Gas Street

We had our flu jabs on Monday and for once it didn't hurt - I found out why next day when I got the cold!!

Caroline telephoned from Bolivia and we had a long talk. The joys of the Internet.

I love looking at boat names and wondering how their names came about. This one must tell a story.


Thought I'd give you a rest from Christmas cards as I've just finished another 40 cards - all different and different from the previous 30 which were for this customer's mother!!

This card was for a 4th anniversary and I had great fun going to town on it. Though it was not all my art work I did copy the idea and colour scheme.

Gas Street

We are back from Lisbon - what a great little city. Friendly, English-speaking people, great little trams, lots of lovely food and the sun shone all the time. We had an apartment in the old part in Alfama - it was like a cave and we could see the river Tagus from the front door. It was only a short walk from the No 28 tram which is the "tourist" tram and went into the centre of the city.

A pretty picture of the BCN from the bridge looking towards the Gas Street tunnel taken in the summer.

This card was made with backing paper (green holly leaves) stuck to the top half of the card blank and a green and gold ribbon stuck along the join. The "topper" was made from a plastic tree matted onto gold, white corugated, green and gold card - a green tree shaped brad was fixed to the bottom right hand corner.

And this one was made with stripy paper stuck along the right side of the paper and a wavy line cut with shaped scissors. A peel-off border was stuck down the left side of the paper. A cardboard star with a wire tail was fixed onto the left side of the card. (The star was taken from an old card that I pulled apart!)

Gas Street

My last post before we go off to Lisbon. Getting excited. We have never been to Portugal before and we have just found out that our friends Janet and Kevin will also be there for the same time.



What are all these signs about? They have sprung up all along the towpaths in the centre of Birmingham




What do they mean? Who are the designed for? Surely anyone who is commuting along the towpath or jogging or whatever already knows about it so you don't need a sign to tell them.

And why keep advertising to people to use the towpaths anyway - they don't support BW in any way financially. Haven't seen the Cycle Race Track sign yet though!!!

Two more Christmas Cards. These two were both made from recycled cards from last year.

One mounted onto silver and red card with a silver ribbon and bow and a holly border (also taken from a re-used card)

The robin one was just mounted on red card with two silver peel-off corners.

Gas Street

We've been having trouble with the Internet for the past couple of weeks. We are in the very centre of Birmingham and cannot get the broadband connection - just the G2 which is slow and flaky.

Life has been going on apace.

There are lots of strange signs popping up along the towpath (pictures next time) which BW have paid a fortune for. The are of no use to anyone and just litter the place.

We had a moorers gathering yesterday, lots to drink !

David and I are off to Lisbon on Monday for five days - so I don't think I'll be blogging for a few days.

I have just had another order for 40 cards from the daughter of the couple who ordered this lot. So I have lots of work to get on with.

This one was made from blue paper with small white stars mounted onto red mirror card and silver card. White ribbon and a bow, a chipboard Christmas tree and three red stars.

And this one was stamped and embossed with copper embossing powder, then mounted on silver, green and silver card. The green card was cut with deckle edged scissors. Green ribbon was wound around two corners and a bow stuck to the top one. The right had side of the front of the card was also cut with deckle scissors and some red crinkly, shiny paper stuck down the right side of the inside back of the card.

Gas Street

We are just back from our moorers meeting with British Waterways. Lots of platitudes and explanations - but they will just go their own sweet way as before and whip us again, and again. They say they listen to what we are saying, but for some reason they do the opposite.

A trip around the "bay" for Calthrop - off to get their pumpout at the appropriate sanitary station.

I got the order for 500 cards for my hairdressers!! Lots of work for me now.

This card was made from one of last year's cards sent to me. I mounted it onto gold card then white card which I trimmed with decorative scissors, then I mounted it on starry blue paper and more gold card. Gold cord was wrapped around the card under the topper and three gold peeloff stars stuck on the left hand side.