Crafting Returns

The last few days have seen a welcome return to crafting and today I managed a scrapbook layout. I have a framed version of this photo perched on a bookshelf. It really is a photo of the 70's, you know the kind, it manages to look washed out but has that pinky/brown tinge all at the same time.
I searched through my stash and found the perfect supplies:

Background patterned paper and blue lace ribbon - from a Quirky Kit by Crafty Templates

Faded Jeans Distress ink spritzed on background

Journalling card made from an offcut of white cardstock

Fabric/felt flowers and paper cake case received from Anna in a swap

Title alphas, Thickers Latte and Basic Grey Oh Baby! Boy

Leaf stamp by My Minds Eye (Bloom and Grow)

I'll have more crafting to share tomorrow, yes it's the end of the month and time for May in the Calendar 365 Challenge, I can't believe I'm still going......nearly half way through the year.

Take time to appreciate

Clematis - Crystal Fountain

Things have been kind of quiet here on the crafting front during the last week. This is down to the fact that I've had a knee operation so I've been forced to take things easy. One advantage has been that I have so much more time to appreciate just what a lovely home we live in. It's easy to take things for granted but this week has made me realise just how lucky we are. This time of year the wisteria is in full bloom on the front of the house, it looks absolutely beautiful and has such a delicate scent............ which if you are recuperating on the sofa and it's warm enough to have the windows open you can fully appreciate.
So as I don't have anything crafty to share and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been taking place this week I thought I'd take you on a tour of my garden and show you what's in bloom like the clematis at the top of the post planted last year.

This is the montana around the back door there are just so many flowers on it and it's been like this for quite a few weeks already.

This is Ceanothus or as I call it Californian Lilac. It has got rather large and could do with a good chop but the bees and butterflies love it. I got very excited today as there was a tiny blue butterfly enjoying the sun on it but no sooner had I hobbled inside to get my camera so I could consult my butterfly book it had gone......no surprise there. It did look like one in my book called Amanda's Blue - however my book says it's absent from Britain! That would have been too good to be true. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled.

This amazing looking bird is an Indian Ringneck Parakeet. They are regular visitors to our garden and are really quite loud at times. They are the most vibrant green in colour that this photo just doesn't do justice.

...........once I've managed to get up the stairs (slowly) this is the view from my craft room. There are two types of Hawthorn in shades of pink. The tree with the yellow flowers is Laburnum. No doubt by the time I can drive my car it will be covered in a sticky mess so for now I'll just enjoy looking at the flowers. Hopefully my craft room will be back in use soon.

Now I just love gooseberries so I was pleased to see these little babies developing on the gooseberry bush I planted a couple of years ago. I hadn't had much luck up til now so I'm crossing my fingers they don't get eaten before I get to enjoy them.

This is one of the newest additions to our garden a copper duck with her three ducklings made by Emily Stone. One of the cats was a bit surprised when she saw it and tried to give it a fight but lost interest when it didn't fight back :-) Once I'm back on my feet proper we plan to visit The Secret Garden at The Salutation at Sandwich where there are full size creations made by Emily Stone.

...... and finally when the sun is out what better place to recuperate? Under the pergola with the scent of the Chocolate Vine. No, it doesn't smell of chocolate but has brownish-purple flowers which are vanilla scented. Now I just need the sun to keep shining.....

Christmas Come Early

Now some weeks ago I promised you the christmas stamp I bought at the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking show so here it is. It's from Whiff of Joy Now I know it's only May but I have to take inspiration while it's there with Christmas cards. Normally come December I've either run out of time and in a mad panic to meet the posting deadlines or have throughly had enough and feel very unchristmassy. I coloured this when I was first trying to get to grips with promarkers so it's not by any means perfect but I like the colours. The strip down the side is glossy paper coloured with watermelon alcohol ink with a touch of silver mixative. The snowflake is cut using the Spellbinders Snowflake Wonder die.

Recently I have been introduced to digital stamping. Now I'll be honest I always thought that it wouldn't be for me but after discovering this lovely range I'm converted. It's called Pure Innocence and available to download from Etsy. If you like traditional stamping the range is also available as a stamp from Silly Monkey Crafts. Of course the advantage of a digital image is that you can print any size you like.

I really enjoyed altering my first matchbox for last months Alter It Monthly challenge and this week I made another. One of my colleagues owns the most pampered and lucky cat so I wasn't at all surprised when she told me that she was taking him for his manicure appointment later that day. So in tribute to Dudley here is my second altered matchbox. I hope he approves.....

soup never looked so good

Tin is the theme this month at Alter It Monthly be it an altered tin or using tin or metal on your project. Luckily I had just used a tin so after a bit of ferreting around my recycling I managed to retrieve it to alter. I first coloured the edges of the tin using watermelon alchohol ink and covered the whole thing in a book page inked with worn lipstick distress ink. I have fallen in love with the tattered floral alterations die so made lots of flowers die cut from lots of bright papers, the larger ones have a brad and large black sequin for their centres. Another favourite technique at the moment is embossing good old kitchen tin foil using the cuttlebug. I cut out my initial in cardstock and covered in foil and then run through the bug using the roses embossing folder, therefore adding another tin element to my project. Around the bottom edge I added a scrap of black lace.
You may remember my new art doll stamp, well I have now put her together to adorn my new tin. I added a wooden coffee stirrer to the reverse and that sits inside the tin allowing her to perch on the edge.

I'm going to use it as a pen holder in the hope of trying to restore some order to my desk. Why not take part too there is a prize draw with a £15 gift e-voucher on offer from Happy Daze

The Crafting Zone

Yesterday my dining room was turned into a crafting zone and myself and some crafting friends enjoyed a whole day of creating. This is the kind of chaos we worked in sorry for the gloomy picture but it was that kind of day outside, perfect for a bit of crafting inside. Notice the yummy looking cheese scone, a crafter needs a bit of sustanance to keep her going........

We decided we would all make a card to get us in the crafting mood and Sarah very kindly brought along these great printouts of dressforms so we all used them on our easel cards. There was a bit of clamouring to use the cuttlebug (although we had two in action!) but rest assured no bug was harmed in the making of these cards.

Lunch included these little cupcakes that I made

Other crafty action involved making embossed initials out of tin foil and much fun colouring in with promarkers. All in all we had a great day and hopefully we can do it again soon.

A project to share today is a chunky knitted necklace knitted from sock wool..........

If you have a bit of time to spare you should head over to The Copy and Paste Project as it's their weekend of birthday celebrations. There is lots to admire and you will definitely end up with a few more 'favourites' by the end of your visit as there are some fabulous guest posts and prizes to be won. Happy Birthday Copy+Paste

April better late than never....

I've finally managed to upload my April page of the Calendar 365 challenge. This month was a bit tough and I did get behind but I got there in the end. I'm determined to keep going and with that said I really should get my May page ready!