Went for a Walk

It was such a beautiful day yesterday that I really wanted to get out of the house.  I could have sat on the patio and had a wonderful time but began to think about DVT and decided I needed some exercise. Where to go?  Why Moses Gate Country Park which is about 4 miles away and needs the car to get us there but then there is a nice walk around the lake.  This is taken looking across the length of it:

I did only plan on walking halfway around but as there are so many benches and it was such a lovely day I decided to carry on and do the full lake.  Was I glad I had.  As we got near enough to the halfway mark we saw this Coot messing about on the edge of the lake:

You can just about see him bottom centre

He was working so hard trying to find bits of dried grasses and things (I missed the best photo by not having the camera ready)

Here he is with a bit of dried grass in his beak

(you'll have to take my word for it)

His Missus patiently waiting on the nest they were building

and him delivering it to her

It was fascinating to watch him, no sooner had he made sure she was ok with what he had brought her than he was off again across the corner of the lake to find something else.  The first time we noticed him he had quite a large piece in his beak, the second time only a bit so for the third trip we witnessed he went off in the opposite direction.  Obviously to find a richer bit of banking.  It was fascinating to watch Nature at work in this way - just wish we had a better camera.  Sorry about the quality.

Forgot to say that when we arrived (this is on the opposite side - we are now halfway around) the grass was littered with feathers (moulting I presume) and "poo" and the number of Swans, Canadian Geese etc was enormous.  At this point it was pretty much the same.

This is another lake (there are four I think -

plus the river)

On the small one at the far side (almost back to where we started from) there were some water lilies but I could not get close enough to take a photo so you will have to make do with these, which are nowhere near as pretty as the normal pink big ones.  Those that had finished flowering had insides very much like the seed heads of poppies.  Whilst I was taking this last photo we heard a "plop" and a tiny fish landed on one of the lily pads and began wiggling about until he finally got back into the water.  He was only a tiddler but the men were fishing for bream, trout, tench and pike.  Wonder how many were caught that day?

Right, I will leave you with a card, so you don't  feel cheated with no crafting on, so here is one I made just before I went in hospital.  I just love these two!

I think the stamp is from Lost Coast and it was stamped over a Distress background.  I then stamped some crackle over two pieces of Mica and affixed them with those brads.  I remember the other day noticing the top brad was not holding the Mica in place so a tiny bit of Glossy Accents did the trick.  It's my Cracked Couple!

Europe on a Tag

It was my turn again to choose the theme and so because it is holiday time I thought it would be appropriate to do something to do with going away on holiday.  I thought about it and decided that it was about time we did a "tag" and that, as most of us holiday abroad, I chose for us to go on a trip to some part of Europe.

Now you can go anywhere you want within Europe, money is no object and the weather can be whatever you want it to be.  You can sightsee, you can loll out on the beach or you can go adventuring - Europe is your oyster.

I started off with a mixture of Italy and France but quickly changed it to a tag with Paris as its main destination.  I just love Paris.  It is such a romantic city and the French language is the language of love, or so they say.  You only have to utter the words "je t'aime" and they come out all sultry and sexy (am I allowed to say that word on here?).

So here is my tag - all hot oranges and yellows with some deep reds mixed in - what a great time I had with my Pan Pastels - with a vista of the famous places of Paris and a face looking wistfully down at the postcard from a loved one ...  I do hope she can join him soon.

I hope you too can jet off somewhere nice in Europe and join us in our quest for a bit of sunshine and a change of scenery.  Please remember to read our guidelines, we do get the occasional entry that cannot go in the final count for a prize and it is such a shame when so much effort has gone into producing such lovely work.

Now where have my friends Sam and Von gone to?

See you over at the Artful Times.  Toodle pip!

More Flowers - Had to Share

I hope this does not seem like bragging or anything but I received some more lovely flowers yesterday and just had to share them.  I never cease to be amazed at the variety of flowers you now get here in the UK (am saying that because anyone over the water - in any direction - probably knows what some of these flowers are).  Me, I haven't a clue but the joy they have given me has been immense.

These flowers are from two friends a good few miles away and when I saw there were no "pink" flowers I should have known who they were from.  "Lime Green and Purple" were the stipulations because one of them knows I love that combination and she is a "Green" person herself.  I just hope I can keep the cellophane on a bit longer and I know I will keep the wired ribbon for always.

Now for some of the individual flowers that I don't know the names of but wish I did - can anyone out there help me?

This reminds me of a Hydrangea but it's too delicate

Whilst this one looks like a rose, but look in the centre, it has two tiny yellow balls in and there are several unopened heads on the one stem.  I know that is a Lily it is next to.

Is this tall flower a Stock?  And what is the name of that teasel looking flower?

In the flowers I showed in yesterday's posting was this lilac one.

and these lilac ones - are they called Bottlebrush (if not I don't know where I got the name from) - and what are the smaller blue ones?

Last but certainly not least I will show you this "cabbage" flower that was in the ones my son brought me

and finally a view of the fireplace in the lounge where I sit most of the time

The ones in the forefront are from Andy and the ones to the right were waiting for me from Chas when he brought me home - he knows I like flowers.

