Alas, poor Yorick!

Well, I am pleased to say that I managed to get through last night without any calamities, like bumping into the bathroom door-frame in the middle of the night. I still have some bumps and bruises, and rather resemble a cross between a panda and a unicorn, but it will pass. And I sincerely hope that my little series of calamities is slowly passing.... Enough is enough!

I had a nice, lazy day yesterday. Apart from a little bit of crafting, I watched the crows and ravens gathering in the tree in the back garden, first there was just one, then more and more came, and it looked for all the world as though they were holding a Hitchcock Memorial Service there. I think they were waiting for me to go away from the window so that they could empty the bird feeder.... But it was fun watching them.

But I did manage to make a tag and a mail-art envelope. I forgot to take a picture of the envelope before it had been filled, so the photo is not very good.

The tag is for the GC 123 Challenge over at Gingersnaps, and the theme is *Ravens*. The tag has been sprayed with distress inks in wild honey, spiced marmalade and forest green. I stamped leaves using Lavinia stamps in barn door and black, and then added some fabric leaves to give depth. The large raven has been stamped using a LaBlanche stamp, and then I added the pumpkin and small leaves at *ground level*. The smaller raven has been printed onto acetate and placed up in the leaves. I used ribbons in orange and green, and a skull as a charm. I think this tag will be called *Alas, poor Yorick!* in memory of Hamlet in the graveyard. The lovely earrings next to the tag are the *Dia de los muertos* ones that Donna made for me some time back; they accompany me a lot!

Then I spent the rest of the day sorting out papers and letters ready to file them away, but didn't get very far with them, the piles seemes to ge growing and not decreasing!

Hope you all have a nice day today, take care, stay creative, and thanks for visiting!

Black and white

Hi everybody. Brrrrrr, its another cold, wet and horrible day here, but good weather for crafting, so I will try to make the most of it!
Yesterday must have been my black and white day. First I made a tag for the *black and white* challenge over at the *Craft Room*. As Halloween is coming nearer and nearer, my theme was predetermined. I stamped a white tag with black diamonds, which I black embossed, and then added 2 strips of Kaisercraft paper with black and white patterns; stripes down one side and flourishes at the bottom. Then I added the white skeleton which I gave some googly eyes and a *dress* made of some beaded stuff cut off a Teeshirt. I gave the skeleton a white handbag made from a little label, bearing the sentiment *Black and white is always an appropriate fashion statement*. I placed the tag on a red cushion and surrounded it with a black and white necklace, which was my mum's, and my skeleton hand necklace. I am also entering this tag into SSSS, which this week is to use stripes.

The pages I made for my journal are also black and white. The main text and cutlery pictures have been transferred from paper napkins, which I discovered under one of the heaps on my table when I cleared up last week. I used mod-podge for the transfers, and just added some quotes about eating and drinking.

The rest of the day I spent reading with my feet up, and drinking plenty of hot drinks to try to get rid of my cold, which seems reluctant to part from me.

I hope you all have a good day, take care, and thanks for dropping in!

My Home is my Castle and a Lurid Scene....

Hi everybody. Another day has dawned, cold, wet and windy, I think I will be stopping home again today! Yesterday I finished 2 challenges, so have at least caught up a little bit. The first one is a Chipboard Album, which I have turned into my *home, sweet home* for the challenge over at *The Three Muses*. I got these albums ready cut some time back for very little money; an online shop was selling off all the chipboard albums, so I bought a large supply. The chipboard has been covered with small scraps of paper, splodged with remnants of paint, and then painted over with sparkly mod-podge to make it all more durable. I have used loads of other 'flying bits and bobs' to decorate it, including some old costume jewelry. The doggy with the bag on the front page belonged to me as a little girl, and the hat & watering-can brooch belonged to my mum. The 2 little Black Forest dolls were a present I got many, many years back. I like using old things in this way, it gives them a new lease of life. I have put a quote about home on each page. The bell in the tower used to be on a Xmas ornament. It was fun making it!

The second challenge is for Haunted House Design, who want to see a lurid or looming landscape. I did a spread in my journal, showing a haunted house, a bloody sky, and a graveyard. This was great fun to make; as you know, I love Halloween!

So, before I stop, I've got a good tip for you. If you want to heat up your soup, it works more quickly if the hot-plate is switched on. And a second tip while we're at it. Flat plates are not really good for soup. That's why people invented SOUP PLATES! Anyway, the cupboard door and floor have now been cleaned, and I enjoyed the fried noodles I made instead. Have a good day you all, take care (Believe me, I am the right one to tell you that!) and thanks for stopping by!

Back to Business as Usual?

Hi everybody. Thanks for all the good wishes the last 2 days, it evidently helped because I am feeling a bit better today. My voice still sounds very strange, but I think I can get down to my usual day's work now. I was getting very bored by yesterday afternoon, so I put my journal on my knees and managed to get 2 pages done in my scribble-a-day book. This time I took 'hands' for my theme.

I hope to be back tomorrow with a bit more, I need to do some challenges which I didn't manage at the weekend. Hope you all have a great day. Take care, and thanks for visiting!

Red Nose Day

I got a fright this morning when I went into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror - could that strange woman with a pasty face, red nose and matching eyes be me? Yep, it was! Anyway, I will be staying home again today, and resting up.

Just wanted to post the stuff I made on Friday, before the dreaded lurgy got me. The first tag is for the Dragon's Dream TIO. The theme this week is *Ticket to ride*

The next tag is my DT tag for the Halloween Challenge over at *The cheerful stamp pad*.

And at *Just for Fun* we have to recycle something from the kitchen. I have re-purposed a biscuit tin from Aldi's. It was filled with lovely Danish biscuits. I punched holes round the tin at intervals of 1 1/2" using my cropodile,and have turned it into a ribbon tin. I coiled the ribbons inside and threaded one end through the holes. The ribbon pulls out easily, and I have less flying around on my table!

Okay, that was enough for today. I am wrapped up on my recliner, working with my little net-book and have problems because my fingers are bigger than the keys!
Have a good day you all, take care, and thanks for visiting!

Hi you all! I'm not feeling at all good day; I have a temperature, and a cold and cough, so I'm going back to bed to see if that helps. Catch you all later in the day or tomorrow! Have a good day, and take care!

Paint Party Friday again

Good morning you all. We had another cold and frosty night here, followed by a typical Autumn morning mist, but it's supposed to be getting warmer over the weekend - sure hope so.

Yesterday I decided to paint an autumn spread in my journal for PPF, hosted my Eva and Kristin. I started off my spraying the background with different colours, dried it, and then sat down and wanted to start drawing some leaves. But then, without thinking what I was doing, I doodled round some of the drips from spraying, and it made a face. One thing led to another, and before I knew what I was really doing, I had sketched a whole sea of faces in black ink. I then coloured them with water colour pencils, and painted over them with water. Not quite what I had planned, but I had great fun with it. Sometimes it's good just to let your feelings take over.

And then while I had my journal out, I decided to make a collage. I found a load of ready cut pictures and photos and paper scraps while clearing up the day before, and so I used some of them. After sticking them onto the pages, I painted over them with some diluted gesso, and then wiped some of it off again. After it had dried I added a second layer of pictures and paper scraps, and a photo of my Mum with my older brothers and sisters during the war. The quotes were also a discovery from clearing the table. Anyway, I very much enjoy making collages just now, so all in all, I had a fun afternoon.

Here's wishing you all a great day. Hope you have time to pop over and visit some of the other *Party Guests*. Take care, and thanks for visiting!