AWOL

Thank goodness for scheduling as I have been away for a short trip and with the help of blogger and a friend (Jo) I was able to keep going on my blog for a couple of entries.

We went over to Ireland to see some of Chas' relations, notably his auntie Kay who will be 90 next month.  We flew over and spent the first day with Catherine and auntie Kay catching up on all the news before making our way to the Guest House, close to Templeogue, where we had booked in.

One of the things I wanted to do was to visit the Japanese Gardens I had once read about and when we went there I was certainly not disappointed.  Chas opted for us to follow the trail depicted by the story in  the handout  - which I found rather difficult at times.

The story begins with the pilgrim  entering the garden through the Gate of Oblivion.  The Cave of Birth symbolises life's beginning. Within the cave (like a tunnel)the  he goes up the Hill of Learning. Coming down the hill he has choices and by following the rugged path of adventure he comes to the Parting of the Ways.

Here he has three choices, the smooth path of carefree life, the narrow path of bachelorhood or the stepping stones of exploration leading across the water to wedded life.  he chooses the latter and arrives at the Island of Joy and Wonder.  Here he meets his future wife and joins her at the Engagement Bridge.  Together they come to the symbolic table of the prenuptial feast before crossing the Marriage Bridge where they take the Honeymoon Path which is a much wider path enabling them to walk side by side.,  However, they meet an obstruction in the path and part company for a while but are soon reunited to climb the hill of ambition.  They now see the well of wisdom from which to drink but they way is hard and they suffer a disappointment finding themselves separated from it by water which they cannot cross.  Quarrels and disappointments are at hand, diverging paths up and down but they again become united and ascend together to the summit of the Hill of Ambition.  

Now in their declining years they descend together and pause at the waterfall to pray to the gods.  Crossing the bridge they reach the Tea House and the miniature village before arriving at the Well of Wisdom where they wish for enlightenment before crossing the Bridge of Life to the Garden of Peace and Contentment.  Here life is easier and they progress until they reach the hill or mourning.  With his wife seated in peace and comfort on the Chair of old Age he traces his faltering steps to the Hill of Mourning where he is laid to rest surrounded by weeping trees.  His soul then passes through the Gateway to Eternity and the story ends.

After leaving the Japanese Gardens we went for a drink and a piece of Rocky Road (yes, got Chas addicted to the sweet stuff) and it came on raining so everyone came running inside.  Then when it stopped we went on to St Fiachra's Garden.

And on to the Stud Farm

And the Museum

Shock as you walked round the corner

So that was our day out at the Irish national Stud - finishing off with a visit to see cousin Mary and then a hearty Irish Meal in the evening.  Perhaps I will have time to upload a few more photographs tomorrow.

Something, Anything, All Things Tim

I presumed by this that Sam, who had chosen the theme for this week, meant that our work had to be reflecting the ideas and materials of Sir Tim Holtz.  I really struggled with this one as I realised that despite my spending I have lots of gaps in my collection of TH rubber stamps.  Lots of Ideology stuff, got three of his paper stacks, several dies but nothing that would work together that I hadn't done previously.

Chatting with my friend Jayne (about something totally different as I cannot divulge what is up ahead for challenges) she reminded me that she had bought me the small birdcage and bird die for my birthday.  Oops!  So out it came and got used (first time) along with the bigger one.  What next?

Eventually sat down with my stamps, stamped on a prepared tag (Distress Ink, wet, crumple, iron) with three stamps, turned the base up, added two gussets and there I had it - an ATC holder.  Then I used utee on the cage and on the bird, attached one to the other, a bit of chain, a small safety pin and it was complete.

Just made three ATC's, using TH stamps, to show how it can be used.

Here it is all packed up and ready to go for swapping:

And here it is with the ATC's taken out so you can see the stamping on the holder.  Hope you like it and think of making one for yourself.

WOYWW 105 - Going Steam Punky

Think I have the number right.  Well, after all the excitement of last week, with the Pif's, chaos reigns in my little inner sanctum.

As you can see I have been busy finishing off another stamping and printing article first started at Vicky Stampers on Saturday.  You can also see that I have not much room as I have so much stuff out that my work area is going down and down.  And what is that I spy on the floor?  Oops!  All those papers on the right are awaiting filing - a job I hate.  Not so bad if I had a filing cabinet with pockets for it all but I haven't and have no room for one either,.

This is the view of my bit of counter to the left of me.  A box full of stamps and a box full of fabric paints.  The grey boxes that take up most of my counter space mainly contain mounted stamps.  And they go up and up to the ceiling.

This is to the right - lots of foam which I have been cutting for my stamping blocks.  A bit of an untidy mess and my cleaning cloths are on the floor I see.  Gosh I can be a messy me.

My dear friend Jo made us some aprons to stamp on (she really is a workaholic - cannot sit still and does either crocheting or knitting when travelling in the car - not driving I might add) so I decided to have a waist one.  That is it in the first photograph.  It still is not finished because I have been waiting for some stamps to arrive from America but here are some views of it. 

These are the images on the pockets

These were too large to stamp on the day so I had to wait until I got home and cut myself some big big blocks to take the stamps.

These are charms stitched onto the blocks to create a different look in places.  There are still some blocks awaiting stamping.

And these are the ones on the sides

In the first panel I have sewn a cog, a butterfly (from Primarni ear-rings) and a fan charm - these are the blocks awaiting the new stamps.

