Wednesday 26 October 2016

Tuesday 25 October 2016

Thursday 22 September 2016

A STITCHY WITCHY BIRTHDAY

Today is our PAULA's birthday, 1/3 of the Stitches with Witches membership!


HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY my special pal πŸ˜˜πŸ˜˜πŸŽ‚πŸ·πŸΆπŸΆ

Tuesday 20 September 2016

BIRTHDAY GIRL

Today my step granddaughter turns 19. Wow! Seems only last week she was a baby.
She's a stunner now for sure.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweetie xx
Have a fab day then back to uni.
Luv you lots. Xx

Saturday 17 September 2016

WHEN A BABY BECOMES AN ADULT

Big emotions for our Susi today (her sister, brother, dad and me!) because our gorgeous Natasha left home for university. She is now settled into John Moors University, Liverpool ready for the next stage in her life. 
Just love this girl to bits xxxx
No. 1 grand child.

Thursday 15 September 2016

BUTTERFLY DELIGHT

The gorgeous warm sunny weather has brought the butterflies out today. At one point there were 7 small tortoiseshell butterflies, 3 large white and this beauty on the verbena.
 


Made me very happy indeed.

EXTRA, EXTRA

This post just got better. Not just one Red Admiral, but TWO!!

Wednesday 14 September 2016

TIME FLIES

I don't know what day it is any more. Hubby has been caring for our Tony every day together with his sisters when they can, they both both work full time and one has been on a well deserved holiday this week. 
Another hospital trip today brought better news. It's possible that the full leg caste may come off in 2 weeks to be replaced by a lower leg one. This means he will at least be able to bend. Fingers crossed.
As for me, I've been sewing like mad. 
The 100 blocks in 100 days challenge has taken over my life. I'm having such a blast with them.


 Just a couple to show you. The challenge is on Instagram so pop over to #joanneckp and have a peep.
I'm going away on Sunday and will be taking that Singer machine with me that I bought when I thought my Husquvarna had broken. Xmas present needs sewing!!!!


Sunday 4 September 2016

BIT HECTIC JUST NOW

The heading says it all.
Our Tony is doing OK as his sisters and Dad have taken on the caring roll. I feel like the outsider, being the step mom, but rather than going round and invading his place, I'm taking the roll of shopping, when required, and have offered to do some washing (but not his socks!!!).
His Dad took him to his first hospital check up last Wednesday and will take him again next Wednesday. Thank goodness his leg appears to be mending although he has probably got around 4 months off work. At least the woman driver who knocked him off his bike admitted fault to the police and as its a serious accident, will have to go to court. I just hope she has learnt a lesson.

As for me, well I've been sewing quite a bit and also changing a little part of my garden. I need a new greenhouse next year as my 21 year old wooden one has quite a bit if rot in it. Sadly I will have to buy an aluminium one to cut down on maintenance. 
I dug up the bed that was here and gave installed sleepers to match the other side of the greenhouse. It's a WiP so watch this space.
The sewing of both the 1930s blocks and the 100 a day ones is coming along nicely.
Two thirds of the Stitches with Witches got together today ie our Paula and me, and tried my blocks on Paula's batting wall. Here are my 100 blocks so far

And these are my 1930 ones

I'm so happy with my efforts and intend to complete both challenges.
Thanks for looking.

Saturday 20 August 2016

WHAT AN AWFUL WEEK

Awful but not  because of the weather which was glorious up to yesterday. 
To begin with, my sewing machine threw a wobbler and being unable to get it sorted I had to buy another so I could continue with the 100 days 100 blocks challenge. I was up at 5:45am on Thursday trying to sort it but it still played up and chewed the spool thread. 
I rang a shop and explained everything and he agreed to look at it. When I got there he refused because it's a computerised machine. I told him that on the phone!!!!
Yesterday I rang the main outlet of the firm I bought it from and we took it to them. I did manage to sew a couple of blocks with the new machine but my heart was in my mouth the whole time. 
Anyway, the shoo lady, Tatiana, plugged it in, checked the spool and top thread set it all going - AND IT SEWED PERFECTLY!!!!!!!!
Saved me a fortune - apart from the new machine - and I was so happy. I could have hugged Tatiana I was so happy. She said sometimes they just need re-threading.
So clever Mr man the day before, you just lost money because you could have done that instead of threatening me saying the mother board could need replacing. 
That was my little drama but the worse part of this week was hearing that my step son had been knocked off his motorbike on the way to work on Thursday and had a broken leg. 
He is home at last but his leg is in plaster from his toes to the top so he can't even bend down. They have told him it could take 12 weeks to mend and he narrowly missed an operation to plate it. Needless to say, his lovely bike is a right off. 
I can't end on bad news so will post a few photos of the blocks I've been making.











Sunday 14 August 2016

REALLY ENJOYING THIS BREAK

I'm having a ball. 
3 days crafting to my heart's delight, what could be better.
Friday I prepped a Xmas present, yesterday I did a bit of hexie sewing and today I've been prepping in order to take part in making 100 blocks in 100 days.
 
I need to get ahead because I'm away again in both September and October and the 100 block challenge starts this Wednesday. Besides that, I'm also trying to complete the 1930's block challenge. So much to do in such a little time!!
It's good for the mind and soul to set yourself some challenges especially when the years seem to disappear in a matter of hours these days. 
My little crafty den looks like this today.


