Birthday Greetings and Books!

Hello- to all you lovely blog readers. I don’t always get chance to say THANKYOU! for visiting and leaving comments- I really appreciate you popping by.
This card was in last months Crafts Beautiful- and is a great example of a hybrid sentiment. Sometimes you want to say something particular on a card and can’t quite find the right sentiment- well, combine a couple. These are sentiments from CAS-ual Fridays stamps ( & the circle lines too) with a partial sentiment from Hero Arts.
I love the mixed fonts. So easy to do.

Another project I was working on this week was this

The cushion was a congratulations pressie for my eldest on her exam results. That cushion was fun to make and mostly done in an evening. Ably helped by the wonder that is fusible interfacing. I roughly followed a pattern from Tula Pink I just used up fabric I had in. A really economical present and made me happy to be using up some of my fabric.

This week we’ve been lost in books and I’ve lost a book. We reconnected with the local library. The one nearest our home had been shut and only recently what we had thought was a school library was, in fact, a public library. They were rather pleased to see us. I guess as the library system is under threat, any new users help the stats. Well we temporarily removed 28 books from the library which the librarian seemed extraordinarily delighted by. I re-signed up 5 kids which she smiled a lot about too.
They’ve been reading.
And reading.
Even Will has tried to get in on the action.
Except instead of getting lost in a book, I’ve lost one of the books.
I’m hoping their new found pleasure in the family won’t dissipate as soon as I own up to the fact and offer to pay. I wouldn’t mind if I’d actually gotten round to reading it. Alas, it was next in the queue.
It was lovely to read a whole book in one week. That’s been a long time in coming.
I was surprised by the reviews though, talk about over egging a book. What I thought was an ok story had rave reviews from another.
Ah well. Onto the next book.
Any book recommendations for me? I always like a really good book!

See you once I’ve stopped trying to find the missing pages!
Xx

Circus Card & Trekking!

Hey! Thought I’d post a card that’s part of a set in Crafts Beautiful July issue. I suspect I’m gradually retreating into a ‘quirky’ box as they’ve entitled my cards as quirky for the second time. I like that!
I reckon I’m creating a new crafting style QAS: quirky and simple! I don’t think this is particularly kooky but maybe I’m blinded to it?!

I love the twine holding the tent down. I rarely ever use ribbon anymore. Do you think ribbon will have its day again?

I’m back home after a few days away. It was really only 2.5 days but it was so packed that it felt much much longer! On my way down to Bournemouth I stopped off at my friend Carole’s who has a lovely blog if you click the link. She is quite an inventress ( the female form of inventor!!) & is brilliant at teaching you how to use the Silhouette Cameo. If you live in the Oxford area and want to know how to get the best of your Cameo then Carole does one to one tuition ( or more if there’s a few of you).

I stopped off after a really sluggish journey. I just got there in time for a 3 course meal- yep. Gorgeous.
A full roast dinner with homemade soup for starters and a scummy crumble for afters. I felt really treated.
I did literally roll off the chair but it was so lovely being cooked for. We then got down to discussing all things crafty. Carole is a self confessed early to bed girl & was shocked when she realised it was 12:15 as she thought it was only about 10:30.
If you ever needed a spare something craft wise- what that girly hasn’t isn’t worth having! Shame I’m not nearer 😉

The next morning we went for a walk. I was wearing my long jeans so popped my heels on. We went for a walk- beautiful surroundings and weather. We popped to the park.
I immediately was inspired by their formal gardens. ‘Wow. Abingdon in bloom’ I gushed. Wanna see the display?!

The south has much to teach us about horticulture ( ha ha!). Maybe it’s into micro planting!!
We went through the town centre and stopped off at a little art gallery. I never get time to stop and be inspired. I was truly inspired here-even the shop front was stunning.

The poppy picture was completely arresting. The artist was a girl called Rozanne Bell
If I had the money…she produces multi layered art with resin. Just beautiful.

By the time we’d finished my feet were killing me- after good food, good company and cultured activities I hardly knew myself! Carole (& her hubby) was the perfect hostess ( not him- he wasn’t a hostess!!) and I loved staying there.
The mad fun was about to begin!
More on that one later..
Suffice to say I was a little stressed because I’d managed to break my in-car charger for my phone. I knew the Sat Nav caned the battery and wasn’t sure whether I’d get down to Bournemouth before it died.
I did.
It lasted.
But really.. I mean- if something is stuck under something else then you should just be able to yank it and free it shouldn’t you?
Or should you bend down gently and remove the obstacle before lifting it out?
I did the former.
Common sense is the latter.
The in car charger objected to my ‘yanking’ and retaliated my removing itself from its wires.
Not clever.
I just need a handy welder to fix it. Possibly a plastic moulderer to finish it too.
Good job I don’t need a Sat Nav to get to school.
See you when I’ve welded and moulded my charger back to life!! x