Apologies from Ironlung

Hello faithful bloggers

This is DD with an apology and happy new year greetings from Sheila.
At this moment in time the aforementioned lady (and I use the term lady
very lightly) is spending a few nights on the NHS ticket. Following her
visit to the doctor the other day she was referred to Burton hospital for
tests. She says not to worry about her folks, she feels okay and the
only thing she is suffering from is boredom and flatulence from the other
guests of the ward she is on (some kind of ward for transient geriatrics!)
Oh and she has been re-christened Sally.

I'll leave it there folks as I am going to visit her again this evening and have
got to figure out a way to smuggle in her cricut machine. I may have to stuff
it up my jumper and pretend I am up the duff!

She sends all her love and I send you all mine for your continued adoration and
support for my dear mum.

Hope you all have a good and prosperous 2010

DD

Still Suffering!!!

Well I thought I would have been over whatever has been wrong with me by now but I'm not so hubby has made me an appointment to see the doctor this morning. I hate going to the doctors but I hate whatever is wrong with me more so I am going to go and get it over and done with.

Yesterday I thought I felt well enough to have hubby take me into town as I wanted some red gingham from Dunhelm but I only managed about 10 minutes in the shop and I had to go back to the car. Didn't get my gingham but I did buy a crotchet hook and some cotton and a gorgeous wood handled bag to keep my crotchet and stuff in.........reduced to £4.49 from £8.99.

Anyway I had best go and have a shower.

Sorry about the lack of crafty posts.

Sheila-x-

Always The Same!!!

I might have known that this Christmas wouldn't be any different to any other holiday. I have been quite poorly since Wednesday and although I am feeling a little better now I think I need to get to the docs on Monday if they can fit me in.
I have done nothing but sleep and am back off to lie down when I have had this little change of scenery.
Hubby has been fantastic and done all of the cooking.........he is such a star.

Santa was very good to me and I got the three cookery books I wanted.....2 Nigella and a Hairy Bikers. I'm not usually a cookbook kind of cook but some of the recipes I saw on the HB series sounded gorgeous and there are a few Nigella recipes I want to try. Well pleased with those.
Four sets of Nestabilities to add to my collection, some Tim Holtz goodies, Santuary stuff, A gorgeous Yankee Candle lamp which is something I have always wanted, a brand new copy of Light A Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy to replace my battered old copy that finally fell apart and had to go in the bin, a Crafty Individuals stamp, 3 sets of Inkadinkado stamps and a Docrafts storage unit with pull down drawers. Ooooh and I also got a new tomato pincushion from Smudgie which I have wanted for ages to replace my old one.
All I need now is some energy to play with it all.

Hope you have all had a lovely peaceful Christmas.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Town Trauma!!!

I hit town in Ashby today to finish off my Christmas shopping...........and really wished I hadn't....lol!!! I was only out for just over an hour and came back feeling like I had been trampled on. Can't think of anything else we might need now and if I do.....tough.....we can go without.
While I was out I did pay a visit to the fabric shop to pick up a few things to have a play with over Christmas.

Like this............. ......... and the bottom green fabric here..........

..........and this..........

..........and all this..........

..........the triangle folded pieces were new today. The others I bought last week.

There is another picture but couldn't upload it.

I haven't the faintest idea what I am going to do with it all but oooooh it's lovely to stroke.......lol!!!

I also got a couple of sewing magazines and one about crotchet just for something different to read.

Decided to cook the ham tonight so that I can get some cleaning done tomorrow night in the hope that I might get to relax a bit on Christmas Eve instead of rushing around like a mad thing. I've done enough rushing about today to do me for the next five Christmases........lol!!!

Right I am off for a bath while the ham boils. It will be done by 1am after which I have to put the coating on and then bake it in the oven for another hour. Hope I manage to get up for work tomorrow.

Thanks for dropping by.

Sheila-x-

Brain?.........Wot Brain?!!!

I don't know where my brain is today. It certainly ain't tucked neatly between me ears.....that's for sure........lol!!!
Halfway home from work today I realised that I had left my Christmas shopping behind.....the very Christmas shopping I crammed into a frantic 20 minutes before I opened the shop. My language was very unladylike to say the least as it was stuff I wanted to get wrapped and finished tonight but neither hubby nor myself felt like turning around and going back. This means I don't have the two new magazines I treated myself to either as they are in one of the bags................grrrrrrrr I was going to curl up with them tonight too.

I have rediscovered my love of interior design and decorating with a leaning towards Shabby Chic so I treated myself to a couple of home mags to drool over.
I've also been browsing some Shabby Chic homemakers blogs..........man............I want to live in every one of the houses I have seen. There are some seriously canny shoppers and talented alterers around.

Paid my first visit to the sewing school/fabric shop in Ashby the other day and have started a small collection of fat quarters again. I love fat quarters.........I'd love the whole bolt even more....lol!!!

As you can see.....I have no cards tonight.....sorry. I am just too weary at the moment to rush upstairs after work to make something just for the sake of it. But I may be making at the shop tomorrow because as you can imagine it is fairly quiet this week.
I'm off for a soak in a nice hot bath now.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Sheila-x-

Paper Patchwork!!!

Eeeeeeh........did ya think I'd left the country?
Sorry I have just been busy and we have had all sorts going on at home this last week.
Been trying to finish up the present shopping but still have a couple of things I need to buy and get wrapped.
The shop closes on Wednesday and I will be there until then so I will cook the ham for our Christmas Eve tea on Wednesday evening rather than leaving it until Thursday. That will be the best way to make sure it's cold............I can't bear warm ham....yuck!!!

