Narrowboat Mr David

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2012-01-30T18:20:00.024Z

The last day of January. We are now well into 2012! It will be September in 5 minutes.

These bottles were neatly stacked in the hatch by the Gas Street entrance. I suppose it is one step better than bunging them all in the canal. They have since been tidied up by our "Volunteers" and replaced. So it must be the same person who leaves them there. He must be permanently sozzled.

Incidentally, the hatch was built into the original canal bridge and is for the fire brigade to put their hoses through to collect water in case of a fire. You can see them on all the canal bridges on the BCN - all painted red.

How is this for serendipity. Kathy, one of our moorers has gone into hospital to have a bone in one of her little toes removed. I was thinking of making a card for her, but what?

This morning we went to the da Vinci exhibition in the Birmingham Museum (only about 20 drawings but fabulous ones) - and there was this drawing of feet.

I had already seen a card made using an x-ray photo of a broken bone and the bulb flashed. So I bought a postcard and made two slits each side of the little toe bone on one of the drawings the wrapped a sliver of bandage through the slits and tied it in a knot at the front. The rest was easy. I just stuck the card onto the front of a white card blank and then drew a box around it with a black fine-liner pen.

The insert was printed on the computer and that was it.

I had thought of doing the wording in mirror image (like the writing on the card), but I couldn't remember how to do it in Word, so gave up and just it it normally.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2012-01-24T10:54:00.001Z

A while back we had a boat moored by the Hyatt with a lovely couple on board. One of them made things with balloons and one of his party pieces was to make an animal and then "pop" in a couple of coins.

Here is the close up. Pretty neat trick eh?

We have had a bit of ice recently - though not much to shout about, fortunately. This picture shows the seagulls "walking on water". One of our moorers insists on feeding them every morning and they then thank him by crapping on all our boats! Why we have got seagulls in the most inland part of the country though, I will never know.

Time for the Valentine cards I'm afraid and this one is FOR SALE!

It is 10cm x 10cm and has a chocolate heart in the middle.

I made it by folding a piece of white card in half and then using the heart die to cut it out making sure that the top overlapped the fold. I then cut another white heart the same size and stuck it on the front of the card so the fold did not show.

Then I cut a smaller heart and ran it through the Cuttlebug to emboss it and coloured in the embossing with a marker pen. This was stuck onto the front, adding the bow and rose and the pink foil covered chocolate heart.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2012-01-15T21:35:00.000Z

Ice in the water! First time this winter.

We are having trouble getting our TV to work. The satellite dish, which worked perfectly in the old mooring, will not pick up a signal from the new one. So we bought a huge great big super duper thing which got Freeserve no problem.

Then Brent came along and said we didn't need such a big one, and that a small one with a booster, like his, would be fine. David decided we should get the smaller one so that we can take it with us when we cruise and if the satellite doesn't work we can use the smaller one.

The new aerial worked fine all day until about 5pm and suddenly it isn't working very well. David has gone off to bed to read his book. Not a happy bunny!

Earle, from Sherborne Wharf asked me to make some Christmas cards using this photo which was taken while he was being filmed for a video about the Titanic. He is wearing his Father Christmas beard so it sort of fitted in for Christmas.

Well, his wife, Toni, wouldn't let him send them as it was only him in the picture so he asked me if I could change them into Moving House cards.

So this is what I came up with. I took of the "Happy Christmas" sentiments off and covered the damaged bit with the new sentiment. Inside I added a new insert with the new address on. And voila! New cards.

For the card; I die cut the photo with an oval Nestability and then cut out silver or gold scalloped ones for the frame. The poinsettias were cut out with another die (not sure whose) and they were stuck on randomly. The Christmas sentiment was bought.

For the new sentiment I made word boxes in Word on the computer and added the sentiment, then I made a thick red border before printing them onto card and cutting them out.

I have also made my own templates for the inserts, in Word again, so I just have to chose the size of the insert and just fill in the details. Easy Peasy!

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2012-01-06T16:52:00.000Z

We finally got around to joining the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society (only 10 years late) and went off to Smethwick for a working party before their Bonfire Meet. A couple of days before the meeting two young people fell into the top lock and drowned. These are some of the tributes.

We spent the day clearing weeds from the towpath and the next two days stiff as boards!

This card was for Spanish Dave, our neighbour on the moorings, for his wife on their anniversary.

It was cased it from a blog, though changed it a bit as I didn't have the right sized stamp for the sentiment.

I die cut a heart from red card and covered it in several layers glitter glue, finishing off with some lacquer to make it stick. Then I matted it onto white and red card and then onto black card leaving one edge longer than the other three.

Some red ribbon was wrapped around the front of the card (I cut a slit in the spine just large enough to thread the ribbon through and then stuck the ends onto the back. I then tied a knot with a piece of red ribbon and some black spotty ribbon.

Originally I stamped the sentiment directly onto the card, but as usual, I messed it up! So I stamped it again and then matted it up onto red and black card.

I made an insert which was stuck over the back of the front of the card, hiding the ribbon ends.

On the original card a small "Anniversary" was stamped in white on the black edge of the card, so I added the red heart gem as I felt it just needed something.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2012-01-04T21:09:00.002Z

Now to catch up with what has been happening here.

20th October. Saima (who was living on Potter) bought her first boat. An old working boat called Cormorant. She got it for the grand sum of £6,000. Yes! £6,000!

Message to Andy. Have found the map, no date but it shows all the branches. Pop in anytime to see it.

Mike, one of our moorers, needed a card for his Mother for her 90th birthday. Something showing the boats.

So I matted a photograph of fireworks over Gas Street Basin onto silver holographic card and sparkly purple card.

Then I added a sparkly silver "90" (which I straightened before it was picked up.

I printed another picture directly onto the inside of the card. Forgot to photograph it before finishing the card. Oops!

To finish off I printed the sentiment onto sparkly vellum (4th of July font) and tied it all up with strands of silver cord.

Mike then wanted this card made. An old photo of Pete with a speech bubble and the sentiment: Have a Great Birthday or Else!

I stuck the photo directly to the card blank and drew a gold frame around it, added a sparkly gold "90" in the bottom right hand corner.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2012-01-03T17:03:00.000Z

Noticed these three boats hunkering under The Bank, Kyle, Frank and Sam. A very stormy day, gust of wind throwing the boat against the moorings and heavy rain. Still, could have been worse, could have needed to wind at Salvedge Turn. The Cube building funnels the wind straight down to the Mailbox - nearly blew me off my feet.

Now for the card. Dreaming of Summer already.

A Green card base. I Cuttlebugged a strip of yellow card and then added another strip of Cuttlebugged blue card on top. This I matted onto silver mirror card and wrapped a dotty red ribbon around, tying the ends in a knot. This was then stuck down onto the card. The photograph was matted onto silver, yellow and blue card and then stuck over the other topper.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2012-01-01T13:01:00.000Z

Guess what my New Year's resolution is? And it's not as if nothing has been going on in the last three months either.

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and are not too overhung this morning.

No fireworks last night, Birmingham Council, in their wisdom, moved the show to Victoria Square and had a "low-level pyrotechnic display" ie: didn't want to spend any money.

We have finally moved onto our new mooring. It has only taken a year and we still have not got an electricity card reader, so are still plugged in to the old box.

Moving across the Worcester Bar three weeks ago, we were surprised at how much quieter it is here and there is so much more light and the views are much better. From the bedroom window I can see Broad Street Tunnel and the lights at night are very pretty. In the other direction I can see right down towards the Cube.

Here is a late Christmas card (must have got stuck in the Post!). A picture of Mike's chimney and Buckby cans cut into circles with Nesties and inverted (outside on the top and smallest one at the back). I also cut a circle into the front of the white card blank and stuck the photo behind the hole.

To finish off I added sparkly blue and holographic snowflakes and a peel-off sentiment.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2011-10-16T20:00:00.000+01:00

I know! I know! I promised not to lapse, but the Vodafone dongle thingy has been crap just lately and I get frustrated with waiting for a two bar signal to work in the centre of Birmingham. We've had better signals in the middle of nowhere.

So, the leaves are falling in our pissoir (I know it's an ally way, but the local male population (and some of the girls) disagree and use it as a public convenience). Autumn is on the way, though the weather has been rather lovely, lots of sunshine - though snow is promised for next week.

Rob has been setting up a shop using Frederick. He is selling his photographs in card format or mounted onto board (website when I can find the card I have just misplaced). He has very kindly let me show my cards too - but he is selling far more than me (about 50-1).

This morning, while David and I went to Stourbridge for their open day an American lady visited Frederick and told Rob that she read my blog. I am so sorry I missed her. Please come and visit when you are passing again - I don't get that many readers!)

Meanwhile, I have made only two cards in the last month. This one - a birthday card - and a Christmas card which I'll show next time.

I Cuttlebugged some white card and matted it onto some red which had the bottom edge punched out. Then I wrapped some black velvet ribbon and then some metallic type ribbon around this panel. The metallic ribbon was a pain to stick down - even using glue dots didn't seem to work well.

The panel was then stuck down onto a white card blank using lots of double sided tape to keep the ribbon stuck in place. The red "poppy" was originally a hair decoration from the £1 shop.

Gas Street Moorings

2011-09-25T21:34:00.000+01:00

Customer Services?

I started swimming again two weeks ago and am absolutely knackered when I get back, so that's the excuse for not blogging this time.

Lots of things have been going on too, so I'll have to catch up. Last weekend it was the LibDem Conference - the policemen are to protect us from a demonstration. At one stage there were about 40 on or around the bridge.

My first Christmas Cards. As they were playing Carols in Harvey Nicks on Tuesday I think it's OK to show them. They are for Richard, the engineer at Sherborne Wharf. Not a very happy Elf.

I matted the photographs onto silver card, then onto patterned backing paper and then onto red card before sticking it onto the white card blank. The only extra decoration was the snowflake punched from white card and a gold dot of glitter glue. Of course the punch I had kept sticking and I had to buy a new one and could only get a larger size which is a bit too big for what I wanted.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2011-09-02T11:28:00.000+01:00

There is a boat under there somewhere!

The plan had been to set off to join Wildflower for a trip down the River Nene but stuff happens.

Firstly, David contracted an infection in the retina of his right eye and was seeing spots (he still is) and then there was the hole in the calorifier.

Of course, the 1 week wait for the new calorifier stretched to 2 and then it was the Bank Holiday etc, etc. So we took the boat around to Sherborne last Tuesday for the new tank to be fitted. This was surprisingly straightforward. Then the water pump wasn't suitable, so we had to buy yet another one.

So, off we set back to the moorings. There engine overheating alarm was going full time. There were lots of boats around the Worcester Bar, so we had to go past the mooring and up to Salvage Turn to wind. On the way back there was an explosion from the engine and boiling water and steam everywhere. One of the hoses (new ones fitted in February for the Safety Check!) had burst.

So Richard was back on Wednesday to fix the new hose and yesterday we went for a trip around the bay (to The Vale and back via Sherborne Wharf) to check out the engine. Fingers crossed, all seems well.

I've just had my first Christmas order!!!

When I get a card magazine I usually squirrel away any free gifts instead of using them up straight away. Anyway, sorting out my stash before I went on holiday I came across a couple of pretty flower piramidges (is that the right word?). I used sticky fixers to mount the pictures and matted the whole thing onto some silver card. Then I just fixed it to a white card blank. The mount was too big for the 6x4" card for any further decoration, so I just left it as it was.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2011-09-01T10:49:00.001+01:00

A sunny August Saturday in Gas Street. The drinkers on the balcony are jeering at the drinkers on the towpath in the Tap and Spile. There is a stag party waiting to join the party boat and another group waiting to join the other party boat. Lots of noise (howler monkeys comes to mind) and eventually, someone will jump off the balcony into the canal. What fun?

