Gas Street Moorings - BCN

 Yesterday the coal man came and delivered 40 bags of coal for us.  Delivered in the dark and in the rain.  Now there's dedication.

Today the boiler burst at the back of the Becton fire!  Lots of water, and as the fire was going, lots of hot coals too.

We just got it sorted and put the electric heater on and the first flake of snow landed on the window!!  Was there a better day so far this year for the heating to go off?

Richard was summoned from Sherborne Wharf and he helped David drain all the radiators so that we have a usable fire, just no hot radiators.  We will need a new boiler and all the piping checked before we can have a toasty warm boat again.

Another Valentine card with a chocolate heart.  I have already eaten all the spare ones.

This one is made up of two, white Cuttlebugged hearts matted onto red scalloped hearts and a red bow.

Gas Street Moorings, BCN

 Just before Christmas there was lots of excitement when a boat that had been moored by Bobby Brown's was liberated overnight and ended up stuck between boats on the moorings. (The one with the red tarpaulin on the back.) No one seemed to be aboard and CRT would not let anyone move it until their operatives arrived.

The boat was eventually returned and moored back by Bobby Brown's and still there were no signs of life from inside the boat.  Was there a corpse inside?

Who knows, the boat dissapeared during the day, so I suppose we'll never know.

We went to the first Boaters' Meeting with CRT and Richard Parry.  Blimey, are things changing.  He actually stated that as we boaters had invested so much into the canals that we should have priority over other users!!!  Still, time will tell.

Getting close to Valentines Day.  I have uploaded this year's lot on the For Sale Page if you're interested.

This one has lots of red gems and hearts stuck into the embossed flowers and a chocolate heart in the middle of the big one.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

 Our first snow this Winter.  Lots of it, but most of it has gone now; but still enough to cause trouble when it freezes again tonight.   David got to use his new snow scraper, which we bought way back in October in anticipation.

Forgot to mention it before, but we have got a place in the Queen's Jubilee Pageant on the Thames this year.  Must have been good somewhen!

Just need a VHF radio and some bunting and we are ready.

 Two more Valentine cards.  Both on the same thing.  Nipple Tassells!!

I printed the sentiment onto white card and matted it onto red before sticking it onto a white card blank.   Then I stuck the tassells down with sticky fixers.

 Inside I printed the sentiment again in the same font and matted it onto red card and then onto a larger piece of white card which was again matted onto red card before sticking into the inside of the card.

For the second card I used a different font, but made the card in the same way.

For the insert I decorated two sides of some red card with a Martha Stewart edge punch and added the computer generated sentiment on the right hand side before sticking down to the inside of the card.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

 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

 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.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

Today is the first day of not going swimming at the Hyatt, so I took a long walk up to the Soho Loop to check out for signs of spring.

The wind was gusting nicely and there were waves breaking onto the Sealife Centre mooring.

There was the odd boat out, speeding along with the wind behind them and the trip boats seemed to be doing a brisk trade, but, unfortunately, no signs of spring until I got back to Gas Street and checked out the boxes.


I found some yellow and purple crocuses. Aaah!

Yesterday we had Rolo for the day again, our third time and she managed not to leave any messages this time. She is growing up really fast, but can still get out of her harness if she does not want to go where you want her to. This time she raced back to the boat and jumped into the front deck.









A Valentine card to get you into the mood.
This one made from a Forever Friends decoupage kit. I covered the bottom half of a white card blank with pink paper and stuck a pink and white polka dot ribbon along the join. The bear was stuck on top of the ribbon and six glass hearts were fixed to top right and bottom left and corners. The sentiment I did on the computer onto white card.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

We have just come back from a few days in Penzance in Cornwall. Went down on the National Express coach 2 for 1 and the B&B was 4 nights for the price of 3. Cheapskates you say.

Couldn't believe how green the grass was down there - even saw some daffodils in flower. Though the weather wasn't too good. One night the waves were hitting the promenade and the spray was hitting the window of our bedroom.

Found a great pub with smashing food (The Navy Inn), which we went to twice.

Also hired a car for the 3 days. Last time David drove was at least 3 years ago. So we drove all around the peninsular and up to St Austell and The Eden Project (which we both hated).

