Phew - I thought all was lost!!!

I haven't been able to get in to my blog since my last post - and I thought that I would never be able to do so again.

Every time I tried to log in it came up with Blogger Buzz and made me sign up with that - then that wouldn't let me in.

At last I have cracked it - and here I am again.

Well this is a bit askew isn't it - don't know how that's happened!

I had to scan this postcard and it's made it look rather harsh.  

To the naked eye it is much softer and chalkier looking and the dark link above her head in the background does not exist on the postcard - it's on my scanner and I can't get it off!

So here is my effort for this months' postcard swap on the UK Stampers Forum

we could choose any subject but couldn't use any words!

Up my allotment the blackberries are starting to ripen - so this is what inspired me to stamp and paint the Bramble Goddess - using the colours on the brambles

I'm back at last.......

Well it's good to be back - Mr Lottie had his open heart surgery earlier in the month and we are back home.  Doc says it will take about a year to return to full fitness - but hey, that's great - he's got a new lease of life.

I took a few hours off from 'nursing' duties to have a play - and it was great!   I moved a lot of my 'messy' crafting stuff back out into my garden studio (just lifting out drawers and swapping them with the empty ones out there)

On Cardmaking Paradise they are having a 'fun week' where you are set a task to create something.  The next few weeks are going to be pages for a textured book.  The first page was one using buttons - but at that stage I hadn't located or sorted mine out so I just made a texture page!

 I used one of my favourite stamps as inspiration - a mermaid which I stamped on a coaster first then glued it on to the house shape page.  I  broke up some large shells and used chunky bits across the sea bed - gluing htem on with bath sealent to raise them up to give a 3D texture to the underwater scene.

 Some fine dry twigs were painted in sea blues and green and tucked under the shells

I used plasterers 'tape' (which is rough open threaded string like stuff) for the hair, and other sea weed 'flotsom' - I pulled it to bits picking out individual threads and then painted them black for the hair and greens and blues for the sea weed etc - left them to dry - before gluing them on over and under shells, and other sea life

Why on earth I didn't think of using black sewing cotton I do not know - it would  have been much quicker!

I poured a clear selant over the top and left it to dry in the sun.

In 'real life' it really looks wet and as though she is under the sea. I quite like the shiny little painted fish swimming in and out of her hair!

Finding some Peace

Sometimes life is thrown into chaos and there is nothing you can do about it.

But there is something I can do (sometimes) to find peace.

Today was one such day.

The sun shone - but it was really windy

so I found sanctuary in my garden studio.

Click to enlarge!

 Using (bought) tulips and clematis - and bamboo from the garden

 I got absolutely lost for an hour or so!

The arrangement has the black twigs I used in my last arrangement

and I cut some Rosemary twigs from the garden too.

 It looks so much better in the garden in the sunshine

 But it smells wonderful in out little lounge.

There is something calming and peaceful about the aroma of Rosemary.

And for tea I baked a great honey, and walnut and chocolate loaf cake.  As soon as it cools I'll be having some - yummy  yummy

Edited - today Friday

I just couldn't resist adding these photos today

The tulips have opened up and look like gorgeous yellow roses

And the perfume from the rosemary is filling the whole room!

Hot and Happy

I spent a wonderful couple of hours in a little village hall yesterday afternoon

(Click to enlarge photos)

 Enjoying one of my favourite pastimes

 Arranging flowers, sticks and foliage

 The challenge was to use a square container (mine was a plastic mushroom one)

And the design had to look good all the sides and the corners - not as easy as it sounds!

 It is meant to be displayed on a tall pedestal to get the full effect, but my bungalow is too tiny, so I put the container in a square Oasis dish.

It really brightens up the lounge and I am very happy with the finished design.
Hot colours  -  Happy Lady

And the cost?

£3 for the roses

£3 for the Gerbera - from a supermarket

£1.50 for the painted twigs (from the tutor)

60p for a block of Oasis

£5 towards the hire of the hall.

The arrangement is just under a metre talll

and today the roses are opened and are lovely big blooms

What a bargain!

I used to go each month, but haven't been able to go since Autumn last year and have really missed it.

So it was great to catch up with everyone's news, and enjoy such wonderful company

April's post card swap

Well over on UK Stampers Forum we are having another post card swap and this month the theme is Yellow and Circles.

 

Well the song by Donovan popped into my head and I just had to get it out.....

(They call me) Mellow Yellow

So after a week of having that ringing in my head, today I decided to something about it...

And painted The Beatles 1966 hit

We all live in a yellow submarine!

Now how am I going to get that song out of my head huh?

Off to read a scary book!

My last 'exercise' for now.

This is my last - for now - in my series of exercises.

 She is my 'alter ego'

(If only)

Flash, brash, confident, cool, calculating even?

So not me!

Another softer 'face' exercise

Deep in thought.

 Are those sad soulful eyes?

Is that a mean look to her lips?

Or just a wry expression - accepting the inevitable.

One more face tomorrow

Finishing on a fun note!