tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61598374144173970852024-03-04T23:47:29.854-08:00Lotties Artful JourneyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.comBlogger774125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-12835047649235027322016-08-23T07:01:00.002-07:002016-08-23T07:17:16.591-07:00Oh dear, I'm in such a pickle!I have been plagued with this Bursa for so long, injections haven't worked (the consultant said that they might not, and the last ones haven't) I think it has addled my brain!<br />
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I am back to square one! doing physio three\four times a day, and back to not being able to drive, which is a real nuisance when you live in a village and want to go into town! In fact, since Mr L bought me the car, I have only driven it once! But although I am a virtual "prisoner", I can't complain about the "prison and surroundings"<br />
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It's an absolute gorgeous village that I live in, it has a little store with a part time post office, there's a fabulous pub, doctors, butcher, newsagent, furniture shop, chemist, two places to eat, 2 hairdressers,<br />
doctors, baker's, and more! But, I need help with my computer, my son is in Japan with his family and away for a few weeks so I am expert less! (and there are none that I know of here)<br />
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So, until I work out what I have or haven't done, "it's only words, and words are all I have......" as the great song goes!<br />
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I've digressed sorry........ <br />
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We needed help to move our shed (made of tin) which was tucked away by one side of the bungalow where the boiler and oil tank are. . (We have three entrances to our garden, as it is wide rather than long very handy)<br />
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Our really, really, oil fired central heating boiler, despite years of resuscitation, finally gave up the ghost! It was very thoughtful of it to wait until the warmer weather (you do realize that if it wasn't for my hours of begging each day for sunshine, and warmth, you might not be enjoying the summer that we are having! (Sorry, I'll leave out the back story of plumbers in laws)<br />
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The plumber is now coming on Monday, yes this Monday (fingers and toes and everything else crossed)<br />
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So we had to move our metal shed that is round that side of the bungalow to make room for the chap to work safely (I know what you are thinking but the original gargantuan old boiler is at the other end of the bungalow, hence the lovely space we had for the metal shed!<br />
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God blessed us with a dry day, and I slathered on my thick white cream, and covered all my extremities etc against the sunshine. (Longer story short) Conifer hedging stuck out too far to get the shed through without dismantling it (never again will I help erect a metal shed in a bad winter, holding the frame up on my own in freezing rain, whilst the men were in the cosy garage trying to work out the instructions (Sorry, I digress, it would have been easier with the photos!)<br />
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Long story as short as I can make it...........the conifer hedge was in the way! Soooo a quick (ish) trip home to the other end of the village for the chain saw, and big trailer! All started to go well. albeit dusty and dirty) until we discovered that our absentee neighbour, had tied up his 6ft tall fence (posts) to the trunks of our (inherited, ancient conifer trees! So now we have a beautiful section of our garden with tall, unsightly conifer trunks, BUT, we don't have to look at them as our garden room extension hides most of them, for now!<br />
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At last the metal shed could be lifted high above the boundary, (by the three of us) and settled in the far corner behind the tall silver birch tree, and makes a nice feature of it) And surprisingly the shed was incredibly light and makes a nice feature of where the compost bins were! It's screwed down onto it's base, and I have already put the gardening tools in it that I use regularly, and some planted up pots around the front and side to make a feature of it! <br />
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One weary happy bunny, keeping her fingers crossed that it might deter the neighbourhood cats from using it as through route to get the neighbour's and making her dog go bonkers!<br />
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Thank you for popping by! I am off to solve the puzzle of missing photos!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-70901100492717300182016-01-30T04:49:00.001-08:002016-01-30T11:37:34.502-08:00Where have I been?Well for a year now, I have been out of action due to an accident in my garden! (I know, it's ridiculous isn't it!) I have had a "Cook's Tour" of Norfolk hospitals for tests and Xrays and procedures, but Hey Ho nothing has worked yet.<br />
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It's not life threatening, but it means that I can't drive, can't walk far, and in pain with a Bursa in my right leg/hip! If it had been my left leg, then at least I could have driven my car, as Mr Lottie bought me an automatic. (But I am not wishing anything to damage my left left leg) Scans, Xrays, injections, didn't work. I can't even walk far and I so loved my 3-4 mile walk most days. I have had to give up my allotment, so that blog is now dormant!<br />
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But today I got the most wonderful package from the USA from Heather Powers. of Humblebeads, and it has really lifted my spirits, so much so that tomorrow or Monday I will post them on here, and show you, and then you can see what I create with them over the coming weeks.<br />
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Got to dash and have some lunch before we whizz of to my appointment today. At least the hospital is in Norwich is not so far way!<br />
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Back tomorrow with the goodies I have bought (thank heavens for the internet!)<br />
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http://www.humblebeads.com/content/welcomeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-4548791946530594212014-11-10T09:43:00.003-08:002014-11-10T09:48:18.880-08:00Heather Powers Bon Bon bead workshopWell - you have seen Heather's Bon Bon beads in the last post below (sigh) and here are my first efforts. They have taken me most of the day to create - and as you will see I need so much more practice!<br />
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This should, have another layer of leaves but it was the last one I made and was worn out! It is a really small bead so it doesn't matter - these are my practice ones!</div>
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I was rather proud of the cane I made for the leaves though!</div>
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These are not my Christmas Bon Bon beads - these are my practice ones.</div>
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These should all technically have two layers of leaves but I messed up my leaf canes and didn't have enough.</div>
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This doesn't look this bright in real life - this photo makes it look like slices of bacon and salami.</div>
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These look so much better in real life - not so shiny and bright.</div>
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They have been baked, treated with burnt sienna paint to dull them down and to give definition, rubbed and buffed, and finished with Renaissance Wax to protect them and then buffed until they shine! But none of it you can see in the photos. Hey ho!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-82417285912882776742014-11-06T03:51:00.001-08:002014-11-06T03:51:34.279-08:00Heather Powers Bon bon beads - they look good enough to eatLook at <a href="http://humblebeads.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/chocolate-beads-and-love-bonbon-bead.html"><b>this</b> </a>aren't they amazing? I just had to sign up for this course. I know what you are thinking (That I haven't finished the course that I am currently on) but it doesn't matter! Once you have one of Heather's causes you have it for life! Access to the website, all the videos, all the worksheets and print outs - everything - which is brilliant for those leading busy lives - or just oldies like me!<br />
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We are getting to make ALL of<b> <a href="http://humblebeads.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/chocolate-beads-and-love-bonbon-bead.html">these</a></b> or any combination or even just one sort - it's up to us. And like the other course - we get videos, print outs almost like a book or magazine. I have already printed out all the course work and inspiration for the last course - so just look when I am not at the computer.<br />
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Have a look at the site and tell me which ones you like the best - there are so many different ones - they look good enough to eat - and I just can't make my mind up which to make and I need to get a wriggle on and order some more colours.<br />
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Thanks for reading - and watch this space next week! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-47693895989237266682014-10-23T05:07:00.001-07:002014-10-23T05:15:17.760-07:00Update on Heather Powers amazing online Cane making course.I have been beavering away at Heather's fantastic course - in between 'life's events' as usual. Never enough hours in the day!<br />
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I can honestly say that I have never taken such an in depth course in all my life! It's a four week course - but once you have subscribed it stays up forever! And I for one will need it too.<br />
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The amount of videos showing clear step by step instructions have to be seen to be believed. So much better for someone like me to actually see 'live' how to create each stage of the cane rather than just reading about it! Each project not only comes with videos, but print outs too showing every single stage - an absolute boon for me with a hearing loss! Heather shares all her 'tips and secrets' and there are pages and pages of step by step full colour course notes, with professional photos of each stage. It's awesome - to think that it has taken her years to evolve and develop her amazing techniques through trial and error and she is generously sharing then with us. I have a lever arch file of her A4 pages of instructions - stage by stage - of colour photos for each element and project. Lots of internet links, 'recipes' for each project, inspiration links, mood boards - finished projects with the beads etc.......the list is more than I can type here! <br />
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So what I have I been making - well as a beginner - a lot of mess! My old bent fingers aren't as user friendly as they used to be, so my dragon fly cane ended up looking like a squished mosquito. But never fear, I will try again and the polymer clay never gets wasted - not one little bit. So my failed dragonfly cane ended up recycled as marbled beads!<br />
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But after 'sitting' on them for a couple of weeks, I realized that in all truthfulness - they do not inspire me one little bit so I will be doing a 'Mr Powers' and mixing them all up into one colour - ready to use again in another project - of which there are many!</div>
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I did have some success in the Cattail Cane which restored my confidence.</div>
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It will be sliced up thinly and used on lots of projects - along with some other canes - talking of which!</div>
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I am mightily pleased with the small leaf cane project </div>
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Using translucent cane for the outer 'casing' on these projects means that it will 'disappear' when sliced thinly and laid on a bead or whatever so that you just see the veined leaf!</div>
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I might even turn a pair of them, with the addition of a body - into a butterfly pendant!</div>
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Or am I getting ideas 'above my station'</div>
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<a href="http://humblebeads.blogspot.co.uk/">Heather's Humblebeads awesome Blog</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-50753913765879173812014-10-10T11:33:00.000-07:002014-10-13T23:41:03.800-07:00Heather Powers amazing polymer clay cane design bootcampWell it has taken me a bit of time to get started on this amazing course. But I am feeling a lot better now, and spent a few days 'playing' - well part of the days actually!<br />
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Not only do you get step by step videos with Heather demonstrating - and sharing her amazing techniques, but also lots of links, lots and lots of information which truly astounded me. I just thought that it would be a lesson on each of her techniques - but it is so much more than that - and links to sites, lots of her original ideas - and things I would never in a million years would have ever been able to create or imagine you could create with polymer clay - such a cheap product to work with.<br />
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This is one of my favourite silk scarves which I used for the inspiration for my cane bead lesson.</div>
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The polymer clay I used for the light stripes was meant to turn out a pale cream but sadly as a beginner, I realised (too late) that I should have used less of the gold colour in the mix as it looks totally different than expected.<br />
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I just needed to roll this a bit more to make sure that it is perfectly round,</div>
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Here they are baking in my little halogen fan oven</div>
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Here are some of the baked green beads made using the green and red cane</div>
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Here is the red and cream cane</div>
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Here is a bead made from it</div>
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And the others I made from it too</div>
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I used up the 'rubbish' leftovers to make......</div>
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These. I am sure that I will never use my first experimental</div>
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beads - they look nothing like Heather's</div>
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BUT I did have the most amazing, relaxing time playing with polymer clay and experimenting.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If you are interested in joining the group you can click on a link<a href="http://www.humblebeads.com/content/classes-events"> HERE.</a></div>
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Thank you for visiting</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-2316296451495199222014-09-17T15:00:00.001-07:002014-10-10T11:40:16.520-07:00Humblebeads amazing Polymer Clay Cane Design Bootcamp<b>September 18 - October 9: Polymer Clay Cane Design Bootcamp</b><br />
Take a four week online course with me to learn how to make a
beautiful collection of dragonfly and iris cane beads along with lessons
on designing your own canes and finding your voice in polymer clay.