After arriving back from Spain almost the first thing I did was put the washing machine on. Nothing unusual in that. The next day the washing machine didn't sound right. Then the water pump kept on working after the taps were turned off. Then, while the water pump was working we could hear water running somewhere in the back, though on inspection it seemed to be coming from the hot water tank overflow into the canal.

A couple of days later we noticed we were listing rather alarmingly and then discovered about a foot of water in the bilges!!!

Water was pouring from the calorifier. So it was a trip around to Sherborne Wharf, where Richard did a botch and tried to fill in the leak. This didn't work. Of course, you can't just buy a replacement calorifier - for some reason they don't make them like that any more. So a new one had to be built. Should have it in a week!

Great! No running water for a week. Don't you just love boating?

A lovely atmospheric photo of a canal bridge in very early spring. I matted it onto silver and white card.

The green panel was Cuttlelbugged and matted onto silver card as well and then fixed to the right hand side of a tent fold white card blank. The photo was added and three black "pearls" were stuck down the right and side of the green panel.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2011-08-29T19:47:00.001+01:00

I don't know, you miss a few days and it is really difficult to get back into the habit of blogging. So sorry. Though it is difficult if I don't have a photo to publish too. Blogs are boring without pics, don't you think?

Anyway, we got back from Spain early August and missed all the fun on the moorings (yet again)!

There had been an auction for a mooring and the winner arrived, but soon started accusing other moorers of various misdemeanours and then began threatening to mutilate the males and stab one of the females. Fortunately their contract for the mooring was not signed so they moved off.

The good news is that BBC Dave was the under bidder and he was offered the mooring.

On our big cruise in the Spring we managed to rub off the Mr on the bowflare. Calum can be seen here painting the white bits

And Ana has just finished the signwriting.

So we are all shipshape again.

Well, almost, but that is another story.

Caroline and Curtis celebrated their second wedding anniversary in July. This is the card I made.

I Cuttlebugged a square piece of white card and stuck it onto some yellow card. I wrapped several paper lace strips around and fixed it to the back and also some yellow paper string, fixing that at the back too.

A white Nestability heart was Cuttlebugged, then matted onto a yellow scalloped one and fixed to the side of the panel. I stuck this panel onto a white, square card blank and then added to roses and leaves.

Aix en Provence, France

2011-07-29T00:59:00.001+01:00

Here's a first! Posting from the iTouch in a hotel after a great meal in town. Can't upload pictures yet though.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2011-07-22T20:54:00.000+01:00

More Canals than Venice, More rubbish than Naples and now, more oil than Arabia.

A couple of weeks ago David applied to join the flotilla travelling down the Thames, through London, on the Queen's Jubilee next year.

Yesterday we got an email to say that we need to attend a rehearsal at the beginning of September.

The PLAN had been to travel down the Nene, Great Ouse and Cam this summer, but now we will have to cut it short and just do the Nene before travelling down to London. Still it should be fun.

Great discussions. We have a new moorer and they are discussing where she should moor her boat! It was suggested that maybe she should put the boat in the gap between the boats!!!

Lilac card blank. Green scalloped mat using Nestabilities. Yellow circle embossed with Cuttlebug. Decopaged pansies and a fluttery butterfly.

To finish, a large green gem.

Gas Street Basin, Birmingham

2011-07-17T21:24:00.000+01:00

Lots of fun on the moorings yesterday. Another "marital" - although none of the parties is actually married!

An awful of shouting, screaming, crying, death threats and hiding in boats. Never a dull moment in Gas Street Basin.

One little niggle when we were "doing" the Droitwich Canals the other week.

If I can see the next lock I usually walk to it. In this case, I came to this wooden fence with a door.

This is the sign, which is quite acceptable. The only trouble was

The padlock was on the INSIDE and the padlock used a different key. NOT the BW Watermate key.

The lock cottage was totally encased with a wooden fence (those boaters might want to walk around the lock) and I had to walk down the lane past the cottage, over the canal bridge and down the other side to get to the lock.

BW don't give a s*** about boaters yet again.

The only access to the lock is on the left hand side from the bridge, through another gate (thankfully this one wasn't locked).

I made this card the other day for a lady who has just graduated. The original card was by Carole'Anne Sluchinski and you can find her tutorials here and here. I changed the shirt into a blouse and added some black buttons and a pearl necklace and the scarlet and silver were her university gown colours.

On the sentiment I was asked to add two storks carrying babies and two wedding rings as Francis, the recipient, had got married and had both her sons while doing her Masters Degree.

I made another panel for the back (not shown) for the personal sentiments.

On the whole, I was pretty impressed with what I had done and (mainly thanks to Carole'Anne for her great tutorials) so did the recipients.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2011-07-15T13:23:00.001+01:00

Went to Stratford on Avon yesterday for a mooch and noticed this sign in the basin. Only 185 locks to London? Must count them some time.

We celebrated 12 years on the boat on the 13th. How the time flies. And how much we have learnt in that time. We were waterways virgins when we set off, with just the 2 days of the Helmsman's Course under our belts. I would certainly recommend the course for newcommers (and some oldies!).

Here's to the next 12 years.

Also noticed the sign above this shop. Looks like a sentiment for a card to me.

Had to make a card for a lady who loved shoes. David found a reason (not that he usually needs one) to chat up a shop assistant in Selfridges and he managed to get a Jimmy Choo card which they put in the boxes with the shoes. I matted it onto some silver card and stuck it to the front of a deep lilac card blank.

On the inside of the "topper" I added the words which I printed onto some light lilac card, added lots of glitter and stuck it down on the inside.

Gas Street Basin, Birmingham

2011-07-06T16:07:00.022+01:00

Didn't take any photos today, so here is one from the Droitwich gathering.

David was up at 0530 and we set off (well, David set off, I was still in bed). Just after he started the heavens opened and it rained all the way back until we got out of the last (very wet inside) tunnel.

We were back on our moorings at 0915. Don't let me do 42 locks in one day EVER AGAIN!

Another early card. I stamped the card and coloured it in then matted it onto silver and black card.

I cut some blue paper with wavy scissors and stuck the panel onto the bottom half of a light blue card. The topper was then fixed over the join.

The sentiment says "A little bird told me!" and I used it for a congratulations card for an expectant couple.

Hopwood, Worcester & Birmingham Canal

2011-07-05T20:15:00.000+01:00

Left at 0445 and began the 42 locks we did today. Another lovely day for locking and most of the locks were for us. Lots of boats coming down the locks, which was good for us.

The ants had been busy at this lock, lots of tiny little anthills.

We met one boat coming down and the bloke told David to pass his boat in the pound! Not take it up onto the towpath then.

We managed the Tardebigge flight in 4 hours again it began to rain as we got to the penultimate lock.

But it was on, on! We finally got here at 1345 and went straight to bed. At 6 we tried to get a meal in The Crown but they don't do food Monday and Tuesday nights, so it was back to the boat and scallops and bead and butter.

While I was still working for Birmingham City Council I made a card for the guy who does the Christmas Lights. I found some pictures of street decorations, a Christmas tree and some lights and made a collage on a white card blank. Then I printed out the electrician onto card and cut him out, adding him to the card with sticky fixers.

Oddingley, Worcester & Birmingham Canal

2011-07-04T19:43:00.023+01:00

Because of the electricity we decided to stay for another day, so I went off shopping, of course.

I got back to find David on the waterpoint chatting up these girls.

Suddenly we need to be in Birmingham for Thursday morning so we set off at 1145 and did the first 14 locks. The weather has been hot and sunny. Lovely.

As you go up the 3rd lock by the Comanderie these soldiers are peeping over the bridge.

A quick, easy and simple card. I used a postcard, matted it onto silver card and then stuck it onto a 5x7" white card blank.

This card is for sale £2.00

Worcester, Worcester & Birmingham Canal

2011-07-03T19:29:00.024+01:00

I managed to keep David in Droitwich until this morning and we slipped out at 0615. Even so one boat had already passed us before then.

We set off down the Barge Canal - a bit boring and very like a river. Most of the time we were in a channel with reeds on both sides blocking out any views.

About 4 locks from the end the canal became covered in duck weed and the smell!!

We passed this lovely lock weir on the way.

The River Severn was reached by 1000 and we set off downstream to Worcester, mooring up on the river. But there was a ledge and the gunnels were just underneath it, then a speedboat went past and we started bobbing up and down so we left after 15 minutes and moved into Diglis Basin.

We managed to sneak into the disabled spot and got some electricity so I did three loads of washing and we got the ironing done too.

Another Forever Friends card. I used a white card blank with the fold at the top. I used some brown and pink card which came from a cake box! I cut some pink card using a border punch and stuck it along the bottom of the card and stuck it all down onto the card. Then I cut two scalloped ovals in white and pink and added that to the card with the decopaged bear on top. Three glass jewels were then fixed to the top right hand corner.

Droitwich, Droitwich Barge Canal

2011-07-02T20:16:00.000+01:00

I am still getting over all those locks, it was early to bed last night (7pm!).

The weather has been really lovely again. Hot and sunny. One of the churches rang the bells in the morning and there were lots of stalls and stuff to see and do. The town is also holding a music festival and there was a farmers' market today.

We were even visited by Caroline and Curtis (a very rare occurrance - only the 2nd time this yeyar). It was a lovely surprise and they stayed for most of the afternoon.

There have been people walking the towpath all day - hundreds of them. The whole of Droitwich must have gone past in the last two day.

We got hit really badly by the trip boat this afternoon - scraped all down the side of the bottom of the boat. We are leaving tomorrow to give it more room.

Some decopaged pansies. I Cuttlebugged a yellow circle and diecut a green scalloped backing and stuck them all together and then onto a lilac card blank.

A green "gem" was stuck in the bottom right hand corner, and the butterfly in the top right hand corner. The butterfly has wings which flutter.

Droitwich, Droitwich Barge Canal

2011-07-01T20:01:00.021+01:00

Yet another lovely day. There have been masses of boats, canoes and this car going past all day. We got bumped a few times.

The official opening was at about 2pm - lots of bigwigs and speeches.

Now it is all old news. And the queue in the beer tent was horrendous.

For this card I sued a peel-off which I stuck onto some white card and then cut out. Then I coloured it with water colours before sticking it onto some yellow and then white handmade paper with the edges frayed.

I wrapped some yellow ribbon around the bottom and tied it in a knot and added the bird panel to a yellow card blank.

Droitwich, Droitwich Barge Canal

2011-06-30T19:28:00.000+01:00

Oops!! Forgot to publish this one yesterday. Didn't make it very far from the dry dock at Tardebigge.

After I published yesterday we got a knock on the boat and Katheryn and John from Golden Cross was there, they were just coming down the locks, so I grabbed a windlass and helped her with the next three locks. They were followed closely by Tony on Trent 6. No sooner had they gone past that Graham came by on Collingwood with a group of schoolchildren. What are the odds of three boats from Gas Street/Sherborne Wharf travelling in convoy quite independently?

We left again at 0515. Lovely warm sunshine. The Astwood lock cottage looking beautiful and well kept. BW should have sold all the cottages with a caveat to keep them nice and pretty.

We reached the junction at Hanbury at 0800 and there was nowhere to moor up, so we were cheeky and untied the chain across the entrance to the Droitwich Juncton Canal and moored up just on the other side.

The BW workers arrived about 1010 (supposed to be 0930) and also one man specifically to look after the family of grey wagtails that had made a nest just below the waterline of the pound (when the pound is full).

We were the second boat down that day. The canal was very pretty, oxeye daisies all along the banks, the new staircase (which was a surprise) and then the low tunnel under the M5.

We had about 3" to spare. Pretty scary. Then the lock down into the River Salwarpe and then a sharpish left turn up to the Barge Canal. The canal now goes through a lovely park area with three swing bridges.

