Hello again!

Well hello

At last we have moved after living at my sister’s for nearly six weeks – we moved out just after Christmas and it seems a really long time since I saw all our stuff!  We had everything in storage and are now trying to find space for it all – we downsized – but until the ceiling man comes and does our downstairs (heavily artexed) my wonderful hubby is starting on my craft room first!  don’t know what I did to deserve that but not complaining…  He says it is because I have the most boxes and it willo be nice to clear the fifty or so Ihave first just to make some room.  I can believe that, I packed them all!!

We have inherited 30 years of the last peoples decorating and there is not one wall, floor or ceiling that hasn’t got flowers, stripes or five colours in one room. So we have a lot to do but already feel this is going to be a lovely home for just the two of us.

I have chosen soft muted colours and inherited large white wardrobes in my room which I am going to keep just for the great storage for the moment, we bought a lovely hardwood floor and Mike is putting in the new lights as I write. After not doing anything crafty for over two months I am raring to go. It has been nice to have the break,  going for nice walks on the beach and just spending time together.  I missed all our things but can’t thank my Sis enough for letting us stay in their flat by the seafront here in Bournemouth when they went back to New Zealand for the next six months.

And to have internet again! I am a bit of a technophobe but you forget how much you miss things like that until you are without them for months… So, hopefully you should see some more cards and scrapbook layouts on this site shortly.  See you soon!

Happy New Year

I do so hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing Christmas.  We spent it with all our family and had a great time and now packing like crazy for next weeks move… a lot of sadness as I have loved this house with its space and garden. But we need to downsize  and have halved our belongings too,  furniture, clothes, everything really… quite cathartic and hope to never over fill my home again with stuff I never needed in the first place!!  We won’t be in our new home for another month because of unforseen circumstances so I won’t be doing any crafting either. I hope to be back on track by mid February so Happy New Year everyone and be happy,  safe and healthy…

Autumn in Switzerland…

Hello again… We had a great week away in the Swiss mountains, went for long walks and really just chilled, definately something hubby and I needed to do.   You can see the autumn colours in the photos but we also had snow (though the ones I have taken were mainly made by the snow canons as they pile up the snow ready for the coming skiing season).

We had a few snow ball fights and I got a bit wet, but some children were actually sledging, such fun to watch… 

But I thought I would just show you a few photos;  I am hoping to get some inspiration from the gorgeous colours that we saw, the autumn colours on the trees up the mountains was spectacular.

Right, must get a wiggle on and get some stamping done;  bags unpacked, four loads of washing blowing out on the line, and three birthday cards to make for the weekend!

Been away…

Morning – Mike and I had a wonderful week away in Switzerland for the school holidays, something we both really needed.  We just relaxed in the gorgeous weather, so much sunshine up in the Alps even though it was cool some days; lots of long walks up the mountains and through the forests and picnics by the snow line. We just chilled out – just what the doctor actually ordered for me!!

So hope to be back soon with some projects as I feel much more inspired – still on Swiss time, up early…

Wreath

Well, this is the photo of the wreath!  My hubby is a star and fixed yet another problem with this computer – boy am I a technophobe!  The photo colour isn’t great, must get that changed, something I can do! Bye for now…

Weekend away…

Just a quick post to say that we had a wonderful weekend away with the girls at Tincleton again – so many laughs, gut busting ones too! too much food and great company, the best way I know how to relax!

I would like to thank Jo, Ellen, Fleur, Brenda, Chris, Ali, Julie and Katherine (our newbies!) and Anna for coming out to spend a little time with us Saturday night, for being such good friends xx

I must admit I didn’t do too much at all but loved the wreath that some of us made using the new Stampin’ Up Christmas papers and the newsheet papers – they turned out so well and as Jo said, much quicker to do with a cold glue gun!

After a long time, can’t put a picture up.  My computer crashed last week and while away my hubby got most of it back up and running.  But I have lost my photoshop and don’t seem to be able to upload anything! Grrrrr…

Bad Blogger!

Morning,

and sorry that I have not posted in a while but I have been a very busy lady.  My good friend Jo Dumbleton held her first (and probably not her last!) 12 Hour Retreat this Saturday for 24 ladies for a superb day of crafting.  They made different projects designed by Jo and had a fun day of Spin the Wheel, Bingo and great Raffle prizes, coming away with great projects that look stunning which I am sure Jo will post on her blog http://www.stampin-n-stuff.blogspot.com so please go on over and have a look.  They all received some lovely gifts for attending the retreat too and know they were very pleased with all the effort Jo took with them all…

It took us both hours of cutting, scoring and sorting last week and Jo hardly got any sleep at all nearly the whole week so I hope, Jo, tha you got a decent nights sleep and had a restful day (except for unloading the car) on Sunday.  I know some of the ladies have written some really nice e mails to her too, very touching, thanking her for the day.  I would also like to thank Helen Clifford for helping us in the evening after having another long day at her crop – her help was very very welcome.

Hopefully I will get some card making done this week and if my stupid computer will let me, actually show some photos! Take care as always…

More Mens Cards…

Good afternoon,

Though it isn’t here, dull and showery again here in the South – where has our sunny summer weather gone!

Great opportunity to get on with some cardmaking though.  As a family we have lots of birthdays in August/September and seven of them are men!  So have started with a few using the Sail Away SU stamp – I have done it in two colourways, one subtle and another brights – think I prefer the subtles…

I have used Bashful Blue, Peach Parfait and River Rock for the first one, very simple matting and layering with Whisper White of course, and the second…

I used Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point and Tempting Turquoise, added a few silver brads on this one and used the So Happy For You sentiment for the wishes.

So, that is two cards out of the way, more difficult choices for the men now who aren’t into sailing!

Take care and hope we get a warmer weekend hey!

Simply Stampin’ Challenge

Morning – I won a challenge for Simply Stampin’ Challenge no. 16 with two other crafters- woo hoo!!  so have put the Top 3 banner on my post (until my son can show me how to put it on my sidebar!)  I don’t often win anything so I am really pleased with this. 

 This is a site for mainly using Stampin’ Up products in cards/scrapbooking and each week it can be a card layout, colour challenge (like the one for this week no 17) or anything but a card.  So if you haven’t heard of this blog, so to www.simplystampinchallenge.blogspot.com and have a go!

Have a healthy and happy weekend – the thought of not having to go to work at school for six weeks is just wonderful (so sorry for anyone who hasn’t got a holiday!!)

Bronze 2!!

Good morning!

I have at last earned my Bronze 2 title promotion through Stampin’ Up and am so pleased – I received my badge and certificate this morning!!!   As a Hobby demonstrator I have waited a long time to get this promotion and hopefully, in future, will get to do some workshops and card classes to help me along the way…

Sun’s out, let us hope it stays for us all on this Whitsun break from school… take care everyone.