Gas Street Basin - BCN

We set off at 5.30 and reached the bottom of Aston locks at 0800, we reached the top lock at 9.30 and began Farmers Locks at 1000.  We finally reached the top lock at 1145 and went around to The Distillery (Fiddle and Bone)(Sherborne Wharf) for diesel and a pumpout. 

David put the boat into reverse to get it away from the towpath and the clutch cable broke!  We managed to get the boat back under St Vincent's Bridge and moored up to await Richard to come and fix it for us. 

So at 2.30 we eventually moored up at our pontoon in Gas Street.  Knackered and happy to be back home.



A decopaged fawn.  Matted onto lilac and pink card and fixed onto patterned paper before gluing it onto a white card base with pink flowers for decoration.

Curdworth Top Lock - Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

We slipped the moorings at 5.45 and set off towards Birmingham.  There were, orchids on the towpath (though probably not for long as the grass needed cutting), foxes, a cuckoo and lots of gulls.  We stopped at the top of Curdworth locks at 9.15 to rest up for the day ahead.

 Here is a little French girl with her hat boxes standing in fron of the Eiffel Tower.  I edged the patterned paper with ink and wrapped a blue floral ribbon around the top, adding a bow and flower.  This was stuck onto a light blue card blank along with the cut out girl who was added with dimensional foam.

Fazeley Junction - Coventry Canal

One of the many stupid signs that CRT have littered the towpath with.

We bagan the locks at 0600 and did them all by ourselves and moored up just before Fazeley Junction at 1145.

There wasa RCTA floating market at the junction proper and I went down to see who and what was there.  Unfortunately it rained soon after.

A get well card, a decopaged Forever Friends bear fixed onto some patterned paper and matted onto silver card and then onto a white card base.  Flowers and a sentiment were added as decoration.

Atherstone, Oxford Canal

 As we arrived into Atherstone it began raining and as there were already 3 boats waiting to go down the locks (7.30!) we decided to stay.

We are not very far away from where our daughter lives, and so they brough the grandchildren out for a lunch in a posh Italian restaurant just outside Atherstone. 

A beautiful (if I can say so myself) christening card.  The topper comes ready coloured and I just die-cut it into shape and die-cut another in green and stuck it partially behind the topper.  Then flowers and leaves were added as decoration.

Bridge 24 - Oxford/Grand Union Canal

Yet another early 5.30 start.  we reached Hawkesbury junct around 8.15 and moored up at 10.15.

A toadstool home.  I could live in one of those!  This one was printed out and coloured by hand.  I added a glossy varnish to the cap (see where the red ran?) and then matted it onto some green card.  I then matted more card onto more green card and fixed it to a red card base. 

The sentiment was made on the computer and also matted onto green card and both were fixed with foam tape to make then pop out.  Daisies were added as decoration.

Hungerfield Bridge (35), Oxford Canal

We were off again at 5.30 and stopped off at Tesco's in Rugby and then it was on to Hungerfield Bridge for the rest of the day.

The old lock stones and the new ones.

And a leaky lock.

Here is an engagement or romantic card.  The couple were a digital download and pre-coloured (colouring is not my forte)

I die-cut the labels and matted it onto blue card and then made 2 panels with printed papers and matted them as well.  Three pink roses with leaves were added to the bottom of the label and 3 pink pearls to the top right hand corner.

Bridge 88 near Braunston, Oxford Canal

The buffalo at Napton Locks, always a lovely sight.

We set off at 0530 and reached the bottom lock at 0745.  The advantage of doing the locks early are there are no queues, the disadvantage is you don't tend to meet anyone coming the other way either.

Just as we were approaching the bridge at the junction at Braunston we recognised the boat coming towards us as Rainbow, old friends who we sometimes manage to meet up with, but usually going in the other direction! 

Sunrise on the Oxford Canal

A Flower Fairy card.  This is the Forget-Me-Not fairy.  I have made it a "baby" card.  It is decopaged and matted onto green card then onto a blue card base.

