Crafty Quills

A bit of Reorganisation!

2012-01-09T13:59:00.002Z

I had been asking around for ideas on storing my 12 x 12 card as I was totally fed up searching this box and that box and that try for suitable card for a project.
Not being able to justify spending £7.95 per acrylic tray I wanted it to be cheap.

Nerine of the WMS forum suggested pizza boxes and I went on e-bay and bought 25 13" boxes some of which I have made up, I folded in the top and bottom flap as it were and this makes the edges very sturdy. Then I stuck down the sides with hot glue. It turns out that one of the edges sits out more than the other and this is perfect for being able to see what is in the slot and gives a little more hand room for getting a sheet out. I am delighted with them. I had intended to adhere them all together but hope to move to a smaller room soon so won't decide until then in case I need to make the pile smaller etc....they are sitting on a bed at the moment and are quite stable. So, for the princely sum of 71pence each I have my storage.
Hope you all are well into 2012 - this will be a very special year in the U.K. We have the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and then The Olympics...busy time.....if you like crowds go to England this year..hmmmm...not me...I prefer to watch it on tv....if you don't like crowds why not come to Northern Ireland where the roads are always uncrowded....best weather in May and June (usually!!) and very long nights....sometimes not dark until 11 - 11 30 p.m. - come and enjoy 'the gloaming' - that wonderful time of half light which we get (and Scotland too) each evening...not light and not dark....a special time. However you spend your holidays have a wonderful year full of great memories.

Christmas Greetings

2011-12-24T14:38:00.003Z

I want to wish anyone who reads my intermittent blog posts a Very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

At this time of year we have so many memories of family and times past so hope those memories sustain you at this time.

For those who are lonely I trust you will find that the Babe of Bethlehem will stand alongside you and comfort you.

Trust all those who have health issues at this time will know the healing touch of the Great Physician in the days ahead.

I want to say grateful thanks to all of my cyber friends for all their help and support over the year. 'They' say one has to be careful of cyberfriends but I am so glad to have 'met' so many of you on line, you have blessed my life.

Greetings from a very mild Northern Ireland where it is windy and raining and yes, we await the coming of Emmanuel...there is that feeling of expectancy.

God Bless you all.

My goodness a card!

2011-11-22T11:39:00.002Z

Well folks today is sunny and I got a photo, albeit poor quality, of a card I've made for a customer. My instructions were warm and bright....not two things which necessarily go together but here is my offering...possibly more busy than I'm used to. There are gold gems on it which don't show up too well.
I am sort of otherwise engaged around the house at the moment and I just haven't time to devote to blogging.....I apologise to my 'followers' that you haven't had much to read lately. Take care until we 'talk' again.

Weather and Apologies

2011-11-05T21:52:00.002Z

Our weather has been glorious - sorry I haven't a photo for you.

Sorry I have been so bad at posting - life gets in the way at times.

Until I have more interesting to tell you....take care.

I'm Back # 2

2011-10-08T20:11:00.002+01:00

Just adding more photos. Cavtat is 15 km south of Dubrovnik and is quite a small village/town with beautiful views over the bay...there are two harbours...one for the flash yachts which arrive day and daily and create great interest for the onlookers. The other little natural harbour housed many little boats bobbing up and down all day and provided hours of amusement watching the water taxis come and go....we also watched the tour buses from cruises arrive to our little town for a coffee stop. They all doddled off the buses and to the front where all the eateries were. One day we were sitting watching the yachts and being nosey I always asked where they were from if I didn't recognise the flag....one was from Russia (did know that flag) one from Austria (wasn't sure of it but should have know from The Sound of Music LOL!) and one from Germany. It is mystifying to me how these folks navigate to certain ports...augh...I'd certainly be lost at sea!
On one photo you will see a doorway with shutters...just look how the shape of the shutters matches the shape of the stone doorway...attention to detail here. This was a simple Bed and Breakfast place on one of the islands we visited...simple but clean and sparkling from what we could see. You can also see two sunbeds and this is the place we watched all the comings and goings....it was overshadowed by Corsican pines which gave dappled sun most of the day and we didn't get sunburned.
Until next time take care.

I'm Back!

2011-10-08T19:58:00.002+01:00

Hello everyone...here I am again...refreshed, rested and almost ready to resume whatever is in front of me. We had a relaxing break and the weather was still very warm so we didn't rush around at all. In fact we only had one 'excursion' and that was a boat trip to 3 islands - and a rough journey homewards. Sufficient to say the crew were tying down the spare seating - I was waiting for us to be handed our lifejackets LOL! Our hotel was very pleasant and the staff were more than helpful and friendly and above all they all, without exception, were a treat to be with. The food was good. I am enlcosing some photos - there may be two posts tonight.

I'm Having a Break

2011-09-17T18:00:00.003+01:00

Hello Everyone...just popping in to say that I am enjoying a break from cardmaking and a lot of other things too. It is great not to have the pressure of working to deadlines for a short time. Lots of folks have been disappointed about cards but I drew a line on the calendar on 17th August and had orders to complete which I managed to do around 3rd September. Now I am having time to organise things I've not had time for recently plus I need to pack two cases for a get-away in Croatia....the former Yugoslavia and we are both looking forward to seeing somewhere different.
I apologise about the lack of blogging and lack of camera work.....dull days anyhow so not much opportunity to snap anything.
I trust those of you who are sweltering still in high temps will soon get relief from searing heat.....we are trusting we will find some real summer in Croatia.
Take care everyone until I talk again.

One of the many cards I've made recently

2011-08-14T15:20:00.003+01:00

Here is a card for a 1 year old - or as I was told...'it's a card for the Mother really'!! So it was a mix of young and old....the box has a Tilda on it and the card is a little more elegant for Mum. The dp is Echo Park.(love it!!)..the number is PTI with stickles on it. There are two suede pale green leaves from Sharon Johnson's site. The roses are made from double faced satin ribbon. It's one of those cards I particularly like and don't actually feel like parting with ...but it has to go tomorrow!

Another day out

2011-08-14T15:06:00.002+01:00

One good day last week we headed off to visit Londonderry....first we walked over the newly opened Peace bridge which is a decorative bit of engineering but very costly....I loved the sweep it had over the river Foyle.
On the walls of the city my husband came across these young girls highland dancing accompanied by a piper...sorry I can't bring you the haunting Scottish melody. We travelled by bus and train and on our return journey the train was crowded and we were joined by a German couple who were travelling in Ireland, we had a lovely time chatting and telling them of our local dialect...sorry we don't have any names but he was a Colin Firth/Mr Darcy look alike and she was very sweet too. We waved them goodbye as they left us at Central Station to catch the Dublin train. The mother in me was concerned that they would arrive in Dublin after 10 at night with no reserved accommodation....
The flowers in the city were a sight to behold and all credit has to go to the City Council for such a tremendous show of flowers....this is the hanging baskets at the bus station no less...

What is this life, if full of care.......

2011-07-25T17:21:00.003+01:00

.....we have no time to stand and stare...indeed....here I am...... it serves to remind us all that some staring is necessary once in a while....one of the photos is also of the woodland walk...and I kept saying to my husband...'it's so quiet here!'...while unknown to us in another woodland not that far distant over two strips of water something utterly sinister was taking place...what a shock we got to hear of this when we got home...there we were walking in a peaceful woodland and ...well, I've already said it all. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Norwegian nation at the moment.

Summer came - a day out.

2011-07-25T17:10:00.002+01:00

When the forecasters said last Friday was going to be the best day of the week we headed off...and en route I managed to replenish the cardstock and dp supplies. We visited Rowallane Garden where there is a beautiful walled garden full of a plants to charm any gardener's heart. There are lots of old stone walls bursting with little ferns seeking the light of day. Rowallane is one of the old houses and estates owned (mostly but not exclusively) by the National Trust.

