CBC big challenge 4

CBC big challenge 4: marathon project: 'And for the MARATHON PROJECT in this challenge I want you to create either a calendar OR a mini album.'

I decided to make a calendar which I can use for one or two presents. Each month shows a photo of one of our family pets, past and present.

CBC big challenge 9

CBC big challenge 9: tart a box: 'For this challenge I want you to alter a box/case/ tin - YOU DECIDE – you can use it as a gift box or for yourself – no other rules'

I took a box of Bendick's bittermints:



and covered and decorated it:



to house Quickutz dies - just the right size (and it has little groovy dividing bits too:

CBC big challenge 10

CBC big challenge 10: good enough to eat: 'so show me your 3 tasty Christmas cards yup 3!!!'

Here are mine (they are all square but taken at a funny angle to stop flash glaring).

The first one I did went a bit wrong - too much gap on the left hand side, so had to put a ribbon there:



The puddings were done on the robo.

CBC big challenge 15

CBC big challenge 15: more than one: '3 to be precise – I want you to make 3 cards. Each card must have the same embellishment or stamp used on it 3 TIMES. Ok so 3 cards all completely different.

Photos are poor, but show the general idea:

CBC big challenge 14

CBC big challenge 14: useful storage: Sue said: 'We all LOVE storage… I want you to make something USEFUL for storage – again it may be for a pressie maybe your nieces hair bands and clips or your nephews phone or perhaps for YOU'

I've got a couple of mesh pots that I bought that house things like pens, scissors etc, but, as you can see from the picture, tweezers and pokey tools sometimes got caught in the holes, which is pretty dangerous.



A day or two ago I treated myself to some apple crisps:



and thought that the container could be altered to house tweezers and pokey tools so that they could no longer poke through holes:



and, because I used paper from the DCWV posies range, it matches up with a pot for big scissors and brushes that I made a few months ago:

CBC big challenge 12

CBC big challenge 12: sew far sew good: '2 cards are required here – no theme at all BUT they MUST include items that you would normally find in a sewing / knitting box.'

I think these will qualify:




Btw the photo of the second one is crooked, not the card.

CBC big challenge 16

I've been asked to make a Christmas card that incorporates a Bible (the person is sending it to someone who has recently been bereaved).

CBC challenge 16: 'Make a CHRISTMAS card using DIE CUTS' seems to fit the bill, especially as Sue said: 'An EXTRA 5 points if you use something on your card that starts with A.'

I've used the quickutz angel di and also the Ellison thin cut Bible:



This is similar to one I did a couple of weeks ago, but with the addition of the Bible and angel.

Salt: From the hymnbook

Today is the fortnightly launch of the Salt challenge. This time it was Lythan's choice and she said:

'Thank you for all the ways you have sung out that "Jesus is Lord". It is so inspiring to see the diversity of ways we can praise through our creativity.
And I (Lythan) would like you to carry on singing through this week's challenge

From the hymnbook

take your inspiration from a hymn or song that means a lot for your faith, Old hymn, new song, overtly Christian or kind of hidden, God speaks to us in music in all sorts of ways.

I can't wait to see your response!'

Please take a look at Salt

There are many hymns and songs, both old and new,that sprang to mind when Lythan told us the topic for this challenge. In the end I decided for my contribution to make myself a prayer journal that I (hopefully) will put to good use (this means that for a change I can keep what I've crafted). I've based it on the hymn 'What a friend we have in Jesus'.

HS:MS anxious

'Whether the word anxious defines that you are worried or eager, try and capture this through your lens and your imagination.'

Sadly, there are situations within the family that we are trying not to be too anxious about - and to be honest us worrying will do nothing to change the situations) - but none of this can be captured through a lens.

So I'm choosing something that is trivial really. Having just had the decorators in, they took down the curtain pole that was in the room where I craft and we decided that it should be replaced. The decorators left the plates with screws for the fittings and we're just hoping that the new pole that's just been delivered has the same fitments as the previous one so that the plates that we there can be used. Otherwise it means we've got to ask someone to swap them over, because John can't see to do it and I can't reach (even with steps, I can't lift my arms adequately to do a job like that.

