The tired crafter

Yep that's me, the tired crafter!   Keep trying to work up some get up and go, but by the time I do it has got up and gone. 

Yesterday I had the clips removed from the wound...  verrrrrrrrrrrry painful.  But it felt so much better once they were all out.   I can move the knee a little bit better.  Got some rehab done today,  two ten minute sessions on bike,  and some walking - around the flat. The bike is the best as it works all the muscles at once.  Hope to have a short walk outside tomorrow,  now that the weather has improved.

As you can see I've been crafting,  the creative juices are pretty diluted at the moment, but I think if I keep plugging away then eventually they'll start to flow again.    I chose the quote first as I liked it, then had to find something to go with it.  So out came the Clarity Stamps, such a joy to work with, every image is clear and precise, the stamping blocks are also lovely to use.  Went with autumnal colours,  a spot of stamping, inking and embossing.  Plus ribbons and buttons,  not a bad effort,  it still needs a proper background I think.

Here is the finished piece.  It will do for my art/craft journal that I've been compiling.  Just nice to get stuck into something.  I'm now working on a piece for another challenge,  chosen all my pics, printed them, now need to put it all together.  Also been shopping,  well online!   Needed a nice Joy to the World stamp,  and good old Indigo Blu came to the rescue,  found myself at the Craft Barn, so popped a few other bits in the basket. 

Had a lovely surprise yesterday, a get well gift from a friend in the form of half a case of wine!  Sadly I've gone off wine since the op,  not a bad thing I guess, though my maximum was two glasses,  with water usually.    But it will come in handy for Christmas as it is a very good selection, she knows me so well. 

Really really happy with my Ottlite,  last few days it has been so grey that I wouldn't have got much crafting done without it.   The forecast is now for a spell of cold but dry weather, suits me fine.   Don't mind the cold stuff,  no snow please, that I couldn't cope with, not while I need two crutches! 

Thanks for stopping by and for the lovely comments, all are appreciated.  I will eventually get round to blog hopping at some point.

Post Op

I've finally made it back to blogging.  I'm still in a lot of post op pain,  but hopefully that will soon start to fade.  I've just felt pretty whacked since the op,  not done much of anything really.  I had a few stabs at crafting but really wasn't getting anywhere.   On Thursday I was glad of my new lamp,  it rained all day and was so dark it was more like night time.

So today I hoped I could bring together a few of the things I'd messed with during the week.  As you can see by my desk I certainly got stuck in!    This actually shows the beginning of another piece of work which is progressing slowly.

At least the weather perked up today,  we had some sunshine at last.  Feel so sorry for those who've been flooded over and over again, it really must be heartbreaking.

This is the piece I'm most pleased with.  I've been trying to work my way up to start some Christmas crafting all week.  I got out some of my Xmas stash and had a rummage and found this quirky Santa and tree.  I didn't want to make a card, so decided on a bookatrix creation.  I just used two panels,  the top panel was inked with red and green, stamped with various stamps,  bike, clock and snowflakes. I mixed some embossing powders and used PVA to apply it.  Then coloured the back card red,  and added the ribbon.

It just needs a box, I've already decided who will be getting it. 

This is more of an experiment,  I was playing with ideas,  fran-tage, lettering and stamping.  Not quite there with it yet, but not that far away either!    Not enough stamping on this,  needs a lot more oomph to it. 

This was early in the week when I really didn't have any energy.  My energy levels are now starting to sink.   Think it could be time to put my feet up and have a cup of tea. 

Yes, best I leave it there for the time being.  Definitely need to go have a lie down.

Stay safe.

Sunday Mojo

A sunny day and a lie in...  spot of CnC watching in bed,  mind you find Phil's OCD with the need to balance everything a bit worrying.  Watched the Sunday Scrappers,  nice pages but nowt that grabbed the imagination.

I eventually settled at my own desk around lunchtime,  after the SBB  (Sunday Bacon Butty).  This is how the desk looked as I started,  all nice and neat,  well almost.   Don't worry there is an 'after' shot.   Had a mooch round the blogs to see the challenges,  I fancied the Sunday Stampers

as it involved birds and I found this little chap the other day while looking for something else.  It used to belong to my aunt, no idea why I have it,  or what it used to be attached to,  all the feathers are real.  So I had my basis for something... but what?    A tag came to mind, with some inking, a bit of stamping,  possibly some dylusions...   and, mmmm - best wait and see what the background looks like first.

So got cracking.

And this eventually emerged.   I inked the tag using the adirondiacs,  then lightly stamped a branch on it,  an ink, blot, stamp routine,  just round the edges.  The dylusions did come out, had this scrap piece of card, wanted it dark green,  dylusions are rather bright!  So added some blue,  then grunged it even more with the espresso ink pad,  then ran it through the cuttlebug,  inking the embossing folder.  Flourish was coloured with promarkers and then copper embossing powder,   used PVA and copper powder on edge of small card,  3 black flowers and a sentiment - and there you have it.  I stapled the ribbon to the tag,   and stuck the birdie on with lots of pinflair glue.  Well I like it,  much better than yesterday's disaster! 