A Couple of things I made today.....

2011-07-14T20:26:00.002+01:00

Well, I made these after spending some time making the templates last night....I know you can get templates on the web but sometimes the things available to us in the U.K. are not American sizes so sometimes they don't work...for instance....a certain stamp company has their own notepads and I ain't going to pay postage for them so, we have perfectly good alternatives at Tesco.....and one of the photos shows my attempt to cover one up for a little gift....the paper is Washi paper attached to thick cardstock. I bought this so long ago at The Paper Ya on Granville Island, Vancouver...what a shop....www.paperya.ca - I've also managed to include the flap inside the cover which can hold receipts or something else you need to keep alongside it. This was the last piece of this paper in my possession.
The other photo is the cover on the 100 size post-it notes - some felt flowers and a leaf (both Papertrey) and a couple of petals off a corsage I bought a long time ago - coupled with a ric rac and an edger panel as well. You know we see these things on the net all the time....I may be slower than some but don't underestimate the time it takes to come up with even the simplest little offering. All this when I should be making some of the 15 cards on order....so I better get back to that.
Kind regards from a wet Northern Ireland where the weather has been glorious for a few days and now we get more rain to make the grass grow again!! It's endless!

At Last A Card!!

2011-07-07T11:17:00.002+01:00

Life is so busy at the moment but in the nick of time for this Engagement Card came a little package from Claire holding little beauties in the form of Cameos and Ovals compatible with Spellbinders....oh my!!
Managed to get a photo in half decent light as it is not a bright day hereabouts.
Hope you like!!

Cyndie's Wish LOL!!!

2011-06-25T18:52:00.002+01:00

Well, here you are dear girl....we are having an Assistant Pastor soon and within the Presbyterian Church after they go through Union College they have to be Licensed......this was my gift to ours and I also gave one to another man who we know well....so recently did two of these and of course Shaz you will realise that I've managed to do the gilding a la PVA....the main text is in Foundational Hand which is very plain...not like Shaz' ornate letters which she has hand drawn. Endless patience to do those. Hope you like - lettering is not 100% but I was in a hurry...when am I not?

A fishy tail.......

2011-06-23T22:54:00.003+01:00

Look what someone gave us last week....two were 1 1/4lb each and the other three were smaller....I had 'fun' cleaning them all out....we ate one each for dinner and the rest are frozen....so thank you Tom and friends for your tasty gift and thanks to Ailsa (she of the Easter ring on an earlier blog) for driving here to deliver them. They tasted absolutely delicious!
I'm also posting a photo I forgot in last post....this is the one with the painted word on it!

This and That

2011-06-23T22:32:00.002+01:00

Well folks, sorry for the non-posting - life gets in the way but thought I'd show you the little town of Malin in County Donegal....we were passing through this beautiful little town with it's 'triangle' of green in the centre of the small town - this is typical of so many Irish towns. Sadly it appeared that there was only one little supermarket open in the town...one small hotel too but lots of small shops closed up. We headed on up the road to Malin Head which was a communications point during WWII. It's a wild and breezy place so we didn't stay too long...it's the most Northerly point in Ireland. Ireland was neutral during the war and to deter planes from dropping bombs meant for the port of Londonderry in Northern Ireland (a few minutes by plane away) someone had the bright idea of painting the word 'Eire' (this was the old name for Ireland) on the rocks (you may see this vaguely in one of the photos) - wouldn't be much use in the dark when most bombs were dropped!!

Second Post today

2011-05-25T15:55:00.004+01:00

I have a couple more photos to show you. One is the wallpaper in this house...one room was really beautiful....the largish rooms lend themselves to wallpaper with a large repeat and I show one example here. Also another bedroom - pinks seem to be popular in this house. Sorry - seem to have posted 2 photos the same - can't get one removed...yet another senior moment.

Holyhill House near Strabane

2011-05-25T10:38:00.004+01:00

Sorry for my long absence. Lots of work but in between jobs I had a day out with my husband's mens' group (we womenfolk are 'allowed' to accompany them on their outing).
We visited this house yesterday. The house was built around 1670 (yes 1670. It was bought in 1683 by Rev John Sinclair. At one point in history they had to flee the house but returned and the house was in the Sinclair ownership for 250 years. The last of the male line was William Hugh Montgomery Sinclair who, while in America on Consular service met a certain Elizabeth Elliot Hayes who was American. They married and when he died left all his estate to his American wife. On her death in 1957 the estate was taken over by Major Gen. Sir allan Adair, who was the liberator of Brussels. The estate was then sold to a local Pharmacist and it is now their family home. The rooms are small compared to our other big houses but this makes it a very cosy home indeed. They keep it immaculate with only a very little help and onl have small groups to visit by prior appointment for which they make no charge but ask for donations to a local charity. There were so many beautiful paintings and an absolute plethora of books in the most wonderful bookcases....wish I could show you more of it but here are a few pictures to whet your appetite for a visit to our country.

Easter Blossoms....like snow on the ground....

2011-04-23T10:30:00.002+01:00

My friend Bernie called last evening and she hadn't been up our avenue when the cherry blossoms were blowing around in the light breeze, almost like snow....and the covering of pink all over the ground never fails to be something beautiful....just thought I'd let you see her photo, one of many which she took as she left me.

Easter Blessings

2011-04-22T10:11:00.002+01:00

May I wish you Every Blessing this Eastertime.
Today, Good Friday we remember His suffering but on Easter Sunday morning we will rejoice that He has risen that we may live with him forever.

My piece of calligraphy today was written probably 25 years ago....apparently it was written by someone in prison who was supposed to be demented but surely these words, along with the other verses of this hymn, could only be written by someone who was certainly in their right mind.

Best wishes to one and all whatever your plans are for this holiday.

An Easter Ring

2011-04-16T12:28:00.002+01:00

Just a very short post here to show you this Easter ring made by, and held by my friend Ailsa who is just ace at this kind of creation....the detail is incredible. Again my close up photos were hopeless but I can assure you it is a lovely item...she used this when she spoke to a group of Seniors recently. It alll starts with a plastic hoop which is covered in greenery and then all the other little embellishments are adhered to the greenery.

No cards but yet more calligraphy...

2011-04-08T17:59:00.003+01:00

Here is a piece of calligraphy I did for a Women's Institute competition some years ago...we had to use an old style of writing alongside a contemporary style...mine was Rustic and Italic.....it was worked on very heavy watercolour paper - I sponged and splattered the background (splattering with a toothbrush) to make it look sort of old. Worked the Rustic up one side and the Italic as normal. Although there is not much writing - and the big empty space is important to highlight the text - it did take a while to complete...think I did this was the 3rd attempt...the first two did not even get near the look I wanted. I did well in the competition - saying no more than that...it was a challenge and I enjoyed it all.
(Sorry one of the photos is too far away but I know not how to get rid of it from this post!!)

Freestyle Embroidery

2011-04-06T13:20:00.003+01:00

Many years ago a wonderful needlewoman had a series on the BBC about Embroidery...not as our older relatives had worked it by transferring a 'pattern' unto fabric and stitching a numerous variety of stitches to make a picture...they made runners for tables, cushion (pillow) covers, tray cloths and much more beavering away with their threads and needle. I still have some of my Aunt's work.
The embroidery displayed here is so different yet calls on long forgotten skills to create it. It is supposed to look like a border in a garden...at the bottom there are hosta leaves edged with chenille yarn which are made of velvet and then long- stitched over to keep them in place. then there are French knots to symbolise Michaelmas daisies...then taller stems to look like long grasses. I just started with the hostas and stitched as I felt was sort of right...no planning other than casing an embroidery Jan showed on the programme. Again there is no glass covering it and some of you will be horrified...and yes, this is now beginning to look a bit sad but I think I could spruce it up if time permitted. There are no rules nowadays - if you want to enjoy freedom try something like this!

