Rubber Stamping - North Wales

there you are. Where have you been?  I have been looking everywhere for you – haven’t seen you in a week. You may have gathered that it has been difficult to get online.  Last year we popped into McDonalds every so often but this year when we went in on Monday we couldn’t get into their system – so I couldn’t get to my emails either.  The other day we found a coffee shop that has a Wi-Fi link so hopefully I can blog every couple of days now.  So in preparation we can get online today (Thursday 28 June) I am writing this in Word & hope I can copy & paste into the blog. Last time I wrote we were in Chard (I think) staying over night before visiting my cousins.  After that we drove to the New Forest where we stayed in a beautiful hotel overlooking fields full of deer.  In the morning (Friday 22 June) we drove to Portsmouth popping in to see my friend & then pottering aro9und the area until it was time to catch the ferry to St Malo....

Birthday Greetings It is 25 June & someone else has a birthday today Whee! - It's Me Happy birthday to me & thank you so very much for all your lovely birthday cards. They are displayed all round the room in the gite I am looking forward to some of that wine later this evening. 

Birthday Greetings It is 25 June & a Mold member has a birthday Happy Birthday Clare Have a lovely day 

Hello ladies Well it has started.  My 2012 holiday.  Sorry! our 2012 holiday - seeing as Bob is here too. After leaving home this morning we drove to Swansea where we met up with Bob's cousins. We then went to a restaurant down at the Marina for lunch.  It looked lovely as we approached & entered - but then I found the restaurant was on floor 28.  Now you must all know by now I am not good with heights.  Anyway they showed us to a table that was right by a window - but with high stools.  There is no way I could sit next to a window that high up & then on high stools.  So they found us a more standard table but I sat furthest away from the windows.  The view was spectacular across Swansea bay & our light lunch was fantastic. We had a really great 2-3 hours with them catching up on news & delighted to hear that they will be with us on our special day next April. From Swansea we drove to Chard in Somerset where we are staying fo...

Hi everyone I didn't really get up & write this post at 7:00 am - I wrote it yesterday & scheduled for publishing at this time. I have a pretty hectic day today, the we start part of our holiday tomorrow, as we work our way down to Portsmouth for the ferry, stopping off to visit family & friends on the way.  Our ferry is Friday night. This one is for my youngest niece - that is the last of my Dufex toppers I think. I made one like this some time ago - it is made using one of CaroLines digital sets, & when I made the first one I printed off a couple of each image - so had enough to make this card. This one is for my brothers girlfriend whose birthday is the day after mine.  The silhouette card above that is for her daughter in law whose birthday is the day after hers.  Such a busy week. As per other years whilst I have been on holiday I will blog as often as I can.  We know that near the gite there is a McDonalds that has fr...

last night's fantastic sunset. You know what is coming next, don't you.  We were leaving Gareth's home after a really lovely meal & family evening & I couldn't believe the colour. Before I could rush indoors & get my camera we had to take Russ & Nadine home & I was getting so worried it would all be over before I could take any photos.  But no - it hung on long enough for me ........... the colour is unbelievable, & it was changing as I snapped these shots. these photos are taken from the front of the house & the colour in the clouds is the reflection from the sunset behind me. They were a lovely pinky purple colour. Right! I thought I would just pop in & show you those.  I now have to get all domestic & do my ironing for the holiday - ugh. Tomorrow I will show you the cards that I made this morning.  I think with the making of those I am up to date until I return from holiday. 'Bye for now....

Good afternoon ladies Today I have entered another challenge - this time the one over at CD Sunday Challenge Blog where the theme is "Delicious Damask".  Here is my card .............. The papers & image are from a  couple of MCS CD's.  The ladies hat & shoulder were cut from a second image so I could 3-d it.  The scalloped oval was from a punch that hasn't seen light of day for a while.  It was just the right size allowing me to overlap the image on it.  Decoration was added with some organza ribbon, some little flowers & flat back pearls.  I think this will be my friends 70th birthday card. I also stamped a long stem rose - 4 times - in preparation for some more birthday cards. This is quite a good sized image - I got it at the stamp festival from Dimension Stamps - & I have used a scalloped circle to die cut it. Tomorrow I will colour them with Pro-markers & convert them into cards. The rest of the day ...

Hi I have just popped back quickly to let you know I have updated the club project page with photos of the paper piecing technique. I should have done this earlier in the week. Thank you to Joanna for the photos.

Hello everyone. So! another wet weekend - ah well we should be used to it by now. Oh & it was wet in Liverpool yesterday. After picking up our grand-daughter Olivia, we drove to Hooton station & took the train to Liverpool.  As we had some time to spare (the show was at 5:30) we decided to pop along & take a look at Liverpool One.  After a wander amongst the shops we went up onto the terrace area to find somewhere for our meal before going to the theatre. We found a little French style restaurant called Cafe Rouge where we had a very nice leisurely meal.  Then it was back into the shops & the train into Liverpool Lime Street.  Yes! we probably could have walked it - but it was raining, raining, raining. Bob had booked our seats in the circle in the front row of the upper section.  When the lady on the door took our tickets she informed us we might be asked to move downstairs to the stalls as there weren't many seats taken.  But we de...

