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

Saturday 20 July 2013

That was the day that was...

...and if the allusion to TWTWTW means nothing to you, then you're younger than me! Up here in the North West we have a level 3 heatwave alert and it's been truly unbearable today. I have little digital thermometers in various rooms in the house, and even in the shadiest rooms they were registering 27 degrees. As for the ones in the conservatory and kitchen, it was so hot that the displays had completely packed up! 
I woke really early today so I got up and opened all the doors to get some air flowing and let my two terrors out, although, being animals they are sensible about the heat and tend to spend most of their time asleep in shady spots. 
It being my birthday, once I'd brewed some fruit tea, I listened to Mario Lanza. David and I always began both our birthdays this way, starting with our song, "Because". David would always join in and serenade me with his beautiful tenor voice whilst I snuggled into his arms...hearing a tenor voice is one thing, but to feel it right next to you is something else.
Needless to say it was bitter sweet to listen to Mario on my own this morning and I did shed more than a few tears. "Serenade" was another favourite song, this one from the film The Student Prince, which featured Mario Lanza's voice although the part was acted on screen by Edmund Perdom. I found this You Tube video to share here - some of the pictures are an odd choice, but the song and the singing are out of this world....
.....despite the tears, this was a beautiful way to start the day.
It was always going to be a rather unusual birthday as I had to perform Verger duties at a funeral at lunchtime which rather split the day down the middle. Heather had been thinking we might take a trip to the zoo, but we've shelved that till the weather cools down a bit. She came round this morning instead and gave me some scrumptious gifts including some Inktense sets. I've been wanting to use their pencils or blocks for ages now, so I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into using them. I think the blocks will be great for making backgrounds especially...and there are two layers of gorgeous colours in the tin!
Heather had also created something special for me, although she was convinced it was "rubbish"! I think that my reaction convinced her otherwise...it's a beautiful canvas....
.....the words "Wherever there are birds there is hope" are written along the birds' bodies. Isn't it lovely?
So, along with some gift vouchers, I've had some very special gifts today, as well as lovely cards.
Heather dropped me off at church in time for me to set everything up for the funeral...I have to set out candles, service sheets etc and I'm in charge of the CD's if there is any special music to be played ....which can be a little nerve wracking! Poor Heather had to wait around for over two hours in the blazing sun whilst I did my duties and, by then, we both decided it was too late and way too hot to do anything really, so we just came back here to cool off again!
I've just had a quiet evening, finishing a small plaque, deadheading some flowers and making a very simple supper that was both delicious and healthy! I just sliced some freshly picked courgettes lengthways and laid them in a baking dish, threw some home grown cherry tomatoes, stalks intact, on top of them, drizzled with olive oil and a few grinds of course salt and popped the dish into the oven. Absolutely delicious! I don't know about you, but this weather makes me less hungry, so this was all I needed...no meat, no carbs!
The little plaque I finished uses the deer from my Winter Silhouettes set and the words are from our Tinchies range of stamps.
The trees are a Sizzix "on the edge" die that I'm very fond of. I've used Distress Paints over the corrugated backing, with Deco Art Silver Sparkle metal lustre stroked across. I used white Gesso for the snow. The deer was stamped onto acetate but I wanted it to be much blacker and stronger so I used black enamel accents to carefully pipe over the stamped image, then sprinkled a little Distress Rock Candy glitter over it. A few dabs of silicone glue lifted it from the background and I added more Gesso over the feet to secure it more fully.
I had been looking through my old blog posts and came across a plaque that I'd made a couple of years ago so I decided I'd make this one the same way but with a totally different look. It's good to look back at what you made and surprising how you can forget about techniques or ideas, so it's nice to use them again! Here's the one I posted a picture of back in 2009 - crikey!
It was a much larger piece and I think I cut all the trees by hand! The one I made today is a much simpler affair, but I'm sure I'll be making another more full on version again.
Well, I guess I really should sign off and get to bed. Hopefully it will feel a little cooler tonight as there's a bit of a breeze out there now. I have my spritzer bottle of chilled water on my bedside table just in case though!
Oh, just to leave you with an image that might make you laugh...I'm still without a lawnmower and the grass has been getting longer and longer again. Yesterday morning I was so fed up with it that I cut the entire lawn with....a pair of scissors! I was on my hands and knees for over an hour. It doesn't look great, but it does look shorter!   

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Lindsay, so sorry to have missed your birthday :( I am so glad you had a lovely day. Glad all went well with your Church duties. I love the picture (canvas?) Heather made for you. Gosh that little plaque takes me back, I remember the workshop where we made one.........must find it! I'll be in touch soon, complete with belated card!! Take care. Love S xxx

christinaglitter said...

Happy Birthday for yesterday LIndsay do love reading. your blogg you write so good letting us into your world .Do feel for you missing your husband he always be with you in your heart. Have loads of your stamps as love your designs and love looking here at your designs and projects .Have good weekend sorry don' t comment a lot but do read your blogg everyday when l can .x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Uh! Oh! Missed your birthday-have to make up for that sometime! Sounds like a busy one-belated wishes anyway! Phew! It was hot yesterday wasn't it? We had to go down to Bolton to pick Josh up-he finished primary school yesterday and was allowed home at 11.00 so we were driving in the middle of the day-when we got back here the fridge had gone into overdrive and was beeping like crazy! Love that you were doing Christmas on such a scorcher-it does look lovely though! The gesso snow looks really deep and crisp!! Have a good weekend, hopefully cooler, hugs, Chrisx

Anonymous said...

A belated Happy Birthday Lindsay - and I love your little deer hanger using your new stamps - really lovely.
Christina xx A Maze of Memories

Paul B said...

Wow, love your pressies! I'll be nicking that book the next time I see you lol. Glad you had a good, if slightly bittersweet, day & that all went well with your verger duties. And i know what you mean about the weather. I haven't felt like doing anything this week. Too lethargic. Anyway, have a great weekend. Mwah. Pxxxxxxxxxx

Redanne said...

Hi Lindsay, it was so lovely to hear from you! Happy Birthday to you too! Hope you have had a lovely day too. We have been to Bodiam Castle on a steam train and loved every moment of it. Down here in Kent (visiting my Son) there is a much needed cool and overcast day. Heather's canvas is absolutely gorgeous! Hugs, Anne x

Diane said...

I love Heathers bird canvas too !! Your projects aren't bad either Lindsay !! he,he.

Belated Birthday Wishes Sweetie !!

hugs Diane xx