When projects collide...

Do you remember I had a play day with some

 scene building dies recently?

Well I needed a special Condolence card at the end of last month...

 for a much loved Lady of the woods...

I took the original sunset scene and some laser cut

woodland features...

 and began to add layers...

 keeping the colours Autumnal/sunset.

  then added a frame stamped with leaves...

 coloured with Promarkers...

and a tiny amount of sparkle on the setting sun and windows.

Blessed Be her Spirit XXX

And then my DL asked if I could make

 a second condolence book for the vets she works at.

It was an idea she had for when people had to bring

pets in and "let them go", and it seems to have proved quite

helpful as the original book is now full of loving "thank you"s

to much loved companions.

So this is book 2 ready for use X

As harvests begin and there is a subtle chill in the evening air*WTF Summer!!!!*

I am knitting...

there should be a purple pair of mitts on here too

 but hubby already scavved them for driving gloves

I am making all different pairs, using up balls of wool.

 *and changing patterns as it suits me lol*

but be warned....

knitting and jam making don't really go hand in hand.

Putting fruit on to soften and then starting a new pattern 

can end in gloriously sticky bloodshed mwahahaha!

 And still the roses bloom...

ignorant of the carnage around them.

This one is called "Best Wishes"

and has a very delicate green apple fragrance.

So this busy Bee just keeps plodding along

as life goes on around her.

Be Happy...

Enjoy :D XXX

All of a Flutter

Got an email out of the blue before Christmas 

asking if I'd like to do a Guest DT post for

Inkspirational Challenge!!!!

They asked if I'd like to join in their Word Challenge 

FLUTTER

My mind was racing straight away...I love the word "Flutter"

Leaves/feathers/hearts/book pages....so many options to explore!

 and this is what happened lol

Hubby has always said he was incapable of being "crafty". 

He is too busy being "sporty",

but when he was intrigued by a show on book folding I reeled him in.

 He has made several books as gifts since...

but he used a paperback for this Dove

 and it was too floppy to stand(wedged up for photo)

So

for my project I decided to reinforce the book

 and let the Dove fly again :D

 Strong greyboard cut to size...

gessoed and painted.

Parchment effect paper..

clear embosses with Paper Artsy mini feather stamps...

 then inked and overstamped with more feathers.

(same paper before and after stamping)

 Yummy soft texture to feathery background paper. 

 Lining paper made by repeat stamping

 onto a piece of blue scrapbook paper...

 I punched holes into the greyboard 

to thread ribbons through in order to 

create a protective and strengthening cover 

to the struggling paperback book.

 The whole piece stands wonderfully now :D

 and the Bird of Love 

flutters free once more...

Enjoy :D XXX

Keeping track of my Garden...

The current challenge at Crafty Creations is #324"For the Home"

so I thought I'd start a new journal /inventory of my garden

as it does tend to run away with me quite a bit...

 I had kept this book that my eldest started when he was about 9.

(never got past 3 pages lol)

 I gathered some floral papers as I am also taking inspiration from

Fab n Funky's #318 "Go outside(inspired by nature)" challenge.

I again matched my promarkers  before colouring my focal image...

 "Ice Flower" from SBS Toxic Kidz(again prob discontinued)

 I like to get messy in the garden,

so I edged the book cover with dark brown embossing powder on glue...

 which gives a yummy muddy look

(though it did take overnight to set properly on the plasticky book cover)

 I was working to a sketch from Tuesday Throwdown #311

and needed 3 small matching elements.

I punched out some paper flowers and used my makers again to match them to the papers

 and made my own scrunchy roses...

matted and layered all my elements to the sketch design...

  and added a little definition to the frame to tie in the image.

 All in all this cover reminds me of back in the 70's

when brown was funky lol

I deliberately left space at the bottom to add a title to the journal

and simply used rub on letters to add

"In My Garden"

Enjoy :D XXX

My Blog ...the Crochet Widow....

Time really does fly when you are learning a new skill....

but I am trying to get back into some other crafting too...

 My DL works in a veterinary surgery and was embarrassed by the icky green plastic folder they had been using as a book of condolence for people to leave memories of pets that needed to pass on. So she asked me if I had anything nicer they could use.

*She knows me too well lol*

I just happened to have an A4 sketch book (good quality paper), which was crying out to be decorated...

Papermania Botanicals combined with Pollyanna Pickering images, a kitten stamp from Crafter's Companions Beatrix Potter collection...

 a budgie stamp from Joanna Sheen...

and a cute muddy paw print stamp from I've no idea where...

 finished off with a rub on "Best Friend".

She loved it ...and I hope it will help those who have to make those hard decisions for their best friends.

I have also started another Round he world journal with a group of arty FB friends.

We each have chosen our own themes...this is mine lol

 This is "Winter" for one friends "Seasons" themed journal...

and a portrait for another journal themed "Frida Inspired"

So I'm still around and crafting....

and no I didn't get turned into a Frog over the Holidays :D

Unlike this little witch...though she doesn't seem to mind at all :D

Enjoy XXX