Saturday 11 May 2024

Spots and Stripes and amazing skies


Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts and Lorraine would like to see some 'Spots and Strips'. We have prizes from Stampendous.

Allsorts celebrates it's 15th Birthday next week and there are awesome prizes, so please help us spread the word........and talking of words, theres a play on them in the logo to give you a hint of what's to come!

A stencilled spotty background and flowers from AALL and Create Hellebore (1063) which were stamped onto inky offcuts, cut out and arranged onto the base. Words from the same set and quote form my Believe stamp set. I would also like to share this at The Path of Positivity challenge.

Many thanks for your visits, know I've been a tardy blogger with all that's been going on but a glimmer of hope following the Albation, I've had two days this week with only a few hours of migraine.

Addendum: Amazing North Lights/Aurora Borealis skies in our parts last night....

Sunday 5 May 2024

Magnolias and Palace visit


Morning everyone, time for new challenges at We Love Stamping and Stamping Sensations where our themes are Vintage as selected by Lynn and a Mood Board to celebrate Pinky's birth month, along with the usual option of A/G with your stamped element.

Further down an insight into the weeks activities!

Above a page from an old book, some inky treatment then stamped the Penny Black Magnolia using my stamp platform to build up the colour. Butterfly, words from AALL and Create (754) and the word Vintage computer generated. Plus an envie to match. 


More AALL and Create, this time Watering Can (437), flowers from Hexapetalistic (978) Woody the Woodpecker from Follow your own Path (563), all cut out on the Scan and Cut and washi tape which I coloured in parts to carry the colours. When I use the S&C to cut elements most are stamped into snippets, it's a great way to use them all up, so I'm off to the Snippets Playground with this one.

The Palace visit was amazing, although not many photos to share as phones and belongings had to be handed in after walking through the Grand Entrance (where we see carriages arrive on TV footage). A limited number of photos were allowed in the central courtyard after the ceremony, but most of the photos were official ones which will be available shortly.


The Princess Royal officiated and displayed her usual sense of humour when Owen replied to a question and mentioned details of one of his meetings where the Queen, her Mother was present. The actual ceremony took place in the Throne Room and it was sobering realising how many Monarchs had been seated there over the centuries.

We were treated to a mini tour of some rooms, the Music Room with an amazing domed ceiling where many Royal Christenings have taken place including the (then) Princess Royal and Prince of Wales. The Blue Room is a huge galleried room of ornate furniture and fine china pieces, The White Room houses the Erard grand piano, a gift to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, a beautiful gold piece with inlaid carvings in shades of pink. We were seated alongside it on a huge chaise lounge and gold embroidered chairs for a time and I would so love to have taken a photo of all. 

That room also has the late Queens secret door leading to her private quarter's, disguised as a huge ornate mirror. The Equerry who escorted our party explaining everything in great detail said it's original purpose was to ensure the Queen could leave one gathering without doubling up on distance and move on refreshed to attend the next.

The room which had a great impact on me was the Queens Gallery (recently re-named by her eldest Son as the Picture Gallery), it houses the Worlds largest display of works by Venetian artist Canaletto. Being a lover of Venice, the artwork really appealed.

Just a few photos, the best I can offer at the moment, taken over the shoulders of one of the official photographers....

After the ceremony we had a champagne dinner at the Oxo Tower, Harvey Nichols restaurant, which by coincidence is where my outfit came from! We met up with Owen's daughters (two of our elder Granddaughters) and all was delicious especially my chocolate and cherry creation.

Added bonus of the day, you'll need to be a sport enthusiast to appreciate this one, Jeff Settling late of Sky TV was there to receive an MBE, we had a long chat with him and his wife and got an update on Hartlepool United.....again you'll need to know who he is to get that one!

Finally, I went into hospital first thing the morning after the Palace excitement, had both spinal and head procedures done, the latter required 48 hours rest as I opted for spinal anesthesia rather than a general, so it's taken a bit longer than planned to write this. Due back for a check up Wednesday.

Back to challenges and really hope you will join in with our themes this month.

Saturday 4 May 2024

Flight of the Dragonfly


Morning everyone, a new challenge at Allsorts and Liz would like to see 'More than one Fold'. Prizes come from Oakwood and Highlight Crafts. I'm out of hospital but a bit fragile so will update on the weeks special events tomorrow.

A tri fold tag card using AALL and Create Tag it Yourself dies(27), Oopsa stencil (161), Wingbrushed (1107) and Time Heals (1110). A brayered and stencilled background, pot from Containers (401) plus a few left over flowers and Squirrel from Highlight TRR collections.


Allsorts celebrates it's 15th Birthday in a couple of weeks and there are awesome prizes, know we always have good ones but believe me this will be sooooo special. So please share the logo to help us spread the word........and talking of words, theres a play on them in the logo to give you a hint of what's to come!