Devizes, Kennet and Avon Canal

 Slipped out of Honeystreet before 6 and the revellers were still in bed.  It was a beautiful sunny day, but with a sharp wind.  Under the Alton Barnes White Horse, through All Cannings (missing the new long barrow where we are going to have our ashes laid), missed the floating debris and arrived in Devizes before 9.

At 1010 I was on a bus to Salisbury for a nostalgia trip (I was born there) and David was going to change the oil in the engine.  (He couldn't, cos he couldn't find the hose and the funnel!!)

I quite like two tone cards (well 3 if you count the sentiment).  The sentiment was made using a computer, I made a space in Happy for the flower.  It was matted onto yellow card.  The larger panel was dry embossed in the Cuttlebug and matted onto more yellow card.  Some yellow ribbon was wrapped around the bottom and a bow added.  The whole panel was then added to a white card blank.

Stonely Green Bridge 10, Llangollen Canal

Surprising what you can find on lock gear!

The morning was spent in Chester, we caught the bus just past the bridge at the top of Hurlston locks.  David bought a very expensive box of chocolates and then we came back.


So, we set off at 1 o'clock and stopped at Stoneley Green Bridge at 3 o'clock, having travelled just over 3 miles and done 2 locks.  Enough for one day.

Don't know what this card is for really, could be a birthday card, or a thank you card, or a retirement card, or a new home card, or most things really.

I just matted the picture onto blue and then silver mirri card and stuck it onto the front of a white card blank.  Three blue gems were stuck onto the bottom to give it a bit of a lift, and that was it really.

Cuckoo Wharf, Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

A long day today, 11 miles and 14 locks.

It started with a beautiful sunrise, and then the weather steadily went downhill.

The locks were all for us (except one) and we never saw another boat on the move all morning.







This lock had a row of little yellow flags stuck across it.

  
And this is what they said.  So, was the gas pipe line dug under the lock before it was built?  Or did they dig under the lock?  And, who is going to dig there anyway?

When we got to Cuckoo Wharf there was room for a boat, though the sign did say "Permit Holders Only" we ignored it and moored up.


Only 2 boats passed us in the afternoon, quite a difference from the last two weeks.

This is a Thank You card.  Firstly I cut a piece of patterned paper and then embossed it to give it texture.  A piece of ribbon and a decorated edge was wrapped around it just over 2/3rds down and the matted onto white card.

This panel was then fixed onto a white card blank. 

The sentiment was made on the computer and added with sticky fixers and two gems were added.

This card could have almost any sentiment added though.

Hawkesbury Junction, Coventry Canal

The Greyhound, Hawkesbury Junction or Sutton Stop as it is also known.

Another early start (for some).  I had a lie in.  And we were at the junction by 0915.  A small queue to get through the stop lock and lots of fun with a 70' hire boat coming around the corner and a posh woman in a shiny boat who complained that their bow-thruster had broken.

We were moored up just past the water point by 0930 and await the arrival of the family.  The pub was busy and were given a private room upstairs overlooking the junction.  It was ideal, we could watch the boats manoeuvring the turn and the kids were not in anybody's way.  It was a lovely lunch.  I can understand why everyone has been raving over the food there.

The kids left a three o'clock and we walked back to the boat for an afternoon nap.

This is not a very good photograph of the card, it does not bulge where the string is wrapped around it.  Trust me.

I used a white card blank and cut a piece of duck egg blue, textured card.  I diecut the two feathers from light and darker duck egg blue card and added speckles with inks.  These were stuck to the card with a button and some blue and white bakers twine was wrapped around the topper and tied in a bow through the button. 

The sentiment was made on the computer and says "Happy Mother's Day", but it could say almost anything as this is such a useful type of construction.

Near Vanetian Marina, Middlewich Branch, Shropshire Union Canal

No, the boat is not sinking... They are doing something on the back end and have lifted it out of the water.  It was just a bit of a shock when you came around the corner and under the bridge at Barbridge Junction.

Such a lovely day, warm sunshine with just a little cold wind.

We caught the bus into Nantwich to do some shopping and a lovely tea and scone, then it was back to the boat and just a short cruise to get here.

I love the Middlewich Canal.  Beautiful views and lots and lots of easy mooring spots.  And, even better, even though we are out in the country the Internet seems to work too.

Some more of my cards which can be used for most occasions and in any colourway.

These have embossed flowers with gems in the centres, co-ordinating patterned trip and ribbon and a butterfly.

Audlum, Shropshire Union Canal

Nice to be back in the land of the Internet, though it’s a bit flaky.  There was a message on the Roving Canal Traders Facebook page regarding intimidation by the local businesses here, to a trader.   So we boycotted the Shroppie Fly and the Mill.  Managed to follow a boat down 11 of the locks and moored up behind John Jackson in the long pound.  So we took this opportunity to buy a couple of bags of coal.  His boat was full of coal, and the Shroppy is shallow.  He got stuck and had to push the boat out.  Here he is trying to get the gang plank onto the boat so that he can get back on.

