Paddling

With a brief respite from the rain, we donned our wellies and took a paddle...

And there's more...

As promised I'm back with some close ups of the printers tray.

  I decided to start with a plain cardboard base, some was corrugated card I moistened with water first before ripping off the fist layer.  I then set about ripping, cutting and then sticking down the leftover Cosmo Cricket papers from Gottacraft, old music paper and tissue paper.  I inked my own tissue paper and smeared or painted on gesso to give some sort of uniformity. 

I also used distress ink in vintage photo around the edges and to stamp on the script and backgrounds.

Lastly I spritzed on a few different glimmer mists/cosmic shimmers.

My first thought was to add older photos of the family in black and white only.  Part of me thinks I should have done this but I so like the muted pastel colours on the bottom two photos of my hip mum and nan sat in a boat.

Like many of you listening to music is something I like to do while crafting and many tunes on my ipod arouse memories from the past.  But upon listening to the lyrics, I found I could use them to create a more personal journalling than a quote could have done.

It took me a while to find suitable lyrics, trawling through my music and then checking on line the lyrics to find ones that suited.

We took this using the timer of the camera, gosh we look young.  Although I must of been either 18 or 19 here...

Lastly I added a few embellishments including garden string, lace, trimmings and a few decorated cotton reels.

Do you remember when I made these buttons?

You want to know the great thing about this project?  It didn't cost me a penny.  All the paint, papers etc, I already had.  

I'm on the lookout for another suitable drawer now.

   

Ta Daaaa!

At long last a Ta-Daaa moment for my little arty/scrappy/journal project.  have you been curious to what I have been doing?  All will be revealed at the bottom of the page....so don't scroll down just yet.

It all started last summer...I found this at school, on the skip ready to be thrown out.  

An old drawer, complete with markered writing...

Are you thinking what I thought?  A perfect shape for a printers tray...I then put it in the 'little blue shed' (which is now little sea green shed) and promptly forgot about it until earlier this spring when I had to fight my way in to find the lawnmower. 

So I got the power tools out...and visited my Mum so I could look in the garage for suitable wood...

Being neat with glue has never been my strong point...Then lots of painting, sticking and stamping later...

TA-DAAA!

I will go into more detail and close ups with a blog post later in the week but I don't want to bore you to tears with photo overload all on one day.

I may add a few more bits and bobs yet, a work in progress maybe?

Teacups and Cakes...

Phew! Now that felt like a long working week.  Back to school and reality for me.

I have some more Gottacraft projects for you...

I have been meaning to do a layout about the delicious cakes, pastries and deserts to be found in Slovenia.  On our last visit taken last summer I was surprised to find the most mouthwatering scrumptious desert of them all was in a small, dingy quiet cafe at the foot of the ski jumping slopes. Freshly made buckwheat pancakes with berries and cream.... hmm, I'm drooling at the thought of them.  All three of us have a daily treat eaten with a cool beer of course or a 'Kockta' for Rob which is the Slovenian version coca cola.  And being very near the Italian border means there are superb ice-cream too.

In the Cosmo Cricket 'Tea for Two' range there are some lovely thick self adhesive chipboard pieces.  From roses to teacups...

The border paper really lends itself to be cut into strips...

And there is some fab journalling spot design papers too.

Well, it's the weekend tomorrow...hoorah:) As it is probably going to be wet weather I will be mostly staying indoors and trying to finish this special project I'm doing.  Nearly there but I need to visit Nigel's parents and rummage through the old photos and find some more song lyrics...intrigued?  I promise it won't be long now...

Oi Specky!

Don't be alarmed, I'm not calling anyone rude names, just showing you my latest layout.

I have always thought that like hats, glasses suit me.  Or maybe I have the knack of choosing the right type...whatever it is I like wearing both.  Although I'm glad that I didn't have to wear glasses as a school child....I had enough name calling directed at me because of my hair colour.  

