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.

Awol for Christmas

Thank you to everyone who has sent me messages over the past few weeks to check that I was okay after being awol from my blog for such a long time. Thank you too, for all the lovely Christmas cards that I received which are all displayed on the walls in the lounge...it's going to look very bare when I have to take them down next week! I hope that everyone has had a lovely Christmas.

Everything's fine here, but I was in the grip of a persistent bug for three weeks and then just needed some "time out" to concentrate on Christmas, family and general relaxation time.

I began my Christmas break by getting some housework done though...my Doo Lally workroom was well overdue a clear out as you can see.....

.....disgraceful, I know! It's worse as, being the "vestibule" (as mum always called it) it's the first thing people see when they come in at the front door, as well as being visible to neighbours and passers by. It really had got beyond a joke....

....though I know it's a sight that's all too familiar to many of you!

After ten minutes of wading through "stuff" I really felt like giving up,but I ploughed on and after an hour or two I was relieved to view this sight....

......what a lovely feeling! Mind you, I probably won't be able to find anything ever again now that it's all tidied away in various drawers, boxes and cupboards! I painted the inside of the front door and all the woodwork to really make it feel even fresher. Next morning I cleaned the conservatory from top to bottom before giving it a lick of paint....I'd been going to buy a tin but I found an old can of yellow paint in the garage which I opened with little hope of finding anything useable inside. However, after peeling a thick skin off the top and a good stir it looked surprisingly okay! It wasn't yellow paint that I wanted though, but a soft lime, so I used  Ranger Colourwash Dyes to change the colour to just the shade I liked - that saved a bit of money!

After sprucing the place up it was treat time, that is, Christmas tree and decorations! I do enjoy getting the baubles and tinsel out. Tara was soon investigating the tree....

.....thankfully, it's stayed upright, though I had to tape it to the table after she almost knocked the whole thing over! The Doo Lally room got a Christmas makeover too of course.....

I hope everyone survived the storms and power failures last week, though it looks like the winds and rain are heading back to us today. I had settled down to watch the Strictly Come Dancing final and the winds were rattling round the house quite fiercely even then. Tara was settled on my lap when there was a sudden, and very loud, BOOM from the chimney breast behind the gas fire. Tara nearly leapt through the wall behind me and I jumped up very quickly I can tell you! Seconds later it did it again and then a third time, more quietly, accompanied by a whoosh of grey fluff landing on the rug. 

It really shook me up and I rang the gas emergency number to ask for some advice as to what might have happened. They told me to turn the gas off and that they were sending someone out. Then followed a rather nervous half hour until a man arrived to check everything out. The upshot was that he blocked off the gas fire and stuck a great big notice on it that it mustn't be used until I had someone round to service and clean the boiler - apparently the wind had caused a backdraught due to a build up of dust behind the fire and the gases "explode" causing the big bang. Scary stuff! 

So, Saturday night was a wash out and I was thankful that I'd bought a halogen heater a few weeks before, as were the two T's........

....as you can see! By Monday morning it was pretty cold throughout the house, so I was very pleased to see the plumber who gave everything a good service and connected things up again. Unfortunately, later on in the day the heating wouldn't come back on so, on Christmas Eve, the poor man had to come back to take another look. It was something to do with the ignition...starter...not sure really, but all was finally sorted in the nick of time before Christmas day!

Christmas day itself was very different for all in my family this year. It was the first one for us without my brother in law, Graham, so I spent the afternoon and night at my sister's. It was such a completely different day to how any of us had spent it before so we just had to try and find a way through it really. I went to the morning family communion service at church and then went down to Heather's. She was already putting the potatoes in to roast with the chicken and I had made bread sauce, roasted and peeled the chestnuts and made strawberry Santas to take with me. My nephew, Max, arrived and then we sat down to a delicious dinner at around 3pm. Gifts were opened after we had washed the dishes...very strange for us as we normally would have opened them first thing in the morning. Heather had given me a few things to unwrap first thing though.....a lovely cup and teapot with a matching knitted tea cosy, complete with pom pom and fruit tea bags, as well as a matching Nordic design apron! For Thomas and Tara there were some foodie treats and a scratchpost toy which Thomas immediately took to....

