Fabby dabby dooo -Mr Holtz

Is the only way I can describe this morning.I only just made it to class in time as we had a bit of a job finding the place,but all was well and at 9a.m we started on our project. They have a lovely set up at Art From The Heart,the shop and studio are all on  the same level .Dyan has some great altered projects on display- all very inspiring. I made sure it was okay to blog these photos just in case - as he is doing a class at Artsycrafts next week but their project next week is different so - be warned - there may be a few photos !
We were given a whole goodie bag with lots of lovely stuff in to keep as well as our kit - I love that bit at the beginning of class when you see all the lovely things you have to play with.

The first thing was to make the front and back covers,we used Tim's new resist kraft papers which I loved, the papers are embossed and when inked show the embossed design through. These papers should be hitting the shops here soon  I hope.

Then we inked sticky backed canvas and painted grungeboard hinges and stuck them on and secured with brads......The next bit was to distress the pages and envelopes and pockets that go inside the book..

Then Tim showed us how to make a cute flower or rosette with tissue tape - mine could do with being a bit neater but as he said, it's not about being neat and perfect- embrace imperfection !

I didn't take loads of photos of the inside  pages.

 We then made one of the things that I really loved  about the whole thing- the 'dangly bit' that hangs from the spine. We had a pack of bits and pieces with all sorts of ideaology bits in - we made this with pearls,and wings and a typewriter intital,and a crystal on the end.

I've got lots to do to finish it off and decide what to put in the pockets and pages. I might make it a book about my trip or just about the class - can't decide.

I gained a lot from the class- especially from Tim showing us how to use things and giving us ideas of how to use the inks more and little tips...

Here's a closer view of the resist paper that we inked for the covers...and I got Tim to sign the inside cover of my book ......and of  course I had to get a photo for posterity - silly  smile ? me ? noooooo !!

                                            I'll show you my purchases tomorrow :-)

More afternoon tea - at Betty's Tea Room !

Oh my goodness what a great way to start my trip to Harrogate.A nice trouble free journey here- then a leisurely walk in the sun across the park up to Bettty's Tea Rooms which - I hasten to add was as nice as 'The Ritz' (I'm such a name dropper) We thought it was weird the way the two have been one week apart,so we can make a fair comparison !

Betty's is beautiful and cosy inside,the inside walls have beautiful marquetry pictures all the way round.

We had the 3 tier stand with open sandwiches on the bottom,scones in the middle and cakes on the top.

I am a real  lover of mazripan and when they bought one of the cakes up I thought i'd died and gone to heaven......a marzipan cauliflower with sponge inside....

I'm still trying to work out  how to get these photos to be more together - side by side,sorry!....I'm really looking forward to Tim's class tomorrow...hope we're allowed to do photos - and I hope those boys are keeping the place tidy and looking after Archie at home!

Ooooooooohhh I could crush a grape...

Or rather than the words of that guy in  Crackerjack all those years ago- I am quite excited!
Yep,my Project Life box has finally arrived from Canada.
I made the trip to the Parcelforce office yesterday morning to save myself £12 for them to deliver on a Saturday.It's a lovely kit, with loads of bits and pieces and a really nice album ... cue photos ..

What a nice way to start a Saturday .

 I've got plenty to keep me busy now. Isn't it always the way, you don't get any fun post for a while then you get two in one day - the other nice thing that arrived was the latest Gottacraft kit......On the way home from work Friday I bought myself a nice bunch of rainbow tulips and some fresias - don't they smell gorgeous ? Sometimes you can get them and they don't have any fragrance but these are really nice -they've brightened up the place very nicely..

Right then, not too exciting a post today,just normal things,it's off shopping for me now (whoop de doo) then I might just try and get to watch the Tudors from last night and maybe a bit of hooky time too ...yep, she's started another project!.......pastel granny stripe blanket ...

have a nice Sunday everyone.

Tea for two?

I had some really nice presents for Christmas,but undoubtedly one of the best was a nice cup of tea - not just any old cup of tea though....the surroundings were really quite nice!

Monday afternoon himself and I set off at about 4 o'clock to get the train and tube (yes,I went on the tube!) and made our way to The Ritz Hotel for our 5.30 tea appointment.. We'd put our nice clothes on and he'd even got a jacket and tie on.

It was so lovely to be waited on for an hour and a half, with the man on the piano playing in the background.
We had a selection of perfectly cut sandwiches,smoked salmon, chicken, ham,cheese,cucumber,and egg bridge rolls. I'd never had a cucumber sandwich before but I actually really liked it..

 I managed to not go too mad with the sandwiches - even though they were replaced at regular intervals.

We could have had one of a selection of many types of teas but being us -we went for the 'English tea'

Then we had home made raisin scones with clotted cream and strawberry conserve...yum..

of course I had to take a few photos and was dying to get one of the waiter just so I had a full picture of the whole thing to scrap later......

What  a fab pose !

Then it was on to the lovely little pastries from the top shelf...A little boat pastry with fruit, a chocolate slice, a pear millefeulle,a banana macaroon, a white chocolate moussey pastry,I can't remember the name of the other one.

