Another beautiful day ...

... weatherwise.  It can't last much longer - or can it?  I'd planned to do some of the dreaded 'h' word today while Paul was at his pre-op assessment but he sat out front of house waiting for the transport to arrive and I went out to keep him company for a while.  The 'while' ended up being a weeding and tidy up session in the garden but instead of me commenting on how it 'needs doing' every time I go out there, it's now done!

Trimmed the lilac and brought some indoors.  Hard to believe that this bush was cut back to the ground just 4 to 5 years ago.  Seems to have done it the power of good.

Transport arrived, I finished the tidy up and then decided to bake some chocolate chip cookies.  Cheated though :0)  Last shopping order had a couple of packet mixes in and one was .... chocolate chip cookies. Haven't used a packet mix in years (mind you, until very recently I've not baked in years *grin*).  Probably not much quicker than doing them from scratch and certainly no cheaper but I was curious.  They made a lovely dessert with some vanilla ice cream this evening .....

Suitcases are out of the top of the wardrobe but dimensions for hand luggage are smaller than last year (different airline) and mine's too big :0(  I put it right with the purchase of another, smaller, overnight/weekend case with dimensions that Ryanair accepts so reckon every other airline out there will have no problems - *lol*  Now I need to sort out what I'm taking to Bali and start my packing.  I want it done by Tuesday evening, all bar the last minute bits :0)

Now ..... I'm gonna show you what we did in Jane's FPC class last Friday.  Was it Friday?  Time passes so quickly nowadays and it goes quicker the older I get.  I do have some very morbid thoughts sometimes.  Can't help it but they creep in.  I've become very aware of my own mortality.  It started when I reached 50 but has got worse as I've gone more years past that.  Mostly I don't think about it but just sometimes those thoughts creep in, especially recently and I can only put that down to losing our friend Barbara so suddenly and at such a comparatively young age.  Anyway, morbid thoughts to one side and back on track with post!

Friday, yep, checked calendar and it was Friday, spent the day at the Glitterpot in the company of some lovely ladies and Jane Gill making poppies and a form of clematis (I thought Montana variety but what do I know?)  The poppy came from Leone Em's latest book.  I swear that lady likes to find theeee most difficult way of doing things - *lol*! Anyway, I love the flower but there's something not quite right about it as a poppy to my mind.  I think that the 2 back petals should be much larger and practically meet one another and the 2 slightly smaller ones lay on top.  I kept trying to pull the petals together more but they wouldn't go and, since having it home I've Googled poppies and the pics I've found seem to bear that out.  If I ever make the flower again I may well play with the 'design'.  Whatever, I still like what we did and the finished card ....

Clematis

All the flowers started as white 80gsm copy paper and then coloured.  The poppies were coloured with diluted acrylic paint and the clematis? Well, would you believe it, I can't remember! Yet another senior moment. I remember an ink pad and a toning pen for the stamens but can't remember how we coloured the petals but guess the ink pad was involved somewhere along the line else why have it? Poppies took all morning to make and half the afternoon to put card together. Clematis took no time hence didn't quite gel in the memory but you get the idea.  If you don't like to colour you could always use a coloured paper ... for both the flowers - *lol*!

Update:  I've remembered!  We used a dauber and dabbed the colour on. Sheesh!  P'raps I'm not so daft after all *LOL*

Thanks for dropping by .....

Plans again ...

... down the pan - as ever.  I really will, one day, realise that I get to do what's intended if it's not planned.  Nothing done in kitchen but got paperwork done instead.  No idea why nothing else got done except I had a bad night, fell asleep as it was nearly time to get up and ended up sleeping late ... again!  Really will have to get a handle on that.  I always used to be an early riser but I'm getting later and later.  I'm hoping that today ... *grin*

I've another card to show.  It should be 2 but I've still to make the second one.  It's the card made last Friday, the 18th, at a floral punch craft class with Jane Gill at the Glitterpot.  The workshop was making gerbera and margeurite daisies.  We made the gerbera in the morning and put the card together after lunch.  Once done we made a daisy and bud.  Time ran out so we were given all the elements to make another daisy and all the requirements to make a card with it.  To date, I've still not made the other daisy let alone the other card *lol*

The main punch used was a super duper Woodware daisy punch - the largest one they do.  Other, smaller daisy punches were used for the more central part of the flower.  The black middle was fun flock.  A Tim Holtz Sizzix swirl, Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page set, greeting stamp, ribbon and Bazill card ... 

