T stands for The new mug and Tim's September tag

I am all ready to join the T gang for T stands for Tuesday over at Elizabeths's blog but first I will show you my tag for Tim's 12 tags of 2015 - September. 
I am still hanging on to the end of the year but honestly I sometimes find it too much of a challenge! I don't have all the products  most times and although substituting is okay I get frustrated that I don't always get the required results. So, I'm not giving up ….yet, but it has stopped being fun for me and surely that is the point of crafting at my age!!!
Right - rant over, and to be fair I am quite pleased with this month's tag

 It is destined to become a card topper some time soon!
I love the shimmer,

and I love the dimension of the bird...

…but it is nothing like the one that Tim made although I have used the same techniques - see Tim's here.
I have made several substitutes of course!!
Now, my new mug…as I have mentioned before, we have one of those fancy coffee machines at our caravan(bought at a bargain price in the January sales!!)Most drinks fit into my ordinary mugs or some glass ones we bought(also in a sale..love bargain!!)This new one is a much better size for my Latte and it was all alone on a bargain shelf in the Supermarket!

I had been trying to finish off my France journal sitting on the couch when hubby brought me this, so just pushed it back on the coffee table! I hope it will be ready to show you soon!

We are having a little while longer at home this time, we have few things to deal with AND it's Happy Stampers at Port Sunlight on Saturday(will I see you there?) I am hoping to catch up with all your blogs and have some crafty time too!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Its Autumn at TIOT!

Our new theme at Try It On Tuesday is Autumn.The DT has made some fabulous examples so I hope you will take a look and be inspired to join in!

I was influenced by the windows we saw in Austria and Budapest last year so I have made something to go in my window for the Autumn.I wish it was something we did here in the UK instead of the focus on Halloween, although we did see some that were both.

As you can tell from my previous post, I love Autumn! (and songs about Autumn too!)

Early this year my eldest son came to do a little job for us and I noticed he had some lengths of wood left over - I asked him if he could cut me some different sized blocks and it is one of these that I have used.

Several coats of paint and stencilling…..

…and then I got carried away!
The metal flowers that were destined to be for our last theme making their debut here!I used plant labels from B and Q, ran through an embossing folder and alcohol inks

The large leaf is a TH die cut that has had the alcohol ink treatment and then Stickled veins added. The smaller leaves were some I have had for a while - pale green usually - now changing colour with the help of some distress inks and stamping with text. I added some red netting from some fruit wrapping and a piece of a scarf I bought in France (because I knew it would make great crafting fabric and it was really cheap!)
The words - computer generated - you may recognise from the Justin Hayward song - 'Forever Autumn' 

The wood fortunately was quite soft so I was able to make holes for the wire with my poky tool. I used glossy accents to make the wire stay in place.

I hope you will find the time to join us at TIOT, remember anything  you make is acceptable as long as it fits our theme. 

Thanks for looking, Chris
  

Dragons Dream - Autumn is here - and a red moon!

How to interpret the Dragons Dream TIO Challenge 200 - the number is 9 - chosen by Gabrielle?
One song kept going around in my head! Today, at last I found time to spend in my craft room! We do seem to have been out and about a lot recently so I have only been playing in my journals(and I do mean playing!!)
I came up with this

 Stencilled leaves onto gessoed tag so that I could encourage some drips, then another leaf mask with Grunge Paste, rubbed over with Inca gold and Burnt Umber DecoArt Media fluid acrylics, then stems painted in with Burnt Sienna. The leaves around the edge from a sunflower stamp and words printed out on the computer. I know that there are 10 leaves but the 9 is for September and the song I am sure you have guessed, is the old Frank Sinatra classic 'September in the Rain' - although I must say how lucky we are at the moment to have some sunny weather after the rain at the beginning of the month!
I may have mislead you into thinking I got a super shot of the moon last night - huh!! I need a new camera!!!!

The best I could do - but I really did enjoy seeing it, just as I had enjoyed seeing the moon the morning before at 6.00am(can't go all night without a loo trip!)By the time I had found my camera it had almost disappeared behind the hill at the caravan.

It was a red ball in the sky when I saw it!!
This evening - the clouds are a beautiful pink…I love Autumn!!  

From another Frank Sinatra classic -

Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December

But the days grow short when you reach September

When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame

 Thanks for looking, Chris

Just a little playtime

I did this while at our caravan - had seen the idea somewhere and though it looked like fun! It was, so expect more!!

