Middle Ages or Medieval?

Oh Von, this was a difficult one for me to think on.  Being in a rush to get ahead with my design work ('cos I was going to be missing for a month and had to get ahead) I felt I was floundering so I enlisted the help of my other half and took him through my catalogue of stamps that I have.  Page after page I turned and occasionally pounced and said "is this one" but always the reply came back "No". Thankfully I had a couple of  rubber stamps that he thought could fit in with the theme and so I made this card.

The stamp is a huge wooden one (Anna Griffin - All Night Media) and I must have had it for years and years but why I bought it I do not know as it doesn't seem like something I would go out and buy.  Maybe for a swap all those years ago.  Anyway, I stamped it in Black and then used my Distress Inks to colour the image and the surround.  I was very careful not to get the colour beyond where I wanted it but then the border looked lifeless so I pounced some bits of the other colours on.  Honest!  I know you will think I smudged but I didn't.

I bet lots of you lovely people out there on JFF have oodles of ideas which will put me to shame.  He did point one other stamp out for me but as I know it is a difficult one to stamp and it was rather late in the evening I declined.  Wonder how many people will use that image?  Over to Just for Fun now to find out.

WOYWW 138 (and blog candy)

I get so muddled with the time difference between here in California and at home in England that I don't know what day I am really writing for my English friends.  It is Tuesday night here so I reckon it is Wednesday morning there.  Time for WOYWW and a good old snoop around later in the day for me as I will have to go to bed now.  Don't forget to check out my blog candy at the top of the page.  Hopefully some bits and pieces from CHA might find their way into the bag,

Well I have either delighted you or driven you mad with all my holiday photographs so I am now uploading some cards I have been making.  Despite having a massive desk to work on I ended up with this little space - seems the same as where I go.

These two are the remnants of a 1:1 class I had with Mary when I showed her how to use Distress Inks.  The two samples set out as atc size and ended up as toppers on the cards.  You will see they both have the same image - because I could not make my mind up on the background paper.  They both need a word on ie "Chic" or "Stylish" but I can't find one among the zillions of stamps but do know I have them at home.  Again, sorry for the shape - the scanner does not work with this computer so they seem a bit wonky - the pink is the paper I use to stand them up against.

Both have a Distress Ink background which I have then put through an embossing folder (top one spiders web, bottom one script).  The stamp is one which Smart Mary sent to Mary G and is by Rubber Stampede.  The bottom one was black and white patterned paper which I went over with Tea Dye Distress Ink to tone it down a little.

Right all you followers of Ms Julia D - now you have had a snoop at what is on my desk it's time to head over to see what others have been up to.  I can assure you there will be some delights.

Don't forget to tune in next Wednesday, or earlier (like Monday) if I can stay awake long enough and summon up some energy, for a few pics of CHA.

Now What Did I do Saturday?

It is now Sunday evening and I remember what has happened today but what on earth happened yesterday?  Apart from knowing that we watched a couple of films in the early evening I cannot remember where yesterday went.

So on to today.  We had visitors!  First of all Rob and Becky came over to check us out.  I had been messing about on the computer instead of getting dressed so had a late shower and was just in the throes of doing my hair when I saw Becky dash by the bathroom.  No Rob at this time as he was up at his Mom's as she has not been at all well (I have missed little Edie). I decided to look for Chas for some reason and when I went outside (kind of poked my head out of the door) I saw a silver car parked in the driveway.  Checked the numberplate and knew it was not from Rob or Becky's place so peered at it and noticed two people sat in the front seat.  Alarm bells!  We had visitors and I was still in my robe and had green rollers in the top of my hair.

A quick blast with the dryer and I emerged dressed and ready to face whoever it was - it was Carrie and Russ.  Carrie had a laugh with me later about my peering at them with my rollers up.

After they left I settled to do some cards for Mary.  Well, a book - but instead of cutting the papers to make the book I should have been cutting them to make cards.  Oh dear - trouble!  Mary was sure she had some more of the papers but when I went through her stack I didn't find any (and it is a big stack).

So what did I do?  Left them on our bed and took another  different pack and began making some other cards up for her.  She was delighted with what I had done but now I have to recompense her in some way for the boo boo I made.

