Poppy Mania!!!

 

Tis true.......I've gone crackers for the poppy stamp.

It's huge and also very easy to cut out.

Used it once again with Cosmo Cricket papers and also one of their self adhesive alphabets. I have hundreds of the blame things so they are getting stuck pretty much anywhere and everywhere.

Border punch is by Martha.

Doodle Bird has not long gone home. She's been very gorgeous all day apart from trying to destroy the Christmas tree and pushing the flap right in on the front of the DVD player....luckily DD did a save on that one.

Have spent a good part of the day going through Doodles new comic In The Night Garden..........what the heck is that all about? I've never seen such a load of drivel in my life. Next time I am out I shall be looking for something a little more normal. The sixty free stickers did keep her amused for a full half an hour though.

Ah well....washing up needs doing and no volunteers so it looks like it's my job as usual.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sheila-x- 

I'm Done!!!

 

I've really had it with Christmas cards now. The stand at the shop is full and all my orders are up to date so I thought I would take time out to make a start on everyday cards ready for when the Christmas cards come out.

I wanted to use up some Cosmo Cricket papers and this gorgeous poppy stamp from Indigo Blu. What doesn't show very well in the picture is the lovely glaze on the poppy which came about by accident. I had stamped the image onto some pink distressed paper and sprayed it with Crafters Companion Irridescent Glitter. It looked pretty horrible so I took a red ProMarker and coloured over the spray which made it look more like a shimmery glaze than glittery and I love it. I shall be trying that again. The pen does turn the spray sticky at first but once it's dry it's fine.

Well it's been proper busy at Manic Towers. I've had Ruby ten days on the trot....including the three days away as DS had to go away for a couple of days and was away on his rest day. I am expecting to have her extra this next week too as he will be away again for a few days.

The Christmas tree has gone up today as it's the nearest day to December 1st that DD has off to do it and I do like the tree up and flashing it's lights by December 1st.

Christmas shopping is nearly done. I can't believe I have been so organised this year as I am usually running around at the last minute. This week I will make a start on cooking for the freezer and get as much food prepared ahead as I can as there will be nine of us for lunch and tea.

I can't be doing with this warm weather we are having. I want cold and frost and SNOW at this time of year and to be snuggling. Instead I am still in sleeveless tops. It's just not right.

Anyhoo I am off to watch a film with DD as she is back to work tomorrow night and then I had best have an early night. Ruby wasn't at her best last week as she has her last teeth coming through and I was just a tad frazzled by the end of the week.

Thanks for dropping by.

Sheila-x-

Back From Bath!!!

Another weekend gone by in a flash.
Went away on Friday with the Doodle family to babysit Ruby while her mummy and daddy went to a friends wedding. The wedding was in Bath but we stayed at Chippenham. I have to say that I would love to go back there. Such a nice place with some lovely shops.
On the way back yesterday we stopped for a walk round Bath. Wasn't so keen.....it was a bit too big for me....but at least I can say that I've been.
Back to the daily routine now but I don't think there will be much in the way of crafting until later in the week although I do have to pack some cards for the shop tonight.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Vintage Holly Girl!!!

 

Using up some old, old paper from HOTP today that I have had for years. 

The image was from HERE  .........Thank you Chris.

Eyelet circle is Spellbinders.

Plain circle and tag are Quickutz.

Stamps on the tag are....Viva-holly flourish and Kars-greeting.

The flourish has been stamped in Versamark and brushed with gold mica powder.

I threaded the ribbon through a gold buckle to embellish the tag and added red nailheads.

Well I'm feeling a bit down in the dumps today. This cold I caught from Ruby is an absolute stinker and as if that wasn't enough I have had to go for blood tests and a flu jab today and the arm I got the flu jab in is very sore.......miserable old goat aren't I?.......lol!!!

Anyway I found enough energy to put a pan of stew on for tea tomorrow and wash the pots up so I'm going to look for something cheerful to watch on the computer and snuggle up with a nice cold drink to soothe my throat.

Thanks for your visit.

Sheila-x-

It's A Card......At Last!!!

