card with a tag

Here is my entry for Cute Card Thursday.
here's what I used
Paper stack by Papermania
Purple cardstock and lilac parchment paper
White embossing powder

Another card using the same papers

Card catchup

Hi, I've been missing a while, visiting friends and then not been too well, but here are three postcards to get me up to date.

The Netherlands
I just made up my own Mondrian-lite pic on the computer which was quick to do and I quite enjoyed it.

Here's the back

It says:

                                          Oct 1972

Dear Miss

Well, it's half term + here I am in Le Hague. Mum's on another artistic venture. This time we're immersing ourselves in Mondrian. Pretty cool huh. She says she brought me because I did so well in my O levels (how did that happen?) But I guess it's because, even more remarkable than my O level results is the fact that I've got a boyfriend!! (Well, I had till we came away) and naturally she thinks he is "unsuitable". How can totally gorgeous = unsuitable?? Hope he doesn't prove her right by taking his "unsuitability" elsewhere before I get back. (I think this is her masterplan)Hope things are well with you.

Love Amy

ISRAEL

I thought I'd try to use the CAS (clean and simple) style I've seen on cards, though, stamping isn't really my forte. I made masks and brushed the ink on with shaving brushes. I had fun doing it, though I'm not sure about the finished result.

Here's what it says:

                                               Dec 1972

My Dear Amy

Congratulations on your 'O' Level results (I confess I met a teacher at your school and asked her how you got on) I am sending you a book token - happy reading

I am having the most wonderful experience (I wouldn't say holiday exactly). We're now at Masada (but I got this card in Bethlehem). This is a huge rocky fortress near the Black Sea where the Jewish Zealots held out against the Romans, until, when defeat was inevitable, they took their own lives. It's chilling and terrible , but awe inspiring as well. It's a steep and narrow path to the top. It's amazing to think I climbed (not without difficulty) the same steps as Herod had made. Maybe I should have waited until they put in a cable car! But despite being so old, it's in a way so new. Strange to think of it all being excavated by a new army of labourers (volunteers this time), only 10 years ago. Anyway - all is well with me, thank you for asking. I hope you are enjoying your A levels and that your boyfriend did not desert you.

Your friend, Mrs Ambleside

TURKEY

Bit of a cheat, this. Here is a photo I took about 15 years ago. Not quite 1973, but at least I've caught up with the challenges. It looks a bit blurred- taking a photo of a photo hasn't worked v well.

It says:

                                              July 1973

Dear Miss

Thanks for the token. Sorry I didn't reply sooner, but I nearly didn't reply at all. You talked to my new teacher - I felt spied on! I thought you were someone I could talk to out of my ordinary life, and there you go, getting involved in my ordinary life. Still, no harm I guess, and I did love all the reading.

I've just survived another maternal misadventure. It started harmlessly - sunning ourselves in Antalya (see pic). Then she heard about these fire-breathing rocks. Nothing for it- we have to go - IMMEDIATELY! We got to the village late, and Ma sets off on the long walk. Luckily the shop keeper prevails on her to borrow his torch and listen to his directions. The path petered out half way up the mountain, so it was scrambling from then on. The night sky was glorious (no lights anywhere to spoil it), but also not much light to see your way. We found it by luck as we cleared the trees. An amazing sight, a rocky hillside, pitted with fire gushing holes. Another couple was there - they'd taken tea and marshmallows, which they were toasting. Luckily they shared them with us. It was almost magical watching the flames and the stars, and sitting on the warm rocks (it was otherwise quite chilly). Getting down though, a nightmare. 4 of us in single file with 2 torches - the middle of nowhere. V scary, tramping over steep, loose rocks in the dark (and it was miles!) She might be mad and dangerous, but I guess she's not boring, my mum. 

Sorry for being ratty

Love Amy

The post card saga continues

Hi Everyone, I missed last week - partying, lucky me - so here are 2 weeks at once.

SWITZERLAND

I based my painting on a photo, and had fun trying to colour shadows and reflections.