There were lots of boats here already and we were moored up abreast to Cousin Bob. There is just about room for boats to get past.

I think we around around mid-day, but there were so many people around that we knew and got chatting to that I forgot to check the time.

I found some grungy brown, stripy paper which I matted onto silver card and then onto a blue card blank.

The skateboarder, I think, started out as a sticker which I stuck onto some card and then cut out, fixing it to the card with sticky fixers.

Between Locks 25 and 26 Stoke Locks, Worcester and Birmingham Canal

2011-06-29T16:15:00.001+01:00

The view from Tardebigge top lock at 0530 this morning.

It was a lovely, sunny, warm morning and we set off with all the locks against us (of course!). The smell of the honeysuckle and meadowsweet was heavenly and only the top gate paddles were heavy.

We met our only boat on the flight with about 10 locks to go. The was an elderly gentleman on the back of the boat, who sat there the whole time that I helped lock the boat up. When we got to the top, he said, "There, the lock's all set for you." I knew it was, I'd b***** done half of it myself! You have to smile.

We stopped opposite the Queen's Head at 0945 and had a rest and then a disappointing lunch in the pub. Meanwhile the weather turned and it began to rain and got cold again.

As we were about to leave the pub, we noticed a couple of boats passing which had just come up the locks, so we set off (in the drizzle) and did two locks until we saw the bit of piling just before lock 24 and here we stayed.

I made lots of these cards when I first started making them seriously. I had a template for the bodice and cut this one out in thick, red handmade paper. I added some broiderie anglaise around the top and some pearl strings along the bottom edge.

The skirt was made with a circle of lilac gauze which is folded into quarters and the top bit then gathered with some thread and stuck down at the back of the bodice.

The card blank is DL and white, and I covered the front with some torn holographic paper and then a panel of silver card. The dress was stuck down with glue dots, some flower sequins were stuck onto the skirt and a branch of roses stuck across the front of the dress.

A peel-off Happy Birthday was stuck onto some silver card and added to the top right hand corner at a slight angle.

I really must make some more of these and see how much my techniques have changed.

Tardebigge Top Lock, Worcester and Birmingham Canal

2011-06-28T15:38:00.043+01:00

One of the two working boats that are usually moored by the Lower Bittell reservoir. Just past it there are permanent moorings with lovely views both ways. What it really needs is some visitor moorings too.

We set off at 0715, passing Beau (who is going to use our mooring while we are away) and had no trouble until we got to Wast Hill Tunnel. We could see a light as we approached, so David waited for the boat to come through and off we set. We could see several lights coming towards us, but as the tunnel is almost 1 1/2 miles long we couldn't wait. We met the first hire boat and they panicked, the boat swung across the canal and we hit it! The second boat stopped dead and we managed not to hit that one. Then there were two more which we also managed not to hit. We saw more boats in the tunnel than we saw on the move all the rest of the day.

We arrived at Tardebigge at 1130 and as it was so cold (it had been sweltering yesterday) we decided to stop above the top lock and not go onto the moorings below.

Late afternoon and the sun came out. I went to bed at 9.30 with a glorious sunset over the vale towards Droitwich and the Malvern Hills

Three cards using the same photograph of white, wild roses. I thought of this card because there are still some wild roses about today.

This one I matted onto white card, cut the edges with deckle edged scissors and then matted it onto yellow card and then onto a white card blank. Simple

This one was matted onto yellow card and then silver card before being fixed to a yellow card blank. Simple again!

Then on this one the photograph was matted onto yellow card and then silver card with the edges scalloped. Then it was matted again onto green card and yellow card.

Some yellow ribbon was wrapped around the green panel and another piece of yellow ribbon was folded in half and fixed to the bottom ribbon with a green brad and the edges snipped at an angle.

The whole panel was then stuck down onto a white card blank.

Not quite so simple.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

2011-06-27T15:30:00.017+01:00

More canals than Venice. More rubbish than Naples!

Today we booked to join the flotilla of boats going up/down the Thames next June for the Queen's Jubilee. There's brave.

We also booked for the opening weekend of the Droitwich Canals and set off tomorrow. So it's Tardebigge twice ugh!.

Looking forward to going out on the boat again. This card was made from a photograph of a couple to teasels. I matted it onto white card and cut the edges with deckle edged scissors (you can tell how old the card is, I hardly ever use those scissors now). Then it was matted onto some lilac card and then onto silver card.

I cut out a panel of lilac card and rounded the edges, then matted that onto more silver card and rounded the edges again. I added a yellow brad in each corner and wrapped some lilac gingham ribbon around it, tying it in a knot. Then the photo was added. The whole piece was then stuck onto a light lilac card blank.

Gas Street Basin, Birmingham

2011-06-18T15:21:00.012+01:00

Today it was Lionboat races. Boom, boom, boom all day. Well, until someone collapsed and there was a pause while she was seen to by the paramedics.

Poor old Albert was on duty for BW, having to ask boats to stop while the races were one. One or two black cats were a bit shirty and shouted at him, refusing to stop.

A card for Fathers' Day tomorrow. The front of the card was covered in a black and white patterned piece of card, it had lots of glitter over it and the "D" was also part of the design. I added the "A" and "D" to make the word DAD with peel-offs.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-06-02T12:00:00.003+01:00

Wayne's dog. Forgot the name already. He is a rescued collie and Wayne sells books and stuff for a couple of Collie charities. David was interviewing Wayne for Canals, Rivers and Boats - the dog wasn't interested at all.

Then we walked on up onto the 3rd floor of the Mailbox and took this photo of Gas Street. Just can't see Mr David on its moorings from here though.

Pink card blank. Holographic silver square covered with pink handmade paper. A die-cut pink corrugated heart with a pink rose in the top right hand corner.

Simple, pretty and effective. ...Well I think so.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-31T11:58:00.014+01:00

Here is a new one on me. Pre-wedding photo shoots. It seems to be an Asian thing as since this couple were being photographed on the back of Mr David I've seen several other couples being photographed.

More money for the poor photographs anyway.

Here I Cuttlebugged a piece of white card and stuck it onto a pink card blank. The bear was cut out from a tissue box using an oval Nestability and then stuck onto a red oval using the scalloped Nestability. To finish off I used three felt flowers.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-29T11:37:00.026+01:00

Today we went to Crick. Hired a car and drove there (my nails are just beginning to grow back!)

The dragon head was on a boat built by the Dragon Company. Didn't notice the tiller pin.

So glad we don't need a new boat. Don't know where we would start. We love Mr David so much and the layout fits us perfectly that we would have to have another one built almost exactly the same.

I have made a series of cards from photographs around Gas Street. This is Cambrian Wharf with the top lock of the Farmers Locks flight on the left.

I matted one whole photograph onto silver card and then stuck it onto a green card base. The, using the circular Nestabilities I cut out decreasing circles and then layered them up with sticky fixers.

For this card I used the cut out bits so that the circles are holes and get smaller inwards so the top photo is a sort of frame. Hope that makes sense. I used a white card blank for this card.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-26T18:52:00.018+01:00

This morning the Hyatt caught on fire!!!!! Lots of fire engines.

When I went to check whether I could use the pool this afternoon I was told that it was the sauna that had blown up!! So no swimming for the foreseeable future. Hope we get a refund.

Fortunately no-one was in the sauna at the time and no-one in the pool area was injured

This card began with a purple card blank. I covered part of the front with some stripy paper and then added this little chap holding a bone for his dog. He and the dog are slightly decopaged and fixed to the card with sticky-fixers.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-24T18:45:00.013+01:00

President and Kildare were due to leave at 8 o'clock so David was ready with his camera.

This card uses a picture of Malcolm on the back of Kildare. I matted the photo onto silver, red and black card.

I used a white card blank and cut a red card panel which was Cuttlebugged and matted onto more black card, and stuck it to the card front.

I then covered a narrow piece of black card with some red ribbon, sticking the ends to the back. Then a strip of silver peel-off and two tiny silver brads. The whole piece was then stuck over the bigger panel.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-23T18:39:00.010+01:00

Coming back from the gym I noticed President and Kildare were in town - on their way to Crick.

One white card blank.
Australian stamp, coloured with watercolour pencils, matted on to black and gold card.

A piece of "camouflage" paper which has been torn.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-22T14:12:00.019+01:00

Mr David in The Times! Just! The Home supplement lauding canalside living. You just get to see the tip of the back of the boat (see tip of arrow).

We were also graced with the presence of the Liverpool football team before they went off to the beaten by Aston Villa this afternoon.

Using up the "free" papers from a card magazine.

Using a white, square card blank I covered the front with some blue card and the yellow patterned paper. I made a smaller panel with more blue card and yellow paper and fixed that in the bottom half of the card, wrapping some blue ribbon around it before fixing it down.

The topper was matted onto a scalloped circle, likewise the smaller topper which was stuck down onto a cocktail stick. A piece of ribbon was threaded through a blue button and tied in a knot and stuck onto the base and the cocktail stick end stuck into the knot before fixing the top down with a sticky fixer.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-21T14:03:00.021+01:00

A wedding today. Susan and Mark live on Snark in Sherborne Wharf. They are both military people. Susan has just got back from a tour in Afghanistan but Mark has contracted MS and is no longer serving.

They were married in Birmingham Register Office and had their wedding breakfast on one of the many trip boats we have around here.

We all wish them all the best for the future.

One cute horse towing a trip boat in Hungerford. Matted onto silver and yellow card.

A white card blank, some pearlescent blue paper with scalloped edges and some red ribbon with white flowers on it. To finish off, three coloured dots to mimic the colours of the decoration on the horse's reins.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-20T13:56:00.013+01:00

Not really got anything to do with canals, except the lorry was parked in Canal Square and I took the photo from the boat. But what does RESTAURATION mean?

I have not looked it up yet, but also, I have never heard it used before and the spellcheck doesn't like it either.

We took the boat around the Sherborne Wharf for a pumpout today. How exciting!

A white card blank with some stripy ribbon tied around it, a photograph of an Old English Sheepdog matted onto white and then green card and that's it.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-19T13:32:00.056+01:00

One of the big 4 accountancy firms (not our daughter's - she hates boats) was having a team building day out. Down Farmers Locks and then back up again!! Here, Mike is showing two of them how to do the first lock. The rest are mostly drinking beer and having a good time.

Didn't get to see them 26 locks later.

Got an order for a card for a future daughter-in-law, and a chance to pull all the stops out.

The latest Making Cards magazine had a template for a new type of stand up card so I went for it. The disadvantage of this card is that you need a piece of A3 card to start with, but I managed to find some from under the bed.

I covered the front of the card with some pink paper and then cut out a square from the centre, outlining the cut with some silver peel-off strips. I printed off the Pink Petticoat digi stamp, the sentiment, the girl's name and the verse on the back. The sentiment I matted onto some of the pink paper and then mirror card and fixed it to the top left hand corner of the card. Two pink paper roses were added for effect. The name was cut out with a Nestabillity die and I threaded some pink ribbon through, cutting the ends at an angle before fixing it to the bottom right hand corner of the card. I added another rose to the right hand side of the name. Finally a large pink paper rose and leaves were added to the bottom left hand corner, and some gems to the top right hand corner.

You can see from this picture that the card has a mountain fold in the middle and the actual card is stuck down on this.

Firstly I covered the card with patterned paper, then mirror card and then the same pink paper from the front of the card. I coloured in the image with watercolour pencils and die cut it to an oval with a scalloped pink border and then a larger mirror card border then stuck it onto the panel.

When I stuck the pink paper on the front of the card I used the extra bit at the top to wrap it over onto the back, covering the join with another peel-off strip.

The verse (which David found for me on the Internet) was matted onto the pink paper and then mirror card before being stuck onto the back.