This is a scheduled post. Having some time at our caravan - to finish painting the decking while the sun shines!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

2015 Summer photography Scavenger Hunt

Last year I learned about Rinda's Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt via Elizabeth's blog. 
Warning- a very photo heavy post!
This year I kept checking and this years list appeared just before we went off to France and although I did take quite a few of my photographs they have since been replaced by more appropriate ones! I didn't really look at the fact that I could have posted some of these earlier(which would have saved me trawling through loads to find the ones I wanted - next year I may get it right!!)

So without further ado….and with Thanks to Rinda for setting this fabulous list here are my photos for

http://gallorganico.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/last-day-of-summer-final-photo.html

First the list

1 I guessed no one would be buying me a bouquet so I chose this one from a supermarket! 

2 I thought I had found a really good example until I saw the collection when we went to Chateau d'Aznay

              3 The dog stopped in his tracks when he saw me!!

4 top - Hubby's Mah-Jong group 

bottom - these cafe owners have a games cafe and they were playing Small Worlds…far more exciting!!!

 5 Couldn't decide between the columns in Lafayette or the ones at La Chapelle - both in Paris

 6 The bridge at Salford Quays

7 The only turtle I could find!!

 8 The guy in the games cafe said he was going onto Facebook so I asked for a photo because before that this pic of my grandson was the best I could do, and he was playing games connected to a friend

 9 Walking by the canal one day couldn't believe my eyes - a lovely homeless guy, who we spoke to on another occasion had found an ideal spot!

10 What wonderful place to learn!

 11 We had intended walking up to the mast but left it too late in the day - shot this from the petrol station!

 12 Although the Midland Hotel Morecambe has lovely Art Deco style loos I couldn't believe my luck to find this sparkly one at a Chinese restaurant in Poitiers

 13 This carousel continued the Jules Verne theme that we had seen on the canal in Troyes, France

 14 I had so many traffic signals photos but this temporary signal outside our Edinburgh hotel wins!

15 You didn't really think they were on one pole did you? The best I could do!!

 16 These views both have our caravan site on them - one is the view just up the road when we first catch a glimpse when we arrive and the other is from a hill near the crag that we see from our decking

17 On a great day out visiting Vide Greniers(table top sales)while staying with my SIL and hubby, these two ladies were entertaining the crowds

 18 The skip carrier was heading up the route that the Cycling Tour of Britain was taking! I missed the farmer's heaviest load the trip before this one!

 19 The queues to get into Edinburgh castle were huge

 20 The Loire at Orleans

21 Setting the timer on my camera was the most difficult challenge of all!!

Alternative A because I know my flags are a big cheat!!This is a lovely square in Troyes on our first day and my first photo for the Summer Scavenger Hunt

I have enjoyed this so much - even though I think I tested hubby's patience at times!!

Thanks for looking, Chrisx

ps I am getting back to some crafting now!

T Stands For ….more Edinburgh ...

….my style this time! Hubby kindly let me use his photos yesterday as mine were still on my phone.
I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T stands for Tuesday. I know it's late in the day but I've been getting my 2015 Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt photos ready. I realise now that I could have posted as I went along as Elizabeth has (it was at Elizabeth's blog that I found out about the Scavenger Hunt way back last year)It has taken me ages to find some of the photos again as hubby has re-organised the photo folders!!!
My Edinburgh photos however are now ready to show you!
Despite being a little bit poorly for the first part of our visit we had a wonderful time and it didn't stop us from visiting the castle, some lovely old buildings that have been turned into Museums and a walk, a very steep walk, up to get a view of the city. 

the remains of the Edinburgh tattoo

I love the crown on this lamp post near Holyrood Palace

 The parliament building had carved quotations along one wall

Our hotel

 We visited St Giles Cathedral twice - once on the first evening when the weather was dull and also on our last day when the sun shone…for a special reason

 You probably know by now that I love Stained Glass windows!

Goodbye Scotland!

Well not quite, I haven't showed you my drink..

..a very healthy water with a very unhealthy Mac-cheese.. delicious though!!

I am hoping that some of you will forgive me for not visiting very often, I have decided not to become anxious about this - I will visit when I can, but my comments will be brief until I catch up!

Thank you for your kind comments and Thank you for looking, Chris