Between Bridges 122 and 120, Oxford Canal

This boat is often photographed.  It has been "moored" in a field.  I presume they dug a trench from the canal, floated it in and then filled the trench in.  Bit of a pain to get it out for water or pumpout.

Another early start (0545) and then finished at 1145.  And the rest of the day to relax and enjoy.

A stamped card (a rare thing for me).  The bird is matted onto gold and pink card.  Pretty rainbow ribbon is wrapped around the bottom and tied in a knot and a flash fixed to the top left hand corner.

Below Slat Mill Lock, Oxford Canal

Not a very good picture, but it is almost at the end of its dive.

The washing was all done, so we left at 6 this morning and headed into Banbury.  We filled up with water and did a bit of shopping and we were off again by 11.  Saw two boats today with unusual names "Bump and Grind" and "Moor and Peace".  We got through Slat Mill lock and were moored up by 1230.

Here is a 21st birthday card, I made this one for a boy, but it could have been for a girl.

The cards were stickers which I stuck onto card and then cut around the edges.  The base card was white and I matted 1 panel of white card onto blue, then more white, then red more white and finally red card.  I also added a yellow strip horizontally behind the two red panelled pieces with some twine wrapped around it.

The sentiments were all peel-offs matted onto yellow card.

NB Acres (The Pig Pace), Oxford Canal

A lovely day, we were off at 0600 and after an uneventful run arrived at The Pig Far at 1000 we paind £10 for the moring and £2 for electricity and set the washing machine to work for its living. 











Later in the morning Caroline brought the grandsons for a visit to see the pigs.  Unfortunately they were both wearing Liverpool Football Club shirts, so Grandad wasn't too chuffed.  They had a great time fishing from the bow with the new fishing nets and feeding the ducks before they had to head on back to Lichfield.

It's funny, it will take us weeks to get back to Birmingham, yet it is only a short distance by car,

Here is a 1st Birthday card.  I traced the number onto pink gingham paper and cut it out, marking the edges with a dark ink pad so it would stand out.  I stuck pink floral paper to a white card blank, then a small panel of dotty paper which had also been edged with ink and added the number with double sided foam.  The sentiment was made using a computer and a bow and 6 pearls were added as decoration.

Below Dashwood Lock, Oxford Canal

"Jolly was off at top speed heading to Wolvercote"  Presumably slowing down to tickover past moored boats.

A 6am start but still we had boats in front.  We had a great display of flying from a buzzard.

A nice easy card for a Thank You.  A white square panel with a grey strip on the left hand side and 5 coloured gems on the right hand side.  The sentiment is made from peel-offs.

Below Kiddlington Green Lock, Oxford Canal

The last day on the Thames and it was glorious.  I am always apprehensive on rivers, we seem to have done most of them in flood at some time or another and I don't like the idea of not being able to just stop and tie up (though you can't do that on some parts of our canals either).  But the Thames really is lovely when it's calm.

We managed to get through the arch on the right (it is skew to the river) and saw this lovely floating sort of shed/tent home.

The last lock for us on the river is manual, thankfully there was a lock keeper, though I quite like winding the great big wheels like on a ship.

We had shared several locks with another narrowboat  on the last stretch, when we got to Sheepwash Cut they turned off into the Oxford Canal while we went on the Dukes Cut.

Just as we were going through the last lock to get onto the canal it sailed past.  So that solved one question.  There is not difference in time whichever way you go.

For this card I covered the front of a white card blank with some floral paper, adding a diecut border piece about 2/3 down.  The decoupaged bear was fixed to look like it was lying on the border.

The sentiment was printed using a computer and matted onto pink and white card and several clear gems were added to the bottom right hand side.

Clifton Lock, River Thames

After an afternoon and night of rain, the top of the boat was covered with horse chestnut petal.




An early start as the weather was looking good, and we were on the Thames by 0615.





 Some boating scumbags left this mess on one of the Thames islands.


It was a lovely trip, got to ogle lots of lovely houses and even lovelier boat houses.

Saw a field of strange sheep!

Will he make it?

Yes he will!

Just coming out of Clifton Hampden Lock at 2pm we noticed new 24 hr moorings and dived in.  They were a bit expensive at £8.70 a night, but David was shattered and Abingdon seemed an age away.

