Weak As A Kitten!!!

The heat and the decorating have finally knobbled me and I have had to spend the last couple of days pottering about trying to finish off the big card order. Two more to make today and then it's done and dusted and I can start on my Christmas cards. I need to get everything done by the beginning of November so that my customers and the shop have everything they need and I can get on with getting ready for New York.
I promise I will get some pics on here as soon as I have some cards done.
Mr Manic is going to help me put the bedroom back tomorrow as I am having trouble lifting anything. We have to go out first to The Range to pick up a couple of things....including some new mugs as the mister has banana fingers at the moment and is breaking a mug every other day. Clumsy old so and so. I hope they have some red and white spotty ones as he has broken mine.
Oh crikey......look at the time. I'd best go and get some shuteye.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x- 

Good Morning!!!

Well today is day four of the bedroom makeover and I have to say that I have just about got enough patience left to see it through.
So many niggly little problems left by the previous owners that had to be sorted out before I could start on anything.
Anyhoo.....the pink marbled wallpaper is gone at last and has been replaced by three walls of cream and one feature wall of black wallpaper which I found in the bargain bin at B&Q. Sixty pounds worth of designer wallpaper for nine pounds and it's gorgeous.
There is just one and a half pieces left to put up today and one more coat of paint on one wall. Once that is done I will shampoo the carpet and then I can get on with my favourite bit of putting the room back together....yay!!!
I should have had help in the shape of DD but she has gone on to a new job where she works and is no longer doing a week of nights and a week off so I got Mr Manic from Monday to Wednesday......and that is all I'm saying on that matter as if I went into any details I may not be able to remain ladylike in my language......lol!!! I will just say that my poor Smudge has a not very fetching cream blob and stripe on backside which Mr Manic denies responsibility for....even though he was the one wielding the paintbrush yesterday.
Missing my Doodle Bird who is down in London on holiday with her other Grandma and Grandad. She's having a lovely time but I can't wait for her to come home.
This morning I have along list of house jobs to do before I can go back upstairs so I had best get on and get it done.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-    

Melting Point!!!

Ooooh I hope this hot weather isn't set to go on for too long. It's making me so crotchety and headachey. Don't get me wrong.....I love to see the sun making everywhere bright but I just don't like the heat. It's too hot to take Ruby to the park even as there is no shade. We are having garden picnics and paddling pool days in the shadiest bits of the garden and when she gets tired we crank up the fan and lie on the sofa watching either Despicable Me or Monsters Inc......depending on which is the current favourite of The Princess.
I have to admit that mine is Despicable Me.......I just love those minions.
Very lazy food being prepared and eaten. Mostly salads and cold meats but everyone seems happy with that.
I have Ruby for a couple more weeks and then she is off to London for a holiday so I have booked myself to give the main bedroom a bit of a makeover as it hasn't really been touched since we moved here. Luckily DD will be off work so I will have an assistant. Can't say that I am looking forward to it but it has to be done.
I think I shall go and get a cold drink and then have a lie down in front of the fan. It's stifling in this back room tonight.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x- 

Good Morning!!!

Well things are looking a little brighter here at Manic Towers.
DD is over her tonsillitis just about and my bronchitis is on it's way out. Just a nasty cough to get rid of now.
Not much of anything getting done this week as I have Mr Manic under my feet. He's on holiday from work.
Miss Ruby will be here shortly for a couple of hours and then we have to go and pick up London grandma from the station. She is coming to look after Ruby for the weekend while DDIL takes DS away to Liverpool.......one of his birthday treats. He was thoroughly spoilt.
I've just put a curry on to cook for hubby and DD's tea. Gawd knows what I will have. Much as I love the smell of curry I just can't eat it.
I'm still quietly crafting in spare moments. Yesterday I was sorting out a box of cards and ended up bagging and pricing Christmas cards. I have just a few more cards to make from the big order and then I guess I had best make a start on some more Christmas....yay...my favourites.
Right......Miss Doodle is due so I had best go and sort out her lunch.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-    

Plagues And Pestilence-Chapter 2!!!

