Happy New Year

So here we are again, another New Years Eve,  and we're all waiting for midnight!   Which is a bit bah humbug and I'm not feeling in the least bit bah humbug.  Just wondering if I can stay awake till midnight cos New Years Eve telly is diabolical.  Yes here I am on NYE at home,  just like thousands of others.   I've done NYE,  in London,  in fact, here, there and other places.   I just now choose not to be walking home at 3 a.m., in the freezing cold. 

So what was I doing earlier on this NYE?  Housework, yes that is right, housework!   Well the place was begging for a spruce up, so washed windows,  nets and vacummed... rest can wait till the decs are down.   Before that it was a bit of shopping, got a laminator at Aldi, love a bargain, and at £12 that was a bargain!    But how come I ended up in Sainsburies buying the food?    Aldi had the basics, but that was it, and no loose fruit,  what use is that?   I don't need 12 satsumas!   Also indulged in a very nice red in Sainsburies, going down a treat.   Then on to cake shop, only they were short on cakes!   This was only 11 a.m.,  so the crowds must have been up very early today.    Well the shops are going to be shut for.. a few hours.  

I'd like 2012 to get off to a good start,  I'd like to be more organised, starting with my room,  and decluttering the cloakroom and airing cupboard.   Do not wish to dither anymore,  even I know I feel better when I get on with stuff.   Only one actual resolution,  and I'm keeping that to myself!   I don't usually make resolutions,  and I'm trying not to think of this as a resolution,  that way it may just work. 

I wish you all the Very Best for 2012,  I hope it is a good year for you.   Thanks also for stopping by,  it is much appreciated. 

Happy New Year

I've worked out that it is Wednesday...

Well maybe,  or possibly... who knows?     Once upon a time my life had structure,  I used to work...  so I'd know the day, the date in fact I'd know the date in four weeks time, that is what you get when you work in a library - always looking into the future.  But this year my old library is shut, just for the festive period, something we'd been wanting for a long time,  otherwise we were simply twiddling our thumbs and wasting electricity. 

At least I have remembered that I need to tax the car before the end of the year!    It shall be done tomorrow,  just 6 months tax,  only cos I don't have to face this next Christmas!   I will have a busy morning tomorrow,  tax car,  get shopping...  feed car with petrol,  though can't complain as she has a small appetite.  

More crafting,  how long can this last?    Candles, of course,  got to get the stocks up for the new stall.   Today I used the pearl ink with the colours,  I liked the effect, do you, see pic?   Decorated four candles,  will do another batch tomorrow.   Then I moved on to my brayering,  just experimenting with a sunset.  Sort of getting there..  I was also mucking with shadows on this one,  right idea, just got wrong angle!   And post box is a bit too red!   Need to tone that down.    I'm doing wheelies across the sun,  rather than on a piece of scrap.   I also covered the top part of the card with yellow ink, using the brayer,  just to give the sun some colour, then I used the mask before adding the other layers of colour.   What i am after is an incongruous image,  one that doesn't quite add up, hence me using the chap with the umbrella on a sunny day.   I just like how it all jars,  the lamps,  post box, sunset, umbrella and the birds.  The sentiment is part of a set of stamps by Lindsay Mason. A few more attempts at this I think! 

This is the sort of crafting I enjoy,  just to be creative,  letting the ideas flow,  and not being restricted to making a card.   I still do that and I enjoy making cards, but this stuff takes me beyond that.    Need to save up to take part in the Barbara Grey classes next year, that is a promise to myself.  I just love her work, she is a true artist, but such a lovely lady. 

Right, today is Wednesday, so I shall be shopping tomorrow on Thursday... and part is on Friday!  

All for now folks.

What day is it?

