Strong ...

Happy Sunday to you ...

It's a new photo prompt at

 Our Beautiful World

Today our lovely Kirsty has chosen the prompt which is 

Strong

I thought this was a terrific prompt ... It conjures up so many things and at first I was going to go with some photos I took this week of little black ants burrowing out of the mortar between the flags ... Boy those insects are really strong! They can carry up to 20 times their own weight

But then along came my "little man" a stray cat we've opened our hearts to ... He was looking a little battered and bruised this day - and tired from sleeping rough I guess and the fights that ensue when other tom cats pick on him ... Of course we feed him and offer him a place to sleep which he occasionally accepts ... as he did in this shot

Looking at him"Strong" came into my mind ... I've nursed many sick and ailing cats, dogs, birds - even mice and frogs - thanks to my son - not with any special lotions or potions but with food, shelter and lots of love - It never ceases to amaze me how strong and enduring they are ...

It always distresses me when people think it's ok not to neuter a cat - one un-spayed female cat will be responsible for 20,000 offspring in 5 years given that an average litter is 4 kittens and within 6 months each kitten can go on to have their own litter ... As for the tom cat ... he will always be in combat ... battered and bruised - not a good life ... even if you are not a cat person.

Ok ... enough preaching ... here are some shots of those amazing pesky ants!

I don't mind these so much ... It's the flying ones I really don't like

I'm off to take a look at the blog to see what my fellow team mates have in store for us this week ... why don't you join me and link up your photos this week ... I'd love to see what your interpretations are for Strong ...

Have a lovely day

~ Ros ~

Three French Hens And A Table

Hello there!

Well I don't know about you but my friday very hectic .... But before I get into that ... Would you like to see a couple of things I've been working on?

As far as card making goes ... my mojo has run off somewhere so I've been turning my hand back to home decor - Ever since my sweet friend Anitra mention Water Slide paper to me (hadn't a clue what it was) I've been desperate to try it ... Getting stuff like that is not easy here in the UK but fortunately I found some on the internet along with the necessary Krylon lacquer ...

I saw a cute little table at the flea market and the guy let me have it for £2 Perfect!! Ok, it needed a good clean and I forgot to take a photo before hand ... so eager was I to get going ... But several coats of paint and a good few hours later ... this is the result

... And I'm thrilled with it - even though I did botch a little of the decal

This little table folds each side so it is only about 3" wide .. so cute!

Well I couldn't stop there ... I have just finished another table which I will post another time but I also wanted to show you how I transformed my little hen house egg holder ... Again I'm sorry I forgot to photograph it before ... Just trust me that I've had this about 14 years and it was looking shabby 

Ta da!! The digital images are from Etsy (the hens) and The Graphics Fairy (postmarks)

The thing I love is the roof ... ever since the lovely and uber talented Mona Pendleton posted her gorgeous creations using a Tim Holtz embossing folder and some Ranger foil sheets I fell hook line and sinker and ordered them

I love the effect!

If you're thinking of giving water slide paper a go ... head on over to The Polka Dot Closet and take look at some of the wonderful things Carol makes ... This lady is amazing!

So my day - I was expecting a friend around lunch time which was fine as we were expecting people to come and clean the gutters in the morning (when DH would be here).

The gutter people didn't arrive so DH took himself out for the day ... then my friend arrived whilst I was painting and so did the guys to do the gutters!

My friend and 6 other people are each making a fabric letter to spell out a pretty WELCOME banner for the cancer clinic at our city hospital ... my friend (an artist in her own right) does not sew and needed my help ...

In the course of trying to adorn her letter "L" the phone rang countless times, the doorbell rang countless times ... and the workmen kept interrupting for something ... Then my Aunt got into difficulty with her online shopping orders ... my SIL wanted to chat ... and so it went until about 8pm. I was so glad to get to bed last night - my head was spinning!

I'm hoping for a more peaceful weekend ... the football season has started and DH will be off to the match later this morning ...

Have yourselves a lovely weekend ...

Thanks for looking in on me 

Till soon

~ Ros ~

How Did I Do That ...

Hello ... Thanks for looking in

So I promised you yesterday that I would tell you how I made my paint splat background on the card I posted yesterday for Papercraft Star

This is the background before I added the cut out lattice effect

It was all done using Adobe PSE on my iMac and if I can do  - it believe me anyone can do it!

So rather than write a long boring post ... for those of you who would like to know how to do this and make your own backgrounds ... 

Hop over to 

Our Beautiful World blog 

where I have done a step by step video tutorial and please let me know what you think ... was it helpful?

Be kind ... I'm a little shy about doing these things! 

Till soon

~ Ros ~

You Colour My World

Hi there! 

You colour my world ... did you know that? 

The Papercraft Star Inspiration photo is just full of colour this week

Doesn't it look delicious? 

You can go with the colours or the fruit ... perhaps the shapes that you see in there

I love the colours and I also love the chevron and lattice shapes and this is my card

I had it in my head to do paint splats ... using the colours in the photo ... unfortunately I don't have a stamp remotely like paint splats ... nor do I have all those colour inks

So I used Adobe PSE to make my background and cut the lattice shape using my Cameo

The sentiment is also computer generated

A few buttons just finish this off ...

My talented team mates have some lovely interpretations of this photo challenge if you are looking for more inspiration ... please hop over to the blog to take a look and I hope you will feel inspired to join us this week ...

If you are interested in knowing how I made this background or any other backgrounds using PSE ... Please come back tomorrow and I'll have a full tutorial for you

Thanks for your visit 

Till soon

~ Ros ~

City Crafter 1-2-3

Hello and Good Morning!

I'm hosting this week at City Crafter and the challenge I've set for you is called 

1-2-3

Source

I want to see your creations using

1 Stamp

2 papers

3 embellishments

Just to clarify ... You can of course also use Card stock and we will count buttons, pearls, sequins and the like as 1 item

Ok ... that's simple enough don't you think ...

I used 1 stamp from Waltzingmouse

2 Papers ... MME and First Edition

3 embellishments ... A flower, a doily and a pair of Die cut clock hands

The lovely Sue Lelli has been Guesting with us this month and this is her last week ... 

"Thanks Sue! ... we've loved having you here"

... And if you'd like a chance at Guest Designing with us just link up your entry this week 

Don't forget to visit the blog and check out all the creations from our team ...

Thanks so much for your visit - I'll be back tomorrow ... 

Have a beautiful day

~ Ros ~

Our Beautiful World

Good morning!

I hope you are well ...

Today's prompt at Our Beautiful World blog has been picked for us by sweet Milagros

The prompt is "Birthday"

Birthdays makes me think of Wishes ...

Prettily wrapped Gifts

and beautiful Bouquets ...

I confess I found this prompt quite difficult ... bearing in mind that the object is to share something from my part of the world ... No newborn animals or birds to show you ... the flowers are fading ... and my birthday is in January

So I pulled a few things from my archives to share

 January ...  In the Zodiac chart this makes me a Capricorn ... The Goat

... And in my part of the world January is cold ... often on my birthday my garden is covered in snow ...

A snowy evening in my road

If not snow ... it's cold and frosty and crisp under foot

... and evening comes in all too quickly

 What's it like in your part of the world? What does "Birthday" mean to you?

We'd love if you could share with us at Our Beautiful World ...

I'm off to the blog to see what my friends around the world have posted ... But just before I go

Yep ... This is my "Birth" Day ... Obviously not taken by me!!

My Mum looks tired, my Dad is all dressed up for the occasion and my big brother ... well he doesn't look at all impressed does he ...

Have a beautiful Sunday

~ Ros ~