MIAM

MIAM

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Purchasing and Posing

Earlier this week I hit the local chazza shops with great anticipation. I needn't have bothered, there were very slim pickings and after visiting five shops I came home with only these purchases.



Handbag £1.49 Dr. Barnado's & Wooden Bangle £1 Cancer Research


I finally got my tripod out from the back of the cupboard and after 'being dared' by Curtise I got posing in front of the lens. What a disappointment!! I look at least 5 years older than I do in my head, is that drab and matronly woman me? I don't know why I am surprised really. Last week I asked my Dad if I looked old, he replied 'Um, I'm not sure what to say really'!!!! What a blessing these snaps are out of focus, it could be even worse! Not sure if I will be back with any more posing after this shock, maybe it just takes getting used to???

Not sure about this posing malarkey


Red carpet pose or mild hysteria?

Maybe I should concentrate on improving my technique before uploading any more, i.e. focussing the shot and avoiding shadows. Must try harder!.

Bye for now,
xxx


Monday 26 March 2012

Simply Swearin'

Here is a card I knocked up last night for this week's Simply Stampin' challenge. It took me several attempts to get the sentiment in the correct place due to laziness, (I could not be arsed to get my stamp positioner out) so there were quite a few expletives flying around the place. Eventually I saw sense and dug out the required equipment!


I followed this week's sketch and used SU stamps as required, the flower is from one of last year's Sale-a-bration sets I think. I embossed some white card with a cuttlebug embossing folder and cut the top piece away. Then I punched a scalloped border along the bottom with a MS punch and stuck individually stamped and cut out flowers on the top edge (these have glittered centres but of course it never shows in photo's) . Next I stamped the sentiment (several times!!!!) on another piece of card and stuck this underneath with sticky fixers. The ribbon was coloured with the same ink pad I used for stamping. Et voila.

On to todays topic for March Photo-A-Day - KEY


and here is me wearing said key.






This photo was my first using the tripod, ...it may be my last!
Thanks for looking,

Too roo. x

Sunday 25 March 2012

Hank Marvin

I was famished when I came in from the night shift this morning, so this is what I knocked up before going to bed.




Today's subject for March Photo-a-day is Breakfast.

x


Saturday 24 March 2012

Animal

Today's subject for March photo a day is an animal, so here is mine.



Prue (aka Prudy Cat, Prudes, Prudles and Lady Muck) has been with me for 12 years now. I 'rescued' her from the Cats Protection League which had a centre here in the village. I didn't live here then, so it was ironic that we came to live in the same place that I found her, the CPL has now moved elsewhere. I remember well the day I got her, Mum and I went to have a look and Prudy (then named Izzy) was the only cat who would let me pick her up, albeit very briefly and she still will only abide it for about a minute, tops. There were so many lovely cats there but I didn't think it sensible to choose a timid and frightened cat as I am out at work each day and a such a cat needs more time and attention than I can give.
I made a good choice, she is a lovely moggy, so affectionate and trusting and she rarely strays far from me. (apart from when the Hoover is on or young children are around.) I've never had many 'presents', (the last one was a dead rat about 3 yrs ago) and she's such a scaredy cat that she avoids getting into scraps.

Have you got a lovely animal?

Friday 23 March 2012

Buttons Galore

I recently won a blog giveaway bag of buttons courtesy of Kirsty Wiseman and Fantastic Ribbons, last night I put them to use.


The flowers are punched, I did some faux stitching to make the stems, 'grass' was stamped with the branches of a tree stamp by C.I. and the leaf is by SU. Sentiments by Woodware and SU.


I'm entering the following challenges:-

Creative Inspirations-Anything Goes
One Stop Craft Challenge-Hand-Made Flowers
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge-Cute as a Button

Hope you like them and thanks for looking.

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Delicious, Before & After

.....are the subjects for yesterday and today's March Photo A Day challenge. Here is 'Before & After'.


I won't bore you with the saga of my fireplace, suffice to say it went on for over 6 months and was a major headache, but last month it was finally complete. I had to make a compromise eventually but even if the fire is not what I chose initially it's a damn sight better than the original one, which was something similar to this.


I've nearly finished getting the downstairs of my house how I want it. It's only taken me 6 years but I don't like to rush these things! Just need to hang my pictures and source a few bits of furniture at an auction or suchlike and find a lightshade somewhere. ( B&Q's selection is sadly lacking.)


Onto the next shot which is 'Delicious' and here is the pudding I ate last week when I went to Cafe Rouge for lunch with a friend. They called it a micro pudding or something, it was really only two mouthfuls but Mmmmmmm.


Until next time,
xx

Sunday 18 March 2012

A Corner of My Home

This is today's subject for March Photo A Day. So here is a corner at the top of my stairs where I hang family photo's.




I've got more waiting to be hung......I'll get around to it one day.

Saturday 17 March 2012

Behind The Mask

So, this week's challenge at Less Is More is 'Masking'. I thought about this one for a while and had a rummage through my stamps and wasn't inspired by them at all, then I remembered my mask. My friend Sue made me a stencil/mask a while back on her superduper Cricut, how clever is she? I'm sure I wouldn't even have a clue how to turn it on I'm so useless with computers. (some of you may have noticed)
So this is what I came up with.



