Halloween Shenanigans!!!

Here's the cake I made for DDIL's birthday/halloween party. It went down a storm. The inside is a green sponge cake.....suitably disgusting I thought. In the Asda brochure they had used white marzipan but the thought of eating that made my teeth curl up to the top of my head so I used ready roll icing and rolled it over caster sugar which gave a fab texture to the bandages plus a little sparkle.
Thumbs up to Asda for great idea.
The weather spoilt the party a little as it started raining about half an hour before it started and all the food had to be moved inside. It didn't rain for long but enough to wet everything thoroughly so we stayed inside once the kiddies had done the treasure hunt.

A Doodle Pumpkin....just good enough to eat. Oh she did enjoy herself bless her. My costume lasted all of two minutes. Doodle kidnapped my spider necklace and all the spiders from my cobweb apron, my hat blew off walking up the garden. I never saw it again and the cobweb was driving me nuts so that had to come off as well.
Ah well it was a good fun day.

The workroom has been a hive of non activity for the last few days what with birthday shopping and cake making Friday, the party yesterday and food/home shopping today. The desk has been tidied a little and I have sorted out some of the new envelopes and bags but that's it. However Miss Doodle and her entourage are off on holibobs tomorrow so I should get some work done this week......I hope so as I have another wedding stationery order in and some orders for special cards still to finish.


Right.....time for disc three of the new Bones methinks.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Beautiful Poinsettia-2!!!

 

I have a box full of these poinsettias ready for use so here is card number two.

The background is Basic Grey cut with the Vintage Cabinet Card Alterations die and edged with gold pen.

Circle is printed from a PC Crafter Hugware collection.

I haven't the foggiest idea where the greeting is from. I found a few of them in a box of Christmas bits.

I've also added some punched ferny bits. The poinsettia leaves were a bit OTT on this card.

Corners are punched with an EK Success punch which I have had for a long time so not sure if they still do this one.

Well....DDIL's presents are sorted and DD and I have our costumes ready for tomorrow. I'm a witch.......no costume or make up really necessary really.....lol!!! DD is the Grim Reaper. Honestly we were so excited shopping for the stuff......you wouldn't think we were grown ups. It was amazing what we picked up from the pound shops.

I am just about to start on the birthday cake which is huge and I've pinched an idea out of the Asda seasonal brochure to make my life easier.

Best go and crank up the oven then.

Thanks for your visit.

Sheila-x-

Beautiful Poinsettia!!!

 

Oooh I do so love the new Spellbinders Poinsettia die set.

Here I have cut the flowers from Basic Grey and the leaves from gcd Studios and layered them all up with punched ferny things.

The background paper is also gcd Studios and the swirl is Sizzix.

Today has been a lovely day. It started off at Pear Tree Yard this morning where I stocked up on envelopes and bags. Mr Manic bought me two new sets of stamps......not Christmas so I will have to wait a while to play with those. We picked up a naughty bag of chips on the way home to share for lunch and then we had a visit from Miss Doodle and her daddy for an hour and apart from cooking tea I have spent the rest of the day upstairs and got twelve cards made.

Tomorrow I have a hospital appointment and then DD and I are off to Derby to shop for DDIL's birthday present and some dressing up stuff for her party on Saturday then I have to make her cake when I get back. After that I am parking my behind on the sofa and DD and I will be watching the new season of Bones......yay!!!

Back tomorrow with another card.

Thanks for dropping by.

Sheila-x- 

I am Still Crafting!!!

Honestly I am.....lol!!!
I've finished the wedding stationery and got a couple of orders done. Still have a few to finish but today DD and I decided to make a few spiders homeless and have had a good old mucking out session in the lounge and kitchen. Unfortunately that made me want to go up and sort my pig sty of a workroom out as I have been feeling a little cramped up there. Just a few things to get back into place and then a tidy of the desk and I shan't know what to do in all the space I've made.
Miss Doodle will be here tomorrow and we are planning a long walk if it's a nice day as I feel in need of a good dose of fresh air.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

It's Beginning To Smell A Lot Like Christmas!!!