Not much in the mood for cardmaking at the moment but I did make the card and bag up above for a class on Saturday.
The card is half inch strips of co-ordinating papers arranged around a central square to look like patchwork.
The bag is one of those that has a box in the bottom.
Papers are Basic Grey.
Butterfly stamp is Inkadinkado.

Still waiting for the snow we were promised. I think everyone has got it but us...lol!!!
I looked out the window this morning and thought I saw about three tiny flakes....slight exaggeration there were a few more than that but if you'd have blinked you would have missed them.
We did get some up at Ashby last week but I think I would rather be snowed in at home and not have to go to work.......not the other way round.....lol!!!

Anyway I am off to chuck my sorry carcass on the sofa where I am going to read for a while and then I am having an early night.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

The New Me!!!

Oh gawd........I think I am better. I have gone all day without having to have a nap...........yay!!!
I didn't do the kitchen today.......DD was worried it would set me back if I did too much so she is going to help me with that on Sunday.
She did allow me to potter about in my room and although I didn't make any cards I did get quite a bit of cutting up done.
After that she made me sit on the sofa, made the tea and we watched an obscene number of episodes of Private Practice......a spin off of Grey's Anatomy. It is brilliant.
We laughed, we cried, we drooled over the gorgeous fellas and I feel so much better for that.

So work now with only one day off before Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow I have to design some cards for a class that Deb has booked in for Saturday so I might have something to post at last.

Tonight I will start reading my Christmas book.....Winter Solstice and guess what.......we have snow predicted on our bit of the map so I am squishing my nose to the window every five minutes to see if it has started.........getting in touch with my inner child.......lol!!!

Anyway I am off for a bath now. I have gone cold as DD and I were so engrossed in Private Practice that we let the fire go out and my feet are a very peculiar shade of blue.

Bye for now
Sheila-x-

Getting Back To Normal!!!

Feeling even more better today although still very tired.
I really don't know what has been wrong with me. It wasn't a cold or upset stomach just very headachey, so tired I could barely move and absolutely no appetite......very strange.
On Friday I had thought that maybe I had drunk too much coffee at work on Thursday and had a sort of hangover. I usually drink decaff at home when I drink coffee.
Well whatever it was it's on it's way.

I haven't done any cardmaking today. Instead I have been straightening up the workroom. Got rid of some storage I no longer needed and condensed some stuff down.
All of my ink pads are now on the book shelf. Until I can afford one of those gorgeous purpose built ink pad storage units it will make my life so much easier.
Just need to sort out my boxes of offcuts now. They drive me mad. No matter how organised I start off they always end up a mess.
Once that is done I shall get the Christmas pressies wrapped and out of the way so I can crack on with some crafting.

Tomorrow if I have any energy I am going to start on cleaning the kitchen up so that I don't have it all to do on Christmas Eve. It's a job I don't like very much but it has to be done.

Right.....I am off back upstairs for an hour before bed time.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Alcohol Inks......With Peeloffs!!!

At the beginning of the week I was having a bit of a mooch through my backgrounds box and came across the two pieces used here which I thought went very well together.
The first is the green background which is silver holographic (nasty......lol) card covered with scrunched tissue paper and coloured with inks.
The second is more nasty card coloured with alcohol inks.
I know that the usual thing would be to do some clever stamping with these but I thought I would do the opposite and use up a sheet of 3D peeloffs which I had aquired from somewhere. I think it worked quite well.

Thankfully I am starting to feel a little better now. Not 100% but getting there.
I went into town with hubby this morning to do some freezer shopping and had to have a sleep when I got back as I was exhausted.
While in town we had to split up for a while as we wanted to go into different shops and hubby very kindly bought me a bath bomb. Trouble is it smells so highly of cloves that it takes the skin off the inside of your nose.....pheee....ew!!! I have left it out unwrapped to try and calm it down a bit before I use it. Bless him though eh?

We are celebrating the X Factor result at Manic Towers tonight. So chuffed that Joe won and I love the song that will be his first single so much that I will definitely be buying it.

After Tuesday I only have one day off before Christmas Eve as I am looking after the shop while Deb goes into hospital. There are no classes that I know of so I shall just have a good tidy up ready for when we re-open in the new year.

Anyway I am off for a Badedas bath......yummy......and a good read for half an hour after which I might watch a girly film once hubby has gone off to bed.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Poorly Manic!!!

I am so sorry there have been no pics posted for a few days.
First of all I was busy with things for the open night and then I was at the shop later on Thursday for the open night. Friday I was rather poorly and spent most of the day on the sofa drifting in and out of sleep. I started to perk up a bit in the late evening but today I haven't felt too fabulous either.
I have a couple of cards which I did earlier in the week which I will try and take photographs of tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks for your patience.
Sheila-x-

Sleepy In Staffordshire!!!

Mmmmm.....doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Sleepy In Seattle does it?
However sleepy is what I am today despite having an easy day.
Deb and I spent the day sorting out stock for the sale and the raffle and then we tidied the workroom ready for doing the demo's.
There are lots of bargains to be had at half price....stamps, paper pads, Christmas stock, embellishments plus loads more and special offers for one day only and a special offer on the Epic which is £70 only until December 24th.
Also...while stocks last.....people spending over £20 will receive a free plastic wallet with fifteen sheets of assorted card and paper inside.........nice stuff too........I know as I filled them....wink, wink.........lol!!!

Anyway I obviously worked harder than I thought and I am ready for bed even though it's not yet midnight which is practically unheard of for me......lol!!!
So I am going to say night night and get gone.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Tall Gift Bag & Card!!!

A tall gift bag made from a 12x12 sheet of card and a matching card.
The band around the bag is made from a strip of silver card embossed with a Quickutz 12" embossing folder and the tag is embossed with the Quickutz Snowflake folder.

