Clair's Thursday ...

...workshop this week - foiling.  I've done gilding before but not foiling.  As it turns out there's not a lot of difference except the foil isn't as delicate as gilding sheets or flakes which makes it 'cleaner' to use.  No chasing bits of fine pieces as it doesn't need cleaning and burnishing like gilding sheets or flakes do.  We used WOW products for the foiling - a bonding powder and the sheets.  The bonding powder is used like embossing powder.  The image stamped with versamark, the powder sprinkled on and then it's heat set until it looks 'plasticky' and has a sort of shimmer to it.  The foil sheet is then laid over, sandwiched between a couple of sheets of copy paper and fed through a laminator to reheat the bonding powder and make it sticky enough for the foil to stick to (I wonder if an hot iron would work as well???).  It's then allowed to cool for a while and, when completely cold, the sheet is lifted off, leaving the image foiled and the residue is left on the sheet for use on something else.

My thoughts on this are that a) the bonding powder may not be necessary and b) if it's not then the laminator probably isn't either (or iron).  My thinking is that any glue, left to go 'tacky', would have the same effect so you could stamp an image and then, possibly using a glue pen, put the glue where you want the foil, allow to go tacky as opposed to wet and then use the foil - pretty much as you do to gild things.  Probably the bonding powder and laminator would be better if the image being used was a solid one but a glue pen would be better for highlights.  How about triple stamped flowers .... either highlight or do one of the layers with bonding powder ..... ??? Lots of potential methinks.  Not sure I'd be too interested in doing sentiments, although that's a possibility.

Anyways ... my card from the workshop.  Pretty obvious what was foiled. Sentiment was stamped in black versafine and then clear embossing powder was used.  The only embossing powder ever really needed if truth be told - if you've lots of different ink colours.  Possibly a clear sparkly one as well for when a touch of sparkle may be needed but then a touch of glitter sprinkled on could work just as well.

Greeting stamp was from MFT Chalkboard Greetings set.  The 'leaves' are supposed to be feathers but think they actually make better leaves - WOW Flights of Fancy.  A leaf die, 8x8 texture embossing folder and a 6x6 frame embossing folder was also used.

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Just back from ...

... a week away with the OH.  We went on a Haven holiday in Norfolk, staying in a caravan.  Not an area we've visited before and can't say as we've visited much of it now although we did visit a few attractions.  What we've seen of the area has been mainly by getting from a to b.  We did do a day in Great Yarmouth but I'll go into it all in a bit more depth when I've sorted some photos out.  Still managed to take a fair few of them - ROFL!

The day before we went away there was another Clair workshop *grin*  I loved the card we made this time round.  I adapted it slightly from the planned one but not by much.  We did a bit of distressing.  Funny how I never used to like the distressed look and now I love it and doing it.  Clair had designed the card with wide, lime'ish green grosgrain ribbon as an embellishment.  I wasn't so keen on the green as it didn't tie in with anything on the rest of the card.  I was wearing a navy sweater that had hanging ribbon ... well, not for long did it 'cos I cut it off to use on the card *LOL*

The butterfly stamps were a Papermania Urban collection stamp set - 3 butterflies on the stamp, coloured with distress inks and fussy cut.  The script background was a retired Stampin' Up one.  The other stamps were JustRite and dies were matching Spellbinders label dies of various types..  Cardstock was Stampin' Up.  Not obvious in the photos but the butterfly wings were coated in Wink of Stella.

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I've been to ...

... a couple of different card workshops recently.  One was an all day one from which I've still to photograph the cards.  Mainly 'cos I messed one up when I got it home and I've not yet put it right.  Really need to sort that out and get them done.

The other one has been with a lady I've known a while but saw very little of.  She does several workshops a month but that's because they're in her home and she is very restricted on space so can only take 4 people at a time.  I managed to get in on the first one I did because I took somebody else's place who couldn't go.  We played with brushos and other media to make backgrounds.  We also decorated glass block money boxes.  I've yet to photograph my glass block as I want to decorate it a tad more and I haven't made anything with my backgrounds but .... I've since done another workshop with her and we made 3 cards.  Well, we actually made 2 and prepped the 3rd so it had to be finished at home. They're mainly Stampin Up dies and folders although the greeting dies may not be.  A lovely afternoon and really liked what we came away with.

Paper pieced that face, hat, specs and background

Heat embossing.  Star is a die with red card background and glimmer paper filigree.

