Happy Crafting with Ginger Claire

I've had a fab weekend here in Durham, Durham... ;) and before you ask, no, I haven't seen much of the city! I've been sitting at Ginger's dining room table surrounded by stamps, paper & glue from dawn until well after dusk! This weekend we've been taking part in the Papertreyink Stamp-a-faire Camp Challenge which has been happening in crafting cyberspace. I love their products so much and have learnt a lot about stamping techniques and die cutting this weekend. Myself & the lovely Ginger have been stamping, inking, cutting die shapes, making flower embellishments, making handmade paper beads, little tags, learning how to layer stamps and last but not least, creating zany backgrounds using inks and you'll never guess, shaving foam!

Take a look at this amazing video. Ginger is a natural in front of the camera and I can't believe this is her first crafting video. Now she's on a roll, I don't think it will be her last! If you click through to YouTube, you'll find a few more we did on the same theme. May be easier and safer than searching for 'shaving foam' videos!!

Here's my very first card of the weekend! This isn't patterned paper. Every detail has been created by yours truly using the soon to be released (though we got the sneak preview sets) Natural Beauties stamp set and inks. Isn't it fab? You can find lots of tutorials for these techniques on http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/

I had loads of fun ma,ing this card. This orange flower was created using bits of ribbon, a candle and a lot of perseverance! By holding the tiny strips of ribbon over a lit candle, the ends melted and began to curl. My first attempt turned into a horrid, brown, singed mess because I used the wrong kind of ribbon. Ginger was pleased that I didn't set her kitchen on fire! But I wasn't going to give up so armed with a different ribbon, I cut strips and began to curl the ends, one at a time. The strips are sewn together in the centre and I've glued a chunky pink ribbon to the centre to cover the ends. Again, I completely stamped the background and decorated the centre of the flowers with pearl gems. I've die cut a lace border and die cut and stamped a greetings tag to finish.

Here's my embellishment challenge card. This was a fun ine to do because I love making embellishements. I began by staming the centre flower before I die cut all three the flower shapes, curled the petals, glued them together and added a button, tied with string, to the centre. The card was made by layering plain and patterned papers, using a die cut shape stamped with ink for the background to the flower. No card is really complete without a greeting so I die cut the banner shape, stamed the border and greeting then mounted up on a strip of green to finish.

 

This was one of my favourite projects of the entire weekend! The challenge was to create a set of cards, tags of whatever using Papertreyink products. That wouldn't be difficult because their stamps, dies, inks and card stock is just so lovely. I began by die cutting the tag shapes, folding I half and stamping the fronts with the all over patterns. I used the big crocodile punch to make two small holes across the fold then threaded with orange twine to create a hanging thread. I faintly stamped the bracket embellishment detail on the ftont, followed by a quirky greeting and another bracket to finish. I love the fact that they're small and just the thing to send to my lovely family and friends to let them know I'm thinking about them.

 

The jewellery beading class was as fun as it sounds! I die cut the paper strips, four sheets at a time. And sat watching CSI last night whilst I glued and rolled each strip, ne by one, around a large wooden kebab squewer. Today I finished them off by adding who coats of clear nail varnish and right at this moment, at half past midnight, Miss Ginger Claire is threading them onto a wire to make a bracelet!

I've decided that although these handmade beads look sweet, I'm not going into full time production, oh no!

This weekend has been my introduction to Ginger's Slimming World! We've eaten healthily, had few syns and enjoyed every morsel!

No crafting weekend is complete without a bottle of fizz but as we're both trying to lose weight, we had just the one bottle between us and made it last all weekend! Shock, horror, can you believe it...!

Here's my little tub of pretty stamped bunting. I die cut the triangles, stamped them with pretty coloured patterns and they're ready to be stuck onto a handmade card. Easy, pease and very pleasurable!

