The 2019 Conker treasure hunt

Last weekend out darling grandbabies came to stay while their Mummy and Daddy went to a wedding. It was the perfect timing as the local horse chestnut trees were raining down conkers for our annual conker treasure hunt. My non UK blog readers often ask what conkers are. They are the fruit of the horse chestnut tree and are the stuff of all our childhoods. Everyone smiles when they see a shiny conker on the ground and even my Mum at 85 will stop and pick up the first one of the season. However as I have been before they are not edible at all, unlike their sweet chestnut relative.

Daisy has been on our conker treasure hunt most years but this was a first for Jack. They had their baskets to gather their finds.

We call it "treasure" when you find an unopened case containing a conker. You never know if you will find a single round conker in there or 2 "cheese cutters". Daisy even found one case with 3 inside.

Jack actually said "wow" as we opened this one.

Treasure!

Expert Daisy showed Jack how to avoid the prickles as you open the case.

There were  thousands on the floor.

We had the best fun.

This is their haul which I will scatter at the park at the end of our road for the squirrels to eat soon.

How much joy can such a simple free activity generate, we made some wonderful memories of a very special day.

I decided that I really wanted to make a "Moment" for my album and some Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) Daisy loves my ATCS and coins, I offered to send one of each of my collections I make to her from now on. She thought it was a wonderful idea and I bought her an A4 file and some sheets of protective card holders. She has asked me to post them to her, this sounds like a really fun thing for us both.

So on Monday, when the house was very quiet again, I got out my distress inks to make some backgrounds, inspired by the colours of that day.

I made 2 sheets of watercolour backgrounds, 1 for my Moment and 1 for my Artist trading cards.

I used my very organic Ink swirls Visible Image stencil and added some more of the same inks.

 I left 1 sheet whole and I cut some of the 2nd sheet into ATC size. 

For my Moment I wanted to try to give the impression of the conkers and autumnal trees and colours without distracting from my photos. I used my Visible Image "the ripple effect" set of background stamps as I wanted to create the memory of the trees and the conkers we collected.I also used , Into the woods for the trees and sentiment.  The ripple effect  represented the tree trunks and the circles the conkers. Some I gave a shine to using glossy accents, just like the shiny conkers we found.

Here is my Moment.

with a couple of close ups;

and one last shot

and these are the ATCs

3 are for a Facebook swap group I belong to, 1 is for Daisy and 1 is for me.

A couple of close ups;

When I look at my Moment and ATCs in my album I will be able to revisit a special day with Daisy and Jack and some wonderful memories.
I think the sentiments were perfect to sum up that day. Family/roots/strength/memories, what can be more important?

I would like to enter my Moment into the following challenges;
Cute card Thursday anything goes
Addicted to stamps and more anything goes
Crafting by Design anything goes

I would like to enter my ATCs into the following challenges;
Fab n Funky 1/3 autumn colours
Creative Inspirations 1/3 masculine or fall/autumn
The house that stamps built 1/3 circles
Through the craft room door 1/3 anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by, the mornings and evenings have a real nip in the air now. Even with the sunny days mixed in with the rain we had this week, autumn has most certainly arrived.

Have a lovely upcoming weekend,

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x