After a couple of rather trying days with the Doodle Bird I have had neither the inclination nor inspiration to be upstairs even though I have work that needs doing. Instead I have been soothing my tatttered nerves with a spot of chutney making.
Last night was Apple with ginger and chilli which I will be labelling Ass Kicking Apple Chutney as I put just a touch extra chilli in it and it does have a definite kick to it. Tonight I have made Plum Chutney which I have never made before and it is divine. I could almost break out the cheese, crackers and celery now just thinking about it......lol!!!
I've just had a lovely hot bath and am sitting in a nice cosy house. I lit the fire this afternoon as it has been a bit wet and miserable here so it's just perfect now for sitting chilling in front of Law and Order. That should get me fit and ready for another stint on the front line tomorrow.....lol!!!
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

A Random Card!!!

Just a random card made from bits that were on my desk.
The paper is Bo Bunny.
Lattice border punch is Fiskars.
Background circle is stamped with a Viva Christmas script stamp using Antique Linen Distress ink.

My gorgeous Doodle Bird in her spotty wellies. She's mad about tractors so we had to let her have a ride on this one up at the garden centre.

I've had a very productive day today finishing off and packing more Christmas stock for the shop. Mr Manic cooked lunch today bless him so that helped me to get on even though I've felt grotty all day. DD kindly passed on her cold to me a few days ago and I have a nasty cough and bunged up nose. Yesterday I didn't feel too bad but it was quite warm here today and at times I felt like I couldn't breathe.


Still working. Law and Order is going on and I am going to assemble the wedding invites while I watch it.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

So..........!!!

.......yesterday we did the messy play thing and indeed messy is what it is. We did printing with bubble wrap and paint........well at least that is what we should have been doing but Ruby had other ideas. No paintbrush for her.....straight in with the hands scooping up great globs of paint and rubbing it onto her face, the chair, the table and DD and me.
Activity two was making a squishy picture which involved drawing onto coloured cellophane with marker pens this then went into a plastic bag along with the painted bubble wrap, several colours of paint, glitter, sequins, buttons and cooking oil. My word I thought I could get messy but now I think I am verging on neat freak after seeing that.......hope I don't have to go too often.

Today I had the opportunity to spend the whole day upstairs and what happens........I get an attack of the domestics and shampoo the kitchen carpet and the lounge rug so I ended up with only a couple of hours before I had to come down again to cook tea. I do have some cards that just need finishing off but I'll need to tidy up before I can do anything up there tomorrow.

Law and Order is going on now and I shall be Promarkering some stamped images while I watch it.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

The Best Laid Plans And All That!!!

Well today I had planned to get the wedding invitations pretty much finished and get started on some more Christmas cards (one design has already sold out at the shop and they have only been in since Wednesday)........however we shall be having a little visitor in the shape of Miss Doodle as her mummy has to go to work. Being Friday this means I have to take her to something called Messy Play so I shan't be getting dressed up....lol!!! After that I'll go and get the shopping done and take her to lunch.
Hopefully I'll get upstairs late afternoon after we have dropped Ruby back at the cottage so I may be back with a card or two later.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

That Snowman Again!!!

Couldn't resist another play with him. He is just so gorgeous.
Background paper is from The Clipart Fairy.
Letters making up the word 'snow' are cut on the Cricut using the Base Camp cartridge, white card and silver self adhesive glitter film.
Embellishments are clear snowflake buttons with a slight hint of colour to them.

Despite the wind it's been a tad warm here today so no cosy fire to snuggle up by tonight. We have lit one the last couple of nights and it has been bliss. I do miss my coal fire through the summer when we don't have it lit.
This week I am starting to go through the freezers to use up things so that I can make room for Christmas food. I'm going to make a batch of homemade stuffing and bread sauce to freeze and the usual mince pies. There are apples from a neighbour which I am going to turn into chutney this weekend and I may go to the market for plums to make other chutney. Last year I did green tomato but Mr Manic didn't grow tomatoes this year so no greenies to make any......that was my favourite one too.

Miss Doodle arrived this morning in her new pink spotty wellies and the only time she has taken them off was to have her bath after tea. They had to go straight back on though.....with lime green and blue pj's.......she thought she was the bees knees......lol!!!
She has two favourite songs at the moment which I have to keep playing for her on You Tube. Jessie J's Price Tag and Ollie Murs My Heart Skips A Beat. I used to like both of them.....not anymore though....lol!!!

Ah well.....I have a few jobs to finish before I can settle down so I had best get them done.

Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Christmas House!!!

 At last.......a card.
I put the finishing touches to a stack of these today before starting on my mammoth packing session.
Door-Crosscuts
Wreath-Quickutz
Tree-Sizzix (old die trimmed down)
Pot-Sizzix
Snow Mound-Sizzix
Sign is made with a Cuttlebug rectangle and hand cut strip.

