And On It Goes!!!

Well I did have some pics for tonight's post but I have forgotten to transfer them onto the gig stick.....what a berk eh?
So it's just a little chatty post.
The bathroom saga continues and we still have an unfinished job. After making an 'I'm taking no nonsense' phone call we did get the electricians here and most of that work is now done and the shower is in place. I have been assured that work will continue first thing Monday morning.......so we'll see.
It's really getting on me wick now as we have stuff everywhere. The contents of the under stairs cupboard is all over the lounge and kitchen, the landing is like an obstacle course since we moved the loo from in front of the telly and I have given up with the housework for now.
I'm down with yet another cold. That Ruby Doodle is very generous with her germs.
Ah well....there has to be an end to all of this soon...surely.
DD is very excited as her trip to New York is booked and she will be off on May 8th. I am excited too as she has promised that she will devote some time to crafty shopping. I haven't made a list as when she goes crafty shopping it's just like sending myself so it will be great to see what she comes back with.
Oooooh sounds like Mr Manic is putting the kettle on.......well done that man.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Handbags At Dawn!!!

 Some time ago I sold the Sizzix die that made this handbag and then wished I hadn't. I found it a couple of weeks ago in the clearance section at Byrkley Park for four pounds so snapped it up and brung it home.

These are made using up offcuts of paper and more of the pesky peeloffs which just don't seem to be going down no matter how much I use them. I think I am just going to admit defeat and sling the lot in the bin.

Elsewhere at Manic Towers......work has come to a complete halt on the bathroom and I am seriously dischuffed. Apparently the electrician has broken his ankle and one of his staff has left. I know the builder has no control over things like that happening but his lack of communication really sucks big time. I am sending Mr Manic over tonight when he gets in from work to try and get things moving again.

Today I am having a day upstairs as I have no Ruby Doodle. There are inserts and packing to be done....yuck.......before I can start on anything new as my box of made cards is now full but first I have to clear up the mess Ruby and I made when I took her up to make a picture on Tuesday. That girl sure takes after her grandma in the mess making department.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Ooooh Funky!!!

 Just a few cards made with some of the Make Me A Topper range which is available from The Clipart Fairy.
All I've added to this first card is some paper I already had.

 I also added some flowers from my stash.

And of course some glitter.
Perfect cards for little girls......or big girls for that matter.

Mmmm........the peace is shattered as Miss Doodle has just woken from her nap so best go and get her lunch.
Bye for now and thanks for visiting.
Sheila-x-

Heart!!!

 

Just a simple card today using die cuts. The hearts are from a new Framelits die set. Circles are Sizzix and Quickutz.

Well it's been a lovely peaceful day here at Manic Towers. Mr Manic cooked a wonderful lunch while I crafted and then tonight we have watched the DOI final. Loved Jane and Chris's Bolero dance. Whenever I watch them together I get a lump in my throat and my eyes leak. I'm glad Matt won although I loved Jorgie too.

So what do I watch now on Sunday nights. We watched the first of the Titanic series and so far so good. I quite enjoyed it.

Tomorrow Miss Doodle will be here. I hope she is in a better mood than she was on Thursday. Bless her...she has another cold and she was really not herself. I couldn't please her because she didn't really know what she wanted so it was a very trying day. I think we might try and get out in the fresh air tomorrow and go for a walk with Smudge.

Thanks for your visit.

Sheila-x- 

Just For A Change!!!

 Some cards made with my new Cricut Cartridge 'Dude' which I had for Mother's Day.

Patterned paper is Costco and the plains are Basic Grey.

It felt so good to have a day upstairs today...and I am off up there again once I have finished this post.
I've cut out loads of stuff and really chomped through my bags of paper offcuts. With the help of a ruler and a bit of patience I have been able to use some quite small pieces.

We are still without a bathroom. The tiler left for a long weekend break by the sea at lunchtime on Thursday and with the grouting unfinished work has come to a halt. While the peace and quiet has been lovely......the trolling backwards and forwards to the cottage for showers and baths....not so lovely. Thank goodness we have a second loo outside.

Right......off to do more crafting as there is nothing remotely interesting on tv tonight.
Bye for now and thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Still Trolling On!!!

