Adlington - Leeds and Liverpool Canal

We picked up a passenger at Haigh Hall!

We moved up to Adlington where we arranged to meet David's sister and her son for lunch.

Then it was just a quiet afternoon, resting after yesterday's toils.

Anenomies are one of my favourite flowers, I love the deep, vibrant colours.  This lilac one is a favourite of mine.

I used a piece of backing paper which I was experimenting with.  I have no idea what I did but it had a sort of translucent look where the colours were.  Anyway, I matted it onto some lilac patterned paper and wrapped a lilac ribbon around it.  Then I added the flower, a bow and two lilac gems. 

Fazeley Junction - Coventry Canal

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

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

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

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

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.

Red Bull Basin, Trent and Mersey (Macclesfield Branch)

 Love the motto:  Keeping people, nature and history connected.  Nothing about water, boats, canals!

We got water at the lock and then slipped into the CRT moorings at Red Bull.  David had noticed on the past that the electricity bollards were the same as on our moorings at home, so he e-mailed the Red Bull CRT offices and asked for permission to moor there in one of the empty spaces for a couple of day.

The washing machine has been going all day!

A card for someone fighting cancer.  I die cut a fancy label and threaded some pink ribbon through it and sticking it behind the Cuttlebugged white panel.  More pink ribbon was formed into a loop and fixed to the label with a pink brad.

The sentiment, which I did on the computer was matted onto pink card and the whole panel stuck onto a pink card blank.

Bridge 52 - Macclesfield Canal

Sod the birds!  Sort out the paddle gear!

 A cold, misty start.  We got to the bottom of the Bosley locks at 0730 and I had been looking forward to them.  But they did me today.

The mist never lifted, so there were no views.  ALL the locks were against me and the gate paddles were so stiff I could only open them one ratchet at a time.  I was completely knackered by the time we got to the top 2 hours later.

We needed a pumpout, of course, there was a boat already there, but they moved up so we could back in and use the facilities.  Then the cards wouldn't work so we had to get a CaRT man to run the machine for us.  At least they were in their office there.

 We got to the end of the permit holder moorings and moored up for the rest of the day and a sleep.

SAVE PRECIOUS WATER.  We have to do it because CaRT can't be bothered!

Not very happy with CaRT today; can you tell?

A nice, easy get well card.  I just stuck 3 plasters onto a white card blank and added a computer generated sentiment underneath.

Coxhead Swing Bridge, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Noticed this boat on the way down.  Not too clear from the picture but it is called Koi Carpe Diem!

We had planned to share the locks with Periwinkle and set off with them behind, when a boat shot off like a cork out of a bottle and got to the lock first.

Of course, he was a single hander!  And one who was backward in coming forwards when helping out.  So, guess who did most of the work.

There were 5 boats coming out and we lost the last one after the Holmes Swing Bridge (the last one manned by CTR) then the 4^th one stopped for lunch, so it was just the three boats going through the swing bridges of Maghull.  You guessed it, Gill and I did all the swing bridges – even those with the mechanisms on the towpath side.

David mutinied after 8 hours so we tied up on the off side bridge mooring of Coxhead’s Swing Bridge as it is permanently kept open now and waived the other two boats on in the rain.

I found a whole lot of injured animals somewhere when I first started making cards, but can I find them now.  They would be really useful, if I could find them.

I just cut out the dog and used sticky fixers to glue him to some red card and printed card with "get well soon" printed on it.  Then it was matted onto some blue card and stuck to a white card blank.

Parbold, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

 More bluebells!

An early start, in the rain (no I don't know why either).  More bluebells, but surprisingly, no ducklings.

We were moored up in Parbold by 0830 and I was on the train to Southport by 0930.  I love the serendipity of this life.  Southport was never in the plan.

David found the enthusiasm to watch Manchester United play football with their new manager, and they actually won.  Attack! Attack! Attack!


We were moored by this "shrine"

You are meant to take one of the special stones to put in your pocket, they are supposed to be lucky.  Hope it's not true 'cos I forgot to pick one up before we left.

A get well card.  I stamped image of a doctor, matted onto gold and green card.

I covered the right side of the white card blank with green paper and stuck a strip of outline sticker over the join.

The sentiment was then matted onto silver and green card.

Park Head. Dudley Canal

 President arrives at Park Head.  We were due to set off for Park Head this afternoon, but there was an emergency meeting at the Doctor's surgery (he is retiring and we have to find a new one), so we compromised, I went to the meeting and David set off on his own.  I had to catch a couple of buses to get to the site - not an easy matter, as it turned out.

