Birthday 2019

Well, another dank miserable day dawns ..... so dark it's not worth opening the curtains!!!

But, heigh ho .... it's my birthday!!  Another bonus, another year achieved.... although I must admit my friend was right ..... when I was 65 she told me "enjoy it, it will be all downhill from now on!!"


I have received a card.......

made by one of the ladies from my Craft Group, thank you Jill. 

It arrived bright and early in the week and I have been able to enjoy for quite a few days.


Ooooo Look!  The Postman .....

I am not going to rush excitedly to the door ...... well, maybe just a bit......






ANOTHER card!

from my sister in law, Thank you Doreen.


So now comes the long wait until tonight .......
The family are going for a meal, I am hoping there will be more cards and maybe a pressie or two.  I wanted to go to this particular restaurant just to have a nosey really at how the place has been refurbished.  I am hoping that the toddler area has been cleaned up and repaired.
I am already enjoying one present as I shared earlier.......

They are so com....fort....able ..... love 'em to bits!!


Well, I am off now to do some more birthday things...... clean sheet the bed, catch up on my mails......

WOYWW #549

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

Another busy week for Doctor and Hospital visits but we are still here!!!
The desk:

Just a dumping ground at the moment.
The cards are still there, along with the insert stamps.
All the bumpf from our trip on the Polar Express.
A New Year stamp has fallen out of the box but all else is as it is.

We haven't managed to get any further with setting up the Christmas Village although a 'Brass Band' and some 'Skiers' did fall into our basket the other day when we went out with the Boys!!

Still ..... onward and upward.....

Here's a few Christmas Carols for you:
1 Approach Everyone Who is Steadfast.
2 Ecstasy Toward the Orb
3 Hush, the Foretelling Spirits harmonise
4 Quiescent Nocturnal Period the Ascent of Apollo
5 The Autocratic Troika Originating Near 90 degrees N Latitude
6 The Primary Carol
7 Embellish the Corridors
8 I'm Fantasising Concerning a blanched Yuletide
9 I apprehended My Maternal Parent Osculating with a Corpulent, Unshaven Male in Crimson.
10 Obese Personification Fabricated of Compressed Mounds of Minute Crystals

and there's more .......Answers next week

Christmas Dinner 2019

This year the Craft Group and the Volunteers chose the same day for their Christmas Meal
Shame.... I can only attend one ...... The Craft Group won!!!
We booked in at the Crowne Plaza in Solihull.  Little did they know what disruption we would be causing!!!

The table was beautifully laid but of course this numpty forgot to use her camera!!!


We had lots of fun while we waited for our food, the waiters must've thought the 'inmates' had arrived.

We all managed to fire off our 'rocket' balloons, all at once and they went all over the restaurant.  Much laughter ensued..... must note here that it was NOT my instigation!!!  lol

These pretty gold boxes came home with us of course.... and the serviettes ......

We spent the best part of two hours there and all agreed it was wonderful, the food was very tasty, the company the best and we should all do it again soon.

WOYWW #548

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

As our honourable leader says..... welcome to the season of goodwill and enormous workloads.

The desk....

Not a lot going on.... well, it is but slowly, oh! so slowly.....
To the left are a serviette and place setting - remnants of the Craft Group Christmas dinner.
Next to that is a nominal Christmas present - needing to be wrapped properly and posted.
The stamp file is out again so that I can search my stamp stash without moving from my chair!!!
Calibur etc. still waiting to be finished and put away ..... sooon.

Short but sweet this week, just like me!!

Joke
What do angry mice send each other at Christmas time?    Cross mouse cards!

Question
If you are in second place and overtake the person in second place what place are you in?   Second

Father Christmas and all that....

After the hospital visit we had to wait nearly an hour for the next bus, so we decided to pop into the local telephone shop as we had a couple of queries....
For one thing, I needed to know why I could only get the Internet intermittently.
"I'll just have a look at your account" says the man...

My phone is sooo old that after he had picked himself up from the floor he suggested a new phone as it would be cheaper! 
I concurred and, while he went off to fetch the model we to which we had agreed, I noticed some ipads........
The upshot was .... I had Tablet and new Android for the same price as I am paying now!!!

PJ and I discussed all the ins and outs, PJ is not near enough to the end of his telephone contract to upgrade just now but we could each have a Tablet and it would not affect our Telephone Bill by much .... doesn't affect my Bill!!  lol
I guess Father Christmas has started his deliveries already ...... yay! to Father Christmas.

WOYWW #547 - the large update one

The desk:

Believe it or not I am trying to diecut some Christmas trees!

I attended the Papercraft Show on Saturday and now, one from there + one from last year's show + one from the works, I possess three tree dies!!!  

