High anxiety.

I managed to find some time this weekend to learn something new. I am a technophobe. I have a laptop, Mobile and I pad but I know I don't get the best from them. So I decided to get number one niece to show me how to download music onto my phone so I nan use the phone as a player when I am travelling by train. And she showed me and I practised and am pleased to day I am no longer a music download virgin.
So I thought I would journal in honour of my newly found skill by devoting a page to my playlist. Can't wait to learn some more.

Catcha later

Simply Saturday

Haven't been too busy this week. Did not feel too much like crafting, but there's always something that gives a little inspiration. On the DC forum, a member asked whether anyone would make a card for her hubby as he doesn't have much family around. So who can resist? I also managed to do another random one. Quite into the red white and blue at the mo.

Walter seems quite pleased. I enjoyed doing the card for J. I don't have Mother's Day cards to do at this time of year, cos she's not around anymore, but making a card for anyone does make you feel good. You can't escape the fact that it is an emotional activity.
Just back from Durham armed with  two farmers wife market stall cakes and two bottles of Pinot Grigio. Simple Saturday! Yay!
Catcha later

Atmosphere

I was watching a documentary the other night on Joy Division and the lead up to the suicide of Ian Curtis. It was 1980 and I was in sixth form struggling with decisions about the future and thinking John Paul Sarttre was right all along, we were all playing a part in the life play called Waiting for Godot and teenage angst was trendy. A few years later retrospectively thinking about the death of someone who was musically so talented but also deeply unhappy, got me out of that way of thinking and made me determined to be an optimist. Still I walloed in Atmosphere and thought of my youth, and how I thought I knew it all. Now at 51 , of course I know I don't know it all but am glad to still be learning and still being an optimist.
I like the creative stuff, not destructive and cynical, hence the love of craft.
Did these two cards. One for Easter and one for a 60th birthday.

The first is a Lotv topper, Dovecraft doily,kaiser craft stamp, the Works wooden word and some Paperchase photo corners.
The second uses some free papers and toppers from Making Cards, an egg die form X cuts, ribbon,burlap and bakers twine. Walter is quite pleased with them both.
Anyone going to GNPE in Harrogate. Will see you there Godot willing!
Catcha later

The nature of the blog

I was trying desperately to finish off a memory album for my sisters two girls in time for Easter. It is to compliment the family album I did for my Dad, which will eventually come to them. I needed to add in some reference to their paternal side, their granda and grandma Smithson. It's quite hard when you are scrapping a photo of someone you did not know well, so I decided to give my brother in law some blank journaling cards and asked him to tell his gils about his Dad, Harry.
This is the layout.

I used red, white and blue and military looking buttons to represent his army career, and vintage Heidi Swapp folder to hold what I hope will be emotional and thoughtful journaling. I chose a quotation from Henry V (took me back to my A level days) cry, God for Harry, England and St George as it represented his commitment to his country
It's strange the way your thought processes work though. I have always been passionate about literature and the written word in General, which is possibly why I combined creative writing with card making, into my scrapbooking. It just met all my creative needs. I really feel that's why blogs are good too.
For me, in this community, they fall into three categories.
The showcase blog, where crafters show their creations.
The my family and other animals blog,where crafters share a little bit of their personal life
The thoughts and musings blog, where there is a desire to add in creative thought, ideas and opinions, wider than just crafting.
That is why, when I view your blogs, I hope to do you the courtesy of making my comments appropriate to your blog type. If you want to show a creation, I will comment on it, but if your blog has more to say I will hopefully acknowledge the time you have taken to share.
Flip... This is a bit heavy. Time for milkshake and some Create and Craft.
Catcha later.

Stash buster extraordinaire

I have been making a card for my nieces birthday. I am trying to make all my cards this year and use some stash. I read this blog which suggested you spend some time going through your stash because you forget what you have. I was on the point of ordering some gelatos to play with when I remembered seeing my cheap box of pastels from the Works instead. So I used them and spent no money! Yay!
Here's the cards. One for Abi and another, just because I was on a roll.

Walter is introducing them I found some Gorjuss decoupage and toppers, some acetate wings from Crafty Individuals I bought eons ago, some black ribbon from a past Craft fare and some stickers from an ancient QVC TSV. I have also decided to use stash for making envelope liners and decorating the envelopes. Still If I live till I am 100, I will never get through it all. Tomorrow I will do a layout using some papers stuffed in a box.
It was a couple of hours well spent, as I recalled some purchases and fads in my OMG 12 years I think of crafting.
Catcha later.

Meet Walter de la Hare.....

This is Walter, name after the famous poet with the similar name. He is an altered hare. I bought him as a white bunny in the Range and transformed him into my crafting companion, there to introduce my projects and keep me on the straight and narrow with his wisdom. He wears some Einstein specs and a Poirot tache , his bunny tail remains strictly girlie pink, but it's not for viewing. Walter reflects my change to my blog title and looks on with a discerning gaze at my activities

Say Hi, Walter.

And so to the crafts.....

I did some journaling on Hares, with some quotes from Frances Pitt. The green hare is cut from a birthday card, and is by a fab artist whose name I donT know. It's Paperchase tapes, card and WAterstones badge, I made the fabric hare with Do crafts sticky fabric.
The second one is about being comforted, particularly by children when you try to calm there tears and they calm your soul in return. I found the poem in a second hand poetry book I bought recently. Can you tell we have an impending event in July. Our first grandchild. Looking forward to a happy summertime.

So throw those curtains wide...

On a day like this...it was glorious today. Ten degrees and sunny. We went to the headland in Hartlepool for a walk and some fresh air. There were many walkers about but it wasn't crowded. I was looking for some bits of driftwood to try and frame my sea canvas at some point. Today was a day for shells, pebbles and sea glass but not much wood. Bobby wouldn't take me for pop and crisps in the tea rooms, but I enjoyed it all the same.
The title is from Elbow, by the way.

I am going to do some journaling this week. I am in card making mode, but no one to make one for at the moment. I end up with loads to give away, so I am resisting. So hard. I went into the Range yesterday and had to buy something even if it was just foam tape and pearly gluey stuff. Here are the little cards, Grace Taylor blanks, Dovecraft doily, the Works star em bellies and Do crafts free decoupage topper.
I didn't resist long, I had to have a little dabble. Even if it was just foam tape and pearly gluey stuff. Trying to focus on stash and not to buy, but it's so hard. Catcha later, Kat.