I was going to add another pink rose to the left hand bottom corner, but for the life of me I couldn't find them again!

To finish off I made a box for the card to go into, 'cos I must have done something wrong in the construction as it would not lie flat.

I covered half of the top with some of the patterned paper, used another peel-off strip on the join and used some die-cut flowers and a tag which came with the papers, adding some ribbon and a sentiment to the tag. Finally, I wrapped some of the pink ribbon around the box and tied it in a bow.

The customer loved it, but had failed to mention that it was a birthday card she was after not a wedding card. Oops!!!

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-18T13:27:00.014+01:00

Walking around to the doctors to pick up the prescriptions today I noticed the yucky green algae in amongst the slime and rubbish in the basin. The whole area seems to have a film of diesel as well. Not very nice.

This will make your hare stand on end!

Love it. One of my earlier cards, the hare is stamped and coloured in with watercolour pencils and matted onto black, yellow and more black card. The yellow card I deckle edged with scissors.

The whole panel was then stuck onto a white card blank.

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-17T13:17:00.021+01:00

So, we found out what the wine boat was all about. Arniston Bay Wines have hired a boat, covered it in a vynl wrap and are travelling up to Manchester to publicise the wines. On board is the gorgeous Craig Doyle - even better looking in the flesh!!!

It was a day for the TV cameras. The One Show was filming a slot with Carie Grant along the Worcester Bar and on the lock side and bridge and then the ITV Central weather girl filmed her slot from the back of our boat - not to mention the interview with Craig Doyle and the wine boat.

Some day it just all seems to happen at once.

I have found another stamped card, using a free stamp from a magazine. This one was stamped and then embossed with a pearlescent type powder so the colour changes when you move the image. I also stamped it onto some yellowy paper that graduated to blue in one corner.

The image was then matted onto blue, silver, blue and more silver card before being stuck onto a blue card blank. I dry embossed the right hand corner of the card with a flower and swirl type decoration.

Gas Street. Birmingham

2011-05-16T13:04:00.021+01:00

Back to the mundane, if there is such a thing in Gas Street.

We got to look after Rolo for the day (6 month old Rotweiller/Doberman cross). Boy has she grown. Still adorable and fun though. We walked her around to the doctors and passed this boat on the way. The whole side of the boat was covered in an advertisement for South African wine, even the windows were covered like they do on the buses sometimes.

Haven't shown a waterways card for ages, so here's one of a bridge somewhere, forget where.

It is matted onto gold and primrose card and then onto a teal coloured card blank with some white and yellow ribbon wrapped around it vertically.

Three gems are stuck to the bottom right hand corner. Why do they always look crooked in the photo and not to the naked eye?

Gas Street, Birmingham

2011-05-15T19:25:00.057+01:00

We had a 5.30 and began the Wolverhampton 21 at 6.45. A nice smooth ascent to lock 11 before the locks were against us, but we met a boat coming down in lock 9. We were at the top for 9.45.

It being a Sunday -mobile cafe at lock 10 - so no bacon and egg butties today.

This moorhen chick was a bit lost at one of the locks. No sign of any parents. It was all legs and feet.

On to Factory Locks, and again we were in luck; a boat was just coming out of the top lock as we arrived.

The rest of the journey is always a bit tedious, especially the long straight bit where you can see the office blocks by the moorings in front and they never seem to get any closer. But we were eventually back on our moorings as the clock in Brindleyplace struck 2.

We did 496 miles, 375 locks, 51 swing bridges, 3 lift bridges and 28 tunnels (not counting any locks or bridges opened for us by others!).

I began this card with a pink card blank.

The picture of roses was matted onto silver mirror card and then onto white card. I trimmed the corners with an inverse curve and stuck it onto the card towards the left hand side of the card. I added four gems at each corner. Then I cut a scalloped border in bright pink card and fixed it by the side of the picture.

The sentiment was a rub-on and the "mum" I added to a piece of card and fixed it with sticky fixers. The finish off I added butterfly in the bottom right hand corner.

Inside, I trimmed the bottom edges of the insert with a daisy trim punch and added another butterfly in the bottom right hand corner.

I left the insert blank 'cos if you put a mushy one in the customer will want a sassy one, and vice versa.

Huntings Bridge, Shropshire Union Canal

2011-05-14T17:25:00.023+01:00

Last day but one (hopefully).

We got diesel at Wheaton Aston for 74p a litre, saw lots of boats on the move and managed to moor up before the rain set in.

And did it rain! Even some thunder and lightening.

I put half of this card blank through the Cuttlebug. It was a bit of a faff and I usually find it easier to just Cuttlebug sheets of card and then stick it onto the card front.

The crab is made from plastic and is stuck to a piece of torn handmade paper and then matted onto some orange card, cut with wavy scissors.

A blue seahorse is stuck to the bottom right hand corner.

Norbury Junction, Shropshire Union Canal

2011-05-13T17:16:00.022+01:00

The most photographed bridge on the Shroppie? Well, here's another photo.

"Another long day!" as David says. A 0530 start and finishing at 1130. Fifteen miles and 10 locks.

A white card blank with some pink backing paper, torn on one side and stuck down the right hand side of the card.

The bowler is decopaged and fixed over the join of the paper and card.

The shield, bag and score sheet are added for decoraton.

Adderley Bottom Lock, Shropshire Union Canal

2011-05-12T17:05:00.031+01:00

Here is the tree I photographed on the way up. Now there are a few leaves, but not many.

Audlum was just waking up when we went through. All the locks were against us, but they seemed so easy after the big locks on the Leeds and Liverpool and Rochdale.

I went to bed soon after we moored up (which was before noon) and slept were about 3 hours!

Later I walked up to the farm shop for more delicious sausages, bread and scones.

I have been playing with my new camera - using the zoom which is very impressive.

This picture used the zoom as far as it would go and the picture was then cropped.

The only thing that is annoying is that using the zoom takes forever for the photograph to set, so you can't take pictures quickly. The screen freezes for about 5 seconds.

A stamped card!!! I coloured it in with metallic pens and matted it onto pink, cream and gold card before sticking it onto a white card blank.

Three pink sequins are lined up in the bottom right hand corner.

Barbridge, Shropshire Union Canal

2011-05-11T16:52:00.025+01:00

What makes you think this boat is moored close to two hire boat companies?

Another early start and through the Middlewich locks before too many boats (only one following us), and down the Middlewich Branch.

We moored up at the empty moorings in Barbridge and I took the bus to Chester. When I got back the moorings were full and Waterwitch was behind us.

This is a very early card of mine. I made lots as they were very popular, but I have not made any more for about 6 years now.

I used a template to make to bodice with handmade paper, edging the collar with a silver pen. The skirt is made from a circle of net which is folded into 4 and the pointy end stitched to make the pleats before fixing it to the back of the bodice. I then added two silver bows for decoration.

The dress was then fixed onto some blue handmade paper which has been torn into a long rectangle and this was fixed to a long white card blank.

I added some sparkly stars for extra decoration.

Blackberry Cutting, Trent and Mersey Canal

2011-05-10T16:42:00.026+01:00

Into Preston Brook tunnel for 0630 and then on through the other two tunnels.

It was surprisingly quiet at Anderton - just because we didn't want to stay there!

Then it was on to Bramble Cuttings for the night.

We past this boat - bright or what?

A cream card blank. Torn lilac paper. A square of embossed silver card with some white handmade paper with the edges "feathered". A sparkly lilac cardboard heart with shiny thread wrapped around it, an organza bow and ribbon rose stuck to the top right hand side.

An iridescent heart in the bottom right hand corner.

Moore, Bridgewater Canal

2011-05-09T16:01:00.014+01:00

Does this count for "Ducks in a line"?

They were dozing with Mum until we moored up the boat and they all ran off into the water.

David set off at 0545 and dropped me off somewhere near Grapenhall where I caught a bus into Warrington while he went on to Moore to moor up for the night. I joined him later after catching another bus.

Here is a get well card, made yonks ago. I cannot remember where I found the clip art, and I have tried to find it again. Anyway, I printed it onto card and cut it out before sticking it onto some computer generated backing paper (saying "Get Well Soon"). The edges were decorated with deckle edged scissors and then it was matted again onto pink paper which was cut with curvy edged scissors.

The panel was then fixed onto a white card blank.

Trafford Centre, Bridgewater Canal

2011-05-08T17:05:00.000+01:00

How to annoy a fisherman. Travel in a convoy of 6 boats.

Today was going to be a nice easy run to the Trafford Centre where we could meet up with David's Sister, Brother-in-Law and their Grandson and David could watch the match on the TV.

No such luck. We got to the Barton Swing Bridge at 0745 and it was SHUT!!! No stoppage notice, no warning, no notice at all and there were four boats moored up in front of us, and they had been there all night. One since 5pm.

We phoned Lil and Joe to let them know we were the wrong side of the bridge, so they knew where to find us and they arrived at about 10am.

Finally, at 1130 the bridge opened. By now there were 7 boats waiting to go through. Apparently, they closed the bridge yesterday for the ferry to leave and the bridge broke. They worked on it all night and, fortunately, just after the ferry returned, the bridge was working again. Yeah! Believe that one. Been here before. The bridge closed on us just as we were entering it, they bridge keeper said that there was a boat going down the Manchester Ship Canal and it would only be a while. Four hours later, he came back and another ship went through and we were finally allowed to go on our way again.

A bonus for five year old Ethan though, he got a ride on the boat and enjoyed saying goodbye to Grandad, and then seeing him go over the road bridge in the car as we went over our swing bridge, and then waive hello to him when we got here.

Two cards, same idea, using plastic dolphins.

The first one uses three squares of cards and three circles with the dolphins stuck on. The squares are arranged in a vertical panel with strips of peel-off making a frame and a plastic heard in the four corners.

This one has one long panel with three squares of card and the dolphins stuck directly onto the squares.

Both cards used blue card blanks.

Whitehead Hall Bridge, Bridgewater Canal

2011-05-07T16:34:00.008+01:00

We did the last of the locks before it started to drizzle and by 10 o'clock it looked as if the heavens were about to open, just as we passed a couple of pieces of metal sticking out from the towpath. Ideal for mooring up. So we did. And they did.

Later in the afternoon I went for a wander to see if I could find any orchids (I had seen some earlier in the morning). I noticed that we were near Astley Pit Museum, and we'd actually used this spot once before. I couldn't find any orchids though.

We went to bed to the accompaniment of a thunder storm. Still, I suppose we need the rain.

What do you do with those free gifts you get from card making magazines?

This is how I used this one. The chipboard bear was matted onto pink, lilac and purple card. The topper was fixed with foam pads.

I stuck a piece of lilac gingham ribbon across the bottom, using double sided tape and cutting the edges flush. I then took a scrap of purply glimmer ribbon and folded it in half, cutting the edges at an angle and pierced it with a flower shaped brad before sticking it onto the ribbon with a glue dot. The sentiment is a sparkly peel-off and was also stuck onto the gingham ribbon.

Another piece of scrap purple ribbon was folded in half, after trimming the edges at an angle and stuck behind the topper before adding it to the white card blank.

Wigan, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-05-06T08:50:00.046+01:00

We left early as the weather was not promising and I picked up a paper and some bread in Burscough. David did get a bit wet and so by the time we got to Wigan at 1pm we decided to stop. This was a good opportunity for me to take a train into Manchester to get the mail we couldn't get just after Easter. I only had to queue for it for 1/2 hour.

Walking back from the station I noticed this chap looking at the canal.

And then, around the corner, this lady sitting watching over the boat.

Well, that is the last of the swing bridges, and only 4 big locks to go.

One Top Chick. I stuck this sticker onto some blue card and then cut around it leaving a narrow border. I then stuck this onto some yellow card and cut around that with deckle edged scissors, again leaving a narrow border.