Still, I made it.  We were moored up almost at the end of the line of boats heading towards Netherton, and I found it quite by accident.  I wasn't where I thought I was when I found the junction.  Anyway, a lovely, warm sunny day.  What more could you ask for?

Love the "Big Wishes!" girls.  I just cut her out and stuck her onto a white card blank.

Then I decided it was a bit too plain so I die cut some green card and stuck this onto a mottled green and white base card and then added her again.

Knowle Hall Wharf, Grand Union

The Knowle sign, with a narrowboat stemmed across the canal!

 Still stuck at the boatyard.  Maybe get the new alternator tomorrow.  So we decided to take the bus to Kenilworth as neither of us had been there before.  The timetable at the bus stop said there was a bus every half hour.  So off we went.  The signs on the Kenilworth side of the road had another timetable saying there was only one bus a week!!!  Fortunately it was on a Monday and the bus was due.  So off we went.  We hot 1 1/2 hours in Kenilworth, just enough time for all the charity shops, Waitrose and a lovely coffee in a cafe.

Another oldie.  A blue card blank with a black, vertical panel.  The stamped nurse was colored in with water-colour pencils and then matted onto black and pink, deckle edged card.  The sentiment was matted the same way and was a gold peel-off.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

Way back when....  The Birmingham Canal Navigation Society Bonfire Meet 2011.  It is held by the Engine Arm at Smethwick and for our "safety" the society erects a huge floodlight.  So it is almost like daytime all night.

This year the Council, in its wisdom, did not sub the fireworks, so they were paid for by the Society.  

And they put on a great show.  Probably the best ever.

The bonfire itself is built from hundreds of pallets and there were 6 Guys made by a local Cub Scout Pack.

So thank you to all the hard workers (including us) who made the meeting such a great weekend.

The outgoing Chairman, Graham Whorton had just resigned with ill health and at the AGM it was suggested that someone bought a "Get Well Card" for him and for everyone to sign it.

So I jumped in and offered to make one for him. 

I made a concertina card, sticking 5x7" card blanks together to give it strength.  Then I used photos of Atlas and Malus because it was Graham who worked so hard to get the boats for the BCNS. 

This is the front with the blue ribbon tied in a bow.

And this shows the two matted photos with the bow untied.  I matted the photos onto silver card and then yellow card.  These photos were then matted onto one larger piece of blue card with was again matted onto silver card.   The blue and yellow colours follow the livery of the boats.

 This picture shows the "back" side of the card.  I stamped various waterways related items, wild flowers, birds, butterflies, toadstools etc.  There is lots of room for signatures and good wishes.

This photo shows the "front" side.  On the second page I matted the sentiment.  It was decided to say "We hope you feel better soon" rather than "Get Well" in the circumstances.  (Graham sadly passed away not long afterwards).  I matted this onto blue and silver card and added more stamped pictures.

On the back page I used another photo which was matted in the same colourways as the front and stamped some seedheads and a flying wild goose.  The ribbon was stuck down with some double sided tape to keep it in place  Fortunately the card fitted into the envelope so I was well chuffed I didn't have to make a box too.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

 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.

Moore, Bridgewater Canal

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.

Gt Score Swing Bridge, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

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.

Todmorden, Rochdale Canal

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.

Abingdon, River Thames

One of the vintage beauties cruising down the river. This one is Sabrina.

We began locking at 0700 when the electricity comes on at the locks and, again, almost got through Days Lock before the Lockie took over. They don't like you using the locks by yourselves do they?

The weather was a bit better and eventually the sun came out, but it was a slightly tedious trip up to Abingdon. The moorings were packed and we just managed to squeeze in on to the end of the bank with one ring at the front and one in the middle and the back tied on a spike.

Then at 5 o'clock the Swan Uppers caught us up again and the skiffs went and touched the bridge and the men all stood and drank a toast to The Queen. Then it was all over for another year.

This is Her Majesty's Swan Marker. Quite a uniform.

The toast to The Queen.

For some reason I had to make this card again
for publication in a magazine and I had already sent the original away. So this is the other one made like the last one, but with a different colourway.

Goring, River Thames

A dull, grey start to the day and it was through Blakes Lock and onto the Thames by 0630. We managed Caversham, Mapledurham and almost Whitchurch locks without lockie help, so we had to stop and buy a 3-day licence from him.

By this time it was raining, but we were moored up below Goring lock by 1015.

