Notes from a Divided Island

This week on Make My Monday.....

2012-02-06T16:09:00.003+02:00

We have a new theme this month over on Make My Monday, and as we are in February it just has to be Romance. So this week they are looking for Love Letters, something with script or verse.

I am not to sure if I got this one just right! I don't have a lot if any romantic verse stamps so went with a Tim stamp that I borrowed from a friend to use on the heart. The background and the large heart were sprayed with pink glimmer spray, I think you can only just make it out. And the I Love You were done with my Dymo labeller.
Whilst I was doing this card I had last months Craft Stamper on my desk and thought I would have a go using the cover stamp, what do you think?

From this photo it looks as if the heart on the right is lower that the others, but when I look at it, it is fine! Anyway get yourself over to the Make My Monday blog and have a look at what the rest of the team have done and join in. This month we have a great sponsor so you could end up winning some brilliant dies.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

I'm back............

2012-02-05T22:58:00.000+02:00

Or at least I think I am....

So where have I been and what has been happening? To start with we had a major problem with the roof, the rain was coming in and just running down the walls. After a few days of this it got into the electrics so we had no power in the house. Some days we went from just power in the living room lights to having everything coming off an extension lead from the only socket that was working. We never knew what was going to work and when, or for how long. This went on for a couple of weeks, in which I managed to totally kill the big pc I had been using, so now I have to share my dear OH's laptop that has a dodgy battery so only works for about 10 mins if you don't have it plugged in. We had just got most things working again when the local power workers went on strike, so all the power was on and off at random times. It was off for about 22 hours one day, only coming on for a couple of hours through the night.This went on for about a week, then the day after this lot went back to work the phone workers went on strike and we had no internet, again on and off for hours at a time. In the middle of all this a friend of ours went missing, he just went for a walk one night and no one knew where he had gone. A group of us joined in with the local search party to try and locate him with no luck. He was found by a gardener 5 days later in a ravine were he had fallen and died of hypothermia.

So that was the start of my year, I am just glad January is over and I can try and get back to some kind of normality. I have managed to keep up with most of the projects I took on this year just not managed to get them on to the blog yet as I also managed to lose the data card from the camera, so I have had to try and download from my phone.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

First post of the year.

2012-01-02T10:00:00.000+02:00

I hope you all had a good Christmas and a happy New Year, I know I did even though we have water running through the ceilings in most of the rooms! But that as they say is another story and you came to see what the first challenge over on the Make My Monday blog is, not to listen to me moaning.

We are starting the year of with Nature as the monthly theme and this weeks challenge is Birds.

So for this theme I used a great stamp from Paper Artsy and covered it with Diamond Glaze. The card blank is covered with paper from the V&A collection by Papermania. I then added a strip of torn velum and some ribbon, before adding the bird on foam pads to give a bit of depth. I made a tag and stamped the sentiment from a set of stamps I got free with simply Cards and Papercraft a long time ago, made by Pink Petticoat. I hope you will join in and look forward to coming and seeing what you have done.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Last post of the year.

2011-12-31T18:00:00.001+02:00

Just thought I would nip in a quick last post for this year. I was going to show my best bits for this year but I don't have the time to go looking. So I thought I would start off the new year ahead of myself and show you the pages I have ready for January.

The first year I did this challenge I did my month over 4 pages and really enjoyed doing it but last year I decided to do the month over 2 pages and had stopped by April. I think the book was just too big as I find I can carry this size with me when I go anywhere and fill bits in, as I love to add to the pages as the month goes on. If you would like to know more about this challenge go over to Kate's blog HERE and see what she has done.

Well that's me for the year, off to get ready and paint the town red. Whatever you are doing to see the New Year in enjoy.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Thoughts for this coming year.

2011-12-30T01:28:00.000+02:00

I have been sat thinking about my goals for next year, I do not make resolutions as I have found I break most of them by the end of the first month if not the end of the first week, so by changing them into goals I have a lot better chance of achieving them.... I do know I want to get back into doing Kate's calender challenge (look here for this years prompt) I got as far as April this year and then gave up so this year I intend to finish this, I know I can do it as I managed to do it the year before. I want to concentrate a bit more on the arty side of my crafting as I do enjoy this, and I also wanted to join in with some of the postcard art that is going around at the moment, so with these in mind I am going to join in with Darcy and her Postcard Challenge for 2012. I am also going to play a more active role in WOYWW as I have been neglecting this for the last few months and I do enjoy having a nose at what others are doing. I have also been neglecting my blog followers, how can I expect them to keep following if I don't go and comment once in a while on there blogs. I have also noticed that I have not put one Scrapbook page on my blog this year, so that is something I will have to change as with a new granddaughter I have loads of photos to use. And also this year I am going to make more of my Design team position at Make My Monday and try and stretch myself a lot more, as it will benefit both the team and myself to try new things.

I have written this all down so I can come back to it at a later time and see just how well I did.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Merry Christmas everyone.

2011-12-24T20:36:00.000+02:00

Hope you all have a great day, have lots to eat and get everything you want of Santa.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Last Make My Monday of the year.

2011-12-19T10:30:00.000+02:00

This week is the last Make My Monday challenge of the year, we will be back in the new year with a lot of new theme's and believe me I have had a sneak peek at them and there are all great. So to end this year we are finishing with Tags. So show us your tags, I know a lot of you have been following a certain guy and his 12 tags, well now is the time for you to have a go.

I am not sure why I went for red for this tag! I started off by cutting blank white card to size, I then stamped a Artistic Stamper music stamp in VersaMark and covered with clear embossing powder. Then rubbed the whole tag with Fired Brick DI and wiped over the embossing. I then added a strip of printed velum down one side, and added a tree that had been stamped and embossed as before but this time covered with Old Paper DI. The tree was wrapped with thin gold string, a charm and red glitter was added, it was then attached with foam pads. I added some gold tinsel around the tag and through the top and a sentiment to the base.

Do go over to see what the others on the Design Team have done over on Make My Monday and have a go yourself.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

What a week...

2011-12-16T21:08:00.001+02:00

Had quite a busy week this week, starting off with the class on Monday morning then a friends birthday. I have also started singing lessons, yes I know at my age you would of thought I would know better, but it is something I have always fancied doing so I thought I would give it a go. Who would of guessed that I would be a soprano. I went shopping with some friends for the day yesterday and finished up last night watching the Whirling Dervishes.

The photo is from google as all the photos I took were just not right. If you ever get chance to see these guys I recommend them.

I am also showing you all a photo of a card I did but have not been able to show you until now, you might of seen the remains of it on my desk a few weeks ago.

If you look close you can see that it is bow fronted. I die cut the front and the mats inside with a spellbinders die and used a Tim die for the flowers. The card itself is quite easy to make it is just a gate fold card with an aperture cut into the front. The bow front is done with a sheet of acetate cut just larger that the width of the card.

I thought I would enter the Craft Room challenge with this card.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

I'm back....

2011-12-14T21:59:00.001+02:00

I am so sorry guys if you have been here to see this weeks project, but Mr B and I have had a major falling out. First he totally ignored the schedule I had for Mondays post, then he manages to totally lock me out of blogger and when I get back in he has deleted what he should of posted!!!!

So here is my card for this week's Make My Monday challenge.

We are still with seasonal but this week we have to use Red Ribbon in our design. I went with a simple easel card this week as I love doing them. The photo does make it look a bit crooked but its ok in real life. I started of with just a plain white base card, then added a green embossed layer and a stamped layer. The embossing was done with a snowflake embossing folder then lightly sanded. The tree stamp and the sentiment are from a set that comes out every year, its the same set as the Santa I use. I coloured the tree in using gel pens and added the ribbon and bling before attaching to the embossed card.

Please do go over to the Make My Monday blog and have a look at the rest of the teams work, there are some amazing pieces.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 131

2011-12-07T11:47:00.001+02:00

Just a quick post today as I am off out in a few minutes.

As anyone who follows me knows this is not my normal desk, but as it has been so cold and wet here I have started bringing things inside to do and this is my small bedroom. All you can see today is the remains of a card I made a few days ago, sorry cant show it yet. On the side is the box I got last week and my bag of ribbons. Sorry its a short one today but got to run.

Will be around as many as I can this week.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Glitter............

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000+02:00

Its a bit like Marmite! you love it or hate it. Personally I am ok as long as it's in a tube of some kind with glue, the loose stuff I get all over and still find on me days later. So when this challenge over on Make My Monday was posted my heart sank, but I thought I managed with the Father Christmas a few weeks ago, so how bad could it be! To start with I could not get my head around it at all, I thought about doing baubles and filling them with glitter but the only stamp I have really isn't the right one for that, I also thought of a shaker card but the only loose glitter I have is too fine for that. So I went off and did something else, whilst there I I found my house die and thought ok snow on the roof would look good so off I went with my white glitter glue and this is what I got!

