One I made earlier!

I have had major problems the last week accessing my blog! Had tried absolutely everything... (well not quite... I DID manage to resist the 'resort to hitting PC with hammer' urges.....JUST!) The darn thing let me open the page but not sign in.. and then when it let me sign in, it locked the PC.

After much frustration and a few more grey hairs OH said it might be the playlist.... apparently there is some legal dispute going on in USA about the playlist ..... so finally we managed to get onto the blog dashboard long enough for me to delete my much loved (by me) music. Since the playlist has gone I've had no problems.... so am hoping that OH can find another music gadget for me to add (I know some of you find the music annoying, but some people have said they like it!) and also that I have no more problems getting on the blog!

Right that's enough explanation of my absence.... (bowling season still busy too....) and I have spent the last hour trawling through the challenge sites to see what I've missed - which is a lot!

My friends at Flickr will have seen this ATC before - but as the theme on So Artful was 'gypsy', I decided to post this on my blog and enter it into June's challenge!

Men and Numbers

Two challenge sites this week, Tuesday Taggers and Saturday Surprise had themes of Men/Male and Mixed Media Monday's theme was Numbers so I incorporated both into this ATC!

I used a page torn from an old dictionary showing decimal numbers and coloured by sponging distress inks. The 'Real Gentlemen' image was stamped onto some thick card, sponged with inks and some gold mica powder added round the edges, then I added a further edge using a stazon ink pad. I used the same distress ink on the tag, then stamped the numbers on the background and the tag before adding the few fibres. Finally, I put a small pocket watch embellishment on the ATC.

A Caged Bird

Whilst I was trying to concentrate on creativity I remembered this pic so I applied myself to making an ATC as I have wanted to use this image for a while.

The background is courtesy of Flickr and the little hazy blue bird reminds me of Summer - (which I hope is coming soon 'cos it's raining again!).

The bird cage is printed onto a transparency and I cut round it. I always find fixing transparencies a challenge as if you don't get them tight enough the image is blurred! I opted to secure the top of this with an eyelet and I used some glue intended for jewellery to fix the bottom and thankfully it dried clear. The chain was added and fixed with a brad.

Art Creations Friday supplied this gorgeous textured background for todays challenge.

I added some lace and ribbon and a lace flower secured with a pale pink pearl brad.

I wanted to keep the overall 'textured' look of the background and after experimenting in edging a small section with embossing powder (unsuccessful!!) I reverted back to the 'torn tissue paper covered with acrylic paint then blasted with a heat gun' technique!

This is my first challenge for a while - and at least I feel I spent the little spare time I had doing something!

It's been very difficult to find any inspiration - it's not that I don't want to craft because I do, it's just that my mind is full of other things and I cannot push all the other things that are going on to one side in my head and let any creativity see the light of day - there are too many teams to pick, games to play and lots of County Administration. In a way I want September to come then I can get back to just being messy on the desk instead of having to be organised!

Still alive and kicking!

I received an e mail today from a fellow blogger who asked if I was OK as it was over a week since I posted anything on my blog! I'm flattered that I've been missed!

I suppose everyone (me included) has been used to me posting so frequently during the winter months that it's only natural they wonder what I'm up to during the summer!

Although the weather took a downward turn the bowling doesn't stop - we played in Yorkshire last Thursday (cold, windy but dry), had a visit from a Welsh ladies touring team Friday and Saturday at Manchester and Southport (cold and raining), played in a County Pairs event on Sunday morning and afternoon at Southport (windy, dry but cold), then went to my home Club in Bolton to play in a National Mixed Fours (windy and cold), went to watch some of the men from my Club play last night (freezing cold) and today - well today I have had a much needed day off. You may have detected the theme here though - cold is not what kind of weather I want in June!!!

I have done some crafting in between - I started a project at the beginning of last week and finished it today. I cannot post it though as it's a birthday present and I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise! So once the recipient has opened it I will put a pic on here then you can all see I haven't been 'craft-less'!

In the meantime, here's a card I made for a friend using oriental papers and tags.