Pretty cards eh?  Love the shades of green they are in - the pink bit around the sides is just the paper I stood them up against to take photographs.  Sorry but I could not get the scanner to work so just "snapped" them.

Then it was a visit again from Rob and Becky who had come to spend time with "the English" as our stay is drawing to a close.  I do love that family!

So that has been my day. What is happening tomorrow is anyone's guess, Mary is in charge but on Tuesday we are off to Olvera Street and China Town for the remnants of the Chinese New Year.

Ventura and Home

Friday saw us waking up to yet another lovely day despite rain being forecast.  I went down to the beach for a bit of a stroll and had my little zip jacket on over a strappy t-shirt - the former, of which, came off in a hurry, it was so warm in the sun.

To get to the beach from the hotel you have to cross the railway lines and then walk over a long bridge which spans the highway.  As we were getting to the end of the bridge I noticed a tree with GIANT fir cones hanging from it.  Well, Giant ones to what we have in the UK. Had to go and explore:

is that a big cone or what?

took two of them home

We walked along the pier for a short while but then I saw the surfers out in the distance so we turned back and decided to walk along the promenade (not sure what they call it over here).  I could hear some birds calling, squawking in fact, and then looking up saw some big black birds circling a tree and crying out - below them on the tree, part way up the trunk, sat a hawk.  

it was a very tall palm tree

Anyway, on we went to watch the surfers.  Even though the ocean was quite calm they did manage to get some rollers and manage to fall off at times. 

and it would seem I only managed to get the ones who had fallen off although to be honest I do have one other photo where one guy is still standing - too small though -  the joys of having a digi camera with no viewfinder.  In the sun my screen is terrible to try to see.  Sorry.

Me with Spencer proving how warm it was at 9.30 am

We turned back at this point and I had to have a sit down on a bench so whilst sitting there I detected some movement in the rocks below. I could not believe my eyes, were they squirrels?  Yes, a notice on the wall said not to feed the squirrels.

They were much like our British ones but had a sort of speckled coat that had a hint of ginger about it and the tails were much shorter and not so bushy.  As I looked around I saw loads of them, they just kept popping out from under the rocks and bobbing back under and then popping out again.  These two must have thought I had some food with me as they stayed here all the time I was on the seat.

Back to the hotel and off to Filmore.  For some reason I did not see as many of the sights I had originally wanted to photo but look at the inside of this perfume store

Look at all the bottles at the back that are used for mixing the various perfumes.

I so wanted to take a photograph of the Dentist's shop but as I was shooting into the sunlight it has not turned out well at all.  There is a hanging sign which is a tooth to the left of the picture and a really nice sign over the door.  I could have crossed the road to get out of the sun but it was at an intersection and I do not do crossing roads very easily when over here.

I loved this cinema, with its booth at the front for the cashier to sit and take your money and give you the ticket.

Chas went to the railway to look at the old trains they had in there

Whilst Mary and I went to the Antique Shop

Then on the way home we stopped to buy oranges

but no ugly pumpkins today

So that was the end of our trip, next one is Anaheim and CHA and I cannot believe that next weekend we will be there.  Keep your eyes open, I will take as many photos as I can.  In the meantime I think I need to craft!

More Danish America or American Danish

Not sure whether I could not work out how to carry on with a new entry to make it look as if it was one or I fell asleep.  I do know I slept the clock around.  Did I know it had rained (HARD AND HEAVY) during the early hours - NO!  I must have been sound asleep. Anyway, back to Solvang.

 I cannot believe I did not go inside this shop - it has a sale on!

Everything was so tidy and so clean - wherever you went you never saw litter and it was quiet too.  So peaceful.

Chas got chatting to a lady and I joined them - she came originally from Buckinghamshire.  She was telling us how happy she was living in Solvang and what a lovely way of life she now had.  She was telling us how the possums and other animals come up to her patio window and looked in on them.  It was really interesting to hear about her way of life and how different it is now that she has left England.

Two more views down a different street.