Sorry I have given you overload but I did want to share them with you all and also see if anyone can name the 'mystery ones to me'.  Now to upload a card I did before I went in hospital so I could do a posting when I got home.  It's one of the images from when I went on the Pan Pastel Workshop with Lorraine, Sam and Maz

Wonky mounting as usual but

I (Heart) You

WOYWW

Well I am home and didn't think I would be doing this this week but here I am.  A little sore so typing is not an easy option - Julia, this will be short and sweet for once.

Here's my desk as I left it when I went in hospital - ready for my return

A plastic box with some crayons, Gelatos, Pan Pastel book (only 'cos there are some images in to colour), and some pieces of stamped fabric to the left.  Some already stamped and trimmed images for turning into tags, cards, etc, a couple of cards ready to upload and in the forefront some fabby fabric pieces from my friend Annie.

Now to a bit of staging - had to share these gorgeous flowers that arrived last night, not long after I had got home.  They are from a very very dear friend of mine and I love them.

They won't last for ever but these photographs will, and what a reminder of a friendship that I treasure.

Now pop off to see ms Julia and follow the links of the other wonderful folks who have some interesting desks to show you this fine morning (fine in that I am home but not weatherwise - dull and rainy AGAIN!).  BUT before you go - thank you for all the lovely messages wishing me well and promises of thoughts and prayers for my op - meant, and still means, a lot.  Pacemaker now, hopefully charged and working.

Twinchies

Yesterday it was Inchies and now today (thanks to the Hatters) it is Twinchies.  After I had done my post yesterday I went on to Out of a Hat Creations and there was the new Challenge - Twinchies.  At first I thought of using a piece of Stampbord and making a top for a 2" x 2" box but then I remembered I might have some dominoes - double sized - and sure enough, I had two of them - a quick measure - yes 2" square.

I wanted a little box to put my jewellery in so that Chas could bring it to me later today and the idea was born.  Here is my little box - well the top of it anyway, with the other game piece by its side so you know what I am talking about.

First of all I prepped my gamepiece (not sure what it is called) by giving it a quick rub with a sanding block to give it some tooth for the stamping.  Then I placed it  on top of a ready inked (Stazon) rubber stamp and pressed down.  A careful lift up and the image was there.  A quick dry with the heat gun, a little bit of red and green pencil crayon on and a coat of Glossy Accents and it was ready - well waiting to set first of all.

Then I got on with the box.  I have loads of these left over from when I once did some Stampbord ones for a workshop.  A coat of Fresco Chalk Acrylic in Butternut, one of Crackle and then one of Smoked Paprika and I had lovely crackled sides to my box.  You can just see the colour peeking out in the photograph.

And my rings and things fit in nicely - I can see this being useful to take on holidays as well - just for the odd bit of costume jewellery I might take along.  That is if we ever get any decent weather!!!

Me and My Inchies

What a lovely challenge there is on the Less is More blog this time - you have to use three of something.  Well, as soon as I saw it I thought "three inchies!" and promptly got my stamps out.  I have quite a few that would do for inchies but chose the three little girls from Crafty Individuals this time.

I first of all cut myself some mountboard (remember I like to do my inchies on a good substantial card), dusted it with my anti-stat pad and stamped and embossed with Archival Black Ink.

I then played around with the placement of the inchies and finally decided to do them with the corners touching.  I was tempted to stamp a simple greeting but decided against it.  You know I do enjoy doing LIM cards and I should join in more often than I do.  My kind of thing!

I was sorely tempted to do another one but didn't have the time so will have to leave it at this one.  There are some beautiful samples from the DT and some lovely cards that have already been uploaded.  Why not pop over and have a peep.

Layers

Decided to do a couple of Challenges and the first one is for here where the challenge is to use layers and the second one here where the challenge is to do what you most like.

I bought these stamps from Ali Craft a while ago and hadn't used them so wanted to try them out.  Sorry I have no idea whose stamps they are as I threw the packaging away before noting anything (DOH)!

To begin with I cut a large piece of white cardstock and used my favourite inks - Distress (had to be if you know me - so much of what I do is with Distress Inks - that is why I am also entering this into the SirStampalot Challenge because I truly believe Distress Inks are my Passion) and then using a stencil I misted the sheet.  I don't think I have posted this technique before but I made a tag a while ago and loved the effect.  

Next I distressed various pieces of white card and stamped with Archival Black on them, mounted them on black card and placed them on the main background.  (Notice the curve to the image on the left - happy accident - the card had obviously been used to cut a shape from previously and I liked it.)  I chose the words from my massive stash of word stamps and then decided to do a "curl" edge to it even though it obliterated most of the background.  This was stamped on a small piece of Distressed card then another layered on top with the cross cuts which were curled back and then the whole was layered on black card.

A strip of lace at the base and the whole card mounted on a cream background and that was it.  I do hope you like it and you try that background, it's quick and easy - especially if you love Distress Inks as much as I do.  Now to link myself to the Simon Says Stamp and Show Blog - number 186 if I get there quickly and number 111 for Sir Stamaplot Challenge Blog!!

I strongly urge you to go and look at the samples on both of these Challenge Blogs - some super work there - and amongst the contestants too.