A little more calligraphy.....

2011-04-04T11:19:00.003+01:00

Some years ago I created this piece of calligraphy to record our granchildren's names and dates of birth. I will be totally honest and say that I have used a layout previously written by Lorna Bambury, sadly now passed on. Lorna had written her grandchildren's names like this only much better than I did of course. I thought it was such a great idea I wanted to do one too. My gilding is nothing like hers but I didn't want to post it without giving her the credit. She was wonderful at gilding....I once had the honour of sitting beside her when CLAS had a regional day in Dublin....there was also an exhibition of calligraphy and I came away from that totally 'drunk' with letters, colour and layouts...augh, it was just wonderful to be among like-minded folk. A once in a lifetime experience for me.
I regret that the photo is not so good - out of focus but as you know I'm challenged in that department!

Now for something completely different!

2011-04-03T20:38:00.003+01:00

I thought I would show you a few things which hang on the walls hereabouts.
This is something which hangs in our hall. It is some Moygashel linen (factory now closed) stretched with another piece of squared fabric superimposed on top and then over some of the squares I've adhered a square decorated with this and that...the top panel is more fabric and I've adhered terracotta 'maple leaves' which used to be a mobile. Alternate leaves have been dipped in UTEE to add more interest. It is 'framed' in a Habitat frame with no glass. I like things to be touchy feely and it gets the hoover run over it occasionally. It is years old and looks good even without glass to protect it.

Prayer Changes Things

2011-04-01T16:19:00.003+01:00

A friend has asked me to do some writing for her. She is using a poster from Open Doors (www.opendoorsuk.org) alongside these two thoughts and a few more headings to highlight our need to remember those Christians across the world who are being persecuted day and daily. Now folks these are written very quickly with little planning beforehand so go easy on me! Some may be interested in knowing that they've been written with a Pilot pen...with no ink in the barrel at all but using the wonderful nibs in these pens with gouache and just dipping the nib into the 'ink'. I find they make for quick writing and fairly good results when time is of the essence.

Whoops - a photo missing....

2011-03-25T12:46:00.004Z

Sorry, I'm messing up badly today...hopefull the missing photo will be here....

I am working......

2011-03-25T12:27:00.006Z

Hello folks....we have had a wonderful spell of weather here in Northern Ireland...some days the temperatures were 17, 18 and even 20 degrees...however one still has to work....today I'm including a photo of a piece from Corinthians which I am at present working on for a customer....it is very detailed.
When I do have a minute I am knitting a waistcoat/vest in Noro - watercolour personified...every stitch is so colourful, whether dull or bright...with little shots of brilliant silk colours among the duller ones. This also reminds us that those dull areas could represent the times in our lives when things were not so pleasant but they are overtaken by the good times when things went well and brightened our lives. I've knit this kind of yarn before and loved it...I actually bought it many years ago in America when it was unheard of over here. It is expensive but so satisfying to work with.
Take care! Hope wherever you are (except Aussieland where it's Autumn!) you are experiencing better weather with the prospect of sunshine to come.

St Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T10:43:00.002Z

Good Morning everyone across the world....Greetings from the green fields of Northern Ireland where Patrick tended his sheep and taught us how God would like us to live. The sun is shining here for this special day in our calendar.

I'm hoping to be able to post a little image by Waltzingmouse Stamps for this day....you can go visit Claire's site to download it for yourself. www.waltzingmousestamps.co.uk

However you spend today I wish you all a happy day.

2011-03-12T18:59:00.002Z

Sorry for the lack of posts but life is exceptionally busy. I have just spent the day writing in liquid gold (sort of stuff framers use to smarten up old picture frames etc) on very large and awkward to work with wooden boards. Beautiful boards of course but not as easy to write on as paper. For a start one has to use a flat brush. The writing is almost the easy part as the the drafting takes a lot of time. You have to do a complete draft on paper and then cut those all up to 'paste' them unto the boards for an idea of how the text might look. Then when you are completely happy (am I ever happy at that stage, not really!) you can start to write straight off on the boards. Scary stuff sometimes. All done now and I want to leave them until Monday when I will erase the white watercolour pencil markings. Although the gold dries very quickly I want it to harden hence the wait to tidy up.
Also waiting is a set of Order of Service inserts to be printed and inserted into their outer covers. I am just waiting for confirmation that all is correct with the text before I print the inserts.
Then a job of writing guests names on wedding invitations - quite a large wedding too. This job is comparitively easy but long. Hours and hours.
There are other orders to be completed, one being a Ruby Wedding Card.
Sorry I've no photos for you!
We had snow this morning...wet snow...and it has rained the most of the day and there is now only snow left on the grass. It will be all gone in the morning probably.
Take care everyone.....earthquakes, tsunami....etc.

Awards Aplenty!!!

2011-03-02T13:30:00.002Z

I want to thank Velda and Pauline for their recent awards...ladies.....I am going to tell you 8 things about me you may not know but never having particpated in 'chain' letters I am opting out of that part of the award...I apologise if this annoys you.
I am hopeless on the computer so linking this and that is a trouble to me....however here are 8 things you may not even WANT to know!!!

I was born into a very humble home and I have 2 sisters and 1 brother and I am the baby of the family.

I would love to have learned to play the piano and indeed would still like to learn music but time is of the essence.

I studied secretarial stuff when I should have been doing art. But in the late 50's and 60's art was not something you earned a living doing!

I played netball and loved all sports and as the college I attended was part of an old gaol with a very high ceiling they had a trapeze and I was the only one who would get on it....I used to swing by my knees from it....health and safety would never allow it now without a net to catch you if you fell.

I love to travel - gaps in my travel life are visits to Japan, India, China, Russia.

I really like to surprise people by sending a card or doing something for them when they least expect it...that gives me so much satisfaction.

I like to cook and eat...suffice to say I've always had a battle with my weight!

I'm an oldie - there are compensations though...free bus and train travel within Ireland which I intend to make use of in the months and years ahead dv.

Think that's 8...what a job to think of those!

Renewed apologies for not linking stuff - I have tried but no luck.

Spring has definitely sprung!

2011-02-21T16:46:00.003Z

Hello everyone...today is so mild and Springlike...it's great to see. My brief for a card for a man was music and flowers so my thoughts went to Roses in Bloom by Waltzingmouse....tried these roses and no matter what I did with the music and the flowers together didn't suit a man......didn't want to go down the pastel delicate road as that might have been worse so these watercoloured roses (by no means perfect mind you - I see lots of mistakes in the petals...but sure no flower is absolutely perfect? hey, who am I trying to kid here! LOL!) were used for this general card to use myself. Of course the rose stamps are Waltzingmouse as is the sentiment from 'Frame it' The tag is Spellbinders from way back when - it's sort of useless in a way as the centre comes out of it too....I ran the edge of the inner piece around a Staz-on Red (Blazing Red?) ink pad and set it back in again, secured the back and then stamped on the sentiment. So where to go now with the 'proper card'? Hmmmmm
The music I paired down....stamped this Hero Arts flower meadow in antique white by Ranger (takes an awful long time to emboss!) and cut higgledy piggeldy around the top of the flowers and grasses......wrote the greeting in Dr Martin's bleedproof white ink (great density of white. Cut out the numbers in the Cuttlebug and hopefully this fits the bill for a man rather than the roses. Now what do you folks make of all of this....critique please....honesty please......what else could I have done? All comments and suggestions welcomed.

