Agony.....eeeeeeee!

I have been watching Maureen Lipman at the Hay Festival on TV this morning.  Man, is she so intelligent and funny.  But whatsmore, and what I envy her for, she is observant.  I am not, I miss all the little subtleties that go on, don't pick up the non verbals and generally allow the world to pass by unnoticed unless it's "in your face" type of event.  Can any of you remember her sitcom "Agony"...I'm 16 and I'm feeling kinda on the shelf, sometimes I get a funny pain....
So as it's my birthday tomorrow, I have just ordered her latest book from Amazon, it'll be fabulous, I know it and it's bitesize peices of wit and wonder.  Can't wait.
This card is for Polka Doodles secret.  It's not wildly imaginative I admit, but the secret is in on of the tiny envelopes and it's a promise tot the person receiving the card.

She's Gorjuss, carrying a letter and I've used a Papermania pad to make tonal paper envelopes, with a papermania template.  Decorated them with peel offs, added a green brad and coloured Gorjuss with Promarkers.  The band across the middle is Martha Stewart leaf punch and I've saved the leaves and added them to the envelopes.  It's all distressed with Black soot ink.

I don't know what to have with birthday money but I am desperately trying to avoid crafting goodies as I have too much.   But it's going to be difficult to resist.
Catcha later.

Monochrome

Just a quickie post.  Entry for Less is More challenge this week, which is monochrome.  So I have opted for Lilac and fulfilled my objective of doing some stamped cards this week.  Have a couple of days off for the old birthday so might get a bit of craft time.  Yay!

It's a Gorjuss girl in the rain, purple papers and confetti and a Sue Dreamer rub on, all on card punched with a Martha Stewart.
Hubby's back from Las Vegas.  I didn't get a pressie, girls!
Catcha later

Dogs and bones

Have managed to do a card for this week's Polka Doodles, whose theme is Male only card.  For me, like many other crafters, I find it difficult being inspired by male themed cards.  However, yesterday, I took niece number 2 to Hartlepool Museum and maritime experience where I picked up a few postcards, reflecting wartime advertising and slogans.  One of which was about growing food in your garden or getting an allotment.
Now allotments are popular in our village as it was a mining village with terraced houses, many without gardens.  So allotments have always been sought after.  My OH and his brother were offered one after the owner died, and we were filled with Tom and Barbara Goode type thoughts, lovely fresh veggies and flowers. But when the lads came to turn over the soil, they found the remains of many a dead whippet and greyhound. The previous owner had been a dog lover and his dearly departed friends got buried in the allotment.  As you can imagine, the dream soon faded and the land was offered to someone who would be less phased by the dead dogs and their bones.  So to the card:

It's Basic grey paper, sewn roughly (still getting familiar with the old machine), half of the dig your allotment postcard, mounted with the edges distressed with Tim Holtz's distressing thingy: a Polka Doodles paper ribbon, a 7 gypsies flower label, a Tim Holtz ticket and a leaf shaped button.  The circle is a reflection of the digger. It's very forties, but would suit the chaps round here of a certain age.
Catcha later

Struggling

I am so struggling to get any motivation due to this job situation.  I am trying to remain realistic, not too hopeful that I might be redeployed and pragmatic about the future.  Is it the worst thing that can happen---probably not.  But it's the not knowing and this colours everything at the moment.  So I have missed some of my favourite challenges lately, and I need to have some discipline because ultimately it's the crafting that makes me feel better and allows some stress free time.  So I gave myself a good talking to today, watched the launch of Dawn Bibby on Create and Craft (some great new products) and set about making a couple of cards.  This one is for Less is More (I am after all a Limette), whose theme this week is "square". 
I kept this one really simple:

It's a little smirk shaker topper, with a lurve theme.  My OH is in Las Vegas and this softie is missing him. And I've just added lots of basic layers, the last 2 of which are distressed with a Tim Holtz thingy.
So it is very simple but the topper was so sweet and the theme just begged for basic, for this Limette anyway.  I have set myself the objective of doing at least 2 stamped cards this week too as I am seriously neglecting my stamps.  Am going to order the Kaisercraft rub ons on C and C tas I can't yet get the hang of the computer text I see such fab examples of on the LIM site, but I am going to do some practice sheets and have bought some SAFMAT so I can save any good examples and print it off to use again.  Yeah right!
Catcha later, off to check out your blogs.

Tracey Emin makes jam

And enjoys sewing!  I was watching an interview with her this morning.  She has such interesting opinions on art and learning more about her creativtiy was fascinating.  But what was even better is that she makes jam and loves sewing.  I think this is just great, as although it's not art, it's about creating something, and that makes you feel something: good hopefully.  So does papercrafts, and many of us are involved in this hobby because we are not painters, artists, designers, but we can have a go at design and still create something unique, which gives pleasure to ourselves and others.  It gave me a bit motivation which has been lacking this week.  Without going into details, job's not safe, but need to hang in for a transfer somewhere else and hope the dreaded redundancy doesn't come along.  It's not happening imminently but probably next year.  So, not felt too good, but after listening to Tracey this morning, it gave me a bit of creative bounce back.  I tried out my new sewing machine on my card and have started a little stuffed heart; will post when finished.  I had bought a little hand held, which served it's purpose but made me want a proper machine.  Got me a basic Singer and am up and running.
So this is the creation, it will not be appearing in the Tate.

Free paper from a recent mag, matted, layered and sewn, some Forever Friends paper, Gorjuss topper, foam flowers with stick on crystals and a crocheted flower with pins.  I've got a day off today so am going to catch up on some blogs and forums.
Catcha later

All white on the night

The LIM challenge this week is white on white. That certainly leaves a lot of options open.  It took me ages of thinking and rethinking. Limited stamping, not a great deal of layering.  OK, so this leaves, texture, and plently of it.  I didn't want to do any embossing as it was my first idea and I wanted to try and come up with something different, but I couldn't.  So here's the obvious, die cuts and glitter.  Man have I got a creative imagination. Not!

OK, so die cut Sissix flourishes, die cut frames from Klever cutz, die cut butterfly by thingy, die cut quilled flowers by Papermania, die cut letters by Sissix, pearly things for the butterflies body, and some spray and sparkle on the letters and flourishes.
Exciting huh!  Can you tell I'm not in a good mood? And the damned card's probably the wrong shape.
Catcha later, folks.

Pull yourself together, woman.

I am sitting blogging and watching a recording of the Hotel Inspector instead of getting ready for work, so this is a short one. Back to Polka Doodles again, I took a break and now inspired by Nicky's appearances over the weekend, I am back in the zone.  So this is for the aqua, blue and lilac challenge.

All papers are from the Wonderland CD in appropriate colours and I have woven 2 of them for the second mat.  The image on the nesties is Violet from the Octopode factory.  Added paper flowers and ribbon flowers from Mei, a distressed tag from Tim Holtz and ribbon.  I overstamped the papers with a stamp from the Polka Doodles Alice set.
Catcha later.