 

 Is this the life or what?

Smudge enjoying an afternoon nap and wearing one of his dads socks over his dressings to try and stop him nibbling......it's working very well.

I'm a bit achey after twelve hours upstairs so I've had a nice hot bath and am now going to relax with an episode or two of L&O before bed.

Miss doodle will be here bright and early so maybe I'd best just watch one.....lol!!!

Thanks for your visit.

Sheila-x-

A Day In The Workroom!!!

Had a fabulous day upstairs today......yes a whole day. It has been somewhat frantic as I have been finishing Christmas stock for the shop and DDIL's office then tomorrow it needs packing and sorting before delivery on Monday. Once I have done that I need to make up a couple more samples for the wedding stationery I have been commisioned to do and once the final choice is made it will be all sytems go to get that done by the end of the month and there's a stack of orders for birthday cards to do. So I am being kept pretty busy.
I'll try and get some pics of stuff I've done tomorrow too as I missed the light today.

Smudge is doing very well. The vet was so pleased with his progress when he went for his appointment yesterday and I think rather surprised at the level of care he is getting. Why wouldn't we look after him though......we love him.
Mr Manic has been given some information which may lead to the man whose dogs were responsible for the attack. The police were unable to find him from the partial number plate he got at the time so hopefully this might lead somewhere.

Well I am off to prepare the veg for tomorrows lunch while I watch Law and Order.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Snowman Silhouette!!!

 

I am in love.......with my new snowman. It's taken a long time for me to decide to buy it and I am so glad I did.

There was just one sheet of the background card from Kanban in my stash so I made it count and got four cards out of it.

The snowman was decorated with some peeloff snowflakes....one sheet left to go...yay!!!.....and gemstones.

The pic isn't brilliant as I took it tonight so I'll try and remember to retake it on Wednesday in daylight then replace this one.

Ruby has been gorgeous today. She loves her play area and grandad went out and got her a beanbag so that she has somewhere to sit when she reads her books......she thinks it's a cuddly toy and sits on the sofa with it by her side...lol!!!

I'm suffering a bit tonight with indigestion. Not something I get a lot but I added a twist to the fish pie I made for tea and I think that is what has nobbled me. There's not a drop of Gaviscon in the house and I can't use the tablet things that hubby uses as they make me sick. I'll have to hope it clears up on it's own.

Right....one episode of Law and Order then bed for me.

Thanks for dropping by.

Sheila-x- 

Oh Deer-3!!!

 

I seem to be doing a lot of deer cards this year and I rather like this deer image by Inkadinkado with this Basic Grey paper.

Today I am cooking an early lunch and then I am off upstairs to have a play with my Tim Holtz Alterations snowman die which arrived yesterday. I ordered it from Country View Crafts at 2:30pm on Friday and it was here by 10:30am yesterday. What fabulous service..........along with great prices and free postage. I shall definitely be ordering from them again.

It's a bit cooler here today which I am thankful for. It means I can wear the new slippers DD bought for me without feeling like my feet are going to burst open.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sheila-x- 

Using Up Again!!!

Waling into the Basic Grey pile at the moment and this combination of papers is a personal favourite.
The snowman is Inkadinkado and the greeting is from a set of free stamps which were on the front of a recent magazine.
Circles are Quickutz.
Snowflakes are a stamen punch by Leone M and a sparkle by Papermania.

Absolutely mad day today. DD and I have stripped the wallpaper in the back room, washed the walls, painted the ceiling, painted the walls and got all the furniture back in......all before tea time at 7pm. It's not a huge room but we are quite chuffed with ourselves.

An update on our boy Smudge........
His leg is on the mend and the skin is starting to knit together. Still dressing it three to four times a day but he is off his medication now which is a relief as it was getting impossible to disguise it in his food and traumatic for both him and us to try and give it to him by pushing it down his throat.
He's getting back to his old self now and isn't quite as sleepy all the time as he has been for the last three weeks. The bark is back with a vengeance and I will never ever tell him to shut up ever again. It's been horrible having him so quiet.

Doodle Bird is down south this weekend seeing her other grandma and grandad. Can't wait for her to see her own little corner here in the back room when she comes on Monday.

I'm off to relax with a bit of Law and Order SVU now.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-