Well Manic Towers is still the germiest residence on the planet...lol!!!
DD now has tonsillitis, I have bronchitis and Mr Manic got called in to the doctors today for the result of his hip and spine xray. He needs to go for an MRI scan.
Smudge is still fine but we got a call from the vet who operated on him with the results of tests on the mass that was removed from his throat and indications are that it is likely to return so we have to keep our eye on him now.
Miss Doodle is just about back to her old self. The cold sore has cleared up very quickly for saying that it was such a huge one.
I am making a few cards but they are of the quick and easy variety and repeats of older designs in newer materials.....so nothing you would want to see.
I'm just waiting for a ham to finish cooking and then I am going to chuck myself in bed and read for a bit. Hopefully I will get a lie in in the morning as we don't have to pick Ruby up until 11am and the ham is tea for tomorrow so all I need to do is a bowl of salad and bake some rolls.....get me......Mrs Organised.....lol!!!
So tara for now.
Sheila-x-    

Washout Wednesday!!!

It's looking a tad cloudy and threatening rain outside today so that has scuppered my plans for taking Ruby to the Play Barn today as she only really likes the outside bit of it. It might not be a bad idea to snuggle up and watch a film though as she has been quite poorly all weekend and up until yesterday. The poor little sausage has developed a cold sore and it has really knocked her for six. I've had them myself so I pretty much know the pain they can cause.
We are hoping for good weather on Saturday as we are having a barbecue down at the cottage to celebrate DS's thirtieth birthday which isn't until the following week but he will be at work on the day itself. So my kids are now both thirty and over......how in gawds name did that happen!!!!!

One hundred and seventy days now until we fly to New York. The days are whizzing by and we are just planning our days to make the most of our time there. We got fabulous flights leaving the UK at 9am meaning that when we hit New York it will only be lunchtime.
Starbucks in Times Square is going to be our first stop after we have booked in at the hotel and freshened up and then after tea we will be off to Michaels which is not far from our hotel.
Sunday morning we shall be up bright and early for breakfast (hopefully) and then we are taking a trip to Staten Island to visit Joanne Fabrics. Monday we are doing a city bus tour and an evening trip up the Rockefeller Centre. The New York guide books are permanently out now and it's all coming together really nicely.

Nearly time to go and pick up my Doodle Bird so I had best go and get changed.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-     

Plagues And Pestilence!!!

Honestly.......Manic Towers has  been like the setting for a medical drama this last week or so.
During the night on Wednesday Miss Doodle was sick. Just the once no other upset tummy symptoms or anything. She came to me for her last day on Thursday and was as right as rain. Seven am on Friday I get a phone call from DS.....could I have Ruby as DDIL had been up all night and was very poorly. We had to take a trip to Lichfield to sign a form for the vet who operated on Smudge so on the way back we called at Morrison's and took Ruby for breakfast and a bit of shopping and by the time we got home I felt so ill I could barely stand up. Luckily for me DDIL rang early afternoon to say she felt better and Ruby could come home. I slept all afternoon until about seven pm and then from ten pm until 8am. The bug then went back to Doodles house to her daddy. Hope we are all done with that one now. DD and Mr Manic missed out on it but DD has a nasty cough and cold and today Mr Manic has come home with a bad leg.......gawd you couldn't make it up could you?
The most cheerful bod in our house at the minute is our Smudgie who sailed through his op, came home the same day and is now eating like a horse and jumping about like a little puppy.
It turned out he had a polyp. It was huge and yet he hadn't had any symptoms or breathing difficulties up until three weeks before he had his op. The vet very kindly took photos for us which in my humble opinion was just too much information. Thankfully he didn't do us a little photo wallet to bring home......lol!!!
Anyway tomorrow should see us back to normal. We are planning on an afternoon in the garden after we pick Ruby up from school and if we can rig up a bit of shade for her....we shall get the paddling pool out if it doesn't leak after several months in the shed.
Tara for now then.
Sheila-x-  

It Never Rains Without it Pours!!!