Don't miss it! Only 30 spaces are available. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4LE8s2nv-xmUQtJDEZN5qvEG6ykxsunScHmJWq8mrAP99HPwiH5nNMUeBdMAThWGDIL1LNUflzu4GrReQekPA3unFsLJPAeLTxCwzw9NQxEjVhNMtCBFjzjVR4KhOa2ky1co4mC2dlHU/s1600/bootcamp2.jpg" style="height: 550px; width: 550px;" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This course is what 'dreams' are made of.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
To get to learn the secrets and techniques from Heather Powers, of how to create these stunning and original beads from polymer clay is not to be missed.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I am off to order the polymer clay, drag out my box of tools and dust off my long neglected halogen oven for my first ever lesson.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have been 'missing' for quite a while and badly neglected all things creative - so this is just the most amazing opportunity to focus my attention on something just for me. Learn new skills, and made new 'cyber' friends from around the world at the online Boot Camp.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hope to see some of you there soon.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.humblebeads.com/content/classes-events">CLICK HERE </a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-88414996951120917652014-05-27T14:26:00.002-07:002014-05-27T14:48:59.544-07:00R.I.P. Zola Buddy Bantam<br />
<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVvXzyAMz8SqYxZB30LczkRrfCmdLAeKTvDB8n3eeUHrZO-qaTzYHR_ogm5LqiKSTn8tydgjn8jW80uXm3VCFkyelag_wqmAVOXYLohylNE95acDmMxrusD4BdQ7cyVTbU6F9K0oMOeY/s400/DSC00008.JPG" height="300" width="400" /> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My dear little rare breed Game Bird (at the front of this picture </div>
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with the long neck - taken a number of years ago when she was just</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a few years old)</div>
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<img class="CSS_LIGHTBOX_SCALED_IMAGE_IMG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOKz2oECeZVxBGg7UMKLmzlj6nygnnBQt5E3mQRmg0w7IYFwiBOGITQmuk5FxdLIGG1_bfIjF9FNQjW-IH_rblkXc4PGVnMuDjCul8Gk7GSO7hCCpiXI5zMlKF5SvYplc0g8Q5CkruyY/s1600/DSC00009.JPG" style="height: 472px; width: 620px;" /> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
Passed away today peacefully. The above photo she is on the left at the front.</div>
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She had a very long life for a rare breed - over 8 years</div>
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She was such a fast runner - hence her being named after the South African Olympic runner Zola Budd!</div>
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<br /></div>
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My Zola was such a character - she was so inquisitive - and ran so fast if there was any 'goodies' thrown out - like chopped up apple cores, or fresh berries, or corn. I knew that she was winding down, as she was at the bottom of the pecking order, so was last at the food, though she did get plenty. She spent a lot of time just lying down in the sun (or the shade), rather than chasing around trying to catch flies like the others.</div>
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She could fly high above our heads from one end of the garden to the other to get to the treats first. Absolutely amazing.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My special memory of her was when a few years ago, our then neighbour's side fence blew down and they hadn't told us, and the weather was bad so we had no reason to walk around the back side of the bungalow where it was. About 5 o'clock in the evening, a chap rang our door bell and said to me........'We have a weird looking little bird in our garden, and we don't know what it is - I don't suppose you could come and catch it could you - only it's so sweet we don't want any of the cats to get it.'</div>
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Long story short - it was Zola - but she was rather nervous of the chap, his big dog and me and I just couldn't get her to come to me.</div>
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She ignored the corn in my hand, and decided to fly across his garden over a 6ft fence into the next one by the field. Then when we in there, she was a bit frightened of this kind hearted man calling her, 'Here chickie chickie'</div>
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<br /></div>
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By this time it was raining hard and pitch black and she suddenly did a vertical take off and flew the length of her garden and over the hedge into the fields beyond. I trudged home, in the pouring rain with tears streaming down my face, knowing that she was 'lost' and wouldn't survive.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Then a week later, when it was dustbin day, I opened the gate and there she was - waiting outside the gate - and she just marched back in as though nothing had happened, demanding breakfast!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
How she survived I do not know. There is always plenty of food in the fields - grass, insects, weeds, etc - but no streams - so water would be a problem, Maybe she went into another field where they had sheep, or the one with horses even further away, and drank from their troughs. I will never know!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I was told her life span would be about 2 to 2.5yrs - so she had a long and happy innings<br />
<br />
I now have five little bantams left - all old - but I am still getting half a dozen or so eggs a week from them - and that's only when they are in the mood in the summer.<br />
They often hide them around the garden too! But I don't have them for the eggs<br />
but just for the pleasure of seeing them running around the garden getting up to all sorts of<br />
mischief and antics. They are so entertaining and each day make us laugh!<br />
<br />
The remaining bantams are quite a bit older than Zola was, but are still chasing about like spring chickens. But chooks are funny creatures - they run around as though they are as fit as a fiddle, then can literally go to sleep and not wake up in the morning!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-81458767602218580222014-05-19T13:52:00.001-07:002014-05-19T13:52:01.386-07:00Oops Sorry - the garden post below was supposed to be on my allotment lady blog!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-91137745767682532812014-05-18T14:45:00.001-07:002014-05-18T14:45:50.549-07:00In the gardenI have been spending quite a bit of time in the garden working on the shady borders in the early morning and the sunny ones once the sun has gone it.<br />
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Click on photos to enlarge</div>
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These are all for my benefit really</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jtUWF-9wZxmSmlTg5Cc_9HpJamr3rXGJjwsSVv3KbTPwf5m3aN-Kk2_zJrO-8bDMQuCWWJQPhn3fvdh_ayR-fnqLzWD9Jc9c_c08YB4-eLptcq84YrcBJabpUHJD88y2JM35rwiM2DE/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4jtUWF-9wZxmSmlTg5Cc_9HpJamr3rXGJjwsSVv3KbTPwf5m3aN-Kk2_zJrO-8bDMQuCWWJQPhn3fvdh_ayR-fnqLzWD9Jc9c_c08YB4-eLptcq84YrcBJabpUHJD88y2JM35rwiM2DE/s1600/2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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sp that I have a record of what spring flowers</div>
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I have and where</div>
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as all too soon they fade and die down</div>
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until next Spring</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_QZdZtKOZuRBnxXieCpslhwFH5f4XykOLjAzLoRbh-vqiqFl19f_hCD57epPJifbeG4D1QWhRyKeRMVPRnUWEyNZhGNnXm6eQhOM08cjJ8HIrDBfKUcFHkQXl7DuN0lTEaKVpDWi4rk/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_QZdZtKOZuRBnxXieCpslhwFH5f4XykOLjAzLoRbh-vqiqFl19f_hCD57epPJifbeG4D1QWhRyKeRMVPRnUWEyNZhGNnXm6eQhOM08cjJ8HIrDBfKUcFHkQXl7DuN0lTEaKVpDWi4rk/s1600/10.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a></div>
