Hello, goodbye!

A quick "hello, goodbye" (especially to new followers and readers) as I got back late last night from Whitley Bay and am now all packed up and ready for my trip down to Thame tomorrow. I didn't take a picture last time I was there, but these are the three wonderful mosaics that greet one at the Metro station...a small station, elevated by this glorious artwork...isn't it great? Once I ventured from the relative comfort of the station, boy, was it windy! I dropped by case off at Papercuts, checked into my room and then went for my walk along the beach. I was almost knocked off my feet several times (and that takes some doing!) and, have to admit that I decided against the paddle! Mainly because I thought I might fall over and get a soaking. However, the gulls were happily bobbing about and showing off their gliding skills. After a good few hours walk I returned to the hotel, had a meal and retired to my room....where I realised that the radiators were not working and the windows had no handles with which to close them. As the "hurricane" hit the area that night, I had one of the coldest nights I can recall. I woke up feeling stiff and covered with goose bumps....bbbrrrrr!

My day at Papercuts was very busy and I met a lovely crowd of people. Here's one card that I made on the day using a mix of MS snowflake punch, Distress inks, Coredinations card and a decoupage Gorjuss topper. The snowflakes look a tadge odd here, as the card is partly open so you can't see the overlay properly. Here's a card that was one of the ones I taught on Sunday's workshop. All done with Distress inks and water with a few details added with Marvy Le Plume pens. The PIP300CWH white card is one of the secrets for creating these really full on bleached out effects. Next is the Triptych piece that was the afternoon class on Sunday. The outside..... ....... and the inside. We used Andy Skinner's stamps to make collaged paper for the interior. Here, by special request yesterday, is another card made with my Build a Snowy Scene stamp set. I made this one at Papercuts and several of the ladies asked me to pop it on here to remind them....hope you are all having a go with your new stamps! So, just a few examples of what I've been up to and I'll hope to have new pics to share with you next week when I return from A Maze of Memories in Long Crendon, near Thame. I know it will be a lovely day on Saturday, as Christina always looks after me very well and I get to see familiar, as well as new faces. Looking forward to seeing you all!
Okay, well, have a really good weekend everyone.

Keep going you fool!

A phrase that has always tickled me and seems appropriate this week! On Friday I took the train down to Norwich and it was an especially good journey. This is a good time of year to see interesting sights through the "wide screen tv" of a train window! The first notable image was of a field of ducks - not a field with a few mallards toddling about, but hundreds of ducks waddling about or sunbathing. I don't think these were domesticated, so I guess they were all on there way somewhere and decided to stop off for a rest. That was my idea anyway!
Further along I spotted another deer - a little one, all on its tod. Then a lovely view of a long stream with swans carefully watching three huge Shire horses on the banks, one craning over to take a drink. As the landscape changes, so does the wildlife, and I saw a large Buzzard wheeling around as the train ventured further south. The trees themselves change too, and the rounded tops of Chestnuts, Elms and Oaks gave way to pencil straight pines that looked as though, if one shifted slightly, they would all topple in a continuous cascade like a row of dominoes. At Ely, I thought I saw a hare, but it could well have just been a big rabbit if I'm honest! No Kingfisher as we pulled into Norwich this time, but I had been treated to some lovely sights.
I spent the afternoon walking around the city's streets, both large and small, though I must confess that it wasn't as enjoyable as usual due to the oppressively humid weather. It wasn't just me - everyone was saying how heavy limbed they felt. However, I still managed about five hours of wandering which meant I slept reasonably well despite the heat.
Next day I was at Jarrolds famous department store where I had a busy day getting very inky...which caused some humour when someone remarked how "clean" all my samples were, as I had been pointing out all my inky fingerprints on everything just before! Hello to all the ladies and, yes, a few men (!) who I met on Saturday, some for the first time. It was lovely to meet you all and I hope that you have all been having fun making those landscapes!
The day sped by and I was soon dashing down to the station for the four and a half hour journey home. It was a nice, quiet train journey and, coming back a slightly different route, I saw hundreds of Norfolk's famous piggies...all living outdoors with their own stys (styes, sties...?!) you'll be pleased to know. Made me feel guilty about my cooked breakfast at the guest house though! I spotted a Heron too, but then, of course, it was beginning to get dark, so my viewing pleasure ended with glorious views of the sun setting over water and some spectacular clouds.
I got home late and, before I knew it, it was Sunday morning and we were off to St Helens to teach a full day of workshops. Here is the well behaved table...all inking, colouring and sticking very nicely..... .....this is the self confessed "naughty" table, though they behaved quite well I have to admit! Here they were making their own decorated paper for the Triptych that we made in the afternoon. In the morning however, everyone had a go at faux bleaching using water over a Distress inked background. Nearly everyone felt a little worried about painting their own scene, but I think all of the finished results had real charm and character....Jacqui's ...........and Christine's snowmen were especially folksy and characterful.... ....they were all brilliant. I haven't got photos of my finished workshop projects yet as the camera batteries have died, but I will post these later in the week.
Here are more background papers being inked after stamping first with Andy Skinner's "Let the Festivities Begin" set. These papers formed the inside covers of the Triptychs. And here are the ladies (some, very naughtily hiding....come out from the back there please Sheila and Kath!) with their Triptychs as they looked at the end of the day. These are a work in progress, so I'd love to see any piccies of extra embellishing that any of you have done. It was a really fun filled day as you can hopefully see! More workshops are available, so check the left sidebar for details. So, after a windy day, but not exactly on a hurricane scale here, I am all packed up again and ready for my trip to Whitley Bay tomorrow. I'll be demonstrating at Papercuts in Roxburgh House...a mix of stamps, papers, punches and lots of inky techniques. Not sure that I'll be having a paddle as I did back in March when I was there for the shop opening day! You never know though...I'm pretty game for tippy toeing in even the coldest of sea, so I'll let you know!
I was about to say "have a great weekend" and then realised it's only Monday and I have a trip way up north and then one way down south before the weekend gets going! (Hence my post title!) I'll post more pictures later in the week. Take care everyone.

Punch drunk!

Sorry for the terrible post title...I can never resist a good (or do I mean bad?!) pun. I've been using new (and old) Martha Stewart punches the last couple of days, making samples for my demonstration up in Whitley Bay on Saturday. Never been there before, so I am looking forward to seeing the sea and maybe having a paddle! No pictures of my samples tonight as it got a little dark for taking photos when I finally got round to packing up and thinking about taking a few snaps. I'm taking my camera with me this weekend though, so will post some next time. All the other work that I've been busy with over the last couple of weeks is stuff I can't share yet, so no photos there either!

I'm going to be at a brand new store called Paper Cuts - a Slice of Imagination, which is situated in Roxburgh House on Park Avenue. Hope to see some of you there on Saturday. I'm travelling up there tomorrow, so can't wait to breathe in that sea air!

It really feels like Spring is here now....so many crocusses and daffs popping up in the garden, the sun beaming down and the Magpies are building a nest right across from our window. It's almost hard to believe that there is so much turmoil in Japan. It really does feel as though the Earth is fighting back with so many natural disasters as there have been lately. We all feel for the people in Japan and let's hope that the Nuclear disaster can be minimised for all our sakes.

A rather depressing note to finish this short post on, but I will sign off for now and be back after my trip to Whitley Bay. Lindsay