Radford Semele, Grand Union Canal

Saturday morning at Kate Boats, must be changeover day!

We finished of the last of the Hatton flight by a quarter to 10, stopped for water at The Cape of Good Hope and then went shopping in Tescos before mooring up here in Radford, one of our favourite moorings.  Ready to start the locks up hill to Napton tomorrow.

Lots of boats about, but then it is the school holidays.

There are lots of poppies around.  So here is a poppy card.

The papers are from a cardmaking magazine, matted onto black card and then onto a white card blank. 

I finished off with 4 clear gems.

Ugly Bridge (Br 55), Grand Union Canal

 We were up and off by 0545, but stopped just before the top of the locks as it started raining.  At 0900 we set off again and began the locks on our own as the two boats behind wanted water first.

I had had enough by the time we got to the petrol station so we moored up.  Why the call the bridge "Ugly Bridge" I don't know, it was looking rather attractive to me when I finally saw it this morning.

There was a lot of water about and because there were 2 boats coming behind us and they had lots of crew they were letting the water down before the previous lock full could dissipate, suddenly there was water all over the towpath.  The locks are leaking like mad, so we will probably be on the bottom by morning.

My brother is a nut for the Atlantik Wall, the WWII German fortifications all along the Atlantic coast.  He has a blog and a Facebook page.  So this is the only card I could make for him.

I took the image from his blog and made several copies and then decoupaged the picture.

The picture was matted onto gold card and then onto a white card blank.  The sentiment was made on the computer

This is what the card looks from the side so you can see how it stands out.

Ugly Bridge (Br 55), Grand Union Canal

 We were up and off by 0545, but stopped just before the top of the locks as it started raining.  At 0900 we set off again and began the locks on our own as the two boats behind wanted water first.

I had had enough by the time we got to the petrol station so we moored up.  Why the call the bridge "Ugly Bridge" I don't know, it was looking rather attractive to me when I finally saw it this morning.

There was a lot of water about and because there were 2 boats coming behind us and they had lots of crew they were letting the water down before the previous lock full could dissipate, suddenly there was water all over the towpath.  The locks are leaking like mad, so we will probably be on the bottom by morning.

My brother is a nut for the Atlantik Wall, the WWII German fortifications all along the Atlantic coast.  He has a blog and a Facebook page.  So this is the only card I could make for him.

I took the image from his blog and made several copies and then decoupaged the picture.

The picture was matted onto gold card and then onto a white card blank.  The sentiment was made on the computer

This is what the card looks from the side so you can see how it stands out.

Turners Green, Grand Union Canal

 An early start and two of my least favourite lift bridges on the system.  The first one was relatively easy, but the second one took 70 turns of the windlass to get it up and forever to get it back down again.

We passed one boat moored up with a sign on the side saying "We like our view, thank you".  In other words, "Bog off, we don't want you moored here!"  As bad as the two houses before the locks saying "No Mooring".  I thought we could moor anywhere on the towpath side.

There seem to be a lot less boats moored on the Lapworth flight, there were lots of plants growing in the water, it looked very pretty.

We  had the Lapworth locks to ourselves until the last but one when we met a hire boat coming up.  Then a lady looking mystified asked which which way to Stratford.  She was coming from the GU and I told her to turn left when she came out of the cut.  They promptly turned right and went up towards Birmingham!  Can't tell some people.

So it was on the the goats at Turners Green for the rest of the day, a sleep and a good night's rest.

This is the card that I made for my daughter's wedding anniversary

I covered the blank card with a blue and gold textured, handmade paper, then added some white card at an angle with a strip of brown card on the bottom, some navy ribbon was wrapped around the join.  The sentiment was made on the computer and the card was decorated with silver sequins.

Hockley Heath, Stratford on Avon Canal

 

We are on the move, and the lovely sunny weather has broken.  We set off in light drizzle and it continued all the way to Hockley Heath.  So we moored up for the rest of the day.

I caught the bus into Stratford on Avon, marvelling once again at how pretty Hampton in Arden is.  I really must get of the bus there one of these days and explore.

The canal has its usual amount of debris floating in the water, and the off side is quite overgrown, though a lot of the towpath has been upgraded for the cyclists to race  along. 

We have not done this run in full Summer for ages, and it seems quite dark and gloomy, especially in the rain.


Still a lovely Chinese supper finished off the evening, even if David had to walk the length of the village to get some cash to pay for it.  He was not a happy bunny.

 I have been making these little boxes recently.
They are called explosion boxes.

When you take the lid off the box sides fall open revealing the gift inside.

 In this case some pretty pink and white baby socks.

Cadbury Wharf, Worcester and Birmingham Canal

 There was method in our short run yesterday.  Today is the birthday of our No 1 grandson and his party was on the railway line which also goes through Bournville. 

So, after the long walk all around the Cadbury factory to get to the factory shop to buy some chocolate for the trip, we had the short walk to the station and catch the train  I tried to take a photo of our boat from the train, but this is all I got.

This is the card I made for him.  He has an almost 1 year old brother and they are great friends (most of the time!).  I printed out the digi stamp twice and coloured them one.  One I die-cut and the other I fussy-cut and stuck on top with sticky fixers.

I used a blue, square card blank and covered the front with patterned paper.  The name and number were die-cut and added to the card.








And this is the little chap about to blow out his three candles!

Cadbury Wharf, Worcester and Birmingham Canal

We have finally taken the plunge and found a 4 week window when we can actually get away.  We are going to do either a bigger ring or a smaller ring depending on the weather etc.

 But first we had the let our two Polish cleaners get on with their work to make the boat spick and span.

So we set off jut after noon and travelled here for our first night.  Not far, but far enough for our first afternoon out, and the smell of chocolate and caramel was very attractive.

So, for my card.  I started the with the photograph, taken over 30 years ago!  I took a light blue card blank and covered the left hand side with some pretty yellow paper, added a blue doily and the photo which was matted onto blue card.  To finish I added a blue spotty organza bow, some white flowers and a couple of lacy butterflies.  The  Happy Birthday and the name was cut out with diecuts.