WOYWW 744

 Wow, it's hot.  What a surprise this hot weather was.  Was almost expecting a wet day for the wedding on Saturday but the sun shone and my jacket ended in the boot of the car all day.  So glad it was a lovely day for my friend Jayne and her husband Jim, a delightful couple who should be jetting off on their honeymoon today.  

Meanwhile we decided to pay a visit to the coast with the weather proving so hot and I thought I had better take some crafting with me 

Top of the photo is the box that I carried my stuff in and some samples on the top - the top one is one that Jo Rice gave to me, cute isn't it?  You can just see the blue case that holds all my Inktense pencils for colouring.  Now at the base we have the piece I was working on when I took the photo last night, then the moon masks from Lavinia and peeking in are the stamps I took with me for these pieces I wanted to try out.  All from a class with Jo Rice.

There ar two other pieces wo maybe next week you will get to see all three completed.  And one is a "C" card - ooer!  But now I will show you a couple of photos from the wedding.  Fist of all- the beautiful bride

and the two of them

had to include one of the beautiful bridesmaids, Alicia

with her boyfriend Ryan

Must get Jayne to lighten this photo for me when when she gets back from honeymoon and settled into being Mrs Whaley.

In the meantime I will leave it there, hope you all enjoyed the wedding photos, most women like a good wedding photo don't they.  Don't think you  WOYWW'ers are any different and hope you loved seeing the photos.

Despite Saturday being a lovely day with the wedding it was tinged with sadness.  Do you remember my best friend passing on my birthday in March?  Well, I had a missed call from her eldest son whilst at the wedding and when I was on my way home I learnt that her youngest son had passed that morning.  Cleaning his car he didn't feel well so rang his dad who went down and decided to take him to hospital.  Sadly he died in the car on the way.  Geoff was a happy young man (52) who always had a grin on his face and his eyes twinkled when he talked to you,  It's been hard as I've known him since he was a tiny little one and always gone to all the family celebrations.  Cannot believe he is gone.

Sorry for more doom and gloom.

Jeudi Journal - Alone

"Cindy is so excited, all she can think about is the trip she and Wayne are going to make when they get to America.  She has always loved their biking holidays but they missed out last year because they decided they wanted to do 'the big one' and go to America.   This was what they had been saving for over the past two years and she was so excited.

She and Wayne had been seeing one another for the past four years since they were in High School together and she was so sure that he was 'the one'. They had both taken Saturday jobs to help pay for the trip and next week they were flying to Chicago with Virgin airlines.  

Cindy could not wait to go and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was that she would get to see her older sister, Caroline, who had gone to live in Los Angeles and promised she would be waiting at the pier in Santa Monica when they arrived.  Caroline had arranged the hire of a motorbike for them and it would be waiting at the O'Hare when they arrived.

It was five o'clock in the evening as she packed her work station up in the office.

"Hey, you coming for a drink with us?" shouted one of her coworkers.  "We decided to go to Harry's Bar and discuss the Awards Evening and what we were going to wear."

"I'd love to talk, but I'm in a hurry to get home so I can be alone" Cindy shouted back.  "I need to have some time on my own to sort out the final details, it's only a week away and there are lots of things to sort."

"OK" said Sian, "you'll fall in with what we decide then I take it?"

There was no reply.  Cindy had already gone through the door, there was so much to do and besides which Wayne was coming over and they really needed to finalise the plans.  It had only been a little white lie about being alone."

This is the last post for Chris' challenge over on Art Journal Journey and last week Erika gave me the idea of using motor bikes with using them in her challenge.  I knew I had some Route 66 stamps somewhere but I couldn't find them.  Luckily I had some images already stamped and embossed.  A check on what colour gas pumps were in America revealed they were usually black (according to the internet) so I left all my images, except the little Michelin Man, black and white.

Thanks for the challenge Chris.

WOYWW 743

Well, I was just about to show you three cards I have made and suddenly realised that one person who has a birthday this coming Friday alway always, comments on my blog posts so I am having to hold his card back until next week.  

However I am going to my friend Jayne's wedding on Saturday and this is a card I made for her which enclosed a monetary gift from us.  She should have received it, opened it and put the cheque away/exchanged it for currency, by now and let's face it, she won't be going on my blog this week, far too busy.  So here is the gift card (Lavinia style) - the wedding card will have to wait until next week:

I bought this stamp at the show recently especially to do this gift card.  The wings were coloured and then Stickles put on for shine and shimmer, and for the centre of the sparkle from the fairy couple above but the rest of the sparkle was gold pen.