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This time of year the shrubs look really fresh and lush</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZB1o8AMy90RQQtDRUhyphenhyphenoTbRCaPDgLswNR5-u5mxser_Un0ttMR-ungfX5UCX7q6HpQQmwSLL5q_r-FZuMpRPoDYB3TvkJoRMRkxg2x72dtVdaVPKlmN7WaVMNU9x_WTtpMfnGM977Xc/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZB1o8AMy90RQQtDRUhyphenhyphenoTbRCaPDgLswNR5-u5mxser_Un0ttMR-ungfX5UCX7q6HpQQmwSLL5q_r-FZuMpRPoDYB3TvkJoRMRkxg2x72dtVdaVPKlmN7WaVMNU9x_WTtpMfnGM977Xc/s1600/11.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The beds are absolutely weed free!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8brdMsTtVsvroPnm2MajUMYvqDhYf1OlH93-_7B4aJCxRhL7fxmO52iniF-jOEyOp70nUgftppFjmqW0YGImLACaYb3JOg0xxfRcHfF8vwnhofRbl-bER6Kffyd73Y7NdZZGJ3uSXHNc/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8brdMsTtVsvroPnm2MajUMYvqDhYf1OlH93-_7B4aJCxRhL7fxmO52iniF-jOEyOp70nUgftppFjmqW0YGImLACaYb3JOg0xxfRcHfF8vwnhofRbl-bER6Kffyd73Y7NdZZGJ3uSXHNc/s1600/12.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This long bed is the chooks favourite for scratching around for insects and worms</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85ypTrs6q8lX8RCnfKSo1yvlF0AM2kELxqoRzw4a3XLsXuSQLfRy76rZZ9PChVHFpXnEgMPZNXc6cG2Zy9BXvlYPEdbKScmLzJKqPoNgGRVnHFZOhTIsO60IoodBep9CdDMtn_ZDJfFs/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85ypTrs6q8lX8RCnfKSo1yvlF0AM2kELxqoRzw4a3XLsXuSQLfRy76rZZ9PChVHFpXnEgMPZNXc6cG2Zy9BXvlYPEdbKScmLzJKqPoNgGRVnHFZOhTIsO60IoodBep9CdDMtn_ZDJfFs/s1600/18.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The alliums are a bit thin this year!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcmY9rqsNRRZs22zAEAydMeWl90uEZOL2rhDm8WngESI6UaXMUVjYSchd-4bYjdceVKrdCKc_2d5gZKRsMIy4Dw1DFwNGEorfBrjCbpJjvDMQSmJWQkpF-WeqYvWVe6E8nW6xy9kuzx8/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcmY9rqsNRRZs22zAEAydMeWl90uEZOL2rhDm8WngESI6UaXMUVjYSchd-4bYjdceVKrdCKc_2d5gZKRsMIy4Dw1DFwNGEorfBrjCbpJjvDMQSmJWQkpF-WeqYvWVe6E8nW6xy9kuzx8/s1600/21.jpg" height="302" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
'Kath's Border' is looking really good this spring - around the garden room</div>
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I'll take a picture of the long border this week - there are some plants just coming into flower! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5ufpCiXFs1ZiKGHWldYKVIEt2Xhw5o2ULA4oEa5SuO06KysL53W6EnZUzOdWqTrV_DHt4XwBU15zs1-8jRWFp3ZnV00gN0RVu1UdSmDT5T8wwdoBiEzWd720amueF9oWELISaYdciJE/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5ufpCiXFs1ZiKGHWldYKVIEt2Xhw5o2ULA4oEa5SuO06KysL53W6EnZUzOdWqTrV_DHt4XwBU15zs1-8jRWFp3ZnV00gN0RVu1UdSmDT5T8wwdoBiEzWd720amueF9oWELISaYdciJE/s1600/22.jpg" height="400" width="300" /> </a></div>
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But this side of Kath's flower bed is the chooks favourite</div>
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they spend a large part of the day just laying side by side in a row</div>
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fast asleep in the sunshine - so cute!</div>
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Dolly gets bored easily so only naps for a short time then off she goes</div>
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you can see her at the end of the bed - deciding whether or not to wake them up.</div>
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And she did! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-13652061602147494582014-02-19T07:49:00.000-08:002014-02-19T08:03:08.608-08:00Journalling fun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWA7tALb_iCyqYofgZnflke0P6OBBKuuQJZIvMfmIFvgYs4_Lvui5jwxHgqYYUhKoyv2rzK2xh6yWqIxtPXEMOBkFhHhwkNStqM85h3Hf6oY3m7QrG01BJTDzIqeanj8r0WBRAcbQb-FY/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWA7tALb_iCyqYofgZnflke0P6OBBKuuQJZIvMfmIFvgYs4_Lvui5jwxHgqYYUhKoyv2rzK2xh6yWqIxtPXEMOBkFhHhwkNStqM85h3Hf6oY3m7QrG01BJTDzIqeanj8r0WBRAcbQb-FY/s1600/3.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I spent another lovely hour making the next page (right hand page) of my journal<br />
<br />
The quote on the bottom caught my eye, so I just had to tear it out and use it.<br />
It says:-<br />
<br />
'Get ready to meet your true, powerful, healthy, confident, amazing, self,'<br />
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I think that I should use that as my mantra! </div>
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<br /></div>
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These are just random pages - not intended to be part of a theme</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1vLi20-mdYuW9EcwEaVfunwdttR-663Xz3-2TPPT8R1zrZGG2_PaoBsvwlCAsVDn7m_J0rEgno8WflhjyyUNwl6YQvF4Q3Q2ZuS8wnGLzZ_KHLkX4HOsdMs5cttwTnK1m9JdLI2CaQk/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1vLi20-mdYuW9EcwEaVfunwdttR-663Xz3-2TPPT8R1zrZGG2_PaoBsvwlCAsVDn7m_J0rEgno8WflhjyyUNwl6YQvF4Q3Q2ZuS8wnGLzZ_KHLkX4HOsdMs5cttwTnK1m9JdLI2CaQk/s1600/2.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
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I will use Kelly Kilmer's journal prompts at a later date, but for now I am just</div>
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enjoying playing - without a theme or 'agenda'.</div>
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All I used are torn out scraps from free magazines, a ruler, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick!</div>
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Thank you for visiting</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-5877030919498404322014-02-18T10:16:00.001-08:002014-02-18T10:30:52.925-08:00Another journal page inspired by Kelly Kilmer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDxtOUgDnYKJX8Ez5OtDEa1u4l_tCYjzOSLOQUoV6HxG_s-n90wHceZij2TbGmSATWknficyyvOGEVX1_G4PtMfLnCl5fEFwIh3aofRSHZzxAQhg64wo1b4vmm86S4Lbr4WJJEkSYkbU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDxtOUgDnYKJX8Ez5OtDEa1u4l_tCYjzOSLOQUoV6HxG_s-n90wHceZij2TbGmSATWknficyyvOGEVX1_G4PtMfLnCl5fEFwIh3aofRSHZzxAQhg64wo1b4vmm86S4Lbr4WJJEkSYkbU/s1600/1.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This afternoon I managed to make another page for my journal</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
inspired by Kelly Kilmer whose online courses I have bought.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBl9ibx1jQ-7Uxaic8FqgetyJbzQM8kbm6uuVyuhmD6qIu4tqeqn6nf_AGenVuPFAkXrgMavJM6RxqMiGC0v2v0A-xjr-NGXKhn0qJgJNUwE5PySNrygP6EOCkblk32EfEqfF-t3qi80M/s1600/1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBl9ibx1jQ-7Uxaic8FqgetyJbzQM8kbm6uuVyuhmD6qIu4tqeqn6nf_AGenVuPFAkXrgMavJM6RxqMiGC0v2v0A-xjr-NGXKhn0qJgJNUwE5PySNrygP6EOCkblk32EfEqfF-t3qi80M/s1600/1a.jpg" height="265" width="320" /></a></div>
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The weather has been cold and wet and miserable</div>
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so I thought I would make something that made me feel happy.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The little picture would have come from a magazine - junk mail probably</div>
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but she looks absolutely full of joy and positively glows with good health!</div>
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</div>
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The background paper scraps are from rummaging in a drawer. </div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-150286378012446462014-02-12T11:14:00.000-08:002014-02-12T11:25:00.863-08:00My first 'artisan' ceramic bead bracelet <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's pretty dark indoors - no sunshine - torrential, never ending rain outside! So any painting craft work was not really the thing to do - so I had a rummage in my beads drawer and pulled out a tin with a selection of ceramic beads which I have bought in little collections over the past couple of years.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_MC3cPkAPxqdowWjfL52hnF2Nv-NeBOPK14SDnfygp9lS8HdNIOUPM2DRLUiVWiOEn7ecUkUQM1eKfLh72Bt-73Wssm8EAx6BSqUnBaAhvuJYw1mdnfS3EgoCYEPrN2Wr2K4J22DoYs/s1600/birdie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_MC3cPkAPxqdowWjfL52hnF2Nv-NeBOPK14SDnfygp9lS8HdNIOUPM2DRLUiVWiOEn7ecUkUQM1eKfLh72Bt-73Wssm8EAx6BSqUnBaAhvuJYw1mdnfS3EgoCYEPrN2Wr2K4J22DoYs/s1600/birdie.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today this little ceramic blue bird arrived in the post, along with four others which inspired me to get those beads out and try and make a bracelet that I would be proud of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the internet there are a number of amazing jewellery makers creating wonderful unique works. It's a great feeling to own a unique piece of jewellery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The blue bird beads I bought from <a href="http://blueberribeads.co.uk/">Blueberribeads </a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhH5OIdzGY4UQ9goh5YYwErkUZ7gLmluFHIPGU7gkHCrxYEvSdA6DSIWovyHVfgApSYMoz0CgLTB_zzB-oNZ_G83dva_B1-AYYNad1KnpZG6n5OEcxoL71vAVKGKjHa1VwPxwV4XvItA/s1600/4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhH5OIdzGY4UQ9goh5YYwErkUZ7gLmluFHIPGU7gkHCrxYEvSdA6DSIWovyHVfgApSYMoz0CgLTB_zzB-oNZ_G83dva_B1-AYYNad1KnpZG6n5OEcxoL71vAVKGKjHa1VwPxwV4XvItA/s1600/4a.jpg" height="222" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each bead from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/grubbi">Grubbi </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is individually created by Grubbi and no two are the same.