Believe it, or not, this is slimming food fit for two crafting princesses ;) we have dined on vegetable and prawn couscous, fresh fruit, a yummy but very healthy cooked breakfast, delicious fish pie, summer strawberry meringues and beef and mushroom stroganoff with delicious potato wedges! Can this be a diet, I hear you say? The secret is Ginger's measuring jug, her scales and Fry-light!

 

 

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Blogsy

Oh what a find! I've been struggling to update my blog from my iPad but today I found blogsy, phew, my saviour ;)

 

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Changes abound!

Sometimes it appears that there's no forward motion in my life. I need change and when the world is changing so fast around me, far from feeling comfortable with stability, I seek out ways to make small changes. No one really wants the big, life changing moments that can occur because many of these are beyond our control. When I'm feeling restless, a small change will suffice ;)
So this week has fed my desire for change in so many lovely ways. I've received communication from someone who upset me a little while ago. Whilst there's no acknowledgement of the pain they caused, the leap over the silent hurdle is certainly a big step in the right direction. If you read my previous 'shaken' post you'll know that I am good at waiting, I am a Lady after all!

"Good things do indeed come to those who wait".

This week I have had not one, but two men in my bedrooms! One man arrived to complete the work begun in January! My two bathrooms, including the scary hole in the wall, have now been brought back to their former glory with a dash and a lick of fresh paint. And here's where I feel a fanfare coming on.. !!! After months of deliberating and faffing, a few days of mess and living in a very crowded bedroom, I have new fitted wardrobes and I LOVE THEM!And best of all, I don't have to share, yeah!
Paul the Hammonds wardrobe fitter has done a brilliant job. See how my bare room became a room with a shell, then a room with doors and eventually after a lot of hard work, my new wardrobes appeared with everything within (bar a male escort!) a girl could ever want!

The doors are a creamy, dreamy colour with a deep gloss finish and best of all shhhh soft closing.. :))

I have my rails x 3, a shelf x 1, deep drawers x 2, the most beautiful glass fronted drawers x 4 and last but definitely not least, shoe racks that slide in and out x 4! I can now store 8 pairs of lovely shoes on just one shelf.

Mmm, new shoes!!

I have space for hanging, rails for scarves, a full length mirror and more space behind them than I ever had before! I'm delighted with my new furniture and can't wait to fill it!

My 2012 Mini Party Weekend!

A lovely Borth weekend!

Today was definitely Sunny Sunday! From the blustery, wet day that was Saturday, we woke up to sunshine, blue skies and a long walk around the dunes at Ynyslas. It's been over a year since I was in Borth and I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it. Though Borth was never about the place. It was always about the people. I've had a great weekend with my little brother and my Mom. When we were kids, we used to share all the jobs like washing up, wiping up, cooking etc. One of us would make a rota! It appears that my little brother's name was against every job this weekend ;) he cooked for us, washed up, wiped up and although I felt quite lazy, I loved it!

 Greg never goes anywhere without Pop and Pud + Lazy Daisy, who I've renamed Dave! Ok, I misheard once and the new name has stuck.

 It was lovely to be beside the seaside. There's something compelling about watching the waves crash onto the beach and even though the weather wasn't brilliant this weekend, today was still a perfect day.

We walked the plank, chatted about old times and raised a 'magnum' ice lolly to Father, Dear Father on his Father's Day. We all know how much we miss him and I for one, was glad to be with my lovely family today :) x

12 + 3 = SOR-RY!

I'm having one hell of a week so far! Look at these beautiful roses that I bought to cheer myself up. Did you know that you should always count the number of roses before you give them to someone because every numbers has a different meaning. Here's a well kept secret and one that could save you money next Valentine's Day!

1 rose for love at first sight - you are 'The one'

3 to say 'I love you'

7 to say 'Together forever'

10 to say 'Perfection'

12 to say 'Be mine'

13 is for friendship

15 to say 'I'm sorry'

There were 15 in my bunch so either I'm supposed to say sorry for something or perhaps there's a sorry coming my way! Roll on FRIDAY, at the end of which I will be celebrating with champagne flowing and corks popping - just because I can ;-}

I've forgotten the question... !

