A Lovely Time in Paris - But Not Like Spring Weather

Tuesday morning saw us setting off for a couple of days in Paris having left our home in the capable hands of one son who is, thankfully, past the 'party" stage.  We were due to meet up with a friend from America for Dinner that evening.  Kim is having a few days in Europe and I hope she is now warmer than she was in Paris because she went on to Rome (her Facebook Photos look as if it is nice weather).

We had a lovely surprise as the friend we stay with when we go to America had sent some money over, with Kim, so that she was actually paying for our meal - isn't that a lovely thought - and a complete surprise.  Thank You!

This is Frank, Nancy and Chas in la Grange on Rue de Mouffetard where we had a lovely meal.

Our last day was the coldest and the wettest so I suggested we rode the Metro for a short while and took some photographs of the interesting Metro Stations.  Here are some of them (well, it is a change from the usual)

Concorde

and a close up

Cluny La Sorbonne

Pont de Neuf

and the weigh machine across the platform

Entrance to Palais Royale

... and for my dear dil a bit of Egyptology

Marie Antoinette

and the most colourful

the Bastille

This one was in relief so I tried to let you see that it was not a flat painting

Didn't get the seventh one which was Abbesses - I think they may have covered the graffiti wall now with pictures - or we tried to exit from the wrong place.  Also, most disappointed that I missed the Arts de Metier station as it is all clad in copper and is based on the writing of Jules Verne.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I did taking them - perhaps it might give you an idea of how to spend a wet hour or two in Paris.  In the meantime you can read all about them here.

WOYWW 363 - Please remember your number

Here I am again, another Wednesday, but I am not here ... I am in Paris!  Well, I will be by the time you read this as I am having to do a scheduled post simply because I do not want to miss a single WOYWW ever.  (Click on link to see what I am on about).  I will do my utmost to comment over the weekend if you comment on mine, promise.

On Saturday last we had a workshop at Vicky Stampers and I so enjoyed myself.  Helen was our tutor for the day and her prep for the class was wonderful.  She was showing us a Paperartsy technique which she and I both love (she taught it to me a while ago) and on her behalf I had asked Leandra if it was ok to do this.

This was my card which I made but I am not too sure about the Sunflower and think I might change it for something a bit simpler.  I have been wanting to use the flower on a card for well over a year but have not found the card for it as yet - and it looks as if I still haven't.

I made several other backgrounds but have still to turn them into cards.  Flying off to Paris to meet a friend for dinner put paid to that and when I get home I cannot see me having time as I still have some prep to do for my Distress Ink workshop in three weeks.

Well, enough woffle, you came to see my desk and here it is a splendid mess that will have to wait until I get home to be tidied. Just as I came in on Saturday and dumped stuff!  Cannot see the other half clearing up whilst I am away either - besides which he would not have a clue where to put things.

swing to the right

This will be clear in a tick!

Well, that is it for this week, hope all is well with you and yours and please give Julia a visit and see all the goodies other folks have on offer.

ps not a single atc started yet - guess I will be flying by the seat of my pants when I get back.

Those Pesky Cats!

Have been busy making sample cards for an upcoming workshop and they are all with the Crazy Birds.  I just felt that it was easier to give them more colour than the cats but then I came across a great saying on Pinterest and just had to make a cat card.

As it was my friend, Wendy's, birthday and she has cats (won't tell you how many or you will think she is a crazy cat lady - no, it's not a HUMONGOUS number) it was going to be perfect to make her a card with this sentiment.  Sorry I cannot now find it on Pinterest so cannot credit the person but if you look you will probably find it, less one or two additions/alterations I went along with to make it my own.

As with my 'bird' cards I used solely Distress Inks for the colouring in and ignored the die for the eyes and used Glossy Accents instead.  Haven't worked out yet why I would want to decoupage an extra tail on the cats so they didn't get used either.  

Hope Wendy likes it, I am sure she will as she has a great sense of humour - and hope it got there in time.  In the meantime will connect to Annies "Smile" on her blog a day late, but had to make sure Wendy got the card first.

WOYWW 362 - Look Who I Met at Port Sunny

Well, here is my desk from the other day (still the same as I have not crafted or put away, maybe piled up a bit more).  As you will see I was very circumspect in my spending but so pleased to see Honey Doo Crafts were there that I had to buy four of their stamps to get a free one (words) - easy with their beautiful flowers and samples.  Then of course, there was Leandra with PaperArtsy - always a crowd puller so I did not get around to her until late afternoon as I could not get a "push in" until then.  Visible Images were there and I so want that "eye" stamp but they had sold out by the time I got looking at stuff.  Still managed to spend a fortune with them and now got to send off for the "eye" - more expense!  To the right you will see two dies that Shaz brought for me - thanks Shaz, it was lovely meeting you and Doug.

Port Sunny (Port Sunlight) was a real good show, I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was the best in years.  Mind you that might have been as a result of my seeing so many friends, especially when some of them were from WOYWW.