I went into Bromley yesterday and found suitable curtains in Laura Ashley, but couldn't carry them, so hopefully later today when John gets back from a foot health appointment at Guys, we'll go and get them.

So, hopefully, I'll be able soon to share pictures of my finished room. Meanwhile, here is the bare window with the plates and screws waiting for the pole fitments.

HS:MS confused

'This is something we can be almost everyday. But can you capture confused through your lens?'

I can do 'confused'! (doesn't take much - lol!)

A few days ago I downloaded a template to make a model car using my craft robo. The only problem is that the instructions for assembly are in Chinese or Japanese, so they are as useful to me as a chocolate teapot!



I'm going to attempt to put it together before Friday night because I wanted it for one of the challenges for the big weekend challenge on Crafts by Carolyn.

Anyone understand Chinese or Japanese?

HS:MS 'sad' and 'excited'

Yesterday's prompt on HS:MS was:

'This week we are going to focus on emotions. We prompt you with one word and you translate it the best you can through your lens. Try hard as you can not to use a human face to reflect that emotion. For instance - Sad. A dying plant, a messy corner, mucky windows (we all have them at one point!)'

Because of all that's going on I didn't get round to doing a photo (couldn't even get to my camera).

To be honest, there is much sadness at the moment within our family, but not something that can be easily shared or photographed. I could take some pictures of the muddle that we are in at the moment, but that doesn't really constitute sadness.

Today's prompt is:

Excited: 'One of the most happiest of emotions. Whats exciting through your lens?'

I'll have to think about that one. I'm excited at the prospect of rooms being decorated - I think the room where I usually craft might be ready by this evening, so perhaps I'll be able to take some photos then, although I haven't got any new curtains yet, so I think the grotty ones that won't match will have to go up, unless I can get out this afternoon to get some.

Enough twittering! (too much in fact!)

Crafting under difficult circumstances

Do you ever wish you'd done something earlier, rather than leaving it till the last minute? There's a new circle journal over on Crafts by Carolyn and originally the first posting date was scheduled for some time ago, but because there were postal strikes the decision was taken to delay the first posting until today. Now, if the original posting date had been kept I know that I would have got on and done it on time, but, because there was a delay, the pressure was off.

And, of course, on Saturday late afternoon we heard that the decorators were starting yesterday. Because the first room to be done was the room where I craft I had to rescue what I might need and the rest has been inaccessible. Yesterday I really tried to get on and finish my CJ, but nothing seemed to go right. I even had my robo on the dining table with my laptop, but what I wanted to do didn't turn out right. So even last night the CJ wasn't ready.

We had to be up early this morning, so I've managed to get it done - was even able to sneak in the room and rescue my camera and a few necessary bits.

So I apologise to the lovely people in my group that my CJ isn't very well decorated. I used material on the covers and the papers used are a mixture of mainly English Paper Company and Anna Griffin. The lettering on the front was from my recent purchase of decorated chipboard letters from QVC - they happened to arrive on Friday so they were nice and handy.









Tags have been added into the pockets on these pages.

HS:MS SOS 11

A quick blog during a sit down in between getting this room ready for the decorators tomorrow. We haven't gone out to church this morning, but have been gradually moving and organising things - still got a lot to do, like take down nets to wash etc (John has to do most of this now because I just can't manage).

Anyway, back to the purpose of this blog.

'We know you have some wonderful snaps to share, let's see them.
posted.

I've chosen a photo of our oldest grandchild when she was a baby - a bit reminiscent of ET! It's not a good photo (taken with a digi camera which was great at the time but very poor resolution - oh the wonders of advancement with technology):

'

And here she is eight years later - this was taken in the summer - she will be nine in December (my, how the years fly by):

Decorating

We had a phone call just before 6 this evening to tell us that the decorators will be here Monday. We knew we would get short notice because of fitting in with other jobs, but didn't expect it to be that quick (although we've been waiting since the summer).

The room where I craft is going to be done first, then our bedroom, then the lounge ...