These are perfect for one of my swaps so I have started ..... notice the word 'started'.

Another purchase (not from the show!) on Saturday was some new boots.  

I can't even remember when I bought my present boots, I think I may have been in paid employment!!!  

My new ones are beautiful!

They are not to everyone's taste but something I have always wanted to own since Doc Martin's made an appearance in England.  

Thanks to DDN, Birthday and Christmas, I am now the proud possessor of these!  They are soooooo comfortable.  

Love them to bits.

I have an update on the teddies, six teddies completed and three in the process of being dressed.




All this has been going on against a background of Doctor's, Clinic and Hospital.  I think that, between us, PJ and I are keeping the NHS in business.
The upshot is that PJ may have Diabetes (Type 2), no-one will confirm this but we are hopeful this will change tomorrow when we are back at the Hospital.
I was bluelighted into Hospital on Sunday with suspected heart trouble.  I have been  attending OutPatients, various clinics, trying to sort out exactly what is going on.  I understand that the consensus of opinion is that the main problem is my heart ..... I guess it's just too big and too full of love!  lol
I have to laugh about this, it's my nature, I just try to carry on, putting my trust in Jesus (cos He's the only one who really knows what's going on). I am having a Heart Monitor fitted on 6th December but until then I am trying to be gentle with the old thing..... aerobic exercise has been crossed of my list!
In lieu of all this, my Blog, my swaps and craft work is very intermittent.... not intentional.  I have hopes that Father Christmas will be kind and send me an ipad (or similar) so that I can keep up to date better.  Apparently he is looking into it!!!

Food for thought:
How do you make holy water?  Boil the hell out of it!!

What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary?  A thesaurus.

WOYWW #546

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

The Desk:

Very boring this week.  One die cut Christmas Tree, from the works, to try out in 3D eventually.  I am thinking that four of these die cuts folded and stuck together would make a great tree decoration in its own right ..... watch this space.
The spare glasses and some holly brads. 
A knitting/crochet pattern book and a magazine that contains a couple of good recipes.
I am making six (yes, SIX) Ballerina Teddies for my Great, Great Nieces.  Not very often one can say that sort of thing!
My Niece said that her son could remember having one when he was small.  Not a Ballerina, probably Robin Hood, or a Fireman etc. but he now would like one for his daughters so had requested them.  Nice to be wanted and the perfect excuse to sit and knit......
I am having a bit of trouble healthwise at the moment and sitting in the warmth and knitting is a big help.  I am sure it is nothing to worry about but one should be careful in this extremely cold weather.....
Short but sweet again.
But doncha no ....
When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

Broken pencils are pointless.

lol

WOYWW #545

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.


Short and sweet this week, struggling to get 'things' done.
The desk

I have been making up the cards that I had cut out last week as well as a few that I found ready to put together. 
It's a slow process as I am having to rest quite a lot, and the cold doesn't help.
Anyhoo..... onward and upward..... chip, chip, chip and the job gets done!!!  lol

Pun for the week:
This girl said she recognised me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met herbivore.

WOYWW #544

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

The Desk

Well, looks like you've caught me out!!!

I saw these images on Anneke's blog and it was love at first sight.

You see my desk littered with components to make these bags into cards..... hopefully.

 There are cards, background papers, tags, images and sentiments.
I have stamped and cut about twenty of each.

There are the new inks from Hunkydory - review to follow - a gold ink pad and some small stamps (just in case!).

I hope to be able to sit down tomorrow and get it all sorted.  We shall see.
In closing....our German Market opens soon, the trucks carrying the 'log cabins' etc passed us as we took coffee in Birmingham last week, so I feel justified in saying:
Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.

WOYWW #543

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

The desk.....





Just trying out some stamping and embossing.  I had hoped to enter a swap but read the date as 11th November (11/1) ...... had to withdraw as there was no way I would make the 1st of November (1/11)!
So there they lie.....

Bit busy now so don't know when they'll get finished.  I have more immediate jobs that need to be done before the end of the month ..... tomorrow!!!
You have fun and stay warm (or cool).

October ATCs and Coins

Two ATC swaps this month
Colour - Green & White
The backgrounds are from a Gelli print, images taken from the web and paper ribbon from stash.

Received from Tina, Barbara & Pauline.

Thank you girls.

Partner Swap

I created several ATCs using some sheets of gold leaf, found in among my stash and various images and sentiments.

Beautiful little girl images on check background.

Thank you Pauline.

Coins - Two swaps here as well
Home


Stamped and water coloured images.

Received from Thelma,Lin & Ruth.

Thank you girls.

Mountains


I used toning paper for these mountains, tearing them into shapes, then I added some 'snow' with a white pen and PC printed sentiments.