The yellow ribbon was tied around the spine of the blue card blank and tied with a knot and a yellow sticker heart was added in the bottom right hand corner.

Downholland Hall Swing Bridge, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-05-05T08:36:00.005+01:00

We noticed this floating coot nest on the way down, the bird was not on the nest and there were about 5 eggs in it. Didn't have a camera handy in time though.

Our instructions were to be at the first lock for 0800 this morning, unfortunately, all the other 13 boats travelling today also had to be there for 0800. Confusion or what. The group from Bridgewater arranged for pairs, but there were also other boats and they joined in too.

We managed to be in the first 2 boats, so everything went smoothly.

One of the following boats had engine trouble, so by the time we got to Bridge 5 to await the BW guys to let us through, there were only 6 boats. We waited almost 2 hours but there was no sign of any more boats, to we went through and then through Bridge 6. We were now on our own.

The best thing about this convoy was there were 6 swing bridges in front, so we only had to do one each. By the 5th bridge boats were dropping out for the day and we eventually stopped here at 4.45 on another bridge landing (but with the bridge permanently open).

We haven't seen any cygnets yet, lots of swans on nests though.

I used this card for a birth congratulations. Just a photograph matted onto silver and dark purple card.

I stuck a swan's fluffy feather underneath and then stuck the whole thing onto a lilac card.

Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

2011-05-04T08:18:00.035+01:00

Salthouse Dock - Dawn

Some of the historical boats left early this morning and while we were photographing them going through Albert Dock I noticed this "Liverpool" shop. I didn't think I would ever see blue and red shirts side by side like this.

The boat is surrounded with jellyfish!!!

I had forgotten, but they were around last time we were here.

The water is so clear that you can see the bottom of the dock. I have not seen any fish though, but there are two girls who come around every day catching some for the museum, so they must be in there somewhere.

This is a card that could be used for a 50th birthday, or anniversary.

I printed a '50' onto white card and cut it out, rounding the edges and punching two holes in the two horizontal sides. The '50' was then coloured in with a lilac metallic pen. I threaded some lilac organza ribbon through the holes and added two flowers to cover the holes. Then I wrapped some lilac organza ribbon around some silver card, fixing it on the back with double-sided tape and then added the ribbon with the plaque in the same way.

This panel was then matted onto a larger piece of lilac card and again onto white card, which had the edges scalloped. The whole panel was then stuck onto a lightly lilac card blank.

Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

2011-05-03T16:41:00.020+01:00

Saw this while I was out browsing today. Cute or what?

Some toppers stuck onto a cream card blank. The sentiment was made on the computer.

Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

2011-05-02T16:33:00.013+01:00

The washing machine has hardly stopped for the last two days. Three weeks of washing done. Now for the ironing.

We had to turn the boat around to get water, so we took a trip around the dock to photograph all the historical boats which were lined up on the other side of the dock.

David went off and visited two of the tall ships - both Dutch, and I hit the shops again.

I used some back paper for this card. I cut a strip and stuck it to the top of a white, tent fold, card blank. I added a decorated peel-off strip along the join.

I made a slit in the spine of the card just big enough to thread the ribbon through and tied it in a knot on the front.

A cake from a spare piece of the backing paper was cut into a rectangle and matted onto some purple card, the edges scalloped with scissors was stuck over the ribbon, beneath the bow and a sentiment was fixed to the bottom right hand corner.

Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

2011-05-01T15:51:00.020+01:00

We were all up early to get to the top of the Stanley Locks for 8 o'clock. The two lock keepers arrived and we started descending the locks. The first 6 boats had to wait in Stanley Dock for the 9 boats who were coming the other way as there is not enough room in the link for boats to pass. The first 8 boats came through in twos and someone shouted out to the last one "are you the last?" To which he replied yes. No 9th boat! So we set off to the first link lock where we were locked through, and then onto the second one where we were locked through again.

We negotiated the twists and turns through the various docks and finally arrived in Salthouse dock to be greeted by lots of swimmers!!!

We were all safely moored up by 11am and ready to hit the town.

Not quite the sea, but almost as near as you can get by canal.

I coloured the stamped image with watercolour pencils and matted it onto shiny green, white and lilac paper. It was then fixed onto the white card blank.

I threaded some acetate shell confetti onto some green wool and wrapped it around the spine of the card, tying the ends in a bow.

A starfish topper was stuck in the bottom right hand corner.

Litherland, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-30T15:38:00.022+01:00

We moved down to Bridge 9 where we were to meet the BW men who will open the swing bridge tomorrow. We were joined eventually by the other boats and at 3 o'clock the BW men turned up. They were letting boats out and we could go through to Litherland and spend the night there.

So we set off in convoy - 9 boats in all.

We were able to get a pumpout at the service station in Litherland and we all breached up for the night. The Tesco 24 hour shop is now open and right by the moorings, which is very handy.

A square, white card blank.

I cut a square of four-leaf clover paper with deckle edged scissors and matted it onto silver card. Then a piece of velum was edged in the same way. I made the sentiment with some peel-off letters onto more clover paper and cut out. All three were fixed with a small clothes peg and stuck to the centre of the card, at an angle.

I cut four hearts from the clover paper and a stem and stuck them in the shape of a four-leaf clover. This was stuck down on the bottom right hand corner.

Halsall, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-29T15:21:00.029+01:00

Only 3 1/2 miles today as we are lurking, waiting to go down to Liverpool. We saw a 70ft length of brand new piling and dived in.

We were in time to watch the Royal Wedding on the telly.

The record for the number of ducklings in one clutch: 14!! Ouch!

We were joined later by the six boats from Bridgewater Marina who are travelling down to Liverpool at the same time as we are.

A card for the Royal Couple.

A peel-off stuck onto acetate and coloured in from the back. The doves were done using Snopake!

I cut around the edge of the peel-off and then stuck it onto some turquoise handmade paper and then onto silver embossed card.

The whole panel was then stuck onto a turquoise card blank.

Gt Score Swing Bridge, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-28T15:11:00.023+01:00

The weather is still beautiful. We must have been very, very good at some time.

We initially moored outside the Farmers Arms and had lunch there, but it is by a swing bridge and every time a vehicle went over it it banged, and anyway, the mooring wasn't that good, so we moved on the the landing mooring for this disused swing bridge.

No conscience using these moorings. This boat was already on the one the other side.

Lots more ducklings, even coots and moorhens in abundance.

I don't often stamp on cards, I usually make a mess of it - as you can see.

I covered the top bit of a white card blank with some green and white stripy paper, adding a length of dark green ribbon with a lighter green ribbon, tied in a knot, above it, across the join.

The stamped doctor was coloured in with watercolours and matted onto silver and green card, the edges cut with perforated scissors.

Then I made up the words with individual stamps - which was fun as there are two "o"s in Good and only one in the set. I stamped the wording with green ink.

Dean Locks, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-27T14:58:00.037+01:00

An eight o'clock start today (early afternoon?) and up through Plank Lane lift bridge, arriving just at opening time. The pumpout machine was not working and we missed the water point as it is before the bridge and the pumpout is after it.

Then up through the two Poolstock locks onto the Leeds and Liverpool proper. A left turn and through the first Wigan lock down, past the BW offices and to the bottom lock when this sign was posted on the lock gate.

Basically it asks us not to waste water, inferring that it is boaters to cause the lack of water by using the locks inappropriately (roughly)

Note to BW: This is a picture of the top gates of the lock with the notice.

Who's wasting the water?

Fix all the leaks BW and there won't be a water shortage.

Right! Got that off my chest.

After Ell Meadow Locks (?) There is only one. The canal becomes very pretty, and once through Crooke relatively safe.

There were bluebells and garlic in the woods and more ducklings than you could shake a stick at.

This is one of a series of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" cards that I made some time ago. I covered half the front of a yellow card blank with some computer generated backing paper, overlapping and wrapping it around the back of the card. I used silver peel-off strips around the edges.

The padded sticker was fixed to some yellow card and stuck just off centre on the card and some padded flower sticks stuck in the bottom left hand corner.

Leigh Bridge, Leigh Branch, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-26T14:45:00.028+01:00

We sailed up to Plank Lane and winded by the new marina (so far only water and a metal fence and acres of ploughed up land) and went back into Leigh so that I could catch a bus into Manchester to try and get our mail. Not successful I'm afraid - the Post Office didn't seem to have worked over the whole Easter weekend. Still we had a good shop in Aldi (right by the mooring) and nearly bought a new leather recliner and some garden chairs, but decided we didn't have room. If they are still there when we go past on the way back we will buy them then.

We are taking a chance and spending the night here by the pub as David needs to watch the football on Sky this evening.

I got some "men" backing papers a few weeks back and have used up quite a bit already.

This white card blank was half covered with chequered paper and a shiny peel-off stuck along the top join. Two labels were threaded with red ribbon and then stuck across the join and a sentiment stuck down above it.

The "topper" car was then stuck over the bottom join of the paper.

Pennington Flash, Leigh Branch, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-25T14:37:00.022+01:00

We had yet another short day just moving up to Pennington Flash, a pretty spot looking down over the water just before Plank Lane lift bridge.

We can't get used to the amount of boats on the move after being on the L&L and Rochdale and seeing only one or two boats a day (if that).

I had fun using my Cuttlebug with this card.

First I used all my oval scalloped Nesties to emboss a piece of white card. I then embossed another piece of card with the Swiss Dot folder. I mounted both these cards onto navy blue card and stuck them onto a white card blank.

I printed off the sentiment on the computer and matted that onto navy card and then added the butterfly topper.

Bridgewater Marina, Bridgewater Canal

2011-04-24T14:24:00.020+01:00

David's dream 30th Birthday Party.

A short jaunt up the Bridgewater to the boatyard for diesel, then back across the canal to moor up for the day.

We both noticed today, that we have not seen much wildlife for days. There are hardly any ducklings and I can't remember when I last saw a moorhen or a coot.

I have used a photograph of apple blossom here, mounting it onto silver card and using scissors to make a scalloped edge. Then I mounted that onto pink card.

I used a white card blank and rubbed the edges in a pink ink pad, tided a knot in some pink and white polka dot ribbon and stuck that underneath the photograph.

Trafford Centre, Bridgewater Canal

2011-04-23T19:32:00.000+01:00

I've got a new camera!!! a dinky little Cannon with lots of pixels and things + GPS (I'm sure I really need that). The best thing was we nearly bought it here last month when we passed through - last week they brought the price down by £100. Lucky, or what?

We were hoping that our mail had arrived at the Post Office in central Manchester, so I went into town while David brought the boat here on his own.

The mail had not arrived, so I took a bus to the Trafford Centre and met David there.

This must be one of the most over the top shopping malls outside of Dubai. There are lots of "Roman" statues, most semi-clothed (which David loves!)

And this gobbing fountain with "golden" mermaids.

So in the spirit of "shopping" a girlie birthday card. I started with a pink card blank and covered the left hand side with some pink and blue stripy patterned paper. I covered the join with a silver peel-off. I then added a couple of die-cut boots and handbags, adding glass flowers for decoration, plus three more in the bottom right hand corner.

The sentiment is a peel-off.

Castlefields, Bridgewater Canal

2011-04-22T19:07:00.020+01:00

Guess where we are? Yes, the place where drunken people fall into the canal and drown, so BW have to spend squillions building a wall to stop them cluttering up the canal.

We set off with Worcester at 0830 and made really good progress (last time it took us 6 hours)

We met two boats coming up and were moored up in the, very, very busy, basin at Castlefields at 1045.

WE MADE IT!!!!!! No more locks for days.

We celebrated with lunch in Harvey Nichols.

So, Happy Easter everyone.

A cheat's card. White card blank, stick-on flowers and butterfly and peel-off sentiment.