 

Nothing spectacular. Just stamping, colouring with Promarkers and a bit of glittering but I just needed half an hour doing something for me. It will be the last bit of quality time I get upstairs for a couple of weeks what with appointments and the weekend away with The Doodles.

Stamp is PSX

Paper is Basic Grey

DD and I have been doing quite a bit of shopping for the 'C' season. There will be nine of us for lunch and tea on Christmas day and I intend to be super organised about it all so that I can actually spend time with our guests and not in the kitchen.

An update on Smudge......he has his last appointment with the vet next Friday.....yay!!! Oh you should see his leg it's amazing. The nurse parades him round to everyone when he goes on a Friday for his check up as she is astounded by his recovery.

Miss Doodle has very kindly shared her current cold germs with me so I am off to snuggle in front of the computer and watch some more Law and Order.

Thanks for dropping by.

Sheila-x- 

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry.......!!!

.......that I have been missing in action this week.
I have been working hard to clear my order book before the weekend and this morning I had to go to the opticians to have photo's taken of my eyes which involved having drops put in them. Can't say I liked it much and everything has been blurry until the drops wore off so it was a bit uncomfortable trying to make anything.....believe me I tried......lol!!!
Tomorrow we are taking Miss Doodle out to look at Christmas displays and to have a spot of lunch then Friday is mine......all mine yay!!!
Right I'm off to make tea for tomorrow night before I settle down for the night and watch a film with DD.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

A Year Ago Today...........!!!

........we were all getting poshed up ready to go to a wedding.
I can't believe it's DS and DDIL's first wedding anniversary today....where does the time go?

Today I have the day pretty much to myself so I'm off up to the workroom to try and clear my order book and hopefully make a few more Christmas cards..........carefully ignoring the fact that the lounge needs a good dusting and vacuuming and the kitchen floor needs mopping. Those jobs can be done tomorrow while I wait for Sunday lunch to cook.

Right.....I am off to work.
Hope you all have a fab weekend.
Sheila-x-

In A Pickle!!!

Oooh me poor hands.
Today I have chopped three huge red cabbages and prepared and pickled a carrier bag full of beetroot. It's starting to look like a pickle factory in here.....and smell like one too....lol!!!
This year's production so far.....
Three large jars plum chutney, three large jars apple, ginger and chilli chutney, two large and one small pickled onions, two huge jars pickled beetrrot and by tomorrow I will add two huge jars of pickled red cabbage.
I'm giving the piccalilli a miss this year but I am  going to have a go at something called Bread and Butter Pickles which I saw HERE They look scrumptious.
My hands were too sore to do any cardmaking this afternoon so I have been sorting ribbons and doing a bit of sorting out of files on the computer and getting my font collection under control.

In a couple of weeks I am going away for the weekend with DS, DDIL and Miss Doodle. They are off to a wedding in Bath and I am going to babysit Ruby while they go to the evening do so I shall have a small amount of free time to wander around by myself while they are all at the ceremony in the daytime. I think we are actually staying in Chippenham so does anyone know of any craft shops I could visit in the area that don't require transport as I don't drive. Or maybe I will travel into Bath with them and wander round there if there are any shops anyone can recommend. I love sewing shops too if there are any of those.


Right.....I am off to rest my weary old bones.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Beautiful Poinsettia-3!!!

 Can't stop making cards with this poinsettia die as you can see....lol!!!
This one is done in a pearlised cream card.
Heart and swirl are Sizzix Sizzlit dies and the holly leaves are punched and edged with gold pen.

........and one in red.....as it's my favourite colour.

It's been a nice peaceful day today with plenty of time upstairs to get lots of jobs done that have wanted doing for a while.
I'm also pickling onions at the moment ready for Christmas. Tomorrow is red cabbage day and Thursday will be beetroot day if I can get hold of some. Friday I might have a go at making some picalilli.
The Doodle family arrived safely at their holiday destination after getting lost........even with a sat nav. I missed my Doodle Bird the last couple of days.
I've bought a big pile of felt down with me tonight to cut out some Christmas things I want to make from my Tilda books so I shall start on that after the onions are jarred and after being very greedy and finishing Bones yesterday I am back to Law and Order which I shall have on while I am cutting out.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-