.....as you can see!

I had made a few gifts after watching the Great British Sewing Bee special the week before.....I've never really been into sewing, but I felt inspired to make some very simple things. This was a new Catnip toy for the two T's......

 

...using some Christmas fabric that I found in the loft. I made one for Mia, Heather's pusscat too, as well as a scented one for Heather. Also a garland of hearts from Christmas fabric which I strung onto plaited ribbons - also for Heather. She was quite impressed with my stitched gifts as she shares my lack of enthusiasm for sewing! The one I had the most fun making was this owl from felt....

.....he turned out larger than I'd planned, but Heather liked him!

I came home on Boxing day and Heather and I played some games that took us right back down memory lane....The Beetle game (with plastic beetles that you have to assemble by rolling the dice to collect the numbered components) and the Magnetic Fishing game which anyone over a certain age is sure to remember! These were exact copies of the original games and we had a few giggles over them.

Next day I woke to the stormy weather of course and found mountains of litter strewn around the garden as well as one of the fence panels at the back of the house blown down. There were quite a few fences where they shouldn't be, but everyone has left them for the time being as the winds were predicted to strike again - and today has been very blowy indeed. Once the weather settles down there will be plenty of time to do the repairs. As I type, the heaven's have opened again and there are giant hailstones clattering over the garden and the conservatory roof as well as down the chimney! It's going to be another stormy night I think.

The services at St Chads have been really lovely, and have helped to lift my spirits up throughout the past few weeks when I've been feeling low. I've been on duty quite a few times and the Sunday before Christmas was a very busy day. After the morning service there was a party for the Sunday School children and we put on a puppet show of course. I was a camel in the first piece and then we did a song - thankfully there was a CD for us to mime our puppets to, so no actual singing was involved! Then there was another story with sheep puppets called Baaarnaby and Baaaarbara! 

In the evening was the Carol service, at which I did one of the readings. It starts and finishes by candlelight and is a really uplifting and beautiful experience.

Now it's getting toward ending this year. It's been another tough one for me and my family, but we get through everything together. I don't look forward to New Year's Eve...I've always found it more of a sad time rather than one of looking forward to new things....but it's especially hard, as David and I always hugged each other and stood to watch the fireworks together, feeling relief that we'd managed to get through another year with all the ups and downs that life throws at us all.

So, I wish everyone a New Year's Eve spent in the way you like to spend it and a new year that brings good things to you and yours. 

I'll be getting out and about again before too long, starting with a trip to Scunthorpe where I'll be officially opening a brand new shop on Tuesday 7th January, called Trent Valley Crafts ....I'll be cutting the ribbon and then demonstrating for the rest of the day. So, if you're in the area, do pop down to support this new venture. I'll post about my other work dates in a few days.

Sorry this is a bit of a rambly post - after being absent for so long it's a bit hotch potch really. I'll try and get back to normal service soon!

Quick catch up

By gum it's cold! I keep turning the heat off and having to give in again after a while and crank it back up again. The spicy scented candles and the Patchouli incense have re-appeared, the zesty shower gels have been replaced by cocoa butter and honey ones and the fluffy socks, hot water bottle and fleecy pj's have been brought out again. All that, and I've still managed to catch a cold! Oh well, a couple of days dosing up on paracetamol should see me right.

Hello to everyone that I met at Crazy About Cake Craft in Chesterfield on Saturday. I hope you're all enjoying your "spends"! I was busy on the ground floor section of the shop and it was only when I paid a visit to the loo in the afternoon that I ventured downstairs and was amazed by the vast array of baking accessories - everything from edible glitters to cake toppers and lots of things that looked quite mysterious to a non baker like myself!