I'm still getting Christmas card orders coming in so can't put away all my festive crafting stuff yet although I would love to so that I can get on with other things.

Feeling proper off it today which is just about right when I manage to get a whole day upstairs. I hope I'm not coming down with a cold because I just don't need it at the minute.

Right.....I shall go and get on with this new order so I can deliver it in the morning.

Bye for now......and thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Pastel Oriental!!!

Well I actually managed to go out this morning but had quite a disappointing morning. Only managed to pick up one present, the coffee shop was packed and we couldn't get a seat and I was really disappointed with the Christmas displays although there were some gorgeous decorations.
We ended up heading for home and having a coffee at Costa Coffee in Tesco.......not my favourite place.
I did get some nice card from a stand in the cross stitch shop so I suppose it wasn't a total washout.

Escaped to my workroom after dinner and made a few of the card up yonder. The paper is Basic Grey Urban Couture. Sorry I don't know whose the stamp is as it's unmounted and I can't even remember buying it......lol!!!

Off to snag a space on the sofa ready for X Factor.

Thanks for visiting.
Sheila-x-

Celtic Colours!!!

Here's one of the Celtic cards I have been making over the last couple of days. The Basic Grey distressed papers are just perfect for these and I have a huge stash of them so now have a good pile of cards done in all different colourways but this one is my favourite. I think the stamps were Dovecraft but I'm not 100% sure as I have taken them off their blocks and they have just been stamped onto one of the coloured papers in Ancient Page Coal Black. Then they were layered onto gold card.

Couldn't be bothered to go into town again today so DD and I are off to Trentham Gardens in the morning.Loads of shops there so I should be able to get started on Christmas shopping plus it's much nicer than town and they have fabulous coffee shops.........Cappucino.....yum yum!!!

I've got tomorrow's dinner simmering on the stove.....a lovely beef casserole. So that will just need finishing off when we get back tomorrow. Just the thing to come home to if it's a damp and dreary day.

Stopping downstairs now until teatime so I think I'll have a bit of a browse around the net and visit a few blogs.

Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-

I Fibbed!!!

Sorry......I fibbed. This is definitely the very last Christmas Easel Card I am making this year.
I forgot that I had done this one.
Die cut bracket shape is actually a frame from a Cuttlebug Cut and Emboss die. Circles are Quickutz and the snowflake is a Dovecraft punch.

Today {Friday} I have been doing something different as I have definitely finished with Christmas now thank goodness. I am using up a pile of Basic Grey 6x6 plain papers..... which I have been hoarding forever........and making some Celtic cards.
Was going to go into town this afternoon but just couldn't face it. Will need to go at some point I suppose.

Not enjoying the second book DD got for me but am trolling through it....it may get better.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Acetate Smash!!!

Sounds quite violent doesn't it? Acetate Smash.......lol!!!
It's quite a gentle technique though involving stamping onto acetate, adding acrylic paint to the reverse of the image and then placing it onto a piece of neutral cardstock.
Gorgeous effect though.
Here I have mounted the piece onto some gold card and then attached it to the stamped card blank with gold elasticated thread.
Stamps are Hero Arts and Stamp To Your Arts Content.

Well I have come home with card cutters elbow. I have been prepping a class for tomorrow and have spent the whole day scoring and cutting all the bits needed.

Still feeling a bit tired so DD is insisiting on my taking a night off tomorrow night and I am not going to argue. She has offered to cook again bless her and apparently I am to do nothing except go straight up and have a shower, change into my pj's and get comfy on the sofa. Ooooh I could get used to that.......lol!!!

The man of the house has just arrived home so I had best go and have a cuppa with him before he goes off to bed. I am going to read for a while as I am just about to start the second of the books that DD bought me.
The first was Last Christmas by Julia Williams and I loved it.

Thanks for your visit today.
Sheila-x-

Paint Effect!!!

Here's a little something I made while I was at work today.
The mountboard tag has been done using the Peeled Paint technique which uses petroleum jelly to create a resist for acrylic paint.
In real life the green paint is much softer.....it looks kind of hideous in this pic.....lol!!!
Script stamp is Hero Arts and the Queen Anne's Lace is Penny Black.
Paints used are Plaid Folk Art.

Had a fab class with some lovely ladies this morning and I have an all day class to do on Thursday and then I think that's classes pretty much done with for this year. I can't do any next week as the first part of the week we will be getting ready for our Christmas Party Day.
For any customers that read this blog we will be open from 10am to 7pm on Thursday 10th December. I will be demonstrating stamping and the Quickutz Epic in the upstairs workroom all day and we will have nibbles and drinks available up there too.
There will be a raffle and it will also be the start of our Winter Sale.
So come along and grab some bargains.

Feel totally whacked now so another early night I think.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Icy Easel!!!

The last of my Christmas Easel cards for this year.
I've used my favourite Basic Grey papers for this one. The bottom panel is blank at the moment as I am going to send this one to DD and it will have her name on it.

Today I started thinking about the fact that I will probably have two weeks off at Christmas and I really want to get back into stamping while I am off. I have made way too many cards with no stamping lately. So my big job for today was to locate every last ink pad in my pit of a room, label them all and display them on a bookcase where they are easier to get to. I have filled the bookcase but still have four drawers of small ink pads. Now I need to get all my embossing powders to hand and I shall be well set for a mega stamping binge.
It's starting to look unnaturally tidy up there but once I have finished with Christmas cards I shall soon mess it up again.......lol!!!

Had a lovely treat tonight........DD cooked tea........and we didn't have to call the fire brigade.....lol!!! She cooked sausages with scrambled egg, baked beans and toast and it really hit the spot on such a cold night. Best be good tomorrow night and have something healthy although I'm drawing the line at salad.......it's too cold.