The Friday of this workshop was also Red Nose Day/Comic Relief.  (Bit blurry but she was other side and down the end of the table from me - *lol*)  It didn't stay on ...

A workshop full of concentration. Note the view in the background ... containers!  Not quite the pond and sheep in the fields we had at Scaynes Hill.

Lunchtime and Jane prepping for the afternoon class ...

UPDATE:  I've remembered why nothing got done yesterday .... I was Googling and comparing prices for anti-malarials, anti-bug spray, bite relief and sunblock!  Successfully, I might add 'cos it's all on order.  Well, there's only just over a month before the off *yessssssssss*!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Christmas Flowers Workshop.

Wednesday 21st October - with Jane Gill at the Glitterpot

Getting a bit behind with my posting. Life keeps getting in the way! This workshop was an all day one and was based around the Woodware Christmas Flower combination punch (Jane's design). We made one card and matching tag in the morning and the same in the afternoon. I'm unsure of the ingredients of these cards but a selection of designer papers, nesties, Martha Stewart punches and stamps were also used.

Ingredients (as much as I remember)

Woodware super duper Christmas flower combination

Martha Stewart punches - Modern Garland & Lattice (although any would do)

Scallop circle and plain circle nesties.

Stamps - Merry, Merry Christmas from Woodware Rocket Christmas & Penny Black Christmas Text

Papers - Basic Grey

Stickles & Liquid pearls.

Enjoy!!

Floral Punch Craft Workshop

Thursday 20th May - Full day at the Glitterpot with Jane Gill.

The morning was spent making pansies. Jane had bought a tray of real pansies with her to give us inspiration for the colouring. The pansies were made from two sizes of heart punches . Punched from coloured paper and then coloured to add the detail.

The afternoon saw us tackle the Geraldton Wax flower. Little trickier but very effective. Again, the base of the flower was a heart punch and long strips of paper which had to be rolled up after being painted with a wash of colour. With time over we put a card together using the pansies. I've still to finish my card completely but the base is there *LOL*

The instructions for both of these flowers can be found in one of Leone Em's Floral Punch Craft books but not sure which one until I find my books. Sorry.

Enjoy!!
 

Boring stuff ...

.. today! Paperwork, banking, measuring suitcases - well, weekend case - prepare shopping order and book slot for Monday. Had a couple of crafty packets arrive. Just a bit more to find homes for - *LOL* Yesterday wasn't much better as morning was spent with Dad and a meeting regarding the start up, or not, of the catering facilities at the apartments. They want to change the terms of tenancy, introduce the catering but on the basis that everyone has to pay, whether they use it or not. No mention this could happen when he took the tenancy and not sure that he will use it if they bring it in now. He might have done if it was there at the start. He's such a hermit he's not interested in doing anything outside of his apartment front door. In fact, he's never been outside it on his own. If they do a 'tray' service then he might use it but otherwise it would be a waste of money!

Continuing catch up ...

The weekend I started to feel ill I sat and wound about 200yds of ribbon to keep in some ribbon storage I'd bought. Monday morning I had pains between my shoulder blades. Decided the winding hadn't done my muscles any good, although didn't truly believe it. Wednesday, pain still with me but had moved to just below bottom rib on right hand side. Was booked for massage so asked therapist to check muscles. Couldn't find any knots or problems.

Thursday, despite not feeling that well, I took myself off for a workshop I had booked at the Glitterpot. A bit of floral punch craft with Jane and a dozen like-minded people, just the medicine to help make me feel better. Beautiful day and I just had to stop on my journey there when I went over Ditchling Road towards the Beacon and came across fields full of yellow rape. Stunning against the beautiful blue sky and I was rather taken with the farm machinery left in the middle of it all!  All within a 10 minute drive of my home.

Looking from Ditchling Road towards where I'd come from.  Road I'd driven down 2 minutes from home and top of my village, can be seen just left of centre on horizon (lighter colour)

View from Ditchling Beacon north over Ditchling and onwards ...

... and towards Lewes way

Lovely day making pansies and geraldton wax (yep, I had to Google it as well but it's a very pretty Australian flower). Not sure I was going to make the full day but a break at lunchtime sitting on the patio overlooking the newly formed, as yet uncolonised lake, and watching the sheep - I was ready for the afternoon. I did leave a little early but I really enjoyed the day. Results of that day will be over on Bits soon ...

 Thanks for dropping by .....
 

Pretty Petals Workshop.

