MIAM

MIAM

Sunday 29 July 2012

Phew!


The trouble with going away is coming home to washing, ironing, shopping, mowing the lawn, cutting the hedge and taking seven blimmin' bags of garden waste to the tip!  But somehow I managed to find time to make a couple of cards, there's a few birthdays coming up in August so I justified a little crafting time was ok.

This week sees a sketch challenge over at Less is More 

 
 
and at CAS-ual Friday there's a colour challenge. (Navy Lime and Aqua)  I combined the two and produced this effort.



Stamps used were Artemio for the flourish and the sentiment was made by combining part of a Woodware greeting and an SU stamp.  Punched flowers and buttons from my stash completed the card.  




Had a quick scoot round the chazza shops yesterday with my niece Emily.  I am pleased to say she is not averse to a little chazzing and regularly buys second hand clothes from ebay but alas nothing caught her eye (due to a severe lack of anything emblazoned with 'Hollister'!) or mine for that matter.  Here are a few bits and pieces that I have picked up recently however.


chain belt- to be worn only with tunic, flares and go-go boots! - £1



Assorted pomanders - 50p each

 


school version of Wind in The Willows 1963 - £1 





I'm back to work tomorrow, (pulls sad face) refreshed? yes, raring to go? no!

a bientot. xxx

Saturday 28 July 2012

Kernow

So, I'm back from my holidays in Cornwall and bloody lovely it was too, the sun shone from the moment we arrived until after we got home.  I say 'we' as I went with... the new bloke!  I've been seeing him for a few months now but although I've known him for twenty years I was quite apprehensive about going away with a man after so long on my own.  Anyway I'm pleased to report all went well and he managed to put up with me, I even got him in a charity shop! 


We had the most glorious weather, great food, stunning scenery, beautiful beaches and there was no shortage of cider either!    


 
Spectacular scenery at Carnewas 


Bedruthan Steps. We climbed the 142 steps down to the shore, the way back 
up included several stops,......... just to take in the view, you understand.  
Unfit, moi ??  


   (This one's a favourite) 



 
 "Just try sticking a parking ticket on me mate !"


 
  Yours truly and Chalky cycling along the Camel Trail from Wadebridge to Padstow.  (Worry not dear readers, Chalky had his own trailer and this basket pose was just a photo opportunity. No dogs were confined during this cycle ride!)  

 
A Harlyn Bay sunset


 

Picturesque Polperro



 
   Chocolate box scenes. 

Whilst away, I even got to see Vik, an old friend from my backpacking days whom we met in her home town of Truro, alas I forgot to take any snaps we were so engrossed in conversation.  We haven't seen each other in 5 years and it was so lovely to catch up, the menfolk seemed to have plenty to chat about too fortunately!

Back to reality now and Olympic mania.  I have been very cynical about the whole Olympic event, the cost to the nation, the G4S debacle etc, (why did the Government not consult me first ?  When G4S had the Passenger Special Assistance contract at Gatwick they could not even deliver a doddery pensioner to a flight on time !!!)  but even I had to admit, what I saw of the opening ceremony was pretty impressive.  Much as I loathe Mr. Bean I thought his appearance was inspired as I believe he is known around the globe.  Can't say I shall be watching any more of it though as sport interests me not.

Off to catch up with all of you now. 

Anowre xx  (Cornish for ta ra)

Monday 16 July 2012

Red

Another snap for July Photo a Day.  Red is my favourite colour, it makes me feel warm and cosy and as I am the world's coldest person I like to have this colour around me at home.  If I knew how to do it I'd make one of those photo montage thingy's of my red furnishings but I don't, so this will have to suffice.



I haven't been able to capture the exact shade of this nail polish, which is more rasperry than tomato.  This may be because I took the photo indoors as it is BLOODY RAINING AGAIN !!!!!   This perpetual precipitation is severely hampering my photographic opportunities and I think we're all going to be suffering from SAD soon due to the absence of sunshine for about a year!!
My lawn is squelchy, my veggies are yellowing and my roses are brown. 





Hey ho, I'm off to Cornwall on my holidays later this week so won't be around for a while. This is going to be a bit of a special holiday for me and I might tell you why when I get back. 

Until then, tfl.
xxx  




Tuesday 10 July 2012

Fifty Shades of Grey

Ha!  I bet that got your attentionHas anyone out there read this much discussed book which has been flying off the shelves at an alarming speed of knots?  After hearing so much hype I must confess I googled some excerpts to see what all the fuss was about, I wasn't expecting a great literary work and I wasn't wrong. A young passenger at work whispered to me that it is "quite sexual you know" and another told me she couldn't put it down and "finished it in 12 hours" but the chapters I read weren't anything I hadn't seen before and frankly I found the dialogue dull.  It seems this is a 'Marmite' book and I don't think it' s my bag, although maybe I'm being unfair as I've not read the entire thing (Wot spend £3!! Asda apparently!) but would love to know your views on it.

As for the title of the post, I was referring to the colour of the UK skies this summer of course!!

A lovely July day!
 

Optimum conditions have not been present here this summer for a  fabulous al fresco photo fest but I've kept calm and carried on and these are a few I've taken this week for July Photo a Day challenge.


On The Floor

 

 My brother's dog, Ernie



Chair 
 

Nan's old 'Georgian' chair complete with dust!  (not sure that it is in the Georgian style but that's what she called it)
 

 Garden 


 rain damaged roses



Thanks for looking and if you're in the UK, stay dry.

Saturday 7 July 2012

All That Glitters

No prizes for guessing the theme of this week's challenge over at Less Is More.  I'm not really a fan of gold in crafting as it reminds me of when I started all those years ago, there wasn't nearly so much choice of products,  all the embossing powders were metallic and everyone crafted with mirriboard.  Anyhow, I came up with this idea and I kind of like it, hope you do too.




The stamp by Hero Arts was inked with Versamark and embossed with Gold Detail E.P.  Punched mirriboard flowers embellished with tiny bugle beads were arranged along the branch and then I made a sign to dangle down using a Kaisercraft sentiment and a gold pen to make the 'chain'. I think the gold against the purple card looks quite striking.  

There are quite a few songs with 'Gold' lyrics, but this one was most prominent in my mind.         Go Shirley!



Wednesday 4 July 2012

It's Raining Again

How fed up am I with this interminable rain ?  We've endured it for weeks now and I've had enough!    It rained non-stop for two days on Monday/Tuesday, my garden is a quagmire and I can't dry my washing. Sorry, I know it's boring but really, it is supposed to be summer! I should be skipping through sun scorched fields in skimpy garments but instead I'm covered with kagoules and wearing wellies and taking cover indoors. (mostly pubs it has to be said)  OK Rant over


I managed to do some crafting yesterday and made this card for my nephew Eddie who is 11 tomorrow.




I was quite pleased with it as it was one of those 'make it up as you go along cards' so I'm going to enter it in  Stampin For the Weekend's challenge - Show us your Style  (my style being Clean and Simple)


Have been so busy lately that I've hardly had time for chazzin and as for car boots, forget it! - would need a tow truck to get the car out of the field.
Here are a couple of pleasing purchases I made when in Kent the other week though.  


 

 Men's 100% linen shirt - not cheap at £4.95 but in good condition and washed up beautifully.



 

Jasper Conran cardi with lovely buttons and detailing- £3 
(colour is more raspberry rather than this tomato shade)
 


I'll leave you with Supertramp and the tune which has been been playing in my head for days now.  Enjoy what's left of the week.   xxx