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pgtpPB0NsaP6ob-wj8nfEfp3Se1fhEARh4BkRQDGp5eDAJ9C41VlLNXFAXncwcnpySuliysHxZcEA3MMY0zhsP2AqKvw4Cf_HzAEFkoEH1iC9m9HP_FcYfXGrUpUDe4QnBw6IXRUN6A/s1600/3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pgtpPB0NsaP6ob-wj8nfEfp3Se1fhEARh4BkRQDGp5eDAJ9C41VlLNXFAXncwcnpySuliysHxZcEA3MMY0zhsP2AqKvw4Cf_HzAEFkoEH1iC9m9HP_FcYfXGrUpUDe4QnBw6IXRUN6A/s1600/3a.jpg" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which is why I love them</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are looking for inspiration then head off to <a href="http://songbeads.blogspot.co.uk/">Songbeads blog</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am the proud owner of a few of her creations and it gives me a wonderful</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 'lift' to know that no-one else will have a piece of jewellery exactly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> like the ones I have bought.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTp-AXteTFacdE4iNrBTXFp5Qn07ND8C_nDEfvpeSsRunYsAx2R4bac8Rx8bGA0-vrn5Lfoh-56hSVIvWAlDavZKzTGVsNhyTyujnrIA-pfJ7Hff9Sz2wuSXeHGnsN3BovTwLTxz9uvQ/s1600/bluebird+bracelet+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTp-AXteTFacdE4iNrBTXFp5Qn07ND8C_nDEfvpeSsRunYsAx2R4bac8Rx8bGA0-vrn5Lfoh-56hSVIvWAlDavZKzTGVsNhyTyujnrIA-pfJ7Hff9Sz2wuSXeHGnsN3BovTwLTxz9uvQ/s1600/bluebird+bracelet+1.jpg" height="332" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I decided to try using waxed cord for this bracelet, instead of wire</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or a ready made metal chain bracelet. </span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have bought some different colours and thicknesses from Songbeads</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so it was a great project to try them out on.</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With no instructions to follow I set myself quite a challenge</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ESHF3ouYVYwN032J6M7xM0ZMYiady9MVIIFiw6UEhqzQeSVHlUEMjQZD8eHBQCwt-ZQ_207MU8E2fhtVMYzb4GKXJ8qLP6uN5MHjpaW8h6oQEalj3c5WrWyZePsBniABo5X60YmcGRA/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ESHF3ouYVYwN032J6M7xM0ZMYiady9MVIIFiw6UEhqzQeSVHlUEMjQZD8eHBQCwt-ZQ_207MU8E2fhtVMYzb4GKXJ8qLP6uN5MHjpaW8h6oQEalj3c5WrWyZePsBniABo5X60YmcGRA/s1600/1.jpg" height="387" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But with the rain hammering down outside, and Mr Lottie out,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxLDcDb9GpOdzwvJNYO0pPqjJBHLxtsmr2Z6dJKeiPvyv96BwWRU1kSB8F1REQgRzJDCAa1nB6KT8aHE3skbMko7op6hHueJXl-GvI9nT4vG0jyK6rhMr8JY-4S2Zh_Tb_m3Hui8UIvQ/s1600/kittie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxLDcDb9GpOdzwvJNYO0pPqjJBHLxtsmr2Z6dJKeiPvyv96BwWRU1kSB8F1REQgRzJDCAa1nB6KT8aHE3skbMko7op6hHueJXl-GvI9nT4vG0jyK6rhMr8JY-4S2Zh_Tb_m3Hui8UIvQ/s1600/kittie.jpg" height="400" width="351" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among my Grubbi stash I found this cute little kitten and beads</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so she will be my next challenge I think - but I have absolutely no idea</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what I will make with them. Do you? </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-5203013420284688572014-02-05T04:02:00.002-08:002014-02-05T04:04:36.157-08:00An attempt at making a braceletI haven't been crafting very much of late. I have tried - really hard - and made attempts at creating journals - but nothing that I feel good enough to post on here.<br />
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I really am missing crafting - so last night I made an attempt at playing with beads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUGpd_N_F3andnMJmIiEVhuv4XxVm2jrXSeLHdKUsU_EuvAIDZx8QTHnKuqSDAnOO4t5PnvTeSwLq2V_dVzCALANmuwWqDxVAQtuxjOk3Mf9n0NGAPmySP9Jpnnxv-vRUBCr-wEiswYs/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUGpd_N_F3andnMJmIiEVhuv4XxVm2jrXSeLHdKUsU_EuvAIDZx8QTHnKuqSDAnOO4t5PnvTeSwLq2V_dVzCALANmuwWqDxVAQtuxjOk3Mf9n0NGAPmySP9Jpnnxv-vRUBCr-wEiswYs/s1600/1.jpg" height="126" width="400" /></a></div>
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I needed a bracelet to match a dark olive dress, </div>
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which I wear with a pretty red and dark green </div>
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and purple/plum silk scarf.</div>
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After a rummage in my bead tin I found just the right beads to match. They have a lovely sheen to them and when they catch the light they have a rainbow of the olive and purple shades - it's like looking in a puddle on a summers day when you see those oily colours! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFcUMW0-0FdM67lntd-c69OJZA1bojfKtRoZvCqdjxjqZKPkLKJ6gBUR_3wBnYLicp2FAMTSoRLWM2En2nWimzJmZH-Rvd845C2Ra49DziSHhQpqDgiTw11wg6ZOLZT0fGmMGGUVpwSI/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFcUMW0-0FdM67lntd-c69OJZA1bojfKtRoZvCqdjxjqZKPkLKJ6gBUR_3wBnYLicp2FAMTSoRLWM2En2nWimzJmZH-Rvd845C2Ra49DziSHhQpqDgiTw11wg6ZOLZT0fGmMGGUVpwSI/s1600/2.jpg" height="336" width="400" /></a></div>
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There were only ten of them - but just enough for a bracelet with the added olive shades of the matte finished beads I used in between. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVBfJc8V2_bRqWILihAXLHwQIuXUs1c9ODwUamkE68CYHX1ymM0eKYGw7m073Z4ch42gwmq402k-Ej8wAsGIq_hyphenhyphenwLjdx3ad6LSw4JRsSkfIZdnxugaBKHrFmeLAw08U9PQ8JdoFpZJc/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVBfJc8V2_bRqWILihAXLHwQIuXUs1c9ODwUamkE68CYHX1ymM0eKYGw7m073Z4ch42gwmq402k-Ej8wAsGIq_hyphenhyphenwLjdx3ad6LSw4JRsSkfIZdnxugaBKHrFmeLAw08U9PQ8JdoFpZJc/s1600/3.JPG" height="253" width="400" /></a></div>
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I found the old Chinese coin in my button box! I think folks use them in crafting - but I like the flat disk, it feels comfortable on my wrist being flat, and it stays central, rather than with just beads that move around quite a bit and often the connectors ends up on top and not the nice focal beads.</div>
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Shame about the dark photos - roll on summer sunshine</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-5687887417618992312014-01-15T09:02:00.000-08:002014-01-15T09:13:03.060-08:00A life made by hand journal page 3<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will never look at the Sunday supplements as 'rubbish','junk' a 'waste of paper' again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been looking through them with 'different' eyes for supplies and inspiration</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for art journalling. Gluing and sticking is probably a better term for what I am </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">doing at the moment. The 'art' perhaps will come later!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjliFamGbaJVCV3Vq8sC1Azk227I21-QvJqvbJQKAc8x34rLnFx4mWgjhEL_8hJIfOgBBerdHJgp_kZaOJJ2qVwaCWwR0saaEh7lHmmNUiQvThEyNDfjHrycQYuisIC2AVtAjbAr5rv4/s1600/a1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjliFamGbaJVCV3Vq8sC1Azk227I21-QvJqvbJQKAc8x34rLnFx4mWgjhEL_8hJIfOgBBerdHJgp_kZaOJJ2qVwaCWwR0saaEh7lHmmNUiQvThEyNDfjHrycQYuisIC2AVtAjbAr5rv4/s1600/a1.jpg" height="400" width="241" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The background and wording and the backing paper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">are all from the Sunday supplement magazines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The blue backing paper is in fact a shuttering on a window which I managed to cut enough little strips, and turned them on the side and shaded!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have inked around the lettering to make it show up - I think that was from a food advert which I cut and took out the words I wanted to turn into a prompt!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhBGTVPQdCzdNejXUd474P4EXy_uYSkUO-r71sYPrh6A4lzzM2mVTVFmAIMcYiSRT0ZzKNWmVj4nHHejbaSSWhaBGxVmm4Tpix4eAnWD6hIObMI_s6ALpSSgmmVsPf1NhZIYyxU35F2Y/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhBGTVPQdCzdNejXUd474P4EXy_uYSkUO-r71sYPrh6A4lzzM2mVTVFmAIMcYiSRT0ZzKNWmVj4nHHejbaSSWhaBGxVmm4Tpix4eAnWD6hIObMI_s6ALpSSgmmVsPf1NhZIYyxU35F2Y/s1600/2.jpg" height="320" width="196" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the journalled page.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not being 'picky' about my writing as Kelly Kilmer said not too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that it will improve if I could find a pen that will write better on shiny paper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and also if I practice writing more. I have been typing for so long on a computer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my writing has suffered as a consequence!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If any of you know of a pen that will definitely work on shiny surfaces I would very much appreciate the name and a link too if possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for looking </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-52426549757032274702014-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:002014-01-12T08:36:00.696-08:00A life made by hand - journal page 2<div style="text-align: center;">
