A grand day out

You just know you are going to have a grand day out when this is the welcome committee


Yup, I spent yesterday at the Pigeon Loft and had the most fantastic time!

Especially when I opened the white box and found a friendly little face looking up at me

My very own Mr Pigeon!!!!

with his little passport ready for any adventures!

I was prepared and had already made him a special little tanktop so he could remember his new name..........................

Lofty Locket!!!!!

(He really looks much nicer without his tanktop because it is so badly knitted - but Charlie and I reckoned this was his super-hero outfit, especially as it makes his wings stick out!)


And if getting my VERY OWN PIGEON wasn't exciting enough, there was cake too!


But even more excitingly (if possible) I got to play with this........................

Can you see?

We got to do Gocco-ing

It's incredible!

and now I am going to completely overwhelm you with the number of photos I took of the whole process - sorry (well, I'm not really sorry so you'll just have to put up with it!!!)

Step 1

The first thing we had to do was come up with an idea for the design. Charlie said I could choose and after a few many minutes of me dithering and saying things like "but I can't draw" and "I don't have any good ideas" I decided that a really "Lucy Locket thing" was my allotment


so this was my design (told you I can't draw) - little packets to collect seeds from the allotment for next year.

Step 2

Then Charlie turned it into a proper picture - because she really can draw (in fact she really can draw really, really well)


but Lofty started taking a keen interest in proceedings


so Charlie let him add a few details

Step 3

Next the pencil drawing had to be over-drawn with black pigma pen (I let Charlie do that bit too!)

Step 4

Then Lofty showed us where to put the original drawing


and then demonstrated where the light box should go

Step 5

Once the light box was in position with two new bulbs, we simply pressed down, the light bulbs went pop and our image was transferred to the plastic screen-y thingummy.


but you can't see it because it is practically invisible (and I took a rubbish photo)

Step 6

Then I chose what colour I wanted and Charlie inked over the design


while Lofty messed about playing peek-a-coo (hee hee, I'm so funny!)

Step 7

Once the screen was completely inked it went back into the printer and a plain piece of paper (or envelope) was put on the green pad. Then we pushed down and hey presto there was a newly printed image!

Step 8

so we kept on printing until the ink ran out (which it didn't) and ended up with gazillions of lovely seed packets standing neatly in the drying rack (and spread all across Charlie's kitchen)

Step 9

Finally I glanced at the time, realised I was in danger of being late for collecting the children from school, gave Charlie a big hug thank you, and ran out the door fiercely clutching all my new goodies.

Fortunately I got back in time and Lofty quickly made himself at home in Fred's playground


before discovering this rather lovely car


so I had to get him off quickly before he left any little "presents"


And when I got home look what arrived......

Not one


not two


not three


not four


but FIVE PARCELS --- All for me!!!! So come back next time to see what was inside!