That SU pine thinlets set again ..... cable embossing folder and SU bow punch.

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Last workshop ...

... with Clair was 2 Christmas cards using the Stampin' Up Pretty Pines thinlet dies, MFT Holiday Greeting stamps and Spellbinders oval dies.  Card stock was also SU - emerald envy for the pine leaves, pool party for the matt, chocolate chip and crumb cake for the pine cones, real red and white.  Matching ink pads as needed and red & white pearls.  Lovely cards and easy to put together.  Not so easy to cut, as it turned out as the machine used wasn't playing nicely.  We had a bonus - an upper body workout - ROFL!

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It's looking ...

... as though the OH is going to be having a bit of an extended stay in the hospice.  The pain isn't yet under control but he's having such heavy duty drugs he's totally spaced out so doesn't care so much.  He's not at all comfortable though so it would be good to have the pain down to a bearable level for him.  They've requested a full spine MRI scan to see if they can pinpoint the cause.  I guess they can better target it if they know what's causing the pain.  They managed to help him last year with the fluid problem.  I'm hoping that they'll be able to help him this time.

The younger grandchildren have found this blog *LOL!*  Youngest granddaughter told me they'd found photos of themselves on t'internet.  I asked how and it seems they've been Googling themselves and some photos came up .... from here.  I had to come clean with youngest granddaughter and tell her it was my blog.  She was impressed *ROFL!*  Old Nana Pam has a website and knows her way around IT a bit *grin*  She was even more shocked when I told her that she was only 2 when I started the blog.  Funny how kids perceive us.  Mind you, it seems you now become an adult at 10 ... according to her!

OK, where shall I go from here .... before it gets to 'old' here's some pics of cards and flowers I received for my birthday in January.  Yep, I was 65 .... not 70 as the eldest's card would suggest.  Mind you, he did clarify it by putting "coz you're not" on the inside but I did refuse to wear the badge as he wanted.  Told him it lied and I'd save it *ROFL!*  Flowers came from the eldest grandchildren.  They're still going but getting fewer as they die off *sad*

Twiggy & Toots card was made by my friend Cally - on commission from the OH.
It's lovely 

... and a card from my American penpal of 52 years and Cally's personal one to me.
Beautiful

Lots of handcrafted cards from my crafty friends.

Here's a few more 'makes' from some of Clair's workshops last year.  Anyone local to Saltdean and surrounding areas .... the workshops are worthwhile going to *LOL*  Details can be found on Clair's blog.

OH was 75 last February and I used this card and just added a die cut age to it ... discreetly :D

8 x 8 card. An SU leaf stamp and die set.  Beautiful.

8 x 8 card.  SU again and one of my favourite cards from last year's workshops

SU petite petals used here and the leafy branch from the bird punch.  A 6x6 3 way fold card.

That's it for today.  Need to get some sleep *grin*

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That's it ...

... January done.  A 12th of the year gone already and well into the next 12th.  Scary!

I'm now officially 'old'!  If I wasn't before I am now.  65th birthday done and gone.  Had a lovely day.  Different for us, especially as we don't usually celebrate birthdays.  We're usually unwell come birthdays, especially special number birthdays.  This year we took a stroll from home to Rottingdean and had a late lunch/early dinner in the White Horse Hotel.  Came home via public transport .... bus!  First time OH has been on a bus since 1985 *ROFL*  Would have taken a very slow stroll back if he'd not been in so much pain.  Despite that we had a nice day and I've been 'celebrating' all week!  A couple of evenings out and collecting birthday cards as the week has moved on.   Chocolates, flowers and a DVD to mark the occasion.  I'm a happy lady .... doesn't take much *grin*  There's something else on the horizon as well but that can wait until it's all done.

There's been another of Clair's workshops and I absolutely love the card.  I've liked them all so far, even those that I didn't think I would.  So far this year we've done these .......

1st workshop of 2016 - SU blossom stamp and tab top punch.  Other stamps (background and sentiment) are MFT

2nd workshop - Apple Blossom Build a Cake die set from Craft Stash.  I added gems, an age and Happy Birthday (yes, they're peel offs so shoot me!) and used the card for middle granddaughter's birthday.  She loved it :)

3rd workshop - a centre diamond fold card base made by measuring, scoring and folding and dies were only used for the actual topper - everything else measured, hand cut and stamped.  Stamps & matching dies used were by JustRite.

