Tim Holtz comes in useful sometimes!!!

Sorry I've been so lax in blogging...life does get in the way. Someone rang me today to ask for this scripture (KJV version) verse to be written out amd made to look 'old'.....it is just worked on cartridge paper with Alizarin Crimson gouache and a Number 2 William Mitchell nib. The style or the 'hand' is rounded Gothic or as some call it Gothicised Italic, take your choice! Afterwards I roughened up the edges with a sharp blade and have torn a couple of places deliberatively. Then I've brushed TH Antique Linen over the whole page and added Brushed Corduroy around the edges. Think it should do the job it is intended for next week.

Hello again on this beautiful Autumn day which feels like Summer all over again. The trees are beginning to change colour and the countryside is enjoying this 'Indian' Summer. Today I went to my local crafting shop in Dungannon for some supplies and for those of you in Northern Ireland reading this it is at the Linen Green at Moygashel. All sort of goodies and eye candy at Paperworks. I am posting a card today which is a wedding card the background is sumptious pink and silver fabric which I bought in Londonderry recently. At the top left hand corner I have placed a little 'distressed' frame bought in the above shop some time ago. Inside this are two silver wedding rings. On the bottom right hand corner I have placed the bride and groom's initials in silver mirror finish card. Inside the card is a little verse made up by myself as the card is being sent from a friend in America and she wanted mention of the fact that they were sorry they couldn't be there....I also added an American and an Irish flag too. On the right hand side inside is a traditional wedding verse and who the card it is from. It is then put into a white box with decoration in keeping with the front of the card (sorry no photo of that) and then into a gift bag also decorated. Hope you like it.

100 Years Ago tonight.....

Today has marked the beginning of WW1 one hundred years ago. The main message has been that we need to hand down the responsibility of Remembrance to the younger generations and ensure that this never happens again. From 10 - 11 p.m. this evening we were asked to turn out our lights and light a candle as a mark of respect. This was our candle...and I had a poppy as well attached to it.

A card I made recently.....

I made this card recently for a very 'young' and trendy 70 year old....my instructions were to make it clean and simple...the word used was minimilistic..with bright colours, even weird combinations of colours..here's my take on that:- I started off with 2 sheets of A3 black card as large cards need to be extra stable - so this gave me an A4 size card....I have boxes to fit this size as well as 6 x 8". Then a layer of orange (brand unknown) - a layer of Certainly Celery - and a layer of cerise (unknown brand). then I popped a rectangle of Grafic 45 Birdsong 'umbrellas' over a little larger rectangle of black again. I then adhered more of the umbrella card unto thicker card and cut out the umbrellas to give me enough to put a little spread of them in the bottom right hand corner to balance the tag....the tag is from Waltzingmouse and it is to be found here http://www.waltzingmousestamps.com/products/folding-tag-die-set - I put the recipient's name on the front of it and a little message inside...love the way it folds up to hide the message. Inside was a very simple wording as 10 people were going to sign and leave their personal greetings. I decorated the box as well and popped it all into a gift bag which I had used my leftover strips of paper on with some black curling ribbon. Hope you like it!

The saga of the hat!

Well, I just cannot believe that any company could deal with the packaging of a hat like the way ASOS has done. I sent away for a hat from them....it is a black hat, not a hat with a very large brim which is not suitable for a 5' person. The first hat arrived damaged, it had been in a box which was too small for it so I sent it back with a request to have a replacement (new) hat, undamaged, sent to me in a box which would ensure it didn't get damaged at all....well.....came home today to find a delivery slip through the door...the hat had been delivered...said 'in secure porch' - we don't have a secure porch so went looking in a place they usually leave things...not a sign of a hat sized box...back to front door again and there, behind a plant trough was a tiny box 6 x 8 x2 1/2 inches!! Well of course before I opened it I knew the hat would not be wearable at all....judge for yourself! That is the first and the last order from Asos. There is no way it seems for me to be able to speak to anyone in the Company....the 'contact' on line just leaves you going around in circles and I give up...but it is all a laugh now....will have to do without this hat!

Having a break.....what, already!

Yes, I'm off to England for a short break so 'talk' when I come home again. Take care and God bless.

A Day Out!

Last week we had a day out with our local History group. We travelled to our Folk and Transport Museum...in the extensive grounds they have created and re-built cottages and houses from all around our countryside and there are demonstrations of local crafts all year. the first photo is of a gentelman's residence and the second photo there is a suitably attired woman talking about how things worked in the kitchens of yesteryear...she was also making soda bread on a griddle which you can see in the distance...sorry I couldn't get nearer as there were a lot of women enjoying her talk. The third photo is of the Bank Manager's home....the glazed door was beautifully painted...4th photo is of the living room in the same home. The 5th photo is of traditional basket making..this one would be used for carrying turf..or peat as you might know it.....I really love baskets and find them hard to resist. We had a wonderful day weatherwise and enjoyed our company along with good scones to eat in the coffee shop.

A bicycle built for one.

Last weekend a local country church held their flower festival. They will have quite a few arrangements in the church all based on scripture or a theme from the Bible. We attended on Friday afternoon not long after it opened as it gets busy further on into the weekend. There was an official opening on Friday evening when the local Choral Society were performing. There was also a closing ceremoney on the Sunday evening as well. On the Saturday there would have been coach loads of folks coming from all over to see the festival. These are usually ladies on their annual outing and will have pre-booked a meal which the ladies of the church will have prepared. It is also possible for anyone who wishes to have afternoon tea or morning coffee when attending. The purpose of this festival was to raise money for their building fund. I trust they did well. On approaching the door of the church the first arrangement was in the basket on a bicycle and I took this photo to show to my friend in Walla Walla who likes bicycles and she regularly makes cards with them on the front. I also include a photo of the baptismal font - there were pink and blue flowers around the base and then white for purity further up...I liked this arrangement very much. I also was particularly fond of the lectern arrangement...a cascade of roses which pleased me. The flower arrangements are sold after the weekend. Until next time.

It's been a long, long time...too long.

Hello out there - that is if anyone is at all interested! My reason for not blogging for so long is that I became totally incompetent at taking photos.....until....at christmastime last year I was given a smart phone which, I'm told, is idiot free! I have taken a long time to come to terms with this technology and don't know the half of it yet but I hope I can now get a photo unto this blog and try to post now and again at least. So here is my first offering - a card for a 60 year old woman...hope you like it!