Robin Hood time again

Hey folks

Where has the last week gone?

At least the sun is out for a change!

Anyway, just popped on to say that it's THAT time of year again, and we're heading on out to the wilds of Shropshire tomorrow, to Hawkstone Park & Follies near Weston-Under-Redcastle, to do a 7 day stint of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

If you recall, last year the weather looked like this....



and this....



Once it was like this...



Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me that the weather may be marginally better this time. Anything better than last year will be an improvement. That means, little or no rain.

We're taking the laptop and the camera, so I'll try (can't promise) to log on at some point and blog an update midweek. And Tweet, of course.

Ciao for now!

The Lionman - and a Tiger Card

Ok, so I've not been around for a bit - I've been busy! It's re-enactment season, and I've a lot on.

Anyway, onto something important! I have a cause I support - The Lionman aka Craig Busch. Those of you that have Sky TV will have either heard about or seen a TV show by the same name. I absolutely love this TV series, and I love the rapport that Craig has with his animals. What many people don't know is that he no longer works at his own park, Zion Wildlife Gardens. There is a long story behind all of this, but it is best that I point you in the direction of his Facebook page, where it is all explained. The recent tragedy at ZWG where one of the keepers (Dalu) was killed by a white tiger (Abu) brought Craig's troubles to my attention, and his fans on Facebook have more than doubled since the end of May when Dalu and Abu died.

There are people who are pro-Craig, and others who are anti-Craig. Should you, the reader, choose to go to the Facebook page, I will leave you to make your own mind up as we are all individuals, and I would not want to force my opinion on you. Suffice it to say that I support him, and want to do all I can to help.

To that end, a few weeks ago I promised that I would make some cards to sell, on an animal theme. I've been rather busy, so have only just got around to making any (I've also had to wait for stamps to show up!). So here is my first card. I thought I would do a white tiger card as my first one, in memory of Abu. I have put this up for sale on Ebay . All monies raised from the sale of this card will go to Craig to help get him back into ZQG.

Sketch Saturday - Goddess

I don't often get the time to do the Sketch Saturday sketches - but I do love them!

The lastest one was another lovely sketch, and here is my effort!



I think the stamps are by third coast rubber, but I'm probably wrong, and someo
ne will come along and correct me soonest! Background stamp is the crackle background by Craft Individuals, and the swirls stamp is Hero Arts (old faithful!)

Inks used, Azurite cats eye chalk ink, and Impress silver.

And the Cuttlebug divine swirls too...

Celtic Inchy

Having finally got my mojo back, I thought I would start my blogging off with a Celtic Inchy I did for the last challenge on the Inchy by Inch blog.

Background was done with pearlescent inks, stamping with Azurite Chalk ink, a white Sakura pen for the outline, and a small word added courtesy of Stonehenge font at 6pt.



I did 7 of them in the end, to comply with a swap we're doing over on Auntys....




I have more art to blog later.....

Loads a stuff!!!

First up, it's that time of month again, and here are my vintage Christmas Cards for SSCC...







Then, over on the UK STampers Cyber Blog the challenge this week is a tag with I for Icon; mine is as below...



Also on UK STampers we did an inchy swap this month and the theme was "Blue"...



The inchies were cut from pearlescent blue card onto which I had stamped the Crafty Individuals cracked wood/paint stamp, in Impress blue dye ink. The word blue was printed using adler type face onto blue paper, cut out and glued on. The butterflies were a stamp of unknown origin, stamped onto blue vellum and heat embossed with Moonglow powder, I think it was Lapis blue gold.... I then coloured them in using a mixture of Sakura Stardust/Glaze pens, and Twinkling H2O in interference blue, and cut them out and glued them on with Diamond Glaze. Finally, edged with a silver Krylon pen. And I think they're gorgeous, although the photo doesn't really do them justice!



I'll blog a couple of other bits tomorrow....

Flashback/Catch Up

I have so much to blog that I haven't already.... LOL Let's start with the meet up from the UK Stampers forum which happened on 22nd April! Gosh, that's ages ago now, but feels like it was only last week!

A few photos...

Hazel...



Patty & Lucy, glimmer misting!



L-R: Rukshana, Patty, Hazel & Lucy



Patty - but if you look closely, that's kind of obvious!



I just love this photo. Lucy was studying the ribbon box intently, and I called her name, she looked up and this astonishing smile just burst out like a ray of pure sunshine.... Lucy, you are beautiful when you smile....



Pat (Pinky) and Hazel - guess who got snapped with a mouthful of Strawberry Cheesecake?



Alison



Rukshana and Hazel, punching pieces for their metal art box project...



Class tutor (someone help me out with her name please???) and Alison...

Loopy Lou

Now that Julie has received him, here is Lou in all his lunatic glory....


He's just a variation on a theme!






Just a thought - I'm entering this into the Lots To Do Challenges challenge this week, which is all about wood....

They breed, you know...

When good pegs go bad....

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present....


"Pin-head Peg"


That's "Mr" Pinhead Peg to you...!!








nuff said, really.....

Curiouser and curiouser.....

... as Alice said.





The astute ones amongst you will have noticed my tweet over on the right there from last night, which says "There is a naked peg on my desk and it's looking at me funny".

Indeed there is, and indeed IT is.

Why?

Well, over on UKSTampers we've got a new swap/challenge - to make an Altered Peg.


And thus there is a naked peg on my desk. It's looking at me funny - challenging me, perhaps even taunting me in a kind of "come an' 'ave a go if yer fink yer 'ard enough" way. It oozes malevolence.

You see to me, rightly or wrongly, altering something should really change the very nature of it. I've surfed, and seen many an altered peg that is merely coated in paint, sanded back, and then maybe some pretty decorative paper is glued on and then sanded to distress it. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I hasten to add - done correctly it's very tasteful and attractive.

But this peg is daring me to seriously do something with it.


I only hope I can rise to the challenge....

After all, it's just a peg!