At last I got to meet up with Shaz (Silverwolf) and her lovely husband (thanks to Chris (Pearshaped Crafting) who had seen them earlier and took me along to meet them).  Here are the four of us (Chris, Me, Shaz and Doug if you don't know who is who)

Most of the day, well the morning at least, was spent chattering with friends.  It was so good to see so many people I know and it turned out to be one of my favourite Port Sunny days.  Maybe because of the friendships, who knows.  Lovely to see Christine, 2 Karen's, Amanda, Kay, Sylvia, Thommo, Anne, Janet, Linda, Lynne, Jacqui, Carmel, Elizabeth, Wendy - and, of course my lovelies, Helen, Sarah and Lynn (below).  Before anyone asks, Lynn is not wearing a hat, it is a lady stood behind her in a flowery dress with her arm sticking out.

I know there were more people than mentioned but my old addled brain is not working this morning, too early (or too late!)

Here is "mum" from Honey Doo Crafts with some of her lovely flowers - I hope they become regulars at Port Sunny - so many of my friends, as well as me, bought lots from them so I am sure they would be a big attraction again.

As always, it is lovely to see Leandra.  She is so talented, but apart from that I really like her (and Mark)  I was taking this photo and a couple of cheeky folks managed to get on - wonder who they are?  (Not talking of Emma or the lady with glasses on, but the other two ....)

Sorry this has turned into a long post Julia but I had to include some of my favourite people in my blog post.  Just wish now I had done selfie's with every single friend I met as I am sure I have missed someone.

Rightio, pop along to Julia's blog, join in the fun and see what is happening, thinking of you Julia.

WOYWW 361

Nothing to show I am afraid.  We are planning a new kitchen and trying (I am very trying some would say) to 'cull' the current crockery, glassware, cutlery etc etc in the existing one.  Lots when you consider I am sentimental and have things that belonged to my mum, my aunt, his mum and his aunt plus a caravan that was fully equipped.  For some reason this 'culling' has spread to other rooms and books were delivered to the local charity shop this morning, there are boxes with glassware in under my table in the utility room and piles of clothes in the conservatory.  So, no surprise when you see that my desk contains some masks that have been hanging around elsewhere but now are to take their place in my craftroom.

The cream one was bought in Venice (lost its stick), the blue one was one I made at CHA and the gorgeous white one was a gift from Brenda Abdoyan at CHA one year.  She is a very talented lady.

There are also some clay pieces which I had drying (leeching) on a piece of paper because I was thinking the other day that they were air dry clay.  I now realise they want to go in the oven - polymer clay! Doh!

Well, that is it from me for this week - short and sweet like Julia likes it to be.  Pop along to her blog and see what she has to offer and if you leave it until about 10 am you will have a few desks to view.

Next week I hope to bring some pictures of Shaz (Silverwolf) and her gorgeous hubby as we are scheduled to meet up at Port Sunny on Saturday.  Whoo Hoo - can't wait!

Who Would Have Thought It?

It snowed overnight!  Woke to a Winter Wonderland - I kept saying it was like Winter (cold) and now this!

Peering through the window looking at the front drive - first view left, then right - at 7 am.

Back garden - who would have thought it?

I can remember snow on the 1st May around 1967/68 but somehow don't think there was quite as much as this.  Ah well, maybe a barbecue at Christmas ...

WOYWW 360

A full circle!!!  Julia has achieved a full circle today.  Well, if it was degrees we were talking about.

First of all I must say that last week one or two people did not have numbers when they commented on my blog.  Found them all bar one and that made me sad.  I do like to return a comment, so Jen, if you put a number this week I will find you, promise.

Also had a problem with commenting on Gabriele's post (Art-A-Tag).  I did try, honestly, but could not tell where to click onto for comments.  Am sure everyone else knew what to do but I tried lots of things to no avail.  If someone could tell me I will rectify the situation.

Last week several of you were sorry that I had had to throw so many of my paints away.  Hope I did not mislead you too much and yes, it is sad that they had dried up but I can assure you I have lots of paints, too many in fact.  What annoys me is that those paints dried up in a relatively short time compared with some paints I have that have been with me since I first began crafting.  I have some Folk Art paints that I got cheap (probably about £1) years ago because they were old stock then and they are perfectly ok today.

Well, nothing to show you today as I have been gallivanting again - in Wales this time - and my day with Paul netted lots of die cuts with his Seth Apter dies for me to colour up and use.  And Yes, I still have my dirty old mat:

Now for a quick tour of Anglesey starting with Treaddur Bay

South Stack

Holyhead

Cemaes Bay (me)

From our window (Bull Bay)

Persistent Gull at Red Wharf Bay

Red Wharf Bay

Shops at Beaumaris

and the chilli shop which was closed boo hoo

Finally a view across to the main land

Sorry for all the photos Julia - did not take any in Llandudno where we literally bumped into Margaret and John.  Then got hit by hailstones!

If you would like to see some craftiness call back another day but in the meantime look at what Julia and her followers have to offer by clicking here.