WOYWW

Here's what's on my work desk today.  I've been busy preparing pages for my journals.  At the moment I've got 6 on the go, all different with different styles.  I'm experimenting and trying to find my own 'thingy' if you know what I mean, lol.  I've also made a few gift tags as I've got some birthdays coming up with pressies to buy.  I've got out my Aridondack colour washes read to start spraying the journal which is in the forefront, and got a cut out image ready to use.  What's on your work desk today?  Why not join in the fun here.

Sunday Stampers Week 97 - Birds - Let Me Fly Free

Here's my entry for Sunday Stampers hosted by Hels.  Background is various DI, can't remember the colours, but they are the old colours, not the new ones.  The birdcage is based on a Crafty Individual stamp, which I've machined stitched.  Large bird is 7 Gypsies and the small ones T!m's.  Finished off with a Dymo legend.  Machine stitched all the way round.  I cannot stand birds in cages after reading Brian Keenans 'An Evil Cradling'.  If you've never read this book I strongly recommend it.

WOYWW

Here's what's on my work desk this dark, rainy morning in Sheffield.  As you can see I'm a very messy crafter and like to have things all over the place because I flit from one thing to another, hence my name, flutterby crafter.  There's a journal page almost finished, I did a Zentangle hand which I first saw on Lesley's blog, a couple of projects in black and pink and an image ready to be coloured for a card.  Hope the weather is better where you are.  Have a good day.

Lesley's got some great blog candy

Take a look at the very talented Lesley here, she has some great blog candy available.

A quick and easy card

I needed to make a quick card for a friend, to be able to get it in the post.  The background is various colours of Glimmer Mists sprayed on, the images are Paperbag Studio and the Happy Birthday is a Hero arts stamp.  Made in minutes but I think quite effective.

Rachel's birthday card

It's my daughter's birthday this week and this is the card I've made for her, a la Wendi Vecchi.  I used 7 Gypsies paper to mount onto card, then pearl TSS Studio metal, sprayed with different colours of Glimmer Mists.  The heart is again TSS in Barn Red, and then popped a bit of ribbon round.  The flower is grunge paper, coloured with fired brick and then added a couple of sentiments.

It's a beautiful day here in sunny North Sheffield, I've washed everything in sight and it's all drying nicely on the line, I just love to see it all blowing gently in the breeze.  Pity I feel so rough that I can't go out and enjoy the sun.  Hope you are all enjoying today.

Gingersnap Creations 47

Here's my entry for GC47, we had to use the colours copper, ginger or rust.  I love these colours and decided to make a wall hanging for a friend of mine who is 40 this weekend.  Made with TSS metal, the 40 was stamped from a PaperArtsy stamp, puffed out and then I poured UTEE over it.  I painted black acrylic paint over the background, added a grunge paper rose, which I edged with Viva copper paint, hope you can see that, it's quite effective in RL.  

Last night we made a Pardo necklace at Craft Den Studio, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, a good night was had by all, lots of chat, laughter and eating of cake.  This is mine, I used turquoise and pink.  

It is my wedding anniversary today, 43 years!!!!!!!, and I have bought a new top to go out in and decided to use the colours for the necklace to match the top.  Mind you, I did buy it 2 weeks ago and since then some more side effects have kicked in, I put on 6 lbs last week and my face is now enormous, really blown up.  And guess what.....I slept for 7 hours last night.....yeah, I feel fantastic this morning, so as a little treat to myself, I'm off to Meadowhall for some retail therapy.

Have a good day, I'm going to.

Birthday card for Mo

It's my friend Mo's birthday today and here's the card I've made for her.  Been influenced by all the metalwork done at the Artsycraft weekend (I went last October and would recommend it to anyone), so got out my  stash and gave it a go.  The heart was cut from chipboard with my Cricut and the butterflies are, of course, grunge paper.

Right, up early to make a cake as I shall be seeing her tonight at Craft Den Studio.

Blog Candy from Gingersnap Creations

Check out this great blog candy from Gingersnap Creations.

Happy Birthday Pat

It's Pat's birthday today, and this is the card I've made for her.  She likes grungy and altered art so thought long and hard about what sort of card to make.  Hope she likes it.

Cute and Scones

Those of you who know me, know that I don't usually do 'cute', but tomorrow we are going down to our daughters and will be seeing our granddaughters for the first time since Christmas.  I am so excited, I usually see them at least once a month, but you all know why it's been such a long time.  Lucie and Charlotte love making cards, so I've made this one as a sample for them, stamps the images ready and I'm actually going to let them have a go with my Copics....