These lush papers are from the new line 'Tea for Two' by Cosmo Cricket. Inspired by tea roses, afternoon tea and pretty floral patterns....very vintage looking.  Only I chose not to use the floral side this time.  A few layered strips, hand stitching, glimmer mist and a couple of die cuts was all it took to complete this layout.  

Sandra from 'Gottacraft' very kindly sent me these so that I could complete a few projects for her shop blog as a guest designer.  I have to say that they are very versatile and the patterned strip sheet is right up my street.  I'm a bit annoyed at myself not being able to use the flowered side but I'm working on that as we speak.  Feel inspired to get yourself some papers? Then toddle over to her on line shop now as I hear she has all sorts of new lines coming in.

Till next time... 

Time flies....

Oh dear! The Easter school holidays are nearly over for me and I am rushing to get all those little jobs done that I had promised myself to do.  I feel a bit frustrated today as I really want to get my little arty project finished so I can share it with you but I seem to have too many 'house' chores to finish first. Although I shouldn't really be feeling this way as I have worked through my list of 'things to do' that I give myself each holiday pretty well.

Firstly, a major achievement was starting and finishing the decorating. It felt like painting the Forth Bridge at the time but we are very happy with the result...

Sorry about poor quality photo.  Took this on my itouch a camera battery died.

Pretty good considering I nearly chucked that wallpaper in the bin at one point.

I managed to meet up with my two best friends...

Jackie, who I work with but never seem to see at work as we have been separated due to bad behaviour...lol

Then there was the family Easter Sunday dinner...

A rose between two thorns?

I am currently waiting for the paint to dry on my arty project at the moment. Then I need to print some photos...nearly done:)

I hope I am not 'bigging up' this arty adventure too much but it has really got me quite excited to be able to show it soon.

In the meantime here's a card a made a little while ago...

I fired up the Singer sewing machine for this one, foot down and away I went...

I love a little 'macro' action...

I'm back.....did you miss me?  Just been out to get the washing in because of the hailstones.  OK, housey chores done....now to get messy with ink, glue and pretty stuff.

My week in pictures

You know when decorating seems such a good idea? Usually before you start right? Hmmm, well yes that's me this weekend. Thankfully most of the messy part is over and I only stepped in the paint twice! But it has inspired me to make some arty crafty project to complement my new painted walls. It all got a bit messy earlier in the week but it's well on it's way to being finished by the end of next week. As you can see from the sneak previews I used Cosmo Cricket papers that the lovely Sandra from Gottacraft sent me. Gorgeous aren't they? I'm really quite excited about it. Oh the pics of me? I'm dancing obviously! Virtually via YouTube and Facebook....don't ask!

It's in the genes

I don't know where I learnt to bake but it certainly wasn't from my Nan.  Bless her, she wasn't the best cook in the world.  Coming from Yorkshire her food was basic and filling.  Yorkshire Puddings where her speciality.  Big, fluffy and golden.  Quite unlike mine.  Yorkshire Puds are definitely not my speciality.  Her infamous Lardy Cakes are a family legend.  Being a thrifty Yorkshire lass you used any left over pastry and mixed in dried fruit and sugar to make a sort of Welsh Cake that you baked in the oven.  I'm still not sure if she made that recipe up.....I guess I will never know now.

Anyway when life gets a bit stressful or tough I always reach for my big yellow mixing bowl and bake something fattening.

Chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies anyone?

 Double chocolate cookies....

Over 400g of chocolate in these babies.  They wouldn't win any prizes in the good looks department but blimey they hit the chocolate spot.

Hmmmm.....chocolate.

Now something slightly more healthy...

Homemade granola.  Yummy with milk or sprinkled on plain yogurt.

Maybe the baking genes did come from my Nan after all...I have fond memories of going to work with her at the pub kitchen when I was younger.  Maybe she influenced me to bake for others enjoyment.

This is a story with pictures for Sian's Storytelling Sunday.