Saturday 23rd January - morning

With Joanne of Mainly Flowers blog

Wonderful morning! Good laughs and a beautiful card.  Made using punches only.  Labour intensive but really therapeutic and very enjoyable.  Think I've gone a bit OTT with the greenery as I reckon my version looks quite heavy but ..... *lol*!

Ingredients:

Flowers:

Blue - Martha Stewart Cornflower punch and Woodware mini sun for the centres.

Cream spray - Martha Stewart Arctic Snowflake and Woodware Lilac Blossom punches.

Leaves:

Woodware Oak Leaf and Grass punches

Border:

Martha Stewart Lever Deep Edge Punch - Garden Trellis

Enjoy!!

Crafter's House Party ...

No more slideshows, either here or on the Ramblings but this is instalment number 6 ..... the project one!

As mentioned previously, there was nothing formal planned, just a list of what people were prepared to show/demo/instruct on and a list of tools to play with and materials for use. Everybody contributed something with most people bringing a selection of stamps. There were Cuttlebugs, folders, nesties, dies and a Slice to try. Demos/projects on the list included ....

Beaded Flower
Giant Chrysanth
Watercolouring
Slider card
Prisma colouring
Copics
Basic Backgounds and word circles in Word
Basic FPC pointers
Medallion using corner punch.
Rollagraph
Quilling
Trifold card
Dreamweaver stencil & glitter
and ...... surprises with a possible visit to local craft shops?

I think most were covered even if we didn't all get to do what was listed due to lack of time and other 'stuff'!
I was going to demo the giant chrysanth - didn't happen!
The quilling - going to be demo'd by Jak's Mum - didn't happen although she was quietly quilling at the end of the table and her samples were something else! Beautiful work so, perhaps next time ... if there is one - *LOL*
Dreamweaver stencils and glitter - didn't happen (unless I missed it).
Basic FPC pointers - didn't happen!
Basic backgrounds and word circles in Word - didn't happen!
Visit to local craft shops - didn't happen!
Not sure if the Trifold card happened but I've got measurements and a pattern for a card that could be the trifold ..... *der* senior moment methinks!
I missed the slider card because I was having an Indian Head massage but I've got a template and a piccie of Kim's nearly finished one to go by so, I can play with that later.

(Click on an image for a larger version)

There was one FPC item and it was a 'surprise' one - *hehe* Papercraft Inspirations had a flower made from scalloped circles in the newest mag so we made that - very quick and quite effective although nothing like the geranium they said it was. More of a carnation and ... it could be improved on.

Another 'surprise' on the flower front! We tried a bit of flower pounding - not at all successfully. The pounding, in the Cuttlebug, was fine but the flowers chosen just didn't work. The flowers we tried? Pot chrysanthemums! Yep, just can't get away from 'em but they were far too juicy! Expected the flowers themselves to disintegrate - just didn't expect the watercolour paper to as well *LOLOL* Every attempt ended up in bin and no photographs were taken. Perhaps we should have done to show the disasters as well *hehe*!

There were plenty of images being stamped covering all spectrums of the latest stamps to the oldies but goodies. There were Gorjuss Girls, Magnolia, Olifant, Sugar Nellie, Whipper Snapper, SU sets ... to name a few. There were a variety of colouring mediums to try - Prismas, Copics, paints, watercolour pencils and we took full advantage of some of the experience available.

We made a beaded flower under the expert tuition of Debs, before she was taken ill and rushed to hospital and we made medallions using Corner Adorners - demo'd by Pippa (mine not yet photographed). We - OK, I - made a mess with the Rollagraph, SU wheels and the embossing powder (piccie on Jak's blog). Technically the mess was the embossing powder 'cos I spilt it. Yep, there has to be one and it was me! Loved the end result though and a couple of the wheels are currently on order .... I have the handles as I have several of the Rollagraph wheels anyway.

For me, the piéce-de-résistance was Olly Owl! Toni had made owls out of SU punches and bought with her, what I thought were her examples - a 'standalone' owl and one on a post-it note cover, all made by her fair hand. The surprise came when she gave them both to me! She'd bought them with her as little gifts. How kind was that? Anyway, she also bought the punches with her so punch we did! I didn't put an owl together there but I've made one since I've been home .... and called him Ozzie!

I managed to get a quick lesson in PSP on how to make a watermark for my piccies - which I've promptly forgotten *Doh* and some people trialled the Slice but I didn't get to see it working, although I heard it, 'cos I was busy on the only card I made all weekend ..... to be continued!

Enjoy!!

Floral Punch Craft - Chrysanthemum

Well, would you believe it! Another card made at home - LOL! Thought it was time that I did something with at least one of the big flowers - lol! This is the smaller one of the two made so far.