Piccadilly Basin, Rochdale Canal

2011-04-21T18:46:00.003+01:00

We were at Lock 65 for 0830, but the other boat was nowhere to be seen, so we waited 15 mins, but still no sign. The lock keeper unlocked the gates and went off to Manchester to let the other boat come up.

We set off. I opened the anti-vandal mechanism and lifted the box. The lid went over the paddle gear so I had to hold the lid up with one hand and wind the windlass with the other. Luckily I could manage with one hand.

Two locks down and I came across this one. The anti vandal device had been jammed on and there was no way to get it off as the chain was too tight. Then some cleaver person had come along and painted it all!

By the time we had got to the third lock the other boat had turned up so David went on to wait in the next lock - except he managed to get the boat stuck on something under the water (not difficult in Failsworth - there was so much rubbish around.

The other boat, the hire boat Worcester with three elderly American gentlemen eventually caught us up and with 2 BW guys and lots of help from the bank and after two hours, we eventually got the boat off the obstruction and were on our way again.

This is the bottom lock above our little "accident". There is only one paddle - on the off side. The only way to get to the off side is over the bridge and back along by the wall, except there was a locked gate! The only way across was to tightrope over the ledge at the bottom of the bridge.

I do love it when BW look after the boater.

We made quite good time and were soon near the bottom lock. Here we found a new canal under construction.

I don't know if it actually joins up with the Ashton Canal, which was the original plan.

We all arrived in Piccadilly Basin at 3.30 and I collapsed into bed for a couple of hours. David went off to find some takeaway and ended up with some Caribbean goat and chicken. We ate that and then went to bed again.

I have not made a card, now, for over a month. It's a good job I've got lots to spare.

This one uses the photo of two white Scotties. I matted the picture onto silver, white and dark blue card, scalloping the outside edge.

I wrapped some blue ribbon, vertically, around the blue card base and tied it with a knot, then stuck the photo over it.

To finish off, I added three silver dots made from silver card and a hole punch.

Henshaw Bridge, Rochdale Canal

2011-04-20T19:24:00.000+01:00

David sat on "his" lock gate.

And Mr David in Scowcroft Lock, probably one of the scruffiest locks on the canal, but never mind, how many people have a lock named after them?

We stopped for water at the lock house at Slattock's Top Lock, the residents, Mike and Jean, are boaters and they very kindly share their water. Mike suggested that we go past The Rose of Lancaster pub and moor up by the Boat and Horses, that way you get all the locks done and the flaky lift bridge out of the way before getting to Failsworth Lock tomorrow morning at 0830.

When we got there we couldn't get near the bank, which looked like solid concrete and there were no mooring rings - so we had to go on. We are now moored up on the off-side of the new bit of canal where, hopefully, no-one can get at us.

This is a light blue card. I stuck some white ribbon, with blue stitching across the top and bottom of the card, the bottom one tied with a knot.

I stuck a peel-off tulip onto some acetate and coloured the back of the "glass" then stuck it down onto white card with the edges deckle cut. Then I matted this onto some yellow card before adding it to the card blank.

Finally, I added three glass gems to the bottom right hand corner.

Blue Pitts Middle Lock, Rochdale Canal

2011-04-19T19:02:00.019+01:00

Through Rochdale today - yet another grotty canal scene. Rubbish everywhere. At least there were no cars in the two Moss locks like last time.

The Huddersfield Canal is closed again (3rd time since we decided not to chance it) This time one side is completely de-watered. We should have been going through the tunnel tomorrow.

Another picture from the Rochdale Canal - some lockside steps. It is not to clear, but the steps are "hanging" and only fixed to the wall.

I matted the photo onto white and lilac card and then onto a white card blank.

Littleborough, Rochdale Canal

2011-04-18T18:52:00.016+01:00

We set off quite early and reached the summit lock just as 2 boats were coming down. So we asked the lock keeper if we could go through today (we were booked for tomorrow). He was waiting for a hire boat coming up at 11am and we could go through with them.

So, instead of a nice easy day we ended up going down the locks to Littleborough with Sussex, the hire boat.

I was so knackered that I went to bed at 6.30 and woke up at 5.30.

This is a view from the eastern end of the summit.

This is another view from near the top. The photographed matted onto white, purple and silver card and fixed onto a lilac card blank. A peel-off of bull rushes is stuck down onto the bottom left hand corner of the photo.

Square Pool, Rochdale Canal

2011-04-17T20:15:00.000+01:00

How is this for a view while doing the washing up?

A lovely sunny day, we managed 13 locks in 2 1/2 miles (I walked all the way). So far the locks haven't been too difficult, but I did swear at a few, and hit one in frustration with the windlass.

It is so beautiful up here, but mooring is not easy. The pounds between the locks are so small that they rise and fall almost as much as the locks, and the edges are all very shallow.

We planned to get water in Todmorden, but that didn't work Alice was spending the night there. The goose was sitting on her nest and there was police tape all around it.

This is a lovely conversion of an old warehouse - see the card below.

The lock below our mooring here is is called Nip Square Lock and we are moored in Square Pool - neither is square.

We walked down two locks for a wonderful Turkish lunch and while we were away Alice went past, leaving the lock gates open so that when we got back to the boat it was high and dry with an alarming list. Thanks Alice.

You won't recognise it but this is the side of the warehouse above taken the first time we came up here. Just matted the photograph and stuck it to a white card blank.

Todmorden, Rochdale Canal

2011-04-16T21:33:00.000+01:00

The Rochdale Canal is certainly very beautiful. We have been travelling up a very narrow valley with steep hills on both sides. Lovely stone cottages are dotted amongst the wooden hillsides and the sun shone all day. Perfect.

After a very noisy night in Hebden Bridge last night (the local youths were having a party in the park) we decided to stop off just before reaching Todmorden today. We found a lovely spot just before the town.

I walked into Todmorden (market day) and saw these ducklings with their mother. There were actually 13 of them, so they must be newly hatched and looked the Heinz 57 varieties.

We saw only one other boat on the move, and that was a hire boat from Soweby Bridge that must have left yesterday afternoon.

I don't seem to do many stamped cards. Too lazy I suppose. I made this little cutie some time ago. I is stamped onto watercolour paper and coloured with watercolours, then matted onto gold, red and white card. I trimmed the white card with decorative scissors and the stuck the whole thing onto a blue card blank.

The sentiment is a peel-off and was matted in the same colour-way as the image.

Hebden Bridge, Rochdale Canal

2011-04-15T21:04:00.026+01:00

One twisty, turny tunnel on the Rochdale Canal, can't remember the name of it at the moment.

No alarms or excursions today. David was up early and moved the boat up to the lock landing ready to get to the big Tuel Lane lock for 0830 when it opened, but just as he was moving off the new lock keeper arrived and said that we could go straight on up as there were 8 boats at the top waiting to get down.

When we arrived at Hebden Bridge there was only a couple of spare moorings - by the time we left there were 7 boats with patrol notices - ours being the only one without one.

Love Hebden Bridge, lots of lovely little shops, good food and lovely buildings.

I made this card as a good luck in your new job card for David who have left the BBC and gone to work as a head gardener.

The bear is decoupaged.

Sowerby Bridge, Calder and Hebble Navigation

2011-04-14T20:57:00.000+01:00

So, what was today's accident?

We managed to flood the boat again. The locks on the C&H are only 60ft long, so our 57 1/2 foot boat fits in fairly snugly. Most of the locks have only one paddle in the top gate where you can use a windlass, the rest (and always the ground paddles) need a special hand spike (a long piece of wood which you use as a lever). These are a bit of a bind, and being lazy I only used the windlass paddle (which is a gate paddle). This particular one managed to catch the boat and fill the well again. Oops!

The bit from Brighouse to Sowerby Bridge is very pretty, a wooded hill on one side (covered in bluebells) and the river on the other side.

This sentiment was chalked up on a disused lock keepers hut. Sweet! I feel a card coming on.

David said he did it wrote it for me last night.

So, I'd better show a romantic card then.

I covered a heart with handmade paper (with flower petals in it) which was then mounted onto some pink handmade paper. I then added a rose and a pink bow.

This I stuck down onto a white card base, adding three oval, pink gems in the bottom right hand corner.

Kirklees Top Lock. Calder and Hebble Navigation

2011-04-13T19:40:00.001+01:00

It isn't getting any better. We came back down the Huddersfield Locks and back onto the River Calder. As we got to the first lock I noticed that the bottom paddles were all up. Good, I thought, someone is coming down. I got off the boat, walked up and noticed that the top paddles were also all up!!! There was a BW work boat in the lock and the pound above it was empty. They were working on the lock gates.

So we tied up for three hours to await the work being finished and the pound being filled.

Some good news though, a boat was coming down and they did most of the first lock for us, and of course they had left the gates open on the top lock so we could just go straight in.

We saw our first ducklings today.

There was a stoppage posted on the Internet. On the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Glad we decided not to try it.

A lovely atmospheric photo of boats and a bridge. I matted it onto silver and green card.

I cut one side of some blue card with scalloped scissors and pricked a row of dots along it before Wrapping some green ribbon around the other edge. This I stuck to the right hand side of a white card blank.

The photo was then placed over the top of the panel and a metal photo clip stuck down on the bottom left hand corner of the photo.

I punched out some green leaves and stuck them down on the bottom of the card and then added two silk hydrangea flowers.

Huddersfield, Huddersfield Broad Canal

2011-04-12T19:28:00.000+01:00

What a day! It started when we noticed that we had scrapped the paint of the bow flare messing up the sign writing. Then we caught the front fender in the lock and broke it off (that's the third time this trip). There was a lot of rubbish in the canal and we managed to get this mattress filling wrapped around the propeller. It all came up through the weed hatch! Then 5 locks up we met Hug coming down. They had abandoned their plan to traverse the Huddersfield Narrow Canal after spending 4 hours doing 4 locks and finding the next 1 mile pound empty.

When we got into Huddersfield we phoned BW for some advice - all they would say was that the canal is open, but there is very little water in it. So we decided to turn around and try for the Rochdale tomorrow.

The best part was that we met up with Janet, a dear friend and designer of our boat. She took us home to see the dogs and then took us out to lunch.

I finally tried a diamond fold card. It was surprisingly easy (after the initial mess up with the folds).

I covered the base and the front with patterned paper and then added a diamond of pink pearlescent paper on the front. The toppers were free with one of the magazines.

Coopers Bridge, Huddersfield Broad Canal

2011-04-11T19:01:00.000+01:00

Looks like Summer is over already. Rain has been forecast. So we left early. Lots of river sections and canal cuts which means big locks off the river with dodgy landings, but then the flood locks at the top end of the cuts were all open.

Lots of signs of Spring, birds on nests, and at the lock at Shepley Bridge a stoat/weasel was frolicking and almost came right up to my foot before it saw me and scurried away.

Now we are finally off the rivers and feeling more secure above the first lock on the Huddersfield Broad. Should be in Huddersfield tomorrow (though I checked today and there is no room on the visitor moorings and most of the boats looked as if they had been there for some time).

Have not seen any cygnets or ducklings yet, but here is a photo of one I saw earlier.

Just a white card blank with some lilac checked ribbon tied around the bottom and tied in a knot. I matted the photograph with white, deckle edged card and then lilac deckle edged card.

Mill Bank Lock, Calder and Hebble Canal

2011-04-10T18:29:00.027+01:00

Spring is springing, lots of green trees and Broad Cut Low Lock as seen from the river. We saw lots of swallows today too.

We left really early again in a thick mist, passing Hug getting ready to set off. Then, a bit further on a cruiser came out of the mist towards us. Just past that and another boat was moving in front of us. And it was only 7.30 on a Sunday morning.

We were able to get all three boats into Fall Ings lock and then Hug and Mr David travelled on together to the top of Figure of Three locks, where we decided to stay for the rest of the day.

