Wednesday 7 September 2011

Summer's end

September has come in with a real cold blast and I can't really say that I remember the warmth of summer that much.  I was able to get out of the house a couple of times, but did have have a relapse/overdid it by 2nd week in August (after the church's summer fayre); sending me right back to zero. 

made some boxes and gift cards, (chocolate and tea lights)



Scripture Union's Beach Mission  360; http://www.spendandgive.com/360.spendandgive.com/  was here for 2 weeks and it was wonderful having them around. Myself, children, parents and grandparents have always been involved with the organisation, they have been coming to Perranporth for over 100 years.  The majority of their work is spent with children and young people but there is an adult group and we looked at Romola's needlework - which I can't show here due to her copyright, but are absolutely beautiful.
The ART for Health group meets on a Thursday, I have managed to attend and have designed and made a tree in felt, with some embroidery and seed beads, to go on the front of my Family Tree Scrap Book.  It does then take the next 6 days to recover, but it has been nice to meet with other people who understand my condition - not so embarassing when I lie on the floor or sit and do nothing.



I have been procrastinating about this project for a long time and am pleased that I have finally made a start.  My first pages are my dad's, mum and dad; this is the 2nd page and I have found postcard's from both of them to one another sent during the 1st World War and I have made pockets for them; I was really pleased to find them and think it is really romantic and quite a reminder of what they went through at that time, Charlie lost one of his brothers.

After watching Wendy Poole on Create and Craft at the weekend, crocheting, I found her website and followed a link to the Ravelry website and forums; http://www.ravelry.com  there is an awful lot going on and I am just finding my way around.  They do have lots of different groups and there is one for ME/CFS/CFids!  My knitting/crocheting is an ongoing hobby and I have managed to sell some items this summer.
So although I don't feel as if I have been 'doing' anything, looking back on it I have made quite a lot of things. Lots of knitting to sew up and finish off; I can manage the knitting but sewing up takes a lot more concentration. 

To Do bag!!

I have even completed a couple of special order cards; wedding and 1st birthday - which can't be shown yet and one for a golden wedding anniversary.

Joshua is going to be Christened in Truro Cathedral 25th September in St Mary's aisle (my favorite area), so I am really looking forward to it and hope I am well enough to attend.  As he is a Rosevear his parents are allowed to ask to attend the Cathedral even though it isn't our local church.  It doesn't count that my great and great, great granddad's help build it!  Richard Granville (great grandad) was one of the only men to be injured during it's building.  Anyway the whole family is delighted to be allowed to hold the service there, so thank you Bishop Tim, in advance, (although I don't expect he will be conducting the service). 
Will end now, on that high note.
Bye
Susan

Saturday 23 July 2011

Quickie

Hi,
Quick posting this morning - Abi, local Stampin up demonstartor coming this morning; haven't seen products or met before, so really looking forward to it.
Wanted to upload pictures of shelves and ribbons on display (using Sunday's ribbon holders;http://www.easyribbonholder.com/indexmain.htm  ), plus some of my other work.
these can all hang on one hook/hanger - so they don't have to take up as much room -
 I just like the colours !

ATC's


1st ever card using brayer and stamped image

pyrimage ATC's for Craftymess

couple of min scrapbooking albums

pockets album


purse album


thanks for looking
Susan

Saturday 9 July 2011

Catching up

Hi,
Did think about naming this 'Billy NO Mates' as I know friends have had problems signing up to follow; so hence I don't have many followers.  If anyone knows how to sort this out please let me know.  Anyway...
I have been crafting - just haven't uploaded much recently, so here's a catch-up.  Warmer weather seems to have a positive effect on my energy levels and that 'get up and go' feeling, that I normally lack.  So I have been out to the shops; Simon has taken me, to the Range last week and Homebase this.  What I gain in one hand, is taken from another, my speech and thinking has been worse - I suppose my body is using energy to give me oomph! rather than hold a conversation and talk.  Anyway, I have managed to, slowly, get a few things done.  Craft room has been literally turned around and I hope I can get some small narrow shelves up, so that I can see my embellishments, ribbons, etc rather than have everything packed away in boxes.  Out of sight means that I don't remember or can't easily colour co-ordinate etc, so this is something I have been after for many years. 

Here are some of the projects that I have been doing in the last couple of weeks;

card used as example for sketch challenge in Trimcraft Forum, Magnolia Stam, coloured with Copics, Card and backing paper from Summer Breeze, First Editions.

card for friend's birthday, Lily of Valley Stamp, coloured with Prolmarkers, backing papers from Clipart Fairy, handmade flowers

entered in Trimcraft's Pink and blue Colour Challenge, this card and fairy below are from Crafter's Companion's Flower Fairy CD.


Popcorn Bear stamped image, water coloured, insert paper Crfater's Companions Popcorn CD.

My first card where I have just used papers; Song Bird 6x6, First Editions, (part of prize from Trimcraft Challenge 10)


Twisted Easel, using Song Bird and Daydreams Collection.
Two different versions using Lily of Valley stamp - watercoloured, Top card backing papers from Clipart Fairy, below, backing papers from Summe Breeze Collection and distressed with Tim Holtz inks




Bragg in a Box, Shendy's challenge on Crafty Mess, this is my first attempt and I haven't decorated it yet.  The papers are kind of a Wedgewood Blue colour with complimentary sage green on alternate pages.