Having another trawl through some of last years 'stuff' et voilá .... another first.   I took part in the Race for Life.  I asked the middle granddaughter if she'd like to join me.  She agreed and then her young sister wanted to in as well.  Ended up the 2 youngest granddaughters and their Mum joined me and it was fun.  Mind you, we didn't do too well on the 'race' bit as it was a hard task for us.  5k - which DiL's app showed as actually over 6k - and, 1 hour 50 minutes (give or take a few seconds) and we arrived back but ... we weren't last *rofl*  Nearly, but not quite!  We started near the front of the walkers but were soon being overtaken.  Mind, if the girls hadn't been with me I'd have given up before the first 500m when I saw the hill we had to climb *scary!*

Off we go!

Support crew *grin*

Start of that hill *scary!*

Where is everyone else?

Tired!

The end and feeling accomplished ... even if knackered!

Would I do it again?  Possibly, but not at this venue.  It would have to be flat.  This one turned out to be mainly uphill.  Flat and going down wasn't too bad but the first 2k or more were killers for me and DiL.  The youngsters had to be reigned back to walk at our speed which was pretty much stop, start, rest over and over .... hence coming in near last.  We did, despite that, enjoy it and felt as though we'd accomplished something so yes, it was worth it and we can say we've done it once even if we never do it again *grin*

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Thought I'd ...

... posted on Monday but seems not!  There's nothing on blog and nothing in drafts so must have dreamt it *grin*  There's been a bit going on but will post as if it were last Monday ...

The finishing touch was made to the kitchen deep clean.   We had a professional oven cleaner in and have to say, it was worth every penny!   We'd been waiting for a Groupon deal but gave up and booked a local guy.  As it happens, a Groupon deal arrived a few days later and, it was only £5 cheaper so we wouldn't have saved much by waiting.  We're loving our spice and herb drawer ... and our new cupboard internals.  There's even an outside chance I may actually start to enjoy cooking as life is so much easier now but I don't want to overdo it - ROFL!  Have some before's and after's ...

We shall be using a professional on a regular basis methinks.  No nasty fumes, not a chemical in sight, although the chrome bits were taken out to the van and put in a bath of something so that could have been chemical but no smell when they came back and oven was immediately usable.

I finished scanning the old black and white photos of Mum's and got the disc done for my brother.  He received it and said he was glad he was alone when he looked at it.  He thinks he finally released his grief and said he really misses them.  Without wanting to sound too harsh (right!) he might have thought about all that while they were still alive and visited them a bit more often, other than the obligatory couple of hours, a couple of times a year.  He didn't see Dad at all while he was in hospital, where he died after being in there for over a month.  I think the 'grief' may be more 'guilt'!  Regrets?  I think he's got more than a few and if he hasn't, he should have!

On the family research side I finally found out what my sister died of.  I never knew her.  She died, aged 6 months, before I was born. Mum always said that she had been force fed and it had killed her.  Obviously there was more to it than that.  She died from gastritus and pyelitis.  Today she would probably have lived.  Sheds more light, perhaps, on why Mum was the person she was.

Circa 1956

Moving on .... Thursday and eldest grandchild was 23.  A Halloween baby and he loved his card.  Think it might have been a touch front heavy though as he said it kept 'sinking' (a tent fold) - oops!  I posted the card on blog here - the googly eyed bats *grin*

Thursday was also the last fortnightly card workshop of the year (there's an all day Christmas one in the near future though) and Clair came up with a beauty.  This is the 2nd time that we've used this stamp and die set and I fell in love this time.  Shame I couldn't make the 'false' tails of the bow actually match with the bow but hey, have to make a c*** up somewhere on a card.  One day I might actually do one that's perfect - ROFL!

Stampin' Up Apothecary Art stamp set and Labels Collection Framelit dies. SU butterfles stamp and punch.  Prismacolor pencils for colour  and flower sprays found in a charity shop - from Clair's stash.  Not sure what the ribbon is but it works *wink*

This last week has been quite busy but will post about that when I'm supposed to ... Monday!  Always assuming that what I'm preparing is ready, of course.

October is now done, clocks have gone back, nights draw in at some stupidly early time and even earlier if it's been a dull day.  Winter is fast approaching, breakfast with Santa on Christmas Eve has been booked and it's all downhill from now.  I don't like Winter!

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