MIAM

MIAM

Monday 30 April 2012

More Big Pics


Here are my my last efforts in the April photo a day challenge.


Day 26   Black and White
 




Day 29   Circle




I'll be back soon with my latest make and chazza bargains.
xx

Saturday 28 April 2012

Bugger Blogger

Well lets see how this goes.... I am posting in new blogger.  I hate change and was quite happy with the old interface until I was discovered that my photo's could be larger with new blogger, so I'm giving it a go.  Although I doubt if I'll get to the end of the post without a few expletives escaping.


Here is a card I made this morning for the latest LIM challenge - sketch 


 


and also CAS-ual Friday's challenge which is flowers and/or trees ( I hope topiary trees count)


Note big photo!





I was given this stamp recently by a neighbour who acquired it at a boot fair in a job lot I think, and thought it would look best paper pieced.  It took me longer trying to find colours that I thought toned well with each other, (all oddments from my stash) than actually putting the card together.  I deliberately omitted the sentiment as I think the card looks better without one.

I'm on the night shift again tonight so going to get my head down now for a few more Zzzz's hopefully.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, two 'bugger's and a 'shit'

Thanks for looking and have a splendid weekend.
xxx

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Finding My Bottle

Three more snaps for April Photo-A-Day.

Orange



Bottle





Vegetable



I recently found the bottle in a box that I hadn't unpacked since I moved........six years ago!

Thanks for looking.
xxx

Sunday 22 April 2012

Crochet, Hooray

Is it because I'm a woman of a certain age that I think crochet is becoming fashionable ? This crocheted top is from New Look so it must be 'on trend', right?.


I've been meaning to give crochet another go as I haven't done any for about.... oooh 35 years and I've recently been stockpiling wool from chazza's in preparation.

Here is my first granny square, I had to get instructions from the web as I'd completely forgotten how to double crochet etc but it soon came back.




I don't think it's too shabby for a first effort do you? My intention is to make a blanket for the spare bed, only another 500 to go then!

Over at Dad's the other day, I went in search of Mum's old knitting bag. (which was originally my nan's) I think I might be using it as a handbag, it's so lovely and... vintage!


I found lots of wool (it's called yarn now!), needles, hooks and patterns, this one was amongst them.



It is american (my parents lived there in the 80's) so I think Mum must have bought it at a thrift store. Not sure that a hat like that was ever a good look but hey, I'm sure someone liked it.



Unfortunately, my prowess with a hook does not stretch this far yet, (WTF is tatting?) but hoping that practice will make perfect. Are there any hookers reading this blog I wonder, if so any crochet tips will be gratefully received.

Must go and put on some slap now before heading to the pub for lunch and afterward visiting my cousin in her new home at Uckfield. Enjoy your afternoon.

xx

Saturday 21 April 2012

Charmed, I'm Sure.

I've had a LIM break for the last couple of weeks but I'm back with this card that I made with a man in mind so I hope you think it is suitably masculine.


The challenge this week is CHARMS, I'm not a great fan of these as I think they can be a bit twee but I gave it my best shot with what I had available in my stash. I masked off the lower section of the card and applied D.I. and stamped 'seaweed' with a C.I. tree stamp. The bubbles were made using a scrap of card that had been hole punched as a mask and the fish charm hung with some linen thread. I stamped the sentiment straight onto the card and of course because I left it until last I cocked it up, therefore I had no other choice than to matt and layer the sentiment. I never learn!

I've gratuitously uploaded another video for you, just because I can! The obvious choice would have been This Charming Man by The Smiths, but I can't stand it so I'm going for the inspiration behind this card. It may bring back some lovely memories.





Have a fabulous weekend.
xx

Monday 16 April 2012

Flower

Day 16 of April Photo-a-day.

Sunday 15 April 2012

Comfortably Dumb

I've had this weekend off and today I've been very productive. I have found a cheaper motor insurance and bought a new policy, finished decorating a photo frame for my school friend Sue's 50th, transplanted my broad bean plants at the allotment, been to a car boot (very disappointing) sowed annual seeds and made ten sweet pea 'newspaper' pots, baked a Victoria sponge and a tray of Flapjacks, phew! if I get time later I still need to mow the lawns. Do I sound like a domestic goddess? I bet Nigella doesn't get the mower out at Saatchi Towers! But then I daresay her lawn is bigger than a postage stamp.