We have tiled walls now though not grouted yet and the floor is mostly tiled with just a couple of part tiles yet to be laid. The house is still an unbelievable mess but I think the end is just about to pop up over the horizon.
I can't wait until it's all finished and I can give the house a thorough clean from top to bottom. I am longing to be able to get everything back in it's rightful place and get rid of all the dust and debris.
Today I couldn't stand the sound of the tilers saw or whatever it was he was using so I got DD to take me to Ikea where I picked up a couple of Bygel rails and some containers. Mr Manic hotfooted it upstairs as soon as I got back, put them up and now I have some very smart storage for tools and various other stuff.....and a whole desk to work on. I'm looking forward to a bit of peace at the weekend to do some crafting and some pic taking of things I have already made. I just haven't had a spare inch to put anything on to photograph but more maybe just not any inclination to as life has been very messy for a few weeks now. Just don't seem to have had much time to do things I want to do.
I've been going down to the cottage to look after Ruby but tomorrow I am going to have to have her here as Mr Manic will be at work and DD will need to sleep as she is on night shift. She is going down to the cottage as she couldn't sleep today with all the noise.
Well I am off for an early night I think. It's pretty chilly here so a snuggle with a hot water bottle, a cup of tea and my book is in order.
Thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Oh Lordy....!!!

.........what have we started here?
There's noise and dust and more dust and dust on the dust. The whole house is upside down for one little tiny room.
At the moment we have a box containing a loo and cistern residing in front of the telly, four boxes of floor tiles and nineteen boxes of wall tiles clogging up the landing, a sink and pedestal in the bedroom along with the shower unit and builders toolboxes everywhere. I have made so many cups of tea that I could now consider myself an expert......lol!!!
But........we are getting there despite lots of problems which meant the ceiling coming down and a new one going in and rather a lot of rewiring. By tomorrow night everything will be ready for the tiler to come in on Monday and do his bit and then we will be on the home run.
There have been bright spots this week. We took Miss Doodle out for lunch at Frankie and Bennys on Tuesday and I don't think I have ever laughed so much in my life. She spent the whole time bopping away to the music and 'loving' everything. It was just the best couple of hours out I have had in a long time........and if you want to know how far a childs portion of brownies and ice cream goes........let me tell you.........I had to change my jeans and jumper and put them in the wash with my coat when we got back. I got some very funny looks walking round B & M Bargains that afternoon. I think people thought DD had bought out her senile old mother who couldn't even feed herself.....lol!!!
I can't get into my craft room in the day time with all the builders paraphenalia everywhere so I'm only getting bits done at night. Maybe one day soon I will have something to post.
Anyway thanks for your visit.
Sheila-x-

Happy Dancing!!!

The housey jobs have taken up rather more of my weekend than I would have liked but there is one job I have to do today which is going to be a pleasure.......I have to clear out the bathroom. Yes finally the builder is starting our bathroom. He is coming to remove all the old fittings in the morning. Luckily hubby will be off work so I am going down to the cottage to look after Ruby out of the way of all the noise and mess as I just know I will spend the best part of the day fetching Little Miss Curious out of the hall where she will want to be to see what's going on.
I can't believe how excited I am about getting this room sorted out. The nasty carpet is going and will be replaced with lovely black floor tiles. The vile mosaic wall tiles are coming off and gorgeous white tiles going up. I am just having a few little wobbles about getting rid of the bath and having just a shower but I am sure I'll get over it.
There has been a little time spent in the craft room and some cards have been made but mostly I have been organising stuff into some new storage I have bought. B & M Bargains have some nice cd boxes for £1.29 so I have got loads and have organised my clear stamp sets, ribbons, embossing folders, Spellbinders dies, card blanks, inserts and envelopes and it's starting to look mighty tidy up there now and I may finally have space to actually take photographs of my cards.
Right....first thing on the agenda this morning is to prepare Sunday lunch so it's off to the kitchen for me.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-

Back From The Cottage!!!

Ooooh...it's been a long week. Lovely....but long.
Miss Doodle on the whole has been gorgeous and so, so funny. At the moment she 'loves' everything so throughout the day she will see things and say 'oh I LOVE that 'insert pretty much anything here'.
Such a cutie.
I do however take issue with her sleeping pattern. I was up at 4:20 this morning and had watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (her big LOVE) twice by the time DD surfaced.
We had a couple of nice days sat out on the patio soaking up sun, drinking tea, eating cake and making sandcastles in Doodles sand/water table but that didn't last long and a trip to the adventure farm on Sunday had to be postponed due to rain, snow, strong winds and freezing temperatures. A housebound Doodle is not a happy creature and we had quite a difficult day but we got through it and had a lovely crafting day yesterday playing with Playdough and stickers....not together of course lol!!!
Mummy and daddy arrived home at lunchtime today exhausted but happy. We left them to settle back down into their own routine and I headed home to get my head down for a couple of hours.
Now I am off for a bath in bath where I don't have to tuck my knees under my chin and then I am going to catch up with DOI as I missed it on Sunday.
It's so good to be home and I am looking forward to a crafty weekend after I have caught up on some jobs on Friday. Miss Doodle is here for the next two days so there won't be much achieved before then.
Bye for now and thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-