And here's what it says

Chillon Castle    July '71

Dear Miss

Well, another year older + another school trip. Let's hope there are no nasty surprises after this one! This is the castle that inspired Byron's poem 'The Prisoner of Chillon' (but I guess you know that). I love Byron. The bit about 3 people who love each other but are all chained to a different pillar + just can't reach each other ... who does that remind you of? In the end, one does free himself, but his brother was dead. Better not leave off building bridges till it's too late eh?

Love Amy

Ps Thanks for your last post card - it helped. You know - you're like pancakes! (A yearly treat, I think I should do more often, but then never do)

CANADA

Not sure Mrs Ambleside liked being called a pancake, but here is her reply

Another watercolour, and here is the back

It says

Winnipeg, Manitoba  Aug '71

My Dear Amy

I was so relieved to hear from you again. I hope things are all right with you. I am most encouraged by your thoughts inspired by 'The Prisoner of Chillon'. Who would have thought Byron would encourage good sense? Please (if you haven't already) make those connections.

I am in Canada, visiting my nephew Clarence. When I told a Canadian on the plane, I was continuing on to Winnipeg and then on to a farm, he said, ' Winnipeg - that's where you can see your dog run away for 3 days! I thought you might like a picture of that

Your friend Mrs Ambleside   (PANCAKE!!)

Now I'm off to look at all the postcards I've missed (I don't like to look until I've done mine). Thanks for all the lovely comments on my previous cards. I really appreciate them

j

post card challenge - Cuba

Hi,
Thank you so much to all you lovely people who left such nice comments on my Welsh daffodils card. I am definitely going to try a painted card again. I've started going to watercolour classes now, so look forward to trying out some of what I'm learning. I did think I might try painting a pic of a lovely retro American car, which is something I associate with Cuba, but time and tide ....

I've just popped over to Darcy's blog and discovered my daffodils are shortlisted  for the prize this month. I am overwhelmed and honoured, and SOOO excited !!!!

Here is my Cuban card, but as Mrs Ambleside can't travel in September, it was sent from England. It's meant to be an old card she's using, so I distressed a bit of a map and some pics with emulsion paint, DI's and other inks.

Here's the back

It says:

My Dear Amy

I am so sorry - you must be so hurt and confused. I am thinking of you and wishing there were something I could do. I am here (ie home, not Cuba, as term has started) so please write if you think it would help. You know we have all had sadness in our lives (even those we least suspect). This is not to make light of your problems, but to remind you people will understand if you let them help. Try to talk to both your parents. Don't make it black and white. And remember, they both still love YOU.

Your friend, Mrs Ambleside

another post card

Well, I've actually done my card in time for the challenge this week. Amy is having a hard time, so there's 2 cards this year.

I've based my card on the place we always went to as kids (though the story is not autobiographical). And despite the rain, and the stones, I grew fond of it. So sorry Pen, if you think I've given you a bad press.

This is only my second ever painting (for the first see the Spanish postcard). Now clearly I'm not very good at this, but I really enjoyed doing it.

The text says (if I've got it right) Welcome to Wales. The letters are die cuts.

      

The card reads:

                                                                Aug 70 Penmaenmawr

Dear Miss

                You were right- why didn't I see it? Got back from WW1 battlefields to find war on the home front. Dad had left!! Well, he was there to see me, but his stuff was gone. Mum says he has a trollop! So that's why I'm in a wet field in Wales - spending time with the perfidious* one. No sign of any trollops, but we've got this tent for a week! There's not much here- a long sandy beach and a short stony one. It's grey water, grey stones, some tussocky grass and then the railway which we cross on a rusty iron bridge. Oh and there's an ancient bus ( a sort of mobile museum piece, we get to the village) We spend our time walking and talking and sitting outside pubs, more talking, but skirting round all the big stuff. Dad's still the same ie boring+ funny+annoying+bald etc so I don't know why everything has to change. Actually I bet it wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been for Mum's harebrained Brazilian scheme. Why does nobody ever tell me anything.

* A word from mum                        Love me

More Postcards

Well, I missed the linky widget thing again, so here are my last 2 cards, just scroll down for Belgium.

FRANCE
Quite a sad card this week. I used a picture of my Grandma's brother who died in the war, and in the background are his two friends.