I have done a series of cards for sale on http://www.misi.co.uk/shop_info.php?domain=HandmadebyBrenda   This is one where you can chose your own sentiment and colour scheme.

It is a white 6x4" card with a white dry embossed panel matted onto blue card with a blue spotted ribbon tied around the bottom.  The sentiment is printed onto a die-cut oval and matted onto a blue scalloped oval.

The cards can be bought through Misi or direct from me here if you drop me a line.  You can pay by PayPal.

Cookham, River Thames

 The weather is turning nasty, so we began early and moored up by lunchtime.




Breathe in!

This trip boat gently nudged the nose (sorry, bow) into the gap in these two posts and left the engine in gear to keep it in place while it waited for its turn in the lock.

Another tight squeeze.

I used more of the silk daisies on this card.

I began with a white base card, then "backed" the gold window frame with some lacy backing paper, sticking onto the front of the card.  I then added two skeleton leaves, the two daisies and a paper leaf.

Stains, River Thames

 Another early start.  There are still lots of boats travelling upstream with the Pageant flag flying.

This canoe came sailing past, followed by another one.  The sails were really effective and they had got up quite a speed.

Back to some cards.  This one has a background of a music sheet with the edges cut with deckle edged scissors.  I stuck it onto a white card blank and added the silk daisy and some gold peel-offs.

Berkhamsted, Grand Union

A day of R&R.  A quick shop around Waitrose and then I only got off the boat a couple of times to shut the lock gates.  The pound went down alarmingly in the afternoon and we were aground
again.






I don't usually make square cards - they don't fit in my card racks or boxes well.  But I had some card blanks that needed using.

So I matted some pretty backing paper onto gold card and wrapped it around the spine of the card blank.  Then I used at topper which I matted onto white and gold card, punching a hole in the top and wrapping some pink ribbon through it and fixing it in a knot.

The two corners were also part of the topper pack.

Opposite Kate Boats, Grand Union

 Yesterday we moved down through the two Cape locks after taking on water and moored up after Bridge 46.  Liking this travelling a couple of miles a day.

I took a bus into Coventry.  What a dump.  Apart from the fact that they were digging it up, there are about 4 separate shopping precincts and everything was very bitty.  Noticed a new Ikea though I don't need any furniture.

We had planned to spend 2 days here and as it was raining when we woke up it sort of made it desirable.

These kids went past in the morning, they seemed to be enjoying themselves.  Apart from that, only two boats went past, on their way to get water.

I actually made some new cards today.  Will have to take some photos.

This is an older one, using scraps.  The sentiment was a rub-on, the stripy paper was wrapping paper from a box of chocolates and the scalloped, silver strip was from the box itself.  The topper came free with a card magazine.

Trafford Centre, Bridgewater Canal

 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.

Salthouse Dock, Liverpool

 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

 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.

Kyrenia, Cyprus

We have been in Cyprus a week now and it has been lovely. The flight out from Birmingham to Istambul was packed and an hour late leaving. We managed to catch the connecting plane by the skin of our teeth, unfortunately our cases didn't. They arrived 2 days later! The 1st picture is the view from our bedroom window. You'll be glad to hear that the water is too cold for swimming.
We have made several trips out, visiting old haunts and being pleasently pleased that nothing much has changed in the last 16 or so years since we were living here. There are an awful lot more villas dotted all over the place, but on the whole it is still as we remembered it.

Yesterday I went on a guided walk to see orchids and this one one that we found. Can't remember the name. I was a bit disappointed that I've missed the anenomies though.
















While we were on the walk someone spotted this, a baby chameleon.















And this is a view from the bottom of one of
the crusader casstles. St Hilerion, perched on the top of a mountain above Kyrenia. This is as far as we got this time. The walk to the top is very long and very steep. So we passed. Well we've been here before, many times.










So, in the floral mood. I actually BOUGHT some cards from the lady who took us on the walk yesterday. David can't understand it, but they were so pretty and I do love the wild anenomies.

This is one of mine though. The flowers are stuck onto some thick, white, handmade paper which has been torn and feathered. This is then stuck down onto a pink, hammered, panel and matted onto a silver one before fixing it to the pink card blank.

The spellchecker is not working, it keeps losing the pictures and giving me instructions in Turkish - so sorry, you'll have to put up with the bad spellings today.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

"I'm a drake, and you've made a mistake!"

So what has happened to the weather? Sleet, cold wind. Must be Spring.

Don't care about the weather though - off to Cyprus tomorrow. Two weeks by the pool; miles of empty, sandy beaches; fields of wild anemones and cyclamen, orange blossom, cigarette pies, hummus, fresh fish and chips, proper kebabs; Crusader castles and SUNSHINE. Can't wait.




Being a cheapskate, for Caroline's birthday present this year, I made her a greetings card organiser and filled it with 12 cards. I ran out of inspiration when decorating the card organiser, so no photos. This is one of the cards.