Another brill recipe for you..

I made these at 8.00 this morning and as I put them on the plate to photo, Maurice decided he would have another, I made 9 and now there are only 6 left,  he's been sneaking in whilst I've been in my craft room.  Naughty boy....we're supposed to be watching what we eat.

Mabels Scones (it was a recipe from my mother-in-law)

8 oz S R flour

2 ½ oz sugar

3 oz marg

Pinch of salt

Sultanas

1 Egg

Little milk or water (I prefer water)

Rub in flour, salt and marg.

Add sugar and sultanas

Whisk eggs and water

Mix all ingredients together

Kneed gently

Form into 9/10 rounds and place on a greased baking sheet.  Don’t roll with a rolling pin, and don’t flatten too much, they are meant to be ‘rustic’.

Bake gas 6, 400f, 200c for 10/15 mins, until golden brown.

Whilst still warm, split and butter

They are good cold, best eaten a.s.a.p.  Ours never make it to the next day!

NB  SR flour can be substituted for wholemeal flour for those health conscious people.

Birthday tag and Pear and Almond Tart

On Lots to Do Challenge you have to make anything as long as you use distress inks.  I don't have any of the new ones (sheds a little tear) but hope to get some asap.  I made the happy birthday ticket and the flower is three different ones, punched out of card, then punched some old book paper and stuck it on top.

The girls at Craft Den Studio wanted my receipe for Pear and Almond Tart, which should look something like this:

Serves 6

Pear and Almond Tart

1pack sweet dessert pastry (I of course, make my own, being such a domestic goddess)

large tin pear halves (6 halves)

80g caster sugar

1 egg

100g soft butter

120g ground almonds

pinch if salt

1 soup spoon toasted flaked almonds

Line a tart tin and bake blind for 10 - 15 mins

In a mixer mix well together the egg, sugar, salt, butter and ground almonds

Cover the base of the baked tart case once it has cooled down and smooth over

Finely slice each pear half horizontally then fan out. Place on top of the frangipan mix, pointed end facing the centre.

Cook at 180C for 30-40 mins depending on oven!

Serve warm or cold, spreading the toasted almonds over the top (I lightly coat top of tart with apricot jam before doing this so that they stick on). Dust with icing sugar.

I promise you it's the best, quickest and easiest dessert to make.

Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC19

Here is my entry for PDCC19.  We had to used the colours deep yellow and pale yellow.  Because I'm on a role with grunge paper flowers and altering things, I made this.  Started with a blank Maya Road chipboard piece, coated with Blonde Moments acrylic paint in yellow, dabbed some espresso paint across piece, which doesn't show too well, stamped images in black, edged the whole piece in espresso.  Made and attached a flower, leaf, butterfly, flower, all made out of grunge paper and coloured with mustard seed and fired brick.  Edged rose and butterfly with pearl pigments, on small flower I put  rock candy distressed stickles.  Used one of T!m's elements and ticket, then covered with crackle glossy accents.  Attached  muse token.  Hope you like.   Everything used is available from Craft Den Studio.

I love distress inks

Felt like doing  bit of altering this morning and made this for a friend.  It's a Maya Road chipboard piece, coloured with distress inks, each side highlighted with different colours of pearl pigment.  Grunge paper flower, stamped with script stamp, coloured, then edged with pearl pigment, small hearts are a Paperartsy stamp, coloured and finished with rocky candy crackle paint.  Added a T!m element to finish.

Blog Award

I have been awarded this by the lovely, talented Virginia, take a look here to see how creative she is  Thanks Virginia, it's so nice when people appreciate your work.  I have to pass this on to 5 people:

Lynne
Lesley
June
Olive
Helen

and list 10 things which make me happy

1.  My husband
2.  My children
3.  My grandchilden
4.  My friends
5.  Crafting
6.  Listening to Radio 4
7.  Coronation Street (never miss an episode, Sky+ it)
8.  Walking my dog
9.  The sea side
10. Reading other peoples blogs and seeing how creative they are

Art Calendar Challenge March

This is my March page, I decided I liked the background so much, that I'm not going to put any papers on it.  I may add some more embellishments.  The stamping is a bit rough because my hands are still very shaky and as I was stamping, the phone, which was right beside me rang and made me jump.  Oh well, never mind.

Such a beautiful day here in north Sheffield, we're off to see my aunt and uncle in Derbyshire this afternoon.  Edna has Alzheimers and because of my illness, we haven't seen them since December.  They are both in their mid 80's are do very well.