Looking forward to the weekend when we put up the Christmas tree.
DD has found me a couple of new books with a Christmas theme to get me in the mood and once I have read those I shall be getting out my Rosamund Pilcher book Winter Solstice which I read every year........but not until it gets cold enough to snuggle under my fleecy blanket while I read it. After that I will read The Christmas Mouse by Miss Read. My copy is so well read that it is falling to pieces. Must get a new copy if I can find one.

Right that's me done for the night. Work tomorrow so I must have an earlier night.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Christmas Present!!!

While I was sorting out some stuff I came across a couple of these Christmas present toppers I made some time ago so thought I would use them up. The body of the present is made from a piece of card wrapped in gold printed organza fabric. I don't normally use satin ribbon on cards as I find it a bit too heavy......plus I am not good at tying neat bows with it.
The embellishments are......Holly.......Crafts For Christmas and Gold Poinsettia.......Crafty Bits.
Just matted onto gold pearl card and then onto a cream card blank.

Does anybody else have those days that are just a mess from start to finish or is it just me?
Had my day planned out....which included the unexpected DG session....but nothing went right from the time I got up. Hubby decided he wanted whole shallots in the casserole and we didn't have any in. Obviously it being Sunday the supermarket doesn't open until 10am so I couldn't get anything done until he got back. Well he was gone for bloomin' ages. I was getting so ticked off. Then he saunters in and says 'Ooh I just fancied a wander round the car boot sale at the race course'. I could have throttled him.......mmm might just leave that until after Christmas.......lol!!!

Anyway I eventually got to spend a bit of time in my workroom and made the grand total of........no cards. I got sidetracked by some stuff that wanted putting away and one thing led to another. Then it was time for X Factor and I just didn't get going again after that.

Was sad to see Lloyd go as I loved his performances this weekend........especially A Million Love Songs. I'd have been happier if Danyl had gone but hey ho at least Joe is still there bless him. Would love to see Joe and Stacey in the final.

I've gone quite chilly sitting here so I think I'll have a hot drink and then get to bed.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-

Nesties In The Epic!!!

Managed to have a play with my new baby.......the Quickutz Epic.
I used a couple of Nesties and they cut beautifully on the cutting platform with no shims or anything......brilliant.
As well as having a go with my new toy I was trying to use up the last of my pink and brown kit I bought from Craftwork Cards. These cards are so tiny at 3 1/2 x 3 1/2. I don't usually make such small cards but these are to go into little totes so they are perfect and I love them.
ETA......Sorry I forgot to say that the cupcakes are a Sizzlet diecut.

Hubby has at last put in a new light fitting on the landing just outside my craft room.....no more going downstairs in the pitch black hoping I don't break my neck.
I have had to settle for one that is OK rather than having what I would have liked as it is a wall light and there is no room to have anything that sticks out too far. At least it's better than what was there before.

For the first time in what feels like a hundred years.....I am going to be on my own, on a Saturday night. DD will be off to work at 7:30 and hubby is off out to somebodies birthday or retirement do.....not sure which. Oooooh I get to watch X Factor in peace. Usually spend most of it telling hubby and the dog to shut up as because he isn't fond of watching it he starts a play fight with the dog who gruffs and grumbles very loudly.

Hoping to get a full day up in my room tomorrow as I have done the DG duties for the last two days......uh oh.....that's just been knocked on the head as hubby has just informed me that he would like the Winter Pork Casserole for dinner tomorrow instead of a roast. OK......I'll try for Monday then........lol!!!

Right I'd better go and mash the potatoes for the fish pie we are having tonight.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Play Time!!!

Hi there.
Sorry there was no blog post last night. I bought my new baby home with me, went upstairs to play and then spent two hours trying to clear up to give me room to play. So all I have done is run one embossing folder through it.....lol!!!
Anyhoo.....I have a couple of jobs to get done housewise and then I am off upstairs. I will play today if it kills me.
Catch you later
Sheila-x-

Santa Goes A-Wassailing!!!

Yet another card to add to the Christmas pile.
The gorgeous Santa is an Inkadinkado stamp and is stamped in Cranberry Adirondack then edged in Pesto.
Background paper is Basic Grey Wassail......hence the stupid post title......lol!!!
The sentiment ticket was a free download from Miss Cutie Pie. There are others on the sheet and they are really lovely.

Had a very busy day at the shop today and the Epics arrived just before closing. I didn't get chance to unpack it never mind play so hopefully Deb and I will be able have a look at it tomorrow and I'll let you know what it's like.

Saw the first house with it's Christmas decs up yesterday. A tad early for me......I shan't put mine up until at least.........ooooh tomorrow........only joking......lol!!!
No mine will be up the first week of December after I have mucked out this pig sty of a house. Once again I have left it too late to change the colour scheme......which I have been going to do for the last five years.....lol!!!
Christmas day this year was going to be odd as there would have been no DS and DD is at work all over Christmas on nights but now DS and DDIL are coming for the whole day so it will be great and I am really looking forward to it.

Well that's me done for tonight and I am off for a snooze.

Thanks for dropping by
Sheila-x-

Bauble For You.....Two!!!

Another bauble card. Same layout as yesterday's but this time I have used a bauble cut on the Cricut and foil patterned card instead of ribbon.
Yesterday's card was an A5 size and this one is 5x7.

For customers at Monks Den who have been awaiting restocking of Collall Photo Glue..........it's now back in stock and we have boat loads. Plus we have restocked on some Cuttlebug folders and dies and have some new ones in.
We are also very excited as the Quickutz Epic should be arriving tomorrow. My name is on one as DD is buying me one for Christmas.

Well I am off up to my workroom as I have card orders and some tidying to do.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Bauble For You!!!

