Saturday, 30 November 2013

Christmas shaker card

I had enough Christmas cards for this year months ago, due to a bit of a surplus last year and some over-enthusiastic scraps-using-up sessions, so I haven't needed any. But a card-maker can't get through November and December without making ANY Christmas cards, really, don't you agree? It goes against the grain!

I satisfied my craving by making this shaker card for a bunch of challenges. It doesn't show up very well on the photo - I couldn't get the stars to shake down properly.

Charisma Cardz: Christmas
Cute Card Thursday: anything
Simon Says Stamp: anything
Stampin' for the Weekend: Festive


Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Scrap Whispers new game!

The new game on Scrap Whispers is now on!

The first challenge is "minimalist" and the inspiration for it is this little page that I put together after DH's and my afternoon at Westonbirt Arboretum last weekend. It was the first break he has had for such a long time, and we really needed it. These leaves are just stunning in the sunlight.


Do you want to play along with this? Hop over to Scrap Whispers and join in!

Monday, 21 October 2013

Didn't it rain

DH and I went to see Hugh Laurie earlier this year on his "Didn't it rain" blues tour, his second one.

What a gifted man. Seriously. I grew up with a crush on him as a comedian on Fry and Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster and Blackadder, before falling in love with him all over again as House 20 years later. And now to see him singing and playing - and dancing - live on stage was the icing on the cake.

His manner was unexpected quiet. But the self-deprecating, apologetic awkwardness in real life only reinforces the talent behind his portrayal of the brilliant and broken American doctor. And that's another thing, that accent. I have American friends who have been gobsmacked when I proudly claimed him as a fellow Brit. "You mean he's not American?" I can't do accents. I'm in awe of people who can, and he's got it quite perfect.

OK, enough of the hero-worship. Let me show you the LO I did of the show. It was for umpteen challenges: 2 pieces of die-cut paper (SJ CoW), tickets (SJ), autumn colours, misting, book title, sketch (UKS and SoW).


Thursday, 17 October 2013

Blowing him away

That gorgeous tree stamp belongs to Sue and she generously let me use it at this month's crop. The rest of the card was paper-pieced and put together using most of the stamps I brought with me, and some of Carroll's too. Thank you Sue and Carroll!


This is for Pixie's Crafty Workshop's "snippets" and Stampin' for the Weekend's "anything goes" challenges.

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Old chair, new chair

It has been pointed out to me, quite correctly, that I'm slacking in updating my blog. A huge thank you to Darnell for the kick up the backside that I needed! Mwah!

Let me show you my latest project. I've been on an Annie Sloan painting class to update our furniture. Amongst other things, we learned on the course how to "age" furniture by crackling the paint and rubbing with dark wax. We also painted two layers of different coloured paints and sanded some of the top layer off so that the older colour showed through. Not that I wanted any of that, I just wanted some pretty chalky coloured paint that you can use without sanding first. 'Cos I'm lazy that way. And they taught us how to use it for that too.

I began with an old kitchen chair that was in my bedroom when I was a child, and which my Mum last painted with a colour called Frascati (I remember the colour, not the manufacturer) to match my wardrobe when I was about 8. I chose that chair because it wouldn't matter much if I got things wrong. Well ironically, when I looked at it, it was already showing two colours of paint, and had genuine dirty age crackles - I couldn't help wondering whether Juliet would actually let me paint it if she saw it!

See? Poor, tatty, grubby chair. Destined to go in our new conservatory. With its bare skirting boards. See where this is going? ;-)


Yup, I did the skirting boards too.


Pretty isn't it? It's called Duck Egg Blue. I have a chest of drawers and a wardrobe to do too, but don't hold your breath. I need a serious amount of courage to tackle those. I think the scariest part is the thought of emptying them out, finding new homes for the contents, and getting them upstairs.

Meanwhile, back to the paper-crafting. That's a lot quicker and cleaner.

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

More autumn colours


This is for CASology and CAS-ual Fridays, both of which have autumn colours and leaves as their theme this week. I used Bo Bunny's Apple Cider 6x6" paper pad, and some new dies and matching stamps, not to mention Stickles. Can't go wrong with Stickles!


ETA: Oh, and it's for Simon Says Stamp's "anything" as well. I always miss the beginning of those challenges since they moved their blog and I can't follow any more.

Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Autumn colours

Autumn is really beginning to set in now. The beech leaves are turning to copper, the acers are starting to glow crimson and orange, and the autumn fogs are obscuring the top of the hill and blotting out the sea. I can hear the tugs' engines throbbing and the ships' fog-horns blaring somewhere in all that swirling whiteness.

It is fitting that so many of the challenges involve autumn colours and I'm making the most of that because those absolutely make up my favourite colour combinations. The only problem is that I don't know many people with birthdays at this time of year, so I always seem to have a glut of autumn-coloured cards on hand. Does anybody with spring birthdays really notice if the colours don't match the season? Not me. My birthday is in May, and I usually get cards with squirrels on them. I wonder why? Haha!

This is for Basic Grey's "autumn colours" and Charisma Cardz's "favourite colour combination" challenges. I used BG's Indian Summer 6x6 papers, and this particular colour combination is pink, orange and brown, although any of the autumn colours press my buttons.