Received these from PaulineM, Philippa & JanW.  

Thank you girls.

Another super month's swaps completed.

Woyww #542

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

The desk....
I am trying to work through my upcoming swaps.

The set on the left of my desk follow the theme - Through a Window.  Then I think it is Embossing ...... hope to use my Hunkydory inks for this one!

Short and sweet again this week, we are trying to plant out the flowerbeds at Tyseley Railway Station and it is quite a mammoth job....

We are going from this....

....to this....

... so far and that's just one bed!  We hope to plant some Primula and Pansies next week in order to brighten it up a bit.





Just some more thoughts...
.
I tried to catch some Fog.  I mist.

I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid.  He says he can stop anytime!

I'm reading a book about anti-gravity.  I can't put it down.

Cardmaking for September

I have entered four swaps this month.
Noobie

I have made a Z-Fold card for this swap, it's a bit bright!!

Received this pretty card from Olive.

Thank you Olive.

Colour - Brown, Pink and Orange


I started off with a Kraft card and several papers in the appropriate colours.  The topper was just perfect.




Style - Oriental

I used some diecuts from a previous swap and embossed them with two shades of gold ep.

Received this lovely decoupaged card from Eileen.

Thank you Eileen.

Technique - Gatefold

Lelli-Bot papers and toppers are used on this card, the toppers are used as fasteners.

Really pretty nautical card from ChristineT.

Thank you Christine.

Sympathy card (Hunkydory review 1)

I have been approached by Hunkydory to review some of their products.  I sent off for a selection of inks, stamps and decoupage sheets to try out.  I have to say that I have really only bought decoupage sheets from them before but, if they have a magazine out then I am easily tempted, I like the quality of their papers.  This was a first time using any of their other products.


Prism inkpads.....

I chose these colours so that I could use them on some coins in a coming up swap.  I used other materials in the end but  .....still thinking Sympathy cards......


Today I am going to try out the mauves (Purple Velvet, Blackcurrant Jam & Mauve Moment).

I spent some time die cutting etc. several times and styles.  Ignore the insert ... will try to remember to take photos in the correct order next time!
Now to the inks.....


I tested all the inks with the stamps I wanted to use.  I tried them out first on the off cuts from the card/diecuts but found, although the inks were very 'juicy', the card absorbed the ink too fast so the lettering appeared fuzzy.
I then tried them out on a piece of paper for the insert.  Perfect!  I think that the stamps (freebies from a magazine) were spreading as I stamped. 
Out came the stamping platform and the result was much clearer on the samples of card.
I went with the diecut label.

So here is the completed card, not quite the finish I wanted but .......
I tried to wipe Mauve Moments over the embossed flowers, being such an ink rich pad it overran in places ..... try a blender tool next time!
I edged the embossed card and diecut, running the ink pad round the edges.... perfect, just the finish I like.
I adhered these components to the card and then touched the ribbon roses onto the inkpad......
adding ribbon and the roses finished off the card for me.

A close up of the ribbon roses.

I like these inkpads very much and I think I will try some embossing with them for my next experiment.

Pride & Prejudice (sort of)

Photos from the Programme

I do not have adequate words to describe this show.... brilliant, clever, funny.......are just some.....

The old familiar story is told by six below stairs staff ...... in chemises and Doc Martins ..... see first photo (again from the programme)

Each artist plays numerous characters .... see second and third photos for examples.

They rocked classic songs, they used bad language, they tried to be serious....... all while the audience is cracking up with laughter.

Written by Isobel McArthur, who plays several characters herself..... see Fitzwilliam Darcy in third photo.

The timing is perfect, (as also the adlibs!) and they never stop.

DDN and I went backstage to leave them a note to say how much we enjoyed and met one of the stars ....... so humble, as though she was not aware of what the fuss was about ..... no wonder they had a standing ovation!

IF THIS SHOW COMES TO A THEATRE NEAR YOU ...... GO!!

Some Reviews:

REVIEWS FOR 2019 ★★★★★ "Brave, bold and crazy" What's On Stage ★★★★★ "Everything about this production shines, it is a slick, laugh out loud funny, joyous romp through a classic tale" North West End ★★★★★ "Bloody good fun" Behind the Arras  ★★★★ "Bold, innovative and infectiously entertaining" Bromsgrove Standard ★★★★ "Raucous and vibrant" The Reviews Hub "For the love of Mr Darcy go and see" Letterbox Birmingham "An exuberant breath of fresh air" Birmingham Press "A night of pure enjoyment" Brum Hour "It’s fun and irreverent but told with huge affection for the original" Weekend Notes "Glorious. Go and see it now!" Here Come The Girls