Still chugging out the Christmas cards and I shan't half be glad when I'm done. Should really be finished by now but I had a bad patch where I got a bit behind with them. Another week should be enough on them I reckon.
Anyhoo......this one is the Cuttlebug Cut and Emboss bauble. At first I didn't like the embossed panel on it and was cutting plain baubles and dressing them up myself but I like it more now.
The ribbon is very precious stash which I bought two or three years ago and have been saving for just the right project......lol!!! Wish I had bought more at the time because I really love it.

Yesterday I heard the very sad news that a friend had passed away after fighting the return of breast cancer.
Maureen you will be so sadly missed.
Might I ask if you could mention in your prayers tonight Maureen's daughter Emma who has lost both of her parents within a couple of months. I am heartbroken for her.

Thank you.

Appreciate you dropping by tonight.
Sheila-x-

Pop Up Card!!!

Had some fun making this Pop Up Card.
You can get instructions for this from Splitcoast Stampers. I made mine a little wider than the instructions as I wanted to fit these two pop outs onto the front.
The snowman is Inkadinkado and the tree is handcut and embossed with a Quickutz folder. The baubles are peeloff dots as I didn't have enough of the clear gems I wanted to use.

Had an enquiry about the greeting used on yesterday's card. It's a peeloff believe it or not. I just love the font and wish I could find the same thing in a stamp.

Got my DG hat on again today and have made another of our favourite winter warmer meals. Tonight we are having Hash Jackets. I don't normally like jacket potatoes but I will eat them if the potato is scooped out and mixed with something.

To make Hash Jackets you will need-:

1 large baking potato per person, scrubbed and pricked with a fork.
2 medium onions, peeled and diced.
Butter.
Creamed Horseradish Sauce.
English Mustard.
Tin of Corned Beef, diced.
Salt and ground black pepper.

Bake the potatoes on a fairly high heat so that the skins are crispy when cooked.

Melt butter in a frying pan and saute the onions until soft.
Add one teaspoon of mustard and one teaspoon of horseradish sauce to the onions and mix thoroughly.
When potatoes are cooked cut them in half, scoop out the potato into a mixing bowl (save the skins as you will need them later) and mash them down a little.
Add the onion mixture and mix thoroughly then gently fold in the Corned Beef.
Season to taste and then divide the mixture between the potato skins and return to a hot oven to brown.

I serve this with salad and crusty bread.

Right best go and feed them.......they're acting like I've been starving them for a week...lol!!!

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Back to Normal......ish!!!

This is another of the cards I was making with my Blue Awning papers last weekend. I love it when the paper does pretty much all of the work for you.....lol!!!

Sorry about my short post the other day when I was feeling somewhat less than happy........actually I was like a bag of ferrets. If I had stayed on any longer I would probably have had a bit of a rant and then regretted it the next day. I am still fairly p'd off about a couple of things but am calming down gradually.

I have a couple of new things which I need to take pics of tomorrow. Missed the light today as I was fiddling about with something called an Endless Card.....I could have called it something else.......lol!!! Anyway it ended up in the bin and I shall have another go when I am a bit less stressed.

DD has gone out for the night so I am cooking hubby a nice supper for when he comes in and I think I will take a break tonight and watch a film with him then have a good night's sleep.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Just A Quickie!!!

Just a quick post tonight.
For several reasons I am in a foul temper and not very nice to know.

This is a different version of a card I did a few weeks ago.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Happy New Year!!!

I've never really bothered making new year cards but this year I loved this stamp in a Papermania set and wanted to use it.
The image is just stamped in plain black onto some gorgeous cream card, matted onto some pearlised gold card and then a black embossed panel.
I've just noticed that the photo is a bit blurred....sorry.

Had a lovely afternoon today. DD finished work this morning after an horrendous week and said that after she had had a couple of hours sleep that we would go out. So we have been to Bridgemere Garden Centre, had our scone and pot of tea, a mooch around the Christmas displays and then a visit to Hobbycraft where I picked up a couple of bits I needed. We have had a good laugh and are both much better for our afternoon trip.
Now I need to go and catch up on some work.

Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Busy Gal!!!

Sorry I have been a bad blogger for the last couple of days but I have had my head down and been getting on with some cards ready to go to the local shop. Sometimes in the rush of getting Christmas stuff done I do neglect my every day cards and that is what I have been catching up on.
This weekend I thought I would tackle my stash of K & Co paper and made some cards using my most favourite ever collection....Blue Awning.
This is an 8x8 card.
Scallop and circle are Nestabilities.
The plaque for the sentiment and the buttons in the centres of the flowers are Blue Awning embellishments.
I managed to make twenty cards and still have a pile of papers left so I shall have to have another session with it at some point.

Was completely underwhelmed by X Factor last night....apart from a quiet drool over Brian May.......had to be quiet as hubby was watching too.......lol!!!
I thought the only two who did passable peformances were Lloyd and Joe but God forgive me I did rather enjoy Jedward's version of Under Pressure......OK I will go and shoot myself now after that confession.......lol!!!
Haven't a clue who will go tonight so will just have to wait and see.

Got a date with a roll of double sided tape now so best go and get on.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

No Christmas.......Again!!!

Another couple of cards done with the stamps from the Papermania Chatsworth range. Both really simple as these and the two I posted yesterday are just quick samples to display in the shop.

Paper on the top card is All Around The Block.

Lovely weather today.......lol!!!

It's the start of my weekend and I have just spent a lovely couple of hours up in my room all nice and cosy with the rain battering on the roof.........bliss!!!

Tomorrow I shall be spending the morning being a Domestic Goddess. Hubby is craving a homemade Steak and Kidney pie........gawd I hope he's not pregnant....lol!!!So I am going to cook the meat and let it stand overnight before I make the pie on Saturday. It always tastes so much nicer the next day.