Here is the photo frame I finished for Sue's birthday next month.

Before



After


The photo was taken by my dad circa 1970, Sue and I had just won the Three Legged race at the school sports day and were being presented with our certificate by the headmistress. I'm not sure she's ever seen this photo so I hope she likes it, although her face is not visible her bunches give her away.

Yesterday I had a quick scoot around the local chazza's and found them sadly lacking. I made only one purchase, a pretty top.


£3.25 Cancer Research

I don't know about your neck of the woods but around here some chazza's are tres pricey. £6 for some faded and bobbly Primani tat! I don't think so. You can buy it new for not much more (although I would never haggle in a charity shop) so they must be losing sales at those prices. The Cancer Research shop in East Grinstead where I bought this top, is reasonable though and has some very high end labels too which understandably command a higher price.

Next up is today's boot fair find. It was a miracle I came home with anything as it was a very sad affair with only a handful of sellers and even fewer buyers, however I did find this handbag.


Boot fair 50p

The leather straps are a bit knackered but for 50p what the heck. Have nourished them with wax polish and with a bit more TLC I'm sure it will look fine.


If you're wondering what the post title is referring to...... it's me. Last week I asked the wonderfully kind knickerlicious Curtise if she could help me with instructions to upload a video, as I am spectacularly useless at any new computer stuff. She duly obliged and emailed me basic instructions in layman's terms. "Simple" I thought and following her instructions off I went to Youtube.
But bloody hell, what did I do wrong? After three abortive attempts and no vids I ran out of time and postponed it until yesterday, when 12yr old niece happened to pop by. Turns out I was right clicking when I should have been left clicking or something
, (niece rolled eyes) and then suddenly by the magic of Curtises' instructions I did it !! No doubt this all sounds rather pathetic to you, but when it comes to computers and technology in general, I am supremely challenged. But do I care ? do I ...., not until it impacts on my life in a negative way and then I might try to do something about it. My problem is I'm just not that interested. This is the person that didn't even have a mobile phone until 5 years ago, and even now days go by without me even switching it on. It is not what you'd call a state of the art model, in fact recently a young work colleague of mine asked if it had been exhibited in the Natural History Museum, ..... ha bloody ha.
So to summarise, I am happy in my techy ignorance and to those lovely people who have helped me over the years, I thank you
.




Gotta love Pink Floyd.
x

Monday 9 April 2012

Born To Be Wild

Younger You is today's theme in April Photo-A-Day and here I am looking bemused on an Aeriel Square Four (so I'm told) around 1965. The bike belonged to my auntie's boyfriend Freddie and I believe it had a sidecar.


Back then I was almost always dressed in hand me downs, usually from the older girl next door and all these years later I am back in second hand clothes
, but this time by choice not necessity. Here is a sight you won't see very often - me in a skirt!

Skirt £4.50 British Heart Foundation, Navy Cardi 50p Jumble Sale.
(Shirt Fatface sale, you don't expect me to pay their normal prices do you ?)

Haven't had much blogging time lately due to long working hours but hope to be back soonest. Thanks for dropping by.

xx

Wednesday 4 April 2012

On Golden Pond?

Hardly! I recently visited our local pond to try to capture my reflection for the latest Photo A Day challenge. Never have I seen a more murky and stagnant looking 'water feature'. There was all manner of detritus floating about on the surface, still it didn't seem to bother the ducks.

Day 1

The latest list of subjects for April's challenge.



Day 2


Day 3

I will try to cover as many as I can, as although I don't purport to be an ace photographer, it does make you think about different ways to interpret the subject and capture a shot. Not sure if I ever achieve this though!

Yesterday I got my fix of chazza shops, once again it was very disappointing and I only managed two purchases. First up was this rather gorgeous print top.

£3.50 Revive Charity shop (proceeds go to one of those happy clappy churches)


I love the colourful design of the fabric.

Can I see curtains twitching ?


Not self conscious at all then!


Dreadful photo's I'm afraid, they were very wishy-washy, I've no idea why and had to edit them to get to this standard.


Secondly, I found this Egg Cup Set which I rather took a fancy to.


£1.99 YMCA shop

Well thanks for stopping to look and read my ramblings. See you soon I hope.
xx

Sunday 1 April 2012

Trash 'n' Toes

Day 28 of March Photo-a-Day - Trash



Day 29 - Feet


I've got three days off now, so I'll be back soon.
Tatty bye.
x