I managed to get another journal page done this afternoon.</div>
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This course differs from the others in that it is not an arty painty</div>
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type journal - its more like the very old original idea of scrapbooking</div>
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of 50-60 years ago - but with the twist of journalling your thoughts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqBhMIcDD-bZGdESmKJ_c5MnncVEka-ZGVwYmwx-nSU1A_cuVPkVUfV56w2Yo6xusLJXFo76VkLWuDaZ3kWSNJBNoLxQF_sMLCNnfv9twWElp35YXEzEOk_HEnMSap-rooK2acVMe7Rs/s1600/journal+page+2+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqBhMIcDD-bZGdESmKJ_c5MnncVEka-ZGVwYmwx-nSU1A_cuVPkVUfV56w2Yo6xusLJXFo76VkLWuDaZ3kWSNJBNoLxQF_sMLCNnfv9twWElp35YXEzEOk_HEnMSap-rooK2acVMe7Rs/s1600/journal+page+2+002.JPG" height="320" width="289" /></a></div>
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I am not photographing this one close up as I have journalled </div>
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from a prompt and it is personal to me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4Lu8kuyL6GZc1RwGuEbXMpuoss12Bsw1z_uso-eEhX9UQPOhYZMYY5f7ffHDMIxxL0TSsr3piWX_o3HnECohsZBBKyIUuwvgLEPaw1zCvMCL52r7NI4IC2E0dhWFFeaw1S84Z1xVjBU/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4Lu8kuyL6GZc1RwGuEbXMpuoss12Bsw1z_uso-eEhX9UQPOhYZMYY5f7ffHDMIxxL0TSsr3piWX_o3HnECohsZBBKyIUuwvgLEPaw1zCvMCL52r7NI4IC2E0dhWFFeaw1S84Z1xVjBU/s1600/2.jpg" height="237" width="400" /></a></div>
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It is very liberating just cutting and gluing, then picking a prompt</div>
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totally unrelated to the pictures - and just write.</div>
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Kelly Kilmer stressed not to worry about our handwriting, as it doesn't</div>
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have to be beautiful - one just has to write what flows out of our brain.</div>
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A first for me!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-63812133281067384712014-01-11T05:44:00.000-08:002014-01-11T05:51:36.470-08:00First attempt at my online journal course<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well it was about time I dived in feet first and had a go - wasn't it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I must confess that I am finding it very very difficult.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I made my first page - then didn't know when to stop - as is usual with me</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">and ended messing it up, and it is in fragments in the bin!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is my second attempt</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5G-QjYpmhJ0I_CLhpLy-HcOj19mOclqlbQTYos3QoSVp2n5hG5ac3qorrzUkr2y3Qt-ttB3HhPjJRORXaNflCeKTjpTeDyFvplF0piULDHgBQsTQpbSBWlY-IV02KHoRIv9pkiLBxUE/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5G-QjYpmhJ0I_CLhpLy-HcOj19mOclqlbQTYos3QoSVp2n5hG5ac3qorrzUkr2y3Qt-ttB3HhPjJRORXaNflCeKTjpTeDyFvplF0piULDHgBQsTQpbSBWlY-IV02KHoRIv9pkiLBxUE/s1600/1.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have had to photograph this on A4 white paper to make it show up better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Why I chose black and white I do not know - I was just taken by the</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">image of the very elegant lady in a weekend magazine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had to resize her and cut her out of all the advertising, and outline her, The background is strips of papers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">torn and glued with a glue stick - and a bit of painting in the right hand corner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I haven't braved any of the journalling on it yet - that is my down fall. I will take my time and read some prompts to get subject ideas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I really do not want this one to end up in the bin! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As I am following instructions which give no sizes, I am just using random pages torn from on old dictionary.</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As you can see it is rather a big page!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is proving to be a relaxing past time - but one needing lots of space and choice of papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I think that if I keep practising it should get easier - at least I hope it does</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-4225850109651191802013-12-30T02:16:00.001-08:002013-12-30T02:16:43.814-08:00She's back - SHE IS BACK - I am so happy<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The wonderfully talented </span> <a href="http://jocappersandon.blogspot.co.uk/">Jo Capper-Sandon</a> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">is back blogging. What a joy to see. Her fabulous Stampotique stamps were the first I bought from that company - and Jo is back with a fabulous designed work of art using them.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wonderfully bright and sunny colours, and a technique I haven't tried - but will definitely do so over the next few days - I will need to have a rummage in my drawers for the colours though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Do pop over and see - you will be amazed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If I am not back on here before the 31st December - have a wonderfully happy and healthy and solvent 2014 everyone. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-76768596999077652092013-12-18T05:47:00.001-08:002013-12-18T06:28:52.140-08:00A Christmas Bush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pEY8R02KsDHzCjnqnlB-vuwlNOUWsDEcycQki2QaLisuaYErH5iB7BrX3UHJH6an_MLupY4CtaBpwBfmb96NMh46GM3o5DRoX9RfeVI68Ke0uWAmngZIAszyog6T4F6kcy3iHkR2euQ/s1600/christmas+bush+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pEY8R02KsDHzCjnqnlB-vuwlNOUWsDEcycQki2QaLisuaYErH5iB7BrX3UHJH6an_MLupY4CtaBpwBfmb96NMh46GM3o5DRoX9RfeVI68Ke0uWAmngZIAszyog6T4F6kcy3iHkR2euQ/s1600/christmas+bush+001.JPG" height="287" width="320" /></a></div>
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We decided not to have a Christmas tree this year.</div>
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Mr Lottie isn't back to full strength, and I have hurt my back.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hAL-WIIxfZzOkCw5gexVygEe7ihKxnV7LYHUFnUFNLvkS-_CzHZlCCUTu1xqdgZXUwLxAwiFzziLN6L5OhL0Pd46_nRbpUWOuWX0H_h6eXqgGYKOrbj6gBc8BBfTzUa-fmE9h1ruFHI/s1600/christmas+bush+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hAL-WIIxfZzOkCw5gexVygEe7ihKxnV7LYHUFnUFNLvkS-_CzHZlCCUTu1xqdgZXUwLxAwiFzziLN6L5OhL0Pd46_nRbpUWOuWX0H_h6eXqgGYKOrbj6gBc8BBfTzUa-fmE9h1ruFHI/s1600/christmas+bush+002.JPG" height="400" width="300" /> </a></div>
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Totally on impulse I decided to get a little bush instead. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVZLh2-njl1XTYj5lBcGb3X_f-un2tr91Gk8zCYCKxN6cMxHPsG5eOCCpNUHvBDD6H4DkI8sc74wPIx7SEdMP9UxiK8yKqJkikm1T9y3ph0rvanG8l0tEa7YdoMbZ3fTZDTyMPC1XQW4/s1600/christmas+bush+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVZLh2-njl1XTYj5lBcGb3X_f-un2tr91Gk8zCYCKxN6cMxHPsG5eOCCpNUHvBDD6H4DkI8sc74wPIx7SEdMP9UxiK8yKqJkikm1T9y3ph0rvanG8l0tEa7YdoMbZ3fTZDTyMPC1XQW4/s1600/christmas+bush+003.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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I need to have another go at trimming the top - but it looks very pretty with the sun shining on it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE04T8_o9oae7fdVpCRhmkF7FA66ZMZareJmT6UjSjIpoY8aB5mKRVk9OQoepq51uzNUqkpKnPsn1TdMyO2YpZPcnKaG1iF9FP5ldevkzUVs66tvN5R4uITldi6CPCv3Tn8smf6pwVKY/s1600/christmas+bush+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE04T8_o9oae7fdVpCRhmkF7FA66ZMZareJmT6UjSjIpoY8aB5mKRVk9OQoepq51uzNUqkpKnPsn1TdMyO2YpZPcnKaG1iF9FP5ldevkzUVs66tvN5R4uITldi6CPCv3Tn8smf6pwVKY/s1600/christmas+bush+004.JPG" height="400" width="260" /></a></div>
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I crammed on lots of little surprises, even cinanamon sticks </div>
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(you can just see one of a bunch poking out at top - the smell is yummy)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xlnlwHUIgZnQaRCaqVOPmS4npN5P4O1hQET6V_4VEqUloVKIoZ3UR9WFMQAWig2MF_DNmIZMpi6Qhx0d1CvHPDB2CA97MoWnNycru0ZoASTiR7JcgHjaLsaGyN0_IptSvK6_aqDWv00/s1600/christmas+bush+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xlnlwHUIgZnQaRCaqVOPmS4npN5P4O1hQET6V_4VEqUloVKIoZ3UR9WFMQAWig2MF_DNmIZMpi6Qhx0d1CvHPDB2CA97MoWnNycru0ZoASTiR7JcgHjaLsaGyN0_IptSvK6_aqDWv00/s1600/christmas+bush+005.JPG" height="263" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Even if your home is tiny like ours you can still have a festive 'tree'</div>
