Making Cards

Sounds like a British magazine doesn't it?  Jo and Carol arrived last night so this morning it was a stamping day that unfolded - shame really as it was a lovely sunny day with very little breeze.  Did get to sit out on the swing with Carol for a short while early on though.

BJ and George arrived after lunch and BJ joined in the card making whilst George surfed the net.  Mary had seen something where there was a young soldier in hospital and so she asked us all to make him a card - here is mine:

Remember these are photos - not scans - so they might look a little wonky.

When we get back from CHA Mary and I have to get ready for a workshop so I decided to make some samples in readiness for this event.  Mary had seen some techniques for colouring in a Hero Arts flower by Jennifer McGuire so we watched the demo and then I set to and made some sample cards:

This one is the technique she showed where you put Distress Ink on an acrylic block, spritz it and then smoosh it over the image.  Try it! Incidentally I put some Diamond Dust over the top flower.

This was the technique with the Prisma pencils.  First you colour in with them and then you use Ultraclean over the top with a paper stump to blend the three colours you have used.

This last one is where you just smoosh Distress Inks over the whole flower and then I used water to take some of the colour out of the back petals.

Those are the techniques shown by Jennifer McGuire so when I had finished those and added a sentiment I made a card for myself. Rather liked this one which is similar to one I had seen at Mary's done by Cath Wilson a while ago.

Think I might do another like this

But it will be another day as we are off with BJ and George for an Italian Meal (George's favourite) as they go on to San Francisco tomorrow.

Getting Ready for CHA

Yesterday I spent some time getting my supplies ready for CHA - can't believe we go on Friday morning (as in 'early') and I have classes that day.  Just found out I have one at 8 am but I don't think I am going to make that one - the others would kill me if we had to set off for me to make it.

Today I have been doing some labels for Mary - got her to give me some prices of things and have labelled all the inks and things in that room that you have not seen yet (photos on WOYWW next time).  Then I made another sample for Mary for her workshop.  She is doing one of those books made from a single paper so, as I have done them at home, I was quickly able to do one - just have the tags to make now.  For some reason I decided to do one that would be "sweet" and so I chose pink.

This is so different from the two I made for Vicky Stampers.  I used my favourite butterfly dies from Stampin Up.

Now I just have the tags to make to go inside - not putting atc's in like I did with my own as it takes too long and I want an hour or so outside with my book before I begin to prepare dinner.  Jo and Caz are arriving around 6.30 tonight so Mary and Chas are going to pick them up whilst I make a meal.

Computer Went Kaaput!

Sorry I was not able to blog our trip to Olvera Street on Saturday.  It was great - and we managed to fit in China Town as well.

This is the train we went on from San Fernando/Sylmar to Union Street Station

It was a double decker - well I think there were actually three floors in a way because we had to go upstairs on the way back and there was still another upstairs.  Anyway, it was a great train ride, smooth, comfortable and they even had carpets on the floor.  When we were leaving Union Street to go back the driver was a real wit and had us all laughing at some of the things he said.  Anyway, this is Union Street Station

Can you see the seats?

It felt like I was stepping onto the set of an old movie.  I just loved the way the seats were and everything about it had that kind of "Pullman" feeling (does that sound right?)  It was sort of 'elegant' and they had a lovely restaurant at the far end which also had a cordoned off area outside and had traditional waiter service - I could have sat there for a lot longer than Chas would have liked.

This was looking down Olvera Street, notice the three guys on the left of the picture - they were singing and strumming guitars when we arrived and when we left they were there too.  I had a bit of a spend at some of the stalls and one that fascinated me was this one full of leather footwear.

Every size imaginable

Now one or two of you have commented about my seeming to be eating a lot (you are right) and we stopped and had enchiladas at one of the stands - delicious!  And you got serenaded too!

This is the oldest surviving house in LA - and I guess this tree is pretty old too - I just loved how it was twisted and gnarled - so textural.

After spending some considerable time there we went via the Dash to Chinatown.  That was good too.  Some great Palaza's with loads of stalls and shops.  I think I would really need a full day there to do it justice.  One of the big supermarkets we went into had Fish Maw on sale (don't know what it is) at $399 per lb.  Yep, no full stops in the figure.

That's it bottom left

If you click on the picture to get it to open bigger you will see that all the food is quite expensive to buy - look at these (are they mushrooms?).  They are pretty expensive too.

So all in all a busy day.  No crafting to show you as today has been so hot I just sat and read with having no computer (Chas, bless him, got it fixed tonight after working on it most of the day).  Tonight I met some of Mary's friends, George and BJ so we had a good evening with lots of laughter.  Maybe a bit of crafting tomorrow?  Anyway, for those who asked - here is the Vagabond - Tim Holtz' die cutting machine

 Open

Closed - the suitcase look

Grand Calibre in the background

Guess This Will Be Friday

Wednesday we went down to Michaels to see what we could get with our 40% coupons.  Mary did not use hers and I bought a MS punch to use mine up.  What is this compulsive spending?  Chas sat in the car and read his Kindle, listened to some music and had a sleep - shows how long we were shopping.  Prior to that we had been in Target where I got a terrific bargain - two mascara's for $9.99 on special.

The only way we got Chas to come with us was that our first stop was the Home Town Buffet.  This has to be one of his favourite eating places.  It was every bit as good as the last time we were there and the staff and management are so nice - nothing is too much trouble.  Can't begin to tell you what I had but the chocolate fudge (yes sweeties) I found on the dessert counter remains in my mind - and on my hips, tum and everywhere else.

Been another nice day today (Thursday 7.30 pm here) but with winds gusting up to 65 mph so a bit of a stay in day and do some crafting. Mind you the China Town Buffet down the road did call us magically for our lunch, so not much got done really - apart from some washing.  When we got back I made a tri-shutter card, probably not the images Mary intended me using but I stuck to my Asian theme and used that lovely image once more.

