Meet Auntie Gertie!

Meet my Great Auntie Gertie from Great Yarmouth, a spinster, a stanch church goer, who died age 93, looking after herself impeccably until the day (or night) she died peacefully in her sleep. A lady of whom I  have very fond memories, and also very strong memories even though I was only about 11/12 when she died. She made a great impact on me.

Well OK.... so this isn't actually my Auntie Gertie (oh I also had another Aunt Gert from my mums side of the family... she thought she was 'posh' so we had to call her Gert, cos she thought Gertie was common ) sorry I digress, this rubber stamp from Scrapz (brill  great service, quick delivery.. .... and fab stamps) is so much like Gertie (the common one, not Gert the posh one who had hugely red cheeks, frizzy hair - strawberry blonde not ginger! - and who made her lemon squash much too weak) that I just had to have it.
Had a little play today making a shadow box out of foam board (dastardly stuff) and tried the 'peeled paint' effect using vaseline, to I have to say, not much effect, but it does look well worn and well loved like my AG was.

You may be pleased to hear (well I was relieved) that I still have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs intact after starting my woodcarving class on Thursday. I was the only newbie there, all the others have been doing it for years it seems, but that  was no bad thing because there was alot of advice and encouragement from everyone including alot of 1:1 from the tutor, think I am going to enjoy it.

Here's my Green Man after the first lesson... even I was impressed with my drawing, cos I was caught on the hop a bit and was supposed (it seems) to have come armed with drawings and ideas and wood. I came with no drawings, a germ of an idea and no wood. Luckily someone had a spare piece of wood, so all I had to do was the drawing!

He is going to take a long time!

Did I mention that the craft show at Ally Pally is coming up?? No? Surely I did?

Well maybe I didn't cos I am not at all excited.................

Spending time with Crafty Friends, Spending on Crafty Goodies and a weekend with Mrs Bessie, what is there to get excited about??