Starting with a white card base, I used my newest Cuttlebug folder and embossed some pink card. I then matted a long strip, which I scalloped with scissors, onto some blue pearlescent card. Then I used my Nestabilities circles to make a pink centre and a white and blue scalloped matt. The flower bouquet came from the £1 shop (2 for £1) - I said I was a cheapskate. The finishing touch was the three pink gems on the bottom right hand side.

Gas Street Basin, Birmingham

Work goes on around at the Mailbox. Not sure what they are actually doing. Half the arm has been drained and they seem to be building a wall down the middle. Time will tell.

Snow and more snow. Summer had better be bloody hot this year!




The trouble with living with Portobello Road at your back door is that you want to buy things. There was one particular shop about a 1/4 of the way down selling architectural stuff from demolitions etc. Always something interesting to see like stained glass and icons etc. We often popped in to see what was for sale and got to make friends with the owner and his assistant (a resting actor - but that's another story). One day he was showing a beautiful pink altar piece. All William Morris tiles with metal leaves and grapes. David thought we could turn it into a table top for the boat. The owner did not want to sell it though. Wanted it for himself. Was going to put it in his bathroom.

We badgered and badgered, every Saturday and eventually he needed some money to go to see the World Cup in Rome. Result! We bought it before he could change his mind.


The next problem was to get it back to the flat. The tiles were fixed onto concrete and the concrete onto a large slate. It weighed a ton. We had four American Colonels visiting - they were big and strong. They very kindly took a corner each and walked it back up the hill to the flat. Now we just have to persuade the boat maker to fix in into the boat.



Two cards made with a photograph of nb Brighton on the Oxford Canal.

This one I matted onto maroon, orange and green card. Underneath I stuck an orange patterned ribbon and then wrapped thin maroon ribbon and tied a green dragonfly charm to it.













This one I matted onto white card and cut around the edges with tiny scalloped edged scissors before matting it onto maroon card and fixing a gold brad into each corner.

I stuck a piece of maroon paper across the bottom half of the card base and wrapped a knotted gold ribbon around the top join and a strip along the bottom, adding three gold brads along the right hand side of the ribbon (wonkily).

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

Well, the ice has all gone, but I couldn't resist publishing this picture. It was taken by Bruno, who lives on Calstock. The sign says "Caution Slippery Surface"



I was telling you about how we got here. Well after paying our deposit for the boat we heard nothing for ages and ages. We went to the Braunston Boat Show and visited the Warble boat - a huge beauty called Shiraz. The couple who bought it had about 7 kids and the bunks were all fabulous. We got lots of ideas and were assured by Janet and Kevin that we hadn't been forgotten. (In the past 10 years, we have never seen Shiraz out on the water. It was moored at Braunston, but I've never spotted it there either.)

All the canal magazines were devoured with great attention. Things we liked were cut out and put in a scrapbook for future reference. We visited the boatyard to discuss what we wanted and needed. But as we had not been on that many boats we took their advice as they were boaters as well as builders. Fortunately they made good sense and didn't let us get too carried away, explaining that you can't fit a quart into a pint pot etc, etc.

Then finally, one day we had a PLAN!







Our very own Mr David was almost an actuality.

What with all the snow and cold and everything, I thought a photograph of better times might buck us up a bit. (The sun came out today, and we started to get wanderlust.)

The picture is of the Napton locks with the windmill on the hill in front. It is matted onto silver and green card. Behind is a panel of green card fixed horizontally and behind that a white panel matted onto silver. I made a green tab which I fixed on the bottom of the photograph and added two green bubbly type peel-offs on the right hand side. The picture was then added at an angle

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

One of the best bits of living in the centre of Birmingham are the firework displays (is that good grammar?).

New Year's Eves are a wonderful. This year we had a full moon and an almost clear sky. There were stars in the sky and then even more with this display which lasted five minutes. And, the even better bit. You are back in the warm comfort of your home almost before the last light fizzles to the ground.










We have not done much since then. A bit of shopping on Saturday and we had planned a trip to Stratford-on-Avon this morning but just as we were about to leave it started snowing and you know what the railways can be like if it snows... So we declined and as the train left Snowshill Station the sun came out and it was too late.

Still, we got to say goodbye to Sandy who is leaving for a job in Rugby. He will be sadly missed and we all hope he does well.








I love making fussy cards with lots of ribbon, bling and flowers. David usually hates them. But I also like (as does he) simple cards like this one.

I simply stamped the flowers onto white card and matted it onto gold and green card before fixing it to a white card blank.

Oughtrighton, Bridgewater Canal

Eating up the miles on the way back to Birmingham. David is doing marathon times on the back.

Normally we do about 4 hours a day, but we have been putting in 7-8 hour days since leaving Liverpool.

The Barton Swing Bridge was closed (but open for us!), so no excitement there. That was the only obstacle for us today.

We managed to get here just before it started raining - so all in all, a good day's cruising.

Summer is over, but there are still a few wasps around. All right, I know it's a bee on the card, but what with seeing the hives at Litherland, I looked this card out.

I think the card is shown sideways as it is supposed to be a flower box made from brown hessian on a background of orange hessian with the bee and flowers. I matted the whole thing onto some blue vellum and then onto a white card blank.