In a mermaid garden and a mythical creature

Day off number 3, alas back to work tomorrow :(  that'll mean no crafting for a few days.

But two for the price of one this morning, digi page done for two challenges.

6 x6 digi page

kit 'Natural Beauty' by Rosie H

image Gecko Galz

quote from web

Removed the image from its background, used the same splatter embellishment three times, re coloured to match the image & resized each time. Grouped together to make one big splat. Added text. 

entering in: gecko galz blog = in a mermaids garden

                    Gecko Galz Papercrafting Challenge Group  (facebook)

J is for jagged and/or the colour kiwi

Got my crafting head on today - to fit the challenge over on the Butterfly blog, love how it turned out, I did use something else as the middle of the flower but it didn't look right when the card was finished so quickly pulled it off and looked in my flower drawer again.

flowers from stash

mulberry papers

gems from The Hobby House

metal butterfly from The Craft Box

lace from stash

entering in: butterfly challenge = j is fro jagged edge/colour of kiwi

                   

and also in a new challenge blog which is Always Anything Goes  day dreamer challenges = #1

Did another 7 day stint at work, honestly they are trying to kill me off, I'm sure of it! Good news and slightly ironic due to the topic of hours on the other posts - my contract has been increased (officially) to 25 hrs from 13 hrs, very pleased with that outcome. 

Couple of days off now, went to Chesterfield to have lunch and a wander round, and of course peruse a few charity shops, ended up with 2 second hand books and then Andrew treated me to Nigel by Monty Don and a Richard and Judy pick , The Muse by Jessie Burton, not read any of her books but the gorgeous cover caught my eye. 

 Today, I ended up getting up at 6.30am..... so much for a lie in!!! Tomorrow is as yet unplanned.

Digi page I did this morning, using 'Fading India' digital kit by Vintaj, picture from yahoo search and a quote from Ramana Maharusi.

Orange peel and M for matching pair

Well, it was a waste of time writing about work in the last post but one, the whole 'doing contract hrs from now on' didn't pan out *lol* back to 24/30 hrs after just 1 week. And ended up working 7 days non stop due to *cough* higher management mucking up the rota. Two days off together were BLISS and I've recharged my batteries..... for now *g*

Actually made a card as well, and got mucky in the process (the best bit).

Over at  Mrs A's buttefly blog, the new challenge is 'M for matching pair and/or the colour orange peel'. As I read it, bright orange splats popped into my mind. I know plain weird eh?

So out came the Vermillion acrylic paint tube and everything did indeed go splat!

I used the vermillion and teamed it with lamp post black paint, and for the 'matching pair' two plain wooden butterfly embellies painted in the Vermillion many times to get the bright orange colour.

The sentiment stamp is from Visible image and stamped in black stazon, finally used a bright orange promarker to edge all the papers.

entering in Butterfly Challenge = Matching pairs and Orange peel

Calke Abbey

Thursday saw us visiting Calke Abbey, one of my favourite places. Not visited in over a year so it was time to go back! Left the pooches at home so we could wander round the house and gardens - you can take dogs in the estate grounds.

Had a lovely time, this year its all about Hidden Calke, so from 11 - 1215 each morning, they open the 'rooms' in which the last occupants lived in after abandoning the rest of the House, mainly 4 rooms - dining room, study, kitchen and a lounge. These are on the ground floor, the bedrooms and the bathrooms being at the top of the house so they still had a way too walk to go to bed! It was lovely to see how it 'was' lived in before turning it over to National Trust is n 1985 (I think).

After the 'apartments' we had a lovely walk round the estate to Staunton Herald Resevoir and back, took lunch then walked round the rest of the House and the gardens. Wonderful day out even if it rained for most of it.

Some people say its sad to see that state of it and why don't the NT do it up, but I think its hauntingly beautiful in all its decay, a life once lived allowed to rest for evermore.