I've completely lost track of the days,  they've all merged into one.  It was another day of crafty shopping, more vouchers to spend!  This time it was the local craft shop,  who were keen to off load the Christmas stuff...  which I avoided!  I wanted some alcohol inks, metallics,  a craft mat,  and some new stamps, got copper and pearl in the metallics,  a nice large stamp block,  lovely set of London stamps from Do Crafts,  some of which can be seen in the card what I made,  the set I got was called Portobello Road.  Oh and a kanban card kit, which frustrated me so much it nearly ended up in the bin!  Nice kit, no instructions!  It's okay when it is an easy kit, this wasn't and it really did need a sheet of instructions.  So turned my attention to the new inks and stamps,  made 3 more candles,  two using the purple, and one using the copper and orange,  all look spectacular!   Also sourced some clear labels, so I can start printing my own sentiments. 

For the stamps I got out the brayer,  done so many winter scenes felt it was time for a few summery scenes.  This one was a trial,  I wanted to get a lovely sunset effect,  think I am almost there with it,  used the edge of the brayer and did wheelies across the card using red and orange, not quite as I want it,  but almost. The telephone box and lamp came from the new stamp set, it also has Big Ben, a London bus,  clock face,  camper van and post box, plus some small stamps, very small... think they'll end up getting lost!  But I enjoyed the process,  just need to mess with the layout, and maybe use the post box rather than the telephone box.   I'll be having another bash tomorrow.  The sentiments are from Lindsay Mason,  got them from HobbyCraft. 

Nice that the mojo has returned,  who knows I may even turn my attention to scrapbooking at some point.

And that was Christmas..

Not sure what happened but I managed to have a lie in till nearly 10 a.m on the big day.,  I had been awake at 5.30 a.m., but had eventually managed to get back to sleep.  Sleeping in so long on a Christmas morning is a luxury,  first time in er, well far too many years, that I've been able to do that.  Until fairly recently I had to go visiting the family on Christmas morning and could only really relax in the afternoon.

Santa was good to me,  loads of craft vouchers!   A book to read,  Patricia Cornwell's latest book,  she is one of my favourite authors,  some lovely perfume,  other bits and bobs, plus a Simon's Cat calendar which will keep me amused all year.   


I did watch Barbara Grey at 7 a.m., I always enjoy Barbara's shows, but that is when I fell back to sleep, sorry Barbara!   I did catch the full show at 4pm,   a pity they hadn't given her a 2 hour slot!  No crafting today,   no chance of that happening.   Dinner took longer than expected to cook,  cos the turkey crown I had bought had stuffing in it, it took longer to cook, that almost threw out all my timings.   But we were sat down by 2pm for the meal,  and very nice it was,  did less of everything,  so we enjoyed it more,  and it left room for the pud.   I hate that overfull feeling,  it is just so uncomfortable.   Instead I felt pleasantly full.   TV was rubbish in the afternoon, I'd enjoyed the morning stuff,  the church service,  carols... then the usual film fest!   All aimed at children, that is fine for one or two channels, but does every ruddy channel think that only kids are watching?     The kids are playing with their toys!   I would love to meet the idiot who puts the schedule together.

Today I decided to pay Hobbycraft a visit,  couldn't let those vouchers just sit there any longer.  Took mum, said we'd get some lunch at a pub.   To my surprise I didn't spend all the vouchers, in fact I was a bit frugal,  got some alcohol inks,  spotted a nice 12x12 pad,  a tub of crackle paint,  TH tissue tape and a set of stamps,  and that was that.   So got some vouchers left, plus vouchers for my local craft shop,  which is where I am headed tomorrow.   The one thing that HC didn't have were the metallic alcohol inks!   Just fancied some copper,  plus more silver and gold. 

Just put up a pic of one of the boxes I made using the inks,  that was the cranberry and gold,  then I added some dragon flies, I had also inked the acetate. 

I should be crafting tomorrow so may have some new pics! 


Hope you all had a lovey Christmas.... take care, and thanks for stopping by

Merry Christmas

Well the big day is nearly here.  I personally think that it is Christmas Eve that holds the magic, that air of anticipation,  the wonderment of what will  happen,  will your wishes be granted, will Santa bring you what you've asked for...  until midnight you can keep dreaming.

I was disappointed today,  had to go to our retail park to get mum some new trousers,  I thought the place would be packed.  Well the car park was full,  but I have no idea where all the people where as they were not in M&S, that was quiet,  even more depressing was that the shops had all taken down their decorations, how very bah humbug of them!   When I worked in retail we would wait till the end of Christmas Eve before taking down the decs. 