Because I've been doing challenges today, I've got things all over the place, so I've got to have a massive tidy up and move some things out that won't fit into cupboards.

It will be great to get it done, but a mega upheaval for a while. Apart from this room we need to get new carpets in the other rooms and also new curtains - oh bliss.

The whole prospect is daunting, particularly because neither of us are in the best of health (which is why we have to have it done for us).

I'll still be able to use my laptop, but whether I'll actually get any crafting done is anybody's guess.

I have a CJ that I need to get done and in the post by Tuesday - wish I'd done it sooner (should have done it earlier today instead of challenges - that will teach me!)

JB Friday night challenge 2 November

JB Friday night challenge 2 November: happy holly days: 'Your Challenge is to make five cards that each have Holly on them... The Holly can be the main design of the card or used as an embellishment.

I used more of my Anna Griffin kit for these. Because the light is so poor I scanned instead of photos and have just discovered a couple has been chopped a bit short at the top - nevermind.

'






This is the inside of this card:

CBC big challenge 5

This challenge is called 'forward and back'. Sue said: 'For this challenge we want you to make a card using

RUBBER STAMPS

(don't panic if you haven't GOT stamps IMPROVISE!!!!)

there are 2 steps to this challenge

Use your stamps to make a BACKGROUND as well as having a MAIN STAMPED IMAGE.

You can use two different stamps for the two elements or get creative and use the same stamp to make the background and the main image - it's up to you!'

I've used one of my favourite papers from the Far East stack and Ranger archival plum ink pad with some Japanese acrylic stamps. Please don't ask me what the stamped writing says, because I haven't got a clue! (Just hope it's appropriate for the card). The centre piece is treble mounted to raise it and inked on the edges.

The flash photo doesn't show the texture of the card, which is a pity.

CBC big challenge 6

Sue said: 'and for this challenge you will need......

Your IMAGINATION and a BLANK CD

I want you to make something special and unique no samples for this as I want DIFFERENT

and GO!!!'

The first thing I thought of was that the cropadile would make holes in a CD, so the idea for this stemmed from that:

7 more facts

Angela has tagged me:

These are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Well, I've done this a couple of times before, so now I'm trying to think of something you don't know (and as I'm quite a transparent person that's quite difficult).

1. I lost my voice about four years ago, and, despite investigations and speech therapy, it has never properly returned. I find this very frustrating and difficult at times, especially on the phone or in gatherings where there is noise - restaurant meals, for instance - and it's very frustrating for anyone trying to listen as well. John wishes I could shout at him!

2. Following on from number 1, I used to enjoy singing - I was in a choir until I had to give it up because my back was too painful to stand for the length of time required. I miss being able to sing - I now make a feeble attempt, but I just can't sustain notes (breath control isn't good because my lungs don't expand as they should due to the structure of my back).

3. I am extremely shy and find it difficult meeting new people (although a lot of people think that I'm so confident - I'm a right old mixture!)

4. When life is difficult I tend to eat too much - the result being that my weight has varied over the years. About 15 years ago I was a size 8 - then I put weight on - then I took it off again ... four years ago I was back to a size 8 - earlier this year I was the heaviest I've ever been, so in July I went back to WLR - I highly recommend them - and have so far got rid of a stone - slow but sure.

5. One of my favourite colours is purple or lilac, but I hardly ever wear anything of that colour range.

6. I enjoy a good glass of red wine, but hardly drink any nowadays because I'm on such strong painkillers for my back. Occasionally I have the wine instead of the tablets.

7. There isn't enough interesting to say about me, except what you already know (not that any of that is interesting anyway!)

Wow - I managed the 7!

I now tag:

Mel
Lisa
Carolyn
Anice
Nikki
Jukie
Jules

HS:MS SPS 11

Well, today is SPS on HS:MS - how many different ways can you take pictures of yourself? (when you don't really want to do any!). I decided to hide behind the beautiful roses that Liz bought for me. I know I look as if I have a tear in my eye - think it's just my sleepy Saturday morning look! Not feeling too brilliant, so didn't want to subject you all to anything more than this glimpse.

And I've played around with different effects (gradients and things - don't ask!):