We were grateful for the help with locking from Elaine and John on Hug - John being very fit!

During the afternoon the pound seemed to be getting very low so we moved up through Mill Bank lock for the night.

A clean and simple card (CAS - 2 layers and/or two colours + black and white). I stamped the flowers onto white card and mounted this onto gold mirror card and green pearlescent card. This was then stuck down onto a white card blank.

Kings Lock, Aire and Calder Navigation

2011-04-09T18:17:00.027+01:00

We spent a few days in Leeds and were joined on our last night by Jan and Bowman from Rivendell, which was a good excuse for dinner at Mumtaz again and strict instructions from Bowman not to wake him when we left.

Then at 0645 we slipped our moorings and set off down the Aire and Calder to Castleford Junction before turning right towards Stanley Ferry.

We got a text message to say that we did not disturb anybody on leaving.

Some of the locks on this stretch are so BIG. Mr David is in this lock somewhere!

This is Castleford Junction. Turn left for Selby and Goole and right for Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Brighouse. Go straight on and you end up on the weir.

Not a very good photograph of this card. A white card blank and a decoupaged Forever Friends bear on a Cuttlebugged heart. Four red gem hearts decorate the top of the sides.

Clarence Dock, River Aire

2011-04-05T16:19:00.000+01:00

We got to Newlay 3 locks just as the lady lock keeper arrived with husband and daughter in tow. They helped us down these and then drove on to Forge 3 locks and helped us down those (while we took the daughter, Jessica on the boat with us).

The stone runnel for water overspilling the middle lock here was beautiful.

Then it was on to Kirstall Lock with Jessica again while the lock keeper went on with the van and we were helped through here too. This is one of the dodgy locks as there is a huge council estate just over the hill. On hot days there are lots of swimmers etc.

We did the next lock on our own and then were met at Oddy 2 locks by the lock keeper again as the middle lock gates are a bit iffy and will be breaking some day soon. We needed the three of us to open the top gate as the middle one was leaking so badly.

Coming to the next lock we met an Otter boat with an elderly man (late 80s?). The lock was empty so I opened the gates for him and he brought the boat in, climbed up the ladder and held the boat while David and I opened the paddles. Then his wife came out and the couple doddered around the lock. And there was me thinking that this might be the last time I do the Leeds and Liverpool as it is getting hard. They were like Babes in the Wood. How they got on at Oddey Locks as they would have been on their own, the lock keeper having gone back up to Field Locks.

Last time we were in Granary Wharf they were building like mad and the moorings were unavailable. Now there is electricity and pontoons, but apparently they are all private now and the hotel charges!

We were in Clarence Dock, with electricity hooked up for lunchtime, which meant we could have lunch in Mumtaz. Goody!

Another version of the lock wheelers. This time I matted three identical photos in silver and light blue card.

Blue ribbon was wrapped around the card, once on the left and again on the right, this time tied with a knot. The three pictures were stuck down over the left hand ribbon in a row and a computer generated sentiment "Idle Women?" matted and added with sticky fixers over the right hand ribbon.

Thornhill, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-03T15:46:00.034+01:00

Sorry about the photo- it's the only one I took today. I do think the reflection in the water is good though.

Field Locks were open by 0815 and we were on our way with the help of a friendly lock keeper, then it was two swing bridges before Dobson 2 locks at Apperley Bridge, which we had to do ourselves. They were pigs. Very stiff and hard work. The swing bridge below the locks takes a small road, which for some reason was very busy for a Sunday morning. David helped me close the gates and I pressed the button to open the bridge. NOTHING. I checked the barriers and tried again. NOTHING. I opened the barriers as the queues of traffic were building up. We tried again and still NOTHING. So we had to phone BW and get the emergency engineer out. We had to wait for an hour, so I set off to find a newspaper. It was uphill all the way and, finally, I found a Sainsburys.

The engineer came out, reset the bridge and everything worked perfectly. Did I feel a fool?

We stopped for the day a bit further on in a very pretty spot with views over the Aire valley, but very shallow, so the boat was right out in the canal.

A few years ago, coming to Soulsbury Locks on the Grand Union we came across the local canal society lock wheeling in Victorian boaters' dress. The photo is matted onto silver, light blue, darker blue and more silver card. I added a blue photo corner to the top left hand corner and a flowery ribbon around the right hand side, tied in a knot. This was then added to a blue card blank.

I added some white cotton lace across the bottom and more flowery ribbon over the top of the lace.

Field Three Locks, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-02T19:46:00.000+01:00

There was a lock keeper around at 8am, but we didn't enter the top lock at Bingley until 8.30. The descent was smooth and rapid and I helped where I could, but the paddles were so stiff.

Then it was down the Bingley 3 locks before going on to the Downley Gap 2 locks where we had to do them ourselves. Here the paddles and gates were almost impossible; I'm not surprised the lock keeper had the day off.

Lots more swing bridges, including the one with wedges that take 18 turns to remove and 36 turns to replace, not to mention winding the lock open and closed.

We were running from the weather and almost got to Saltaire before the downpour.

Caroline and Curtis came up from Birmingham to return our other laptop and bring me some flowers for Mothers' Day, bless her. Didn't bring the puppy though. Had lunch in the Boat House and then they left and we moved on to the top of Field Three Locks. Hope the BW lock keeper is there tomorrow.

Coming along we noticed the new banking - every so often there was a bundle with greenery. I'm no expert, but I thought rushes and yellow flags needed to have their roots IN the water. They'll all be dead in a few weeks time.

I haven't shown a waterways card for ages, so here is one showing the bottom of the Bingley Five Rise with the hotel boats Me and My Shadow.

Bingley Top Lock, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-04-01T14:33:00.000+01:00

We set off early and picked up some Silsden hire boats on their way back to their base.

This stretch of canal has a swing bridge about every 1/4 mile so it is difficult to do any housework before jumping off the boat to do a bridge. Here is how it went today:

Get dressed
Do bridge
Wash face, clean teeth, brush hair
Do bridge
Tidy up boat, start washing up
Do bridge
Finish washing up, get out hoover
Do bridge
Dust, hoover
Silsden boat does this bridge
Put hoover away
Do bridge - 3 Silsden boats come through too
Make bed
Bridge open, but following 3 slow boats!
Put washing on soak (can't use washing machine unless we have 4 clear miles for the batteries)
Silsden boat does bridge
Put yesterday's washing away
Follow very slow wide-beam Silsden boat to boatyard where it proceeds to wind in front of us (in the wind!!!) and moors up in the winding hole, making it difficult for the next boat to wind.
Freedom!

It was really windy so we moored up for a while and then moved on to the top of the Bingley locks. I went to find the lock keeper for the timings. There was no one around but there was a sign with the times.

No I don't know either.

A card for Mothers' Day - or just Mum, or even Auntie. I covered a white card blank with paper, using a strip of patterned card from the same paper set, wrapping some organza ribbon around it first and tying it up in a bow I stuck it across the card.

The topper is also part of the same paper set and I added it over the ribbon.

Booth's Swing Bridge, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-31T12:30:00.001+01:00

The plan was to stay in Skipton for two nights but the wind came up and as the wharf has a curving wall we were banging against the stones. So after lunch we moved out of town for a bit of peace and quiet.

Lots of signs of spring now, birds on nests, leaves budding and frogs croaking for all they are worth. Haven't seen another swallow though!

This card has bee tinkered with several times. This is the latest incarnation.

I covered a foam heart with some gold webbing and then added the gold rose which was then matted onto yellow card and gold miri card.

I wrapped some gold ribbon around a piece of white card and added some gold peel-off borders and stuck this down onto the white card blank along with the topper.

I used the computer to make the sentiment on white card and matted it onto gold miri card before adding it to the bottom of the card.

Skipton, Leeds & Liverpool

2011-03-30T20:28:00.005+01:00

Rain was forecast today, so we decided to press on to Skipton. So the Bank Newton locks were done in the drizzle and then it cleared up a bit.

We came across NEW LOCK GATES!! Both top and bottom locks, and they were so new you could smell the new wood. Both gates were leaking already though.

Gargrave was quiet, three hireboats and two others on the moorings.

What can you do with the drunken paddle?

We managed to slot into our favourite mooring in Skipton opposite the boatyard in the Springs Branch and I collected the mail that David had so kindly sent us.

And now for a day's rest.

I covered a white card blank with a printed clipart of a race track and then added the car and a computer generated sentiment.

Bad Leak, Leeds & Liverpool Canal

2011-03-29T20:11:00.005+01:00

A day of leaks.

This one is a leak from the middle Greenbergerfield lock - the water was pouring down over the car park.

Diesel (83p ltr) and coal from the boatyard and then it was down the three locks.

We are no longer on top of the canal. The 4 odd miles on this pound follow the hills, winding around and back on itself with an embankment on one side. We soon noticed that about every 100 metres there was a temporary sign....

No wonder they had to close the canal last year because of lack of water.

A decoupaged flower fairy today.

A white card blank which has the left hand side covered in stripy paper. A pink ribbon is wrapped around the join and the fairy panel is fixed on the other side.

I saved the top bunch of daisies and stuck them in the bottom right hand corner.

Salterforth, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-28T19:10:00.006+01:00

OK! OK I get the message. Messages on one of the Barrowford locks

We stopped off at Morrisons in Nelson for supplies and then on up the 7 Barrowford locks. When we got to the top lock drooling for a bacon buttie we found another sign. I don't like carping on about the stupidity of BW but really...

We missed our time slot for Foulridge Tunnel where we had to wait 1/2 hour and as we came out the other side we noticed Cafe Cargo had opened up in the old wharf building. So we stopped for lunch and discovered we had met the proprietors on the Llangollen about 5 years ago. Anyway, lovely meal, friendly staff and highly recommended if you're passing.

Then is was on to the visitor mooring by The Anchor pub with its stalactites and stalagmites in the cellar.

I love Eeyore, he reminds me of someone.

I decorated one edge of some red spotty paper and wrapped it around a white card base. Then I die-cut a circle and scalloped circle which I then Cuttlebugged before sticking them onto the card.

Eeyore was added to the circle along with a couple of butterflies and a sprig of flowers.

Oliver Ings Bridge, Barden Mill, Leeds & Liverpool Canal

2011-03-27T20:24:00.005+01:00

We have just travelled through Burnley and I don't think we have travelled through a grottier place. The whole canal from before Blackburn through Church and on to here is littered with every conceivable piece of rubbish. We scraped over goodness knows what around the Weavers Triangle and David had to go down into the weed hatch 5 times this morning and we only did 9 miles. We even got stuck just as we were entering Gannow tunnel.

And to top it all, we stopped for a pumpout at Rose Grove and even the boaters are leaving their rubbish. I wouldn't mind but the pumpout station is immediately in front of the rubbish skip.

I cut this little chap out of a party invitaiton. The base card is white and I matted some blue card onto silver and covered the front of the card leaving a small border.

Then I added the spaceman, flag and stars plus some gem stars for effect.

And no, it is no upside down - he's in space!

Fosters Swing Bridge, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-26T18:55:00.004Z

That swallow yesterday certainly didn't bring the Spring. The wind was bitter. Thankfully, we only had a short day, albeit with three swing bridges.

The first one, in the dirty village of Church was easy except for the landing. The sewage works is being refurbished and there is a temporary bridge parked where the boat is meant to stop.

The second bridge had an awkward anti-vandal spring and it took me ages to get it to withdraw so that I could wind up the brake before swinging the bridge.

The best part was that the bridges seem to have been refurbished since last time and they all "swung" beautifully.

We were at our moorings here by 0815 so I took a walk towards Clayton-le-Moors to see if I could catch a bus somewhere. I only had to wait about 5 mins and a bus came for Burnley. When I got there, there was a bus waiting to go to Manchester, so I jumped on and spent the day in Manchester.