Then it will be the usual tidying up after a week of us all being on different shifts. After that I am freeeeeeeeee......yay and I shall be spending the rest of the weekend crafting and watching X Factor.

Right now I am going to lollop about for a while doing whatever takes me fancy.

Thanks for dropping by.

Sheila-x-

No Christmas Today!!!

Moving house is on the cards today and I have used some new stamps from Papermania to make these two cards.

For the top card I have created a background onto Bazzill cardstock using Versamark as a watermark ink.

The Sizzix circle has been masked and chalked to give the illusion of a floor and papered wall and then the images were stamped in Olive Green StazOn. The front part of the chair and the lampshade have been stamped again and cut out then attached with foam pads.

Finished it off with a touch of gold Stickles and some ribbon.

The second card has been masked to create a carpet with chalk and then overstamped with one of the small floral stamps in the set and Timber Brown StazOn.

I think the paper is S.E.I but not sure as I just grabbed it and used it. That was brushed over with a little brown chalk.

Oval is Sizzix and the sentiment is on the stamp set.

There are two more cards which I will post tomorrow and one of them....much to my shame and embarrassment is pink......lol!!!

The posh pan has been out again tonight. I cooked sausages in it and wow were they gorgeous or what? I've never been a fan of sausages with pink stripes in them where they won't lie properly under the grill. These were beautifully and evenly brown. So that is dead impressed number 2.

Everyone must be getting into Christmas mode now as it's been very busy at the shop again today. We have nearly sold out of the Forever Friends Christmas decoupage packs and the last Papermania tree stamp went this morning..........shame........I had my eye on that one......lol!!!

Well that's me done for tonight. I was a bit naughty and didn't have my early night last night. I went to bed at 3am and was up again at 5.30am so I am feeling just a tad weary now. Going to make myself a cuppa and read a couple of pages of my book before I turn in........honestly.......lol!!!

Thanks for dropping by

Sheila-x-

All Work.................!!!

............and no play makes Manicstamper a dull blogger.......lol!!!
I have made cards at work today but couldn't bring them home to photograph as there was stuff still drying on them and I didn't want to risk spoiling them. I'll bring them home tomorrow............and guess what..........not a Christmas card to be seen.
Since coming home I have managed to rack up six new year cards but they need something just to finish them off. So I have been busy........just got nothing to show for it at the moment.

Hubby has bought me a new kitchen gadget.......he is soooooo romantic....not.....lol!!!
Anyway he has bought me an Actifry so that he can have chips again........ooh he does make me laugh!!!
We tried it last night and I was quite impressed so can't wait to try other things in it now.........plus it looks dead posh sitting on the counter top......lol!!!

Had a busy day at the shop today besides making cards. For some reason stamps have been a big seller today with quite a few ladies buying them who have never stamped before. Does my heart good to welcome newbies into the fold. I love to see the excitement when someone is trying something they haven't done before.......I am a soft old bat.

I'm a bit shattered tonight so I am going to have a lovely cuppa while I surf the net for a while and then an earlier than usual night as I have to be out early in the morning.

Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Peeled Paint Santa!!!

I've put tonight's card on my other blog HERE

Been having a bit of me time yesterday and today as when I got home from work last night I felt like I had been kicked in the face by a very large donkey. I have the hugest cold sore........well actually due to it's size it could well be another head growing.......ha ha ha!!! Gawd it doesn't half hurt. I thought I had grown out of them as I haven't had one for absolutely ages.......guess I was wrong.
Didn't get up to my workroom until after X Factor but I still made five cards before I went to bed.

Talking of X Factor.........I think the judges must be listening to something totally different to what we are listening to. They thought Jamie was fantastic while hubby, DD and I thought it wasn't the best song choice. On the other hand they didn't rate Lloyd and we loved his performance last night.
I used to love the film Ghostbusters but I'll never be able to watch it again after seeing that ridiculous performance by Jedward.....dreadful.
Anyway not long to wait for the results show and we may be lucky and get rid of them tonight.

ETA..........that result was just WRONG!!!

Thanks for dropping by
Sheila-x-

Not A Snowflake In Sight!!!

Needed a quick break from Christmas so I put together this card using a set of stamps by Inkadinkado and some Costco paper.
The back panel has been matted before embossing with the Cuttlebug music folder and then I ran some silver card through my Dymo machine to print the words birthday and boy.
The brads were patterned so I sanded them and then stamped using StazOn.
Today I am back to the Christmas cards.........bah humbug!!!

Sorry I didn't blog last night but I was feeling pretty grotty all day yesterday and by the time I had got home from work and tidied up my pit of a room.....all I was fit for was bed. Still don't feel fabulous today but hey ho I'll just keep trolling on. DD was going to take me out this afternoon and treat me to a scone and tea at our favourite garden centre but when it came to I just couldn't summon up the energy to get ready and go so we are saving that for Sunday.

I'm at the shop tomorrow and then I have a couple of days off so I need to make heaps more Christmas cards and some everyday cards........oh no......that means heaps of packing too....yuck!!!

Well I had best go and wash the pots before hubby gets home and then I shall treat myself to a soak in the bath for half an hour. After that I have a few cards I want to finish off......no rest for the wicked eh........lol!!!

Thanks for your visit today.
Sheila-x-

Swirly Snow Ornament Card!!!

This is the card I made on Tuesday before my mojo took a hike.
Stamps are Inkadinkado and I think they are Gemstone Elements. The set has a good assortment of stamps anyway and is very useful for backgrounds. It's not particularly a Christmas set but I think it works OK.
The background swirl is stamped onto gloss card and embossed with white EP. I then watered down some Denim Adirondack ink and swooshed it over with a large paintbrush. I did the same with the stamped elements on the ornament. Layered it up with a punched snowflake and added thread and ribbon. Easy peasy........lol!!!