But the answer always is a lovely, home cooked, tasty beef and cider casserole!

What should have been a very quiet, short week has turned into a topsy, turvy week that has been more challenging than trying to climb Mount Everest in high heels. I feel like a cocktail that's been shaken wildly and I'm still stirred by the experience. Sometimes 'stuff' happens and what some people don't realise is that their actions hurt people like me. It may be work to them but they should know that I'm so close to my work that I can't fail to get upset by other people's stormy approach to life. And before anyone says 'toughen up' that's just not me. Where I expected a friend, I found a foe. Where I thought I'd hear praise, I heard shouting. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty tough but I don't like confrontation.

Stuck between an olive and a sharp stick, I walked into Nailsworth in the rain and bought some braising beef and a bottle of "Kopparberg" premium cider with mixed fruit. The sweetness of the cider caramelises the beef and the anchovies, my masterstroke, hide within the gravy so no one knows they're there, only me! My secret ingredient plus chopped chestnuts, garlic, bay leaves, carrots and onions add a richness to the gravy that makes it taste heavenly and marinating all the ingredients at the beginning makes sure that every single morsel is absolutely delicious. Suddenly, the 'stuff' going on in my work life is far less of a bother. And I'm reassured by the fact that in the end.. "Good things come to those who wait?"

Our Diamond Jubilee Concert

I loved this concert! It was attended by all the Royals and has been one of the great highlights of this very Royal weekend. Who else could get such a star studded line up which included Dame Shirley Bassey, Kylie, Tom Jones, JLS, Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, Robbie Williams, Stevie Wonder and one of my faves, Sir Paul Mc Cartney but Gary Barlow. The Royals looked chilled and Harry was definitely the most eligible bachelor of the night!

 Sir Paul doing what comes naturally with old Beatles hits and he was outstanding!

I'd watched the programme during the week with Gary Barlow travelling around the Commonwealth to collect singers and performers for 'Sing' the official Diamond Jubilee Song. With 200 performers on the stage, including Military Wives, Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber, BBC Concert Orchestra and the African's Childrens Choir, it was an amazing performance and one of the most moving of the night.

What an amazing spectacle and as a pre-cursor to the Olympics, I sincerely hope Gary has had a hand in those celebrations too.

 What an icon - Stevie Wonder, top performer and so humble, I could have listened to him all night long!

 HRH still managed to raise a smile, even though Prince Philip is in hospital. She couldn't help but feel 'the love' and although she must be pretty tired by now, as always, she looked amazing.

 A bit of Madness going on on the roof of Buckingham Palace! Loved the 'Our House' images and the fact that one minute it was Madness and the next, Alfie Boe, Renee Fleming and pianist, Lang Lang were adding a wonderful classical twist to the proceedings. The palace made such a wonderful backdrop to the concert and the special lighting effects were fantastic to watch.

 Peter Kay as the best Beefeater you've ever seen.

 Spot the Royals having a fun time at the concert. Zara in particular looks beautiful and obviously enjoying herself.

 The Mall festooned with Union Jack flags and just packed with concert gooers.

SPECTACULAR and one of the most memorable images of the entire night!!

A right Royal Diamond Jubilee weekend!

It's such a novelty to have a 4-day weekend. Two days is a relief after my busy weeks. Three days always feels like I'm getting 50% extra and do you know what? This 4-day special weekend feels like it's going on forever and I love it! I kicked started this very special Diamond Jubilee weekend by going to the theatre with Lucious Lisa, her friend Carol and husband Gary,to see Murder on the Nile. I love live entertainment of any kind so although this wasn't the best performance I'd ever seen, it was still good. One big 'Boo Boo' was the omission of Poirot anywhere in the plot! Surely they can't have forgotten about the little guy with the funny accent, the dark moustache and the funny walk!? Nevertheless, the meal at Red Peppar was as delicious as ever and it was a night out - I'm always up for a good night out.