This Saturday I'll be in Oldham, at Sophie's Crafts. I'm teaching a Luminary workshop in the morning and then demonstrating in the afternoon. We'll be making something along the lines of one of these....

....so it should be a fun class. I think there are one or two places left...the cost of the workshop includes one of the Luminary dies....and if you fancy joining us, just contact the shop directly.

In the afternoon I'll be demonstrating various Sizzix dies as well as a few of my Christmas stamps.

I tried to blow the cobwebs of my cold away this morning by planting some shrubs in the garden. It's got very overgrown, weedy and almost jungle like again lately! I may be a proud owner of a lawn mower now, but I've yet to use it as the grass has just been too wet. However, all the Sweet Peas and Nasturtiums have finally died back from around my bench, so I pulled them all up yesterday and prepared a few holes with gravel, compost and bone meal. So, all I had to do this morning was to put the plants in and fill around them. I'd been waiting to clear the area around the bench as one of the plants is a climbing rose which I've tied in to the arch to train it up there. I've also planted a (hopefully!) beautiful silvery lilac cutting rose in the area of the garden that I'm "trying" to give a blues and purples colour theme to. Two other roses have gone in between the bench and David's rose - one is a pinky red with white streaks and the other a mix of yellows through pinks and reds. They look like bits of twig at the moment so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! The last shrub is a Berberis which has berries on at the moment and lovely multicoloured foliage. Hopefully I'll be able to get on top of the weeds again once December is in full flow!

Speaking of December, I decided to have a "pre-Christmas sale" on my Etsy site, so I've reduced the prices on all of my paintings. I'm hoping to get time to create some new pieces before too long, though my planned days off never seem to quite work out that way!

Well, Thomas is curled up asleep and snug in the chair by the radiator, Tara is snuggled on a blanket on the other armchair and I'm in my usual spot on the sofa but I'm going to get ready to venture out into the cold night air shortly. I'm off to the Vicarage for part two of a four week Bible study course, though I missed last week's so will have to catch up tonight. The last course we did was really interesting and provoked lots of discussion, so I'm looking forward to some good conversation.

So, that's all for now, just a quick sign in this evening! Keep warm folks.

Show time!

This could be quite a long post......it's been a week since the first day of the show at the NEC already - ridiculous! I've been up to my elbows in inks, papers, dies, glitter, stamps and glue.....nothing new there then! I'm quite looking forward to being able to take a couple of days off next week - hopefully - but, till then, it's as hectic as ever.

Working at the show over the four days was really good fun, hard work but fun. Each show day began at 9am and finished at 5.30pm so, with little time to take breaks, it was full on. I was on the Card-io stand and, while Wendy was demonstrating her own beautiful Majestix stamps, I was working with Sizzix dies. This was quite a change for me and it took me a while to adjust to not being covered in purple and blue ink! I really enjoyed showing how to construct the dimensional creations such as the Luminary and Birdhouse. These Treat Poppers (crackers to you and I!) were a big hit too....

....I made lots of them at the show. The great thing is that the crackers themselves are quite quick to make so you can afford to spend lots of time decorating them.

Here's a table decoration made from two Sizzix dies - the Reindeer and the Sleigh. The sleigh is very cleverly thought out and fits together beautifully. It's ideal for holding little sweet treats!

I hope everyone who bought the dies is having great fun using them....I know I did!

I had forgotten how drying the air in the NEC can be and so had omitted to take any lip balm with me. By day two I felt as if I'd been traipsing through a desert! Diane (Thomas and Tara's unofficial auntie!) paid a visit and took this photo of me trying to do a running repair with my lipstick...nowhere near as effective as lip balm I have to say!

Diane also brought pressies for T & T.....beautifully stamped and decorated.....

.....their names were even stamped on the reverse of the labels! Thank you Diane, they loved them! If you click on Diane's name (above) you can see some more piccies of the show.

