Something Masculine for Penny Black and More

Here is a card I made using Hobby Art Scene-it stamps inspired by our recent holiday in North Yorkshire. I might add a pair of walking boots in the left corner later, if I can find the stamp! I thought it would fit the current Masculine' theme at Penny Black and More. I watercoloured it with zig clean colour markers and added a few spots of gel pen on the grass and wildflowers. The base card was stamped with Hobby Art leaves in memento desert Sand and gently sponged with distress oxides.
Here are a few photos from our holiday...

 Whitby,

 Mount Grace Priory

 Nunnington Hall,

 Steve found his long lost brother in the gardens 😂

 Helmsley Walled Garden

 Byland Abbey

 and Sutton Bank.

Hope you enjoyed a little bit of North Yorkshire! We stayed in a little cottage with no internet and no signal, but there were otters in the river that ran through the garden and we saw 2 or 3 kingfishers and a hedgehog every day! The otters and the kingfishers evaded my camera, but Mr Tiggywinkle was very obliging!

 

Thanks for looking! 

Back from my Jollies

Hi There! We arrived home yesterday after a fortnight away. We went to Scotland this year, spending the first week in a cottage on an RSPB reserve on the Solway Firth, and the second week in a cottage in the Galloway Forest Park. It was very enjoyable and relaxing, despite being a bit cold and wet at times. I have taken nearly 500 photos and I am still working my way through them, but I will share a few with you over the next few days.
Our first cottage was a 10 minute walk from the beach, which was deserted most of the time, but especially once the reserve was closed to the public. It had amazing views across to the Lake District on clear days...

Our second cottage was three miles down a single track road, not too far from Clatteringshaws Loch, which we saw in many different moods...

Hope you have enjoyed the views. I will be back with more photos as soon as the washing is finished and I have caught up with some commissions and other jobs. I hope you don't mind if I don't go back over the blog posts you have done whilst I have been away, but I hope to catch up with you very soon.
Thanks for looking and for all your lovely comments on my scheduled posts. Very much appreciated x

Been away...

I'm catching up with blog land after two weeks in Wales with very intermittent internet via my mobile phone. We had a wonderful fortnight of walking, visiting castles, gardens, fresh air and relaxation - wonderful!

 

There was quite a bit of food as well!!!

Thanks for looking and for all the lovely comments you left whilst I was away. I will try to catch up with you all very soon x

Holiday Wildlife

Thought I would share a few pics of some of the wildlife we saw whilst in Wales. The first three photos are from our trip to Ramsey Island.

 a seal, red deer,

and choughs.

Next a Heron and a Curlew.

And finally some insect life taken on a footpath near lake Vyrnwy. A Ringlet and a grasshopper.

 This little fella was named Jim by Megan, and he enjoyed a bit of sunshine whilst sitting on her jeans!

After a while we persuaded him onto my finger before he was encouraged back into the undergrowth!

Thanks for looking!

Skies

Just got back from a lovely break in Wales. We had a week on the North Pembrokeshire coast followed by a week in the Tanat Valley. Did lots of walking, eating (whoops!) and bird watching. Thought I would share a few of the spectacular sunsets we saw.
In Pembrokeshire...

Love this last one - those grasses in the foreground look just like the windswept stamp from Inkylicious! Lots of peach bellini, mountain rose, denim and eggplant on these, Lynne!
In the Tanat Valley...

These three were all taken from the place we were staying. I could definitely live with waking up to that view each morning! Hope you are all having a good summer. I will be using some of these for inspiration for some inkiness very soon I think! Thanks for looking!

I'm Back!

We have had a couple of weeks away in Suffolk and the batteries are definitely recharged. There was plenty of fresh air to be had, wildlife to enjoy and, for one week, sunshine to soak up.
I love the Suffolk coast far more than I expected to. The big skies seem to make up for the lack of hills and mountains! ( You were right, Brenda!)

These photos were taken at Orford Ness where we took a boat trip as well as a walk along the river.

 The second week was changeable, but only one day of soaking, constant rain, so we were very lucky. I thought I would share a few nautical photos before I go and reacquaint myself with my craft table. After that I will be round to visit you. I'll post some more nature pics later in the week.
 Many thanks for the lovely comments you left on my last post, and I will be sharing my Stampalot DT piece with you in the morning.

Photos from my holiday

Well, I've been back from holiday for 3 weeks and have realised I haven't shared many photos with you, so I'll do a quick post today and then maybe share some cards with you tomorrow.
Whilst in Suffolk we visited Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, and got up close to some beautiful birds of prey. There was the Red Kite...

and the Buzzard...

and so many owls!

Great Grey owls,

Eagle owls,

barn owls

and spectacled owls, that have the most beautiful soft hoot you could imagine. Thanks for looking!