What's down your...

...High Street?

The High Street in Stanford-le-Hope, where I live, is pretty boring - some years we get hanging baskets and some years we don't.

However, Southend is a different matter...

 ...I got this photo of the re-planted/repaired wicker tea cup a couple of days before it got trashed again. This was located up at the Victoria end of the High Street. Down the other end near the Royals, is this...

...you won't get me trying to walk in heels like that LOL...

 ...and for some reason, this one has remained intact.
For those of you who know Southend-on-Sea, you will be familiar with this view from the very end of the High Street...

...that is Southend Pier. In it's heyday it was not only the longest pier but it had a large theatre at the end, amusement arcades and was always bustling with life. Sadly the theatre burnt down many years ago and the pier is not quite so long because a commercial shipping vessel tried to sail through it. The grey building that you see on the left-hand edge of the photo has a viewing platform and look what I could see...

...another wicker flower arrangement - this time in the shape of a big wheel.
I'm also travelling to Chelmsford a couple of times a week for work and they often have market stalls along the pedestrianized High Street. They also have this...

 ...sorry for the wonky photo, but I was trying to fit it all in without the sun catching the lens.
Here's what it is all about...

 ...and here is a view with my back to the sun. Isn't he a bright and cheery creature...

 ...just perfect for the bright sunny weather.
Back in Stratford where I normally work, the "flower trees" are coming along a treat...

 ...which is more than can be said for the building work going on in the background...

 ...they really have bushed up beautifully...

...and are looking more impressive from the office window.

Do they do "stuff" down your High Street and if so, why not share some photos.........................

It's recipe time...

...over at the Catch the Bug "Christmas in July" week long event.

I thought I would also add this to my collection of cards for the Beat the Christmas Rush (June) challenge over on Sue's blog - you are allowed to enter 5 cards per month...this makes 3 so far (must get another couple made before 24th).

Here is the recipe that folk have been asked to follow at CTB - oh, and as it is Friday, we get a freebie to play with...

...isn't this bear with candy cane just adorable...

 ...meet BenjBear!!!
Here he is all coloured and sitting proudly on his candy cane.

1) Tied up with a bow: I thought Benj should be a "Brit" and gave him a cheerful Union Flag bow at his neck. Don't you think he would be perfect for friends overseas...

2) Keepin warm: At least 3 layers it says - base card/white card/cream card/patterned paper - sorted!

3) Let it Sparkle: A row of flat-back gems down the white layer and a couple near the candy cane.

4) A little Eggnog: Use cream - done that - the base card is cream and so is one of the layers. In addition, Benj has been coloured a creamy beige.

That's the end of the Catch the Bug Christmas in July challenge for another year - it is always such fun...roll on 2014.

In the meantime, now that I've found Sue's "Beat the Christmas Rush" challenge I had better get cracking on making some more Christmas cards (sorry Suzie - LOL)...........................................

Tag you're it!...

...is the Thursday challenge over at Catch the Bug.

Yep, today's card or project has to involve a tag...

 ...my card is sticking very much to traditional Christmas red & green and has a layered tag on the front.
Isn't this little miss a cutie...

...coloured with Spectrum Noir pens, the image is then mounted on the 'tag' topper using 3D foam.

I am entering this in the Catch the bug challenge and the Beat the Christmas Rush challenge (June) over on Sue's blog.....................................................

Time for a giggle...

...over at Catch the Bug.

The Wednesday challenge is "Make us laugh" so I picked this Bugaboo digi image of JJ looking a little worse for the drink...

...I think of all the female images that Bugaboo have created, the JJ collection is probably my favourite. Christmas is the party season so it looks like JJ has really gotten into the spirit of things LOL.
JJ has been coloured with Spectrum Noir pens and her fluffy boa has been blinged with a touch of Stickles...

...the background paper is from one of the July Christmas releases from DoCrafts - "Christmas in the Country" and the glittery ribbon was in my stash left over from last year's range - "The London Line".

The sentiment came with the JJ image and I decided to go BIG with the print.

Only a couple of days left for this week long challenge event. Tomorrow we have been asked to "Tag it!" - see you then.............................................................

I am also entering this over at Sue's "Beat the Christmas Rush" challenge (thank you for the heads up Sue - don't know how I missed BtCR). Sue is encouraging folk to make 5 Christmas cards a month so that it doesn't become a last minute rush to get them made. Do pop over and take a look.....................

Time for Bingo...

...over at Catch the Bug's Christmas in July event.

This was the bingo card that folk have to work with...

 ...my "line" is the one consisting of - Border - Bling - Ribbon.

My card is a 6x6 white card blank onto which I mounted the Santa Christmas Block image...

 ...which was layered on some red CS. The bling consists of some red faceted gems and some stickles.

Now the Christmas blocks have a border of their own but I went for the Fiskars ribbon border punch down the leading edge of the card...

...then this was threaded with red/white satin polkadot ribbon.

Apologies for the blobby nature of the stickles but it wasn't dry when I took the photos.

Do pop back tomorrow when it will be time for a bit of a giggle..........................................

Chocolate - Cream - Raspberry...

...is the colour challenge set by Catch the Bug for Monday.

Fresh raspberries with whipped cream and melted chocolate drizzled all over...Mmmmm...

Enough of that - back to the task in hand.

Todays challenge was to create something using the three colours stated, so as I'm still 'playing' with my Tropical Santa digis from last year's event I came up with this...

 ...another A5 size card made from a sheet of white A4 folded in half. I then coloured the edges of the card with a 'chocolate' brown marker and then added a matt of raspberry coloured card. The next matt was cut from cream card and I stamped randomly over it with a stamp (hibiscus flower) that came free with the recent issue of "Get Stamping" using Distress ink pads in Antique linen, Gathered twigs and Picked raspberry. The edges of the CS were cut with a Woodware wavy cutting blade on the finger guard trimmer.
Santa was coloured with Spectrum Noir pens...

 ...and of course, there had to be a bit of sparkle (Ice Stickles in crystal).
The sentiment was hand written...

...and mounted on the lower part of the card with Santa mounted just above on 3D foam pads.

That's todays challenge completed, see you back here tomorrow for a spot of bingo...................

The Sunday Challenge...

...for Christmas in July.

Over at Catch the Bug there is a whole week of challenges along with a blog hop - lots of fun.

The Sunday challenge is this sketch...

...if you hop over to the Catch the Bug site you will see what the DT made (there are some pics and links).

Here is what I came up with...

 The card is A5 size (a piece of white A4 folded in half). I cut a piece of cream card just slightly smaller than the front, inked the edges with Distress ink 'walnut stain' and wrapped a piece of abstract lacy mesh arounf the middle before sticking it to the from of the card blank.
The fancy oval matt is actually waxed paper that was used to cut this fancy die out some time ago (thank you Andy - told you they would come in handy). The scalloped oval is cut from the same cream card used on the front of the card - again inked with walnut stain...

 ...the image is a Bugaboo digi - Simple Santa with candy cane - which I have coloured keeping to the cream/kraft scheme.

Although there are a few layers, I have tried to keep the over all look fairly clean & simple - hope you like..................................................