28/01/2011

Still got it ?

and now for something completely different.....

....wonder if my friend Deb has seen this ....



what d'ya think Deb? I can feel a little search for Sky Atlantic coming on !

23/01/2011

Crochet a rainbow



I thought I might make some squares for this project
I've got loads of spare bits of  yarn.
The lovely Sarah London has made a call for crocheters
 from all around the world to crochet granny squares
and  donate them so that they can be joined together
to make blankets for those affected by the floods in Australia.
I have an Auntie who is in the exact area that has suffered who thankfully is ok.
So although only small- it's something I can do.
If you would like to know more

all the information can be found here

21/01/2011

My Thursday

So, now that I am going to try to document my life as it happens for Project Life - which I am still waiting for -boo...here is a summary of one of my days this week (yesterday)
Most of my day was spent dealing with lots of queries with this......there seems to be a mad flush of people wanting info and help at the moment...

all accounting photos courtesy of image search by the way !
and also trying to summarise and decipher something like this...some people do still do it this way!Photo from image search again...
Then when I got home the moon was so lovely I spent ages outside on the drive trying to get a decent photo of it ...I must have taken goodness knows how many images trying to get a decent one ! - well I tried .

then it was into the kitchen to make dinner - I've done this one  before- it's a recipe from Mel's other blog.It's supposed to be monkfish but we have a fish man who comes to our market every Tuesday who always has lovely fish,so I got two nice salmon fillets and used those.I didn't use Rosemary for the kebabs but some normal ones I've got. We had it with jacket potatoes and some Philadelphia cheese - yum! Thanks Mel.



After that it was time for a bit of blog hopping and time for the others to get on with 'other'things - and he has given me the okay to post this !
So that was my Thursday,how was yours?

20/01/2011

A Christmas page

I haven't bought any Basic Grey papers for quite a while but when I saw the Curio collection,I really liked it.
So last night I set to and made  a layout of one of our Christmas photos. This is one taken when himelf's family were here.The reindeer was an old Anna Griffin embellishment I had. I stamped the Christmas tree on to grungepaper and stickled it,and the flowery rosette is a Studio Calico one.I used some Tim Holtz tape and punched some gold butterflies-oh and the butterfly garland was from an Etsy shop..sorry about the poor photo but the light is rubbish this morning!
The papers have such a nice combination of colours-there seems to be a bit of everything in them, lace,flowers,damask,lots!
Have a good day everyone.

19/01/2011

It's REDnesday !

Thought I'd play along this week - just because it's fun !


You can find lots more reddiness  here......

17/01/2011

There's a kind of hush

All over the house - yep it's that time when the holidays are really really over.Youngest son went back to Uni yesterday-so all is calm and quiet-until l middle son comes back from his few days away tonight..
My Project Life box still hasn't arrived but it has finally left Canada- yay! I reckon I need to get some page projecters and start putting some pics in soon. I don't know how long it's going to take. Who knows,it could take weeks yet I suppose....
My red,white and blue blanket is finished now,just a couple of ends to sew in.I'm really pleased with it and think I'll make another one in different colours.








This is it folded into four - it's always difficult to photograph these all in one.

.....and  now I've started a pram blanket that's double sided for a friend at work's daughter who is due in May.
I used to make this years ago and managed to find the pattern on the net.She knows she is having a girl- so pink and white it is!

White side

Pink side.... can't wait to get on with it !
I worked late this evening so now after cooking dinner and clearing up it's time for a nice cup of tea,a sit down,and a bit of 'Silent Witness' on tv..

14/01/2011

Live Aid - good memories


Anyone who is 'about my age' must remember Live Aid.
I know it's quite a familiar name but I watched a recording last night that I Sky plussed a while back all about the day in 1985- and it got me all nostalgic.
I was late twenties at the time and had just had my first baby - I remember it so well.
Being one who loves concerts, If I hadn't had a three month old baby I probably would have gone to Wembley.
Just looking at the old footage of Charles and Diana arriving and them chatting to the likes of Nik Kershaw,Elton,Status Quo ,Spandau Ballet and many others has brought it all back to me- and made me feel sad about Diana again too.



I so remember taking the dog for a walk with the baby in his pram on a beautiful summer's day and wherever you went - you could hear it. It seemed that everyone was watching it.Everyone had their windows and doors open and all you could hear was the music.

It still gives me goose bumps watching Queen do 'Radio Gaga' where the whole of Wembley were doing that 'two claps and arms in the air thing'...
I know that Queen are not to everyone's taste but Freddie was such a good frontman.

The one thing that struck me while watching was the feeling of the whole world being as one on that day - everyone was happy and also emotional at different times during the day.

I think we need another something like that - maybe the 'Royal Wedding' will do it ?
Good memories indeed ...might watch it again -it made me feel good !

12/01/2011

Blogging - what's blogging?



