More stamping with Jo Capper Sandon

I didn't mean that I actually did some stamping with Jo - in my dreams!

I meant that I used her latest stamps to make a card - and silly me - I forgot to blog it!

Floral Art

On Wednesday I spent two hours in the afternoon doing a bit of floral art. 

Topiary - which I haven't tried before.

Above is the arrangement my tutor made.  I just love the colours - yellow and blue - so I bought it off her for my home. 

And here is my effort below

I tried taking a photo in the garden, but the sun was too bright.

We live in such a tiny bungalow that it is hard to get a decent photo!

To make it you just need a pot of any description and sticks/pole for a 'trunk', which you cement into the container.

Wrap some rubber bands around the top of the 'trunk' and after soaking a piece of floral foam (either a ball or a piece which you cut from a block), push it onto the trunk to sit on the rubber bands, and away you go!  I put foliage in first then filled it out with flowers.

It was a bit of a 'knack' to get it ball shaped, and of course I had to 'alter it' with a bit of hessian - but I really enjoyed the couple of hours and it's great to have flowers in the house and it only cost me £15 all together including the cost of the lesson!

Once these flowers die, I will just put another piece of foam on top and make another!

It'll look great as a Christmas arrangement for my porch - just imagine a topiary tree of holly and ivy and conifer or box hedge with oranges and nuts etc in it.

July we are making an arrangement with a breeze block - the mind boggles!

Alter it monthly - Tin Pan Alley

This is my entry for Alter it Monthly - where you have to use metal in your work

Zuzu says that we can use something we have made, not specifically for the challenge

So that's good as I haven't been able to do any crafting lately

Here is something I made earlier

 I made in December - it was a present for myself for my 60th birthday

New Stamps - Jo Capper Sandon's

I haven't been able to do any crafting - but today I did get more inspiration from the famous JCP

Firstly I received more of the stamps I ordered from Happy Daze (big link on the right hand side bar)
I am not 'just saying it' - but truly, the service from Moira is absolutely amazing.  I think that when you have your own company, and enjoy crafting too, you  have an understanding  and go 'that extra mile' to ensure that orders etc go out asap - especially when they come from overseas.  Thank you Moira.

So here's what arrived today.

I even cleared out a draw for them all to have their own space!

(I have room for a few more Jo if you get the creating rubber urge again)

 

It is going to be such a joy to create work having the right stamps for a change.  I know it shouldn't matter, but it gives me more confidence if I can start by having inspiration with the same stamps first, then once I get the hang of using them  -  I can create something in my 'own' style

Talking of which, I have been studying Jo's blog and have had a go at trying to take a better photo of my work.  Here is my first attempt.

 

I think it is an improvement on the previous photo of this tag

 

The idea was good - but didn't quite work - the proportions were all wrong.  I wanted to make the wooden shroom look like a shadow of the tag shroom.

If anyone has sent me something by Recorded Delivery - the postman came today - but stupid, stupid man stuck a card through the door, so I won't get it until Saturday now.

My lovely post lady Karen is on holiday this week, and she knows that I can't always hear the doorbell even though it is one of those you can plug in any room.  If she was delivering it, and I didn't go to the door, she would have seen all the windows wide open, noticed the car and trailer on my drive with work tools in and put two and two together thinking 'Ah Lottie is in, but out of ear shot of her bell.  There are obviously work men in the garden, so I'll shout or bang on the gate'.   Logical for us women isn't it....but NOT for a postman - who shoved all the other mail through the letterbox, stood and filled out the flipping card, and put that through too.  It would have been so much quicker to bang on the gate - he would have heard the men talking.

Ah well - I'll have something to look forward to  on Saturday now won't I.

Not been able to craft - won't bore you with the details, but Saturday or Sunday I hope to get going again.

Hmmmm    I wonder whose stamps I will use?

Oh I must just say this - I noticed that all JCP's stamps have her name on them - how cool is that huh?  Wouldn't you just love to have a stamp with your same on it - going all over the world, being bought by all sorts of people?     I know I would  - off to dream of world fame!

Wow - You'll never guess - I am a WINNER!

You could have knocked me down with a feather when the postman brought a letter all the way from the USA addressed to me!

Thank  you to the incredibly kind - and talented Roni of Ink Stains  click the link to see the fantastic Steampunk style pendant I have won in her 400th follower blog giveaway.

It is every bit of lusciousness as it looks, and I am going to wear it with pride to college tomorrow to show it off.

Thank you so very much Roni - I have emailed you.

xx

Beautiful - but is it art?

It was just getting dark when we looked out our patio door from the lounge and spotted this hot air balloon

We almost had a visitor in our garden.  It flew over our garden then over our neighbours roof.

The pigeon seemed rather non-plussed

It was a beautiful sight

Off it flew with a whoosh and a whisper

It's Official - I am/was the first.

The last time I was the 'first' at anything of 'significance' was when I used to come first in the Parents Race at my sons school Sports Days - 30+ years ago.  They used to be very proud of me winning the races - especially as it meant they got to share the winnings - a bag of sweets or lollipops.

Before that it was when I was at senior school - when I used to win the races, high jump, long jump and hurdles!  (I learned to run and jump and climb at a very early age - being skinny, shy, wearing glasses and 'blessed' with titian hair,and freckles, it was of the utmost importance for 'survival' LOL)

So you can imagine my delight, that yesterday at the ripe old age of 60+ to learn that I was the first person in the United Kingdom to receive my Jo Capper Sandon designed stamps, and to blog them.

Just a bit of silliness to make you smile - as  I have visitors this weekend - and won't be able to have time to use the rest of them or to blog them.

Gosh - I was the first - fancy that - can you see my silly grin - it'll last all day?