And there's more!

2011-02-19T14:51:00.003Z

Well, I didn't think I'd be posting so soon again but went to make another card and you know what happens when you get a new die....for a while you will use and use it! This card uses two of the dies cut outs adhered to the card just as they are and the second layer is pop-dotted to give dimension. Then I used part of a corsage which has been in the drawer for a long time...so no hand made flowers for those ribbon challenged! I am simply going to write the ladies name on the card straight off as I feel there is quite enough going on here. One of the photos shows the die in close up.
Now, back to work!
(You may be wondering just why so much production is going on today...simple answer - DH is away at a Ploughing Match - all day - and then the group are going out for a meal afterwards so complete peace and quiet hereabouts!!)

Marianne's Creatibles Dies

2011-02-19T10:48:00.002Z

Hello and Good Morning everyone especially the folks from the Gingerwood Board where we are having a thread on these dies.
This photo is too light but I just wanted to show how I used this particular 'leaf branch' on this card. I have had to cover up the personal details on the front as this card is only being collected today and I don't like to post something which has not as yet been given to the recipient.
I like how the leaf branch is making a lovely 'swirl' at the top and the bottom of the card...I've also trimmed a couple of them to fill in as well. I have not adhered all of the leaves down...I like to see them kind of natural looking which brings more life to the arrangement...they are fiddly to work with mind you but I do like the look...think you've got the idea that I really like this!!! The flowers are made with cream jacquard ribbon (Offray) and an organza pink centre. It is presented in a cream box with two gold sprays of leaves and in a tissue lined gift bag with more sprays on the bag.
Until next time take care!

Spring has sprung over here!

2011-02-17T16:32:00.002Z

Hello everyone....Spring has arrived here - a wonderful mild day and it's lovely to be out and about. Here is a little card I made last night. The images are from PTI and the flower image was given to me by my stamping friend in Coleraine....the gingham ribbon is from my stash...it's always in fashion with me but gingham is very much high fashion stampingwise at the moment.
I've been cleaning my cling stamps and reviving their 'cling' with alcohol - lovely to get them tidied up...with little stamps being found in the wrong case etc....how does that happen LOL!!
I'm off to search for buttons on line....for a cardigan which has gold showy ones and I'd like to have black classy ones which are not to be found in our shop in town!
Take care until I pop into your mailbox again!

Apologies

2011-01-23T23:29:00.003Z

Imagine my last post was 20 days ago...tut tut....sorry folks.
I'm having a lot of writing to do at the moment so blogging will have to take a back seat for a wee while. Hope you are all well and enjoying playing with the toys you received over the Christmas period.
Until I resurface from head down and inkstained fingers, take care.

Yet More Butterflies

2011-01-03T13:10:00.003Z

I have a stamping friend who lives in Japan and she has 'doctored' my photo of the butterlies to make them look better.....thank you Jam.......I regret my photo is not quite in focus but you all know I am both camera and computer challenged however she had brought out the colours very well and I just thought I'd show you them! Have to give praise where it is due!

Butterflies

2011-01-03T11:43:00.003Z

I am trying to emulate Jennifer McGuire's stunning butterflies on her website but I'm sort of failing to come up with the vibrancy. I was photographing (poorly) my efforts today and thought I'd show you....if the glitz wasn't there they would be even more dull - I think they fall short of her examples but I had fun playing.
Are you all recovered from the festivities? This is probably the last official holiday until Easter around here - not that that matters to retirees like ourselves! We have a perpetual weekend...so much so that weekends don't have the same meaning any more. Indeed if we are going away for the day we choose a weekday when things are relatively quiet during school term.....hope it won't be too long before we can pack the car and head off to explore new places and re-acquaint ourselves with favourite haunts.
Wishing you all the happiest of years ahead.

Christmas Greetings

2010-12-23T11:59:00.002Z

Hereabouts we are not dreaming of a white Christmas...we've got it already...we're actually dreaming about a thaw....please, pretty please....but seriously there is something particularly wonderful about our landcape at the moment and we are enjoying sparkling sunshine most days for a few hours. Generally our Christmas is very mild and we can get about with no problems...this has not been the case for a while now but we are learning to cope with these unexperienced conditions. Our homes are not geared up for sub-zero temperatures and lots of folks have no water and frozen pipes which will make for a miserable time over the holidays. Plumbers are working long, long hours to try and cope with the amount of call-outs. Given that the night time temperatures have reached -18.5 the roads are treacherous and we have only been driving when necessary..on our motorways we have only one lane open in each direction!!
Despite all this it almost Christmas and I wish you and yours the best time possible and everything you would wish yourself for the New Year. Particularly in our thoughts are those who live alone, and those who for various reasons Christmastime will not bring health or happiness. We commit them to Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - the Babe of Bethlehem who showed us what true love really is.

Snow is falling, snow on snow......

2010-12-18T10:46:00.004Z

Hello everyone! We are experiencing the title of this blog post well and truly...having had 2 weeks of snow and then a little window of thaw and opportunity to do the Christmas shopping and now we are back to more snow again. As I've said before this is not a large amount of snow in comparison to what some of you have in the U.S. and Canada but it is a lot for us....and it is good snow...lovely and powdery (before it freezes) and not wet and heavy. It also froze last night - about an hour away temperatures of -15 degrees were recorded...that is low for us folks. Over here life grinds to a halt when we get this amount of the white stuff. The retailers are feeling the pinch as people are not shopping as they would normally be at this time of the year. Accordingly there are sales everywhere and the shops are very quiet indeed. Here are a few photos of our area...the gritter does not come up our avenue at all and the children love it as they can sleigh to their hearts content. One of the photos show our porch in which I hang Ikea lanterns...I usually light them up (just a tea-light which lasts about 5 hours) around 7 p.m. - thinking I could do with some greenery somewhere around here too. It is truly a beautiful morning here...the sun is out and everything is sparkling....nature gives us some wonderful things to look at and enjoy!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-12-08T23:06:00.003Z

Well folks I'm sorry I'm so lax at posting but it's that time of year again.
At this point I am glad to say that my card orders are up to date. I'm sure this is because we have had a lot of snow in Northern Ireland (can't get out much) followed by freezing nights - we even had -15 degrees last night which is VERY cold for this part of the world. (I can hear you laughing in the U.S. and Canada.) Needless to say we are never prepared for the snow...transport wise anyhow.....traffic just grinds to a halt. We haven't been much further than our supermarket and that was only when it was absolutely necessary. There have been lots of accidents, lots of folks falling and breaking limbs and indeed we had at least 3 deaths of elderly folks falling in their gardens and dying of hypothermia....very sad. At the moment there is an ongoing dispute between governing bodies as to who should be responsible for gritting the pavements (sidewalk)....they cannot agree and while they are arguing people are falling. Even in town it is not now politically correct for businesses to clean their own footpath outside their premises...apparently they can be liable if anyone should claim....the world has gone mad, hasn't it!
Sorry I haven't any pictures for you....it seems that when I completed cards recently they were collected before I could get bright enough daylight to photograph them. Glad to say I have all my own cards posted today...what a long visit to the Post Office squelching through the slush at the side of the road.
Hope you are all well on with your Christmas arrangements! Take care.

I'm back in the melting pot again!!!

2010-11-20T18:15:00.002Z

Needed a horsey card for a 17 year old and thought I'd have a go with this again. Mind you I did have to re-do the head only image 3 times before I got it correct....the great thing is that the UTEE can be thrown back in the pot again when you are not happy with the result. Apologies for the poor photos....it was too late in the day for good daylight...on a bad day here we can have the lights on at 3 00 p.m. The wallet was made out of a sample of high end wallpaper which I lined inside with good watercolour paper stamped with yet more horses!