Why does my glitter look green when it went on white?
The house die is one of Tims, the Santa is a very old CeeDee stamp set and the moon I am not sure of. What I do know is I will be redoing a glitter card sometime this week on Make My Monday.

Please do go over and see what the rest of the team have been doing, I promise there are some truly stunning cards this week.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Bits and bobs......

2011-12-02T14:02:00.001+02:00

I have been at the paints again to see if I can do anything with my lady! To tell the truth I went to start on my Christmas cards, yes I know everyone else is finished but when there are no Christmas adverts, or shops full of things you wouldn't buy at any other time of year it just passes you by a bit. Anyway my book was there and so was my water colour pencils and gesso so I just had to have a go!

A work in progress I think but an enjoyable one. I went to collect the post yesterday and spent some time looking around the shops, they do have Christmas on that side of the Island so it was a nice change. Anyway I was just walking past a shop and I saw a large bag with what looked like books in it, so of I went and had a word with the woman inside who said no they were boxes and would I like one, is the Pope catholic!

What do you think? I left the books in the background and the monitor in the photo so you could see the size it must be about 9x12in I haven't measured it yet. I think I can feel a Christmas box coming on here, as we lost all our Christmas decorations on the move out here I think I will use it for the few decs we have collected over the last few years.

Ok off to play. .

Thanks for reading,
Cath

We are all box mad

2011-11-28T12:56:00.001+02:00

At Make My Monday today. We still have the Christmas theme but this week we are making or decorating (or both) box's.

I decided to decorate a box I have had in the craft room for a while, it is a wooden and card cheese box that I was given to alter and all I had got done was to paint it black. So the first thing I had to do was cover it with a couple of coat of gesso, then a coat of white acrylic. I then covered the top with dried leaves that had been covered with glitter. The top is made from Mr Tim.s flower die and printable canvas that had been sprayed with a gold shimmer spray. The smallest two flowers I cut a leaf out and glued them so they made a better shape for what I wanted, I then threaded them all on to a long pin that I attached to the centre of the lid with foam. I used 3 large flowers and 3 small buds to fill in the gaps. On the sides of the lid I wrapped a string of pearl beads around some red ribbon and attached that with tape. I decided the sides were a bit too white so I went over them with the shimmer spray on a paint brush.

Nip over to Make My Monday to see what the rest of the team have done this week, and to say hello to our two new team members, Mynnette and Val.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

100th post this year......

2011-11-27T12:32:00.001+02:00

I have made it to 100 posts, that is the most I have ever done on this blog in one year since I started this in 2007. I almost made it last year but dear Mr Blogger decided not to post some of the posts I had scheduled whilst I was away so I only made it to 97.

I was wondering if I should do anything special for this and thought long and hard but could come up with nothing then a few weeks ago one of my blog friends sent me a blog award. Now I am not normally one for these kind of things but I thought I would give this one a go, so here you are a few things you didn't know about me...

1/ I have lived all over the place as my dad was in the forces.

2/ I was Akela to a Cub Scout troop in Yorkshire for years.

3/ I opened the first ever craft shop in North Cyprus, sadly I had to close after 18 months.

4/ Before moving out here I used to eat a tuna mayo baked potato every day I was at work.

5/ I worked most of my working career in shoes, but only own two pairs as I hate them.

6/ I retrained as a Life Coach just before we left the country.

7/ I live with my sole mate, a dog and 10 cats.

So the rules are I have to thank the person who sent this, so thank you Jacqueline I did enjoy thinking up the answers. I now have to send this to 7 others, so if you are reading this and would like to do it please count yourself as one of my 7 as I will not be sending this on.

So on to the next target.......

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This week on Make My Monday

2011-11-21T20:56:00.001+02:00

The theme for this week on Make My Monday is Christmas foliage, flowers or snowflakes, I went for the snowflake option as the stamps I have with Christmas trees on are not that good. No that's wrong the stamps are fine its my stamping that is not that good with them.

This was a very quick card to make up as it is just embossing and die cutting. I used a snowflake embossing folder for the base card and added a few sparkles and some snowflakes that had been die cut. Then using a Papermania embossing folder embossed the Let it snow with card stock and went over with a piece of sand paper.

Do go over to the Make My Monday site and have a look at what the others have done, including our guest designer Mynnette.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 128

2011-11-16T14:04:00.001+02:00

It has been so long since I did this I am afraid I have some very nasty photos for you, so those of you who are easily upset do not go further than the first photo.

As you can see my work area is almost clear just needs cleaning as I have been playing with paint and inks. You can see I am taking this photo looking down onto the table as you can see the camera straps at the bottom of the photo. But if I move to the side to take the photo this is what you get!

Yes my push back pile is now a mountain. I must admit most of it came out of the purple bag you can see at the top that I have emptied to refill with other things.

But there is no excuse for this side. So guess what I am doing this week? As well as running around with a bucket in the house to catch the rain as it pores through the roof I will be down in my craft room trying to get it into some order so I can start working on my own Christmas cards, yes I know I'm late but isn't that just me all over.

If there is anyone out there who is wondering just why I am putting myself through this shame and showing all to the world, just go over to Julia's blog HERE where you can be transported around the world nosing sorry looking at other desks a lot tidier than mine.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Make My Monday this week

2011-11-14T14:23:00.001+02:00

We have Clean and Simple cards with a Christmas theme.

This is my card, I used part of a Papermania stamp, I just masked the rest off and also used the sentiment that came with it. I have definitely got to get more sentiment stamps as this is the only on I have other than a selection of Merry Christmases. I then coloured it in with gel pens that I picked up from my local pound store. This is definitely not one of my best as I find this style of card quite difficult to do, but it has got me out of my comfort zone and I will try this style again.

Do nip over to Make My Monday and have a look at what the rest of the team have been up to and join in with us. Also don't forget there is still time to apply for the Design Team HERE.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Bits and pieces.... (photo heavy)

2011-11-11T00:18:00.001+02:00

I will be glad when this year is over due to one thing and another. As you know if you follow me its not been a good time for me and the other day I added to it by dropping my netbook on the floor. I now have a very nice white door stop as we have tiles throughout the house. I had just finished editing the photos I had taken when we had visitors, but of course I hadn't got around to backing them up, so lost everything including all the photos I have taken since April when I got the netbook. So I have had to go back to my old and slow pc that I thought I would never be using again. But I must admit with having to go back I have rediscovered some old photos of work that I havnt seen for a few years, like this one taken a few years ago of me in a dress!

And this I did for a local art competition about the girls who lived on the corner of my street.

I must get back into scrapbooking as I do miss it. There was also some of other work that I have done just for me. Things that I did just playing around in my craft room like this, a canvas I did years ago.

A page out of my 365 day journal from last year.

A wall hanging using thick paste and die cuts.

A love design using an old photo of me.

A tag.

Another tag, think I did this for something but cant remember what or when!

And a try at art.

If you have got this far thank you for letting me just waffle and reminisce. I will be back to my normal self (whatever that is nowadays) soon.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

R.I.P. Katie

2011-11-09T00:17:00.000+02:00

I don't know if any of you knew about Katie a fellow crafter who was diagnosed with cancer less than a year ago and who has fought so bravely against it these last months. Her husband has been keeping us up to date with how she has been and has just bloged that she passed away on Monday.

Her blog is just amazing to read, she held nothing back and was so brave, if you would like to read it it is here at My Paper Haven.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

New month and a new theme

2011-11-07T10:30:00.000+02:00

Over at Make My Monday the theme for this month is Christmas. And this weeks challenge is to make something in the Traditional/Vintage style. So here is the card I have done for this.

Now I think you can get no more traditional than Santa himself and this stamp is one I turn to most years, I actual got this SeeDee's set about 5 or 6 years ago and they get used every year.

Here is a close up of the sparkle on his hat and beard. The stamp was stamped with black archival ink then coloured with pencils for the face and gel pens for the hat. I added glitter glue to the trimming and the stars to give him that extra twinkle. The stamped image was cut out and matted onto green card, that was then matted on to patterned paper from the Papermania Christmas range. I then added a doily that I had inked with DI and highlighted the design with a gel pen, just added the sentiment and it was finished.

This months theme is a great one for this time of year as we all can do with the extra push to make another Christmas card, so come over to Make My Monday and join in with the challenge.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Design Team Call

2011-11-01T16:16:00.004+02:00

The Make My Monday Deezine Team is growing and we need two more designers. If you would like to be part of my of team of fabulous crafty ladies - read on.
You will need to commit to making a card every week for at least six months - all our challenges are decided well in advance so you will have plenty of time to prepare your projects. You will be expected to comment on challenge entries and choose a top 3 every week.
To take part in our DT Call please make a card or project and upload it to the linky on the Make My Monday site by Tuesday November 15th. Your subject is

CELEBRATION

The rules are:
1) Only one entry per person please.
2) You may take part in other challenges as well as this but no more than 5 plus this one.
3) Please put a link on your blog to this blog and the DT Call.
4) Please put a few words in your post stating why you want to be on this design team.
5) Please turn off word verification
6) Please link your post - not your blog
7) Have fun!