I did do some crafting today,  more candles and boxes.  I made some candles as presents,  mum was very impressed by them.  So  I hope the recipients are.  I made some gold ones, which I think will be nice for next Christmas, with some suitable sentiments on them. Still fighting with glitter,  to remove the excess,  none seems to want to come off whatever I've put it on, or the paper it has landed on,  even if I use an anti static bag.  Ended up dipping a paintbrush into talc, that seemed to work. 

Not happy at all with the dragon fly stamp I bought,  it seems to be falling apart, at first I thought it was me being heavy handed,  but I left it on one of the blocks, then when I came to use it the next day another bit of the tail had vanished.  Think I will have to take it back,  I am not a novice crafter and I do know how to handle stamps.   


I'm hoping that tomorrow I get money or craft vouchers,  please!    I came close to buying a refurbed cricut today, but wasn't sure what you got with it,  a lot of the software was on sale but couldn't make up my mind. I thought they were only selling the large cricuts as refurbs, otherwise I'd have paid more attention.  It was a good deal and on 4 flexi pay.    I know they'll have the cricut on offer next year,  so I'll keep watching,  hope that the finances improve enough to get one. 

Think that is all for now folks.   I wish you  VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, hope Santa brings you lots of lovely stuff,  enjoy the day and all that it brings.

Good grief......

I expected the supermarket to be busy,  did not expect it to be jam packed with queues at ALL 30 checkouts!   It was nuts,  managed to grab one of the last boxes of mince pies.  Of course there were the usual dozy types,  like the woman at the kiosk who was getting her lotto draw tickets,  but hadn't filled any of them in properly!  Did she care that she was holding up 15 people, nope, she acted like it was a normal shopping day.   Next was the plonker that had waited in the queue to find out where Tesco kept tippex, I kid you not!   Two days till Christmas and this chap wanted tippex...  !  Of course the place was full of the bewildered, those who had just strayed into the shop unaware that it was Christmas!   Plus those who parked trolleys in middle of the aisle, those following behind trolleys. husbands, sons or daughters,  none of whom wanted to be there or who appeared to have ever graced a supermarket before.   Now I wanted a Christmas log, just fancied one, could I find one - no?!   Everything but a damn Yule Log.   Then I couldn't avoid it any longer, time to head for the check out...  in front of me were a lovely couple, who were NOT Christmas shopping,  he said to me that he'd picked the wrong checkout,  I said: no mate, you've picked the wrong day!  They only had a few bits.  A Tesco employee had then been sent to dispense sweets,  I told her that a glass of mulled wine would have been better, she agreed with me, but didn't rule it out later in the day!   I wasn't irritated by the checkout staff, they were doing their best,  it was the useless and disorganised customers,  as on my checkout, the woman at head of the queue had umpteen vouchers, but hadn't bothered to sort them so was just handing them over in the hope that she could use them...   we, plus assistant were all annoyed by her!  But everyone was shopping like the shops were going to be close for two weeks, it is just ONE day!    I heard one couple say that they hadn't got enough 'nibbles',  I looked at their trolley,  it was groaning under the weight of food and drink...  they had enough supplies to last them 3 months. 

When I got home mum wondered where I'd been, I reminded her that it was Christmas!   Luckily I had managed to get all the important stuff on the list,  the list I had written out and then left on the kitchen table!  Now I just need to get necessary medicines for me and mum tomorrow.   I'm having to second guess what mum needs,  as her memory is fast failing.  I had to remind her today, and yesterday,  of what presents she had bought and who she had sent cheques to.  I think if I hadn't been here then the grandchildren would have got double helpings.   She even made the effort to cook dinner tonight,   I had to help,  but tried to be as non intrusive as I could,  I knew she really wanted to cook dinner for me.  

Then you spend an hour talking to someone who thinks they know it all... sorry that is rather vague, but I feel better for saying it! 