Good afternoon ladies A slight improvement in the weather today - so perhaps better weather is on the way.  i haven't seen the forecast today - so I could be way way out in my thoughts. I have managed to do a little crafting today & have made 2 cards.  First a card for a challenge blog his was for a blog called "Crafts4Eternity"  where the theme this week was travel,  The card looks a little grey but it is actually Kraft card & paper. The image is one of a set of various cars & I stamped it in black.  The little embellishments are actually bead-like things that florists use to keep flowers in place, in a clear vase.  They come in all sorts of colours.  They have the advantage over brads that you don;t have to pierce the card. With some masculine birthdays still to come during the year - this will be very suitable.  So I will have to make some more using the other cars. I also made another birthday card to add to my co...

Hi ladies What an awful day !  But I mustn't complain as at least we haven't been flooded, unlike lots of people elsewhere in Wales & around the country. Well, I had a workshop this afternoon - or rather I didn't, as only one lady turned up & she went home again.  I felt so sorry for her, to have come out in this weather for nothing. I have a couple of cards to show you, & also another Twinchie & One layer sample. The one layer sample does not show up so well here as the different "layers" of green are not clear..  The twinchie has some red pearls & the bow on it.  The L'amour stamp is from Lavinia Stamps. Two cards same design, different colours. They continue along the clean & simple style which is my favourite at the moment. I am thinking of entering the lilac & yellow one in a blog challenge. As I have more time to myself this afternoon than I had believed, after I have posted this & the cha...

Hi everyone I went into Chester today as I wanted to purchase some Hotter shoes for my holiday.  My chiropodist recommended them.  So having had a look on the Internet at the styles available - off I popped.  First I had to find out if they had the style(s) I wanted, then my size.  It would appear I wear a half size bigger now.  The shop is strangely organised as all the stock is upstairs - so every  time you need a different size, or style the ladies have to run up & down the stairs.  I felt worn out just watching them.  I managed to get a pair of sandals. On the way home I popped into the garden centre at Daleside as they have a small selection of Hotter shoes & I managed to pick up a reduced pair of "proper" slip on shoes.  So not a bad trip. A lot of shops are closing down in Chester.  I haven't been for a while & got quite a surprise. Whilst I was there I also popped into Andy's craft shop in Chester Market. ...

Birthday Greetings It is 12 June & a Mold II member has a birthday Happy Birthday Sue Have a lovely day. 

..... maybe - maybe not. Hello ladies I hope you all had a good & enjoyable weekend.  I spent mine as you can see above - emptying cupboards.  I am very fortunate to have a lot of cupboards on my landing some of which over the years have got filled with craft things.  The only thing is  - they have not been looked at for a while.  So this weekend was the start of correcting that fault. Why did I buy this?  Why did I keep this?  Wonder what I was doing with this! Well! - so that is where that disappeared to! Take a look at these I had a passion at one time for polystyrene shapes - covering them in patchwork material, ribbon & as we can see here - sequins & ribbon.  I wonder what I made it for?  Was I going to give it to someone?  Did I make it for a raffle prize? and this one? I must have had a lot of patience. Now I wonder what else I was going to put on this one ............ and ............... I ...

Birthday Greetings It is 9 June & a CSNW member has a birthday Happy birthday Joyce Have a lovely day 

Hi!  I am back again with some more photos This time the CSNW project from last night - where it was time for the little accordion tag front card. Before I show them I have to say that I am a little worried that there are only 6 to show you. I am sure I took more than that.  I will check my picture folders to see if they inadvertently got put in a different folder, & my camera to check if I have left them on there. A lovely black & grey style - Debbie Moore papers were used. Delicate lilacs & blues - some more work to be done on the tag A lovely lilac & cream design Another black & grey design - those colours always look so elegant Pretty blue paper with butterflies & some paper tearing in the design.   Several ladies tried paper tearing for the first time last night. Another black & grey design with a splash of colour. A really big apology if your card is not here - perhaps bring them back ne...

Good afternoon everyone Here I am with the first set of photos from last nights CSNW meeting.  They are of the Show & Tell where the theme was colour - Kraft, Green & Brown. A pretty quilled design I am not a big cat over - but I just love this image - she is sooo snooty in her beautiful collar. This flower is really beautiful & I forgot to ask how it was put together as there is at least 3 or 4 different sized layers.  It looks like a die-cut flower.  i must try & remember to ask next meeting. A brilliant use of the labels die-cuts & the flowers look just great on them A very clever use of different textures as well as the colours Another clever use of the colours ........... & to everyones surprise each square was just a little off the size of Twinchies, which we are going to be looking at in the next few months. This photo has not turned out as well as it should, to do it credit - so my apologie...

