Rockin' my world Friday

Yes my world has rocked this week in a total rollercoaster ride rattling from side to side as I go.

I'm going to stick with the best bits as that's what the post is all about so here goes.

1) I told you in the last post but the absolute best news of the week has been my son James getting a first class honours degree in Music Performance.  I am beyond thrilled for him - a huge achievement one one very much deserved.

2) Unexpected leave from work this week allowing me to spend much needed time with hubby and prioritising our life. Big changes since the boys left home so we needed to get some time to sort together.

3) Old friends - one in particular came to the rescue to offer to take our Megsy and friend to the prom in his big American gold car tonight - how kind!

4) I have a new base - a place all of my own - with even space for a fold up bed - will I ever leave the craft room when I'm at home LOL - Huge thanks to OH for helping move furniture around, Michelle for the fab desk and shelves - love them.  Just some tweaking and I will take pics to share.  I have had such fun putting up my bits and pieces folks have made me! Especially the craft room banner made by my crafty friends 4 years ago!!! Its up now and looking great.

5) last weekend was fabulous for meeting up with crafty folks at The Craft Range - I especially loved chatting to folks about my love of distress and the pens in-particular.  Meeting Rosemary Merry was a huge highlight and the unexpected pleasure of chatting with Nigel about all things crafty and musical sons was a bonus. 

6) Yesterday Michelle and I met up with a crafty buddy from Perth the fabulously talented Linda whom I love dearly.  Her gorgeous accent melt my heart and she gives wonderful hugs.

I am happy to have my family, friends and loved ones near

for the beautiful place I live and my home.

Hope your week has been full of happy things.

Do share them with the Queen of the Rockettes at The Celtic House

Thanks for your visit today x

Janet

New baby card

 One of my oldest friends has a new baby Grand daughter so whilst away at the craft retreat I borrowed a gorgeous stamp from the lovely Sue.  I believe its by Stampington and it looks gorgeous.

I didnt have any traditional sort of baby coloured papers with me so went for a different look entirely but I actually quite like it.  Certainly not the usual colour combo for a baby girl!

Saturday saw a wonderful day at The Craft Range in Burnley and it was wonderful to meet some blogland folks too.  I got to play with the new summer distress inks which are gorgeous as well as the Lindsay Mason stamps - sadly I didnt take pictures of my samples or the day - it just went by in a flash.

I was thrilled to meet Rosemary Merry and her Hubby Nigel who are just as lovely in real life.  Had a go at one stroke painting (def not my thing ) but I dont think my efforts would go on anyone's walls!!!

The down side to being in Craft Range all day was no phone signal so it wasn't until I got home I found out my son James had checked the Uni website and found he gained a first class honours for his music performance degree.  As you can imagine Saturday was then a huge celebration! 

Hope your weekend was as much fun as mine.

Thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Fun day tomorrow!

Michelle and I were thrilled to be invited to this fabulous event at The Craft Range in Burnley.  The line up is amazing and I personally cant wait to meet Rosemary Merry!

Do stop by if you can - the charity raffle is always brilliant and I can certainly recommend the fabulous menu in the coffee shop and with such brilliant inspiration around to give you craft ideas its a day not to be missed.

Have a great Friday.

Janet

London Flag book

 You may remember that the project I did for my May craft group was a flag book.  My sample was inked and stamped within an inch of its life but I wanted to show it was just as easy to get a pretty look from patterned papers.  As if to oblige a few of the magazines had freebie papers and diecuts just as the right time!

 I began this on the night but finished off at the retreat for my lovely pal Emma

 She has a school reunion in London this weekend so this seemed perfect to get her pals to sign it as a momento.

Hope she likes it! It should arrive in the post today.

Hope she has a fabulous time - thanks for stopping by x

Janet

Fathers day

 Dads are rather special.  Mine certainly was and I still miss him everyday 18 years on.

Thankfully Tim's Dad is rather special too and I love him to bits - he is however difficult to buy for and difficult to make cards for too!

The stamps on card one were from a magazine freebie set and also a Kanban set - colours are watermelon and clover adirondack inks.

This one is simple and shows off this Woodware stamp as being great for Fathers day or a birthday and at £3-99 its a great buy! Tims Dad has his birthday on 20th June so needs both very soon!

Papers on this card are from a magazine freebie - I have done more with them but I will share that another day.