One day we took the helicopter to St Mary's on the Scilly Isles. That was a first for me. David was all blaze as he'd been on lots - even got shoved out of one once. The trip back was a bit nerve wracking as there was low cloud, but as the majority of the passengers were fit young men of the Scilly Fire and Rescue Service, I reckoned that at least we would be rescued if necessary.

Back in Birmingham nothing much seemed to have happened. There had been a message from Linda and Kevin on Tranquility who were passing through, so I got in touch and they popped around for a natter before returning their share boat to its base. And then it was batten down the hatches again as it has snowed again today.


Last Valentine card of the year. This is another one that I made to be sent out to Afghanistan for our troops to buy to send home. Unfortunately, the lady I send them to has moved and the Post Office has just returned the parcel. Too late to send them again.

Anyway, this one has a Cuttlebugged hearts panel in white, matted onto red. One of the hearts I filled in with an embossing pen and embossed it with red embossing powder. The Love God was a removable tattoo that I stuck onto white card and cut it out with a Nestabilities, matting it in red, using the Nestabilities again. Finally, a computer generated sentiment matted onto red card.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

Yesterday - Anson off to the Hawthorns with West Bromwich Albion fans.

Woke up this morning to snow and we cracking of Ice. We were iced in again! Fortunately, the ice didn't last too long and we were able to get out for a pumpout at lunchtime.

February tomorrow and the nights are beginning to draw out. Just waiting for the stoppages to be finished and we should be off again. Can't wait.

Continuing with our story....

The Boat was due to be ready for the end of April and would be shown at the Braunston Boat Show that year, so we arranged for David to leave the Army for 30 April 1999. He was entitled to a resettlement course and he would be paid for his accommodation and any course he wished to take. He decided that maybe boat building might be a good idea and Kevin and Janet agreed. In fact, they even agreed to accommodate him.

We forgot one major thing. Boats NEVER arrive on time. There were problems with one of the boats in the line before us and consequently our boat would not be ready in time. We were due to leave the Army and consequently would lose our married quarter. No home, no boat. What now?

Kevin and Janet came to the rescue. We could stay with them while the boat was being built. What a pair! We had only met 3 or 4 times and we were invited into their home for weeks (and as it turned out months).


Back to the Valentines. A white card blank, silver card embossed with the heart blocks embossing folder. A piece of ribbon fixed underneath and then fixed to the card. The sentiment was printed out using the computer and matted onto silver and red card, and the two cut-out hearts were cut out on the CraftRobo.

David treated me to a Black Cat Cougar cutting machine for Christmas (and my Birthday, and next Christmas) as I was finding the CraftRobo struggling a bit. This new one does all sorts of wonderful things but I need to get to grips with the illustrator software (Inkscape). I just cannot get my head around that. He keeps on asking me when I am going to use it, but I haven't got the courage just yet. I am going to have to get on with it soon, I want to make a card with a dolphin jumping out of the centre of the card when it is opened.

Gas Street Moorings, Birmingham

A dull cold day with snow showers. BUT the ice does seem to be melting. There is definitely water laying on top of the ice in the canal.

Yesterday there were about 20 Koreans walking across the lock over the ice. Rather them than me. There is at least 4ft of water underneath the ice.

Morons have been throwing everything on top of the ice to try and break it, so there is rubbish everywhere including food for the vermin seagulls and pigeons.

So! Where was I? Ah yes. We are finally back in England and life in the Army is drawing to a close. What to do? Yes, we think living on a boat would be fun but our 15 year old daughter has a problem. Since Granny used to drag her to Devizes Wharf to look at the boats on her exeats she hates boats. Especially Narrowboats. Still; she's in boarding school; and then she'll be off to university - in all truth she left home when she was 7 1/2. Nasty unloving parents that we are.

We start looking at boats. Went to a couple of boat shows. Visited a few marinas and saw lots of second-hand boats. One or two had possibilities but most seemed to fall apart when touched. Curtains would fall down, doors would not shut properly, smelt of damp, etc, etc.

Then our plans are all changed. David is offered a job at the Ministry of Defence, a flat in Notting Hill and another two years service. We take it. Well the pension will be a bit more by the time we eventually leave and our back door is straight onto Portobello Road!