The other images are Stamping Up - two sets - and I stamped with Memento Black and London Fog and then put a touch of pink Copic on the two long images.  I left the others plain.

I won't be doing another one at the moment as we are off to Olvera Street tomorrow - going on the train if we can find the station.  Perhaps I will finish my little book off on Saturday, we will just have to wait and see.

Thanks for keeping in touch whilst I am over here.

WOYWW - Wait Till You See This

Hi Everyone - It's now just gone 4 in the afternoon so I reckon it is Wednesday over in the UK and time to upload my latest peeks at my workdesk.  Not really mine is it, it's that of my friend, Mary, but I am working on it at the moment.  Nothing new to show you but am sure you will just enjoy seeing the area.  Here is a longer shot than last week - last week was just a tease as I had only just arrived.  Ready all you WOYWW'ers - faithful followers of our Guru, Julia?

That's where I am working at the moment.  If you click on the picture you will get a bigger view and I am using the chair in the foreground (you can see the orange scissors).

I can hear you all crying "Where are the pictures of the diecutting room" as promised last week - well look no further:

Yes those baskets contain dies

What about this Grande Mark?  And Mary's baby - the Big Shot! There's no Vagabond - well, that is residing along with the Grand Calibur up in Mary's retreat and I forgot to take photographs of them.  Will amend another day.

Hope you have enjoyed the snoop and just to make my friends back home green here is a picture of me this morning taking in a little of the Californian sunshine.  Only kidding, I am longing for a bit of rain already.

Toodle Pip for now!

Sunset

There is no calendar on this laptop so I am not sure what day it is - think it is Tuesday which means it is a week since we left England. Anyway, it is morning and again the sun is shining.  On Sunday evening when we were going to pick Edie up to go to the Birthday Party there were the most beautiful skies.  It was strange as we drove around the Park how we got different looks from the sky.  Here is a photograph of it outside Edie's house.

As we drove further round the orange changed to a pinkish colour and then further round the blue sky looked as if it was lit up.  It really was beautiful and a sight I hope I see again.

Yesterday we had people calling throughout the morning and in the afternoon we drove up to Santa Clarita to Walmarts and Sams.  One of the reasons for this trip was to satisfy my craving for the $1.50 Hot Dog Combo they serve in Sams.  Delicious!

Mary drove us to a new retail park and we went to the Golden Spoon for frozen yoghurt - absolutely bloomin' gorgeous.  I didn't want one at first but Mary got an extra spoon and once I had tasted it I had to have one.  That's another thing now on my list of "must do's" when I am in America.

When we got back I just made a couple of cards with a Stamping Up set I found that I particularly liked.  Think I might try this set again and do something a bit more with the images.  Here are my plain ones.

For some reason I cannot get the scanner to work so have to photograph the cards - apologies for the quality. The top one I used the cut out part of an oval to pounce through with Victorian Velvet DI and then stamped the image and coloured her in with Copics.  The second I used the actual oval and edged it with Tumbled Glass DI.

Maybe more tomorrow.

Today was Birthday Brunch

It's Sunday here in the "States (it was Saturday when I wrote my last blog but it came up Sunday so I want to set the record straight for today) and we were invited to a Birthday Brunch.

At 11 am we met David and his family at the 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant for Brunch to celebrate his son, Robert's, 14th Birthday. There were 13 of us altogether and we sat down at a huge table where the adults were served champagne.  Then it was time to eat! Oh my Goodness what a lot of food.  The choice was enormous - and so absolutely delicious.  I can't begin to tell you what I had but Kim got me to try some Sushi.

In the background is the Meat Station

This is Matthew and Robert

Because my British head said Brunch was breakfast I began with a slice of bacon and a sausage with Eggs Benedict but on my second trip I spied the seafood and that was it.  The Seafood Salad was to die for.  Just realised I didn't have any mussels and I love musssels. Ouch!

I hardly had room for any of the sweet things (couldn't manage the chocolate fountain) but I did manage a huge piece of chocolate gateau and another chocolate concoction which I shared with Chas.

The buffets in America are something else never been to any as good as these at home.

This is the back of the restaurant, overlooking Van Nuys airfield.  David, Robert, Vicky, Heather and Patrick are stood at the back.

David and family left early as they wanted to get back and organise Robert's party - yes, we are off for more eats tonight over to their home.  Those of us who were left stood outside in the lovely warm sunshine (showing off to my friends at home - sorree).

Mary, Edie, Chas, Becky & Rob

Outside the front entrance

And I went off for some silly photos:

Couldn't resist this one with the number plate

Rob (Livingood)

Got back to Mary's and felt so full I could have gone to sleep but instead I finished off a couple of diecut cards so I could blog.

These should be made with the Scalloped circles but I used Lacey Circles because they were to hand.

• Just cut one big one, one next size and two next size.
• Fold largest circle in half and then with the straight edge fold it down to the scallops to the bottom centre.  Fold the other side to meet (you will notice that the navy one does not meet - that is because it is the wrong number of scallops but I don't think that matters.
• Do the same with the next two sizes leaving one small circle unfolded.
• With the final small circle fold in half and then fold to about two thirds of the way across and then fold the other side over - this makes the bodice.
• Cut the point off the smallest circle for the dress and attach the bodice behind with a glue dot.  Attach the rest of the circles to form the skirt.

I just put a piece of white ribbon for the waist band and attached it to an embossed circle.  The sample we saw had a coathanger fashioned from wire on it but Mary cannot find her wire.  Maybe later!

Now for the envious part - I have been having a great diecutting time - why?  Because MARY HAS A VAGABOND - and I am so sold.

I don't want one - I NEED ONE!