Please note that those not following rules 1 - 6 will not be considered.
Successful applicants will be notified before the end of November by e-mail so please make sure that this is visible somewhere on your blog.

DT Call - CELEBRATION

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Last week of Autumn

2011-10-31T11:00:00.000+02:00

This week is the last week of the Autumn theme over on Make My Monday, I don't know if anyone who reads this blog has been over and had a go this last few weeks, but I have really enjoyed this theme.

For this last card I have gone back to the stamps I used at the beginning of the month.

I used the same technique we used then but this time I cut out the extra stamping and added that to my card with foam pads, I also added a rosette that I had coloured to match. I do hope you have a go and join us on Make My Monday, its a great blog with some amazing people showing there work.

If anyone was waiting to see what I bought when I went craft shopping the other day, you will be disappointed to know all I got was a large acrylic block for my clear stamps! I know its just not me at all, will have to sort out an order online instead.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

On Make My Monday this week,

2011-10-24T08:33:00.001+03:00

We are going Black and Orange, with the theme being Halloween or not.

For my card I started off by covered white card with ink from my Big and Juicy pad with a brayer, and used the outside of a Tim mask as a stencil to add my witch. I then added my trees masking off the witch with the mask, added a sentiment , matted on black then onto orange base card. Hope you like it.

Do go over to the Make My Monday site to see what the rest of the team have done and join in.

Just a quick post today as I am off shopping with my mates, will let you see what I get when I get back.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

What a week......

2011-10-18T18:18:00.002+03:00

this has been, we have had family over for a few days from Hong Kong and have had to do the whole touristy bit, but at top speed as they were only here for 5 days. Here is a quick photo run down of what we did.

Notice anything missing from this photo? It was a Cathedral but is now a Mosque so has had all figurines removed.

I put these two in just to show how the inside has been changed and also to show how the locals pray and the tourists just wander about! The photo of the carpet is for Elizabeth as I thought she would be interested in the whole carpet of individual prayer mats.

In this one you have Venetian walls, cannons from the 13 hundreds with there cannonballs, a Roman sculpture and a Coca Cola bottle!

This is one of the hotels at the dead city of Verosha, its been like that since 1974.

And then at lunch today before they left we went out for something to eat and found the large umbrella at our table was held down with 4 containers of snot!!! Sorry about the sense of humour.

Just a quick look at my week, sorry about the state of some of the photos but I have just downloaded them and haven't had time to edit them yet.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This weeks card

2011-10-17T14:36:00.002+03:00

Looks like I will be getting this on my blog on Monday for a change, lol

This week over on Make My Monday we are doing Inchies, still with the autumnal feel to them, this is what I have done for my card for this week.

For this card I used the same leaf stamps that I used for the embossing the other week, but this time used them with Versamark ink and then brushed them over with red Perfect Pearls. I stuck with the Orange, Green and Beige colours as I think of them when I think of autumn and they go so well together.

I did this close-up to show the Perfect Pearls but I just don't seem to be able to catch the shimmer.

Do go over to Make My Monday and have a look at the great cards the rest of the team have made this week and have a go.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This week on Make My Monday, very very late...

2011-10-12T20:52:00.001+03:00

I cannot believe that this is so late this week, I thought I had it scheduled but I was wrong on that count, and then we have had problems with the internet for the last few days so I didn't even notice that my post was not up!

Anyway enough of my moaning you came here to see my card not listen to me waffle on.

This week the theme is Trees and this is the only set of stamps I have with trees on. I tried to photograph this a few times but each time it looked off, it isn't in real life. The stamp is from a set by Kanban stamped with black archival on to beige card then attached to the brown card base.

Will do better next week promise.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

A new month so a new theme

2011-10-03T11:00:00.000+03:00

Over on Make My Monday we have a great new theme for this month, its Autumn. With this weeks challenge a great resist technique brought to you by design team member Cazro to see the instructions for it go here.
Here is my card using this technique.

I used a few leaf stamps inked up with a Versamark ink pad and embossed with clear embossing powder on white card stock. I then took a Big and Juicy ink pad in Foliage and using pieces of foam rubbed the different colours over the embossed card. Trimmed this to size and added ribbon before sticking it to a white card blank. I then added a flower in the same tone's in the corner to finish.

Hope you like this and nip over to Make My Monday to have a look at what the rest of the team have done.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Apology's to all.....

2011-09-30T17:36:00.000+03:00

My friends and followers for my distinct lack of anything this last few weeks, all I can say is I am sorry and I will try harder from now on. I think everything just stopped when my best friend died. I have never felt anything like it in my life, even when my dad died it didn't affect me as bad as this. And my oh and I have just had the busiest time of our lives this last few weeks, a few photos to follow. So I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone, friends, followers, design team mates and lurkers, I am back (I hope lol) and will start to get things back to normal again.

This is some of what I have been up to this last few weeks,
It all started on the 17th with a parade through town, I showed most of the photos on my blog on the Sunday so If you would like to see more just have a look back.

Then on the Monday it was up to the Abbey for rehearsal for the choir.

For the performance on the Tuesday.

For some reason I cannot find the photos of the Shakespeare or the Jane Austin that were on the Wednesday and Thursday

We then had Bex Marshell and her band, plus support on in the ampitheatre on the Friday.

Then on the Saturday we started the rock night. The first act was a local band called Funky Monkey, then came The Secret Police a great Police tribute band

We then had an interval during which we all did just what we Brits are famous for and queued for the beer.

The last act to come on were The Bohemians a Queen tribute band.

And they brought the house down. I threw a camera at one of the security guys and got him to take a few photos from the back of the stage just to try and capture the audiences enthusiasm, as you can see it was full and everyone was on there feet. We got home about 3 in the morning after cleaning up and making sure everyone was ok.

So for the last few days I have done nothing but sleep and catchup with everything that had been shelved, if you were expecting an email from me, I am on to them next.
Just hope mojo hasn't gone on his holidays....

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This week over on Make My Monday

2011-09-27T21:47:00.000+03:00

We are still on the Steampunk theme, but this week the challenge is to make anything but not a card.

Now this is not the original box I made for this challenge, but somehow over the last week since I finished it I have managed to misplace it! This one I managed to get done on Sunday using Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante paper and a box I had bought for something else and never used. This box I covered with tissue that had been stamped with a cog stamp then stuck to the box with wet glue. Once dry I wiped gold paint over the edges, then added cogs and flowers that had been cut out from the Graphic 45 paper. I used a large image for the top and a row of smaller images around the sides.

Please go over to Make My Monday to have a look at what the rest of the team have been up to.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Sorry this is late....

2011-09-19T23:13:00.000+03:00

So sorry if you came earlier for this post, for some reason Mr Blogger decided to delete the post I had scheduled ready to post, so here goes my second attempt.

This week over on Make My Monday we are adding metal to our Steampunk. When I picked the theme of Steampunk a few months ago the rest of the ladies on the design team were all a bit apprehensive about this theme but they have all really got into the swing of this and are making some amazing pieces, just go over to Make My Monday to have a look.

My card this week is made with Design 45 paper and Tims metal flowers.

I loved the colours in this picture from their Steampunk range, I just added the ribbon through the flowers and kept it all in an Art Nouveau/Steampunk style. I am looking forward to seeing what others do with this theme as there has been some great designs on the Make My Monday blog.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Silent Sunday.

2011-09-18T16:01:00.000+03:00

Photos from this week.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Mid-week Motivation

2011-09-14T11:00:00.001+03:00

This weeks challenge was to use Monochrome when doing your Steam Punk piece. I know a lot of people have a problem with this and stick to Black and White, but I have found if I only have the colour I am going to use out on my desk and no other I don't get tempted to add anything else.

For this card I have just used Walnut Stain distress ink, blending it over the edges to get a dark base card.

I then made a nice puddle of ink and water on my mat and dunked my card in to it to get a lighter, patchy background.

I then used the ink pad to ink up my stamp and stamp onto plain card. I have found if you use these inks to stamp on glossy card you can emboss them if you are quick even though they are dye inks.

I then stamped onto the background once it was dry and stuck this to the card I had edged, then added the topper I had smudged with a water brush to it with foam pads.

I hope this gives you some ideas when using just one colour.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This weeks card for Make My Monday.

2011-09-12T11:00:00.001+03:00

This week on Make My Monday we are going Monochrome, still with the Steam Punk theme but just using one colour.

So for my card I used Walnut ink distress ink and stamps from 7 Gypsies, Personal Impressions and The Artistic Stamper. The background was made by spreading the ink on to a craft sheet, spraying with water and then dipping the card into it. Most of the stamping was done straight onto the card except for the man, hand and word. I stamped them onto cream card and added with foam pads to give a bit of dimension to the card. I love the differing colours you get from the same ink when you use it in different ways.