Oh well, 2 more sleeps till Santa arrives.......  sweet dreams

A very grey short day.  I guess the bonus was that it didn't rain, or rather it stopped raining early in the morning.  It is also a bit milder, keep thinking back to last year and all those minus temperatures we had!   Brrrrrr.    Looks like this year we'll just get the usual Christmas,  mild and soggy.   I'd prefer a crisp frost and sunshine.  And all too soon it will be January,  a new start, we'll all feel fresh for a few days,  hoping that the New Year will deliver much, maybe it will.    I always think that the best day of Christmas is actually Christmas Eve,  that is when everyone is still full of anticipation,  no dreams have been shattered,  those presents lying under the tree continue to tantalise us.  I remember one Christmas I'd asked for Sindy's car,  and what did I get,  her wardrobe!   Not quite the same...  And the magic of getting a bike for Christmas,  I had to wait till I was 12,  but it was the bestest present ever, think I spent the whole day riding round on it.   It was second hand but mum had spent ages doing it up so it shone like new, and it had gears and a dynamo to run the lights!  All mod cons - LOL.      That bike was well used,  it took me to school and back for 4 years, kept me amused during the school holidays. 

And now it is the 22nd December, the shortest day has come and gone.  Woke up this morning to sunshine,  such a lovely change.  Flat was like a greenhouse, went to investigate and found mum had pushed up the central heating to about 24!  No wonder I was melting....  but she couldn't remember doing it.   I only needed a T shirt and sweat pants to do the housework.   I've got some lovely jumpers but can't wear them cos the central heating is on so high. 

It didn't take long for the weather to return to its grey state,  by lunch time the skies were a shade of deep grey.   I'd picked up a few bits from the craft shop yesterday, some new alcohol inks and two stamps.  So decided to decorate a few boxes,  it was too dark to take photos in natural daylight,  and I'm not happy with the dragon fly,  will have to redo it,  hasn't worked out quite as I wanted, I love the box,  that was done using cranberry and gold alcohol inks. I'd wanted a purple ink but the shop didn't have any.    Also decorated another candle, then had a rummage and found some sentiment stickers which work perfectly on the candles.   I'll be making more tomorrow!   Love getting messy,  my craft table was covered in inks, glitter, glue and felt....  as was I. 

Yep a very satisfying day. 

Done - I hope!

That's it, last Christmas cards have been sent, but forgot all about a birthday card!   Yet I had spent time on Sunday making it and telling myself NOT to forget to post it.   Also got last Christmas present,  got mum a book to go with her DVD,  she's is the only one who is getting a physical present, well aside from a friend,  rest of the family are getting Amazon vouchers. 

I thought I'd be in the mood for crafting, but didn't do anything yesterday, even tho I got all my stash out.  Same today,  I managed to decorate a box,  but then couldn't find the peel offs that I was using only the other day - I swear these things decide to hide somewhere!   So lost interest in that,  too blooming dark to do much else, don't like crafting in artificial light.  Tomorrow is the shortest day or longest night,  take your pick,  and forecast is for rain, so it will be truly dark all day!   Great.  It was extremely soggy on Monday,  just rained all ruddy day,   was dancing down by the time I left the barn.   Treated myself to a lovely Angel,  a CD and some new cards.  My Xmas present to me!

Didn't get my 'me' time today either,  mum and her friends decided not to meet,  meant a double whammy for me,  no time to myself and also had to cook dinner.   I kind of meandered around the supermarket, I had a list but wasn't really looking at it,  got most of the stuff on it, but left some of the heavy stuff for the next shop. Got a really horrible pain in my 'good' knee,  it was so bad I felt sick,  plus the bad knee has been really bad lately,  so which leg to limp on?  I took it in turns.  I had pensioners overtaking me!   Very deflating.    As far as Christmas is concerned I need spuds and sprouts,  got everything else, oh and wine!     Got some crackers,  didn't go for the fancy ones as the gifts are the same as last year, no point in getting the same stuff. 

Well may get up to some crafting tomorrow...  see what sort of mood I am in, and how dark it is! 

Yikes... a week to go!