Hope you are all keeping well and having a wonderful Wednesday 

Happy Crafting

Janet x

retreat projects

 I try to gather bigger projects to tackle at the retreats simply because I dont have to break off to do other things.  I bought this spice rack second hand it was pine and looked rather sad.

 So its now got a red white and blue makeover and is ready to go up in the craft room to house my embelishments in jars

Papers by Papermania portobello road with the fab pennant punch by Stampin up giving perfect bunting in no time at all! Looking forward to getting this up and seeing it full in all its glory!

Thanks for stopping by x

Have a fun Tuesday x

Janet

Been away - did you notice?

 On my annual Claxby summer retreat with my Craft Sisters - we decided we would do a proper afternoon tea on Sunday so I made fresh scones - here is mine with clotted ream and strawberries!

 Of course we had patriotic accessories

 We were thrilled the Viking Centre also had a full tea service!

 With just 7 of us this time it was less folks but definately not any quieter!

 I made cupcakes

 and baked fresh scones - this were still hot from the oven

 Joanne made yummy cupcakes with chocolate - can you see my new cake stand?

 and what tea party is complete without English strawberries

 and bone china cups!

 I had some altering projects on the go - some went well - like this preserves gift cupboard Mum found in a Charity shop - I can see my alcohol inks in here! notice the paperchains?

My view across the table and spot my gone wrong altering project!  I took this in a break from scraping off 

the gesso and tissue I had put on!

So to recover from the stress I showed them how to play with the distress pens and my Hobby Art stamps by making everyone an atc.

I'm an untidy crafter and I think the girls had told my desk partner how much as she immediately gave me the house rules (or table rules) for sitting next to her.  I did refrain from spreading across her side but spread the other way instead onto Georginas table.  Still My Georgy will forgive me any-fing.

I feel so relaxed after all that de-stress its amazing what a retreat can do for the soul.

Hope you had a great weekend too x

Thanks for stopping by

Janet

Samuel Taylors Embsay

I have to admit Michelle taught yesterdays class - watercolour has never been a strong point of mine so I was looking forward to sitting back and learning more. The stamps we used are by Hobby art and are beautiful - so like the countryside which surrounds us here in the Yorkshire Dales.

I also had my Tim Holtz distress pens with me to play along with and I am thrilled with the results!

 First we created a wallet to keep our postcards in - perfect as a little gift.

 and here is the first card.  I used the distress pen direct to paper and soon found out what my difficulties have been in the past!

 I'm far too heavy handed and cannot use a waterbrush as I make them leak water everywhere!

 I particularly like this one and having found I need a dry brush and to keep dipping it in water and just part drying on a paper towel I was off!

 I even demonstrated for customers in the shop which was bizarre as I had just got to grips with it LOL

 This composition was blatant plagerism from one of the ladies in class with her permission of course! Thanks Amanda xx

As always it was a super day with ALL the ladies going away confident at watercolouring including me! So hats off to the talented Michelle.

If you like the stamps you can find theme here

and the distress pens here 

Rocking my world Friday

Well vertigo rocked my world on Wednesday night when I was reminded that I can just as easily be swept off my feet by it at any given time arrgghhhh though thats not a grateful is it???

So Gratefuls

Son No 2 worked so hard on his dissertation and has been handsomely rewarded with an A+ and amazing comments from the markers - this has quite literally "made" our week!

The blue skies were here at the beginning of the week and I suppose the gardens do need a little water now but I do hope to see more blue over the weekend.

I'm on the countdown to a craft retreat - I've missed my Claxby buddies so much - cant wait to hug them all and craft away.

Love the Town Centre of Skipton - I'm so proud of the way all the shops are well into the Jubilee spirit and have trimmed up their windows in honour of Her Majesty the Queen.  I'm working all weekend although on Tuesday we are having our very own Jubilee party so I'm busy with bunting, cupcakes and flags.

 This is what I have been playing with today

 Right up my street!

I am a Royalist and proud of it - I'm also proud to be British and have loved all the Union Jack stuff around. Ive just indulged from Stamposaurus as if I needed more stamps !!

L...

Fabulous!

As usual I am happy to be here, in relative good health with a loving and supportive family, wonderful friends and a hobby that allows me to meet so many wonderful folks.

Do stop by The Queen of the Rockettes here

Where the little things that make life good are celebrated every week - better still join in and see how a little positivity can brighten a very dull day :0)

See you soon x Janet