My weekend

Well no sooner did I boast of DH's IT skills than my computer decided to pack in again, lol!

I thought I'd sneak onto his computer and do a quick post while he is still in dreamland. We were supposed to be camping this weekend but when we got to the campsite that we had planned on it was completely washed out as wee several others in the area that we tried, so we decided to spend just the day and drove home again.

As we'd both booked a couple of days off work we decided it would be a waste to sit around and do nothing so we have finally made a start on sorting out our garden. probably two summers ago we ripped up the existing patio and covered the grass with the intention of making a larger patio area and putting down some pebbles to make it low maintenance (the garden is so small anyway it was a pain dragging out a mower for such a small job each time), well since then it's been languishing away and we didn't get any further forward.

Yesterday we tackled the mammoth job of getting the jungle cleared, I have aches and pains all over today to prove it, today we will hopefully be going to buy all the things we need to install a new deck.

Rainbow

My PC has been playing up and Monday it decided it just wasn't going to start up, luckily dh is a computer tech so within a couple of days here I am up and running again...

Here is what I have been working on these last couple of days. Yes you've guessed it another set of postcards from my long list of swap commitments that I need to catch up on. The swap theme is rainbows, as it was only a small swap group I decided to indulge myself and spent a lot longer making these cards than perhaps I usually would do. Over 150 tiny scraps individually hand sewn each attached using a bead to secure each. Is it immodest to say I just LOVE the way they turned out? I think part of the reason I really like them is that they were so much fun to make.

Since my Mum passed away Rainbows have become an important symbol for me, on many of the important days that have been and gone since she died I have seen rainbows. It might sound daft but I take them as a sign that Mum is smiling on me on those days, so I hope I have done this theme justice.

Shopping

I spent yesterday and today visiting with my Dad. It was great to catch up with all my family, I haven't been up to see them since a few weeks before my Scotland trip so it was long overdue. My Dad lives near a huge borders store and a Paperchase, I spent way more than I should have. It's probably a good thing that I don't go to visit more often, lol!

Here are my Borders purchases.

I've seen this magazine talked about on some of the other blogs I read but I've never found anywhere to buy it here so just had to give it a try. I have to say I adore the dress on the front and the article about Lindsay Mason the young designer of this was a lovely read, but aside from that I didn't really find much to tickle my fancy so I was a little disappointed.

Somerset studio I have bought before and have really enjoyed the other issues I've invested in, so far I have had time to have a look through this issue yet but I'm hoping that it will be more of the same.

And my Paperchase purchases....

This first journal has beautiful brown paper pages which I just couldn't resist. If I can bring myself to actually use it I think I will have a go at using it as a mixed media art journal. Once I am caught up on all my swap commitments and have more time to do some things for myself I hope to get back to do some painting and papercraft work.
This second journal had such a pretty cover I couldn't resist and it's filled with lovely slightly glossy blank pages so I'm planning on using this as a sketchbook, my drawing skills are pretty poor and I would like to practise some more. I also bought this pack of cute Kitty tissues from paperchase just because and some cute heart and flower paperclips which I thought could be used for embellishments both in stitch and paperwork. My bargain purchase of the day were a pack of 12 of these cute little bears, I can't figure out of they are perhaps knitted or crocheted, but they were only £1 so I just had to have them.Finally I bought a pack of paint brushes, these are really for kids crafts but there was such a great assortment of types and sizes and some sponge brushes I knew I'd find some use for them and I just loved the colours, even if I don't use them ever I think I will have to find a cute pot to put them in as I think they will look great on my work table just as a decoration.

Fool

Wow I just can't believe how fast this year is flying and how little time I seem to have at the moment for blogging and creating, no sooner do I feel like I am back in the creative swing than several days can fly by without me making a thing.

The weather here has gotten a bit better the last couple of weeks so we have spent more time out and about in the sunshine which I guess is one of the reasons time is flying so much. This weekend just gone we went camping to Swanage and the weekend before that we went into London to watch some of the Tour de France racing (pictures on Mark's blog).

I have still been plugging away at my big catch up though not as fast as I would like and here is a picture of one of the cards I made for an Artsnthemail April Fool swap.

I used a copyright free image I found on the net and painted my fool, then added some rubber stamped words. I thought that looked a little plain so I finished off with lots of french knots in variegated thread.

Collage

I can't believe it the sun is shining here today. We've had so many days of rain and greyness I'd almost forgotten what the sun looked like. The weathermen are telling us not to get too used to it though as they are predicting more rain for Monday, this is supposed to be summer?

I'm not sure I will get much creating done this weekend as I plan to go out and enjoy the fine weather while I can, but in the meantime here are a couple of postcards I finished off this morning for the Artsnthemail Something Beginning with C Swap. C is for Collage.

Collage in Blue # 1

Collage in Blue # 2

Collage in blue # 3

Have a great weekend everyone!

Spring

Well I hope you are all awake out there in blogland, it seems that my picture of Pip in the last post left a few feeling like they needed a nap, lol! Honestly that cat can sleep anywhere I don't know how he does it.

My postcard catch up is continuing apace. Here is my latest offering for the Artsnthemail Spring swap (I'm only a few months behind, sigh!) I decided to create a field full of lots of spring flowers.

I had a blast making these cards (five in all), working with all those tiny scraps of colour was just fun, fun, fun!

Getting Creative again

Finally I seem to have found my creative urge again. Yesterday afternoon I sat down and started making postcards and now it seems like I just can't stop. Here are some cards I made for three birthday girls at FAF.

Sorry the pics aren't great but they were all too lumpy to fit under the scanner. I also have 12 more cards in progress, all at various stages, waiting to be embellished, stitched or have backing added to them so hopefully there will be plenty of made things to share later this week.

Also I just had to share this cute picture of one of my cat's Pip. I have started to pile a whole bunch of things on my desk which need sorting to help me get the spare room straight. pip decided that he would make this pile of stuff his bed. Next to the pile was the cute bunny I bought from Vi a while back and Pip decided it would be the perfect thing for a cuddle.

Spirit Doll

I'm feeling on top of the world today. I have to admit that I think since getting back from my vacation and being hit by a virus straight after I've been suffering from a bout of depression (I've been suffering with this horrible life stopper since Mum died). I'm still so far behind with my swap commitments, my house is a mess and work has been stressful all this although not really hugely important in the scheme of things has just felt a bit overwhelming.

Well yesterday Mark and I had a total chill out day. We did something we haven't done since university, stay in bed until mid afternoon, chatting and watching movies. I probably shouldn't admit what a total slob I am but we didn't actually bother getting up until nearly 4pm!I feel like a naught teenager again indulging in some wasted time.

I think the recharge did me good though as I'm feeling totally chilled and in high spirits today. Speaking of spirits I thought I'd share some pictures with you of my doll from the second beaded RR that I have been participating in. She came home to me last week and I adore her. Here is the post which shows what she looked like when she left me. Here she is in all her finished glory.

As you can see some of her sides are totally covered in beads and others are less beaded. I had first thought that I would fill in all the blanks but actually I have come to love her just as she is. I think the different density of beading one each side just makes her even more interesting.

Today I am planning on making some more inroads in clearing out the spare room so that I can finish moving all my craft stuff in and hopefully I will find some time to make a few postcards too I really need to get back into the creative habit to catch up on all that I am behind in.