Week 3

Another short post - I've been staying home, trying not to watch too much news, and been to Sainsburys twice.   Most people have been sensible except for those that think it is ok to barge into that 2m of space I was keeping.

I've been out in the garden - it's been ages since it rained and everywhere is so dry.  It's going to be one of those funny years.  It was so wet with torrential rain at the start of the year and everywhere was flooded.  Now the weather has improved, lovely and sunny, and we are stuck at home.  As soon as we are allowed out, the rains will come back and then there'll be deep snow to finish the year off.  All doom, gloom and despondency!!

On a brighter note my husband has been out a few times.  He belongs Sussex 4x4 Response which were mainly set up to help the emergency services in inclement weather - driving doctors through the snow etc.   Currently they are distributing PPE for the NHS - the Army are delivering it by the pallet loads and Mike and his colleagues are taking to hospitals and care homes etc.  Yesterday he went to Sussex University to get all their PPE and take to a hospital.   Every little helps.

Elaine xx

Distancing week 2

I know its April Fool's Day but this is not a joke.   It's week 2 of being asked to stay in and other than a couple of trips to the supermarket I've been nowhere.   This in fact could be a really short post!!

I have got loads of things I could be doing but as we are going to be in this for the long haul, why rush to hoover all the cobwebs this week when I might be really really bored next week or the end of April.....or the end of May …. who knows?    I was thinking we could make a start on the loft and clear out some junk but the dump has now shut and I have a nasty feeling council's will soon forget about recycling and be concentrating on just general rubbish collections.

My daughter is working from home so I intend to make weekends different, get everyone off their screens and play cards, do jigsaws, read proper paper books.  The weather next week is looking so much better - 17 degrees here in the south - so it will be back in the garden tidying up.  Then when it's time to plant out summer plants we can hopefully get a delivery from the local nursery to support them.

That's it folks - stay inside and stay safe!

Elaine

Life in 2020

So where did all that time go.  I can't believe it is nearly 2 yrs since I blogged but obviously now I have plenty of time!

Like everyone else in the country I have stayed in for the last week except for a walk across the road to offer our services to the elderly couple opposite - they're computer savvy and order food online but have only managed to get one more delivery so they have our telephone number if they need anything.  I've been to the supermarket once and got most of what we needed - my OH is pleased there hasn't been a run on Easter Eggs yet - and I went for a walk in the local park.  That was fun - hardly anyone out although I did meet a lady I worked with 27yrs ago so we had a bit of a catch up from a distance.

Is it not sensible to stay in?  It makes sense to me - hopefully I might not catch it and might not give it others.   I can't believe how many people went to the coast - yes it was a sunny day but places were heaving.   School's out so loads of teenagers in groups.  I guess it will take one local death before everyone takes it seriously.

Anyway I guess I have lots of stuff to keep me occupied - a year's supply of card and crafting stuff, loads of beads, family history research and that's before all the mundane jobs of clearing the house of rammel.   I think it's just a case of taking one day at a time, keeping in touch with friends and getting through this.   Hopefully I'll get to blog weekly too.

Stay safe everyone.

Elaine x

Where did the Summer go?

Well I almost feel embarrassed at how lax I've been and how long it is since I posted anything.  Today is not going to be any different either but at least I have 5 minutes to myself.

I spent most of May and June and a week in July invigilating exams at the local school - I think I did 60 exams in 7 weeks.  Very tiring on the feet and whilst you are not doing much, by the time I got home I ate then fell asleep.   We did manage a week in Somerset visiting the sites, gardens and the coast, drinking cider and eating cheddar.

As soon as the exams finished my dad ended up in hospital so that involved trips north.  After 4 weeks he managed to get out and we joined him to celebrate his 93rd birthday and my parents' 70th wedding anniversary.  A day later both my parents fell over and were both taken to hospital.

That's why my blog has been left unattended, I haven't had chance to make anything, join in any challenges and if I've missed commenting on your blog posts then I apologise but sometimes life gets in the way.  Hopefully things will quieten down and I will feel more creative again.....one day!!

Elaine xx

Number Games

Over on the UK Stampers Forum on Facebook there are lots of new challenges for April.  I like doing the ATCs and Inchies. 

The theme for the ATCs was Numbers so I've gone for Dominoes, Bingo and Cribbage.  I've used some Maya Road Mini Bingo stamps and stencilled the backgrounds using Andy Skinners Industrial Elements Stencil.   The dominoes and mini playing cards came in crackers which I squirrel away for just these occasions.  Having thought about it there is not much stamping but ........

The Inchie challenge is Anything Goes but having found these cute Mini Bingo stamps from Maya Road I thought I'd use them for my Inchies.  In my quest to use up ink sprayed card in my bit box I dug out 6 different colours and 6 ink pads and went for it!!  

Hope you like my makes this April.  If you have a spare hour or two why not have a go and join in the Challenges!

Elaine xx

Crocus - Sign of Spring

After being in school for 2 weeks doing mock exams I've at last had chance to get my Inchies and ATCs done for the UK Stampers Forum on Facebook.   There are lots of other swaps you can join in but these are the ones I enjoy doing.

I started by spraying A4 card with Citrus Lime and Bramley Apple spray inks and added a sprinkling of Emerald and Leaf Green Brushos.   For the set of 6 Inchies I cut the squares and added some gold embossed Spring Flowers. The daffodils were free with a magazine, the tulips part of a Stampendous stamp and the crocus are from an old Elusive Images/Chocolate Baroque set.

 

The ATCs were again cut from the sprayed brusho background and then stamped using various stamps from the Crocus set from Elusive Images/Chocolate Baroque.   I've just added more colour with Tombow Brush Pens and printed out Spring quotes.

 

It was good of you to visit and thanks for leaving a comment.  Lets just hope we don't get too much snow this weekend and the Spring flowers can flourish!

 

Elaine xx

 

 

Mini Doodling Album

Here's a stamped mini doodling book I made and have entered it in the Mini Album Makers Challenge where the theme for March is Anything Goes as long as it is a completed album.  In a way this is not a completed album as it is designed to be zentangled, doodled or coloured by the recipient, but it is fastened together so hope it counts!!

The completed album is 4" square made from 3 double-sided sections of 4" x 8" silver grey card and just fastened together with black twine. 

 

 

  Each page is about 3.5" of white card stamped with Oak House Studio's Double Daisy stamps.

I've just randomly stamped on the white pages and it's up to you how you finish it off.  I've started zentangling in the black and white top daisy, outlined the red one, you can join the flowers and shapes, you can colour the outlined daisies.  It's just a simple little book that you can put in your handbag with a few pens and you can idle that train journey/flight away!!

Hope you like the idea and thanks for visiting.

Elaine xx