ABAC also have a new challenge, Stitch in Time,  thought it would involve sewing, and it does but it is not compulsory.

Just as well as I have a severe allergy to sewing.  So will have to concentrate on the time element. 

This pic shows close up of the pva embossing, plus the inky embossing.    The PVA glue dispenser was bunged up,  so after unbunging it I cut the nozzle at an angle,  seemed to spread better.   Teeny tiny stamp is from a set that I've hardly used. 

Of course today is Armistice Day,  I was a bit too late to make it to our local parade,  so watched the ceremony in London,  it is always moving,  sadly there are far too many young faces there now.   Of course the Royals were all dressed up,  so Phil, Andrew and Will are all entitled to their uniforms,  but Anne and Eddie?   Didn't the latter bail out of the Marines?   Yet he has the gall to sport a very bright uniform, bet he didn't have to pay for his Diamond service medal!

This photo is showing a close up of the fran-tage powder.  I tried this yesterday but put too much on,  so today I mixed some up and then dabbed the area with a versamark,  then just lightly sprinkled it on and got a better result.   I think also the cosmic shimmer powder, because is is finer,  gives a better result for the heat embossing as it is easier to melt and to keep to a gloopy consistency.  Notice the use of technical words - gloopy! 

And here is the 'after' picture,  daren't show you what was to the right!   Even with my new craft desk I still manage to spread out all over the room!     The desk has made a huge difference,  I can get crafting a lot quicker,  and there isn't any need to pack stuff away.   Of course I still need to sort out my stash, something I've been threatening to do for weeks!   I may bite the bullet this week, need to unearth the Christmas stash,  no avoiding it I suppose.  Not making many Christmas cards,  just a few for the family.


Right, one challenge done,   ABAC is next on list.

A Hint of Black

Not sure this should go anywhere than in the bin!  Not happy with it and not happy with the flower, which was supposed to be red and black.   So much for Chinese red embossing powder!     The flower will have to be redone,   it does look red in natural light, but hasn't photographed well. 

No Ottlite either!   Got an email today saying it has been despatched,  which means it will turn up on Tuesday,  and guess who will be in hospital the next day - yes me!  Typical,  could really do with the lamp now.

I had a play with stuff today,  did some more of the heat embossing, but this time I used the cosmic shimmer UTEE powder, which is very fine and so melted far quicker than the other stuff I'd been using, and it is a bigger pot.

This is the heat embossing effort,  I used one of my Christmas stamps.  The mojo is definitely a bit flat right now,   think the operation is on my mind though I'm trying not to think about it.  Yesterday I managed to miss off half of the supermarket shopping list,  so my head is definitely somewhere else.   Had quick trip to craft shop,  needed more UTEE, and then I spotted the dylusions, so thought I may as well add to my collection.   The shop is just full of the Christmas stuff,  so nothing very inspiring,  well not for me.    I had a quick look around the Christmas decs,  noticed there are a lot of owls,  some cute and some very odd!    I wanted an advent candle,  yes they had some but they were not very nice,   and just not big enough.  Advent candles need to be chunky and slow burning.  They are also hard to find. 

Enjoy the weekend, off to look for my mojo!

Midweek Crafting

Having a frustrating time at the moment,  my mojo seems to be taking a break,  and it is too dark to craft!  We've had a lot of grey, dank weather,  so by 3pm the light is going.    I'd spotted on CnC that they had the Ottlites on flexi pay, even the cheaper ones,  that was on Tuesday but I'd not bothered to buy one,  yesterday I looked to see if they still had the offer on and they did, so one Ottlite is winging its way to me.

It was the same today,   got going crafting around 1pm,  but by the time I'd made my background, cut some shapes the light was starting to go again.  Grrrr...

Also had some car problems!  I bought a newish car in the vain hope of avoiding such problems.   On Tuesday the car wouldn't start.... :-( 


So rang garage, they said they'd get to me asap. They arrived with the jump start kit,  but car failed to start... had visions of a huge bill looming.  Then mechanic said he thought he knew what it,  said he'd be back after lunch.  And he was, with an old part they'd removed,  they'd fixed it and put it back on car,  bingo, car started - seems the new part is faulty, so mechanic went off to have argument with Nissan dealer.

In the meantime I crafted the above piece,  it's for a challenge, but now can't remember which one!   Will have to check.   I used some bits from a potato bag would you believe?   The red piece of paper was off the top of the spud bag.

Also had another go at the deep embossing,   I saved some tin cake containers, the small ones,  and used an oven glove to hold it!     This time I heated it for a little longer, and made sure it was molten when it was on the craft mat,  this time the powders were properly absorbed.  I got a much better impression this time. 

Hope my ottlite arrives soon,  getting fed up of not being able to craft.