A visit to the IWA boat show in Henley. The first boat we visit is very "twee", all chintzy with bows tying up the curtains over the portholes, a glass dining table and wrought iron chairs and Did I mention the chandelier? Not exactly us. When we get on the next boat we are shooed off by a dragon lady saying that we can't come on board they are expecting a TV crew. Won't buy a boat off her then. We make an appointment for third boat inspection, and whilst waiting for our slot we see the Warble boat. "I know!" I tell David, "We can't afford one. But let's just go and look." (Fingers Crossed!)

So on we go. We meet Janet and Kevin, the couple who design and build the boats. They are great fun. We have a rapport. The boat is absolutely beautiful. The curtains do not fall off, the draws glide. There are lots of security features and the woodwork is to die for. It is perfect.

"But we can't afford one." We say.
"We'll make one for you on a budget" Says Kevin.
"But we still have two years to do in the Army" Says David.
"There is a two year waiting list!" Says Janet.

Well; what can you say? I uncross my fingers and wrote a cheque for the deposit there and then. And, we still have not seen the other boat we had the appointment for. So we'll never know how good their boat was.

Back at work my boss asks me if we had a good Bank Holiday. "Yes" I say, "We bought a boat!"

To be continued.....


More of my Valentine cards for the troops. I wouldn't say I was cheap, but all the hearts were retrieved from Caroline's Order of Service booklets that were left behind after her wedding!!

All the cards have a white base. This one has a white Cuttlebugged panel, matted onto pink card. A pink ribbon was then wrapped around it and fixed at the back and the whole panel stuck down onto the card. I then added the sentiment (done on the computer) and matted onto pink card and the two stamped and embossed hearts.










On this one, I Cuttlebugged some shiny black card. Wrapped a dark pink ribbon around it and then a pink organdie ribbon, tied in a knot (another bit of an Order of Service recycling!)

The sentiment and hearts were then added.















This third one has a black base again, but I added some paper lace made with a punch and a large pink ribbon with a knot at the bottom. Again with the sentiment and hearts.

















And finally, a pink Cuttlebugged panel, some pink organdie ribbon and bow, sentiment and hearts. Finally adding a little pink gem on the ribbon.

This time I got really clever with the Cuttlebug folders and used two at the same time!! making the scalloped border at the bottom, which I then had to cut out.

Gas Street Basin

David has been having fun taking photographs out in the snow. This is the bridge over the Worcester Bar Lock. Personally, I've seen enough snow for this year - it can thaw now.

Not much happening, what with being iced in so I thought you might like to read how we got to be here on this boat, surrounded by ice and snow.

No? Well tough!

When David left the Army after 35 years (and 27 years of married quarters) we had no idea where we wanted to live. We never had a yearning for a semi on an estate. An oast house? awindmill? aconverted chapel? (probably all too expensive.) Well then, a double decker bus? a railway carriage? or a boat? Always loved boats. Used to buy canal magazines if going on a journey. Let's look into that.

I can't remember when, exactly, we came upon the idea of actually living aboard a narrowboat. I know we were going to hire one on the Llangollen when we were living just outside Shrewsbury about 28 years ago. But David got a posting and we were in Budapest before we could do it.

While we were in Ashford, Kent about three years later we visited the IWA boat show at Brentford and went on all the boats. I fell in love with a Warble built boat - David said it was far too expensive, and anyway we still had years to do in the Army.

Then we got posted again. First to Edinburgh, then Germany and then Cyprus. It was another 8 years before we were back in the UK.

To be continued.....


I have just made 19 Valentine cards to be sent out to Afghanistan for the troops to send back to their loved ones. Just one more to go to make the 20.

I made then all just using Cuttlebug embossing folders and some Nestabilities dies, plus ribbons, gems and brads etc.

Everyone card different. This one started out as a tissue box. I cut it down and embossed it with "Birds and Swirls; wrapped a pink ribbon around it and used two matted and embossed pink hearts. I typed out the sentiment on the computer and matted it up on pink and silver card and stuck it down. Finally I made a bow with the bit of ribbon that was left over and fixed it with a heart shaped brad and three pink gems.

Normans Bridge No 26 - Middlewich Branch, SU

A picture for Michael. The football ground for the Northwich team he supports plus the Manchester United Reserves. We are not worthy!

Yet another 0500 start. Passed the Fudge boat at Anderton (facing the wrong way yet again).