WMS Christmas Blog Waltz

2010-11-16T17:32:00.003Z

Here is my offering for the Waltz.....
Base cardstock is from the Papermill and the green cardstock layer is also from the same source and it is the leather type of card. The cream layer is The Papermill linen and I've stamped the Merry Christmas stamp from that Secret Set. Attached a length of ribbon down the centre of the top layer and then stamped the star from the same set into gold UTEE...the impression came out well. As UTEE can be sort of dull I took the Krylon pen and put on 2 layers of gold to brighten it up. When still warm I cut around the outline and discovered the shape was close to the Spellbinders Hexagon! Made another red layer and edged it with a gold Krylon pen....a little bit of red bling in the centre...pop dotted the UTEE layer to the red layer....the edges needed to be streamlined a bit so a little bit of wired gold cord did the trick...just used double-sided tape around the edge and pressed the gold cord unto it. Then added the little knot of ribbon to cover the joining of the cord. Apart from the 'Stars' set this was the only WMS Christmas set I had to work with!

Waltzing Mouse Tag It Challenge

2010-10-26T12:09:00.000+01:00

Here is my entry for the Tag It challenge.....the base is Spellbinders Mega Curved Rectangles (three layers). The bottom layer is cut from a sample book of wallpapers and this one is like gold sprayed hessian....wish I had it on my walls....the second layer is glossy bright red and the last layer is a sort of stardream type of card.
The little red 'trumpet' thingies are made from satin ribbon - a sort of boat shape glued and rolled to form the shape - more lace ruffled down the side and a little fan of lace to cover the mechanics of the 'trumpets'....a couple of red glossy hearts to sort of balance the tag and then some more on the lace fan...just to make the sentiment more meaningful...and then some bling....apologies for the photo - as you know I'm not so good at that.

A couple of cards and a challenge

2010-10-26T12:03:00.000+01:00

First is a Retirement card for a fireman....my first thought was red and black...also used the Waltzingmouse chevron for a dramatic effect and to joint the two hexagons together as it were. The second card also uses a Waltzingmouse stamp - Victorian Frippery - and yet again I've CASED this from Claire for the second time.

I'm back!

2010-10-21T22:05:00.000+01:00

Well we had a scout around Italy at the beginning of the month...the weather was very good, we only experienced rain once when walking around Pisa - it was wet underfoot but we didn't get wet. We are maxed out on frescoes (frescos? sp) churches, basilica etc....my favourite was Florence where the Cathedral is absolutely breathtaking and having travelled the world it takes a lot to make me stand in absolute awe of a place. The food was so so....in the first hotel it was not so good and the portions were so small I felt sorry for the menfolk. In the second hotel it was beautiful as was the third and last hotel. I was looking forward to the ice-cream but I can honestly say that apart from Lemon and Black Cherry (not together folks) I was not terribly keen. We have a shop here in Cookstown, run by the Sheehy family and they sell Movenpick ice cream (Swiss) which is far better than anything I tasted in Italy. I now understand that we would have got more authentic Italian ice cream in non-tourist areas..hmmmm...bit late now and even then we were with a group and had to stay with the group etc. But the cappucinnos - oh my - I really miss those....you get them in a small tea cup - no big 'bowly' cup over there - the taste is divine.....prices vary of course...the cheapest we found was 1.80 Euro for 2 standing up at the bar....the most expensive was 2.50 each standing at the bar.....2 coffees and 2 danish sitting down was 13 Euros altogether...so you see sitting down is much more expensive. Ice creams vary too...a little tub is fairly economical - say 2.50 Euro each but one day in Rome we were hungry and en route with a guide we dashed into an ice cream shop....pointed to two waffle cones and shouted out our flavours....went to pay....DH handed me 10 Euros....she asked for another 10!!!! We had to pay up and run....we were taken for a big ride....oh my....we were careful after that....we laughed about it so much!
I did buy some wool in Seinna - half the price of the same sort of quality hereabouts. I did find a paper shop in a little village and bought quite a lot but that was the only paper shop I came across...that was a disappointment to me.

We came home with horrible colds....several of our group had had the cold - I'm blaming it on the extremely cold a/c at the last hotel.....we turned it off in our room but during dinner we were frozen...I wore an extra layer the next night.....so have been coughing so much since our return and still bouts of coughing.....

We lost a phone a few days ago....looked everywhere for it...rang it but couldn't get any idea where it was....and today was 'bin day' (the day the trash goes out) so last night quite late we thought maybe it might have gone accidentally into the bin....so out with the cell phone and stood beside the bin out at the road ringing the number but there was no ringing in the bin....DH got up early and brought the bin down to the back garden and dumped everything out of it and still no phone (he thought perhaps if the batteries had gone there would be no ringing in it) - I decided to have one last look this morning......and there it was under a cushion (pillow) on the sofa.....it was not 'heard' ringing as it was in the same room as another phone...and you can only hear one ring even from two phones. Augh, the time we've spent wondering where this phone was....if you are like me you spend more time looking for stuff than anything else. Just one of those amusing things which happen frequently in this house.....it is usual to lose the favourite little black knife which I use to do a lot of work with in the kitchen....have I thrown it out with the potato peelings? Sometimes....have I left it in the cake tin after I've cut a peice of cake...most probably....so it's either back to the bin or search the cake tins....
Well I have chatted long enough and hereabouts it's time for bed so until the next time take care everyone!

Just when you think you are finished......

2010-09-27T16:31:00.000+01:00

Well, I did think I had finished my orders but you know there is always one which cannot be refused, isn't there...and this is one of them....I've spent so long on this card - all afternoon and still not finished...still to write the sentiment on the front and write the inside too.
A local Choral Society is giving this to it's after dinner speaker in the next few days...it had to be these colours...black and royal blue and this blue was the only thing I had near good enough....rather shimmery it is and looks good cuttlebugged. Was really pleased that I had recently taken delivery of the Waltzing Mouse (www.waltzingmousehouse.com) stamp set of musical backgrounds....although I've just used four of the stamps on this project I was so grateful to have a long music stamps - stamped the music notes and the piano keys on two separate strips and stuck them together to make the curved piece on the front of the card...liked this as it gave the impression of movement etc....added a treble cleft (can't remember what company it is) which I clear embossed on silver card and then cut out laborously with a scalpel....hate cutting out with it as I'm not too good at it but thought the left hand edge needed it. I stamped the edges of the box as well to take the plain look off of it (using American grammar here!). The lining paper in the box is also stamped with the treble cleft and the single note also in the set but sorry, the sun went and I didn't get it snapped in time.
Now, off to finish the writing!

Chocoholics look the other way.....

2010-09-25T16:00:00.000+01:00

Well, I didn't think I'd be back today but there you are. Our first born has a birthday tomorrow and the family are coming here for a birthday meal. This is dessert/birthday cake....he's not 5 though....add 4 decades unto it and you'd be right! This is a basic sponge cake with rather scrumptious filling inside including 4 Ferero Roche chocolates crumbled in the middle. Then I poured ganache (a mixture of chocolate and cream over it...great shine with all the cream...hmmm....think of the fat! Then piped some fresh cream around and on top. But you know...cooking with chocolate is a messy business! Wish I could give you all a little piece of cake...wouldn't that be a great gathering!! We'll just have to imagine the chat (or the craic as they call it hereabouts) we'd have if we all could get together.

Magazine Inspiration....