Do come over to Make My Monday and see what the Design team have done this week, there are some great ideas.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Silent Sunday.

2011-09-11T00:54:00.000+03:00

Photos taken in and around Salisbury, June 2011.

Thanks for looking,
Cath

This week on Make My Monday

2011-09-05T11:38:00.002+03:00

This month's new theme over on Make My Monday is Steam Punk, with this weeks theme as ATC.

For mine I chose Around the World in 80 days as my theme. I have been working with 7 Gypsies a lot this past few weeks so I used a stamp from there Steam Punk collection along with a couple of rub ons.

Nip over to Make My Monday to join in and have a look at what the rest of the team has done.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Art from the Heart's blog hop

2011-09-03T12:00:00.001+03:00

Welcome to a very exciting blog hop in Celebration of 10 years of Art from the Heart!

Lots of exciting things happening at Art from the Heart next weekend where the big birthday bash is happening. Want to know more then do click here

So in Celebration we are having 5 birthday blog hops.

You should have reached my blog from here and you are on the 7 Gypsies hop

Here is my project

I used

7 Gypsies paper from the Lille collection, Crazy Love, Life is Good and Abundance.

Steam Punk clear stamps and Victoriana rubbings.

The background is made from card painted with acrylic ink.
I stuck the papers to coasters, trimmed and then edged them with walnut ink before adding them to the background. The whole thing was then decorated with the stamps and rubbings. The sentiment is made from a very old die cut alphabet I got free with a magazine, that I inked in black.
The Art from the Heart was made by drawing a heart shape in card covering it with scraps of paper and adding the ART letters through it on pieces of acetate.
If you look close you will see I included a party hat, balloon and game.

Before you move on - you will need to collect a letter from me

which is P

This is part of an anagram of a 7 Gypsies product

Once you get back to Dys blog please email your answer to Ben.

So after leaving me a comment you need to move on to

Julie

Have fun hopping!

Cathx

R.I.P. Trudy

2011-08-30T13:58:00.000+03:00

I will miss you so much my dear friend.

This weeks card for Make My Monday.

2011-08-29T11:00:00.001+03:00

On Make My Monday this week we are using this photo for inspiration,

I think its a great photo but I just could not get my head around it at all. This is my third try at a decent interpretation. Please go over to Make My Monday and have a look at the amazing work that the rest of the team have done as mine has not done this justice at all.

For my card I used a die cut bird, cage and swirl that I had been sent from a fellow blogger. I coloured the swirl and bird with a pink iridescent acrylic ink, then backed the cage with green paper and added some pink brads. I used the same green paper to make the flowers that I attached to the swirl, and also to mat the card. The edge of the white mat I cut with a paper edger, I think its a Stamping Up one that was bought for the card club but I am not sure. The cage was attached with foam pads to make it stand out a bit more, but the swirl and flowers were glued flat to the card.

Like I said please go to Make My Monday and see some stunning work done by the rest of the team.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Silent Sunday.

2011-08-28T13:18:00.000+03:00

Some more of Bangkok.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This week on Make My Monday

2011-08-22T09:17:00.001+03:00

We are still looking for Things with wings but this week we would like you to use some Acetate on your project.

So here is mine.

This week I have done a wall hanging as I was already playing about with the corrugated card in my craft room, I decided to use that. I started by covering a Tattered Angels mask with a metallic blue texture paint, then cut out two butterflies with a Marianne Design Die, one with blue card and the other with acetate.

As you can see in this close up I covered the acetate butterfly with blue and white inks to give the soft mottled effect, I then glued both together in the centre and added come black stones.

I then made three paper flowers to go in the bottom right corner. I love making these as no two are ever the same, I just draw them by hand, cut and roll and see what happens. After I had finished with the main part of the wall hanging I went looking for some plastic mesh I have to finish it off. As normal with me I couldn't find it but I had some chicken wire under the table from a project I had done a while back, so I cut a piece of that to size, added some leaf ribbon and the cardboard and that is it finished.

Do come over to Make My Monday and have a look at what the rest of the team have been up to this week, and join in the fun.

I would also like to enter this over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges where this weeks challenge is to use handmade flowers.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Some more photos that I haven't shown before.

2011-08-21T08:00:00.003+03:00

One of my blog friends Elizabeth does something called Silent Sunday where she shows photos from around her area each week. Well I thought I would start to do something similar but using photos that I haven't shown on my blog before both old and new.

Photos from Christmas 2010 in Bangkok

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 115 I think!

2011-08-17T00:42:00.000+03:00

Ok I am posting this on Tuesday night as I have managed to miss so many Wednesdays this month its just not true. I have just taken these and you can see not a lot of tiding has been done, just enough to give me space to work.

This one was taken from the door and you can see at the back of the photo just how high my push mountain is getting. Just noticed the tube of printing ink I have been looking for for days, how can I off missed it as its bright orange!

This is going to be a short but sweet post today as its gone midnight and I want to get to bed.

Just thought I still have to remember to link this up as Julia has not posted yet, oh well at least I know I got it done in time this week.

If you are one of the few who have not heard about Julia and her list of desks do nip over (link in her name) and join in the jollity that is WOYWW.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

My first Christmas card.

2011-08-15T11:00:00.001+03:00

This week over on Make My Monday (remembered the link this week) the theme is Fairy's or Angels, now I am not a big fairy or angel lover, so knowing that I didn't have any stamps suitable for the theme I had a good look around the internet and sent my order off. Not quiet sure what happened but I am still waiting! So I started hunting through my stash to see if there was anything I could use and came upon a very old Christmas stamp that had been used once and put away, but there on top of some parcels was a fairy.

I do not know the name of the stamp as I put all my Christmas stamps into one box years ago. I stamped her up with black archival ink and coloured her in with watercolour pencils, you can see in the close up that the card had a weave to it that I hadn't noticed until I started colouring. I then added glitter glue to her shoes, the bottom of her dress and the holly. The sentiment is from a very old set I got about 5 years ago and still use ever year, I stamped it then cut it out and added pom pom ribbon to look like snowballs.

You can see the glitter on her wings and dress a lot better in this photo also the small charm hanging from her hand.

Please go and have a look at what my team mates had been doing this week as there are some stunning cards, and if you feel inspired have a go along with us.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Missed WOYWW this week.

2011-08-10T23:35:00.000+03:00

I totally forgot that it was Wednesday today with one thing and another so there is no photo but that might not be that bad as my room is still a tip. So if you have come over sorry I am not joining in this week but hopefully Julia will let me play next week.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Make My Monday this week is Birds or Bugs

2011-08-08T11:00:00.000+03:00

We are still on the monthly theme of Things With Wings but this week we are looking for something with either Birds or Bugs on. So this week I decided to go with the Birds as it meant I could use my favourite Paper Artsy stamp again.

I stamped the background and bird with brown versafine ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder. If you click on the photo you might be able to see the embossing a bit better. I then mounted it on to a slightly darker card. The background paper I used is from the V and A collection from Papermania.

Have a look over on the Make My Monday blog as the ladies have done some fantastic work.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

My pages for Rita,

2011-08-05T16:20:00.000+03:00

I have had an email from Rita to say she has received my pages at last, so I can now show you the pages I did for her.

I started with a A4 sheet of blue card that I cut in half and painted Jade. I thought if it was blue to start with and the paint lifted at all it would look nice. I then found that I had made them about a half inch too small! so I used some of the paper I had set by to use and stitched a frill along the bottom of each page.

On this first page I painted a red area and then stamped a lady onto some fibres using my iron to fuse them and attached this to the painted area. A strip of the same paper was added to the side with a red tassel.

On the second page I used paper with an oriental theme of flying dancers. I took one of the dancers and set her in a frame with some clear sealer. Added a bit more Jade paper some oriental lettering that I had lifted from a sheet with clear tape and a red tassel to finish.

I then added on the back of the first page some more of the papers that I had used with the dictionary definition of Jade and Oriental as that was the colours and theme I had to go by. I don't seem to of taken a photo of the back of the second page, but that only had my information on so you wouldn't want to see that anyway.

I packed both pages up and put them into this envelope and then a normal padded envelope ready to post.

If you look close Elizabeth you will see I used the paper you sent my 12 days in on these pages as it was just what I was looking for colour wise.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This weeks card for Make My Monday.

2011-08-01T17:18:00.000+03:00

Late again this week! never mind here is this weeks card.

Its the start of a new month so we have a new theme and this one is from Suzanne and is Things with Wings. This week it's Butterflies or Dragonflies and as you can see I chose Butterflies. To make this card I made a square card blank that I covered with paper from Tim's Lost and Found collection, on top of this I used a piece of card that had been stamped by a Blog friend (thanks Hel's) coloured it slightly with distress ink and mounted on foam pads. I then cut out two of the remaining butterflies, inked them in fired brick attached some stamens between them and added to the card. The card is a little brighter in real life I just could not get a good photo, but then if you have seen the state of my craft room at the moment you would understand why.

