A Crochet Bag - Second edition

Do you remember a while ago I started a crochet bag ??

Hmmmm, yes well, I started all enthusiastically and took said piece to work to do some at lunch times and as it grew it seemed like it was more like a hat or a car seat cover .......himself said it loooked like 'one of those hats the beatniks wear at music festivals'...great..Not deterred,I carried on for a while. After spending a few evenings and lunches madly hooking away I did actually think,yep,it is definitely not looking much like a bag and decided to send it to bag heaven..I also thought that I was using too big a hook and too thick wool.So,back I went to Attic 24 to have a look again at the lovely Lucy's blog to see exactly what hers was like and get some more inspiration.

So,over the last couple of weeks,I ordered some more 'cottony ' wool and started again using a smaller hook and I actually think that this looks a tad more like a bag ......what d'you think ? a bit more like a bag now ? I've had the worst cold over the weekend so in between blowing my nose and sneezing and generally feeling sorry for myself I've managed to nearly finish it. I made the handles last night so now it's just a case of sewing all the ends in ...

I made a couple of cards yesterday for my cousin's Anniversary and a friend's birthday.I also made another card but can't blog it yet as It's not her birthday yet so will show it later on in the week.Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend..Off to find the tissues....

Tadaaaaaa- The Artsycraft Projects

So......at last I can now show the projects we did on the Artsycrfaft weekend.I am reliably informed that the second weekend is over now and it is safe to show them.

We packed such a lot into the two days and I really felt that I'd learnt lots about lots!

We started off on the first day with a huge tag which we painted and spritzed and inked and stamped.....then we made the tree ,then we did lots of stamping on to metal sheets in order to make the embellishments,and used lots of tools to make borders round the edges...Leandra who runs the weekends with Linda has some Youtube videos which are a great form of reference for doing these..then we made the gorgeous flower at the top from tissue paper

Then we started on the main project,each litttle tile was made using a different technique and I thoroughly enjoyed every one.The time went so fast and before we knew, it was a quick break for something to eat at 6 ish then back for the evening to do some more.

We all chose different colour themes and each and every one was stunning,great combinations...

and the metal rose was gorgeous and such fun to make...The background of the canvas took lots of paint and dabbing and inking and spritzing with some great advice thrown in by Leandra and Lin and her helpers as they walked around us ...

Then it was on to another lovely little project which was a bare wood frame that we inked and painted and stamped and again used some metal -which I've not done so much of before,we embossed and antiqued the metal .It's amazing how so many people come up with so many different takes on the idea ...

The one thing I got from this weekend was the fact that I've never really been into metal techniques before and there are so many great things you can do with it - the sky's the limit really. I met some lovely new friends and spent time with some other lovely ladies I've known for quite a while too so all in all a very successful and fun time was had !

A Peacock moment

Imagine my surprise- when I was over at my Dad's last weekend,( I normally go to see him every weekend...)

He called me out to the garden and I could tell he wanted me to be quiet- there were two peacocks wandering around in his garden,jumping on his shed roof and his patio. Apparently they have been around the village for a couple of years but he has never had them in his garden before. Never one to miss an opportunity for a photo, I was there!

,He has a mirror at the side of his patio and the peacocks were fascinated trying to peck at it cos they thought it was another one ...I reckon they will make a nice scrappy page at some time in the future. It amazes me how vibrant their colours are and I don't think I've ever been this close to one. According to my Dad they are both males wonder where the girlies are.....

A Mini Book Blog Hop

Good morning, welcome to my little post showing you the mini book I've made entitled 'It's all about me'.
This project was the idea of Mel over on her fab blog IspeakMelsh. It was based on a class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking.A group of us have all joined in and made our own interpretation of the theme.and we will be bloghopping around to each one to see what we've all come up with..
I'm guessing you have found your way here via the lovely Sian and have been inspired by her lovely blog.
So, let me tell you how I went about this.. I kind of followed the idea of a mini book and kept to the size that was suggesed,so it really is quite mini.Anyway, I wanted it to be snapshots of all the things in my life that I enjoy.
It's not easy photographing the whole thing so there are some snippets and a couple of the whole thing. I used mainly 'Dear Lizzie ' papers.I used some of my favourite stamps,including a flourish and swirl that I love  my favourite butterfly stamp,and a friendship flower stamp. I haven't done lots of long journalling, just a few captions.I used a Heidi Swapp round mirror with glittery American Crafts letters for my initials on the front cover.The little flowery blue flourish on the front was stamped and then I painted the leaves with some green shimmery Inca Gold.
I could go on for ages waffling,but know that you will want to be hopping off to the next blog, so here are the photos of my little book...

so there it is, and now I'm sure you are anxious to get on your way to the lovely lady who has a starring role in my book - Deb,Thank you for stopping by and thanks again Mel for organising this whole thing.Enjoy your hopping !

Blog Hoppy fun again

Yep, we're at it again, there is a blog hop happening at the weekend,and this time it's ' All about Me'..so if you are around at the weekend, on Saturday you will be able to see what everyone has come up with all about themselves....
In my travels round blogs lately I came across a brilliant crochet blog called Attic 24. Lucy's blog (Attic 24 ) is so inspiring and she is so generous with her time and tutorials.
I decided  I wanted to have a go at making a bag to put my wool in,as described here .
I've managed the bottom so far and am now attempting to carry on up the sides - keep your fingers crossed it turns out like hers !