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I sprayed bits of holly gold and some twigs, as I mentioned - lovely cinnamon sticks</div>
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very Christmassey, strings of beads, pears, artificial poinsettias and ribbon etc - everything from my </div>
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flower arranging stash box - long ago hidden under a pile of other boxes under the table in my studio.</div>
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I wrapped the plant pot up in a big carrier bag and plonked it into a big green plastic plant pot, and wrapped it in potato sacking and added a ribbon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJ4h3juyZ8swVpMVP2rGPoLejXuawM-PGR9NO2f62R1XKDcRunCCG2bqDjw67IcplN-FZHuQ41PNOB1T-PIRStcVHHprm4frjr8t7M4j81WIrH_wllqKEkLuNbpKI4rbcQf0ycCs8F84/s1600/bush+and+cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJ4h3juyZ8swVpMVP2rGPoLejXuawM-PGR9NO2f62R1XKDcRunCCG2bqDjw67IcplN-FZHuQ41PNOB1T-PIRStcVHHprm4frjr8t7M4j81WIrH_wllqKEkLuNbpKI4rbcQf0ycCs8F84/s1600/bush+and+cards.jpg" height="320" width="300" /></a></div>
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Not quite big enough for a fairy - but it smells heavenly and fits in our little room perfectly.</div>
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And after the Christmas holidays it will be planted in a gap along my fence in the front garden</div>
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that has been crying out for a shrub for over a year now - but I have not had to time to buy one!</div>
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Until now!</div>
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Happy Christmas everyone.</div>
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Thanks for popping by</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-71797136889441960022013-12-11T12:00:00.000-08:002013-12-12T11:18:56.448-08:00Vintage Christmas Card <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My last effort at making a Christmas Card this year.</div>
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And you might just see some of the gold rub and buff and the misty silver white</div>
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here and there on the card to give it a frosty cold look.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5VYsNk2FVWfRsNMYCoye8RkR218otYSyThyjO2b9JjEgJzB3NCooVo14EDfOYUodomuqG8llwsxPSwuYVzWroUZ1nHY-1f0AQGuiJD4DnYlZSGdXdiGXTdonyO-dUenFjJLRAgukrKE/s1600/cards+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5VYsNk2FVWfRsNMYCoye8RkR218otYSyThyjO2b9JjEgJzB3NCooVo14EDfOYUodomuqG8llwsxPSwuYVzWroUZ1nHY-1f0AQGuiJD4DnYlZSGdXdiGXTdonyO-dUenFjJLRAgukrKE/s400/cards+002.JPG" width="275" /></a></div>
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I made this vintage Christmas for my daughter in law's parents in Japan.</div>
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I used vintage Christmas Carol music sheet.</div>
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A copy of a vintage Christmas card and vintage papers and ephemera.<br />
It was really difficult cutting out that tiny robin, but he was so cute I had just to.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsj8IbH5G7Up4W-R2ZCJFTqoovJNbuklUw9HZxQVeKXjuKF50Xohw6zHIWVInN810M9OhjCkfeEQwYxcPs3zLTrlkRbicYGJ7mSIO-bm3O0b8fbm0hb0RLBif_ynUwN8xZSdAOir0odA/s1600/cards+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsj8IbH5G7Up4W-R2ZCJFTqoovJNbuklUw9HZxQVeKXjuKF50Xohw6zHIWVInN810M9OhjCkfeEQwYxcPs3zLTrlkRbicYGJ7mSIO-bm3O0b8fbm0hb0RLBif_ynUwN8xZSdAOir0odA/s400/cards+003.JPG" width="286" />.</a></div>
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This is the back of the card - the vintage music score was wrapped around, so too the card print. I found a little bird which I thought finished it off - no Father Christmasses as they do not celebrate Christmas over there - but I wanted them to get a feel of our celebrations</div>
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Popped in the post to Japan in a mail art envelope of snow and stamped winter trees and firs and a winter snow bird on the back</div>
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I hope that they like it - I worked on it for two days on and off - and at least it is original</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-69629655830937051412013-12-11T10:34:00.001-08:002013-12-11T10:34:25.122-08:00Christmas Card? Who me?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCEKP8Tw5c-PwSoFrc5GAZHWW5dwqVLuX_oFx11gg4ePe1AiVW3j7UNTAgN4EJvRhW6rD5D_BjtyD9pSyiPxLgk_K6-2OBHkO-BFe16X9EyUOIkQd6ukGxpg1lo3XRSq-BpHBfOaiOF4/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCEKP8Tw5c-PwSoFrc5GAZHWW5dwqVLuX_oFx11gg4ePe1AiVW3j7UNTAgN4EJvRhW6rD5D_BjtyD9pSyiPxLgk_K6-2OBHkO-BFe16X9EyUOIkQd6ukGxpg1lo3XRSq-BpHBfOaiOF4/s640/1.jpg" width="438" /></a></div>
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I am hopeless at making cards, but having joined a Christmas Card swap on a forum</div>
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I just had to go through with it.</div>
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Vintage Christmas Sheet Music</div>
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Vintage Image</div>
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Christmas Ephemera</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSfYhrVJRceVNWnOifyCGEvLjw3BSt2pUrKdhJnp6j8NBszWHqoLA14TD4I6yjl4NfK4jzWhybAgNN-AE7jthaK9TW8FLt9jNyXVJtrJVTCVnJocwyms-O4Zp2Vyi-_JNesrtJMLDkiE/s1600/cards+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSfYhrVJRceVNWnOifyCGEvLjw3BSt2pUrKdhJnp6j8NBszWHqoLA14TD4I6yjl4NfK4jzWhybAgNN-AE7jthaK9TW8FLt9jNyXVJtrJVTCVnJocwyms-O4Zp2Vyi-_JNesrtJMLDkiE/s320/cards+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Inside pages.</div>
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I all the pages with gold rub and buff after I took the photos.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-40166271075039890412013-12-01T14:55:00.000-08:002013-12-01T14:55:03.135-08:00Exciting News - BUY ONE GET ONE FREEI have such exciting news that I am fit to burst.........<br />
<br />
The amazing <a href="http://kellykilmer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/online-class-sale.html"><strong>Kelly Kilmer</strong></a> - Artist and Instructor - and fantastic journal tutor is having a <strong>SALE</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
I have bought a couple of her art journaling courses and they are absolutely amazing. I am a total beginner without a scrap of imagination - but Kelly manages to inspire and excite even an old lady such as me - enabling me to create journals that I just adore.<br />
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Living in the country and not having any arty crafty shops for miles and miles and miles and then not<strong> </strong>ones specific to art and craft - means that supplies for anything that I attempt to make have to be bought on line. Which is a pain and the postage expensive.<br />
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That was until I found the famous Kelly. Her courses are downloadable, and truly you can make the journals with things you have around your home. Honestly - I have done it! You don't need lots of fancy paints or glues or moleskin journals or special anything . If you visit her blog and read the links to her courses you will see for yourself.<br />
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I have bought the <a href="http://kellykilmer.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/announcing-new-online-class-memories.html">Memories and Reflections</a> course a number of years ago - and its something you can revisit and make over and over again. I made one of the two journals in the course work - but sadly I didn't make any others as I became rather ill. I forgot all about my journal and course work until I came across it whilst sorting out some drawers - and sat in awe reading all the pages and pages of inspiring instructions, the pictures, the prompts - wow - unbelievable - and the layout designs - awesome!<br />
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Just going back and reading all coursework was so inspiring, that I decided to buy a different course for my birthday present to myself - so have now got <strong><a href="http://kellykilmer.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/journey-of-you.html">The Journey of You</a>.</strong><br />
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I didn't have to buy a single thing to create it either. I had all the bits and bobs to hand - resurrecting papers and things I had forgotten about. If you look at her list of supplies for this - well - you will have them all - and more!<br />
