Snow Stops Progress

I’m blogging today rather than getting off my butt and pedalling on my bike.

The snow has stopped me for the time being, although very pretty in parts it is not exactly what you would call ideal cycling material.

Last week I did very well, I track my progress on an app called Endomondo, it is great having it all logged because it pushes you to go a little further on your next journey.

Saturday was a stickler however because I took my bike to be set up correctly for me so we were late getting out and because the roads were busy we decided to go off road. I guess you can say too much too soon, the road was too bumpy, I wasn’t sure when I got back if I felt sick because of the pain in my back or sick because I am so unfit and totally out of breath. Too much up bank for a novice like me. I’ve added screen prints from my tracker you can click on them for a bigger picture.

Saturday 12 January

So Sunday was different, we managed to get out a little earlier and decided to go the coastal route. I knew I had to pop to my mams after the bike ride and half way along the coast road Chris suggested we could cycle there. I manage to cycle most of the route but had to get off for a short while to catch my breath off the incline and to pass through the railway crossings, I did however get back on and pedal the rest of the way to my Mams where I got to rest and have a glass of water.

Sunday 13th January first part.

So the reason I went to my Mams was I had been having problems with ear ache after I’d been out cycling, I get it when out for a walk or out shopping so I needed something to protect my ears but something that would still allow me to hear.

I put out a please help on Facebook with a knitting pattern to which a couple of nice people are coming to my rescue, mean while my Mam sat up all night making me this. you can see my Mam peeping in the background.

Now although this did the trick, I truly wanted Grey are Black so that is would look like part of the helmet, but at least for now I have a solution.

The knitting pattern came from here

So back to my cycle ride home from Mams.

So all in all I clocked up over 4 miles on the Sunday.

Now come on weather, sort yourself out, I need to keep this up.

Dream Team Blog Hop of the Month–Embellishments

It’s that time of the month when the Mo’s Dream Team come together and do a special project to give you a little inspiration and hopefully some Oooo’s and Awes along the way.

This months theme is Embellishments and Julie is our host so that is where the hopping starts.

you should have came here from Pops 

I used Cooking Dough C for my image from Mo’s Digital Pencil and I have added six Embellishments 2 pearls, 1 star, 1 flower, 1 pair of baby shoes and 1 ABC blocks, not to mention my ribbon bow in vintage seam binding from Ribbon Carousel 

I just adore the expression on his little face dont you?

I also happen to like scraping the bowl for the scraps of left over mixture.

ABC and ribbon

Baby shoes.

Flower and pearls

Next up is Gretha and she has made something jaw dropping gorgeous to show you.

Don't forget to leave comments along the way as there is a couple of spot prizes on comments left

The blog hop order if you get lost is  Julie, Debby.Y, Heidy, Alice, Debbie, Mina, Pops, Jak, Gretha, Kerttu, Jane,

Sympathy Cross

One of those cards that you never want to make but it is important that you do make one to let someone know you are thinking of them.

I’m starting this one with a close up picture of the Spellbinders Cross Die, it doesn’t just have to be sympathy that is is used for, it can be used for loads of different occasions.

I started the cross in a cream card and edged it with some suede coloured ink, I then used twine from Ribbon Carousel bound around the center of the cross I then stamped a spare piece of cream card with a script font stamp then cut one the smaller crosses and distressed it before adding on top with foam pads.

Of course with this type of card the inside sentiment is always of importance so my favourite sentiment was used.

Again using the twine to tie on the smallest of the crosses from the die set.

Hattie Bowler

Just a little fun card, you see so many images for mens bowls that we thought it would be fun to have one for the women.

Hattie Bowler from Just Inklined is such a fun image that I kept the card clean and simple.

Doesn’t she just bowl you over? Added ribbon and twine from Ribbon Carousel and a few blossoms to finish.

Marker Storage Verdict – Crafters Companion

I finally got my hands on the marker storage by Crafters Companion, having tried so many I was sceptical whether or not this system would work for me but it truly didn’t disappoint me.

However I did want it to store my FlexMarkers by Letraset and as these pens are shorter and fatter than Spectrum Noirs, Copics, Twin Touch etc. I was worried that they may not fit so good.

Actually they did fit perfectly the only issue I had was they where a little difficult to get hold of the ones in the middle to pull them out of the tray.

So my thinking cap came out, I needed something to stop the Markers going to the very back of the tray so that I had a little bit extra to grab hold of.

My answer came from the pound shop

Draft excluder tape, self adhesive and high density cut into little strips and stuck at the back of each compartment, works beautifully.

All neat and tidy and easy to get out.

You can see the excluder tape in each compartment in this picture.

I’ve started a Smash Book

I’m not sure how many of you will know about the Smash Book by K&Co but I guess some of you will have heard about them, basically it is somewhere that you can write a scrappy journal about likes and dislikes and general things you have going on, a bit of a diary if you like but one that you craft together.

This is mine I got my Smash Book at Ribbon Carousel 

You get a pen and glue stick loads of ideas and there is loads of Smash book embellishments you can get.

This is a few embellishments that I have.

 

So next up is to decide what you want to journal about,  thought that I would write about me starting cycling.

So this is my first page giving some of the goals that I’d like to achieve.

The possibilities are endless, they even have a dedicated blog for inspiration. http://www.smashstoriesblog.com/

I happen to be a little OCD I think as I just can’t bring myself to take the cover wrapping off the book yet.

Marker Pen and Die Storage

They are here, yay! I’ve been awaiting their arrival and I’ve finally got them in my sticky mitts.

This is going to get me organised for 2013 for sure.

I intend labelling the die storage so that I know exactly where things are, I can’t wait.

As soon as I’m sorted I’ll be back to make you drool.

RCC Winter Spirit Challenge

 

Winter Spirit

We are hosting a winter Spirit Challenge over on the Ribbon Carousel Blog this month

I have chosen some Winter Mittens for my theme, they are a template from Creations by AR 

I used Bakers Twine and Velvet with Lace edging to decorate the mittens, I think this could be a real fun project to do with children allowing them to decorate the mittens.

 

Ready to play?! 

 

Pop over to the Ribbon Carousel Blog

 

you could win your very own Ribbon Carousel You have until January 31st to add your creation.