Tonight I finished one of the cards I started last night and then spent the rest of the night packing up the Christmas stock to go down to the shop tomorrow. I'll still need to make a few more so will get my head down at the weekend and do that.
Still had no mojo when I was at the shop today..........I know........a shop full of stuff and no bloomin' mojo!!! Mind you I did feel a bit under the weather with a niggly headache and my shoulder hurt for some reason. Feel fine now.

Can't wait for DS and DDIL to come home at the weekend. I'm hoping they will either come for a meal when they get back on Saturday or they may come for Sunday lunch.

For now....I am off to snuggle on the sofa for half an hour before bed time.
Ta-ra for now......and thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Nearly The Last One!!!

Sorreeeeee!!!..........it's the poinsettia again.
I promise there is only one more to go after this one..........lol!!!
The card is so not how it started out. I was aiming to make a square card and right at the last minute I ruined it by smudging the stamped greeting. So I had to chop it down and remount it onto another card blank. Have to say I like this one more than the original.
The poinsettia is stamped again onto gold and green Curious Metallics vellum and then mounted onto circles cut out with Quickutz nesting dies.
The gold patterned vellum has been layered onto cream card and then gold.
I think the ribbon was from Monks Den Crafts but I am not 100% sure as I have had for ages.

Hasn't it been cold today? I love it!!!
Got home from work and changed into my snuggly clothes and......absolute bliss.......my Cooler slippers which I haven't had on since last winter. Crocs just do not have the same 'walking on air' feeling that my Cooler's have.

Managed to make a pathetic one card while I was at work today. It would have been two but the second one I did was so disgusting I ripped it up and chucked it in the bin........lol!!! After that me mojo deserted me so I just gave up and tidied everything away. I have managed a couple since I got home which need finishing off tomorrow so thank goodness my mojo only went on a day trip.

All snuggled up by the heater now so I think I'll see if there's anything I can watch on either of the iplayers as I'm not quite ready to sleep yet.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Jolly Holly!!!

Found this patterned vellum while I was ferreting about so I thought I'd use it up.
Holly leaves are handcut and the swirl border is a Sizzlet Extended die.

Blogging early tonight as DD is finished work now for a week and I am back tomorrow so we are having a nice tea and watching a film for a couple of hours. It's a welcome break as I have been cutting card blanks all day and did over 500. I hadn't realised I had got so low on them. Just need to stock up on envelopes now.

Right best go and check on tea before it burns.

Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Whoooooooooo!!!

The girl known as DDIL.........................she say YES!!!
My baby boy is engaged to be married and an expectant father...........oh my gawd where did the time go?
We are so happy.

Thanks for dropping by and sharing in this happy happy day.
Sheila-x-

Black & White Christmas Scene!!!

Well I managed to get a picture tonight. It looks like my SD card has had it though why is a mystery to me. I don't take that many photos really. Anyway that means I am stuck for a bit and can only take a couple of pics at a time so I have to keep going back and taking shots until I get one that's just right rather than taking a few at once. It's a bit of a bag but hey ho.

So here is the card I should have posted last night. My favourite black and white.
I forgot to check the stamp manufacturer as I did this at work but am almost sure it's Creative Expressions.
The image is stamped in Onyx Black Versafine onto satin card and embossed with holographic EP which gives a beautiful illusion of depth to the sky.

Not heard from DS yet so no news to announce. They travelled down to Cornwall today so maybe they are tired. If he keeps me waiting until they get back I will have a few choice words to say to that young man.

I am a bit whacked myself tonight so I am vegging out in front of the computer for a bit of blog hopping and maybe a game later.
Thanks for the visit today.
Sheila-x-

Oh Dear!!!

Well the pic I was going to post tonight was not meant to be. All day I kept saying 'I'll do that in a minute'. Got round to it this evening and for once it looked like it was going to be a good picture despite being taken by the light of a daylight lamp...........and it looks like me camera is busted.
Put the plug into the USB and straightaway I knew something was wrong as it didn't do what it usually does. Got into the files for the camera and it was full of folders and huge files........I had only taken six pics........and gobbledegook stuff I didn't even understand. So I took it out pretty sharpish and I shall have a look at it tomorrow when I get back from work.
Fortunately DD has my other one which I gave her after I had dropped it when I was changing the batteries. It wouldn't work after I put new batteries in so I thought it was broke. Sent her out to get me a new one and an hour after she got back with the new one I found that I had put the batteries in the other camera the wrong way..........so it wasn't broken at all. This was quite a long time ago and I can laugh about it now although I didn't at the time. Gawd I can hear you all giggling from here.........lol!!!

We've been out this evening to visit DS and DDIL as they are going on holiday tomorrow and it's also DDIL's birthday so we wanted to make sure she got her card and pressie to take with her.
Tomorrow is 'the big day' when he will be proposing to her and we are all excited and nervous. I am so excited that I feel sick.
DS snuck hubby off to see the ring and he says it's beautiful. I would rather see it when she is wearing it.
I'll update when I know what the answer is.

Off to work tomorrow and the next couple of Saturday's as Deb's mum is in hospital recovering from an operation on her knee. We visited last night and she looks fantastically well.
So I have to have a bit earlier night tonight. Very strange for a Friday as I am usually up until about two or three am fiddling about. Better go and get my beauty sleep if I don't want to frighten the customers........lol!!!

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Side Step Christmas Card!!!

Really enjoyed doing this Side Step card. Being the plank I am I forget where I got the basic instructions but I have enlarged this to a 5 3/4 inch square. I have also bought the back panel down as I didn't like how it sat when the card was open.
The papers are Papermania and I don't think you can see to well here that they are linen effect. Very beautiful to work with.
Stamps are Inkadinkado.