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I knocked on a couple of my neighbours doors asking if they had any old magazines - and if so could they keep them for me so that I could cut things out and then recycle them (which is what we do anyway). They looked at me as though I was mad - and one lady let me rummage around in her Green bin before the dustmen came. I had magazines from cruise companies, gifts, Womens Institutes, gardening, etc - and at first you might think Hmmmph - but when you see things through Kelly's eyes - you see pages of inspiration, and colours and ephemera - even the Sunday Supplements have taken on a whole new excitement today - instead of binning them I actually looked through them and have cut out lots of things. I am going knocking on a few more doors next week - there are some ladies that I think actually buy magazines!<br />
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Can you tell that I am a tad bit excited. I am snapping up Kelly's buy one get one free for my Christmas presents. Art Journal 365 and Little Paper Books.<br />
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A friend of mine in France is going to get Art Journal 365 - and now that I have emailed her about the sale, I am sure that she will add a free one to her wish list. We are going to do the 365 at the same time. It'll be great to have a journal buddy to bounce ideas off, and to keep my momentum up over the winter months in case I 'flag'<br />
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Why don't you buy one for yourself and give the free one to a friend - FREE Christmas presents - you can't beat that can you!<br />
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If you choose any of the ones I have - I'd be happy to share my journal journeys with you and we can encourage each other.<br />
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Go on - spoil yourself - where can you get this much fun for this bargain price!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-45403015859775302272013-11-17T04:19:00.000-08:002013-11-17T04:44:07.300-08:00A little bit of fun......It has been months since I have been able to go to a monthly NAFAS Flower Club demonstration meeting - and I nearly didn't make it this month either - an injury - so I couldn't drive. Luckily Mr Lottie is driving again so he dropped me off and picked me up.<br />
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It was a very different and perhaps a bit 'wacky' young demonstrator - but I like different and wacky - its really refreshing. I bought £5 of raffle tickets and the ladies selling them looked at me and said "Five Pounds!" in shock. I explained that as I hadn't been for a number of months and we rely on the raffles for funds - it was the least that I could do.<br />
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The arrangements that are made are raffled off at the end of the meeting. And yes - you can guess - I won one. It was the 'arrangement' that nobody wanted. Even the demonstrator said that she knew when she made it that it was going to be the 'booby' prize! It was an 'experiment'! She grouped together some stems of Amaryllis, cut them different lengths, turned them upside down and tied glass tubes to them - so no vase or anything. The flower has hollowed stems - so she decided to stick a flower in each upside down stem! She hadn't tried it before, and I don't think that she would do it again. I had to ask her to disassemble it just so that I could take the components home! It was like a sputnik of sticking out stems and you couldn't carry it or anything.<br />
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Thursday, undaunted I decided to see if I could use the flowers in some sort of arrangement as there was no way that it would work as it had been. Here is what I salvaged and came up with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlREGna7IuxkHtK19zaMgv9SVDLIh3IhYixBdwkU1k2kdNNS1sXZmtZF8TKx0Lv-bLVdcX1LR8ri0ydPXJQryaZnFqjq70yUAAO0fticz9YZTFM0OtsZW3HqWMaxxdIbIll5_ZiEOVXcc/s1600/flower+arranging+raffle+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlREGna7IuxkHtK19zaMgv9SVDLIh3IhYixBdwkU1k2kdNNS1sXZmtZF8TKx0Lv-bLVdcX1LR8ri0ydPXJQryaZnFqjq70yUAAO0fticz9YZTFM0OtsZW3HqWMaxxdIbIll5_ZiEOVXcc/s400/flower+arranging+raffle+007.JPG" width="287" /></a></div>
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Amaryllis are lovely big lily type flowers - but because of their thick hollow stems are difficult to arrange in a traditional way. I left the binding on their stems, as I think that they would collapse without it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOV_mfGFM2dqQdAaHu5XgpixZI4JOAJrrRgkSfvqIqsavj3dVqiipm_Tto3loYydFIBWWMR9yzFOaplF7Ju6pKmswt0Fcseg4ToitF_nHUBM6OzNrNOhKUwb7aAFOjQ3Mhja2FULdQh4/s1600/flower+arranging+raffle+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOV_mfGFM2dqQdAaHu5XgpixZI4JOAJrrRgkSfvqIqsavj3dVqiipm_Tto3loYydFIBWWMR9yzFOaplF7Ju6pKmswt0Fcseg4ToitF_nHUBM6OzNrNOhKUwb7aAFOjQ3Mhja2FULdQh4/s400/flower+arranging+raffle+006.JPG" width="263" /></a></div>
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The ones I salvaged were a bit bruised from being stood on their heads and used as a 'container' - but I managed to save the above, added some grasses that matched their centres and a few red twigs.</div>
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(Firstly though I had to carefully cut off some of the damaged stems, turn them upsidedown, fill them with water, and stuff the end with cotton wool - as they don't take up water like 'normal' plants as they are flowering bulbs and their nutrients come from the bulbs.) They look quite nice in the vase and much better with the sun shining on them</div>
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They now sit in my Garden Room - and one of their benefits is that they have no smell or perfume - as I am allergic to lillies - big time - they give me asthma attacks.</div>
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Next I managed to salvage the four large Chrysanthemums.</div>
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That was really good - they were losing some petals but hey ho.</div>
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The downside is that in flower arranging we like 'odd numbers' it is more pleasing on the eye and they are easier to arrange - otherwise they can look like a pair of eyes or ears.</div>
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To make this challenge a tad bit more difficult - is that they were two colours.</div>
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Not to be put off and buoyed up with the joy of winning them - I had a rummage around the garden for some foliage.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQF1YOqr7JF9EXORysfiB9V72fr8YnOu044RA9LgFNgW5ZhqjbVKyNLRiOsTATOBuoHDwG6Fh9ECEKZoapoD9Dl0idbzJZnSsPMFr15TPLa6_znu2nCOnkD8vY3-cAdei76EuRNYY2eiE/s1600/flower+arranging+raffle+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQF1YOqr7JF9EXORysfiB9V72fr8YnOu044RA9LgFNgW5ZhqjbVKyNLRiOsTATOBuoHDwG6Fh9ECEKZoapoD9Dl0idbzJZnSsPMFr15TPLa6_znu2nCOnkD8vY3-cAdei76EuRNYY2eiE/s320/flower+arranging+raffle+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The flower heads were the biggest I have every seen!</div>
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The bronze one at the back is the size of a plate!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqOE_ulYmgTr2Y0QyK2X8IKgfnfBACVlEwN4wPERNvIRwc6LM7gG-ROJuxFVzWCHXZjd1RkWloeOvWyRhCnVYHppqUlhrMnUhnCER0qDj_-hdweyto0cmqBFSA2XPfUk2BBLebhNDUwM/s1600/flower+arranging+raffle+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqOE_ulYmgTr2Y0QyK2X8IKgfnfBACVlEwN4wPERNvIRwc6LM7gG-ROJuxFVzWCHXZjd1RkWloeOvWyRhCnVYHppqUlhrMnUhnCER0qDj_-hdweyto0cmqBFSA2XPfUk2BBLebhNDUwM/s320/flower+arranging+raffle+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So I made a simple design - not technically correct due to the even number and colours of the flower heads</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrq25YYVTfti3-s0tf6Z3mxvp5xE8-V41y8_w1EW1760r89XEE1odpqZYRFhX6UpYhh3k3hv6NIKUtrzz53ejtx1E3o9_AJb0bPrCzUOwbLMIxqzmpHbtdZClLzoudFwRWSIPmF7Z6Qc0/s1600/flower+arranging+raffle+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrq25YYVTfti3-s0tf6Z3mxvp5xE8-V41y8_w1EW1760r89XEE1odpqZYRFhX6UpYhh3k3hv6NIKUtrzz53ejtx1E3o9_AJb0bPrCzUOwbLMIxqzmpHbtdZClLzoudFwRWSIPmF7Z6Qc0/s400/flower+arranging+raffle+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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But it goes perfectly on my one and only coffee table, and the colours work very well with our cream walls and similar coloured orange/coppery carpet.</div>