This was a quick card for her son who has just sat his GCSE's and I know she was pleased with his results.  I think I am right in thinking he likes cats and so I thought as he wants to become an accountant a cat studying the books (not cooking them) was appropriate.  It was a photo stamp and these can be tricky to get a good image so I used glossy paper and did a bit of alcohol inking for the backing piece.

So now all you WOYWW'ers and followers and maybe 'about to become WOYWW'ers' here is my desk showing all the messing about I did to try to get some flowers done for Jayne's wedding card.  I failed!  I used to be able to do flowers from cardstock but now I am too rusty (and old apparently) to do a good job so the card has now become 'classy' rather than ornate which would have been up Jayne's street.  Sorry Jayne.  (Glenda, wish you lived next door to me)

There should have been another photo of my table which was a real mess, much like above but mainly flowers of all descriptions, Orchids, Daisies, Sunflowers, Ariana Blooms etc - all white with a bit of sparkle.  Incidentally, I found a roll of what I thought was white sparkly stuff (Frosted Film?) from Tim Holtz and diecut some flowers with it - then discovered it was sticky backed stuff and not what I had thought at all.  Now binned!  Anybody used it and if so what for?

Last week I was in a bit of a 'fuddle' when writing my blogpost because the surgery had put me on a pathway (not explaining what a pathway really was) and uttered a word that we all dread as being a possible outcome.  Well, I went to the hospital last Wednesday and saw a lovely guy who really put me at ease telling me that a camera up my nose was similar to a covid test.  It really was and was over in a tick plus the results were given there and then and I was clear.  Phew!  All that worry for nothing.  It's just the lingering effects of  a serious bout of pneumonia from April which will clear in time.

That's it for this week.

Jeudi Journal - Tomorrow

 "Well, here we are, with two sisters, who are planning their holiday to Scotland.  The weather reports have been off-putting about going abroad with so many countries in Europe suffering from Forest Fires and some parts of America being flooded that the girls decided it was best to stay nearer home.  Ok the weather was not so good but as they intended doing lots of sight seeing it didn't matter.  Besides which they knew of some lovely beaches just outside Edinburgh, their mother had talked about her younger days spent in a place called Portobello and walking up to Musselburgh with her father when she was small.  So if they decided they wanted a beach day there was always there.  And if they went further afield St Andrews was another place mother remembered.

It was the night before the planned trip, several places had been marked out on the map, a book with mileage/directions in it was packed and the girls felt ready.

"What are you wearing to travel in?" enquired Bernadette.

"I didn't see anyone today so I'm wearing this again tomorrow" came Rachel's reply.

"You can't travel all day in something you wore today" 

"Why not?  I didn't get up until well gone past lunch time and I'm going to get in my pyjamas shortly."

"Oh I give up" said Bernadette, adjusting her glasses which had slid down her nose.  "At least I hope you are putting new tights on"

"Of course" replied Rachel, and I will wear more suitable footwear for driving, never could get on with the pedals in my car and my Doc Martins."

"I can see this is going to be a great holiday if you are not taking that many changes of clothing"

"No, I will change daily, it's just I like this dress and wish I had not worn it today so I thought I could get away with it tomorrow.  Besides which mother will be pleased, less washing"

And with that Rachel pranced off to their bedroom to get into her PJ's.  Tomorrow was going to be super - a holiday without parents!"

As you can see I tore a map page up (the only one I could find) to make my background and laid it down with gaps between various parts to indicate some of the roads the girls might take on their holiday.  Having just had a few days in Scotland I really enjoyed thinking of these two off for a trip - and without grown ups!  This now enables me to enter into Art Journal Journey's challenge, set by Chris, which is "Where in the World".

The snarky comment was "I didn't see anyone today so I'm wearing this again tomorrow."

WOYWW 742

 Hope I got the number right - my head is not working at all today - too much on my mind.  It's Tuesday night and I don't want to waken early in the morning so taking an extra tablet.  As you can see my desk is in a bit of a turmoil (like my head) and I have a special card to make as well.

Here is my normal desk

The aftermath of time away and a search for a suitable die to use for a special card which I should have done weeks ago.  It's for a special friend and I am so annoyed with myself that I did not start earlier.  His birthday sort of got in the way and I extended the week of celebrations into two.  Here is my table where I am working.

So cross as one of my boxes for my Lavinia stamps got broken in travelling.  That is it top left.  below it is the card I am working on, suitably covered with a new stamps and that's the other new stamp on the right.  That one covers the wooden stamp I used for the card.  There are my pens brought back from the caravan, a stamp pad and some scissors.  Sum total of this morning's work.

Anyway, we ventured north of the border and had some time in Scotland.  Surprised to see how Gretna Green had changed since we were last there - and we saw four weddings that had taken place in the blacksmith's cottage.                   

