I've been out and about

This weekend I went to visit my eldest daughter Clem in Stockport, we had a great time. I travelled up by train on Saturday morning and after a light lunch at her flat we headed in to Manchester. I love Manchester or at least the bits I have seen of it over the past eight years that Clem has lived 'up North'.

We spent time looking in the vintage shops, book stores and drinking coffee in an art cafe. In Afflecks Palace we rummaged in the Bead Shop and spent too much on pretty things.

Afflecks Palace Re-vamped

I took my Smash Book with me so I was collecting bits and pieces to put in it from my trip. Manchester has a really vibrant art scene and there are wonderful postcards, flyers everywhere for the taking.I feel another junk journal coming on.



Just walking a long the streets you come across all sorts of randomness, like this...

I wonder how long it took and when it was done? Certainly brightens up the car park.





 I bought Clem a copy of Keri Smith's Wreck this Journal.

It has some hilarious prompts to follow, like tie it on to a bit of string and take it for a walk, dragging it. Clem is going to have so much fun, she has already thrown it across the room and made a paper airplane! I so want one myself now.

After a great Chinese meal for two, we took our seats in the Opera house to see a performance of Vampirete. A comedy musical, we laughed so much my sides hurt.




Sunday morning we were up early and out to a Car Boot Sale, I am always looking out for ephemera etc. I managed to find a 1959 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue  for 25p. I am not sure that I can rip it up now.

A 4 mile circular walk from Alderley Edge to Hare Hill Gardens,was beautiful in the sunshine, good to get some fresh air and exercise. Plenty of photos!

Back to the flat, TV, and of course putting bits and pieces in Smash Book, whilst laughing at our antics. Returned to Hereford on Monday morning full of ideas and raring to get creative!

The post I forgot to post!

Where to start that is the question. I have been busy revamping my craft room yet again. I have found that a puppy and stuff on the floor do not go together. Plus I have so many projects on the go there is never any work space free for me to get on and move from one thing to the other.

I am very lucky to have a whole room to myself so I really ought not to bemoan my lot but sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the amount of things I want to have a go at, experiment with, see on You Tube and Ustream.

Does anyone have any tips how to organise their ideas to keep track of what projects they have on the go or plan to do in the future??? HELP, leave me a comment.

I forget to take photos as I go along and then forget what I have actually achieved and more importantly what I want to share with you all.

Hey ho please bear with me (is that the correct spelling?) 

Yeah it is Friday

Sitting here with Louis on my lap being very quiet, so taking advantage to post this update. Even though I haven't been able to take photos of my projects.

This week I have managed to upload my photos from my HTC phone to my computer. With the help from a You Tube video. He was really clear and it worked.

The only thing I forgot is that if I want to use my Pogo printer I have to print direct from the phone via bluetooth. Oh well lesson learnt and won't be a problem whilst travelling.

I have also been making braided bracelets because it is easy to do in the evenings, I am so glad to be able to put my lucet cords to good use.

I am looking forward to Louis becoming more settled so that I can get back in the craft room. It's mainly my energy levels that have prevented me rather than the puppy.

      KEEP......CRAFTING

All good intentions...

Well I started off with such good intentions of posting every Friday. However I have been so busy with puppy Louis and household stuff I have hardly had time to craft.


On Tuesday night I gave a talk to a local WI about Scrapbooking and Journalling. It was great to get out and share my passion. Everyone seemed to enjoy it and one or two were really keen to find out more. I gave out ATCs instead of business cards. I photocopied some art work, cut into 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 pieces and then stamped a senitment on and inked around the edges. They went down well.

I have just purchased a Polaroid Pogo portable printer. It is great fun to be able to print out 2x3" photos straight from camera or phone. I am looking forward to taking it away with me in our campervan.
I have been sticking the photos in my daily diary, they have an adhesive backing so no need for glue!

Um what else, oh yes I am still making cord it is such an easy thing to sit and do, especially when tired, very satisfying to see lengths of cord appear. I recently braided some together and now Louis loves to play with it.

Well that's all for now I think, keep crafting
Hannah

Woops it's not Friday

In spite of all my good intentions to blog every Friday I did not account for the huge distraction of a 9 week old puppy wnr lots of visitors- family and friends coming to see the new addition to the family.

During the week I will upload some photos and of course some of the Easter eggs I have managed to decorate.

Some gardening is in order I think, the wind blew over my small greenhouse so I need to re-sow , courgettes etc, if I can summon up the energy.

Weekly Update of all things crafty

Well that is what I intend, every Friday give a round up of what I have been up to. Time just flies by and projects come and go and so does my memory.

I have also been busy preparing for a new addition to the family, no not a grandchild, a 'fur' baby instead. He is a rescue pup and we have called him Louis.

He is so cute and the only craftiness involved will be me Lucetting his first lead in pretty colours.

He is able to come home to us on Good Friday so a real Easter Treat. I am thankful that at present he has a lovely foster mum and we have been able to visit regularly.



I have been decorating foam eggs after being inspired by one of Sarah's ustreams, apologies if I have the wrong person, I really should write things down.

The plain ones are just covered with tissue paper and matte mod podge. The one on bottom right I covered with sari silk, and the three others are using my lucet cord, flowers, and buttons so far.
Some will hang from an Easter Tree and others will be put in a bowls around the house.



I have just tweeted pictures of my Wedding blooms, it will be a year in June since I re-married and I have done nothing with all the photos or cards. So I am on a mission to make albums ready for our first anniversary. I want to keep all the cards intact so I will bind them into a Greeting Card Album inspired by Jennibellie on You Tube. Her albums and journals are amazing.

I made two of the flowers in a wet felting workshop run by Debz at our local craft store, The Pedlars Tray, last May. Then the idea hit to make more and have them as my wedding posy. The rosemary, lavender and roses are from our garden and my lovely friend who retrained as a florist last year, arranged them as a gift. It came together beautifully and was very special.

This is me in the middle of a field (campsite) after another friend had blessed our marriage in front of family and friends on same campsite.

I am so blessed to have found so much love at my age!

 Checkout The Art and Soul of Barb Owen for lots of artiness and wise words
http://barbowenartandsoul.squarespace.com/

Probably enough for now of my ranting. Will endeavour to keep a log now from week to week as a reminder of all things creative.

Happy Crafting
Hannah

Can't believe it's Monday again!

Had a brilliant time at the Creative Craft Show last Thursday. Went on my own but that was Ok because I took my time to stand and watch demos, sit outside in the sunshine looking at the Malvern Hills. I booked in to a Lucet workshop that didn't start until 3pm, it was not hard to fill time.

Ziggy reassured me that I was using my Lucet correctly and showed me some techniques to speed up the cord making. We all made a simple bracelet with a running bead closure.
www.thelucet.co.uk

I bought quite a lot my best purchase was an Artist Trading Card Kit for £2 it has so much stuff in it. Looking forward to making them up and giving them away to my arty friends.

In addition I got the ATC stamp set by Darkroom Door, love it.

 The simple things are the best sometimes and I got a very simple braiding tool, I came home and braided some of the lucet cords into a larger braid that could be used for bag straps/handles etc.

Have to now learn how to tie knots so that I can make more of my lucet cord.

Best of all going to a Craft Show really refuels the imagination, even down to wanting to get my knitting machine out again. It has been lanquishing in the loft for many years, mainly because when it's up it needs lots of space and I have forgotten how to set it up.I was advised just to go for it and not worry if it goes wrong, just play.

Well probably enough for today.

Stay inspired!

Hannah