We had a good number of entrants again this week it was a delight to go through them all, I am sorry if I didn't get to comment on your's but I had problems with the internet over the back end of the week.

Please go over to Make My Monday to see what the rest of the team have been up to this week and to say hello to our newest team member Suzi.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Photos from our holls

2011-07-31T19:20:00.000+03:00

I was going through some photos on the camera and came across some that I haven't shown, so thought I would get them on here.

Hal joining in with one of the baby classes Samantha goes too

And again, I hid behind the camera!

Then off through the Village for lunch, past the river,

And the most amazing thatched cottages.

To reach The Pub, the best British invention ever.(and I don't drink)

Hope you enjoyed these.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 112

2011-07-27T11:53:00.000+03:00

I am not too sure if I should show you these photos or not as they are not for the faint hearted.........

Ok but you have been warned!

This first photo was taken from the door of my craft room, I have started to just dump and run so everything has just been left where it was last used and not put away. As you can see in the next photo I made the card last week and have still not even cleaned the stamp. There is a empty roll of tape and the bin is just under the table!

And the reason for all of this (other than I am an untidy person) is this! 37 degrees next to my computer in the corner of the room, and they say its going to get hotter! So if anyone is looking for me you will find me sat in the bath with a cold shower going.

To go and see some desks a lot nicer than mine nip over and see Julia the Queen of the What's On and browse through the list.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Keeping cool

2011-07-26T12:49:00.000+03:00

One of the local cats has found a good way of keeping cool.....

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Late with my Make My Monday card....

2011-07-25T14:02:00.000+03:00

Sorry if you came around this morning to see my card for Make My Monday, I somehow forgot to blog about it this week! I blame the heat its so hot the double sided tape is just not sticking, I am having to use the red backed tape on everything to keep it together. And they say its going to get hotter this next week, I was talking to friends who have pools this morning and they were saying that the water is getting too hot to swim in so you cant jump in to cool down.

Anyway back to cards, here is the card I did this week for Make My Monday.

We are still on the Vintage theme, but this week the challenge is to use Pearls and Lace on your card as well.

For my card I used a plain card blank covered with Papermania V&A paper that I then edged with Adirondack Pesto die ink. I then added brown card that I had distressed and inked, added some lace to the edge and some pearls to that. Then did some stamping with the same ink using a stamp from Crafty Individuals and one I have had for a long time and am not sure where I got it from. The main stamp I then coloured in using Faded Jeans design ink then added both images to the card with foam pads.

Please come on over to Make My Monday and have a look at how the rest of the team have got on and to join in with us.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

My colour pages from Dianne

2011-07-18T19:48:00.000+03:00

Those of you that have been coming to my blog for a while may remember that I showed on my blog some Rust and White pages from a swap I am in.That seems like months ago now! Well the swap had a bit of a hiccup and floundered for a few weeks until Elizabeth the swap host pulled us all back in, found a few new people and started again. And this week I am now the proud owner of these beauties.

Are they not the most beautiful pages and tag you have ever seen? They have come from Dianne , do please go over to her site and have a look at her photos and description of what they are made from, her photos are a lot better than mine.

Thank you so much Dianne for these, I just don't want to put holes in them now to add to my binder.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Make My Monday card for this week

2011-07-18T11:00:00.001+03:00

We are still on the Vintage theme again this week, but this week we have been asked to do something either Distressed/Shabby Chic or Torn and Crumpled. So I went for the torn option, well those of you that know me well know I much prefer to rip paper that cut it! This is my card for this challenge.

This will be a bit of a surprise to some as it is not my normal style. To start with I used papers from Papermania's love Jesse Edwards boutique collection that I picked up on my last trip home, a bargain at only £3:99 for a pack of 12x12. I ripped all the edges and inked with Tattered rose distress ink, then put a piece of coredination's card through the big shot with a dots folder, crumpled it up and sanded the top. The stamp used is a Mable Lucie Attwell from the Artistic Stamper that I coloured it in with my water colour pencils, cut it out Go Kreate dies and mounted it on card, added a flower, brad, pin and that's it.

Hope you like it and will join us over at Make My Monday to see what the rest of the team have been up to.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 110

2011-07-13T16:39:00.000+03:00

Made it this week just, our power has been off again today and I didn't think I would get here, but here I am and here is my desk.

So what is there to see? not a lot really, I had just finished doing some work on the binder I am altering for a Colour Swap I am in. I will let you all see it when its finished. It started out as a Sara Binder I got about 5 years ago, I have ripped all the paper that was on the cover off and am starting from fresh.
One thing that I have noticed is that the room on my desk is getting smaller as I have started to just push everything to one side when I have finished with it. Will have to have a clear out soon as the house is on the market and I cant have people in my craft room when it looks this bad.

Ok if you want to have a look at better desks than mine pop over to Julia the keeper of the list.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Design Team call and other things.

2011-07-12T02:56:00.000+03:00

There is a design team call over on the Creative Expressions site but you better be quick as it closes today. I only found it as a couple of the girls on my Make My Monday team have gone for it, so I thought why not give it a go. You have to submit photos of 4 items and one of them is a challenge to make a Calling Card ATC, well never one to back away I gave it a go and here is the result.

I am not sure if the photo is a bit off or not or if its my eyes as it is 02:30 at the moment. (I have found that I just don't sleep in this heat so I might as well do some crafting.) Anyway back to the ATC, as I didn't have a lot of time in which to make it I used a ready made atc from Tims Lost and Found paper stack, I added a strip of tissue tape to the left side to give it a bit more support when I put the brads through. The wording is "I called but you were out" that I stamped on small tags using a studio G alphabet stamp. I then swiped them with vintage photo distress stain and attached to the card. I added a spinner to one of the clock faces and a game piece to another for the time 4:20 do you see that?

Another piece I have got finished this week is the tray that was on my desk at the last WOYWW.

I painted it with gesso then went over with distress stain in vintage photo then distress ink in walnut stain, I then added bits that I had around to fill it. The dress form I had made for something totally different but then never used, the cotton reels and bits in the top left were from the button box that I picked up from a house clearance, (the scrabble tiles came from there as well, also the thimble that is pewter and the tiles are wood) the small bustier's were also destined for something else but it never happened.

Will have to check these photos again in the morning and might have to retake them using the camera instead of my phone. Hey just noticed I have got my followers back, I have missed you guys.

Ok I think its time for bed now as I am starting to ramble.......

Thanks for reading,
Cath

My Design Team card for Make My Monday

2011-07-11T11:00:00.001+03:00

This week over on Make My Monday the theme is still Vintage but this week we were asked to do something with Embossing, wet or dry its up to you. So here is my card.

As you can see I have done a bit of both on my card. If you look close you can see the dry embossing on the black card that I used as a mat, but as that is hard to see I thought I should do some more and remembered I had bought some embossing and cutting bars when I was in the UK in April. I hunted them out and with a bit of practice as they had never been used I managed to get the edge done as you can see below.

The lady on the front of the card is a Clarity stamp that I have had for a year or so that I embossed using sepia Versafine ink and embossing with fine powder. I then coloured her in using Tims ink dabber's and a paint brush.

You can just about see the shine from the embossing in the last photo.

I must say a big Thank You to everyone who has joined in over on Make My Monday the last few weeks, the numbers are getting bigger each week and the work that has been done is just amazing. So if you have not had a go yet what are you waiting for, just follow the link and show us what you can do.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This month on Make My Monday we are going Vintage.

2011-07-04T11:00:00.001+03:00

Yes the theme this month is Vintage and this first week the challenge is to use the colours Brown and Cream with a bit of Pink or Blue. This is my interpretation of the colours.

I started with a blank card that I topped with paper from collection elements, on top of this I added some house shapes. The small ones are just cut out, the edges inked and then stuck to the card, where as the large one is quite thick. I used a house shape again from collections elements that I covered with paper from the same pad as I had used on the base card. I then wound brown cord around the shape and mounted the stamped image on top. I had stamped the image onto card then mounted it to a frame that I had covered with sepia ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. The whole thing is mounted with foam pads to give it some depth. The flower is made with Tims die and craft paper that I edged with ink, the centre was stamped and embossed with sepia ink and clear embossing powder as before. I then just added a couple of pins behind the flower and a word disk to the top of the house.

Now get over to Make My Monday and have a look at what Jacqueline the rest of the team have done, and join in with this challenge.

Before I finish this post I would like to say thank you to those of you that have been taking part each week, I enjoy coming to visit your blogs and checking out what you have been doing each week.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

You were warned, baby picture overload

2011-06-30T12:55:00.000+03:00

I did warn you all I would be putting some baby photos on here. So here goes, the first one is of the special lady who's day it was, she was a bit fed up in this photo and is teething as well but was as good as gold all day.

Next we have the proud parents with her in church.

The Vicar trying to wet her!

Next is a photo of my boys. I always like to take one when they get together as they don't get together that often with living all over the world.