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These huge chrysanthemums remind me of those featured in paintings from bygone years - by the 'Masters' that you see in art galleries. The foliage is Fatsia Japonica and conifer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sexjQeg_ISUDgHIKJag66A2oLhoOc1nByPQsqh597T-Elt1XZPMS1LiHk60Vv_hIKW7OYme55VshG6qJ3-9cC36Mx-gv8T23ah61LSuvkw_NMHnKEhxA1MyddQAOH-2EbVL_gemegOE/s1600/flower+arranging+raffle+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sexjQeg_ISUDgHIKJag66A2oLhoOc1nByPQsqh597T-Elt1XZPMS1LiHk60Vv_hIKW7OYme55VshG6qJ3-9cC36Mx-gv8T23ah61LSuvkw_NMHnKEhxA1MyddQAOH-2EbVL_gemegOE/s400/flower+arranging+raffle+010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lastly the 'rubbish' bits - which were a bit broken or crushed.</div>
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The broken off heads of lilies - well those that could be rescued.</div>
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Three David Austin white roses - with a perfume - and.....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCv86s8L-0PPAQNuHEeeGEBTEijPMBg-tLr_vL8Dl8JGnNPIUyQlAgcX1j7hSqZyxo7xpXImoBtkofi1yR4i9bOfahAJEEkh_FHWFkYCJy_SBe892IZGOGYu4HrjJaRyHGEhf1gjfvv8/s1600/flower+arranging+raffle+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCv86s8L-0PPAQNuHEeeGEBTEijPMBg-tLr_vL8Dl8JGnNPIUyQlAgcX1j7hSqZyxo7xpXImoBtkofi1yR4i9bOfahAJEEkh_FHWFkYCJy_SBe892IZGOGYu4HrjJaRyHGEhf1gjfvv8/s320/flower+arranging+raffle+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Three waxy plants with very very long knobbly stems - as in 3ft - they look like 'jungle' plants.</div>
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The flower heads are very small - but I couldn't bare to throw them away - so I cut them short.</div>
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They don't really sit well with conifer and laurel leaves - but they looked sad and weedy on their own.</div>
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I even salvaged some tatty and broken bear grass - cut it and made hoops - 'waste not want not' me!<br />
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So.....for the grand sum of £5 worth of raffle tickets and winning the 'booby' prize nobody wanted, I have my little home filled with sunshine - and had such fun playing too.</div>
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(And just the white roses cost £2 from the florists shop - and I have three of those. You might faint if you knew the prices of the other flowers.)<br />
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Five pounds well spent. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-23773603345061638392013-11-08T11:59:00.000-08:002013-11-08T12:12:15.907-08:00Transported back in time on a dark, dull, wet day<div style="text-align: center;">
It's just no good bemoaning the fact that winter has hit us here in East Anglia with a vengence.</div>
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So on went the wellies, up went the umbrella - and a mad dash to the studio.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1nHOFi1n1ZWVmLs-7gLQ9WLDbL4gZuQgbDNGn0-8shhjerStSJu3EWLbarNiN6ZQ7G5ohLrQLmvJ11ohc2knf8hCdF1AC3uzJeFK_x0nOEEjkMMdaVqu4_3K9DYMcLeDtge7jR-d4Q8/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1nHOFi1n1ZWVmLs-7gLQ9WLDbL4gZuQgbDNGn0-8shhjerStSJu3EWLbarNiN6ZQ7G5ohLrQLmvJ11ohc2knf8hCdF1AC3uzJeFK_x0nOEEjkMMdaVqu4_3K9DYMcLeDtge7jR-d4Q8/s400/2.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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To continue with my scrap book of all things French!</div>
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Sorry for the picture quality - it is really hard to get good photos on a dark day</div>
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So the above is the out cover (front) - now stitched and attached</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UGlNA-Xeu4x_XD3_FxQzfQNt6vnU7HMKDRwuOUHdGwGHloiIqKoAERSO1gdKOMt8WM9y6359Mj51bu2FcNBhG_rTcM-SRFKJz58wXLpe0nrL5JYL1lC6XSATgX6-c7BjIZFUBvIvUss/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UGlNA-Xeu4x_XD3_FxQzfQNt6vnU7HMKDRwuOUHdGwGHloiIqKoAERSO1gdKOMt8WM9y6359Mj51bu2FcNBhG_rTcM-SRFKJz58wXLpe0nrL5JYL1lC6XSATgX6-c7BjIZFUBvIvUss/s400/3.jpg" width="327" /></a></div>
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Ditto the back of the book - vintage material onto which I have stitched tea dyed trim.</div>
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The photo I took of the front inside cover of a vintage poster in a frame wasn't successful so I will add it when I finally finish the book - next week.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkzcDR8I8WtZMzBKxzzUDxyBwdvvEk9g0N2uKxE5YpJ8dygu7lT1l3qZM43vMazZrZh0upWql2l5SkvPDETGUZpBd7kPiWxVQJWCiENQ5lX3M6AONUl3TfZY4RjUrYyzW9iluDXz37o4/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkzcDR8I8WtZMzBKxzzUDxyBwdvvEk9g0N2uKxE5YpJ8dygu7lT1l3qZM43vMazZrZh0upWql2l5SkvPDETGUZpBd7kPiWxVQJWCiENQ5lX3M6AONUl3TfZY4RjUrYyzW9iluDXz37o4/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is a better photo of the inside back cover page of sacking. I just need to get some inspiration on how to finish it - I might just add 'FIN'</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX8WfgzaFjEu5eLZs2jqCrH_k_eehLUULRPGjIzRJmr5bL430K6CTtiCZKDBT3VX7QG4fEAcRLKjf-ruCjQrZ3ZMRVF5W1s0X767emTn1p7MsUrUE6BE6PlPumxgB6Y7QvNh_LAhyLsY/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX8WfgzaFjEu5eLZs2jqCrH_k_eehLUULRPGjIzRJmr5bL430K6CTtiCZKDBT3VX7QG4fEAcRLKjf-ruCjQrZ3ZMRVF5W1s0X767emTn1p7MsUrUE6BE6PlPumxgB6Y7QvNh_LAhyLsY/s400/4.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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In real life, this book front looks and is the colour of vintage leather which I machine stitched onto the vintage upholstery material. I will have to take a close up of the little flowers which I sewed on above the material 'ties'. They are so cute. The are fine netting, hand made, with gorgeous little sewn on beaded centres. I found a length in a charity shop many years ago - it was bright white, and lemon, so I soaked it in coffee grounds and it has really aged them.</div>
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Thank you for looking.</div>
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I have a busy weekend ahead with family staying - so will have a go at finishing this project next week.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6159837414417397085.post-75192864894366514612013-11-06T11:26:00.002-08:002013-11-06T11:28:08.977-08:00Mail Art - Envelopes this time.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_RZnNvWqlLkdCk-SYlFI6dCPWC3FxooInvCEEVL_UBHjRgtTHjT_ZhpU4wZvfJrsu_9of6a2s5HFquercoiUYGVl08-VGRcMgCo087IpGooZNe_ZOG54sScLz0Uy4O_iyJaDpWdbVio/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_RZnNvWqlLkdCk-SYlFI6dCPWC3FxooInvCEEVL_UBHjRgtTHjT_ZhpU4wZvfJrsu_9of6a2s5HFquercoiUYGVl08-VGRcMgCo087IpGooZNe_ZOG54sScLz0Uy4O_iyJaDpWdbVio/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I decided to sort out my stamp drawers today and see what exactly I had.</div>
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At <a href="http://www.cardmakingparadise.com/"><b>Cardmaking Paradise </b></a></div>
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we have been having a Mail Art envelope swap with members from around the globe</div>
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It's a brilliant site as well as a really active forum and it has really got me back into </div>
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crafting again. I made five envelopes so sent them all off yesterday. You only needed to make</div>
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one but I got carried away!</div>
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Sorry - I digress. Whilst sorting out my stamps I came across some I hadn't used before.</div>
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The little girls were second hand in a job lot I bought so long ago - I had to ink it up to see</div>
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what it was - then having done so decided to make an envelope with some tea dyed paper </div>
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I had sitting in a roll on the corner of my desk waiting to inspire me.</div>
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The middle of the above is left blank for the address.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrahAHsqTBVX-DpnegrCFejfFPSLpD2N8B3_BgeCOQpjz-rBOwJax9b3pbbRV0mBtjhTdjyb64UYeKRaEAdzJ-66AxzXJTl4ny8_RgJgHnD1LSZehiQ_Zydp7cg0S7sdTOom_vw4QltSA/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrahAHsqTBVX-DpnegrCFejfFPSLpD2N8B3_BgeCOQpjz-rBOwJax9b3pbbRV0mBtjhTdjyb64UYeKRaEAdzJ-66AxzXJTl4ny8_RgJgHnD1LSZehiQ_Zydp7cg0S7sdTOom_vw4QltSA/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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On the reverse I used another second hand set of stamps - cling ones this time.</div>
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I water coloured the tea stained paper with blue and used water colour crayons for the girls.</div>
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This one I am going to hold on to for a little while and enjoy it on my notice board in my studio </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17243672302584272760noreply@blogger.com4