2010-09-25T10:54:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone, sorry I've been lax in my posting - it's holiday time for me and I've been enjoying a somewhat relaxing time and it has been great to have time to rest and think straight for a change. Card making for others has been completed and have been card making for myself for birthdays and occasions which are later in the year.
Over here we have a plethora of stamping magazines and over the years I've become disenchanted with them. They are not cheap and for my style I usually find very little to inspire and my standard phrase after flicking through one is 'why did I spend the money on that - I'm not buying any more' but months down the line I buy one again....well, as I was away this month I bought yet another one to flick through while travelling...and there was only one item that inspired me. Joanne Wardle in The Craft Stamper has written and illustrated an article on Silhouette Stamping and I decided to have a go.
Basically you mask off an area in the middle of the card with post it notes. Well I did the first one like this but I then cut an aperture out of old commercial cards with a glossy surface on them (ink rubs off easily) with Spellbinders dies...you may not get such a crisp edge to the image but it's not so important anyhow. Then you colour this space with Distress Inks...she advises to use a sponge but I use Dreamweaver brushes which I love. The first card used Dried Marigod, Wild Honey and Fired Brick....then I used PTI's Turn of the Leaf to decorate...the second card has more yellow in it.....then I began to think in another direction....could I not make a little 'landscape coloured' space and add scene stamps? So tried green for the grass, yellow (Actually wasn't Distress Ink just a yellow inkpad)for a sunshiney bit in between it and the Broken China 'Sky'
Then I had bought a little Winter Scene stamp set at the November Exhibition in Belfast last year and it was perfect for completing the little landscape. Think it's either Papermania or Inkadinkadoo, not sure. There were just a few stamps which were the right proportions for this small scene but that's ok, I like how they worked. I really enjoyed my playing around with this technique...think I'll have to invest in a few more inkpads to compliment what I already have.
Please bear with me for a couple more weeks....we are off to Tuscany, Rome and Sorrento for our real holiday...and I trust I am going to see beautiful paper aplenty...I'm even taking two large sheets of mattboard/mountboard to safely store it in my suitcase for travelling. Until my return, all of you take care.

Please excuse my absence....

2010-09-08T22:37:00.000+01:00

I'm pleased to say I am off for a long weekend in St Andrew's.......yes, the home of golf but I don't play...I'll just listen out for the American accents which you cannot fail to hear on the streets there.

Whilst we have had days away we haven't had a complete break from home so now is our opportunity to have some time out.

Back next week! Take care everyone!

Cup Cakes a la Spellbinders & WMS Victorian Font

2010-08-29T13:10:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow we have the wedding of our nephew Ryan and his bride Diane in a Church in Fivemiletown and then our Reception is in Corrick House - a beautiful old house adapted as a hotel and venue for weddings.
Some hotels around here still permit the hosts to provide their own home made goodies for the evening refreshments....I got to know that this was the case and made these cup cakes to add to the spread. They are simple 'butter sandwich' mixture made in muffin cases and then iced and decorated.....but being for a wedding I covered card with this wrapping paper and cut out the hearts and added half a cocktail stick to the back - the mechanics are covered with yet another tiny heart just to keep them neat and tidy. Then I made two larger hearts and stamped their intials in this great font on plain card and pop dotted these to the large hearts and attached them to the box. Fun things. Normally I would put these all in a treasured basket with a handle which makes for easier handling but not wanting to lose sight of this basket I decided to cover a box with the same wrapping paper and then I don't have to worry about losing my basket which I use so much for taking goodies to church.

Flutterby Butterfly.......

2010-08-27T15:23:00.000+01:00

When hanging out the washing (yes folks in the U.S. we hang out our washing year round) I spied this beauty looking for sustenance from the flowers on my blouse. Wish I could have lifted it and placed it on some blossom. Ran for the camera, turned it on to find I needed to change the batteries....what a time to run out of energy...doesn't that always happen when time is limited! Anyhow after an hour the rain came - took the washing in - then the sun came out and fooled me into thinking it was going to be good for the rest of the day...no....on came the rain and so the washing had to come in again...so it is in permanently now....one of those changeable days hereabouts.

Yet another day out....

2010-08-26T22:48:00.001+01:00

Our weather has been glorious for the past two days and we've taken advantage of it today and packed a picnic and headed off. We drove through the Glenelly Valley and it was looking great today..the photo of the little tumbledown cottage was on the roadside.....into Strabane and over to Stranolar and Ballybofey (I digress here to say that I did visit McElhinney's - this is a high fashion shop where I just looked and didn't buy) and then on to Donegal Town. There I visited Magee's shop - it is a long established business and they have been involved in manufacturing Irish woollen tweed for a long number of years. They also sell garments made from this exclusive fabric.....they are high class and beautifully constructed. It is such a popular place for visitors from abroad. On the picture of the town you will see this shop on the right hand side. I did buy two items here....in their outlet department - a pair of woollen charcoal grey trousers. Also a cotton blouse in a similar fabric to Liberty. Both items were greatly reduced. I'm also showing you a photo of Donegal Bay and you can take a pleasant boat trip around the bay (sorry the photo is a bit dark). Then we went to Rossnowlagh which has a very long beach...cars are allowed to park on parts of it and families were enjoying the great weather. This is somewhere we used to take our children years ago and families are still swimming, surfing and making sandcastles....it's great to see so many children having fun in the fresh air.

Imagine....a card!!

2010-08-26T22:18:00.001+01:00

Just posting a picture of a card which had to be Irish through and through and had to have all the elements you see here. The shamrock was made with Spellbinders hearts in green felt and I added a strip for the stem. It had to have a fiddle and this one was cut out of a book and had a layer of glossy accents...the little Irish cottage at the bottom was from - I think - an Inkadinkadoo set called 'Winter'. The 'church window' was embossed with a stencil from A Touch of Grace. I was out of my comfort zone doing this card...I found it very hard to put all of this on the front - it's not exactly CAS, is it? LOL !!. Sorry the photo is not so good. The first picture is the box lid....the shamrocks in the hankie are a freebie from Waltzingmouse Stamps and I had printed them out on vellum and coloured with Copics.

Apologies

2010-08-21T13:42:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone! I do apologise for my lack of posting because of an overwhelming amount of orders for cards. This is due to the fact that some folks know I am about to take a break from card orders so I'm working on cards for occasions up to the 31st October! In the last 3 weeks I have had 41 orders - one of the orders was for 10 cards and alongside this I have other calligraphy items to work on for other customers....and try to keep food on the table and the house sort of clean! My other half likes to get away for a day every week usually and this week we went to see our re-furbished City Hall in Belfast. I include a few photos. Sorry I can't as yet post any photos of cards as the recipients haven't received them!
Pictures - top down....
The front of the City Hall.
The coat of arms of Belfast as depicted on the sumptious carpet.
A replica of the Titanic which was built, as you know, in Belfast.
The massive Banqueting Hall here with the carpet down but it can be magically rolled away under the stage.
This is a little glimpse of the plasterwork around the dome. In all the rooms there is the most wonderful plasterwork and the choice of colours surrounding it are stunningly beautiful and so right for this kind of building. There is Greek and Italian marble aplenty. I had visited before and this time I also really enjoyed speaking to so many foreign visitors to our Province. I spoke to Australians, Italians, Dutch, Germans and of course Americans. Some of these folk were just visiting as part of a cruise but it was so good to hear all the different languages. Ten years ago you wouldn't have seen a 'tourist' in these parts and it is great to welcome visitors and make them feel they are appreciated.

And finally today....