Does life have a pause button, if so can someone press it?   Every time I think I have come to the end of making Christmas cards I remember someone else.   Mind you I seem to work well when desperate!   This was one effort today,  raided the Christmas stash box, found a few bits,  and cobbled this together,  sakura pen refused to work, so it was quickie glue pen and glitter. 

Also managed two candles,  think I've cracked the tissue paper method - at last.  Also had a bash at stencilling on to the candles, that worked quite well.   I am using the alcohol inks,  and I would use them on a very thin candles, I am sticking to pillar candles and not touching the top, just the sides.   Think it is working quite well. 

I've still got a box to decorate,  and line,  but not sure whether to use velvet or felt. The felt is easier to cut and fit, will see what the craft shop has, have to go there as I am out of 3D glue.

Need to get going on some scrapbooking as well,  really neglected it of late and got lots of photos piling up.   Got no appointments this week,  just the Christmas food shop, and get the flat tidy,  so may manage an afternoon.   Still not been into town, so not seen the Xmas lights, or continental market.   One of these days I'll get organised.  But it hasn't been an easy time,  mum is becoming ever more forgetful, which is worrying and at the same time draining trying to be patient,  which of course you have to be as I know it isn't her fault.   It is also the business of having to think for two people,  making sure she has what she needs before I go out.  My family are of no use whatsoever,  it is right under their nose but they choose not to see it. 

But I do have things to look forward to,  starting as a reiki practitioner next year,  and going  ahead with a business with a friend.  Not dared look ahead too much in the last few years,  every time I did something bad happened, or that is what it felt like.  This is the first year since 2007 that I've not had any surgery!  So maybe I've turned a corner, hope so. 

Thanks for stopping by,  sorry the blog isn't very festive, not managed to find any nice templates to use. But your company is much appreciated. 

Snow!

Had a shock yesterday just as I left the hairdressers it started to snow.  Didn't think it would add up to much,  two hours later it was snowing hard and was sticking.   Shades of last year but nowhere near as bad.  It didn't last long and melted away thank goodness. 

I was busy yesterday, the hair appointment,  then supermarket shop, other bits to do, then an afternoon of crafting and wrapping.  Needed to get everything done and dusted so it could be posted today.  Was stymied by not having addresses for two of my tags, I could have sworn that I saved the new address list for the group,  obviously not.  But got six away, and a parcel.  Then blow me I find a card that was meant to be in with the parcel lying on my table...  :-(     Now I have checked and double checked everything, nothing else to make or post....  I can now amuse myself.  

Made this card yesterday, I was going to make one of Debbi Moore's grotto cards but gave up trying,  no proper instructions anywhere.  I like the CD's got  no complaints with it, but not happy with lack of instruction for the grotto cards.  So just made an ordinary card,  blinged it up with some glitter and stuff,  also used alcohol inks to make the background.   Printed out one of the inserts as well, that was really nice,  it finished off the card.   So happy with the result,  it was just I wanted the grotto card!  

My festive mood keeps coming and going.    Was not happy yesterday at not being able to find a small turkey crown,  can these supermarkets remember that not everyone is feeding the five thousand!  I did get one in the frozen section with some fancy stuffing,  which I wasn't bothered about.    Of course the place was packed, shoppers with blank looks on their faces,  on auto pilot it seemed, while others were just wandering around.  Plus staff changing displays...  !   Dumb or what?   I'd also forgotten my vouchers!   So looks like we're in for two weeks of free shopping. 

I've promised myself a long lie in tomorrow.   Thanks for stopping by.

Ground hog weather

I swear the same weather system has been put on a loop as it keeps coming back, more high winds today.  It lashed down last night,  was glad to be snuggled under the duvet. 

My crafty friends have admitted that they've been borrowing my mojo, no wonder I can't get much done in the way of crafting!   I did manage to find enough to finish off this box,  gave it a base coat of poster paint then applied alcohol inks,  plus a few peel offs.  Also had a bash at using the alcohol inks on a candle,  it has given it a lovely effect,  and yes I tried lighting the candle,  I'm still in one piece as is the candle.  I let it have a good hour plus for the alcohol to evaporate.   Gonna get more inks...  !    Well my niece has given my my hobbycraft vouchers early so.....  well may as well go get my present and play with it.    Sadly I've had to resort to shop bought cards this year, just had no inclination to make any Christmas cards.  Don't know what it was,  just never found the mood to start. 