Later, in the afternoon, we were visited by Anne and Bob from Amber Moon and while we were still on the boat the Swan Uppers came past.

This is a tradition that has been going on since the 12th Century. The Swan Uppers consist of the Queen's Swan Keeper (in a red jacket and white had in the far boat) and representatives of the Vintners' Company and Dyer's Company (why?) (in navy) plus assorted rowers and followers-on with liquid refreshments.

They row up river from Sunbury to Abingdon and catch the swans to ring them. Though the swans must have known they were coming because they all scarpered before their arrival.

After all that excitement we went to The Miller of Mansfield for a meal. After a shaky start when we were ignored for a bit; then the barmaid couldn't get the order for drinks right (Bob had to remind her 4 times!); and then there were no tables for 4 so we had to move the furniture around; the food was surprisingly good.


A card that I actually stamped, embossed and painted. I stamped the figure 3 times and coloured it with watercolour paints and then cut it out decoupaged it in three layers. I added crystal glaze to the raindrops and puddle to make them sparkle.

I used scalloped scissors to cut out the base and matted it onto blue and pink card, adding 2 brads to the top corners. The panel was stuck down with double-sided tape. Some pink ribbon was then stuck across the card and bottom of the panel and tied in a knot.

I printed out the sentiment on the computer and matted it onto pink and then blue card and tied some more pink ribbon around one end before sticking that onto the card with double-sided tape.

Tixall Wide, Staffordshire and Worcester Canal

Another dead lock cottage? The doors were all locked and padlocked and there is no sign of the little old lady that used to live there.

The canal has been surprisingly busy considering the kids should all be back at school now. We did our usual and left at 0630, arriving at Tixall Wide by 0945. All day boats have been speeding past us - and I mean speeding. There was the occasional considerate boater who slowed. Do you not have to slow down past moored boats in Tixall Wide?

Also, there were lots of ignorant, rude people about on the boats, looking straight ahead and not acknowledging anyone while they sped off.

I walked into Great Heywood for the Post Office and there were queues of boats for the lock and the water point. Then I walked back to the farm shop by the bridge and spent a fortune on cakes, jams and goodies in general.

Then, around 1815 this evening, a hire boater arrived and wanted to moor in the only space left between us and the boat in front. There was not quite enough room, so we went out to move our boat back a bit. The man on the hire boat went to ask the people on the other boat (not a hire boat, of course) if he could move a bit too. He was told that it was 6.30, he was having his tea and he'd sorted out the satellite dish and he wasn't moving! Hope he needs some help some day. Hope he doesn't get it.

I made this card for a competition but didn't get it finished in time to catch the post. It is a square one for a change. Don't normally make them as they don't fit in my storage box or display rack.

Anyway, I put some patterned pink card at the back and a piece of Cuttlebugged pink card across the bottom. I added some lace paper using my new Martha Stewart punch across the bottom of the pink card and then cut out a circle and scalloped circle with Nestabillities. I stamped the girl several times onto watercolour paper and once onto some shiny pink paper. I coloured in the images with watercolours and cut bits out to decoupage the image, finally paper-piecing the pink onto the umbrella, coat and wellingtons. I put glitter onto the puddle and the raindrops.

Finally I added the flower and some foliage fixed with a pink pearl brad.

For my newest trick - decorating the inside of the card.

I cut out another white circle and pink scalloped circle and stuck it into the card. Then I stamped the wellies and umbrella, painted them and cut them out before adding them to the finished card.

AND FOR YOUR DELIGHT - this card is now for sale in my MisiMe shop! See the button on the top left column.

Gas Street Basin

Apart from the noisy bars at night, and the even noisier drunks, it has been relatively quiet around here recently.

The filming continues in Bridge Street but it doesn't affect us in any way.

There are lots of boats around and most of the moorings seem to be filled by late afternoon.

BW and their signs again - there are going to be dragon boat races on 27th July. Today is the 15th and they have put the mooring restriction signs up on the bollards opposite the ICC. What is the betting that most of them will not be there when they are needed on the 26th-27th?

Had a visit from a young lad last week, needing a get well card for his mother who has just been diagnosed with cancer for the 2nd time. Hope this is what he was wanting.

I cuttlebuged the yellow card and wrapped the lilac, beaded ribbon around the bottom. I printed off the name and sentiment and matted them onto silver, yellow and lilac card. I then added the flowers, feather and bows adding three green gems to finish it off. David thinks it's go***ing. But it's not for him.