This spells LOVE and is composed of locks that people have written their names on and placed on the structure.  It goes around the back as well and, obviously, they sell locks in the shops.  The two 'owd codgers in the photo did NOT put a lock on.

This is the Blacksmith's cottage where marriages take place and above is the piper who stands there most days playing his bagpipes.

That's it for now, see you at Julia's desk later.

Jeudi Journal - Nothing

"Nothing screws up your Friday like realising it's only Tuesday" is the Snarky we have to work with today alongside Chris' Challenge at Art Journal Journey which is "Where in the World" .  Follow the link to see some great samples before entering your own journal page.

"Polly was so looking forward to her holiday in Paris.  It was the 'City of Romance' as far as she was concerned, walking along the Seine hand in hand with a handsome Frenchman was her dream.  She would meet him on the steps of Sacre Coeur - he would be one of the street artists from just around the corner who had followed her as she wandered looking at the beautiful artwork on display.

She had been doing a bit of research in her lunch breaks - all the exciting places came up on her screen and she could not wait to see them.  She and her friend had already booked for an evening show and she was so looking forward to seeing the Mona Lisa in the Louvre although her mother had told her that she really must see the Musee d'Orsay as the building alone was spectacular.

She had sat at her desk, her word processor had been switched off, her drawer tidied, everything was left so that nobody would have to do anything whilst she was away.  Two weeks of heaven with her bestie, Jan.  Their first holiday without parents.  She just could not wait, her bags were packed at home and ready and all she had to do was remember her tickets and passport and they could be off.

Just before leaving the building she decided to give Jan one last ring.  Just to make sure she was ready.  Oh dear - Jan's mother answered the phone.

"Polly, you do realise it is Tuesday today" she said.

"What!" exclaimed Polly.  Silence followed as it dawned upon her.  She was awfully mixed up.  "Nothing screws up your Friday like realising it's only Tuesday" she said to herself.  "I guess I had better switch my machine on again, I've another three days to work."

I painted my page a turquoise colour and then. stamped some images in Nocturne ink on the surface - oops, the ink would not dry so I had to sprinkle some clear embossing powder on them.  I stamped a couple or so on card and stuck them down for a bit of contrast.  To colour or not to colour?  I decided to leave them black and white for contrast.  Hope to see you over at AJJ soon.

WOYWW 741

Another Wednesday and we all meet up again at Julia's to show our desks and generally natter.  Now, for weeks I have been going on about my class at the Club, well it turned into two consecutive classes.  We were let down at the last minute last month and luckily I was ready so stepped in with my decorated tins, Sarah Anderson, style.

Last Saturday was part two of my class (which would have been done in the afternoon last month) when we did something else in the style of Sarah.  I must add that I had approached Sarah for her to do the class originally but she couldn't and she did not mind my taking it and doing her 'thing'.  (Sarah and I go back way over 30 years when we both tutored at Paddy's Place in Whitefield, Manchester.)

I did show you two tins I had decorated in my post of the 12th July but here are some of the other samples (not stuck to tins so use your imagination please) plus a tiny tin I found in my stash and some toppers for it.  Which shall I use?

This one was extended for this last Saturday and had a little Journal Clip inside it which had a little book inside.  Now these Journal Pins (bottom right with a tag sticking out - little book at the top fits in the top of the Journal Clip) are to attach to your journal pages and there is further room for journaling on tags or in the little books that some have tucked in the top.

Here are some more samples - these are like Sarah made

And on researching the internet I found other people doing them - differently again:

This is one using Aall & Create Images - I just had to make this book to go in the top.

So there we are minus the 19 that I gave out to club members.  At last all is revealed and I hope I can stop making them now as I did get carried away.  If you want to know how to make them just drop me a line and we'll work something out.

Just ever so briefly - the birthday last week ended on the Thursday when we took ourselves off to Bowness in Windermere for another Afternoon Tea.

This was very busy with people enjoying the AT but I must admit I did prefer the one at the Lancaster House Hotel.  Sorry WBI.  This one had roasted red pepper soup served in little enamel mugs, fish and chips (my favourite), crispy chicken, pigs in blankets, mini beef sliders, smoked salmon and pickled cucumber, scones with ja and cream, chocolate brownies and lemon meringue pies.  It was served with an alcoholic drink - I had Prosecco and Chas had a bat of beers.  I presume because of the alcohol it was £10 per head more expensive and they did the 10% service charge automatic.  The cakes came home we could not fit them in our full tums.

Now to diet ...

ps I have had to drive down to reception to get internet access as I am at the caravan again - what we do for our blogs!