And the last, at the end of the day playing on granny's knee.

Hope I didn't bore you too much.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 108

2011-06-29T14:29:00.000+03:00

Wednesday again and for a change I am not on a aeroplane! my desk for the last two Wednesdays has been the drop down table from the seat in front, not that I did anything other than read in my very small space. I know I am big but the room they give you on some airlines is just ridiculous.

Anyway you are not here to listen to me moaning you have come to see the desk, I hope! So here it is in all its glory.

As you can see I am in the middle of about 3 projects, none of which are near completion. The tray with the compartments has been on my table for a long time now and I am determined to get it finished soon. The black and white box I want to get done as soon as pos as I am putting that in for the Try it on Tuesday challenge which this week is alter a box. The frame with the dress pattern paper on it is something I started last night . Now I have got rid of my cold (gave it to the OH) I am rearing to get on with things, not sure how long that will last though.lol

If you are not sure why I am showing you all this and waffling on like this just go and have a look at our leaders blog HERE but I must warn you Julia is not there this week and Lunch Lady is standing in for her, and a good job she is doing to.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Make My Monday card

2011-06-27T11:00:00.001+03:00

This week we are using a sketch, still with the Flower theme.

So here is my interpretation of this sketch:

To start with I turned it around so the main part went lengthways, I then used some yellow and green card from Stamping Up that I had been given a while ago, I stamped on the yellow with a stamp from The Artistic Stamper. The green I put through my Big Shot with a Cuttlebug flower embossing folder. These I cut to size and fixed on to the main card. The main embellishment on the front is a flower and some petals from Prima. The sentiment is a stamp from a set by Personal Impressions and the dots I did myself.

Why not go over to Make My Monday and see what the rest of the team has done? We would also love to see what you make of this sketch. You have until the end of the week to join in with us.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

I'm back in Cyprus

2011-06-23T16:17:00.000+03:00

Totally k.......d but glad to be here. We were going to get our head down at Gatwick overnight but that was not to be as there are tearing the place apart in the name of improvement!
I will be boring you all with family shots over the next few days so you have been warned. I would just like to say a quick thank you to both Julia and shopkeeper girl for being so nice and keeping me topped up with tea. I am so sorry I wont be seeing you again for quite a while I had a great time.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

This week over on Make My Monday

2011-06-20T11:00:00.001+03:00

The challenge is Tags still with the flower theme that is running to the end of this month. So this is my card.

I used one of my favourite Paper Artsy stamps onto a tag that I mounted onto black card along with card that I had put through the Big Shot and embellished with black stones, ribbon and a word tile. I am still away so this has been scheduled, so please go and have a look at the the other teams cards over on Make My Monday and have a go yourself.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Design Team entry on Make My Monday

2011-06-13T11:00:00.001+03:00

Here is my entry for this weeks challenge over on Make My Monday

Still on the flower theme for this month this weeks challenge is to use Die Cuts.
So on this card I used Mr Tims tattered floral die on kraft paper and music paper both of which I dipped on to a craft sheet that I had rubbed Dusty Concord ink on to and sprayed with water. I also used the same ink pad to colour the base card. The paper used is from My Minds Eye Bohemia range, this one is called Bella. I love double sided paper it meant I could roll the edges and get that nice grungy look about it. I am not sure who's stamp I have used, I think its The Artistic Stamper but if I am wrong and you know whose it is please let me know. Now bling is not something I normally use on my cards but I got a few packs sent for my birthday so I thought I would use it, I think its from Michaels in the US.

Do come over to Make My Monday and see what the rest of the team have done, and have a go yourself.

Thanks for reading, Cath

I'v been RAK'ed

2011-06-11T22:47:00.000+03:00

Just look what was waiting in my post box for me yesterday...........

Isn't it wonderful? It's from Bethan Evans over on the All Things Tim group as part of the RAK/PIF game. All I have to do now is say thank you and either do nothing or pick 5 people to send a RAK to. Duh I know which one I will be doing, as it felt so good getting something you are not expecting I want to pass that feeling on.

Here is a close up of the pen nib butterfly in the corner, isn't it great? I love how she has used corrugated card as the base and added paints on to that then stamped on top and the tape on the edge.

Will have to get my skates on as I have a lot to do before we Fly on Wednesday.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 104

2011-06-08T12:41:00.000+03:00

I managed somehow to totally miss last weeks WOYWW 2nd anniversary! I hope everyone behaved themselves and played PIF properly like they were told. Looking around at some of your blogs there was some serious work gone in to these PIF's they look stunning. Now if you don't know what I am on about nip over and see our leader Julia and you could be in on next years celebration.

So enough of this babble you have come to see what is on my desk!

Well not a lot of work, just some old flower presses, a book and some old index cards all given to me by a friend who is moving back to the UK. But I am sure I can get something done with them, we will just have to see.

I will be in the UK for the next two WOYWW's so will get back to you all when I get back. Off to have coffee with the Queen of WOYWW next week, sooooooo looking forward to that..... off on a happy dance.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Evolution of a card....

2011-06-07T12:10:00.000+03:00

So last week I made my first ever card for the new design team I am in. So what's the problem there I hear you say as I make a card a week for the class I run, Ah but this one is going on the web for all to see (and pull apart!) so it has to be just right, not that the other's are not right you understand. Here are the cards I then made.

I started with an idea to make something simple and let the red flowers (the theme) show through! So top left was the first, didn't like it as the red was not strong enough and the squares didn't lineup right. Next card was too grungy, the next I smudged. Then I finally get a card made, not quite what I wanted it looks too crowded. At last and two days later I get a card I am happy with, the bottom right card is the one I eventually went with. I know the red is not as vibrant as I would of liked but I like this card.

To see what the others made go to Make my Monday and have a look, whilst you are there have a go yourself there is a great prize up for grabs at the end of the month.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Make My Monday

2011-06-06T11:00:00.016+03:00

The first challenge is up on the Make My Monday blog, this week it's make a card using Red Flowers. I went looking through my flower stamps for one I was sure I had, but no I just thought I had it. So a quick frantic phone call and a few hours later there it was (thanks Ann).

The stamp is a old one from A Stamp in the Hand inked up with Adirondack pesto and fired brick DI. The background is from Tims Lost and Found paper pack and the flower on the tag is also from Mr Tims foliage pack. The rest are just things I had lying around.

Here is a close up of the tag.

I hope you like what I have done and I will see over on the Make my Monday challenge blog.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

New blog starting on Monday

2011-06-05T04:31:00.000+03:00

Just to remind you all that the new Make My Monday challenge blog goes live on Monday 6th June the brainchild of Jacqueline from Deezines Art and she has asked me to be part of her new design team (happy dance). I will be working along side some lovely ladies, Caz, Suzanne, Fliss and of course Jacqueline herself. I am really looking forward to sharing with you the ideas and challenges we have in store. So nip back on Monday to see what the first challenge will be.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

I don't believe it.......

2011-06-01T00:01:00.000+03:00

I made it in to the Make it Monday design team along with

Cazro
Fliss and
Suzanne

Congratulations ladies I can't wait to start working with you and getting to know you all better.

And a big thank you to Jacqueline for having faith in me.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Design Team call on new challenge blog.

2011-05-30T14:42:00.000+03:00

I meant to post this a few days ago, there is a Design Team call over on Make it Monday So go over and have a go. But you will have to be quick as it closes on the 31st.

I thought I would have a try so here is my card.

I have noticed a lot of people using old music script to photograph there cards against so I thought I would give it a go. To me it looks like it has changed the colour of the white card that I stamped on to cream. I always use the same card for the base card and to stamp on as colours can vary so much so I know they were the same when I started. Just hope it will be ok.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Has anyone seen my MoJo?

2011-05-27T15:34:00.000+03:00

Last seen heading out of my craft room door over a week ago.

It all started with me getting a Net Book while I was in UK, then my OH's laptop died a week after I got back. So we have almost reversed roles, where I would go to my craft room check my emails then have a play and see what happens, now the OH is using my desktop in my craft room and I just sit in the house using the Net Book. The last thing I made was the sample card for last weeks class as I now cant get near to my craft table as my OH has dumped all my "junk" as he calls it from my computer table onto it. So no table equals no mojo, I just cannot get any inspiration when I cant get to the table. The only problem is that this is going to last until we can get his laptop fixed and that wont be until we go to the UK in June.......

Thanks for reading,
Cath

A day in the life......

2011-05-24T12:13:00.000+03:00

I was having a quick blog hop as you do whilst eating my breakfast this morning and came upon a post by Kirsty all about her day (click on her name if you would like to read it). So I thought I would give you all (or those who are interested) a look at some photos I took last week whilst going to get the mail.
My trip normally starts with the oh giving me a lift on his way to the office but some times I meet up with friends and we make a day out of it. The first thing you hit is the border. (Most people think of Cyprus as Greek but it has been both Greek and Turkish since 1974).

Some days you can get across quite quickly other times you can be stood there for ages.