Ruby has recovered nicely from her bout of tonsillitis and ear infection thank goodness. Hopefully she will have a lovely long weekend down in London with her other grandma and grandad.
So now we have Smudge in the wars again. He has had his usual (for this time of year) itchy tummy which he has to have medication for but he has also been having breathing troubles. The antibiotics prescribed didn't do any good at all so yesterday he had to spend the day at the vets having an exploratory operation and he has a growth on one of his tonsils which is flapping across his airway. He is going to Lichfield to have an operation to remove it next Thursday which I hope will be the end of it but they will have to send it away for analysis to see if it's anything nasty.
My poor little fella. It's only just over eighteen months since he got attacked and nearly lost his leg and now this.
It's been a nice sunny day here although too warm for me. Fingers crossed it will be nice tomorrow as it's car boot day again. The last couple have been a bit chilly to say the least.
Ah well back to the cardmaking for a bit before I have to see to tea.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-    

Poorly Girl!!!

When I picked Ruby up from pre-school today she was complaining about a sore ear and so knowing that she had been swimming quite a lot last week I thought she may have an ear infection. I managed to get her in to see the doctor this evening and yes....she has an ear infection and tonsilitis. Apparently they no longer give antibiotics for an ear infection but as she had tonsilitis too she was prescribed some.
The doctor confirmed what I have always known.......Ruby has the hugest tonsils. She takes after her daddy.
After explaining to her what would happen at the doctors she was as good as gold. I'm so proud of my little munchkin.
No pre-school for her tomorrow. We are going to snuggle up and watch a film and there will be ice cream and freezer pops on tap if she should need them.......hang on a slight feeling of deja vu here this is exactly what we used to do when her daddy was little and had an attack of the killer tonsils...lol!!!
I'm off for an early night ready to play nurse ganma. Tomorrow may be a long day.....lol!!!
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-

Hello Blog Land!!!

So much for all the plans I had for last week.
None of the big housey jobs got done as I was having some major trouble with my shoulder. It hurts most days but it hurt and then some over the last week.
I have done a bit of cardmaking although most need a finishing touch or two before I can take any pics.
Excited today as I get to pick my little Doodle up from pre-school and I haven't seen her for over a week. I hope she still remembers me...lol!!!
Can't decide what to cook for tea today so I had best go and have a ferret in the freezers.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x- 

Morning All!!!

Well that was a busy week!!!
When it's so busy in the house and with Ruby there is not much time for crafting so I have to do my queezy cards. Now though there will be time to do some Cricuting and maybe even some stamping as there will be no gorgeous, mischievous little girl here this next week. They are off on holiday to Centre Parcs for a few days. Once all the sofa shifting, window cleaning and oven cleaning (bleurgh) are out of the way my time will be my own..yay!!!
DD and I nipped out to get my carry on bag for the plane when we go to New York. I've gone for a back pack which then can be used out and about for shopping......although I am not sure I got one big enough....lol!!! All I really need to buy now is a new coat but I will leave that until later in the year.
Tomorrow is car boot day so today we will be loading up the van ready for off at ridiculous 'o' clock in the morning.
Have a great weekend.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x- 

Sunny Day Shennanigans!!!

Inks and stamps........a very rare event in the workroom these days.
The Hero Arts butterfly is stamped onto a background inked with distress inks.
Foliage stamp is Kaisercraft and the sentiment is Inkadinkado.

It's a beautiful sunny day today....so far anyway.....and I am going to spend the morning preparing a picnic as Mr Manic and I are taking Miss Ruby to the Play Barn at Amerton after we pick her up from preschool. She loves it there so she got a one year pass for her birthday and we are all making the most of it. Either mummy and daddy or we take her at least three times a week which combined with being at pre-school every day is tiring her out and making her eat and sleep better than she has ever done. After a game of football I'm not sleeping too bad either.....lol!!!

The migraine didn't nobble me too badly yesterday and I managed to keep going until Ruby went home before I needed a lie down.
I must remember to take my sunglasses out with me today so that I don't end up with another one.
OK....off to give my bread buttering arm a workout.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x- 

Spring Birthday!!!