2010-08-04T21:54:00.000+01:00

We had some business in Larne today, this town is on the County Antrim coast and you can take a ferry to Scotland from here...to Cairnryan...quite a short journey really but an expensive one!
We then went further along the coast to Carnfunnog Country Park where there are acres of grounds to walk in and a wonderful activity centre for children with a miniature railway. A great place to let off steam.
The weather wasn't too bad - we had two light showers of short duration and you could see them coming in from the sea. This photo shows a ferry off to Scotland and it's very rainy in the distance.
Now, it is suppertime (mean that little nightcap one has before bed, not our 'dinner') and it's time to make a nice cup of tea.

More Mount Stewart photos....

2010-08-04T21:19:00.000+01:00

Here are some more images of this wonderful property....The first photo was taken around the lake, second is the view from the Temple of the Winds...a separate 'little' building situated on a rise above the main property and the stiff walk uphill is so worth the view when you reach the top. Third the building itself. Then some special blue hydrangeas....and to finish water lillies....what usually catches my eye is different textures together...the tall spiky reeds...the feathery greenery...the round leaves of the water lilies - so many shapes...when I taught calligraphy I had an album of photos and I tried to get the students to 'see' all these wonderful things as an aid to observation.

This and That and a Couple of Days Out......

2010-08-04T21:04:00.000+01:00

Last week we watched the weather forecast very closely and chose Thursday as the best day so we headed off to the County Down coast to a National Trust property called Mount Stewart (given that my surname is Stewart I must say I wish there had been a relationship to this family LOL!). It is a beautiful house with magnificent gardens and beautiful walks. We have vowed that we will return in the Springtime when the rhodedendrons are in full bloom. There was a feast of plants and trees to admire - hope I don't bore you with these photos. In the last photo you will see the Mountains of Mourne in the distance, made famous by the Percy French song 'Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea'.

August 2nd

2010-08-02T13:24:00.000+01:00

Just popping in here to apologise for lack of posts....too many orders for cards at the moment. Hope to be back soon.

WMS Sketch Challenge 7

2010-07-27T12:11:00.000+01:00

This, of necessity,has to be a quick CAS card....I want to take part but don't have too much thinking time or 'put together' time at the moment. Would have needed a darker ink (this was Brilliance Meditteranean Blue) to stamp with - it's sort of ok in reality but a bit faded looking on screen. Card is from The Papermill(U.K. Company with shops at our outlets in N.Ireland) and of course the stamps are Asian Gardens...have still to enjoy getting to grips with this set.

Sketch Challenge 6

2010-07-19T20:49:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone....here comes my entry - I started with the 'wedge' and frilled this rich coloured ribbon around the edge...then made another smaller 'wedge' and frilled the see through gold-edged ribbon around it. Used this same ribbon to outline the other two edged as well. I embossed yet another 'wedge' with PTI embossing plate in Moroccan something or other. Unto this I pop dotted a circle - gold embossed -from Victorian Frippery and cut another circle out of the middle in which I set the hand made flower - the edges of the circles are brushed with Victorian Velvet (what else?) distress ink. Then made very small flowers in gold (23mm wide cut in two lengthwise) to add to keep somewhat in the sketch guidelines...I make no apology for only having three....it must be three or five....sorry Claire, 4 is not for me!!! I then used the Victorian alphabet for the sentiment. I will talk more about it on the Forum one day. Looking forward to seeing all the entries nearer the end of the week.

Sketch Challenge 5

2010-07-13T17:45:00.000+01:00

Well folks I've had a bit of a job getting this cards sorted....nothing would come to me...all I knew was that I wanted to use Victorian Frippery but how, that was the question? I started yesterday full of enthusiasm and then unexpected visitors descended on me and knocked me right off my perch!!

This, despite losing my mojo, is what evolved. I started with a pearlescent very pale blue base card....then another layer of the same. I stamped the long border in this set both 'upside down' as it were and embossed it with silver...this bit took my breath away - it is so delicate - in the space left between the layers I handcut slits to slide the velvet ribbon through...I also added little pearls. Then I felt it was just a little bit bare so you know what happens? Yes, took another little image from the set and did another bit....I notice that it is a little more solid that the border one which is probably the way it is meant to be but no matter. Then I didn't want to cover up all this loveliness of Claires so kept the 'square' bit to a minimum...this is a shiny blue cardstock panel and on top of it is a glass panel on which I stamped the two little motifs and the sentiment - had to choose one to fit of course.....made several bows but they all look too heavy....wrapped some pearl ribbon around the top and added a small bow and yet another pearl...think there are a bit too many on this. However it is completed, thank goodness....and now I have to think of blues and greens.... Just popping in again to apologise for the quality of the photo....the long border is stunning in real life and this photo doesn't do it justice. Sorry folks.

Cashmere Lace

2010-07-06T11:14:00.000+01:00

One of the other crafts I like to do is knitting. In our family there were 4 females who knitted...and knitted and knitted. We never had any bought knitwear that I can remember. When our children were young they had very little bought knitwear but it is different now...kids want fleeces and so on.
This is knitted with cashmere....very, very fine and knit on needles suitable for double knitting yarn (is that worsted in the U.S.) so it took some getting used to knitting with thread-like yarn on big needles....the yarn is available in the U.K. from several spinners but I bought mine from www.yarnaddict.co.uk - Anni designs garments for the well known knitting magazines.

WMS Sketch Challenge 4

2010-06-26T21:31:00.000+01:00

Here is my card for this challenge...I'm sure you all know which sets the stamps come from....the accordian centrepiece was a bit fiddly to make(though ScorPal make the scoring a doddle) but you'd need 4 hands to get it together in the centre.LOL!! Orandie cirles cut with Spellbinders scalloped circles sit over the centre of the accordian embellishment and then two circles of felt in co-ordinating colours and the bee finish it off.

Baby Hanger 2

2010-06-24T21:03:00.000+01:00

Hello - thought I would make a Baby Hanger for those who don't do calligraphy. I've made lots of these in the past and sold them at craft fairs. I chose red just to be different and get away from pink and blue. I would like to make one in 'Certainly Celery' but I don't have any of the right colour of ribbon for that. That's the only SU ink colour I have and I really like it.
First of all I stamped the initials for BABY with a Serendipity Alphabet which I've had for years (it doesn't have to be babyish) with Staz On Blazing Red (I feel there is a hint of pink in it though) on Fabriano Artistico, yes, I'm using it again as it is so smooth for lots of things. Then I cut the squares out with a Spellbinders Classic Square....and I also cut out 4 more squares as well for the backs. In the middle I have used a square of mountboard (matboard if you are in the U.S) to make it sturdy - stick the mountboard to the back of the initialed square - then place these initialled squares on the ribbon and when happy with the placement stick them down with double sided tape. Then on each of the blank squares I stamped the little journaling lines from Waltzingmouse 'Stars' set - I only stamped the lines once on the top and bottom one and doubled that on the 2nd and 3rd ones. Now you could do lots of things to pretty up the 'back' but remember it is going to be written on and white space is also important. Now all that is left to do is to turn down the top of the ribbon and put it through a curtain ring....make some bows for both back and front and you're done! If you want you can make a box and a gift bag to present the gift....you can casually handwrite the baby details if you wish or leave it all for Mother to do...If you write the details I suggest you use the bottom square to say who the gift is from.
Any alphabet can be used with this idea....hmmmmmm watch out on 1st July - Claire is peeking an alphabet/monogram set with what looks like a damask image too...perfect for this gift.

2010-06-20T20:08:00.000+01:00

Peatlands Park is not very far away from us and it educates and encourages retaining the boglands we already have...it is a very good place for a walk, a picnic or barbeque, there is even a little train which will transport you around the site at weekends and Bank Holidays. If you go with children bring your stale bread to feed the ducks on the pond.