All too soon it was time to leave Solvang and head back to Ventura but with a stop at Santa Barbara.  Just before we leave though I will show you this plaque that I took a photograph of

and some of the figures that preceded it

Mary took us to see The Mission when we arrived in Santa Barbara and the sun was just right to give it a golden glow

Isn't that just beautiful?  The 10th of the Califonian Missions it was founded by Franciscan Friar Fermin de Lasuen on the Feast of St Barbara on 4th December 1786.

This is a view of the houses opposite the Mission.  Do you see those peculiar succulents?  They are quite huge and grow up and curl back down again making arch shapes.  These were to be seen all around this area and fascinated me.

It was getting late by the time we left The Mission so we did not stop in Santa Barbara but I managed to take a couple of snaps through the window of the car

Sorry Sam, that's all I got

Next morning, before we set off back for Sylmar and home, Chas and I went down to the beach at Ventura.  Perhaps I will blog that one tomorrow.

Denmark Anyone?

Thursday morning (yes, I am running late with my blogging) saw us heading for Santa Barbara but bypassing it by going further north to a place called Solvang.  (Sunny Meadow)

"Solvang was founded in 1911 by three members of a group of Danish educators whom a year earlier had formed the Danish-American Corp.  Their plan was to form a Danish village where the arts, crafts and customs of their homeland could be created anew and to build and staff a Danish Folk School similar to those which were successful in Denmark.  To begin they purchased 9,000 acres of the old Spanish land grant, Rancho San Carlos de Jonata and Old Mission Santa Inez, which had stood so long by itself on this remote mesa, was to begin seeing great changes with the birth of Solvang."

Having spent a holiday in Denmark many years ago when I was in hospitality courtesy of the Girl Guide/Scout Movement I was particularly eager to see the buildings and what the town had to offer.  It was breathtaking.  The buildings are amazing, the people are lovely and the shops are works of art.  The way they display their wares shows how much pride the people have in their town.

The first place we saw when we parked was this Antique Shop - and what an antique shop it was.  We spent ages inside - it was clock heaven having so many grandfather and grandmother clocks - some of which showed that the movement had come from places such as Blackburn and Preston.

This is the outside of the shop

The entrance above and to your right is the room below

This was a moving scene in a globe

Pity neither of these would fit in my suitcase

Mary & Chas outside The Mole Hole (gift shop)

and one of the displays inside

I could have spent a fortune here

A Courtyard leading to more shops

Looking down one of the streets

and a peek through a doorway

Mary & Chas strolling along

A sock with a difference

  A thatched roof

and a water wheel

Looks as if I have reached my quota for the day of photographs as Blogger won't let me upload any more - I'll try to carry on with another blog entry.  If not I will carry on tomorrow - there's the old Mission at Santa Barbara to show you - beautiful!

Went On A Trip

Yesterday saw us leave Oakridge and make our way west to Ventura. This was to be our third stay at The Vagabond Inn which is Mary's favourite place to stay when she takes a trip to the ocean.

On our way we stopped off to see one of her friends who had a real bad tumble and is now in a nursing home following hospitalisation with a badly broken arm amongst other things. What a lovely lady she is too, and looks nowhere near her 91 years.

On our way to the coast we stopped off at Filmore to have a ride through the town which had some real interesting buildings. I want to go back there and get some photographs.

From there we drove to Santa Paula where we had a walk around. Quite a few of the Walls had paintings on so I had to take some photos.










On then to "Millies" Bistro, again somewhere Mary likes and somewhere we have been before. Last time the tables were bombarded with seagulls outside but this time we were left alone to eat in peace. We had a lovely lunch (I thought mine was best - my salad was full of cranberries, walnuts, strawberries and blue cheese and my sliders were really tasty) and when I went to the loo I fell in love with the washbasins.




Then it was off to the Vagabond to check in and off again in the car to Carpentiera. Chas and I went on to the beach and Chas managed to touch the Pacific Ocean without getting his shoes wet. It was a lovely afternoon and there were families on the beach and people paddling - in January!


Sorry I look so grumpy - only 'cos I am squinting, honestly.



We headed back and I think I was asleep by just gone seven. Guess it was the sea air. tune in for more tomorrow.