are a 'take' on type charms. Notice the 6-sided ones, they are a bit posh eh?
Just a quick note here also if I may. 'Peg leg' had another hospital appointment yesterday and at long last, they looked at the correct knee. Yippee! Anyway, he has to have an operation, yippee again, had his pre-op tests, another yippee, but has at least 16 weeks to wait, booo! If you do the maths, 16 weeks from now comes mighty close to Feb 23!! and we all know what is happening then!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, we shall work around both events and are just grateful that he is getting treatment after all this time.
I was working on a little notebook last week and have been asked to show the finished article. I made this from the one in the October Craft Stamper magazine and it turned out ok.





If you pop over to Julia's blog now, you can visit work desks all over the world and have a peep at other people's craft. I'm off to do just that.

Tuesday 12 October 2010

HATS OFF TO WARRIOR WOMEN


Check out the previous post for details of the 'Warrior Women'.

My hat certainly comes off to everyone, everywhere who has been or will be affected by breast cancer.
The Artistic Stamper blog has all the details for this support theme.

PINK RIBBON WARRIOR WOMEN


Please find some time today to pop over to the Artistic Stamper blog where details are announced of a very special blog hop.
October is always Breast Cancer month. The whole world unites by sponsoring events to raise awareness and money for research in order to finally rid us all of this awful disease. Jennie, at the Artistic Stamper, has started off the 'Warrior Women' blog hop in honour of her friend Sherry Goodloe who is recovering, very well, from her spat with breast cancer.
Some delicious candy is on offer too - £15 worth of stamps from Jennie - simply for leaving a comment by midnight on 30th October, plus more candy from Eclectic Paperie if you make your own piece and load it to flickr by 30th October.
Many of us have been either touched or affected by this demon, so come on crafters, let's lend our support.

Monday 11 October 2010

TYPE CHARMS

'Look luv, I could do with some of those'

'Will these do?'


Wish he could make £20 notes on his lathe! LOL

Aren't these just great. All made from lengths of brass bar. Dig the 6-sided one. Now what else can I get him to do.

'Can you make me some metal flowers?'

'No!'......................

Saturday 9 October 2010

PURPLE AND GREEN

Purple and green is this weeks colour combination over at Something Completely Different. Not to everyone's taste but they are 2 colours I love.

As I haven't started any Christmas cards yet!!! I thought this may be an opportunity to make the first one.

The image is one I coloured whilst away recently using Copics. I used the snowflake punch from Martha Stewart down one side, then cut around the rest. The base card is 6"x6" white hammered card stock topped by a purple coloured Bazill card.
I cut 2 strips of patterned paper - the green is by Creative Imaginations and the lighter purple is from some papers given to me. The purple snowflake was saved from a previous Xmas card coloured with V09 Copic and stuck down with glossy accents together with the strips of lilac beading. The green swirls are from the same stock as the green paper. I stamped the words using peeled paint DI and matted it onto matching lilac paper before using 3D foam to add depth. Finally, I 'splodged' a lot of glossy accents in the bottom corner and added seed and bugle beads.

I struggled a bit to get going with this card, but after having trapped my mojo, finally succeeded.

Friday 8 October 2010

SURPRISE PACKAGE

Just look what arrived in the post this morning.

All these goodies have travelled all the way from Vancouver, Canada and landed on my work desk.

I held a blog candy last May and the winner was Ginette, the lovely lady who has sent me this yummy stash. I especially like Quatchi, the official mascot to the Vancouver 2010 games, he is so soft and cute. There are papers, card, ribbon, threads, glitter, stone stickers, pegs, a felt flower,  vintage mini postcards, a rubber stamp and some fabby Halloween stickers.

Thank you Ginette. Just off to 'oodle' a bit more.

Thursday 7 October 2010

AUTUMNAL LAYERS

I know a lot of people absolutely love the Autumn. The colours are simply amazing I do agree, but for me it's the end of so much. The summer - ok, I know we don't usually have one of those LOL - the beautiful flowers and their scent, birds singing and rushing about trying to bring up their young, holidays where there is some sun, being able to sit outside and to have the door open, long daylight hours - have I convinced you yet??

Anyway, there are a couple of challenges I thought I might just have a go at:

Something Completely Different - Oct. theme - anything with Colour
Week 1 - Outside colours - brown, orange etc.
and
Artistic Stamper Challenge - Oct. theme - Layers

I thought I would make a tag for a change and this one came directly from Sir Tim himself. After last year's 12 tags of Christmas, Tim had a few bundles of 20 tags for sale. As you can imagine, I was in there straight away and the handsome Mario sent me a pack.
I distressed the tag with a mixture of distress inks, then used one of the leaves I had just cut with my new tattered leaves die to act as a mask while I did a bit more inking and then a bit of spritzing with gold perfect pearls and water.
I covered pieces of grungepaper with some dictionary text and die cut some tattered flowers and tattered leaves. I also cut some from the retro grunge paper stack. Once dry I distressed some of them with fired brick and dried marigold inks and assembled the flowers together with a tiny Prima flower and one cut from inked mulberry paper with a tiny brad. They are all glued down with glossy accents. I then put a little bit of tea dye distress stickles on the leaves. The top 2 leaves are also Prima with a little butterfly charm on top.
I then stuck some more dictionary paper on a piece of thin card incorporating the word Autumn, and distressed it before punching out with a Martha Stewart oak leaf punch. I then added this to a memo pin, stuck it in the flower and hey presto - job done.