We managed to moor up just before the rain started again.

Another simple card (I made lots for a shop in Edinburgh and this is one).  The pocket watch is die cut and the sentiment was done on the computer and matted onto gold card.

Outside the Gaol, Reading, Kennet and Avon Canal

One of the two "turf" locks on the K&A.  A bit daunting when you first come across them, but fairly straightforward.  They must be a real pain for single handers as the bottom locks gates will not stay shut.

We left at 0615, the weather forcast was for rain after lunch.  One one of the river stretches (though they are mostly river stretches now) we saw a deer poking its head up above the bullrushes.  It was quite calm and just watched us watching it as we sailed past.

Fobney Lock was almost sleepy after the rain, just a little spray walking past the bywash to get back on the boat.  An then it was through the Brewery Gut in the rain.  We moored up on the main stretch and I walked around to see if there were any spaces by the Gaol.  Surprise! Surprise!  There was only one boat there (and I am sure it was there when we went through last time).  By now it was pouring with rain.  So David lit the fire, and I went off shopping (of course!)

A simple Sorry! card.  The dog was die cut along with a read heart which I made look like it had in its mouth.

The Sorry! was printed straight onto the white card blank with the computer.

Theale, Kennet and Avon Canal

 Don't they know the towpath is unsuitable for horses?  AND!  Why do horse owners not have to clear up their horses shit like dog owners?

Off at 0545, but we had to wait at Aldermaston for the bridge to open so took on water and then stopped for a last DIY pump out at Tyle Mill.

When we were going into Padworth lock a young swan swam in, I tried to shoe it away, but it insisted.  It was a bit confused as the water went down, looking for a way out.  As I opened the bottom gate it shot out like a bullet.

By 12 o'clock we were moored up in Theale and then had dinner in the Fox and Hounds down the road.


 Thought I had better do a waterways card of the K&A.  A boat leaving Aldermaston Lock.  The photo is matted onto metallic card, white card and blue card.  The back panel was embossed using an embossing folder and blue dotty ribbon wrapped around it.  The whole thing was then stuck to a blue card blank.

Thatcham, Kennet and Avon Canal

Payment for help doing the locks.  A ride on a boat through Greenham Lock.

 Diesel from the boatyard at Newbury after a late start because of the rain.

Monkey Marsh lock slowly being de-watered and the mooring at Thatcham.

Here is a card for a dapper man.  An advert for men's shoes, matted onto gold, brown and handmade white card then stuck onto a blank card base.  The sentiment was made on the computer and matted onto brown card and fixed underneath.

Newbury, Kennet and Avon Canal

 One of those days when there are idiots on the
lock landings.

Two fishermen, a day boat having a locking lesson and a canoeist portering.

Apart from that, it was another lovely day and we got to Newbury at noon.  We moored up above the lock on the empty visitor moorings and they remained empty the whole time. 

I was too knackered to go into town, just went to bed for a couple of hours, got up for tea and then went back to bed about 7pm. 

Such a hard life!

A Thirtieth  birthday card (or maybe anniversary).  I die cut a semi circle from a piece of orange card and then wrapped some black and white dotted ribbon around it, tied in a knot then stuck it onto a white card blank. 

Before I added the orange card I printed the sentiment onto the card blank.

The 30 was made with black peel-offs.

Hungerford - Kennet and Avon Canal

 The railway line passing the lock at Little Bedwyn, the wind from the train blows a draft up your kilt as it passes.

 I do not know what the crop in this field is, it was a very pretty blue, I don't think it was flax, but it was too far away to tell.  It was certainly very pretty.



 Yet another early start, but we were on the visitor moorings above the lock by 0930. 

But first we had to get through Hungerford Marsh Lock with the swing bridge over the middle.  Don't quite know how you are supposed to close this bridge when the push handle is above my head.
We had a visit from my brother and lunch in town.  A lovely hot day

A "new job" card.  A stamped and coloured image matted onto blue card.  The sentiments were all done on the computer and each piece was fixed to a white card with dimensional foam (sticky fixers).