You then leave the North and enter the South.

I love the old buildings along here, it will be a shame if they are torn down.

You then hit passport control on the Greek side at the other end of no man's land.

This view is from the Greek side. And you are now back in Europe with Starbucks, MacDonald's and the like. I just then nip up to the end of the main road to the post office and the art shop. I have done the whole trip in 2 hours before but I normally stop for some lunch or go shopping with the girls so it takes a lot longer. Then if I have gone on my own I come back by bus, so first its of to the bus stop.

Catch the bus and set off home.

The trip through the mountains is always breath taking no matter what the weather.

Hope you like this small insight in to my world.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 102

2011-05-18T19:53:00.000+03:00

I am so late with this today but that is better than last week as I missed Wednesday altogether!

So what is on my worktop today and what happened to the nice tidy desk I promised you all last week? I did manage to get my room tidy (but no photo) for a few days but then I started on the picture I showed on my last post and all the good work went out of the window (along with the cat after he sat on said picture) I am aiming to get it back for week 104 but who knows. So back to the table, I can see the card I made as a sample for last Mondays class or was it the week before? who knows I have lost all sense of time at the moment. There are a couple of my journals on there and a load of paint. You also get a good view of where I sprayed a mask missing the paper totally! The rest is just a total mix of junk I think. Must do better next week. Most of you will of been over to see Julia by now but if you haven't here is the link I love her new look.

Talking of things new Jacqueline has a new challenge blog and is looking for a design team so get yourself over to see her here at Make It Monday and have a go.

Thanks for reading, Cath

Who has stolen time??????

2011-05-15T15:12:00.000+03:00

I just do not know were time has gone this week. The last time I looked it was 4th May now its the 15th I have lost a fair few days. I think it could be that we have had some awful weather here this last week or so , so I just hide inside doing nothing. When I have emerged from my cocoon of quilt I have been working on this.

What do you think? I have been trying to do faces for a while now, I often do them in my journal but this is the first time I have done something like this. Her face is a bit grubby as one of the cats decided to sit on her whilst I wasn't around! The quote is by Philip Pulman in the "His Great Materials" trilogy, I just liked it so used it. I am going to try horses next!

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 100

2011-05-04T12:12:00.000+03:00

I cannot believe that we have got around to 100 and that in a few weeks WOYWW will be two years old. So for this week as my desk has not changed much from last week, I thought I would repost the first photo I did for WOYWW on 19th Febuary 2010 my first post, though I had been stalking Julia for a few weeks by then.

I think I did a close up of the parcel I had just got as I didn't want everyone to see how bad my room looked! But I gave in and on the 7th of April I let you all into my room for the first time.......

Next week I will show you how it looks now....

For those of you that are wondering what I am on about WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE LAST 100 WEEKS.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Colours Swap pages (photo heavy)

2011-05-01T15:29:00.000+03:00

Thought I would show you the pages I received the other day from Amy. I colours I picked were Black and Yellow, for no other reason than they were the first that popped into my head, so here is Amy's interpretation for me.

This first photo is the outside of the pages, (they are made to be stitched into a book) on these she has covered the paper with paint they are very touchy feely pages, then she has added the hands. To see more about the construction of these pages go to her web site and have a look, you will find her HERE. (It is not an adult site so I am not sure why you now have to go through the warning but do look her site is worth a visit.)

These are the inner pages that I just love. I would never of thought to do anything like this at all.

I sent my pages to Elizabeth but in the rush to get them finished and posted, then packed for the UK I forgot to take any photos of them, luckily for me Elizabeth has sent me some photos so I can show you what I did. The colours she picked are White and Rust and the page size was A4.

The first page I made I used watercolour paper for the background that I sprayed with white pearl ink spray through a flower stencil. I then made up the flowers using zips that I had tried to rust, adding rusty lace behind them and filling them with small white seed beads. I added the flowers to a piece of white velum that has dragonflies stamped all over it and added the pipe cleaner stems. The flower pot is a piece of rusted material stitched on to the paper, I then added a dragonfly that is made from the pull part of the zip, silk worm cocoons and pins.

On the back of the page I stitched on more of the rusted fabric to make pockets. I made up three tags one with the dictionary definition of White the other with Rust and the third as my sign in tag.

My next page I covered with rust I scraped from some wire I found then added some mulberry paper that I picked up in Bangkok. I dressed the doll with some of the lace and fabric that I had used on the other page, added some hair and a few white gems and she was finished.

The last page is the same as before rubbing rust into the damp paper, I then added the words in white card to show the colours that I had used. I was running out of time by now so kept this page simple. As I was packing the pages up to post them I thought I would put them into envelopes to help protect them as I was putting other things in the packet with them, so yes you get it I then had to decorate the envelopes as well!

These I just covered with a mix of brown and gold paints and added strips of the same mulberry paper as I used before. They can now be cut up and used on other things.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing these pages and I haven't bored you to much.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 99......

2011-04-27T13:06:00.000+03:00

I am back home safe and sound from my trip back to the UK, just have to get back into the swing of things again now! I managed to do a little bit of shopping whilst I was there, got a few new stamps, (I still have not seen any of Tims stamps in the shops) and a load of paper. Then when I got back I had a full mailbox from the US.

I have never had as much post before for my birthday, it was amazing. The box at the front of my desk is full to bursting of all sorts of things, gems, ribbon, glitter foam and a lovely card. As you can see there are a few other cards on the desk, there are also a few envelopes I have left closed as they are full of die cuts and I don't want them to go everywhere, must find a container for them. So all in all I have been very spoilt over the last few weeks.
Now if you are wondering just why I am telling you all this and showing you my desk in all its messy glory just go over HERE and see Julia the mistress of all things Wednesday.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Thanks for the birthday wishes.

2011-04-15T17:56:00.000+03:00

Just to let you all know I am still around.

I got a message from someone to say she did not like the pages she did me from the swap we are in, as it had a monkey on it, and as I have just spent the last few days in the place of my birth I thought I would post this for you all to enjoy.

I will be back to normal next week, I get home on Thursday.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

What's not on my desk Thursday.....

2011-04-07T17:12:00.000+03:00

OK so I totally missed this weeks WOYWW, but I had taken a photo so I will show you all that I can tidy up some times.

And this is how it will stay for the next few weeks as I am flying to UK tomorrow. I am hoping when I get back it will be covered again with lots of new stash......

Have fun whilst I am gone, I will try and get on here but Mum doesn't have the internet so I have to use the library computers while I stay with her, so it might be a while till I can post again.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Calender pages

2011-04-02T19:59:00.000+03:00

I am so behind showing my calender pages this year, not sure why that is as I have kept up to date filling them in!
I will just show the last two pages but I think I am about two months behind.

Here is March filled in.

And this is April all ready to go.

That's all for now as I am trying to get everything finished and cleared up as I head of to the UK on Friday. Lets hope for good weather!

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 95

2011-03-30T11:42:00.000+03:00

Just a quick post today as I have to go out and want to get things done before I go. So here is today's photo.

As you can see I have not started on Aprils pages in my 365 day book. Aiso I have hid a lot of the bits I have been working on as they are to be sent to someone who sometimes looks at my blog. And I found these cut wood pieces in my local equivalent of a pound store, not too sure yet what I am going to do with them. I thought if I left them on the table I might get some inspiration. That's it for now if you would like to see more workspaces in varied degrees of tidiness just hop along to Julia the keeper of the list just HERE and have a browse.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Arachnophobia's please look away.....

2011-03-29T12:02:00.000+03:00

One of the blogs I regularly read is Deezines Art and Jacqueline had a post about a spider the other day which got me thinking about the ones we get here every year. The first year we lived here I was a bit freaked out about them but they are just another thing you get used to living with, though I do object when they get into the house. I had a quick look through some old photos to see if I still had a picture of any and found two I thought you might like.

This is a small one that the cats killed, with the handle of my trowel next to it for size.

This is a bigger one on the wall next to the wardrobes in our bedroom! didn't sleep there that night... This one was about the size of my old man's hand, if not a little bigger. I just couldn't get him to put has hand next to it so I could take a photo!!! It was something I took a lot of photos of the first few years and just don't bother about now, isn't it strange how you just start to take things for granted and don't reach for the camera any more.

Hope I haven't freaked you out too much.
Cath

2011-03-25T16:59:00.000+02:00

RIP my darling boy, I still miss you.

The finished book

2011-03-24T16:09:00.000+02:00

I have finished the book I was doing when you called yesterday. I could have made a better job but I don't have any of Tims metal alternation's and had to do with what I have. What do you think?

I received my copy of Craft Stamper this week and just loved the altered book that is in there, so thought I would have a go. I then went blog hopping as you do and found this months challenge on The Altered Alice is doors, so here it is my attempt with the door open!

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 94

2011-03-23T15:39:00.000+02:00

Late on parade again, my excuse this time is I spent the morning in the south shopping with the other half and a friend. All I came back with was some tissue paper and a load of dog food!!!! Anyway what is on my desk today?