Last night we were passed by a Claymoore hire boat crewed by pirates. They were all dressed up and were "Yah hah-ing!" and "Yo hoh-ing!" everyone in sight. We caught them up at the Big Lock this morning and while David helped them through with advice etc (their first lock), I walked to Tesco's for some shopping.

I was waiting for them at the bottom of the three locks. David had persuaded the pirates that they should let him go first so that they could close the locks. They bought it - so we got to go up the rest of the locks before them. Not that it did us any good as there were 2 boats already in front - though a very keen set of other hireboaters also set the locks and opened and/or closed the gates.

There was the usual queue at Wardle Lock with one boat crew complaining about the wait (but not helping with the locks). Further on we met with No Problem but they didn't recognise us and then later David saw Valerie sail past. Again no response. We are obviously not on their blog rolls.

This card started out with a red card blank. I cut out a square of gold paper and then stamped out the heart border down two sides. Finally I added a bought topper with a gold heart with string and a flower.

Gas Street

Alright! That's enough snow. Can we begin spring now, please?

And why is it that whenever I pluck up the courage to start on the curtains that someone comes along with an order for a card? It happened again on Tuesday. The sewing machine has been playing up and I was using it as an excuse to not finish off re-lining all the curtains. David finally nagged me enough to get the thing out again and hey presto! Making me a lier it was working beautifully. I managed to get one finished and took the 2nd one off the window and unpicked it and was just starting to reassemble it when Bruno came in asking for 5 cards of Calstock. Then there was Steve's challenge to make a card with K2 and the hearts.

We went for our final drink in the James Brindley last night. God-awful pub but sorry it is having to close. While there Pete asked for another 20 of his "gangster" cards and then today I got another 2 orders from the doctor's surgery. Not that I am complaining. But David is - he can't see the curtains ever being finished!

Here is the K2 step card. It is a bit of a rushed job and I hand-cut the hearts so they are not as well finished off as the ones done cut on the CraftRobo. But you should get the idea.

Gas Street

Is this the most filmed on bridge in the UK?

This time it is BBC West Midlands Today. They must have spent about 4 hours filming and will probably be on screen for less than 4 minutes.

Otherwise is has continued to be quiet around here (apart from the Tap and Spile that is). Not many boat movements and not many gongoozlers.

There is a snowdrop in one of the flower boxes on the lock island. The Canada geese must have missed it!







I have made another of the "step" Valentine Card - this one I have made especially for George and was ordered from his admirer.

It has been made in the same way and the previous one but I used different coloured heart combinations.











I printed out the message for the back and added another heart with a red feather.











This is a view from the front.

Gas Street

They have been filming by the lock again. This time it is ITV Central. It was freezing cold and we offered them hot coffee, which they accepted while they filmed from the front of Tom's boat.





And now 4 Valentine Cards to show off....

And they can all be bought here

This one has a chocolate heart fixed inside the flower.







And so does this one. The black panel behind was made using my new Cuttlebug, which we bought yesterday.











This one is simpler with just cardboard hearts.
I have also joined in the Crafty Muse Challenge for their Something Sweet Challenge with these cards.












But this is the piece de resistance (if that is the right spelling). A "step" card with three tiers. The large hearts were made using the Craft Robo and I have added feathers and ribbon.

Gas Street

A slightly old picture (well 1 week anyway). They say you can tell your age by whether you can be bothered to pick up a 2p piece. We left this one firmly encased in the ice.

Yesterday we took the train to Stone for a day out. We got to the moorings by the Star pub and the sun came out. It was lovely. There were three boats on the moorings, plus the trip boat and one of those went up through the lock while we were there. I must be the only idiot who, when she sees a canal or a boat, wishes she was out there on a boat - and all the time I am living on a boat!






My second Valentine card this year. This one has a "concertina" panel which is tied up with red ribbon.

Gas Street (Card)

My first Valentine card this year. It is called a "wiper" card because as you pull the side apart a little tab pops up like a windscreen wiper.

The pop up tab has a shiny black and gold matted panel with the words "Be My Valentine" on it and a gold and gem flower in the top left hand corner.

This shape also means that the card will stand up easily.

The front has a panel with shiny black and gold card. There is a strip of metal ribbon with gems in the centre, a red ribbon on the right hand side and a heart covered in red handmade paper and gold glitter with a red ribbon rose in the top right hand corner. There are also strips of gold "peel-offs" around the edge.