I have permission to go get us a digi recorder,  just as well I think having looked at the Christmas listings,  I've found a few clashes.   Already know which one to get, spotted it in Best Buy, if it is still there as they are closing down,  not been open very long.  I feel sorry for the staff, it was a nice shop to go into as the staff were very helpful. 

Well all for now...  more bits and bobs of crafting to do over the next few days.  I'd also like some parcels to arrive, namely the one from CnC so I can get on and make some birthday cards! 

Now suitably attired!

I dared to go into the loft to fetch the decs,   sent a shelf flying...  oh well that got rid of a few unwanted bits and pieces!    So box down,  put tree in place and wonder if I can face the task of untangling the fairy lights... ?  After half an hour I was ready to chuck them out of the window!   Had a brief respite as I gave mum a lift to post office,  headed back for round two then thought: stuff it,  and so headed to supermarket to get new set.   The old set had 100 lights,  about 40 too many for a small tree,  compromised and got a set of 80...  well didn't have a choice, 200, 100 or 80, after that it was 20s.    Really wanted white but they'd all gone, so it was the coloured lights. 

Soon had the tree done,  a single string of  lights, bliss, I hate those double strings I never manage to get them untangled.   Didn't take long to do rest of flat,   about an hour,  and so the flat is now suitably attired for the festive season.    Then blow me I forgot about the nativity scene,  I'd actually bought one the other day,  so fished it out of the box,  yep all is now done... well it would be if we could find 3 missing decorations.  Took pic of tree in all its splendour, rather like the new lights.

Then I managed to make a few Christmas cards, yes I know it is rather late,  but just not been in the mood,  just the family and a few friends will be getting hand made cards.    Found some pyramage stuff,  and a few other bits from last year,  seem to be out of silver mirri card, and would really like the CnC pick of the week to arrive soon as I need to make some birthday cards, thought a grotto card would be appreciated. 

Now need to head to amazon... and order some pressies.

Cor blimey!

I wasn't planning to venture out today, once again we had high winds and horizontal rain.  But found myself heading for the cathedral in town to pick up some tickets for my niece.  That was the last place I wanted to be in a high wind,  it is the highest point in Liverpool,  was really battling against the wind and that was in the car!   Wasn't sure where to pick the tickets up from so went into the cathedral, asked a guide and got given the wrong info,  luckily I wasn't taken too far away from the actual place.    But it was ugh weather,  I was glad of my hawkshead jacket, it kept everything out.   Tomorrow is more of the same,  I am supposed to be helping out at an outreach centre, will have to see what the weather is doing,  they say the winds will be really bad tomorrow, and then on Friday they've forecast snow!   If it does I'll put  up the decs. 

Just realised the pic has a date on it,   just reminded me that I was crafting one handed,    I had my arm in plaster and my knee in a splint!   Not sure how I managed to craft but I did.  This card was always a favourite,   a clutter card,  I do remember getting carried away with the glitter glue.  

Made more headway on my swap cards for December,   I've just chosen a technique that requires a lot of drying time!     Just got one more to do,  miscalculated how many I had to make.  Then they just need the finishing touches.  They will all be in the post on Monday. 

All for now,  think I should really make this blog a bit more festive!

, Wet, soggy and very cold...

Okay so this time last year we had snow, well we didn't actually, ours came a bit later.  It was cold, colder than it is now, but what do we have this year:  rain, sleet, hail, snow,  winds that have one hell of a chilly bite...   not nice.   Woke up this morning to the sound of hail hitting the window, so that was me back under the duvet. 

