Think I've ...

... found some time to do some catch up with the blog.  The Florida photobook side-tracked me and got me behind and then life has got in the way but, although still mega busy I've managed to sort some photos from workshops and 'stuff' over the past few months.. Seems I've not had much time to myself for a good while.  My social life really took off and, although I've still a pretty full calendar up until Christmas it may quieten down a bit after ... for a while.

This weekend we've been dog sitting again - our eldest's little Frenchie, Bella.  They had a Christmas party to go to at a local hotel (the Metropole).  We were more than happy to have charge of Bella for a while *grin*   

Bit of a busy house before everyone disappeared to do whatever they were doing - Christmas parties, working, whatever.  The OH keeping Bella occupied, or is that the other way round?  Eldest writing the Christmas cards.  Eldest granddaughter performing surgery on the daughter-in-law .... well doing her lashes at least.  Eldest grandson was lurking as well but he's camera shy .... not! however he's difficult to get a photo of!

I'd planned on getting the Christmas tree up this weekend.  If it didn't get done this weekend it wasn't going to get done at all.  Bella thought she'd help *ROFL*  I was presented with various decorations in part of the living room I didn't need them in but, she tried!  The decs, at least, all we're having ... are up.

That leads me neatly on to a 'catch up'.   I noted, way back, that I'd done a new, all day, Christmas card workshop back in September.  It was held by Helen of Crafty Bunnies.  It was a good day and we made several Christmas card designs and some tags.  All products used were Stampin' Up but then Helen is a Stampin' Up demonstrator.  I've since done more workshops with her ....  For now, this is what we made on the all day workshop.

Also in September I went to another different workshop.  Somebody I knew was doing workshops and I found out about one I was interested in and contacted her to see if she had space for me and my mate Cally to join her workshops.  Unfortunately she had no space for either of us so I asked her to keep us in mind.  I then got a message to say that a space had come free for this one particular workshop but only one so I took it up.  Decorating a glass block.  Well, I did the basic decorating and bought the block home.  I purchased lights to go inside and that was it but ... I wanted to do something more with it.  I finally got to do that something more today .... Yep, nearly 3 months after making it, it finally got finished today and it's in use and looking very pretty :)  I love it *grin*

As it's turned out, I've been able to go to all of Linda's workshops since.  She really has a limit of 4 so it was agreed I would step in when one of the 4 in the group I was placed in couldn't make it.  Since September somebody has had to drop out for one reason or another so I've been able to go.  It now looks as though I'll be going regularly, whatever, and making a 5th member.  Linda already has one group of 5.  It's pretty cosy but she seems to think it can work ... just.  We'll see.  I don't mind keeping it on an adhoc basis.

This week just gone Linda arranged a Christmas lunch for all her workshop people (can't say ladies as there's a male involved in one).  A lovely lunch at an Italian restaurant local to her.  The food was wonderful and extremely reasonable.  Made a change to go to an independant as opposed to a chain.  As it turned out, there were only 3 people I'd not met before. Everyone else goes to Clair's workshops as well - or I've met them at one of Clair's all day workshops *grin*

 

Think I need a hair cut!  Oh yes, that'll be on Tuesday then *ROFL*  Another busy week on the calendar .....

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Martlets' Snowdogs ...

... are going to a good home.

Last week was the end of the Snowdogs in Brighton. They had 2 days of them being all in one place for people to go and view. I went. Took lots of photos (to follow at some point) and then, on Dec 6th they were auctioned off to raise funds for the hospice. I watched the auction live online and kept a tally as each sold. 44 snowdogs, lowest price was £3,800 - highest £22,000. (Full auction results here)  A grand total of £337,900 raised on the night. What the overall total will end up being when they've added on the sales of all the additional merchandise and the ticket sales for the Festive Farewell - well, I'll guess we'll be told at some point. In the meantime I found this ......

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Still no time ...

... to blog properly *sad*  So much has been going on this past month and I seem to be chasing my tail.  Since I last blogged I've done lots of crafty things but still have projects to finish, let alone photograph.  Then there's also real life getting in the way.  I will be trying to catch up soon but have to now get Christmas sorted out before it's here and nothing has been done.  In the meantime, one of the crafty things was an all day workshop with Clair's group on the 24th.  What was different about this one was that it was hosted by John Bloodworth - Gentleman Crafter as part of his All Counties Craft Challenge.  I'm cheating but John blogged about it a few days ago and his post is here.  In addition Clair has vlogged about it and her vlog is here, below.  I'm so glad I suggested she contact John and that she did.  It rounded off my crafting workshop year brilliantly but there were a few more to cover from the week before ..... and a whole weekend in Godalming doing crazy crafty stuff *grin*

The photo below is not the best pic of me *cringe*  We'd been outside to have a group photo taken with Maisy and it was not only f-f-freeezing cold it was also blowing a hoolie.  Should've made sure I'd brushed my hair when we got back inside and pulling a silly face hasn't helped *ooops!*  Oh no, that's a normal face *ROFL!*

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As up-to-date ...

