The bird house is steaming

The laptop is perched on my knees and I must admit it's rather nice to feel the warmth coming off it! It's been a really sunny day here and comparatively mild but, now the evening is drawing in it's gone really chilly and I'm feeling a mite shivery. It's a hot shower for me after I post this and there's a chicken roasting in the oven for later. 

Anyway, the birdhouse in the title of this post, is made using the Sizzix Rounded 3D Birdhouse die. It's another of the Bigz XL ones, so you do need the extended plates to use it. I've been working on several projects today, in preparation for the three days at Event City in Manchester in February, but this birdhouse was my favourite.....

.....I'd made a couple of more "conventional" versions and then decided to go a little steampunk! The chimney is not part of the die, but was quite simply made by rolling up a tube of paper and snipping across it so I could form the bend. 

I used a Graphic 45 paper for the main body of the birdhouse and the roof is from a DCWV pad. A quick rummage through my box of Ideaology bits and pieces gave me the metal flowers, leaves, cogs and keyhole. The little key was in my "allsorts" tin! I used a mixture of decorative brads by MME to attach the flowers to the roof and walls.

The metal embellishments go all the way round the birdhouse. Here's a closer look at the base....

....I attached the key using a large jump ring through a hole in the roof edge with an eyelet secured using a Cropodile.

I really enjoyed making this whimsical piece which stands around 5" high. It's not difficult to put the 3D objects together as they've been so well designed and it means you can really go to town on the decoration. I'll share more of my projects in the next couple of weeks...I've still got lots to do....as well as all my stamped projects for Stitches!

Right, the thought of a hot shower is drawing me now, and I can smell roast chicken, so I shall sign off for this evening and go and get warmed up!

Rain, ribbon, cake, cards and chicken!

Hello all, it's been like the sunniest of Spring days here....quite cold but bright and uplifting. Hard to think it was Christmas a few weeks ago and it does make one look forward to lighter evenings and more clement weather. A little different to last week's torrential downpours....

.....goodness, that was a wet day!

The next day I was in Scunthorpe at Trent Valley Crafts where I had the honour of cutting the ribbon to officially open the shop......

.....if you look closely you'll see that most of the customers were inside the shop - keeping warm! Theresa and Linda have done a great job of getting the shop ship shape and have lots of demos and workshops planned. Judging by this beautiful cake that was given to them by their customers (and made and decorated by one of them) I think they will be getting a lot of support in their venture....

....stunning isn't it? It was a shame to cut into it! And I must say that I haven't ever sat at my demonstration table and seen this sight in front of me....

.....there was quite a lot of sparkling wine flowing!
I wasn't doing my usual inky, messy stuff  - a cleaner look was the order of the day, with lots of dies and a few stamps. I used a couple of my old favourites plus some gorgeous flower silhouettes from Inkadinkadoo.

I haven't used my Swirly Birds Owl for a while! Aren't those wildflowers great - really useful designs.

And I really like these Spellbinders curved edge dies that created just the right shape to sit my fairy silhouette oval stamp into.

I'm now working with a whole host of things to create lots of samples for forthcoming events. February is going to be ultra busy! It's Stitches time again of course - my favourite work event of the year - but I'm also going to be at two three day retail shows. Gosh, there's a lot to get done in the next few weeks! I'll be posting details of lots of forthcoming events very soon, once everything is finalised. 

Tara is driving me nuts at the moment! I roasted a chicken at the weekend and, being like a bloodhound where that particular item is concerned, she will not cease pestering me until every last morsel has gone. How she knows that there is still some in the fridge I have no idea, but she does! I've had a roast dinner (I have discovered that I'm very good at roast potatoes!), a chicken salad, a sandwich and, tonight, I made my version of special fried rice with the addition of a little chopped bacon and a few prawns. T & T have had two meals from it so far and tomorrow will see the remnants used in a final sandwich for me and supper time treats for those two! Pretty good going and I reckon I could have probably stretched it to make a soup as well if I'd really tried!

It's an early start for me in the morning. I don't have to go anywhere, but I need to be "up and at it" to get all these show samples made! TTFN

Birthday skies

Today would have been David's birthday and the second that I've spent without him beside me. This morning the sky looked amazing so I immortalised the moment.....

.....breathtaking. Then I recalled that I took a photo of the sky exactly a year ago and that it was a very similar gorgeous view.....

.....I've no doubt that David would have said it was quite right that his special day should be accompanied by such beautiful sights!

Needless to say that he has been in my thoughts all day (even more than usual) and I bought some red carnations....David loved red flowers.

This time last year Heather and I went out for the day, visiting mum and taking a trip to the garden centre, but, today being Sunday, I was at church this morning. Part of the service involved our puppets, so I was Camille the camel again...talking to my friend Clyde (another camel) about the star that the three kings followed. It was well received, though the downside of performing behind a screen is that you don't get to see the audience reaction.

This afternoon I took down all my Christmas decorations which is a job that I hate....everywhere looks so dull and cheerless now. However, Heather gave me her lovely Tiffany style lamp when she was changing a few things around at home, so I have now put that where the tree was to brighten up the place.

Well, the wind and rain are swirling around outside and my two furry pals and I are snuggled up for the evening now. I'll be having a rare glass of wine tonight so I can raise it to my lovely David and remember happy birthdays past.