While we sat there, there was the most wonderful fragrance surrounding us and we realised after a while it was the lilies in the massive arrangement in the middle of the room...I don't normally liike the smell of lilies indoors as it can be quite strong but it was really lovely here.

Oops,I seem to have gone overboard with the photos, but Igot all excited about telling you all about it !

Storytelling Sunday-Sheltie love

I thought I would take part in Sian's Storytelling Sunday today....

Being February,the month of love,I thought I would tell you how my lasting love of Shelties (mini  Lassie Collies) came about..

We are going back to the '70's - I was a teenager and it was the school holidays-I spent most of my time horse riding -I used to ride the pony of the family who lived near me -they bought their son 'Smokey' -a gorgeous grey -but he was bored with her and they wanted someone to excercise her (that's a whole other story really - so maybe I'll save that one for another day!) or I would be making scrapbooks of the Osmonds.

Anyway,back to me in the1970s.....I was an only child and grew up in a home that always had dogs and at the time we had two poodles...most of the holidays I spent going over to my ancient aunt's house at the back of the playing fields near to us. In those days it was okay to walk miles over fields in the sun thinking of meeting Donny and falling in love - we always seemed to have sunny summers then....

Back to Auntie...she had something wrong with her legs and had to walk with sticks-she couldn't bend her knees.I never did find out what she had wrong with her....She owned four black and tan sheltie collies,two mummies and two boys who she bred and was trying to sell (the two boys).....I used to go over two or three times a week and sit with her then take the dogs out for walks round the fields,then brush and comb them and generally help her.I loved doing this though so it was never a chore.I loved those dogs so much. Rusty,Solo,Sally and Sue were their names.Rusty because he was more tan than the others and Solo because he was the only puppy that Sue had.Sally was Rusty's mum.

When I think back now,it was like something in an Enid Blyton book -old auntie living in a mansion like house on her own with dogs and young niece goes in to help!

Anyway -sadly she was taken in to hospital and her sister came over to stay at the house and look after the dogs etc..after a few weeks auntie died.It was the end of my fun summers and I was so sad-especially  for the dogs..
After a while ( the funeral and all the other  bits associated) her sister phoned my mum and said they would be selling the house and was there anything I would like from it. Well you can guess what's coming??
I wanted one of the dogs (well - I wanted all of them but that would have been totally impossible)

So,although we already had two dogs,we took on Sally - I was so happy and mum and dad were so good to take her on. Sue and the other two were found lovely homes too so that was lovely...

From then on I have always loved Shelties and always owned them......from being first married to now. All in all I have actually had six...our present dog being my sixth...

So there you have it, my story of how I got my love of shelties and here is a picture of Sally and me when we first brought her home - I think I was about 15...not a brilliant photo - but lovely memories..

Old biddies or old buddies ?

It was the monthly Eclectic Keepsakes crop with the two Karens today.'During the morning we 'did our own thing,scrapped or made cards or generally did whatever we fancied. Karen M had made some gorgeous Gerbera topped cupcakes which as always were scrummy....

...anyway - back to old biddies. I'm doing May Flaum's new class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking 'Creative Retreat'.One of her ideas today was to use a favourite colour on  a  layout. Well,I am actually not a lover of green normally but I just got the feel for it after deciding to use a photo of Deb and me together .....I had some papers left from the Gottacraft November kit and thought they'd go well.I also had some Tim Holtz white fabric flowers on netting which I inked with distress inks to make green.

Anyway , back to the story, I couldn't decide on a title - friends,buddies, old friends....then Deb came up with a classic- 'Old biddies' so after much silliness - I decided to use that as the title..well,it made us laugh!

Then it was on to Ann Freeman's class - a double layout ....

It was a lovely page to do, with a bit of cutting,a bit of stamping and lots of butterflies...The papers were the new Echo Park range...

So, a good day with good friends, good crafting and good cakes !

Hello world- January is over !

Yahoo - the midnight deadline has passed and normality is back....

It's February and quite where January went I don't know. Still no sign of Project Life :-( sad face time,but I do have two reasons for it to be good it's February.

This time next week I will be taking tea here..

I know,I know, I've told you before,but I am really looking forward to it and we might even go and see a show after too...

Then, another really good reason for liking February is that I am going to Harrogate up North - somewhere I've never been- the main reason is to go to a class taught by Sir/Lord/Mr (he has so many titles!)Tim Holtz...

Like lots of people - I really like his creations and techniques - so am really looking forward to it. I didn't have any luck in getting a ticket for the nearer classes but when the Harrogate ones were announced - I got one. Although it's a looooong way from here - we are going up for a couple of days and are going to make it into a mini break.

Apparently there is a really lovely tea room up there that is well worth a visit too..it must be my year for posh tea times!

looks nice doesn't it?

Now on to hooky things ...I've made a few squares for Sarah London's Crochet a Rainbow project....and the reversible baby blanket's growing too..

blimey- I've gone on a bit today haven't I -lots to catch up on!