Eight over Eight

Okay, so Ruth is responsible for this post, she suggested you go to where your photos are stored on your PC.Find the eighth folder ,open it then find the eighth photo in said folder.

I did exactly that and the following photo is what I found..

It's himself ,my cousin's wife and me when we were out for an Indian meal one night in July 2008.We love going to this particular place cos they always play great music from the 1970s instead of the old Sitar music.Lots of tracks like Earth Wind and Fire and The Whispers and O Jays, Lionel Richie,Saturday Night Fever and the like,all the stuff we used to love when we were younger and they turn it up nice n loud too !It really creates a party atmosphere without being TOO loud! My cousin (who is taking the photo has a great sense of humour and fun and we always end up laughing..good memories - thanks Ruth !

Amazing isn't it?

You miss it so much when they go away,then when they are back,you wonder why you missed it .....How can one boy generate so much !!! Best not to ask what the hats were all about methinks.....

So, after that not so pleasant photo - I spent a lovely Sunday at the Craftystash monthly crop. The designs were Tracie Hudson's. When I first saw the sneaky peeks I wasn't too sure about how the owls would fit in but I think I managed to find some photos that were ok with them.The 'HAPPY' one with the dogs in has a tree missing on the left hand side as apparently the supplies ran out so it looks a bit odd on the left hand side.Some of us  have to wait for that till next month. I did enjoy the class 'cos there was lots of cutting out and I love to sit and snip.Not everyone does but I find it relaxing..

Now I'm off to hopefully finish that certain little mini book project that will be blogged very soon.....

Oh and thank you very much to the lovely Sandra who has given me an award for my blog.

I shall be back later with some names of blogs I'd like to pass the award on to...

This 'n' That

I've been a bit of a dabbler this week, not really knowing whether to ink and paint - or cut n paste- or get hooky crocheting.So I've spent a couple of evenings snuggled on the sofa crocheting and messing with wool and hooks,an evening trying to make a Grungepaper rose  and an evening making an anniversary card for a friend and a birthday card. I used Kaisercraft papers and flowers for the cards and the grungepaper rose was made using the gorgeous stamps by Paperartsy

So all in all a bit of a wandery time ! I get like that sometimes,I have so many things In my head and want to do them all at once and am not very focused at all.
I've been meaning to take photos of a gorgeous little shop we have here,it's basically a card shop but lately they have added some lovely crafty type things,a few months ago they had a range of Cath Kidston goodies - shame they didn't have any bags,I SO want one! Then just recently they've had some lovely cushions and odds and ends.I love shops like that,and it certainly brightens up Monday morning on the way to work.

Am looking forward to tomorrow for two reasons...

• It's Craftystash Crop Sunday - sadly on my own this month as Deb and Jane have other things on
• Youngest son is coming home from Uni - his first year over with and the whole summer here...back to shopping for dinner straight after work and booking haircuts and tidying up after him ...love it !

I'm getting round to making my little project that the lovely Mel has organised .Still not sure about the tin but have got the mini book under way.
Have a great weekend whatever you are up to .

Tired and Inspired

I had a lovely crafty,inky,messy,stampy,metally and di cutty weekend at the Artsycraft retreat. This is totally different to the other 'Scrapbooky' retreats I've been to as there was no cutting or paper,and no photos at all.

We inked,painted,die cut,used metal tools and stamped three wonderful projects all on one theme.
Now, during the weekend at one of the chats by the ladies who organised the whole thing,they asked anyone who had blogs not to show the projects in full as they will be doing another weekend at the end of the month and didn't want to spoilt the surprise for the next people who were attending.

So I can only show a few sneaky peeks of what we did - but will be able to show the whole things after the next weekend is over.

All I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed what we did, it was quite intense but I really found that I learnt a lot about how to apply techniques and also that you can really use so many colour combinations on altered projects ,and they don't have to be dark and browny - something I always seem to do! and it's all about 'doing your own thing' and not worrying about whats right or wrong.Needless to say I came home buzzing. Some of the colour combinations that were used throughout the weekend were stunning ,and I loved every one.I also discovered that I do actually like working with metal and there are certainly a lot of things you can do with it.

Final pages,a surpirse and Artsycrafts

Well  what a lovely surprise I had in the post, Do you remember when we did the House Party blog hop? well, one of the lovely ladies-Ruth  had a giveaway and I was lucky enough to be drawn by the random drawer ( or whatever it's called!) It arrived safe and sound so thank you Ruth and I'm really looking forward to playing with it.

I've more or less finished my Shimelle album apart from maybe a tiny few more embellishments, but still have journalling to do. I added one more double layout as I really wanted one of each of the boys when they were younger and then grown up,so mine now has two more pages ..

and now I'm off on a great weekend creating lots of different things - this is a first for me,something I've wanted to do for ages,with my friend Hilary and  these people ...should be getting very messy and inky I think!Have  a great weekend all .