Good evening ladies I have not been in long following the CSNW meeting. It took me a little longer tonight as I stopped twice to try & take a photo of the gorgeous sunset.  I haven't looked yet to see how they turned out. This evening was a very pleasant evening with almost a full house.  Recently we have had some new members join so our numbers are looking better.  In fact - I think we are now full again.  Given that there were 4 ladies away tonight if everyone attended there would not be spare room.  Should you hear of anyone interested please ask them to contact me first. I am hoping to do a bit of holiday shopping tomorrow morning in Chester, I desperately need new summer shoes, & then I will get the photos from tonight onto the blog for you to see. That is it for tonight then - more tomorrow.  Night night.

Good morning everyone - well it was morning when I started typing - I suspect by the time I finish the clock will have crept past noon. Those images I created yesterday are now turned into cards - each one along a similar theme - I d so like those stamps & also I seem to be stuck in a colour theme at the moment.  I didn't have a Happy Birthday stamp that wouldn't over power the images - so I wrote it in as neatly as possibly by hand. I also created a couple of "Twinchies" for you to see. They are quite easy really - you must remember us doing "Inchies" - well! these are twice the size.  Simples! They can be as simple or as ornate as you like.  Ooh look - I can do other colours! Also, here is another sample of "One layer stamping" - I really like this idea & will have more ideas for you what it is the project at the meeting. Oops! back to the same colours again. I have to go & get the box ready ...

Birthday Greeting Its 6 June & a CSNW member has a birthday Happy Birthday Gwen Have a lovely day 

Good evening ladies Well! what a weekend it has been - did you watch any of the jubilee celebrations today?  It was a such a shame that Prince Philip had to miss the last 2 events - but his health is of course important - let's hope he is soon well & back with his family. I managed to do a little crafting today - the preparation work for some birthday cards & twinchie samples.  Tomorrow I will finish the birthday cards & then take photos of everything to show you. Tomorrow evening is the June meeting for the CSNW ladies - oh yes - & here is a reminder.  Just in case we have time - remember to have a long length of smooth ribbon with you.  Required amounts differ but bring about 2 metres & about 1cm wide should be about right. So that is it for tonight be back tomorrow with more. Night night

Hi everyone I am popping in very quickly to mention a message that has been sent to my comments box on the post about the Olympic Torch. The lady is called Liz Bryan & she is the mother of Charlotte who took over the Olympic torch in Gladstone way just where I was stood.  Unfortunately I cannot see anywhere within her message & clicking on her name where I can email the photos to.  So! Liz if you are checking the blog again can you send me your email - the comments are moderated so it will not be published. I hope you are still enjoying the weekend.  We have just finished watching part of the Jubilee Concert - we recorded it just in case there was anything we wanted to skip.  Hey! what did you think of Grace Jones & that hoolah-hoop.  I couldn't keep it going that long when I was fit  - & she is 64. That's me - more tomorrow Night night

Hi everyone Have you been watching the Jubilee Pageant?  We have & we were disappointed by the number of times the BBC went off to talk to "celebrities" who actually didn't fit the programme.  Bob was checking something on the Internet & found a forum where people were passing comments about it - & the BBC was getting a real slating.  Then almost at the end he spotted a message that if you watched it via the red button you didn't get all those interruptions.  If only we had known - it was much more enjoyable. I thought the Queen looked lovely & what an appropriate dress - although I thought she looked frozen by the end of it all. I feel sorry for all those people who had arranged street parties & outdoor events - but it does look like, in true British grit style - they all still went ahead & thoroughly enjoyed.  If you were doing something special I hope it went (or perhaps I should say hope it goes) well, as there is still a ...

Hi everyone Just popping in hoping you are having a good start to the bank holiday weekend. This morning before doing our weekly shop Bob & I popped back to the florist wholesalers to buy the rest of the flowers I need.  He had liked the colour choice I found yesterday with Nadine & so I thought it best to get it all in now - otherwise it might have been difficult later.  So one more stage covered towards next April. Later in the day we went out with Gareth for a meal after which he came back home with us & a pleasant evening sat talking about family & lots of other things. Between the shopping & going out with Gareth we took a rest ^ decided to watch the programme about the Queen that Prince Charles narrated & appeared in.  It showed lots of unseen film & photos & was absolutely delightful. Bob enjoyed pointing out different events - especially those to do with the Royal Yacht - where he had actually been serving at the time of the...

Hi everyone For some time now I have fancied trying this technique - or perhaps art style - but kept putting it off for other things.  If you have heard of it you will know what it is - you may have seen Barbara Gray on C&C doing a little bit of it.  If you haven't heard of it - it is basically "doodling".  Have you sat talking on the phone to a friend & picked up a pencil & doodled on a pad, then carried on filling some of it in with patterns?  Well then, if your answer is yes, you have basically been zentangling. A couple of days ago when going through my stamps I "found" one that seemed to be just made for the purpose.  So this morning I stamped it onto a piece of card - twice in fact.  Then I practised some patterns - then this afternoon when I got back from my time out with Nadine - I zentangled the image.  I used an outline flower that I had bought from Dimension Stamps. Here it is. I have put a slightly larger photo...