A very mixed bag indeed. This week has not gone to plan at all and I’ve had very little time to create anything. It started off just great, celebrating our friends 60th birthday with him and his family (he loved the card btw!), and should have progressed into celebrating my husbands 50th birthday on Thursday, however, our water heater in the basement decided to pack up during a cold snowy spell that left us washing in ice cold water in the morning when it was -10C outside!! So my wonderful hubby spent his ENTIRE 50th birthday in the basement replacing the water heater! It took him all day, until gone 6pm in the end, and then a bit of tidying up and leak proofing a couple of fittings the next day. We were without hot water for two days and our pockets are now over $400 lighter too! Not the best birthday he’s ever had, and we decided to have a quiet weekend at home instead of going out for dinner, but I did cook him a nice roast dinner yesterday, savory crepes followed by the traditional lemon/sugar ones for lunch today (Sunday), and now steak with home made pepper sauce for dinner! Makes up for the frozen curry we ended up having on his birthday night! Still, something to laugh about later no doubt.
So that was a lot of waffle! I have a card to share with you that I love and hate at the same time. I love the little image, despite the seven attempts to get a decent image from it! But I don’t really care for much else to be honest, I’ve been trying to work on it the best part of all last week but it all just ended up really fragmented and not at all coherent because of everything that was going on at the time.
I do like the sentiment too actually. I hand wrote it but I’m not good at that and the “Where you are planted” bit is definitely going up hill!!
I water coloured the image. The wheel barrow is with Distress Inks and everything else is with Marvy Uchida Markers, and I added a little bit of Stickles here and there. All the papers are from the snippet box, I can’t recall what some of them are but the polka dots is Pink Petticoat and the larger strip at the bottom is MME. The ribbons are little bits of scraps too. The sentiment circle is from a Rhonna Farrer clear set inked up with Versamagic chalk ink. I followed the LO at Sketch Saturday.
Card Recipe:
- Card: Blank from Michaels ~ The Paper Company
- DP: MME ~ Pink Petticoat ~ Other unnamed scraps.
- Stamp: See D’s ~ Rhonna Farrer
- Ink: Distress Ink Antique Linen, Vintage Photo & Frayed Burlap ~ Versamagic Pretty Petunia
- Embellies: Marvy Uchida Markers ~ Stickles ~ Coloured pencils ~ Pearls from Michaels ~ Tsukineko Black Pen ~ Ribbon & Fibres from JoAnn and Michaels
- Tools: Martha Stewart & EKSuccess Punches
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Challenges:
Sketch Saturday ~ Current LO
Sir Stampalot ~ In The Garden
Pixie’s Sunday Snippet Challenge ~ Use Up Your Scraps
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And now for something completely different! Years ago when Andrew still worked for Chrysler he submitted a patent for an idea he developed, but subsequently left before the filing was complete. He assumed it wouldn’t be followed up on, but not only was it followed up upon but the patent was actually granted, so it was a nice surprise to hear about it from a former colleague and download it from the patent office website. We decided to put it into a frame and discussed the LO at the end of last year as I had originally intended to give it to him for Christmas, and he made it really difficult by saying no embellishments, no grungy stuff, no ink splodged around the papers and not a speck of glitter to be seen! I know I love CAS but I thought that was a bit much. It stumped me for a while, which is why he ended up with it for his birthday and not at Christmas! The quote is in one of the Tim Holtz sets but I typed it up so it looked neat, and after thinking for ages what could I do to fill in the gap at the top right I finally found a very nice image of the patent office’s seal so I printed that out.
And I was happy about how this came out, but more to the point, so was he. Very happy in fact! I was even happier to have made this from the snippet box, even though the backing piece is 8″ x 10″ to fit in a standard frame, I took the photo before putting it in a frame so I didn’t have to contend with the glare from the glass. I often get large, think 2ft x 3ft, sheets of artists charcoal paper from Michaels when they’re on sale as they’re exceptional value, the red piece is my last really large “scrap” from one of these sheets. The beige and brown card were in the scrap box, DCWV I think, and the image and text from the patent were printed on some beige, mottled looking stationary that I came across in a drawer in the study, no idea where it came from, might even have been a sample of something! All scrap though, so it can be considered for Di’s Snippet Challenge too!
So that was quite a marathon! Thanks for sticking with it to the end! Hopefully, normal crafty services can resume again this week, gotta get that card made for Rudolph Day!!
Wow – what time you had! I sat here and shivered reading about the heating probs. – but what a star Andrew was to fix it. Do you hire him out at all?
Brilliant card, and I love your handwriting – it’s just fine! Beautiful image and papers too.
I think the super patent LO is going to be a one and only in the playground – forever. Doubt if we have many of those around – how terrific. That’s gonna be a talking point in the roll call!!
Di xx
Hello Brenda
Why do these things always go wring in the Winter I wonder, our hearing did it last December when the UK had it’s coldest snap for years. And as you say not a cheap remedy.
On to your artwork, two totally different but inspirational pieces, of course you know me and that the flowers win.
Thank you so much for joining us In the Garden at Stampalot challenge this month, good luck and hope you will join us again next month.
And for the record, I ended up watching the penalties through the door crack, nail biting final or what.
B x
Brrrrrrrr. Poor things the pair of you. At least Andrew was able to fix it. WHAT a birthday treat!
Congrats on the patent too. xxx
Snap…….we used the same paper! Fabulous card! Thank you for playing our sketch at Sketch Saturday! Good Luck!xxx
Wow Well done to Hubby for his Patent – don’t think I know anyone else with a Patent so he is “Speschial”!! Love what you have done to frame it too – well done you!
The card is pretty but you are probably not keen as it is not your usual taste – i.e. it is very girly and pink. Maybe. You will find someone whom it is suitable for and they will love it I am sure then you will feel better about it!
xx
Aw you are being to hard on yourself, your card is lovely.
Wow A Patent! Never knew anyone to get one, that’s impressive, hope it means some $$$ coming his way. What a briliant LO! I’m sure Di is right, not likely to have another showing up in the playground anytime soon.
My heart gos out to you regarding the water heater. Burrr! We’ve had our share of electrical and plumming problems this month but thankfully no cold showers.
Hugs & Blessings
Bernie
Never actually seen a patent on paper before. They go on about them on ‘Dragons Den’ (T.V. programe). Well done to Hubby. Like the wheelbarrow of flowers myself . They are my colours. Late into the playgrond again this week.. I blame those pogo sticks. Time flies when you are having so much fun. Hugs Mrs A.
Wow that patent framing is stunning and a truly proud moment too. Sorry to hear about the boiler and your husbands birthday celebrations but it is true you will always remember that birthday more so than if all had gone to plan, hugs, Amanda
Hope you are a bit warmer by now, and well done you your husband for his brilliant idea and subsequent patent. You did so well with that layout to accommodate all his requirements. xx Maggie
What a pity it had to fail on his birthday. did make me laugh his instructions on your mounting the patent, but very impressive both arty wise and idea on his part.
Love the wheelbarrow card, so cheerful.
Linbyx