ALL THAT GLITTERS SWAPS

Yippee, my Glitter swaps have arrived from Heather following last months challenge.


Aren't they just sparklingly gorgeous?

From left to right they are from: Kris Smart, Chris Bedford, Mel Dunkley.

Thank you ladies, I am well pleased with these, and thank you Heather once again for running these swaps - and for the little extras.

Wednesday 6 October 2010

A BIT LATE WOYWW

I'm a bit late in posting on this, another WOYWW, hosted by the lovely Julia.

'Peg leg' went to Beverley again yesterday to take our SiL home so he can work his notice before returning here next week to start his new job properly. Unfortunately, he brought some friends back with him who kept me awake most of the night - a grizzly bear with toothache, a parrot practising for the X-Factor, that old witch from the film 'Robin Hood' who was screeching her spells all night, someone with a donkey, someone else with a hammer drill and finally, a painter and decorator who was gathering up his empty paint cans all night. To top that, we had the most awful, heavy rainstorm to date. LOL.

You may have gathered I am a bit slow and weary this morning. Thank goodness I took a couple of photos yesterday before my eyes started to go bleary.

These are my acquisitions this week. I've been wanting that MS monarch punch for ages and finally bought it on Sunday from a lovely store near to me, Windmill Crafts. I also wanted the Tattered Leaves die after seeing some wonderful creations on blogs using it. The Texture Fades are just scrummy and I may just collect them all! oops!

Following a spell of 'lost mojo' I tried alsorts of things to get it back. A lovely crafter asked me if I had recently cleared my work space as I may have packed my mojo away too. As it happened, I had, so I quickly made a mess again by starting a project from this months Craft Stamper magazine - a note book. Hopefully, I shan't lose my mojo again 'cos 'tis the season of joy and goodwill very soon and I need to get cracking with my cards.
Off to start my travels around the amazing craft rooms of the world. Still on a mission to get round them all which I hope to achieve at some point. See ya.

Monday 4 October 2010

BACK ON TRACK AFTER LEONIE HUGS

I not only got a big hug 'hello', but another big hug 'cherio'.
The lovely Leonie - now with a sexy deep voice!! - was up to her elbows in distress inks, cuttlebug embossing folders and Spellbinders die frames.
These were some of her examples.

Some are made with grungepaper and some with card, all were gorgeous. The ladies around her demo table were well impressed as was I.

Oh! there's me stood in front with the blue coat on. You can see how big Inspirations is from this photo. Here's another.


And another.


And last one.


Leonie looked the happiest I've seen her and talking to her, she is.
Well, I've  no excuse now so will get cracking with some crafting.

I NEED SOME CRAFT MOJO

I just can't get going at all. I've tried reading some magazines, even went to a couple of craft stores yesterday - big mistake 'cos that cost another £19!!!! - had a look through some photos of cards I've made - this one was for an ATC swap buddy -

and I've tried to make my 3 ATCs for Heather's swap this month - even frightened myself with this one!! -

So, as a last resort, I'm off to see ickle Leonie, who is demoing at Inspirations today. That should do the trick.

LOVELY BODIES!!

Today, we received our post at 9.15am instead of the usual 4.09pm!!!

Look what I got.

Left to right, top row, - wk 1, a bit of bling by Sue Taylor                                      wk 2, memories by CraftyDawn


Bottom row   -              wk 3, red & black by Janet
                                     wk 4, of the sea by Sioux











Thank you girls and thank you to SCD too.

I'm posting a couple of last months theme - Arches - today and will eagerly await 2 in return.

Saturday 2 October 2010

TRYING TO GET BACK IN THE SWING

I am having trouble trying to get back into some crafting with all that's been happening around here of late. Anyway, today is the day I've decided.

I die cut a couple of Tim's branch trees out of mount board in an attempt to make a start on Heather's October ATC swap, 'Things that go Bump in the Night'.  Obviously Halloween has an influence this month.

I just love this tree and can see me using it a lot for all sorts of projects. Heather wants us to include different shapes this time, not just the regular ATC size, so I'm trying to think outside the box. No ideas that are working at the moment, but I have all month. The little kitcat image is from some stamps given to me by Lindsay following a clear out she had. I think this one looks a bit evil so I reckon he will make an appearance somewhere.





Well, I said I had all month to complete Heather's swap, but that's not strictly true. I am eagerly waiting for the middle of the month to find out the themes for the grunge book swap which is being organised by Sheila.
I understand this swap to be full, but I'm not sure, so if you are interested please contact She direct. As there are 12 folk involved that means we all have to make 12 pages. Thank goodness we have until the end of March to achieve this. I will enjoy this very much, so, thanks She for all your hard work to get this going.

Must crack on then. x