Monday 31 October 2011

TOFF #18 Halloween

October 31, 2011 1 Comments
What a glorious weekend we have just had. Although a bit windy at times it was a lovely out and the colour of the trees at the moment is just spectacular.

Friday I had a flexi day at work so MP and I went over to my Dad's to help him with some jobs in the garden. I was in charge of pruning and cutting back whilst MP and Dad finished off making some compost things out of wood and MP then had to remove some turf so the compost things could go in the corner of the garden. Have to say all that fresh air meant we slept well Friday night.

Took Sam for a walk to Watergrove reservoir again on Saturday. He loves it there and goes off leaping through the trees in search of squirrels and other critters. He gave us a fright the other week when he bounded off only to bound back a few minutes later close behind a beautiful deer. Luckily no deer this week.

We walked off our usual route and up into the hills about the reservoir, finding all sorts of new paths. Had to take a photo of the trees we saw, stunning.


Sunday MP went off on a ride out with some of his biker friends. It's coming to the end of the season now so he likes to get out if the weather is nice and I like the peace and quiet. So with MP gone for the day, I set to task on this weeks challenge at the Octopode Factory - Halloween. Who better but the Father of horror and murder mysteries, Mr Edgar Allan Poe himself.


Digi stamps from the Octopode Factory, background paper Tim Holtz, red pepper paint dabber for the blood, home made frame - with distressed inks and TH crackle paint.

p.s For those of you who like the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Lily has done some great digi stamps available here.

Thanks for looking and back soon
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Tuesday 25 October 2011

Sunday Postcard Art Challenge

October 25, 2011 5 Comments
Had some time on my hands with MP working nights and all the housework done, so here is my entry for the Sunday Postcard Art Challenge - Bats.


Background Blonde Moments stamp in snowcap paint, distress inks - barn door and lipstick. Heart and bats by Octopode Factory.

Thanks for having a look.
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Sunday 23 October 2011

TOFF #17 Houses

October 23, 2011 1 Comments
This weeks challenge over at The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge is houses, so wanting to join in and wanting something I could pop in a frame and put up on my wall, here is my entry ............


Our house (same colours) complete with hills in the background and of course a ginger and white cat (I have 3), sorry Muggle (my token black cat). I used a bit of one of the trees for the cloud, it's always cloudy up here.

General blog update to follow. Thanks for looking
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Monday 17 October 2011

Challenge and RIP Ginger Princess

October 17, 2011 1 Comments
I have only just realised that the Octopode Factory do a weekly challenge having just found their The Octopode Factory Friday Challenge Blog (TOFF), well it shouldn't suprise you seeing as I've been so bad at keeping my own up to date!

Anyway, moving on, Friday's challenge was to create something using the colours black and orange (well it is October and therefore nearly Halloween), so diving in, here is my entry for this week. I used the angel stamp and altered it a little as you can see, the background is paint dabber and Dylusions orange spray with some Tim Holtz stamps thrown in for good measure.



Now I have bought a few of the Octopode downloads but to be honest I have been a little scared of them, preferring to buy 'proper' rubber stamps. The reason behind this is that I don't have a laser printer but a canon photo printer because being originally a scrapbooker, I printed my own photos a lot but having had an interesting and enlightening chat with Leannie at our Whittle Le Woods crop on Sunday I have been converted. So this morning I ordered a few of the digi stamps and I have a feeling they are going to be well used over the coming months. Watch this space......... Oh and bring on the next challenge.

On a sad note. Just seen a post from my mum on facebook, their cat Ginger has been put to sleep this afternoon. She was an old girl and at the end terribly bald and scabby and Dad said she'd started having problems with a swollen shoulder blade. I went to give her a stroke when I dropped Sam off with Dad on Sunday and she didn't even recognise me (if you aren't a cat lover you won't get this) so I think a bit of old age as well.


But as sad as it is, she had a good no great life so RIP Ginger Princess.
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Friday 14 October 2011

More updates

October 14, 2011 2 Comments
Had a lovely day today, flexi day from work and off to the seaside. MP's beloved bike was in for a service at Southport Superbikes so Sam and I followed in the car, met MP and the 3 of us went to the beach for a walk. Well I say beach ............. mud flats would have been more accurate. Boots trashed (they'll clean), Sam soggy and covered in mud and sand - loved it, MP sliding around in motorbike boots. Followed by a little coffee in Southport centre to kill some time before heading back to the shop to collect his baby.

Man and his dog

On the beach!!

Look Mum i've got a stick

Back home and a well deserved siesta for all of us :o)

As said previously, I have started making my Christmas cards. Love these stamps from the Octopode shop, in fact, love them so much, just ordered a few more but don't tell MP.




Here is my entry for the Christmas chipboard swap over on UKS, hosted by my mate Kathb.


Right off to give Sam another run, he's got his energy back now, and then to catch up with some recorded tv programmes. Fire lit and Haggis, neeps and tatties for tea ............. autumn has arrived.
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Sunday 9 October 2011

As promised

October 09, 2011 0 Comments
As I have a full weekend off and no Sam (he's at his Grandpa's for a visit) I have unusually had time to myself. Yesterday I was up early (old habits die hard and hungry cats) so I took myself off to the QVC outlet at Warrington to see if I could pick up any bargins. Not a lot to be had although I did buy two Tim Holtz dies for £14 :o) the tattered florals and the butterfly dies. Was hoping to find the gears die but alas ......... Spent the rest of the day finishing off some snowmen for a Christmas altered chipboard swap over on UKS.