I stamped the frame in the centre of my cardstock in Satin Red versafine and a sentiment by Hero Arts then covered it with a Post-It mask. Next I positioned the mask/stencil in opposite corners overlapping the frame and applied Distress Inks with Cut 'n' Dry. I mounted it onto a toning orange panel.... and job's a good 'un. It sounds as if this card took no time at all whereas in fact, it took about one and a half hours as I cocked up the first attempt and took my time with this one to avoid further mistakes. (Although there is a tiny red speck in the frame, but I'm hoping you will overlook this. I could have removed it in photoshop if I knew how to do it!)
I hope it has enough white space to satisfy Chrissie and Mandi but I'm sure they'll let me know if it hasn't.

Before I go, here is today's shot for March Photo-a-day, the theme was Green. (presumably for St Paddy's Day.)


These are my broad bean seedlings which have gone rather leggy as they've been germinating on a bedroom windowsill, but are now outside waiting to go in the allotment.


Thanks for looking and all your kind remarks. Who do you love ?
Fiona x

Tuesday 13 March 2012

It's A Sign

I'm back again (am I boring you?) with yet another snap for the March Photo A Day challenge, Day 13 - A Sign.


Below, is my kind of sign.



TFL
Fiona x

Monday 12 March 2012

Fork Me !

Day 12 of March photo-a day is Fork. Here is a snap I took a couple of weeks ago whilst out to dinner with friends.



Thanks for looking.
x

Sunday 11 March 2012

Red

Here is Day 9 of March photo-a day. (running a little late, I know)


This phone box is looking rather sad, inside there was a notice which said it could be adopted by the village for just £1 'without telephony'. As the notice was dated 2009 I guess the village did adopt the phone box and they must have coughed up more than a pound as well.

I'm glad they did, these red phone boxes are a British design classic and the adoption scheme means that some of them will be protected for future generations. This one could do with a paint job though.

Saturday 10 March 2012

Looking Through The Window

I'm behind again with March photo-a-day due to a combination of long working hours and not liking subject matters, but this is Day 8-Window.



This window is at a disused station at Rowfant, just down the road from me. It was closed in the Sixties due to the Beeching cuts. The Parish Council obviously paint the woodwork but otherwise it is very neglected which is a terrible shame because it could be such a pretty little station. The old railway line is now a cycle track which runs several miles between Crawley and East Grinstead through the countryside. I was in my car today but must get the old bike out of the garage and take it for a spin.

And now onto this week's Less Is More challenge - One Layer, Script
After several trial runs on copy paper and a few botched efforts on cardstock, I came up with this.





The script stamp was a freebie with a PaperArtsy order and until today remained unused, the border stamp is by SU. I chose very regal colours Satin Red and Imperial Purple by Versafine. I'm no scholar but I'm guessing the script is meaningless or maybe it's some learned latin? Perhaps someone could tell me?

Hope you are all having a relaxing weekend.
Thanks for stopping by.
Fiona x

PS Bloggy thanks to Curtise for the ace vintage hostie image on my sidebar.

Wednesday 7 March 2012

To Sell Or Not To Sell?

Day 7 of March Photo a Day and the subject is Something You Wore. Here is something I constantly wore for 11 years.


It's been sitting in my wardrobe for the last decade
and I have toyed with the idea of selling it on ebay. The one thing that puts me off tho' is the thought of some kinky bloke buying it. I have read the ads for airline uniforms and some of them are marketing to very unsavoury characters. The thought of a perv having a J.Arthur in my tartan is too yucky for words.


Maybe some cash would make it easier to stomach, what do you think?

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Five O Clock

Here is today's subject for March Photo-a Day.



Around this time on a day off, I sit down in front of the box and indulge myself, cheese and onion are my favourite and a large glass of whatever dry white is cheapest at Sainsbury's.

Next up is my entry for this week's Less is More Challenge which has the theme of NEUTRALS.



I used an image by Artemio stamped on white card cut with a Labels 2 nestie.
The sentiment is SU and the card was accessorised with some faux pearls. The beige-y speckled base card came from my stash. Not sure what this fold is called, the front has been folded back on itself, anyone know? This card was sent to an elderly friend of mine who has just been diagnosed with colon cancer and had a major operation yesterday, life can be so unfair sometimes. I think perhaps I should have sent a more cheerful card, however I'm sure I will be sending her a few more in the weeks ahead so I'll make the next one colourful.

TFL and as always, for all your kind words.
Fiona x

Monday 5 March 2012

March Photo-a Day


I'm enjoying snapping for this photo challenge, although I've missed the first few days of this month due to long hours at work. Here is yesterday's shot.



I'm somewhat cheating for this next photo as I took it a couple of years ago, but I think it is perfect for today's subject, Smile.

My nephew Eddie


My car went in for it's MOT first thing this morning so I'm hoping I'm not going to be shelling out shed loads of cash later, fingers crossed. I've just finished giving my new fire surround a second coat of eggshell and in an hour I'm off to the hairdressers to get some highlights to blend in my 'natural' ones!!

What are you doing today?