Another busy day at the shop today. I have almost sold out of the MME Signature Christmas 12x12 pads. Is that paper lush or what?
Today we had lots of new Quickutz embossing folders and a few dies in but I have to resist for the moment.
We are waiting for the Epic to arrive but that is due at the supplier's mid November. One has my name on it........my Christmas pressie from DD. I'm looking forward to trying that out as I have quite a few Sizzlit Extended Cut dies and I don't use them as much as I should.

Anyway I am off to make a cuppa and then have a browse before bedtime.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Last Of The Easel Cards For Now!!!

It was very wintery looking this morning when I got up but it's still a bit too warm for me. I can't wait until we have to light the fire every night and I'll be glad when it's dark at 4pm as then hopefully the nice little children that bomb around the back field on scrambling bikes will stay in and watch telly instead. I have no problem with them enjoying themselves but if you could hear the noise of half a dozen of them going round......it drives me insane. Yesterday they were out there from 9:30am to about 5pm and I was almost a gibbering wreck by the time they had done.....so much for a peaceful day off.

Been quite busy today and didn't manage to finish my prep for Thursday when I have an all day class so I bought that home. I thought it best as if it's busy tomorrow and I don't get it done I shall be somewhat stuffed because I have work of my own I have to get done tomorrow night.

Having to walk through the shop with my eyes closed now as we have had so many deliveries just lately. I am on a severe stash diet and dare not be tempted.

Sorry tonight's card is yet another Easel Card but it's all I have on the camera at the minute. There will be a new style tomorrow.

Anyhoo.....I am off for a mooch around before bed.
Thanks for your visit today.
Sheila-x-

Cricut Swirly Tree!!!

Just a quick post tonight as I have loads of stuff still left to do.

Spent this morning making six of these Cricut Swirly Tree cards. Don't know why the left side of this pic is so blurred and the light was getting too bad to take another one.

Got prep to do for a class tomorrow so I had best go and get on.

Thanks for dropping by tonight.
Sheila-x-

Santa Easel Card!!!

Loving the Easel Cards. This one is the pretty much the same as the first one I made because I still had some of the bits lying about on my desk. This time I have embossed the tag and stamped a Santa image by Rubadubbadoo on the circle.
I am absolutely whacked today as I spent the morning and early afternoon decorating.......yes you read that right.........I actually got off my behind and did some more to the landing which has been sadly neglected.
So now I am done round to the bathroom door and just have the ceiling and walls to do down the bottom staircase. It will have to be the week after next though because DD will be at work next weekend and she is my little helper who pastes, makes coffee and picks all the horrible bits of wet paper trimmings up off the floor. She's an angel.
After a late lunch I carried on with my sort out. I have a corner in my work room that really, really bugs me so I have tidied it out and have also tidied out the drawers of the sideboard so I now have a sewing drawer and storage for my stock of ds tape and foam pads where I can get at them easily. Plus I have sorted out my box of Christmas stuff and chucked out loads of rubbishy bits.
I should have been making cards but that corner has been bugging me for weeks.
Well what a shock Danyl being in the sing off tonight eh?
He is not my favourite but I didn't expect him to be there. I was betting on Lloyd and Rachel this week.
Was sorry to see Miss Frank go. I think they need to go away now and really work on getting their act together and I'm sure we will see them again some time in the future.
Anyway........thanks for dropping by.
Sheila

Once More For The Kids!!!

• 
  
  
  Some more kids cards from my PC Crafter collection.
  Had a lovely comment from Mel at MelStampz who complimented me on my colouring of the images. Sorry but I can't take the credit for that. The images come like that. Some collections come with a black and white option....although not recent releases.....that are fab for colouring in with Promarkers.
  
  
  
  
• DD has asked me to announce that last nights tea was fabulous. Well I say asked.....she had me on the floor with my arm up my back and demanded.......lol!!! We had bacon and tomatoes in soft rolls.........and Lesley........we love our bacon when it's like crisps. That's OK in a roll but it is difficult to eat with a knife and fork.
  Hubby had bought some ice cream which was so sickly that I won't need any sugar for the next 12 months. Not doing too well with puddings this week am I?
  
  
• Tonight I have done a 'proper' tea....one of our favourite winter warmers and here is the recipe for.............
  
  
  
  
  
• Winter Pork Casserole (Bung it in cooks version.....no tbsp or tsps here)
  
• 
  Cubed pork
  Carrots......chopped chunky
  Sliced onions
  2 small tins Heinz Curried Baked Beans
  1/2 pt chicken stock
  Parsley.....optional
  Seasoning
  
  Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the pork until browned.
  Remove the meat to your chosen cooking vessel and add the onions to the pan.
  Cook until lightly browned and then add the carrots.
  Add the veg to the meat and deglaze the pan with the stock.
  Pour the stock over the other ingredients and then add the beans.
  Add the parsley and season lightly.
  You can leave this simmering all day and then about an hour before serving remove the lid and turn up the heat to reduce the liquid.
  Adjust seasoning just before serving as the flavour intensifies as the stock reduces.
  
  
  
• This is lovely with roast potatoes and brocolli but is just as good with boiled rice.
  
  I know it sounds disgusting with the curried beans but it really is gorgeous and there is no messing about with tsps of herbs and flavourings. It's all there in those two little tins.
  
  Morrisons seems to be the only place we can find the beans so if anyone knows anywhere else please let me know and I will post it here.
  
  
  
• Well now I have fed the wastrels I am off upstairs until X Factor time as I am in the middle of a sort out.
  Thanks for dropping by.
  Sheila-x-