Today MP starts his night shifts so he is at home for the day but will be spending the afternoon in bed and I will need to be quiet :o) so more crafting this afternoon, probably crack on with some more Christmas cards. I am making some to sell for the Northern Rose Boxer Rescue where we got Sam.

The current economic climate is having a real knock on effect on animals with all the rescues and animal charities experiencing a huge increase in the number of animals being handed over (if they are lucky) or abandoned. The boxer rescue being no different and having to find and fund kennel spaces for the dogs they cant place with foster homes, so at the moment they need all the financial help they can get, hence the cards. Some people off the boxer site and some friends at work have said they will buy cards which will help and at our last Whittle crop I sold some surplus crafting stuff and made £25 to send. If anyone wants to make or send me some home made cards to sell for the rescue then I and they would be hugely grateful. You can email me for an address :o)

So, as promised, here are some of the lay outs I have done recently. Please excuse the somewhat sub standard photos, it's a dark horrible day here and I had to take them without flash as there was a little too much glare.

Sam and his brother Jack at their foster home pre adoption

My gorgeous boy Muggle

From our trip last year - stunning place

Our day out to Formby Point


Me getting ready for a ride out with MP

More Sam at Formby Point

Sam's 1st Birthday photo

More Sam

Me again

Guess who?

Well think that's enough for now, don't worry there are more to come along with some journalling pages and cards :o)

Till next time ..........
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Sunday 2 October 2011

Remember me?

October 02, 2011 0 Comments

I feel very sheepish, I have not kept to my word and have been very lax at blogging and I am sure what followers I did have will have left by now, well except my pal KathB who has been reminding me for quite some time to update my blog. Sorry to any followers who do still check in on the off chance.

So here goes with the update .....................

Sam had his first outing to the beach in March. KathB, her children, her puppy Selby (henceforth called MadDog), Sam and I went to Formby Point for a run. I'd never been before but heard Kath talk about it and what a treat. A National Trust owned bit of coast between Liverpool and Formby, stunning woodlands to walk through and then miles and miles of beautiful beach. Sam and MadDog had a great time and I think the rest of us enjoyed it nearly as much.



April saw some lovely weather and lots of nice walks with Sam. I think it was about this time we discovered Watergrove reservoir, which is only about 15 minutes drive from us and another treasure. A 2 1/2 ish mile walk around what used to be Watergrove village before it was flooded to make a reservoir. It's got some areas where you can walk down to the water, woodland paths and bird hides for the twitchers. We love it and Sam soon overcame his fear of water and is now a seasoned swimmer, in fact it's hard to keep him out of the water and great for hot days to cool him down.


In the walls around the reservoir are the key stones from the properties that were demolished to make way for the water. Wall behind Sam here.

So apart from walking Sam, which constitutes the majority of our time, MP and I haven't done an awful lot. We did have a week off together in July and luckily the weather was good so we arranged with KathB to have another trip to Formby Point, this time taking MP and my Dad for a bit of exercise too.

It was scorching on the beach and half of Liverpool was out in their skimpy swim wear, oh we saw some sights! We had a good walk, the dogs and the kids ran themselves ragged whilst the grown ups ambled along. Back to the car for a picnic and going well until my Dad got stung in the mouth by a wasp who was also enjoying his sandwich! Luckily I had anti histamines in my bag and there was an ice cream van nearby to provide ice lolly compresses. A good day over all though.

My water baby

MP and Dad putting the world to rights

Selby (MadDog) on her lead in disgrace for not coming back when called

Skipping to September ......... MP went off on a tour of France for 10 days with some friends from work. This was his birthday present as he had a BIG birthday in January. So I took the time off work and looked after Sam. Whilst MP basked in the sunshine and complained about the 33 degree heat we had nothing but rain and Sam and I got soaked twice a day without fail.

I did however give the house a really good clean, not that you'd know it 10 minutes after MP returned.

On a crafting front .......... I have done a bit of scrapping but haven't taken any photos which I will remedy this week and have done a little bit of art journalling but I have been busy on a couple of projects.

I went to Art From The Heart in July to do one of Dyans fabulous classes, a unique piece of art class and this is what I came home with ............


Fab isn't it. We got to choose our own colour schemes and I chose, well as you can see cream, brown and red to match my lounge and it now hangs with pride at the top of the stairs as you enter the lounge.

The project I have been working on for quite some time is this ...........


It was made as a present for my friend Fiona or Top Totty as we like to call her. The canvas has a Scarlet Lime type background of paper, paints and stamps and the other characters are all from the Alice range by the amazingly talented Lily at Octopode stamps. They are all stamped onto water colour paper and painted with Tim Holtz distress inks. Took quite some hours but I and Top Totty are well pleased with the result.

If you haven't come across the Octopode factory yet then you don't know what you are missing. Lily does this awesome quirky rubber and digital stamps, Alice, Wizard of Oz, Steampunk, Christmas, I could go on but go and have a look. You can find Octopode from here, happy shopping :o)

Right enough for now. MP is just out of bed for his night shift tonight and I need to take Sam out again and guess what, it's raining again ho hum.

Till next time

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