I am not sure but I think I am developing a "thing" for boxes..... as you can see there is a large wood box on the table with another two inside, also a couple or round ones as well. The book I covered with gesso last night and I will start on that this afternoon. You can also see a stamp I picked up when I went to the craft shop with the girls on Friday and one of my crafters workshop masks, you might just be able to see the Tim mask I also got on Friday hidden under the wet wipes and receipt. The rest is just a mess that I am determined I will have cleared by this weekend!

So now you have seen mine, if you would like to see more go to the boss's blog where she has the link to them all, its just HERE

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Can you tell what it is?

2011-03-22T18:02:00.000+02:00

Was out at my local haberdashery shop yesterday and saw these!

Any ideas as to what they might be?

You have to cut them up to use them!

Yes that's right they are silk worm cocoons. They use them a lot here cut up and made into pictures. Just thought you would like to see them.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 93 or what have you been up to!

2011-03-16T17:05:00.000+02:00

I am late posting as I went on my painting course today with my mate. What a laugh that was watching the locals covering everything in site with glitter paint!!!!

So this is what we did. The first one we frosted glass then when dry we added glitter glue and gold balls! not sure when that technique will be used again! the next was done on mirror glass using a stencil and crystal gel. Again note the use of the glitter glue pen! Then the last one was one half done with decoupage and the other half with crackle glaze, it was like being in the 80s again. We did come away with a nice apron and the whole thing cost nothing so all in all it was a good days work.
If you want to see any other desks that are probably a lot more interesting than mine pop over and see Julia HERE and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Welcome to sunny Cyprus......

2011-03-10T16:42:00.000+02:00

This is what greeted us this morning!

It's not often you see snow on the mountains out here.
Thanks to Hans for the photo, by the time I thought to take one it had gone.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 92

2011-03-09T17:03:00.000+02:00

Made it back at last but not sure how long for as blogger is still banned here...... So what is on my table this week? about the same as last but you never got to see last weeks!

The first thing you can see is a box of beer mats I acquired the other day! there are hundreds in there so if anyone would like some please let me know how many and your address and I will get some off to you. The rest is the boxes I have been working on, not sure about the green as its not a colour I would normally use but I will see how it goes. That's about it today if you would like to see a lot more desks go over and see Julia HERE and enjoy the ride.

I have just signed my mate and myself up on a painting course for next week which should be fun as it will be all in Turkish! wish us luck....

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Blogger blocked in Turkey..........

2011-03-03T00:08:00.000+02:00

I have had a very busy week so haven't had time to get on here, so today when I do want to start blogging again I find Blogger has been banned by Turkey again!!! What a great time to live in a country like this. I hope I can get back on again tomorrow and catch up with what every one has been doing and hopefully get some photos of what I have been up to on.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

I love days like today.....

2011-02-25T12:39:00.000+02:00

When you have a friend round for a play as she has a load of stamps you haven't had a go with yet, and you just sit and chat and play.

The tissue was stamped with a cog stamp from The Artistic Stamper and I still have more to play with, Jennie makes some really great stamps. And a bar of SUGAR FREE chocolate. What more can a girl want..........

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 90

2011-02-23T12:27:00.000+02:00

This is my table this week!

Not a lot as its full of paperwork to be finished by Friday as I will then hand it all over to someone else at last.
You can just see my Squeeze holding down a load of papers, I still use it for small die cut jobs. Does anyone else still use there's I wonder? Not a lot going on at the moment, I have the gesso out and a couple of boxes so we will see what happens there.
If you would like to go and see some other desks a lot more interesting than mine then nip over to HERE and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

Work I have been doing.

2011-02-20T19:33:00.000+02:00

A few week's ago I applied for a DT, and as I have just got word that I didn't make it I thought you might like to see what I have been up to. You had to make 2 cards, 1 scrapbook page and an altered item. So here are the cards I made.

Both of these cards were made using the PaperArtsy stamp I got whilst I met up with Julia last year.

I know its not a new stamp but I love it. The scrapbook page was one of those ideas that gets stuck in your head and will not go down on paper as you want! I will admit its not one of my best.

And the last piece is a wooden box that I covered.

I also made a book to go in it to keep my ATC's in.

So that was what I had been up to, please let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

The Winner is........

2011-02-18T13:21:00.000+02:00

So OWOH is all over for this year and I had 117 comments which I think is great, I met some very nice people from all over the world. To pick my winner I used random.org but don't know how to show it on here so you will have to take my word for it. The winning number was 59 and that is Ayala Art you can see her blog HERE So this will be on its way to you as soon as I have your address.

For those of you who liked this years OWOH you might be interested in having a look HERE for next year.

Thank you to everyone who came to look and to those who left comments, I did enjoy this, I hope you did to.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 89

2011-02-16T13:00:00.000+02:00

I totally missed last weeks WOYWW, just forgot about it! So here I am all shame faced today ready to see if you will take me back. So what is on my table this week? Not a lot!

I managed to get it tidy again after the last few weeks working on different projects. You can see my work mats, the glass one I managed to pick up in UK for £5 when I was there last, a bargain I thought. The red one is a table mat from a local cafe but it makes a great surface to glue on as it wipes clean every time. The paper on the left is a sheet I found the other day in my cupboard. its from the Heidi Swapp Invisibles line. You know what its like you buy a few sheets cos you just love the look, then never use them because they are for something special! The punch and stamps in the middle of the table are some of the order we as a craft group put in to a Stamping up agent in the UK. Now is it just me are do others have the same thoughts on Stamping up, you pay quite a lot for the stamps and then you have to trim them and put them together yourself! wtf For what you pay they should come in a gold box, I know they are a good quality but there are better stamps for less out there I think...... Ok rant over, its just I HATE trimming stamps.

So if you have got this far and have not fallen asleep and would like to see other peoples tables go over and see our great leader Julia HERE and join in the fun.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOW

2011-02-10T15:18:00.000+02:00

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read my last post, and a big thank you to the ones who have left messages. I have been off my computer for the last week as I have had an ear infection and kept seeing double as well as the room spinning. So I have not had chance to look around anyones blog this week, so tomorrow and the weekend will be spent doing just that. I did have a quick look just now at my blog tracker and one day last week I had over 100 hits, so again thanks. Normal or what passes as normal service will be resumed soon.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

One World One Heart.

2011-02-03T19:10:00.000+02:00

I have been meaning to join in with this as I think it is an amazing experience and its the last time ever that Lisa will be doing this.So to start with I will show you my door prize or as Elizabeth calls it my thank you gift. I just didn't know what to do for this as I have never been involved in anything like this before, but decided to give a wall hanging that I made a while ago but have hung next to my computer desk as I like it so much. I might add some more to this at a later date.

Now to tell you something about me! I am a 50 something who retired from the rat race early and came to live on an Island in the Mediterranean sea with my husband five years ago. I was originally a scrap booker but took up card making when I moved over here. I have since dabbled in altered art and having a go at most things arty. So thats me, go and have a look at the One World One Heart site and join in.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 87

2011-02-02T17:37:00.000+02:00

Sorry I am late on parade today but I had to go and buy new batteries for the camera!
So my table this week is not much better than last weeks, but I have now finished what I have been working on all last week so I can start to clear some of the mess. Here it is in all its glory for your perusal.

As you can see the gold leaf is still there, it is now also in my hair, on the cat and on the light switch........... Must learn patience and not touch things whilst they are still wet! There is a stamp set that was not used and a set that was and now needs a good clean. That's about it as the rest is almost the same as before.

If you would like to have a look at more desk's that are probably tidier than mine go and see Julia HERE and join in the fun.

Don't forget the link in the last post about a design team call.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

200th post.....

2011-02-01T23:23:00.000+02:00

and its just a quick one. Have a look here for a call for a design team, but hurry it ends on the 6th Feb. The link is also in my side bar.

Thanks for reading,
Cath

WOYWW 86

2011-01-26T16:39:00.000+02:00

Good morning to you all and sorry about last week! can you believe I forgot about you all...... It wasn't until Thursday last week and I said to my oh I better get my what's on photo done and he said what, for next week as its Thursday today? Can you believe it I was working on a project so hard last week that I didn't come up for air until the Thursday. But I am here this week in all my messy glory.

I am still working on an ATC book as you can see by the cream envelopes I made for the inner. If you click on the photo you might just be able to see the box I made for it to go into, but its a secret so keep it to yourselves please. I am into gold leaf at the moment as it was everywhere in Bangkok and I picked up the packet at the front for less that £2 whilst I was there. You can see a couple of stamps I have been using that need cleaning, one is a background I got from The Artistic Stamper that I am so in love with and have been using on everything at the moment and the other is a stamp I won from Artyjen when she did one of her random blog candy's.

If you are not sure just what I am on about pop over to our leader HERE and have a gander at the rest of us WOYWWers.

Thanks for reading,
Cath