Thursday, July 30, 2020

Little Birds

Hello again...Are you well?
Today we were expecting sunshine and 25C Temperatures, well I can assure you it's far from that here, maybe later it will brighten up.

As well as trying to get to grips with this new blogger system, I've been using up some watercolour scraps. The little bird stamps (an old set by Winnie & Walter) were just the right size


Sometimes when I have no inspiration I stamp, emboss and paint leaves which always get used one way or another


They're a bit of a motley crew these little guys but they make me smile


Especially these chubby little ones


Which reminds me, our government is now asking us to lose weight and get fit in an attempt to help our chances of survival should we contract the virus. I guess I need to put on some disco music and do a few twirls...

Have yourselves a lovely day

~ Ros ~

Monday, July 27, 2020

Tulips

Hello there... Did you think I'd fallen off the planet?
I know it's been awhile and I do hope you are all well and safe... Thank you for your comments and for letting me know what you've been doing in isolation.

 I still haven't had the inclination to craft. However I needed a birthday card for my husband's DIL so I had to make something. In the end after much trial and error I went back to my comfort zone - The technique I love and the colours I love


The tulip stamp is by Clearly Besotted and I've used this many times but not over watercolour before.
It's simple and it's me


It's been a weird week here, not just because of our great British summer of constant rain, but I had the need to call an ambulance this week for DH... 


He wasn't feeling to well and collapsed in the bathroom, which he'd locked. I got into him using a screwdriver and managed to call the emergency services. Though they were pretty quick, by time they arrived he was almost fully alert and sitting in a chair but nevertheless, they wanted to check him out at hospital. He wasn't too keen on that but finally agreed to go. Thankfully all the tests were clear and he was released later in the day with a follow-up booked with the GP.

As it happened I also had an appointment with the practice nurse following up on blood tests... My sugar levels were quite high last time and I was expecting the worse despite my efforts in lockdown. Well I was pleasantly surprised when she offered me a gold star HA! Not only have I lost a stone in weight but I have reduce my sugar levels by 5 points, 5 POINTS!! See, there's always a silver lining.

Okay... I'd better say bye bye for now and hopefully I will get to visit you all soon

Take care and be safe

~ Ros ~
 

Friday, July 17, 2020

Some Oldies

Hello there... 

I can't say that I have been inspired to craft or paint lately... I'm fine, I'm just taking a little break from things.
I've still a few paintings that I haven't shared with you before


 These were done way back in April when I was first experimenting


It took a lot of trial and error to find what brushes work for me and of course shapes and colours


I'm a little more confident now but I still like these 


Teaching myself to paint became my haven when Covid first started... I'm curious as to whether you tried anything new whilst being isolated?

We're still very cautious and I don't go out unless I have to... I went for my blood tests yesterday and it was all done by appointment. Of course you are required to wear a mask which I always do but it was so alarming to see that the only other person wearing a mask at the medical centre was the nurse who took the blood! I had to walk past other workers with no covering at all... Crazy!

Stay safe and happy my friends

~ Ros ~
 

Saturday, July 11, 2020

CAS(E) This Sketch

Hi there...

I don't think I've ever entered a challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch
But when I visited my friend Michele's blog, I was taken by this sketch...


So I challenged myself to come up with something using my pencil and paints (along with a few dies a stamp and embossing powder)

Here's what I came up with


 I sketched some flowers which I painted with Prima Confection and cut the shape with a border die. The butterfly and the smaller shape (also cut with the same border die) were both painted with Gansai Tambi gold paint. It's still pretty dull here but if I turn my card to the light...



You can see how shiny it is. I guess I could have cut the main shape a little better  but hey ho... 

I hope you are enjoying your weekend... If only the sun would shine and the wind would drop I could get out into the garden for a while - I live in hope

Take care and thanks so much for your visit

~ Ros ~



Thursday, July 09, 2020

Two Little Birds

Hello friends...How are you all? Well I hope. 
 
I haven't had any inclination to craft lately, perhaps it's the weather - We've had non stop rain for more than a week and life is so much better when I can spend some time in the garden albeit it that it's starting to look like a jungle. 

Still, I have lots of paintings that I've never got around to sharing including these little birds.  Actually this one's a plump little guy


 They're not supposed to be any particular bird... I just make them up and choose whatever colour takes my fancy
 
 
 They will no doubt end up in my lockdown album which has also been abandoned lately...
 
 
The trims on both cards are from my stash, I've ribbons and buttons and all manner of things that never get used. I did have a purge but kept some "just in case" as you do.
 
 
My friends were thrilled with their little coffee cup cards by the way, oh and I was thrilled to see an old photo this week... My friend in New Jersey must have had this one and her daughter posted it on F/B. 


Obviously it was taken more than 50 years ago... She's at the back and I'm on the right... The little boy and baby are her cousins. It took me back and gave me a warm feeling of the happy times we spent together and how different the world was then.

Okay so that's it for today... 
Stay well, be happy and I'll catch up with you soon

~ Ros ~
 

Saturday, July 04, 2020

Don't Worry, Bee Happy

Hello there... 
Happy 4th July to all my friends in the USA and to all my friends here because today marks the start of relaxed rules following the lockdown in the UK... 

From now a lot of businesses are allowed to open including pubs and bars which, believe it or not, opened at 6am. I can't imagine anyone wanting to drink alcohol at that hour but there we are. Even before the bars and pubs opened there have been some awful scenes in my city. 
Crowds gathering to celebrate the football championship, crowds gathering just to drink and party, fireworks going off late at night, beaches and villages left full of litter. There's been a lot of damage, a lot of vile attacks on animals and it saddens me to the core how some people behave. I'm dreading the second spike which I think is now inevitable.
But enough of that, it's too depressing.

Today I have a few cards to share, first up one for



It's been dull and wet all week and this card has a lovely shine but so difficult to capture that on a photograph.
I started by stenciling the circles with Distress Oxide blueprint and used a fineliner pen to trace them.
Then I stamped and embossed  flowers here and there together with the little bee. I used gold paint on the bee, parts of the flowers and to dot the circles.


The next 2 cards I made a while ago to send to blog friends


This one went off to Canada
 

And this one to  California


 
Well, I'm going to do some baking now - I made a batch of rock cakes a few days ago and last night I just fancied one but when I looked there was only 2 there. DH swears he didn't eat them, Mikey doesn't eat cakes of any description so I guess the fairies came. Funny how they left crumbs all over DHs chair?
 
Have a wonderful day
Be safe

~ Ros ~