ATC's still to upload at some point.

Saturday 18 June 2011

I Won the Trimcraft Challenge 10

Summer Breeze
How delighted am I to have won the Challenge!  Never entered anything until starting on Trimcraft forum and now won 3 challenges in last couple of weeks; colour - white with Swan, Bluey challeneg from Eiglas and now Trimcraft 10.  To think,  until joining the forum I hadn't really been making cards with any real enthusiasm for a very long time - mainly due to ME blocking any creativity and the pain associated with the physical side of things.  Now I am back inspired and joining in as much as I can.  I find the forums easy to use and enjoy the topics and friends that I am making.   So give it a try if you haven't been there yet.  http://www.trimcraft.co.uk/allscrapbook.php?id=42285&allread=true
I have been mainly working on ATC's this week and will upload some photos later.
byee

Monday 13 June 2011

Purpled out

Well the last couple of weeks there has been a lot of purple lying around.  Trimcrafts' ATC's colour has been purple and the card, colour challenge was purple and pink.  I have finally cleared it all away and can see my table surface again; for a short time. 



I was over the moon when my White swan card was chosen as the winner for Trimcraft's colour challenge and Ei; Eiglas set a challenge using her 'Bluey' digi kit, which I won as well.  How good was that; really made me feel good.



I embossed baby hands and the feet I used the Ultra thick embossing powders,  Image is a Cute Companion stamped and coloured with Promarkers and papers and frames from Eiglas's Bluey range. http://eiglassing.blogspot.com/
 I'm afraid my computer was't able to print off all the elements of the kit and so the card doesn't really do the kit justice.  Her papers and digi kits are available to buy and she very generously lets her Trimmie friends have some freebies. 




This last one is using my favourite Cute Companion stamps, coloured with Promarkers and decoupage is from the CD, on a stepper style card.  This one is for Trimcraft challenge 10; Summer Breeze, which I thought was great for the kite flying above the beach hut.



Monday 30 May 2011

Weekend's ATC's

Ultra Thick Embossing stamped with Eyeore - who I love

My all time favourite decoupage papers from Craft Creations

Tea-bag folding for Trimcraft Technique Swap

Peel-offs on top of  clear sticky film
A quick update of my recent ATC's, they are a real mixture.  I have just been playing around with my old stash and seeing what I can do with all my bits, (as I'm new to ATC's).  Most of these will go for my Trimcraft swaps. 

Friday 27 May 2011

Friday

my first 'Magnolia' card; I know other people add a lot of embellishments, but I am a bit of a minamilist, so it is difficult to change

White card for Trimcraft Colour Challenge

2 ATC's for Beach swap on Craftymess

It has been a busy week and I have actually been out of the house twice this week.  Monday to the optician.  Took less than half the time and did not cause headache or migraine - which I think is a first - much less traumatic.  Tuesday assessment of Creative Craft course; which went well.  Unfortunately the college isn't running anymore courses in the village, but hopefully the group will continue to meet.  Outings take their toll on me and I have had very severe pain in upper back and neck; so I know I have to 'take it easy'.  Nice to go out.  Hopefully I will be able to out and enjoy the warmer weather. 

Sunday 22 May 2011

Inspiration

What inspires you?  Browsing through the blogs, I noticed an 'inches' challenge - literally inch square images/toppers.  This made me think about some of my first stamps, of Winnie The Pooh.  So I starting searching through my stamps and spent the last few days stamping. 
The end result is not an inchie, but is a card that I plan to give my husband for our wedding anniversry, at the end of the month.  He and I met whilst we were working in the operating department; I was a qualified staff nurse and he was a student - I gave him a list of drugs to learn and he gave me a Tigger poem!  So Winnie The Pooh has a special place in our hearts!
I plan to enter this in Craftymess's sketch challenge for May.  I'm not sure if there is enough embossing for it to go in Crafty Cardmakers embossing challenge.
Project Description; I have used Core'dinations (Nostalgia cardstock).  Old Winnie The Pooh stamp, mounted on Nellie's multiframe edges distressed with Tim Holtz Tea dye and triple embossed, spare cardstock stitched onto Core'dinations which has been hand embossed to give it a border, green (Core'dinations) panel embossed with a Cuttlebug border - edges torn.  Small green square is from Crafter's Companion CD, edges embossed with Cuttlebug boder and cut into shape, stitched in place.  Quikutz swirls, Marianne creatable die cut flower shapes, on Core'dinations and cut-out button sewn in place.  3 small gem heart embellishments added. 
This card will also be added to my course work for a local Art and Craft course run in the village by Cornwall College.
Hope you like it.

Saturday 14 May 2011

Week's crafting

Hope everyone has had a good week; I haven't been too good - but I think it may be as much to do with expecting to feel better when the Summer comes!  Bit of a shock when you still feel the same.  Have done a lot this week mainly due to joinning in with a few swaps. Will have to ration it out!  Enjoy browsing. 
ATC's for Trimcraft Colour swap; striped theme (they are in the picture somewhere)

ATC, my favourite (at the moment - I love the umbrella/sunshade)

More Flower fairies decoupage (Crafters Companion CD)

ATC; Volkswagon Bay, watercolours

ATC; Harbour town, watercolours

ATC; Sweet Peas (Crafters Companion stamped image, coloured with Promarkers, chalked background)