I'm trying to be quiet, despite all the noise outside with planes flying and folk packing to leave, because hubby is enjoying his usual holiday afternoon nap, so sshhh! 


Saturday 13 August 2016

ELVINGTON LARGE MODEL AIRSHOW

We first came to this show last year when we were entertained by the Vulcan bomber. 
This year even the models are struggling to fly as the wind is so strong. I'm happy doing a bit of crafting. I've prepped a Xmas present and today saw me stab my fingers several times whilst hand sewing the hexagon - dare I call them - antimacasas.
 Friday on the airfield. It soon filled up and was packed with campers by night fall.


The first of 4 hexie seat back toppers.


My little corner of fun today.
I may prep something different tomorrow and join in #100blocks100days which starts Wednesday on Instagram. Not decided for sure yet but I've brought yards and yards of lovely Moda fabric with me, just in case!!!

Wednesday 10 August 2016

HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY

Today this little fella turns 13.

I used lots of techniques from CC103 to make his card.


But as I haven't managed to buy the crazy dogs stamps, I used my crazy birds instead.


They are each coloured using a different technique.
The card turned out OK although I doubt Huxley will give it a second glance!



Monday 8 August 2016

CREATIVE CHEMISTRY 103 - DAY 6

What a wonderful creative week culminating in a day 6 mashup.
Tim set us a challenge to use any of the week's techniques on a substrate other than card. Before I attempted that I had just one more birthday card to make and the recipient will be Huxley the Tibetan Terrier who will be 13 on Wednesday.

I used 7 different techniques on this and had a blast doing it.

But, on to Tim's challenge. I have already used some of CC103 techniques on bottles in the past without knowing they would be taught properly last week.


From left to right -
Alcohol ink inside the jar
Distress painting
Distress paint with luminous mica
Remnant rub resist

My challenge piece is however, a 6" X 6" canvas.


I've used
Distress stain rub resist
Distress paint resist
Texture paste resist.

It's a colourful little piece which would brighten any dull day and raise a smile. Thank you Tim for this class. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Saturday 6 August 2016

CREATIVE CHEMISTRY 103 - DAY 5

I love alcohol inks, can you tell?
So today's class was super exciting for me. Having said that, I did have a couple of failures. I just couldn't get my stamped resist to work at all. That technique is to die for so its something I will keep practising until I get it right.
I made a couple of Yupo backgrounds and used a stencil over each of them.


Bit gorgeous eh?

So my challenge technique incorporated the above background plus alcohol ink painting. However, I decided to stamp my images on ordinary card and cut them out. A bit of a task but worth it. I now have another family birthday card made.



Friday 5 August 2016

CREATIVE CHEMISTRY 103 - DAY 4

This class was long awaited. I finally got to learn the full magic of Distress Crayons. A little secret too - more are about to be released, yippee!
For my card today I had a go at distress crayon textured resist. The idea was to use cogs for my background and then add some 'found' embellishments that my step son finds for me to use in mixed media projects. It's his birthday next month so I felt using some here was appropriate. The #46 relates to Valentino Rossi the GP bike super hero and as my step son has always ridden a bike, this was appropriate too.

Thursday 4 August 2016

CREATIVE CHEMISTRY 103 - DAY 3

I enjoyed today's classes, but then, I've enjoyed days 1 and 2 also. It was a struggle to put my sewing machine away last Sunday and ready myself for these classes, but to be honest, I will struggle to put all my crafty stash away to sew again after the things I'm learning this week. Tim has awakened my love of inkyness and thinking outside the box once more. 
On with picking a technique from today and creating something using it. I decided on trying texture paste embossing plus a bit of distress marker spritzed watercolour from yesterday.
 Another card to add to the 6 I need to make.
 I wish you could sniff this card because the embossing powder is scented. Lovely. 
Today will be really exciting because Tim is showing us all the magic we can achieve with distress crayons. Cannot wait.

Wednesday 3 August 2016

CREATIVE CHEMISTRY 103 - DAY 2

I chose one of the techniques from Day 2 and used it to make a colourful background for a birthday card.
This really really was so much fun. 


There is a good chance the person who is to receive this card will see it beforehand so I apologise for that, but this online class is giving me ideas for all the greetings cards I need to make for the next few weeks. Thanks to Tim for getting my creative juices flowing once more.

Monday 1 August 2016

CREATIVE CHEMISTRY 103 - DAY 1

Tim Holtz began the third online workshop in his Creative Chemistry series today. You have to have completed both parts 1 and 2 to be able to take part. Having done that each time they were released, I just had to complete part 3.
Today I decided to make a card using a technique that Tim has named ' Distress Off-Set Stamping'.
For obvious reasons, I am not telling you what that means or how to achieve it, but will show the little card I've made instead.

These next few days are going to be such fun.

Sunday 31 July 2016

UPS & DOWNS

Had a really bad week with this bug getting to me. I seem to have had either awful days or not quite so awful days but no good ones. That is until today, when at last I feel much better. Take care and big hugs if you succumb to it.
I'm not one for generally letting health issues get me down so I have tried to fight and in doing so have managed to sew these blocks.


When the weather has allowed I've also enjoyed my flowers.



It looks like this bee has enjoyed them too as he is having a sleep on one.

 

Tomorrow sees the start of Tim's Creative Chemistry 103. My little craft space looked like this earlier.


But now it's cleared ready for paints, inks etc.


Bring it on Mr Holtz.