Here's the back

It says:

Pozieres 2.7.70

Dear Miss

No need to worry - Mum's back. The military coup put paid to her career as a hippy - but she's bashing a lot of pots and pans about (Dad and I keep out of the way - especially Dad). I'm here on a school trip - prep for doing WW1 next year and a reward (Dad says) for working better (see!!) Today we went to the Thiepval Memorial. It makes you feel so small - all those thousands of names - all lost, and then the graves stretching out - so many "known unto God" - not even names. We all found our own surnames + my friend found a boy (only 17) with her name. He died 54 years ago today (which I now know was the 2nd day of the Somme). He should have been a Grandad by now. We all cried (even the boys and the teachers). 

I'm still crying a bit. I can't tell you how this makes me feel - have you got a good word for me to cover it?

Amy

BELGIUM

Bit more fun this one

The back

which reads:

Brussels Aug '70

Dear Amy

So glad things are working out for you - I was so worried you were still in Brazil & things are so fraught there. It seems you have a different kind of trouble - but I feel seeing something of what war can do must be right, however painful. And no, I don't have a word for you - it is unspeakable. I too have been visiting a cemetery on this side of the border in Belgium, but my stay has had som more cheerful elements, notably the Magritte's in the national gallery.

I hope you are continuing this new found habit of hard work. I wish you luck in your 'O' levels next year. Do let me know how you get on. I have high hopes

Mrs Ambleside.

Sunday 29th Jan

Well I missed the linky widget for last week's post card challenge, so here are 2 weeks together, just scroll down for the China episode.
I have made up a few more 'rules' for myself - as if it's not already enough of a challenge.
The cards have to speak for themselves, so there's no extra info about the characters or their stories
The stories fit with the time they were written
The image and the text have to tie up fairly closely (already broken that one - see China)
I have to  try something new
But rules were made to be broken!

BRAZIL
Here I drew leaves and made stencils and masks. The text is deliberately (but perhaps not effectively) very rough)










It says:
"Dear Miss                 Rio July 1969
Bet you didn't think you'd hear from me again, but here I am. So much has happened. My Mum has become a hippy!! (probably a mid life crisis - I mean she's ancient) Anyway, here we are in Brazil. I wanted to be a hippy, but my mum says I can't be one (or have lipstick) until I'm older. I said hippies go to India, but she said it's groovy in Brazil too - they've got this TROPICALIA thing going on - all funky, psychedelic art and music 'n' stuff. Not that I'm allowed to go to hear any of it without her, and she's busy volunteering OUR services to help poor people living in a favela (Brazilian for slum!) Not that we have the requisite* skills for this - mostly they help us!! Bet Mum's hippy-hood won't stretch as far as my education - I'll be back in September. Still, the heat, the colours (and the smells!) will live with me forever, and will no doubt do me good, if ever I get to be a writer.
Love me
*fab word            PS Mum is making our post cards now (sorry)


CHINA

 For this I did a digital image, and printed it on some lovely old hand made Chinese paper (with strange bits in it) Unfortunately that meant a lot of the shading and detail in the image was lost, but I am treating this as a learning experience and trying something new each week.

It says:
                                             Aug 1969
Dear Amy
As you can see, I'm in England. Bernard's ill, so travelling is out of the question & so I'm sending you a card from somewhere no-one is going - China - what with the Cultural Revolution, earthquakes and a border war with Russia!! (For once I think your beloved exclamation marks are justified) Look it up if your sojourn* in a favela has left you out of touch with current affairs. I'm sure it's doing you good, but don't neglect your studies - I always felt you would do well (you already have "gone far" - ha ha, as you would say). Seriously though, I am concerned for you, and hope everything is alright at home (wherever that is right now). You can write to me, you know, between cards, if you'd like.
Take care
Mrs Ambleside
* a new word for you?     PS Thought I'd better put this in an envelope

Darcy's Post Card Challenge

Hope this works. I'm trying to follow Darcy's post card challenge, so here is my first card from Austria (too late for the challenge, I'm afraid. It's not entirely finished either, but I am just trying to catch up, so may post another pic later

here's the back

Here's week 2 - SPAIN

and the back

it's a great challenge. I'm looking forward to the next country