Base card is a 6 inch square, deckle edged, hammered, ivory card blank. I inked the edges with 2 colours of inks - a goldie brown followed by a dark yellow - so that it toned with the flower. A selection of leaves were punched from varying colours of green papers, aged a little with a few brown shades (not too obvious in photo)..... well, chrysanths are autumnal flowers, aren't they? Finished with a line of crystal gems and a tiny one stuck onto a petal as a highlight.

Enjoy!!

We had ...

... company yesterday afternoon. Eldest grand-daughter (12 going on 21 - lol!) came to visit 'Daddy' but, as he's now living with us, we got her company as well. Dad was employed sorting out her laptop and while he was doing that she wanted to make one of my 'big' flowers. Despite explaining how time consuming they were she insisted - until she'd cut up some of the daisy shapes I'd already punched a few days ago - hehe! She ended up making 3 simpler flowers from shapes I'd already got punched (instruction care of moi but with inspiration from Jane Gill - of course!) and making a Mothers Day card for her Mum. It's being kept here so she doesn't lose it which gave me the chance to take a photo of it today. Apart from the ribbon, which I tied and stuck where she wanted it, it's all her own work, her colour choices and layout. One day she may make a 'big' flower but - lol!

 

I managed to make a card for a friend who will be celebrating his 60th birthday on 23rd. He shares the date - but not the age - with hubby. Hubby just wishes he could see 60 again - lol! He's very much a country gent so decided to make the LaPashe Flippin' Men - Walkies for him. It's the first card I've made at home in an age and will probably be the last for a good while as well!

..... and here's hubby's latest toy! His brand new, all singing, all dancing box with a wheel on each corner - hehehe!!!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Floral Punch Craft - Chrysanthemum v2

A slightly smaller version this time and a slightly different colour. With a diameter of 4 inches, using fewer petals, less layers and a slightly larger centre I think I prefer this one. It took longer because of having to make more quilled rolls for the centre and I think I've probably done my normal heavy-handedness with the ink on the quilled rolls. Will remember to try to keep it lighter in future - or at least remember that the ink soaks in a bit and dries darker - lol!

New flower is on the left and original (from earlier blog entry) is on the right.

Enjoy!!

Update: I'm being asked which punch/es are used to make these crysanths. I don't know for sure as I punched the shapes at class and bought them home with me but I think the main one was the 3" Woodware Super Duper Daisy punch - whatever, it's a VERY big daisy punch! The ring around the quilled rolls was another daisy punch with the punched size being around an inch (probably considered large). Although not a tutorial, a brief rundown of how they were made is on this blog entry. The backing circle that the individual petals are stuck to depends on the size you want the finished flower to be. The biggest flower had it's petals stuck to a 3" circle and the smaller one - this one - used a 2¼" one (I cut that one with a nestie instead of a punch). Place the first 4 petals at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock and then fill in the gaps for the first layer or, if you've cut a scalloped circle, stick a petal at each scallop. After that it's do what you please - LOL! The quilled rolls are strips of green paper ¼" wide and cut from the long edge of an A4 sheet of paper then cut in half, fringed and quilled. I used some cut in half again so I had smaller quilled rolls to act as 'fillers'. Hope that answers some of the queries I've been getting. I shall be trying this flower again with smaller punches at some point as I don't actually own such a big daisy punch but then again ...................... LOLOL!

Floral Punch Craft - Chrysanthemum

Not yet a card but another BIG flower! The inspiration came from Jane Gill (who else?) following the class a few weeks ago. I haven't put it on a card yet because I only finished it this morning. Taken a long time to do - very labour intensive! This one measures around 4.5 inches diameter so not quite as big as the other but, I think I prefer this one now it's done. Centre is smaller than I think it should be really. Reckon I did one too many rounds into the middle of the large petals but I'm still pleased with it. Just need to do something with it now. Reckon it could make a lovely topper for a gift box .....

It's made from a giant daisy punch, a medium daisy punch, thin card and some fringed quilled rolls. Each petal was cut individually after punching and each shape edged with ink. I also used direct to paper method to add some colour to the petals then they were scored to give shaping and character. Each shape was then stuck to a large circle starting at the outer edge and layering towards the centre with the 2 final layers being made from the medium daisy punched shapes cut in the same way.

The very centre is made up of small, fringed, quilled rolls cut from pale green paper and the tips inked with the same colour used on the petal shapes.

I just love the finished flower and reckon smaller versions could be made.
Enjoy!!