Soggy but surprising weekend

First the page,  I had intended to follow a L/O but sort of didn't!   I wanted to use my new templates, those I got from the craft fair, and to scrap the photo of my niece and new fiance.  Once I'd chosen the colours and card,  I made the scalloped frame using the template,   wanting to keep things simple I chose one of the glass butterfly's, but it seemed to get a bit lost on the page, so I recoloured it using my pro markers,   had the idea of a butterfly trail so used some small pink buttons,  the heart was made using the steppers (from pinflair),   recoloured some ric rac just to make the frame stand out,  added the lettering, and used the Love Is stamp.   It still felt as something was missing, so added some glitter dots to the frame,  very pleased with it. 

Yesterday I got cracking on finishing a bookatrix card for a friend,  that too came together somehow,   but forgot to take any photos, so must remember to do so tomorrow. 

Other bonus was being at home to see some tennis, but did get worried when Murray turned his ankle,  but he finished the match,  fingers crossed it isn't too serious.   It was a bonus as I should have been somewhere else,  at a wedding, but mum wasn't very well and said she wasn't up to going.   She had a minor tummy upset,  a morning in bed and she was feeling better.   Was glad to see that the weather cheered up  yesterday,  just at the right time for the happy couple.    Weather forecast for next week says it will get warmer,  good, cos it has been freezing!  

Not sure about new neighbour, so far we've had an early morning (4.30 a.m.) blast of music,  some late night noise,  then today she was screaming at someone.  I'll give her a bit more time,  but it this carries on then I am going to complain.     This is a nice street so we don't want any trouble,  and she is alledgedly a junkie,  which the council don't tolerate,  they boot them out toot sweet, which is as it should be. 

Hope you are enjoying the bank holiday weekend. 

What a day!

Just about had everything weather wise today, rain, wind, sunshine,  thunder...   Was not fit for beast or fowl.   As a young bird found out this morning, must have been taking its first flight,  it was in the road and all the other birds were hopping around it,  all protecting,  it looked like it was tired and wet,   its mum and dad found it a few tasty morsels and it was soon on its way again,  probably back to the nest if it had any sense. 

I'm now engrossed in the French Open,  but got a shock when I pressed the red button,  there was motor racing!   A practice lap, who cares?   But luckily the tennis came on in time for Murray's match,  it was just as bad in Paris as it was here, very windy but he won comfortably.  

I was determined to finish off the box,  picked up a couple of bits yesterday,  and found  a nice sentiment to put inside.   Also had a few bits left over from a wedding card so popped them on.   I managed to find some ribbon to go round the box lid, not quite wide enough so I added some ric rac to it.  I really enjoyed making this box. 

Also had to cover up a mistake on a card, wedding card, I'd recoloured the ric rac and it wasn't quite dry so it smudged the card!   I had no idea how to save the day,   got some mirri card and a punch,  had half an idea which kind of worked, but then punched both sides of a strip of silver mirri, then put some purple under it.  I put more bling on the card,  gems and glitter,  just needs the insert now. 

And the Bibster has confirmed she has joined CnC.   Wonder what that will do to QVC's crafts? 


 All for now.

Crafty Sunday

Well having survived a walk to corner shop,  wind gusting at about 50 mph!   I settled down to start decorating the box,  forgotten how fiddly it can be.  Oh well, no matter,  was having a nice time.  Went to print off the photos I wanted and kodak wanted to update the software...  15 minutes later after computer restart I finally got photos.   So next up deciding on what to put on outside of box.  I'd made a start on the lid, cut out a heart and then used the new stamp I bought,  love the sentiment...  aw, soppy or what!

Next came the first layer,  chose to mat and layer some white and silver card, then added the butterfly,  picked them up at the craft fair, now wishing of course that I'd bought more! 

Not sure about the lid,  like the top but the sides don't work,  need some ribbon on it, but wide ribbon, and of course I've only got thin ribbon!  

Bit of a pause folks,  ran out of stuff to say.   Made more progress on box,  and have finally decided on what will go into final layer.    Got more mirri card today from local craft shop,  sadly they don't seem to be getting in much new stuff.   Guess they got a hammering last weekend cos of the craft fair.  Got a few bits, but they didn't really have what I wanted.    Now annoyed that I didn't go as far as The  Range, or Aberkhan,   and now I am caught up in the French Open,  Andy Murray will play tomorrow,  so that means staying put and by the TV!     But got stuff to keep me occupied.   Did pick up another kanban kit, a wedding card kit,  that will do nicely for Saturday...      a day I wish was already over.  Don't like large social gatherings,  just not my thing.    I've also been hassled to hang round for the evening party,    have no wish to put myself through that!    Nope, will be home by about 4pm,  hopefully in time for a bit more tennis.  

Weather here is still rubbish, so I am hoping that for the happy couple the rain stays away.  All for now folks, thanks for stopping by.