On day four I was back to stamping and getting covered in inks. My Doo Lally Pip stamps raised a few smiles which is just what I intend! It was a day of contrasts with everyone having great fun and then the two minutes silence which is always marked at 11am on the Sunday of the show at the NEC and I found it especially moving this year.

Then, before I knew it,  the show was over - unbelievably quickly it seemed. It was quite a trek back home and, thankfully, my neighbour had put the heat on for me so I could have a hot shower before an early night. I was pooped!

I mentioned last week that I was a bit worried about the weight of my case and how I'd get on carting everything down to Birmingham. My poor case was just not up to it, so I have had to have a complete change and am now getting used to a new one. Of course, this hasn't gone unnoticed and a certain someone decided to check whether it was suitable.......

.....by the way, that's not a real mouse on the carpet - just a toy that has been mostly ignored by both Tara and Thomas!

There wasn't really much time for a rest as I was up in Durham yesterday, so I had to prep more samples for my demo there in Crafty Nook. On Monday though, I spent some time with Heather - I've passed on all the good wishes that were sent her way last week...thank you from both of us. We called into St Chads to lay a rose on the memorial book of remembrance as it was two years since our dad passed away and his name was on the page for that day.

I had a lovely time at Crafty Nook, once again working with Sizzix dies and also decorating some candles too....

...this one was made by cutting a Sizzlits die (Woodland Deer) from Graphic 45 paper which I edged with Gathered Twigs Distress ink before warpping it round the candle base. I wrapped greaseproof paper around the candle and heated it gently to melt the paper into the wax. I used the same technique to add the Martha Stewart punched fern around the top. You can't really see it here, but I also added some Rock Candy Distress dry glitter over the surface for a little bit of twinkle. 

Today I've been getting more things made for my demonstration this coming Saturday in Chesterfield at Crazy About Cake Craft who have now expanded into papercrafts as well as their established baking supplies. 

A certain someone always worries when he sees me getting my case out as he knows it usually means that I'll be trolling off again. 

I think he figured that if I was going away then he was coming too! As you can see though, he's a big boy and there wouldn't have been much room left for anything else! Bless him!

Here's a non Christmassy wreath that I made this afternoon using the Sizzix Prima Gulien die....

...the flowers are quite large so I didn't need too many to cover the card circle beneath. I used quite muted paper and edged them with various ink colours. If you look closely you might be able to see the Glossy Accent dew drops here and there.

Well, time to put my dinner in the oven and then a shower while it's cooking. Lots of ink and glue on my hands, so washing my hair should get rid of that lot! I'm a bit sore and stiff too, and it's really cold here, so some hot water and spicy shower creme is just what the doctor ordered!

PS It's amazing what they sell in supermarkets these days. We have a Booths store here and look what's in one of their carrier bags.....

This picture is specially for my friend Paul, who has a soft spot for Tara!

PPS before anyone reports me to the RSPCA I didn't ram Tara into a carrier bag for the sake of a cute photo! She is obsessed with climbing into things and has taken to running into this bag and skidding across the carpet as if she's on a snow slide!

Donkey wanted!

Just a quick post tonight. My broadband was down for most of the day so I haven't been able to catch up on my emails I'm afraid and it didn't leave much time to write a decent post either.

I'm all set for my trip to the NEC tomorrow for the Hobbycraft show. All I need now is a donkey to carry all my gear for me! The case is stuffed to the gills with Sizzix dies, card stock, stamps, inks and sprays etc etc etc, so it weighs a ton. I've carefully packed my dimensional projects into a box and that's in a large carrier bag ("please don't leave this on the train" is my new mantra) and I've a hessian bag too, just so I can take a few clothes and toiletries....and my heat gun, a Sizzix die that wouldn't fit in the case and a roll of kitchen paper. I just hope my battered old case can take the strain!

Anyway, hope to see some of you at the show - do say hello if you are coming along. I won't be taking any photos as I just can't afford to take anything non essential with me, so the camera is staying at home this time.

So, it's time for bed now....I need all my strength for the journey tomorrow!!!