Roses in Bloom

2010-06-20T15:18:00.000+01:00

Here's a card with a Waltzingmouse stamp incorporating some cotton lace. Coloured the rose with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink....the ribbon underneath the lace co-ordinates with Victorian Velvet...that old rose colour which is a favourite of mine.

Leisure

2010-06-16T15:26:00.001+01:00

This is the framed manuscript which accompanies yesterday's offering and I understand they hang together. Thank you to Liam who has permitted me to post these. Thanks to Bernie for the photo.

I did already have a scan and the top and bottom were scanned separately due to the size. Thought you might like to see the detail butI also wanted you to see the complete work in the frame. The script is Italic. The tree trunk and fence are cut out of painted cardstock. The 'leaves' are also from painted cardstock painstakingly cut out with curved scissors and pop dotted to sit out in relief....a long and fiddly job! The 'ground' is layers of painted mulberry paper adhered in strips to the background and the raggedy edges left to resemble rough grass.

Advice from Mr Ruskin

2010-06-15T09:55:00.000+01:00

Today I am showing you a piece of calligraphy which was commissioned by a Professional for hanging in his waiting room.

It is a timely piece of advice which those of us who sell our craft should remember when setting our charges. Yes, our head tells us it is right but our hearts don't always agree. How do you set your charges? Do you add up the cost of your materials and then add your time which you have set at $? or £? per hour? Keeping a timesheet is a great thing if you are going to set a charge. It will surprise you sometimes just how long it takes to complete a project.

It was written on smooth watercolour paper, Fabriano Artistico, after I had colour washed the background with a natural sponge. Natural sponges are the best for this kind of sponging...they are so soft they give a great result. Synthetic sponges don't have the same effect at all.I then photocopied some money notes (desperately trying to avoid the numbers on the notes), cut out the £ sign and made the slots in the bottom of the paper to slide the money through.

The Art Gallery I do some lettering for (www.galleryone.co.uk) framed this piece and of course the right frame really compliments any art.

WMS Sketch Challenge

2010-06-09T22:57:00.000+01:00

Here is my card for this challenge.

It has a cream hammer base...the next layer has been stamped around the edges with Faux Fun 'lacy bookmark' (as I call it). Stamped the corners with the point of it, masked them and then stamp the straight sides. Then stamped the little leaf from Faux Vintage Circles in the centre and give them a lift with some diamante. The next layer with the aperture is edged with velvet ribbon (drat one side is crooked). The label is from Stampington's 'Paris' embossed in midnight black powder. The sentiment is from Papertrey Scattered Showers - the only one I could find to fit the space...and finally the silver filigree embellishment replaces a button....a black button looked too dull for this.

My thanks to Bernie for sending me a plethora of photos to choose from. This is the first time I've ever used a sketch...it really does make me think....and when you look at all the cards on display isn't it amazing just how many different cards you can get from one sketch.

A Wee Irish Cottage.....

2010-06-07T12:35:00.000+01:00

When searching through my pictures I came across this one of a display at our Harvest Service - and I'm sure those of you who frequent the WaltzingMouse site will immediately associate this with Claire's little cottage....the display stands on an old hand cart which would have been in use many many years ago, indeed I remember when a child patiently waiting for the post man to come on Christmas morning and hoping he would have a parcel for me on his red painted cart - it was just like this one...there never was a parcel! They'd all been contained in my Grannies big long black stocking which was tied to the bedpost and probably held an orange in the toe, a box of Maltesers (sweets) a pair of Ladybird pj's (they were lovely and warm as they had a fleecy lining) and more than likely there would be a doll my Mother would have made from knitting etc....my older sisters can correct me if I'm wrong.

A Card Sample

2010-06-03T11:00:00.000+01:00

Just thought I would post a card I made possibly last year. It was for a wedding in Spain. It had a neutral base card....then I interwove cream and white ribbon on another layer of card....added a simple bow and wrote their names on more card cut out to fit the frame of the embellishment...think that's an Anna Griffin embellishment. It's a very simple card but it takes quite a lot of time to weave the ribbons and get them into some sort of pleasing form.

A Walk in the Sperrin Mountains

2010-06-01T15:38:00.001+01:00

The weather was great for a walk yesterday - light breeze and some sunshine....Lough Fea is an important resevoir in the Sperrin Mountains and it is a beautiful area. It is about 10 minutes drive from Cookstown where we live....a path has been created around it and it is a popular place to walk. The walk is about 4 km long and there are all sorts of little twists and turns on it to add interest. It also has a weather station there and if you live in the U.K. you will often hear the name 'Lough Fea' mentioned and it's lowish temperatures in the wintertime. Our Grandchildren love to go there and throw stones into the water...there is a small play area and a picnic area too. When we were younger we used to cut turf (peat) around this lake and we used to spend a whole day there bringing our food with us and how good that food and tea tasted after working hard in the fresh air. Nowadays very little turf is cut to protect the bogland. We noticed yesterday that we couldn't hear any larks as they were an almost permanent feature when we were there years ago. It is a very peaceful place and one feels absolutely renewed and refreshed after a walk there. These photos were taken last Autumn.

Memorial Day Tribute

2010-05-31T23:32:00.001+01:00

Today I've been remembering an awesome (and that's what it was) visit to the site where Flight 93 crashed.....the people on this flight deserve to be remembered today as they too served. We don't know just how many lives they saved that day with their heroism....you will not forget them and we will not forget the day we visited there and read all the tributes posted from all corners of the globe.

Holiday Monday

2010-05-31T10:52:00.000+01:00

Hereabouts, like the U.S. it is a holiday, you Americans have Memorial Day and here in the U.K. it is our second - yes second - May Bank Holiday....one at the beginning and one at the end of the month.

Sorry I haven't a card for you today as my card reader is on the blink but I am showing you Whitepark Bay on the North Antrim coast - this is one of the most scenic beaches in Northern Ireland.

Hope you all have a lovely day off - DH and I are off to have a walk around Lough Fea in the Sperrin Mountains...another beautiful place I'll show you sometime.

Can you smell the home baking? Mmmmmm...

2010-05-28T16:59:00.000+01:00

I don't have a baking day, do you? I bake just when it's needed. We like to eat our own wheaten bread and particularly just after it has cooled down - it tastes best when the outside crust is still crispy. I used to layer it with butter and whatever else took my fancy but weight-wise I can no longer do that...Flora Lighter than Light it has to be.

I also baked some date scones, made with buttermilk...you folks across the pond will call them biscuits...and they are moreish - too tempting really. I freeze these as well and when folk call I take them out and wrap them one at a time and give them 20 seconds in the microwave and they are practically ready to butter....if you don't have a microwave you can take them out of the freezer when the folk arrive and split them in two and put a damp cloth or kitchen roll over them and while you are chatting they'll be de-frosting and ready to eat in no time at all!

I also wanted to show you how I used Waltzingmouse Little Box Labels on my containers...cheapo containers and empty coffee jars. I stamped the labels and wrote the contents unto them and then laminated them to keep them pristine...love to see them lined up in the cupboard...I have more than this but don't want to bore you. I'm afraid that's your lot for today.......have a good one for those of you in the U.S. and a great day and holiday weekend to those of you in the U.K. If you are in a traffic jam somewhere on the motorway I pity you......but it will be worth it all when you arrive at your destination! Take care.

Greetings Card

2010-05-26T21:38:00.001+01:00

Just testing!

2010-05-26T18:38:00.000+01:00

This is my first very tentative attempt to set up a blog. I have had so much enjoyment reading other folk's blogs I feel very inadequate in starting this one. I may not be very good at posting every day and I'm not computer literate at all so bear with me while I get used to this!