Craft show nightmare

I went to the craft fair at Aintree, got lots of lovely bargains but what a nightmare!   People barging into each other,  shoving people out of the way, one chap tried to take something from my hand!  He then said he just wanted to see what it was,  blooming cheek. It was not pleasant and I gave up after an hour and a half,  that was more than enough for me.  I usually go on the 2nd or 3rd day,  this time I thought I'd see what it was like on the first day, NEVER again.   The worst was a woman who stopped in front of me at the exit, right in the middle, she was shouting over to her friends, so I shouted at her telling her how stupid it was to just stop in front of someone.     At least I had my bargains and the stall holders were all nice and helpful.  Got stocked up on pinflair glue, DST,  gems (all from the pound store),  and bought the steppers from pinflair, the ones shown on CnC,  which you use to cut out shapes, good for matting and layering.  Not as easy as it looks,  but once they've loosened up it does become a bit easier. 

Made silly mistake of taking tablet at wrong time, so now have mild stomach ache.  Had to go get medication for my arthritis,  I'd tried the natural stuff and it just wasn't working.  I know this medication can cause stomach upsets, but thought I'd got away with it.  I took the tablet too quickly after my meal,  so my fault.

I've started the exploding box for my god-daughter, got some lovely card yesterday and two plastic 12x12 templates,  one with a scalloped edge,  I used the smaller one to make the lid, had to adjust the measurements slightly.  And the heart shaped steppers are coming in very handy. 

The pic is the card I made for this months swap,  just don't look too closely at the glossy accents, went a bit wrong!   But chuffed as I used the alcohol inks, then the gilding flakes,  coloured the image using pro markers,  and the lace was the finishing touch.  The theme was the Royal wedding,  and had to include the colours red, white and blue. 

All for now.

Boy is it cold

After all that lovely weather it is a bit of a shock to have to deal with the cold, wind and rain.   Our thermostat was set to just under 15C, yet the heating came on this morning.   Very grim day today,  cold, wet and windy.   Not what you expect for the middle of May. 

I did have a nice task to do, make an engagement card for my God daughter,  who got engaged on her birthday.  I was so chuffed for her.    Didn't get quite what I wanted,  picked up a nice Kanban kit and cannabilised it,    sort of ended up with something I liked.   I am also going to make her an exploding box.    This was a nice kit tho,  cut up one piece of card so as to just use the flower bit as a frame for the toppers, and picked up the lovely flowers, a BOGOF,  at my new craft shop.   I am hoping that next week's craft fair will provide me with what I want for the box.    I am also out of Pin Flair glue,  and photo glue,  so need to stock up on the essentials.  
A bit of a shock to hear that Dawn has left QVC, I caught her last show and she said she wouldn't be around this week,   she is off to pastures new.  Not surprised,  QVC don't allow any demonstrations,   so Dawn hasn't been able to show off her skills.     I wasn't that impressed with the TSV either,  seemed very lame.  CnC is beating QVC hands down on crafting, and rumour has it that Dawn will be joining them.  

All for now,  got to finish off my swap card and fat pages...  

What a difference a pill makes

Yep, after months of struggling with pain in my spine, from top to bottom,  I gave up and headed for GP.   He's prescribed something stronger,  now just hoping I can get on with it,  just enjoyed two days without pain,  oh what joy that has been! 
I have been crafting, but can' t put any photos here of what I've been doing, as it would give away the secret!    I've been busy making my pages for the Fat page exchange,  just a few more to go now.  The hardest bit was deciding on a design,   tried a few things,  was happy with one side of the page, but not the other, but got there, phew.  

Now got a much nicer task ahead of me, making an engagement card for my god daughter.   That was the best news I'd had for ages.  I had a feeling her boyfriend would propose to her today, it is her birthday, and he did, to her surprise.     I'm so happy for them.   And it also gives me a lame excuse to head to a craft shop! 

And big surprise over Dawn and QVC,  didn't see that one coming.  

Gardening time

For the last two days I've been determined to have a lie in,  so what happens?  Yep I wake up early!    Typical.    But had stuff to do in the garden today,   had to get the clematis planted,  one flower opened up over night!   But had to take the old one out first,  hoped it would be easy and it was,   I suddenly realised that heavy digging needs two good legs...   but luckily the old one just came out without any probs, so in with the new one, and then to release it from all its straps so it could spread out.   Had loads of garden waste to get rid of, so decided to get rid of that and pick up some bedding plants at same time.   Was also pleased to find that the municipal recycling centre wasn't too busy,  it is also now staffed with helpful people!    So into garden centre and what to buy?   I like busy lizzies, or impatients,  as they just keep going, so got a mixed tray of them, then spotted some dwarf carnations,  so got them, well something different.    So back home,  had a bacon butty and then got the bedding plants sorted.    Garden now looks all neat and tidy,  everything is growing,  roses are threatening to bloom any day now,   checked the new clematis and two other flowers had also opened.    It was a nice blowy day so got the washing out on the whirly thing...  
So after the gardening came the crafting,  and to sort out the other side of my fat page exchange.  Got a lovely set of stamps yesterday, felt they'd be perfect for what I wanted to do.   And yes, it all worked!   Well one idea flopped,   but no matter,   rest of it all worked.   So I can get them together over the next week or so.  I figure that I am not a planner,   I am the type that just has to 'let it happen',   I have a vague plan of what I want to do, but so often what I end up with is so far removed it is ridiculous.    And I craft in chaos,  it starts out tidy and slowly becomes more and more disorganised...  I know that the stuff I want is there,  just a case of where it is now buried!  
Well one more bank holiday, then we have to wait till end of May...   ;-)

Thanks for stopping by, hope you all had a lovely weekend.