SOMETIMES

Following an article on Jo Capper-Sandon's blog about 'Mixed Media', I bought the May issue of Craft Stamper to see her work. This is part 1 of 3 articles she has done and the June issue is out tomorrow - can't wait.

Anyway, I found this other piece on 'connected ATCs'. Actually, I have already tried this when I placed one of the Tim Holtz masks over 4 cards and went from there to produce different cards with the same media.

I enjoyed making these yesterday and will use this technique again.

IT'S OFFICIAL

Yes folks, it's official. I am an OAP!!

Following my 'grand' 60th birthday last December, my (lovely) step daughter (who used to be my best friend), bought me a leather bus pass wallet and searched the internet for the correct application form for my area to enable me to apply for a bus pass. Her dadi (who unfortunately is my husband!) made me fill it in and take it to the council offices. Just because he has had his pass for 3 years he said I should have mine!

Anyway, he made me use it yesterday. We drove to the south of Blackpool, parked up and jumped on a bus to North Pier. I am born and bred in the town but we never go there anymore as it's changed so much and is not very nice just now. However, we wandered around, took some photos of the burnt out wreck which used to be Yates, got asaulted by a drunk before making our way back, also by bus.

I can't remember the last time I went on a bus. It's the waiting for them that gets me so I doubt I shall be repeating this exercise any time soon! P.S. Susi, I still love you. xx

CARDS FOR OUR TROOPS

Please have a look on Dawn Bibby's blog for details on how to support our troops, both here and abroad, through making cards - our favourite hobby.

Dawn has set up a link with the forces, which I believe Rena is going to control, whereby we can send cards to her studio for sale and the proceeds will go support those lads and lasses who have been injured in service.

The other side to our support for the troops abroad is to make cards to send out so they can then send them home to their friends and family. After all, where are the card shops in Afghanistan?

I made Christmas cards last year and honestly they were some of the best cards I've ever made. I was so inspired by what I was doing and why. Just have a go and see what you come up with.

WHILST WATCHING QVC

Whilst watching Dawn on QVC this afternoon, I managed to make another Toby scrapbook page.

These photos were taken in our first motorhome, a Compass Drifter, which we had purchased following a drive out one weekend!!

A nice van but boy! did we have trouble with it. Having said that, we kept it over 4 years before buying our first 6-wheeler, an Autotrail Arapaho. I loved that one and only let it go for some lovely gizmos we saw in the first Kontiki Z. That one was awful and we only kept it 10 months before trading it in - at a massive loss - for our current van, a Hymer 694, another 6-wheeler. All have been bought from new but I would never buy new again. The VAT man has had quite enough from us over the years.

Anyway, whichever motorhome we have had, Toby always found the most comfortable place he could, which was usually either over the cab in the first 3 vans, or in the pull-down bed in the current one. Infact, the Arapaho and Kontiki had cupboards over the cab and we had to leave the doors open so he could cuddle up in the bedding, which we stored there. Only when he couldn't jump up did we have to make a bed up for him elsewhere. He was always comfy and loved every minute of camping.

We went away with friends for the weekend last January and as we have Toby back home with us, he came with us again. We will always take him as long as we still have a van..........

THEY'RE BACK!

The first swallow of 2009.

Summer is on the way at last. I saw the first swallow this morning. He (or she) was chirping away whilst sitting on the telephone wire.

It's such a gorgeous sunny day too. He just made it very special.

OWLS

I had a go at stamping some owls to go on my blown branches and also to cover some of the 'mess'.

As I don't have any whispers pens or dark sakura pens, the one I stamped on acetate and turned round is a different colour to the rest. But hey! that's ok. Trouble is I thought they looked a little funny after I decoupaged their wing, so I stuck a feather on each of them!

At least they havn't flown away - yet!!!!

BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES

Not sure whether this will upload but I'll give it a go at the same time as sending you a laugh!

OH CRICKEY!!

Just walked into my front room and this is what greated me through the window.

CRACKED IT

I've finally cracked this tree and branches thing.

Wait for a clear night sky, then send your other half out to take a picture of the moon behind some trees.

Just the ticket!!!

SHE HUFFED & SHE PUFFED .....

I've been blowing through a straw for England!! Lindsay said not to get too big a straw, so I didn't. She also said it could make you light headed, which it did! She also made it look easy, which it isn't!! Her tree is fabulous, mine needs chopping down. As for the owls, well, they look ok but how do you make them turn round?