For this card I covered the front of a white card blank with patterned paper. I made two slits into the topper and threaded through a sentiment banner before sticking them both onto the card.

To finish off, I added four blue roses which matched the outfit on the topper.

Cut Bridge No 107 (Norden), Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-25T16:59:00.006Z

We moved off early to get to Riley Green for 0900 where we were meeting David's sister and two of her grandchildren. They were coming for a cruise and helping us up the Blackburn 6.

The area through Blackburn, as usual, is filthy. Rubbish in and around the canal all the way. By the sanitary station by lock 3 there is this horrid sculpture and some wag had left his empty tinnies in a plastic bag on the handlebars.

We stopped by Asda to meet David's niece who was picking up the guests and then it was a quick shop in Asda and B&Q (12 magnetic clips £5 - 2 magnet clips £8. Work that one out! Of course we only want one).

As we set off I swear I saw a swift/swallow swooping under the bridge.

A pretty little Pooh card. I stuck the topper onto a white oval which had the edge inked in green and matted onto some scalloped floral paper.

I cut a strip of green card and one of the floral paper which I had edged with a Martha Steward punch, these I layered up and then wrapped some green ribbon around it, tying it with a knot before sticking it onto a white card blank. I then added the topper with sticky fixers to make it stand out.

To finish off I added a couple of butterflies and a spray of flowers.

Engine Bridge No 84, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-24T16:45:00.005Z

I have noticed this year that the canals seem to be covered in some sort of gooey, slimy, scum. Are we discharging too much washing up water and having too many showers?

A lovely sunny day, though cold to start off with. We did the 7 Johnsons Hillocks locks without any trouble (ie: didn't lose the boat in the pound) and did not see another boat on the move until 5pm.

I have been recycling again. This card was made from one that I received as a birthday card. I just cut out the picture and matted it onto some gold card which has the edges decorated with a Martha Stewart punch. I stuck little red gems along the bottom and top and added a "Thank You" topper with a red ribbon.

Red Rock, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-23T17:16:00.007Z

We have travelled a whole mile today - and no locks for an excuse.

We are by the old Crawford Arms, then Bridge 67. We were expecting family and thought it would be a good place for lunch. Unfortunately it is now a dead pub. My brother-in-law, Joe, was barred from the restaurant some time ago because he complained about something so maybe it wasn't too good anyway.

Fortunately there was room in one of the cars and we were taken into Standish for lunch and then delivered back to the boat afterwards.

A white card blank, some backing paper, a decoupaged Forever Friends bear and sentiment and three glass gems. Simples.

Haigh Hall, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-22T18:29:00.009Z

The blackthorn is flowering!!!

A lovely, warm, sunny day just right for locking. And did we lock! 23 big, heavy, stiff, difficult locks. It took the two of us (with help from BW setting 3 locks) 6 hours and I was almost on my knees by the top.

The top lock still has a broken paddle (at least 5 years now) and two of the others were so stiff that David had to do them.

Still, we are in a lovely spot with a golf course on the off side and the view over 1/2 of Lancashire on the towpath side.

It is our baby's 32nd birthday today. I know, I know, I am not old enough to have a daughter that age, but there you go.

She was about 9 months old when this picture was taken while we were living in Poland.

I matted the photo onto gold card and yellow handmade paper with the edges torn. I fixed it to a white card blank and then added the jelly, sparkly flower to her hair and part of a hair ornament with another flower on the left hand side.

Dover Bridge, Leight Branch, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

2011-03-22T18:16:00.005Z

An early start (David set off and I stayed in bed again!).

We stopped off in Leigh for a bit of shopping (Aldi by the pub moorings) and then it was on through Plank Lane swing bridge which is being redeveloped. There is going to be a 40 boat marina and probably hundreds of house by the look of the mud around.

We moored up by the Dover Lock pub (no lock, just a pub) and I caught a bus into Wigan for an explore.

Quite little cutie this one. Made for a kit which I got "free" with a card magazine.

I started with a square white card using some matted decorated paper as a background and a strip of white card with a decorated edge and some green rickrack along it. I made the flower by stitching through more rickrack and pulling it tight.

The round topper was matted onto yellow card and stuck down with sticky fixers and the sentiment was added below.

Worsley, Bridgewater Canal

2011-03-20T17:52:00.005Z

We moved up into Worsley proper and moored up in the rain. In fact in rained most of the day.

Caroline drove up for the afternoon to help us with our tax returns. We had trouble doing it on line, so she had to take our main laptop back with her. In the rush we forgot to back up stuff onto this one, including the photographs and the boat log.

Still, David would not have had to go out and take this photo for me of the footbridge by the moorings.

A boat was on the moorings when we got back from the pub with Caroline and they happened to say that they were on their way to Birmingham. They did not know that the Barton Swing Bridge was closing at 4.30 and it was now 4!! They sped off and didn't come back, so I hope they made it.

Just before we left Birmingham Cubie asked for a Mothers' Day Card for her mum.

She wanted someone sitting drinking wine and her mum loved boats. So this is what I came up with. I used a photograph which I matted onto gold card, cutting the top and bottom edges with wavy scissors. I coloured in the stamped image and added it with sticky fixers.

To finish I added some sparkly flowers and a printed sentiment.

Broadoak Park, Worsley, Bridgewater Canal

2011-03-19T17:59:00.007Z

Not your usual sight on a canal. This is a Mancchester University rowing team practicing along the long mile straight at Altringham.

While we were getting our pumpout the other day we were discussing our route and the man doing the pumpout said that Barton swing bridge was going to close soon for maintenance.
We got caught last time we came up here so I checked with the Bridgewater Company to discover that we had until tomorrow to get through.

So it has been a bit of a rush. But we made it with a day to spare.

We did a "first" today and moored up by the Trafford Centre for a look around. Mind boggling architecture!

Caroline is driving up to meet us tomorrow so we will hang around Worsley tomorrow and have a bit of a rest.

I have just printed out some Pink Petticoat toppers with a view to making some Mothers' Day cards. I made this one starting with a black card blank, some zebra stripy paper matted onto pink pearlescent card with a black ribbon wrapped around the top and a bow tied around it with a piece of jewellery stuck by the bow.

I cut out the topper with an oval Nestability and then cut out a pink scalloped oval for the backing, sticking it down with some sticky fixers.

Bollington Under Bridge, Bridgewater Canal

2011-03-18T18:34:00.006Z

David wanted to get on and through Preston Brook tunnel early, so he set off at 0530 to get the 0600 slot!!! Once in the tunnel he soon discovered it was not such a good idea. It was too dark to see the entrance in the distance and he had nowhere to aim for.

A quick stop at Moore for a newspaper and some pate from the little shop there and then on to Lymm for ah hour's rest.

By then the sun had come out and it was rather pleasant. There was lots of activity at the moorings by the Old No 3 pub, looks like they are re-doing the water points and maybe even some mooring rings. This canal is a "spike" one - not many rings or bollards, which when you consider how fast the boats go past moored ones can make it fun to keep put. We did find 5 rings here though, which is why we stopped.

Here is the card for my Brother's grandaughter

A white card blank with the edges coloured with pink ink. A pink feather and a little hair ornament with the elastic taken off the back.

The sentiment is a silver rub-on on white card with the edges coloured with the pink ink.

Dutton Stop Lock, Trent & Mersey Canal

2011-03-17T18:49:00.001Z

Always a sad sight this. The boat must have had either a wooden or fibreglass superstructure as there is only the metal hull left.

A quiet run into Middlewich. I left David at the bottom of the third lock and walked into town to Tesco for a paper and bits and bobs. I had caught up with him just as he was filling the Big Lock.

Then it was on to Anderton. I dropped in to the customer services to buy some pumpout cards. Not an easy transaction, but I'll say no more and I am sorry to the next person who needs a pumpout card, I bought all 7 of them!

My brother's eldest son and his wife were expecting a baby (a little girl). So I came up with this card.

The photo is not too good because I used a white square card blank. The pink safety pin was stuck to the middle and the rub-on sentiment was added below. The wording is "Parenting results may vary". This is their second child, so we'll see.

Normans Bridge, SU Middlewich Branch

2011-03-16T18:44:00.003Z

We needed a pumpout, so we waited at Venetian Marina to open. Finally, someone turned up at 0915 and said that she really only did pumpouts as a favour for the moorers! So we went on to the new Aqueduct Marina where they were very obliging and we ended up spending £62. So sucks to you Venetian Marina. Mind you, the entrance to the marina was very narrow and tight and the services mooring was difficult to get into and out of.

Just a bit further on we saw Waterwich, so of course we had to stop and say hello. So, most of the day seemed to have disappeared when we moored up here.

Another floral card. This one is made from dried and silk flowers, handmade paper and paper ribbon. It has been matted onto torn card and then stuck onto a square, white card blank to which I Cuttlebugged the sides. To finish off, two glass gems were stuck to the bottom left hand corner.

Barbridge Junction, Shropshire Union Canal

2011-03-15T18:29:00.009Z

A late start for us and then a stop at the bottom of Hack Green Locks. The SUCS were at work here, resurfacing the towpath, clearing up the picnic site, repointing the bridge and painting the locks in the distinctive grey and white of the old Shropshire Union colours. Who was it said that volunteering won't help BW? Good on them. David stopped for 1/2 hour to talk to them and take some photos and then we went on to Barbridge Junction where I caught the bus into Chester for an afternoon of retail therapy.

We had the pork and apple sausages from the farm shop at the top of Adderley Locks tonight. They were delicious.

I noticed lots of blossom on the cherry trees in Chester which reminded me of some cards I made of blossom some years ago.

I mounted the photograph onto silver card and then stuck it onto a white card blank.

Coole Pilate, Shropshire Union Canal

2011-03-14T18:40:00.006Z

What a fantastic name - Coole Pilate - not got a clue what it means. Also, the Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS - love that too!) have made a great mooring area with tables, seats and barbecues.

You could tell that David was feeling better today - we set off at 0630 this morning in a heavy frost. This is the boat in Audlum top lock.

We passed one boat on the upper flight and then there were three Middlewich boats waiting to set off just as we came to lock 12. They let us go through, so we were not suddenly No 4 in the queue.

We managed to get water from outside the Shroppie Fly (the boat we past going up said it was frozen when they had tried earlier), and I popped into the Co-op for a newspaper and some bread, then it was down the rest of the locks in brilliant sunshine and on to the mooring here.

A cute little card using some papers from a card magazine. I used a square, white card blank and covered most of the front with blue card and then some blue flowery paper. Before I stuck it down I wrapped some blue ribbon around the middle and tied it with a knot.

The circular topper was also matted onto blue card and added onto the front of the card. Several white daisy type flowers were added with glue dots to the circle and a sentiment was added to the bottom right hand corner.

Adderley Bottom Lock, Shropshire Union Canal

2011-03-13T18:26:00.000Z

This is Oinka and she lives in the farm at the top of Adderley Locks. Next week there will be a farm shop operating here, selling lamb, bacon (not Oinka), eggs and slices of Victoria Sponge - and that's just for starters.

If you are passing drop in for some super food.

We had a short day today, leaving Market Drayton at 0930 after the rain stopped. We then stopped at the bottom of Adderley locks for a lovely sunshiny day.

In the evening we walked back up to the top lock to talk to Simon and Alison who have the farm and are opening up the shop. David is writing a series of articles about people with small businesses on or by the canals - you will be able to read it in Canals, Rivers and Boats sometime later this year.

We are moored by this tree. We have been here before because I have used a similar photo for some Sympathy Cards.

And here is a card. The photograph is mounted onto black handmade paper and then gold card fixed onto a white card blank.

The sentiment is a silver peeloff stuck onto black paper and gold card and added at the bottom at a slight angle.