... as you can get, pretty much. Brighton in all it's aspects!

Life is busy at the moment. Little time to blog and not likely to be able to until nearer the end of the month, if at all before the next.  It'll be catch up time soon *sad*

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October ...

... 31st and it's hot out there - I mean, HOT!  Phone app told me it was 17c - it lied.  

Then it said it was 18c.  It still lied.  Car tells me it's 19c ... in the shade and that's nearer the truth *shock*.  

(Just realised I've not changed the car clock following daylight saving change at the weekend - oops!  That's actually 13:02)

Put a thermometer on one of our garden chairs on the patio and .....15 minutes later it read 28c  That I believe - ROFL!  

Beautiful day.  Better than some we had through the summer.  Could our seasons be changing gradually?  Leaves are brown and dropping and we've some beautiful autumnal colours but temperatures like this, this late in the year???  It's November tomorrow, for heavens sake!

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Still ...

... working on the Norfolk photos, although I had a break from them yesterday.  In the meantime ....

I had a busy week of appointments this week.  Makes a change from them being for the OH.  I've run nearly the whole gamut - feet, teeth and tits - ROFL!  Breast screening.  I'm fast becoming of an age where I won't be automatically invited for one.   I shall soon be classed as being out of the age range to warrant them - unless there's a reason presents itself - or I ask for one.  Possibly 2 more to go but may only be 1.  We'll see.  Whether I continue with them once the automatic invites stop I'm not sure.  Mum never had one in her whole life and neither did she ever have a cervical smear.  Strange on the breast screening though 'cos her mum, my nan, actually had breast cancer.  She had a breast removed but the day she was being discharged from hospital she had a heart attack and never survived - or that was the reason I was given for her death.  I've never seen a death certificate to deny or confirm that.  Perhaps I should get one for my records .....

Moving on.  The breast screening unit is near Preston Rock Gardens, aka The Rookery or the Rockery, on Preston Road, Brighton.  I'd not visited for a long time so, knowing I was going to be close I took my camera and so glad I did.  The autumn colours were stunning.

All photos were taken from the lower path.  I should have walked up through the gardens to take photos from different perspectives but my lungs weren't being very good to me and the slopes I'd have had to climb did not look very appealing at the time.  I wish I'd been feeling a tad better and I'd have done them but anything's better than nothing, as they say, so this is the anything.  Beautiful late October morning and pretty warm considering how late in the year it is.

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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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Still working ...

... through editing photographs taken on our week away last week.  May only have been in Norfolk but somehow we managed to take well over 1000 photos ... or I did with a few extra's from the OH *LOL*

While we were away there was a full moon.  On 16th October (our anniversary) there was a Hunter's Moon but it was also a super moon - larger and brighter than normal.  I grabbed the OH's Canon SX60 bridge camera when my new little point and shoot wouldn't focus in on it *sad*  Disappointed that it wouldn't 'cos my Panasonic Lumix would have done - and has in the past.  Anyways, grabbed the camera and did what I could hand held as there was no tripod available.  Have to say I was impressed with the results, even if I say so myself.  Wonder what sort of result I'd get if I were to use a tripod as well ......

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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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Another trip ...

... to the cinema.  This time we saw Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  Very different film for us but we thoroughly enjoyed it.  Before we went to the cinema the OH had an appointment with the Chemo Dept at the Cancer Clinic.  Ostensibly to collect his next month's drugs but we had to go in early as his bloods from the day before showed a raised potassium level so they wanted to repeat.  Repeat results came back fine so it must have been the banana he'd eaten not long before Dracula had arrived to suck blood the day before.  She had arrived a lot earlier than they normally do and he'd not long had breakfast.  Anyway, that dealt with, drugs collected and off to the Marina we went.  Lunch first, a little stroll (to kill a bit of time) and cinema.  

A while back - a few months ago, if truth be told - I mentioned about some Snowdogs that were being decorated and would be forming a trail at some point in the year to raise funds for the hospice that the OH has spent a lot of time in over the past year.  The snowdogs are now in situ on the trail and we went to see a couple residing in the Marina.  There is another but wasn't sure where it was and didn't have a trail map.  Turns out it was near the cinema but we missed it.  We did, however, get 2 of them so now I've seen 4 .... 2 unofficially way back in the spring.  Disco Dog lived in the foyer of the hospice for a long while and the other was in the back of a pick up in the car park (this post here).  It transpires that one is now outside the Sea Life Centre and is called Under the Sea.

SNOWDOGS BY THE SEA

Sand Sculpture in Marina Square

Brighton Rock

Bone China

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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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