A 'queezy' (quick and easy) card this morning.
I bought the felt flowers from Hobbycraft just because I liked them with no idea of what I was going to do with them but they came in handy for a batch of quick cards.
Sentiment is from a pack which I got from The Works.

Well it's bright and sunny outside this morning and I had plans for being outside but I shall have to see how things go as I have woken up with the start of a migraine. I haven't had one for ages.
Luckily I've planned a simple evening meal which Mr Manic can cook if I am laid up with it.

Right......I'll get off and see if I can get something done before this head of mine scuppers me.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-   

The Hat!!!

For my card today I have used an image from a Dover Pictura collection.
The hat has been blinged with Chameleon Glitter and tiny gems.

Well it was a bit of a shock getting up so early for the car boot yesterday.......and it was soooooo cold. The sun finally came out at about ten am and bought people with it and in the end we had a fairly good day.
Today I will be picking Miss Doodle up from pre-school and if the weather is OK we will be spending some time out in the front garden trying to tidy it up a bit once I have the quiche made for tea.
So I will go and get on as I really do fancy a day outside.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-   

Sweet Sixteen!!!

Pink and pretty for a young lady who will be sweet sixteen.
I've used Sizzix dies for the numbers and the rosette and Sizzix and Quickutz dies for the circles.
Pearl centre and sweetheart blossoms from Wild Orchid.
Ribbon and lace from my stash.

It's been a couple of busy days these last two days. Yesterday DD and I were out shopping for eight hours. We started off at Hobbycraft in Tamworth as I wanted some gathered lace and some particular buttons. They didn't have either so we then hit The Range in Burton where I did score on the buttons and also came out with a pair of flip flops as my slippers are getting a bit warm now the temperature is rising. After a reviving Starbucks we got the food shopping done and finally got home at just after five. Mr Manic thought we had got lost.
In search of the gathered lace, today we toddled off to Bridgemere and the Hobbycraft there. Still no luck but came out of one of the other concessions with footwear for New York street pounding so it wasn't a total loss........only thirty one weeks until I am wearing them......lol!!!
Up with the lark tomorrow morning for the car boot at Moira. The van is packed and everything else is sorted so just need to make us something to eat and a flask. Hope the rain holds off for a bit so we get some customers.
I think a cuppa and an early night are in order tonight.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x- 
  

Gnashing Of Teeth!!!

So.....for my birthday on April 15th I asked Mr Manic for a stash of ink cartridges for my printer. They arrived on April 16th and on April 16th my printer died. How bloody annoying is that?
I loved my little Epson Stylus S21 unfortunately it is no longer available:(( but Mr M came to the rescue and today I am awaiting the arrival of a new Epson printer and continuous ink system so we'll see how we get on with that.
ETA........I am cursed as far as printers are concerned. My new one arrived, got it set up and working with the sampler cartridges then opened the CISS and found two bottles of ink missing. I now have to wait until the postie brings them as the company I ordered from said they would send them out but not when.
I daren't print too much with these samplers so I am in a right old grump now........lol!!! 
Ah well....the car boot season has started again so I shall have to see if anyone is interested in the cartridges up there. I'm hoping to be up at Moira car boot a week on Sunday and then I shall do every other week throughout the summer.
Well I am off to have a ferret in the freezers and cupboards and make a shopping list for this afternoon.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x- 

Wot's This?!!!

Stamping......yes I stamped and coloured and inked. First time for ages and it was bliss.
The stamp was free on a magazine, paper is Basic Grey and I think the sentiment thingymadoodle was free from a magazine.....it was white but I inked it over to match the rest of the card.
I also got to do stampy and inky things yesterday. No Doodle in the house and it was my birthday so after DD had taken me out to lunch I decided to take a couple of hours off doing housey things. I've not made the efforts up into a card yet......that's a job for tonight after everyone is fed and watered and the washing up is done.
It's very strange here this morning as Ruby should be here but she is at pre-school. Mummy drops her off before going on to work and then we will be picking her up at eleven thirty. Oooooh I missed my early morning cuddle this morning.
Well there's time to do a couple more jobs before we have to out so I will get off and do them.
Bye for now.
Sheila-x-    

Blue For A Boy!!!

