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

Chequebook cover

I’ve been really laughed at for this one. People think I’ve completely lost the plot when I’ve produced this out of my bag. It’s a chequebook cover- yes, I know your bank doesnt ordinarily send you it quite like this, but its taken me this long ot actually get it, it was well worth celebrating! Most people get chequebooks sent to them as a matter of course when theyre running a tad low. Me?- it’s taken nearly 6 months and 4 separate requests ‘in branch’ to even get a lot of perforated slips that simply enable me to take my own money out of my own bank account. I know banks are feeling the strain a little at the moment, but this has been ridiculous! It’s a very simple project and isnt  going to set the world on fire, but it makes me happy just looking at it. It’s in the ‘why should everything functional look so incredibly boring category!’ Hope to see you decorating up yours soon!

I’m writing this blog at an insanely early time in the morning by virtue of the fact that one of our fire alarm is trying to communicate to us that its batteries are low and as it can converse in no other way, it regularly bleeps, I’m awake and sadly not tall enough to reach the 7 foot required to turn it off. Why couldnt it just whisper quietly ‘please could you exchange my batteries’ hey?- someone needs to invent one of those!

A smallish gang of 5 of us went to Manchester yesterday afternoon for training with Stampin’Up! We were a little worried that the Friday snail traffic would engulf us and make us late but got there with plenty of time to spare. My friend Nicci and I were presenting two small slots where we had to demonstrate a project and technique to all the other 40 odd demonstrators. Ok, they werent odd, but you know what I mean! We were understandably nervous but both managed it to do it without falling over (kinda hard when youre sitting on a chair!) or messing up! Yay for getting out of your comfort zone and doing something a little scary.  These two girls are absolutely fab and are a scream to hang out with. Sadly I didnt get a pic of Linda or Gill, but one of them was so excited by the evening that she made us all laugh as she literally ran around trying to collect small examples of other demonstrators work (we call them swaps!)- (you know who you are!!!). None of us had eaten any tea as we set off at 4pm and by 11pm we were all starving. Ordering happy meals for some of them made the McDonalds staff a little bemused and Nicci introduced some of us to the delight that is chips dipped into McFlurrys! (you gotta try it before you knock it!!).

The last pic is of one of the girls who helps run Stampin’Up! in the UK and she’s called Kelly. She’d never done a demonstration before and she was brilliant. I might have got back at nearly midnight but had such a blast it makes me so glad that I joined as a demonstrator- I don’t know where else you’d find such a amazing group of such supportive and fun people!

The alarm has stopped shouting at me temporarily so I’ll try and get half an hour’s rest. The kids are all up and debating whether Heather is actually correct in reassessing her hamster Cinnamon as a boy. Hmm, can my neighbours really take this kind of discussion at 6:30 am !

Better go back to bed!…

Project; Cardstock, Ballet Blue, Melon Mambo and Bashful Blue. Ribbon-Ballet Blue. Stamp set- pick a petal. Flower brad, Spiral punch. Melon Mambo ink and crystal effects.

Something a Little Different and Friends

I was updating my status on Facebook the other about how I’d crammed too much into my day and one of my friends suggested I should put my feet up. Little did I realise that I would be doing that literally the same day and not in a fun way!

We’d been over to Wakefield to get something fixed on the car. Rather a long way to get something fixed I hear you say, but by travelling an hour and a bit we saved well over £200! Crazy, I know!! whilst we were waiting in the local Asda, I came over all funny and kept feeling like I needed to faint. A little while later I was laying down in their Opticians room with my feet up trying not to pass out! It is a funny story really but after I’d seen my two SU mates Nikki and Vicki that evening, I felt bad again and ended up seeing a doctor at 1:30am!!! I’m now on some meds to stop me fainting although the doctor said he’d no idea what was up with me! I seem to have been plagued with all sorts recently but I’m looking forward to a few days of feeling better.

I really fancied a change, and dug out some other stamps to use with one of the new Stampin’Up! colours. I love the way that SU colours are so versatile and go with everything. The card is using some Papertrey Ink stamps that I have and the inks are all Stampin’Up! I really like just doing something completely new. It’s good to try something new- it’s made me look at all the stash I have in a different way. I’ve really missed crafting this week, so I’m glad to finally get back down to creating. I wanted to enter a challenge- I love creating to order so I thought I’d enter the A Passion For Papertrey challenge. The theme was to create a card with a Friends theme. I’ve been so grateful for my friends this week, for their kindness and thoughtfulness. I’ve had lovely messages, cards, flowers and it has really lifted my week. Thanks guys (or should that be gals!)- I am supremely blessed to know you and count you as my friends!

Well you can never stay sick for long- I have my littliest with a temperature now. I have an exciting week ahead. On Monday night I’m going to visit the Happy Stampers North West which are a group of ladies passionate about stamping. I hope I’m going to fit in! I love the fact that there are lots of  us with a shared passion– but often you’ve just got to search a little to find them.

I should go really, I need to cuddle little Will, – not a difficult job! Wish the backlog of housework was that much fun!

 

Card recipe. Scallop punch, Melon Mambo, Old Olive and Tempting Turquoise inks from Stampin’Up!. All other supplies from Papertrey Ink.