About Me

I'm a freelance artist, designer and demonstrator and have been involved in arts and craft my whole life in one way or another. I design stamps for top British company Personal Impressions, under the "Lindsay Mason Designs" brand, as well as papers, templates and other crafting products. I'm a certified Ranger Educator and my first book,"Stamping", was published in 2009. I also design regular projects for Crafts Beautiful magazine and have made guest appearances from time to time on QVC. I've recently joined You Tube under the name of LindsayMason1000 where I'm posting short technique videos and you can buy my paintings and hand crafted pieces from my Etsy shop. My work takes me all around the country demonstrating stamping, papercrafts and general inkiness! When I'm not working, I love gardening, church & community activities, nature watching, journalling, music and theatre and just relaxing at home. Email me at: ljm.design1@virginmedia.com

Monday 22 April 2013

A bit of all sorts

Hope everyone had a good weekend, whatever you were up to. It's been a mixture of warm, sunny days here and some showers but, thank goodness, those roaring winds have abated. It's been the same with work too, with a rush to meet deadlines and then a rare Saturday off....having Saturday off still gives me that familiar childhood feeling of being let out of school!
Here's what I've been working on.....
.....what a cheat that is! Well, the brown package does contain what I've been working on, all secured and posted off this morning. Whew....always a good feeling.
So, Saturday was a beautifully sunny day and really warm - anyone would think it was Spring! And, speaking of which, on Saturday morning I heard a cuckoo calling across the field, a real herald of the season so it must be here at last if a little late. I also managed to take another video of the Barn Owl which I'll upload after I write this post.
I've  managed to get some time in the garden over the last few days - sometimes getting jobs done and I also enjoyed sitting on the bench with a cup of fruit tea, reading the Radio Times with Thomas soaking up the sun beside me. He and Tara both love it when I go outside and they always follow me round to see what I'm up to. Here's my big boy asking me to go for a walk with him.......
 I've been busy transplanting seedlings into their outdoor positions but I still have quite a lot left to do as you can see....
.....there's not much room for sitting in the conservatory at the moment! There are sunflowers, sweet peas, nasturtiums, pansies, green beans and tomatoes in various stages of growth....I'm trying to make sure I have things blooming right through the summer. I've still got courgettes and asters to sow but that will be it as far as seeds I think. The veg and tomatoes are staying in the conservatory this time seeing that the slugs got almost everything last year! I've grown around two hundred sweet peas and have been planting them anywhere that they'll be able to scramble up walls, twiggy canes, trees or whatever. The seeds have cost next to nothing and it's been really satisfying to watch them sprouting up.
On Saturday evening Heather and I went up to the church hall for the "curry and quiz night". Last time that we made a team of two we called ourselves "Chalk and Cheese" (well, we are very different!) but we were joined by two other ladies needing a team, so we dubbed ourselves "Cheese & Whine" instead....not sure who was the whine part! It was a very good night with lots of general knowledge questions as well as two sets of cryptic ones which were just up my street. We came joint fourth out of around twenty teams so not too bad. 
Unfortunately the rain came down yesterday so I got pretty soaked walking home from church but soon dried out and got my work finished and parcelled up. I spotted this little cutey warming up in one of her favourite spots too....
Tonight, the highlight of the evening was the last episode of Broadchurch which left me feeling wrung out like a wet dishcloth! No wonder it's had such massive viewing figures, the acting was superb through the whole series and it was refreshing to see a drama series take it's time to tell a full story for once. I'm saying nothing about the storyline....I hate spoilers and I know lots of people watch things on catch up! Brilliant though and I feel like I've been through a wringer.
I've uploaded the owl video, so that should be up and viewable now. If I spot the cuckoo I'll try and snap that too!
I'll be getting on with some projects that I'll be able to share over the next few days and I'll be at Card-Io in Pemberton, Wigan on Saturday. I'll also be demonstrating at the Happy Stampers show again, which is on the 11th May, so hope to see lots of you there.
Okay, better sign off and get to bed now. Sorry this was such a  rambly post!

4 comments:

Hazel (Didos) said...

Oh My Wasnt Broadchurch fantastic, the acting was something I have never seen at that standard EVER before. Loved it from week one!!

WOW I thought I was good with my 20 sweetpeas. A lot of my seedling died, Im not sure why, Dad thinks its because I bought an inferior brand :(

We are off to plant early potatoes and carrots today, Looking forward to getting things out now and not having them stuck in the kitchen!

Sending you big Hugs,

Love Hazelxox

Paul B said...

Must be a relief to have finished your deadlines and see them all packed and ready to send in the brown envelope. We've been in the garden too now that the weather has been more favourable. I'm admiring all your planting of seedlings! We haven't done anything near as productive this year. Sipping fruit tea in the garen is about my limit haha. The quiz night sounds great fun. I believe the week is going to remain nice but the weekend is going to take a turn for the worse so enjoy your garden whilse you can. Pxxxx

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow Lindsay! Those seedlings are sure coming on! Can just picture all those sweet peas in flower(and imagine the scent too!) Well done for getting your designs in the post! You deserve a break now! Chrisx

Anonymous said...

Really enjoyed Broadchurch too. Was running a class on Monday evening so came home and watched it afterwards. Didn't get to bed till gone 1 pm. Brilliant acting.

Love all your seedlings. Now I want to plant sweetpeas too!

Looking forward to seeing the contents of the brown box!
Christina xx A Maze of Memories