This week is catch up week, catching up with all the stuff I kept promising to do for weeks!  So hence the mad dash to get the wedding invites done, next up was a wooden jigsaw nameplate for a friend,  only half done, plus tags for Christmas swap with group!  The result - a very glittery room/carpet,  silver, red, green...  and inky fingers and hands.  Paper cutter put to good use cutting stuff for invites,  managed to work out a production line that made life easier,  even surprised myself by getting them all finished in two days.   I thanked Google for providing the necessary inserts and rsvps,  many thanks to those who spend hours putting such stuff together and then uploading it to the web for the rest of us to use.   So quite a day.  Was sure the gas man was also going to call to service the boiler,  then checked letter,  doh,  it is tomorrow!   Promised myself to finish off the tags and name thingy this week, all before Sunday,  cos niece will be visiting then, so no chance of any crafting.   No chance on Thursday either,  the day of the Christmas shop, then off to give reiki for a couple of hours.   So just tomorrow,  Friday and Saturday afternoon,  Saturday morning I have to go pick up carol concert tickets from cathedral...   decided Saturday would be best as it will be quieter at that end of town.   Sunday it will be into town to show mum the lights and continental fair, plus some lunch.   Fingers crossed the snow holds off till Christmas Eve,  that is my wish,  it can snow all it wants then.... 

And did you know that some King way back declared that the 12 days of Christmas be a holiday for the ordinary man?  Yep, it is probably still law for all we know.   I mean why can't we just close everything down for a few days?   Including the supermarkets,  lets face it how many will be buying enough food to feed the five thousand?   Do we really need the supermarkets to be open so soon after Christmas Day?  No we don't.  Remember when it all shut down?   Bliss, sheer bliss.  No don't get annoyed that the shops will shut their doors early on Christmas eve,  think about the staff inside,  they would also like to get home. 

Right all for now...   thanks for stopping by, muchly appreciated.

A lot of wet and windy stuff

Yep got rain belting down against window, wind is howling!   Lovely stuff!  

Yesterday I spent with a friend,  always nice to get out and about.  Drive over was fine, sunshine, dry,  for once no hold ups on the M6. Just took me an hour to get their.   We had a nice catch up then I took part in her psychic evening, paying no attention to the time... only when I went to the loo did I realise how late it was,  it was time for me to be on my way home.    Kept fingers crossed that the M6 would be clear... got my wish,  plain sailing all the way through,  traffic calmed down when I got off M6 and onto M62, then M57, but had to contend with that horrible misty rain, which is neither one thing or the other.

It took me a while to unwind once I got home,  I hate driving in the dark, and even more so when it is raining.  I saw to my outstanding e-mails and stuff, then hit the hay.  Even managed a lie in!    Didn't want to stay in bed too late,  as I wanted to catch Barbara's class on CnC, first tho I had to go pay the paper bill...  would you believe it just as I decided to go do that the heavens opened!  So I took the car,  sod it, wasn't prepared to get soaked.   Came back and got settled down with a nice cup of coffee and two hours of Barbara.   I just love her work.   Well as you can see I am IN to brayering!    I should have made a mask of the fairy, as her feet have got lost in the hills...  well we live and learn.    After that it was just a chill out day,  had to prepare the wedding invites for printing,    also want to use the tissue technique to get an image onto some candles,  tried again today then sought help on Youtube, think I have the wrong tissue paper!   Would just like this to work,  so off on a  hunt for tissue paper soon,  I'll check out the local shops now I know what I need.    Will get on with wedding invites tomorrow, I'd forgotten the RSVP bit! So had to design that,  oops.   Anyway just need to hit print tomorrow.  Phew,  one job sorted,  get the candles sorted and I'll be happy. 

I got some homemade Christmas puds yesterday, in the evening we paid a quick trip to the market that was on in town,  my friend's town, wasn't quite what I expected, bit of a damp squib really,  they'd advertised it as a continental market,  well it wasn't, and there weren't many stalls.   We also had a very chilly wind blowing,  but I also got to see a real Owl,  he was gorgeous,  I just stared in wonder at him,  I just don't like to see wild birds being contained,  they should fly free.  But this owl was so gentle, it allowed the children to stroke him. Such a fantastic sight.   I love owls,  I feel a rapport with them. 

Thanks again for stopping by,  hope you are not getting too swamped by Christmas stuff,  stay safe and stay warm.