I need at least 20 on my tree to hide all the awful branches. Trouble is, as most of the branches are thicker than the trunk, the weight of the owls will surely break them!! I daren't show you the birds, the sight of the tree is enough for one day.

DAWN'S DEMO WEEKEND

Here are some pictures of some of the unbelievable cards Dawn was making yesterday plus one of Lindsay and another of Leonie.

My head is spinning with all the things I saw and unfortunately, now want. Been out this morning to buy a packet of straws. I guess I shall be blowing ink all over the place later. Also managed to book Lyndsay's workshop on 14 June. Can't wait for that. And, my melting pot may get it's first use following Dawn's demo, in which she made it look easy and not so daunting - she says!!

Can anyone tell me how to upload photos inbetween paragraphs or at the end of a blog? I only seem to be able to make them appear at the top.

GLOBDOOLEY

I have had an incredible day spent at Dawn Bibby's demo weekend at her shop in Church Accrington and Oswaldtwistle Mills.

Firstly, I saw Lindsay Mason who was demoing gorgeous stamps and my favourite Tim Holtz bits. If you have had chance to look on her blog you will have seen the straw technique she uses to create a tree. I saw the real thing as Lyndsay showed me how to do this. Fab. Had a go but my straw was too small and I couldn't get enough air through it. Instead I used a brush. It worked but that isn't the idea and it certainly isn't as much fun. I bought her swirly birds stamps (PICo13 - Personal Impressions), square tile fragments (Ranger), walnut stain distress ink re-inker (Ranger) and some distress ink foam pad refills. She also showed me 2 little explosion boxes she had created which made me fill with amazement. I am deffinately booking her workshop to learn how to make these. What a treat.

Opposite Lyndsay was Leonie who gave me great big hug as a lovely warm welcome. She is a treasure. Leonie was showing how to get the best from craftynotions spray paints plus new acrylic stamps and fantastic papers. Of course she was making ATCs and I just wanted them all. The colours were wonderful as were their names. One technique she used was to spray a piece of card with the inks to use as a background, then using the same colour ink pad, colour another piece of card to use as a matt for the topping. Brings everything together. She showed us many ways of using the stamps and papers and also how to use some matching acrylic paint around the edge using a paint brush and simply to GLOBDOOLEY in places. Obviously we all know what a globdooley is, but for those who are unsure, its when you get little bits which are thicker than others!!! She is such a darling. We all howled.

After a bit of lunch and another lovely hug cheerio from Leonie, we made our way down the road to Dawn's shop. I made a bee line for Dawn who was happily demonstrating the melting pot. What amazing cards she was making using both shimmer powders and some gorgeous new shimmer duo card from Kanban. Oh wow!! Just to die for. Having already requested an ATC swap from Dawn through a comment on her blog, she had one prepared for me but because I was in awe with what she was doing, she made me one there and then. It's gorgeous. I had already swapped with Lindsay and Leonie so how happy am I?

The picture shows my haul and I'll put a couple of photos on of the girls and some cards later. - What a lovely day.

ATC SWAPS

Just sorting out some ATC swaps to take to Dawn Bibby's demo tomorrow at her shop and Ossy Mills.

I hope to swap with Dawn, Leonie (again) and Lindsay Mason. Have a look at Lindsay's blog for a fabulous technique with Distress Ink Re-Inkers. Just got to have a go at that - where's that straw?

I have received some fantastic cards from 2 of my swapping pals this week so please take a minute to have a look at my Flickr where their photos are.

My hubby is coming with me tomorrow and we have just charged both our camera batteries ready for some crafty pictures. My memory lets me down when I see so much craft and all the gorgeous cards and scrapbook pages created by Dawn's team. Inspiration for Toby's pages has left me and with so many photos still to be creative with, I need all the help I can get.

SUNNY DAYS

Dry, sunny days at last, or at least 'til this weekend. We have so much maintenance to do outside and are plodding our way through it all.

Today, my hubby and I made some 18" high windbreak extensions to go along the back fence. The wind blows your socks off when coming from that direction so hope these will help. Hope to put them in place tomorrow. I painted some fencing and was so hot in the sunshine I had to wear shorts!! Of course as soon as I changed into them, the sun went in!!!

Not done a lot of crafting for a while but have received some fantastic ATCs from my swapping buddies. I hope to put photos of them on my Flickr as soon as possible. Off to Dawn Bibby's demo this weekend. Can't wait to see our Leonie and the new items from CHA. I would like some more Tim Holtz stuff. Should really leave my purse at home but I know that won't happen. Bye for now then.