Our house is always buzzing with grown up boys (well - when there is a break from Uni ) ...there is always one of their friends popping in to talk about last night's game or one popping in to borrow trainers or one popping in to drop tickets for games off - etc etc etc  !.
Our 19 year old is very friendly with the lad over the road who often comes over for a chat or to watch a football game on Sky...
So last night we were in the lounge after dinner in our respective places and I heard the comment from my 19 year old's friend-"Den's on the internet - bet she's shopping " To which my 19 year old replied "no mate -she's blogging " (mate seems to be the in thing to say at the moment)....
So- 19 year old's friend came out with "blogging - what's blogging?"- Cue raised eyebrows all round...
It got me round to thinking that I would be so lost without my blog hops and 'chats' most evenings and how could anyone not know about blogs and blogging ?
It's funny how things change isn't it - a couple of years ago blogging was pretty new and occasionally I would maybe find a crafty blog or two after following links from shops- but now it's part of my everyday life and I would really miss my friends in blogland if they weren't there.I can't wait to sit down in the evening and catch up with everyone.
I so love the way we all know bits about each other's lives, laugh about the funny silly things that happen and join in those fabby craft projects and hop all over the world to see each other's creations- and we all do it with an amount of respect for each other too - sad ? - no- I love it .

11/01/2011

Just a layout

I've been playing with the November kit from Gottacraft. I loved it when it arrived but what with Christmas cards and everything else going on it didn't come out of it's box until the weekend. I'm not a lover of green but these shades I do like- especially the background paper with the dotty corners.I added a couple of things of mine on this- the black swirl and the black journalling notelet.
and as I was surfing around over Christmas looking for a particular crochet pattern I came across and ordered this cute little purse/bag to keep my little scissors and bits in for when I'm crocheting - I can keep them beside me all neat and tidy instead of leaving them on the little table beside me all loose.
and here is a special photo for Deb  of Paperturtle in USA - as requested !

09/01/2011

Re-Scheduled Eclectic Crop

I spent a lovely day yesterday at the crop that was re scheduled because of the snow in December. It was a shame that our friend Deb was a poorly girl and couldn't make it - we missed her. We made some sweet tags.....desgined by Karen C
These were made from Kraft cardstock and we did a bit of stamping on them if we chose to...
We made this cute little gift box-again with Kraft cardstock and stamps of our choice.....
We were given a make and take too of a gorgeous flip mini book designed by Karen M which I shall be looking forward to doing in the next couple of days...
There was also a lovely gift bag to make again designed by Karen C -haven't finished it yet and I'll blog it when I have.
We also made a fab card designed by Mel at from ATDML ....lots of punching involved here -right up my street with butterflies and flowers....
Then it was on to a gorgeous class designed by Debbie Jewell ..
I really enjoyed the day and feel all inspired again - I seem to have got out of 'scrapping' mode for a while since Christmas so am fired up again ! Ending  up with a nice meal out at our favourite Indian restaurant when I got home last night - perfect! Am heading off to work now for a few hours - lots to get done this month...enjoy your Sundays all.
AN OOPS-Apologies to KAREN - it was her who designed the lovely card -my mistake sorry Karen !


05/01/2011

Back in the swing of it

So life gets back to normal ... I spent the last couple of evenings surrounded by papers and receipts getting some work done...
Macaroni cheese for dinner - including sausage and bacon - because apparently-according to himself it isn't a meal unless it has sausage and bacon........
Donny has been updated  with birthdays and special dates and is now in the kitchen....and I've done quite a bit more on that red white and blue mini squares blanket.....

AND-  it looks like I might be in for a bit of a wait for my Project Life kit.... I've been checking and tracking it since before Christmas and it seems to be stuck in Montreal and has been since 29th December ....boo.....and I am really looking forward to a day of scrapping at the Eclectic Keepsakes crop..where I shall be using one of my fab Christmas presents that my very talented friend made for me after seeing one at another crop ...I love it...
I wish I could sew !! Hope your week's going well so far.

02/01/2011

A word for 2010

I've not done this before but as I'm going to embark on Project Life  this year (once it arrives from overseas),I thought that I would choose the word DOCUMENT for this year. Mainly because I really want to try and at least write down thoughts or events every day or once a week have a round up of what's been happening. I always feel that my life is not really that eventful - but -I do want to record - or document - or write down - or scribble - or photograph life as it happens.Also,I live my life around documents, vat returns,analysis pads,invoices,till rolls ,Exel spreadsheets,so it seems very apt!
Here's a few of my favourite creations/photos from 2010 - oh and the photo of the black yarn bag and stuff in the middle of the lounge is just to remind me to keep tidy or my things will be placed together in  a heap in the middle of the floor or the middle of the dining room table to be put away !....have a nice Sunday all.

01/01/2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S DAY

Welcome2011

Today is decreed a 'me' day - they have all gone to football,so I've got a bit of Nigella on the tv - some old re-runs of Nigella Bites.....and I think I might catch up on a bit of hooky stuff.
I started this a while ago after seeing it on this lady's lovely blog. I saw it and the colours and design really appealed to me. It makes a change to do little squares as they grow so quickly- but OH! the ends to weave in are horrendous ...have a nice 1.1.11 wherever you are :-)