No time for Christmas...

Steve the decorator has been in again today - I have a white ceiling.... I have one wall papered.... I think I might just have to have a bedroom warming party - ooo er....

It's 'The Bro's' birthday tomorrow and he is, of course, a Blues supporter. I also had to make a shhh... Liverpool card for my hairdresser's husband, I used the WS waistcoat template. The Silver Wedding card is for my in-laws - George & Valerie - I love this card, clean and crisp and once again using the lovely tulle from CUL (can't get too much of it).

Staring at the bedroom ceiling.....

Finally, the decorators have moved in to sort out the huge hole in my bedroom ceiling! Last week the ceiling was fixed and replastered and now Steve the decorator has arrived to paint and decorate - hallelujah! I'd got so used to the gaping great hole that my room seems too quiet now!

So today, I'm off and plan to do some crafting - I've made a few cards lately. Birthdays mainly including one for my lovely brother. All my Christmas crafting stuff is out and all shiny and waiting to be used - I've only got about 100 cards to make.... and for those of you that know me - I never make two the same!

I'm off to my mate SarahK's on Wednesday evening and it's Balcombe Belles this Saturday so I'm gonna be busy. Lots of photos to come shortly but just thought I'd say hi! Have a good week everyonex

Christmas catering and not a turkey in sight.... too much chicken though!

Finally found a few mins to update my Blog! Life's been a bit busy - fortunately, all nice things! Christmas has hit the craft shops and despite the beautiful sunshine we had over the weekend all us crafters were having a great time at CUL's Christmas Extravaganza! Once again, I met up with my ever increasing circle of crafty friends and we all oo'd and ah'd over what we'd bought and ALL of us admitted we just don't get enough time to sit and play as much as we'd like to. There were some amazing demos and classes going on and a real buzz about the place!

I've made some cards - some in classes, some at home and some with the swapping of ideas with my mate SarahK!

Here are three cards I've had to make recently - the wedding one is for an ex-colleague of mine who is getting married in a couple of weeks, I used doodlebug embossed white card for the main body and wrapped some of the beautiful tulle available from CUL, the names were done on my computer. The CD card is for my friend's son Oliver who will be 21 this week thanks to SarahK for the inspiration. The third is a Jolly Nation decoupage set for my friend Mike - guess what? he's a fireman (sorry fire fighter) who is a great deal older than 21 this week....

Off to Mrs. Wonka's tomorrow evening and then to another class on Thursday. Thanks to Treacle for helping me with my counter. Thanks to Sue for giving me such a laugh (behind the scenes) on Saturday. Thanks to everyone at CUL for a great day and letting me be part of it!

The brain was crafting but the body was ironing....

I tried... I REALLY tried.... to get crafting this weekend. Went with my mate SarahK to the GP on Saturday; met up with Sandra and made new friends Wendy & Zoe! It's slightly disturbing when you walk into a craft room full of our great crafting ladies and they all say "oh God, here they come!".

Bought some lovely goodies - mostly Christmas papers and just one stamp which I was really hoping to play with yesterday. But, as is always the situation, ironing, taxiing (kids), dinner etc. had to come first, so I didn't get to sit down and play until about 9.30pm last night. I'm still experimenting with my new Prismacolour pencils - I think I need another lesson (Kim???). I know that as soon as I've mastered them I'm going to use them a lot; I don't mind water colours but these pens really do bring the image a different dimension.

So no cards this weekend but I will attempt to get some done tonight! Really looking forward to CUL's Christmas Demo Day this Saturday - SarahK and I are making the tea! Paula, heard you've not been very well - hope you're on the road to recoveryx

The Balcombe Belles - Another Sunny Stamping Day!

Some of you know that I meet up once a month with my friends 'The Balcombe Belles' - today was the first month back after the Summer break, it was great to catch up with everyone, but boy did we all struggle to get back into crafting mode! Despite having done a reasonable amount of crafting during the last few weeks I too struggled, my No.1 'task' was an order for yet another Golden Wedding! This time I was asked to incorporate Bees! Okay, thought I, Bees yellowy/golden colour-golden wedding, shouldn't be too difficult..... got there eventually although it took me about 4 hours to be happy with the finished card. The decoupage peel-offs I've had simply yonks and I was a bit worried that they looked to 'weddingy' but with the extra gold bits I think I've given the impression that they're for a Golden occasion. The bees were made with dewdrop punches and black peel-offs (thanks to Helen Meighan for the inspiration) and the gorgeous gorgeous bow was made from the Bazzil tulle available from CraftsULove - thanks Treacle for showing me!

The other tag card/book was shown to me by my mate SarahK. I've made the book for my bestest mate in the whole-wide world Paula. Paula and I met when we were just 6 years-old - 46 years ago and what can I say except "oh dear, we're soooo naughty together....." It's not her birthday or anything else but she's been just .... there, and I wanted to say how I felt. Inside I've folded a very special friend poem and tied it with a bow. I'm just soooo lucky to have so many really good friends....

Sad... No Saturday with SarahK...

I'm sad :-( no time to play this weekend... had a lovely day yesterday with my Auntie June and her husband Roger celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. They met when they were in their early teens and have been together ever since - wishing you lots and lots of congratulations! Funny thing was - I didn't find out until I got there that I was a bridesmaid at their wedding!!!!!!!!

Got to tell you this funny story: I was in Tesco Petrol Station waiting for an available pump when an old guy drove round to go to the pump on the other side. As he did so he crunched his car against the barrier used to protect the pump. "Oh dear" thought I (slightly tongue in cheek) but then turned to see the guy in front of me hunched over his car - I thought he'd been hurt so I yelled out the window "are you okay?" He turned towards me, tears streaming down his face, and shouted back "I was so engrossed in what the old bloke did that I got into the back of my car and thought hang on.. who's nicked me steering wheel!"....

Hirarious!

Treacle, SarahK and a bit of Oriental...

.... well we had a Chinese takeaway, but it had you going there for a few secs didn't it???

What a lovely way to spend a Saturday - watching the talented Helen Meighan demo at CUL, catching up with my crafty friends Kim Fee, SarahK, Treacle also at CUL, then back to mine for a Chinese takeaway and a bit of a Tilda fest!

'Lurve Tilda' - that's what I call her! I decoupaged her and then filled her hearts with red glaze. The wine one was with papers I bought at CUL and when the ribbon is untied it reveals the phrase 'Take Time to Enjoy the Simple Things in Life' - that's what I like to hear Wine/Simple... The other two were just some I made to go in the box - I don't always add words until I know who I'm going to send it to, so sometimes you may see a 'gap' waiting to be filled later.... (bit like my brain at times!)

Found all my Christmas bits yesterday - what a shame.... all my stamps are a bit boring so I may just have to go out and buy some new ones this year..... and it's CUL's Christmas "do" in a couple of weeks.... after pay day..... brain says "oh dear" - mouth says "hurrah"!!!!