I linked the two Invoke tags with a bit of chain and added a key to the blocks in the last photograph.  

Well, that took a bit longer than usual so I will leave it there or you will all get bored.  Enjoy your snoop around Julia's blog, The Stamping Ground, and enjoy a cuppa whilst you do so.  You never know there could be some pictures of Pif's received.  Mine had to go to Singapore so it could take a while.  I will upload when it is received.

 Toodle Pip!

Bespoke T-Shirts

What fun we had yesterday at Vicky Stampers.  Lynne was taking the class and doing her t-shirt printing which she had done previously at a Stamp Camp and which we all were pestering her to do with us.  At last I have a "Time" T-shirt and despite my being so slow whilst it was a "work in progress" I am chuffed to little mint balls with the finished article.  The only problem is knowing when to finish because it is such fun doing it.  Now I am wondering whether to put something on the bottom corner and whether to put something on the back!

Time will tell (sorry not meant as a pun).

The white heart is the label inside the back

This is my "Time" t-shirt using Lumieres (Gold, Silver, Bronze) and Dylon Black for stamping with.

Whose stamps have I used?

Just had to be Paperartsy!

Although there is an odd one from another source sneaked in

And now I have added a bit of chain to my large watch (Elusive Images) and would have added a watch charm in places but can I find them - can I heck!  Not in my box of charms - maybe with my Halloween in Wonderland tags - maybe all my lost items are in Wonderland!.

Not bad for a £2.50 t-shirt from Primarni is it?

Thanks Lynne - you are a star!  Fab workshop as always!

If you live within travelling distance of Warrington (Padgate to be exact) and would like to join a fun loving band of crafters on the first Saturday of each month for workshops, fun and friendship just email me for details.  You would be most welcome.

Do You Remember?

Just to give your memories a little shake up I have a question for you.  Do you remember Elements 2 which I should have been doing with Paddy in Prestwich?  It was way back in April but I was taken into hospital and they wouldn't let me out for the event on the Saturday.

Well, I still have not completed my piece and so today I went up to see Paddy (by the way she is closing down, retiring from running a shop but still hoping to do Elements 3 in the Autumn) to see what I had to do and pick up my various bits and pieces that had been left with her.

It will be a couple of weeks before I get mine finished as I have other commitments on but whilst at the shop I got to see both Paddy's, Rita's and Jackie's.  Do you want to see them?  I have permission from Paddy.

Paddy's

Rita's

and last, but certainly not least Jackie's

I will try to talk you through them - the top section is a frame covered in metal which has been embossed and coloured.  Behind it is a piece of painted and stamped material to which we added embroidery/beads/buttons - what ever took our fancy.

Underneath is a large panel of the same coloured/stamped material with needlefelted pockets on.  Inside these pockets we were encouraged to add something, say, a needlefelted book.  Finally to finish off there is a tassel with a clay cone for the top and beads making the dangly bit above the cone.  There should have been other beads attached in various places on the artwork but I don't recall seeing them on any of the three pieces.  Guess you will have to wait for mine to be finished.

I must admit I am itching to get on with it but as I said I have too many other things on at the moment but hopefully can get started shortly.

Watch this space.......

If any of you are near Prestwich in the next couple of weeks Paddy is selling her stock at 25% off and it will go to 50% on certain items.  If you want to ring her to find out where the shop is (it is in Butterstile Lane) or for any information her number is 0161 7985115.

I Spy ...

... "with my little eye" is the title of the Challenge over on Just for Fun this week and is the brain child of our lovely Von.  Must confess, when I saw the samples the other members of the DT had done I threw a bit of a wobbler.  Have you checked them out?  They are super, they have excelled themselves this week and I felt a tad inadequate.

I have been covering an old mirror (in my head - the thought not the mirror LOL) for the past hmm hmm years and not got around to it as yet apart from one tile which is of an Egyptian head.  So I thought I might do another tile for the mirror and came up with the idea of using the eye of Ra.  Here it is:

Used Premo clay and found it a dream to work with - think this might be my new favourite - and rolled out a flat background piece in Gold. Made a mark with the side of my cutting blade along the base and attached tiny squares of different colours.  Then I rolled out the blue pieces and constructed the eye.  The white piece had to be cut to fit, as did the yellow piece which is stamped into with a crackle stamp, and the blue coils laid on top.

The whole has now been baked and is ready to put on my mirror which is probably not going to end up anything Egyptian at all but a mix of all kinds of things.  Maybe it will get done in a few years time!

WOYWW - PIF

Well, at last the anniversary has arrived - Congratulations Julia - two years and so so successful.  Happy Anniversary Julia and The Stamping Ground.

As for my desk - well there's really nothing to see.  I have been busy mounting some um's this week and have not been all that creative. Saying that I am in a mad hig as I cannot find the tags I cut out and mounted on black card for my Halloween in Wonderland House that I started.  Now I guess I will have to go and buy some more papers.

So I decided to leave you with a picture of what I received from Jude - just as a gift - who was a lucky lady?

Anyway, bring out the paper hats, the blowers and the party cakes and jellies - it is time to celebrate!  Happy WOYWW Folks!

Yes, I posted my PIF - with pictures - then looking at other blogs realised I shouldn't have so have had to do a quick Edit with a lot of deletion.  Then I posted my link and got #13 and forgot to put an asterisk against my name so panicked and posted again and became #14 which quickly changed to #15 next time I looked.


I am going back to bed!