A GLORIOUSLY SUNNY DAY

The sun makes me happy, the long days of sunlight make me happy and plants make me happy, so put all 3 together and I'm on top of the world.

We had decided yesterday to continue with a bit of gardening but this time, sorting out some pots. An early start saw us down the road to a fantastic plant nursery to fill a wheelie truck of their finest. 

My little car was full.

A further 2 stops at other places and we were back home around dinner time. However, it took the whole afternoon to plant everything.

A lovely hanging basket for the front door.

The herb pot planted with trailing verbena and geraniums.

3 different verbenas for this little patch and a few osteospernums for some more pots

I planted 3 other pots plus put some trailing plants in my perennial border to hang over the railway sleepers. 

Tea time now.

FACEBOOK GROUP CHALLENGE

One of the FB groups I belong to set a little challenge yesterday and today. We had just 1 hour to create a piece using;

A tag

Distress inks - spiced marmalade, pine needles and broken china

Some die cuts

3 stamps

Ribbon

I came up with this

It was fun so roll on the next one.

CC3 - #3

Last Saturday saw the launch of this fortnight's Compendium of Curiosities 3 new challenge. This time page 65, Faux Tea Roses is the subject. Of course I cannot tell how I achieved my roses, you will have to look to your own copy of Tim's book for that. Linda and the Curiosity Crew came up with incredible samples yet again so pop over to Linda's to see all the details. I began by covering a little glass jar with natural string which I had stained with most of the brown distress stains. It was tedious but worked a treat especially after I used Botanical alcohol ink around the top and bottom of the jar.

A couple of sprigs of leaves cut from Tim's Spring Greenery strip die and Core'Dinations card attached front and back added a bit of interest. I made my roses from Kraft-Core Nostalgic and some Core'dinations Whitewash card. These roses are so pretty. A few more sprigs and I ended up with this:

I'm off to enter my vase of roses into the challenge because there is not only a super prize from Tim and Mario but an enormous $50 voucher from the very generous Inspiration Emporium to have a go at winning.

24.5.90

Our special boy is 24 years old today. I suppose that's a silly thing to say because very few cats, especially pure bred pedigree ones would live to anywhere near that age. It seems only last week that I cuddled him and stroked his silky coat. His voice is still in my mind and little things like that will never leave me. The 5 years since he left us have flown. 

This years birthday page is this - 

The lovely wooden bunting is courtesy of my special step daughter Paula who bought this specialy for me after we saw these letters at a craft exhibition. 

A simple page but a very special one.

PLAYING

Cooking tea and playing - well I am a woman!!!

BLACK and GOLD

I've been toying with making a black canvas for some time and finally gave it a go this week inbetween all the jobs.

I covered a 10"x8" canvas with black soot distress stain including the edges. I then applied gold paint dabber through a stencil matching the pattern to cover the front completely. I had some Core'dinations black card stacks and I picked out all the ones with yellow backs and cut flowers from my tattered florals die. These were sanded to reveal the different hues of yellow and then I made roses. I die cut some foliage and swirls and put the whole thing together adding beads and embellishments.

It turned out like this - 

A FAIRY TALE WEDDING

Today the lovely Sioux Jenneys marries her special man, Stephen Ball, who she met last year. This is certainly a fairy tale wedding because these lovely people only live on each side of the river Dart from one another so their romance was bound to blossom being able to see one another more often than most couples. However, they will tell you that it was love at first sight making their dream a reality from that first meeting.

I wish you both happiness for ever and ever.

COMPENDIUM OF CURIOSITIES 3 - CHALLENGE 2

All the deets for this fortnight's challenge can be found HERE. It's another fun time and page 56 of Tim's 3rd book has the 'how to' explanation of distressing with glitter. I decided to play around with an MDF butterfly shape and bring a bit of bling to the added butterflies. It became a little wall hanging.

I used distress paints and a roller for the base, edged with distress stain and splattered with perfect pearls and dylusions ink. The butterflies are from Tim's movers and shapers die plus a couple punched with an MS double craft punch. It's different for me but worked ok as I love the effect the black soot distress glitter gives. This fortnight is being sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique and I guess there is also a package of incredibleness from Tim and Mario for a winner chosen by the Curiosity Crew - awesome! Thank you Linda for another exciting challenge.

THANK YOU SO MUCH

I just wanted to thank friends and family for the lovely cards we received yesterday for our silver wedding anniversary and my hubby says a big thank you for his birthday cards. The lovely happy wishes kept coming from Facebook, Twitter, messages and phone calls too, all making a rainy day quite special. 2 Cards however, deserve an extra big thank you. My lovely friend Sylvia, (you know who I mean when I mention patchwork and peel offs - she is the mistress of both) sent us these fantastic creations.

We didn't have any special celebration or do anything out of the ordinary, we just roamed about, bought some plants, dodged the showers and had a wonderful meal in a new pub in Southport. Having said that, it was a nice day so we'll do it again in another 25 years time!!!!!!!

73/25

Well today (10 May) is double special. It's my hubby's birthday but it's also our Silver Wedding Anniversary.

25 years married, who would believe we managed that, but we have. 

Where do the years go. We've had a few adventures, plenty of ups and downs but are still putting up with each other.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY to my buff. X

12 TAGS OF 2014 - MAY

Tim certainly set us a challenge this month. Although he used many embellishments he also used the new Shadow Press folders which were launched at the last CHA show and haven't arrived in the UK yet. They are on my need must have list though. I improvised with one of his embossing folders and the result - although not the required one - is ok. My tag turned out like this:

I've used a variety of papers, mainly Crowded Attic, and my little treasures tell the story of how I love the Torbay area of Devon and rather than going on holiday there, I would love to live there. This tag is certainly different from the majority Tim has created over the years, but I enjoyed making it and bringing to mind all those memories.

A BIT MORE GARDENING

It's such a lovely calm day, perfect for a bit of basket gardening! Hubby and I went down to our Paulas and we all took off to a local nursery to buy plants. At 80p each or £12.50 for 18 you can imagine how many folk had the same idea.

We were almost salivating at the choice. I ended up with these

After getting stuck in when we got home my new space is coming along nicely. 

Hubby is giving the motorhome a wash now ready for its MOT on Tuesday.

Not sure when we can get away in it other than September when we have 3 weeks booked in the east of the country but as soon as our 'towed' car passes it's MOT I can make some plans - I hope.