At the moment I am in the midst of all my least favourite cards and trying to make stock to fill gaps at the shop.
Baby cards are my least favourite but I came across the cute idea of using buttons as wheels on the bottom of this Sizzix elephant on Pinterest. I hasten to add that my card is totally different to the one I saw.
Papers are Pink Petticoat.

Well the sleepover went very well.......apart from a two thirty am wake up with a demand for breakfast. She did settle back down though and then slept until seven am. She was a little angel.
Monday we took her out on DD's Grand National winnings and she was a little demon. I had to get DD to take her back to the car where her mood changed instantly and I got back to find her giggling and behaving beautifully. I wouldn't have minded but I was in Hobbycraft buying mostly crafting stuff for her having already bought her two beautiful books from the Bridgemere book department. Ooooh she can be a monkey sometimes.
Yesterday she was lovely again so I wonder what today will bring when we take her to the cinema for the first time.
I did score myself a couple of mega bargains though while at Hobbycraft......the 2012 Heirloom Ornament Spellbinders dies for ten pounds and a couple of twenty metre rolls of ribbon for a pound each. I was well chuffed. There were plenty more bargains to be had but I was rushing to get back to the car to rescue DD although it turned out she didn't need it.

Next week Ruby starts going to pre-school five days a week so I won't have her until lunchtime now on the days she comes to me. I can't believe she is old enough but she is soooo ready for it. I will miss my early morning cuddles though until the school holidays.

Well I had best go plonk meself in bed if I am going to stay awake at the cinema later today.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-      

Gold!!!

Due to time issues at the minute.....in that I don't seem to have very much....lol......most of the cards I am making are quite plain and simple.

Dies are Sizzix and Quickutz.

The gem hearts were picked up at The Range sometime last year so I don't know if they still have them. They are clear but I tinted this one with a Promarker.

I have never been a coupon collector and user but now with having to feed six of us for half of the week on a budget for three I have become one. The trouble is that the coupons and vouchers drive me mad being all scrunched up in my purse and every week I had to go through them all to see if I could use any of them.......until I hit upon an easy solution.........a business card holder. I got a cheap one from Wilko which was about one fiftyish and now all of those pesky bits of paper are in order. Some of them have to be folded but I try not to fold across the barcode and distort it. I can see what I can use at a glance when I'm writing the shopping list and it's small enough to take to the supermarket with me.

The girl overseeing the Shop and Scan at Tesco was rather impressed with it so I thought I would just share my idea.

My little princess is coming to stay the night tomorrow so that mummy and daddy can have a date night. I have promised her a film and sweeties......naughty ganma......lol!!!

Most times when I babysit it's at their house and she is already in bed so I am quite excited to have her over to sleep in her own room. Not so sure I am looking forward as much to the five am wake up though. Hope Mr Manic is up for cooking lunch on Sunday.....lol!!!

Rightio.......time to get off and phone DD at work for a natter and then I am off to bed.

Tara for now.

Sheila-x-       

Peace & Quiet!!!

A birthday card for a Grandpa who loves his gardening.
I've used a Sweet Shoppe kit for this one and some little ladybird embellishments I picked up at Hobbycraft.
Talking of Hobbycraft......I see they are opening one in Derby in July. That will be very handy for me as it will be on Kingsway Retail Park and we can be there in ten minutes or so....great stuff.
We had a nice peaceful day here at Manic Towers yesterday. No visiting and no visitors so we all just did our own thing. I made a batch of baby cards while Mr Manic cooked lunch. It was lovely.
Today I have got down a box of diecuts which I want to use up along with a stack of papers so I shall go and get on and see what I produce.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-    

Bits 'n' Bobs!!!

Another card.
Very simple using Cricut cut letters and Pink Petticoat papers.
The buttons I have had squirreled away forever. I think they came in a box of Papermania embellishments years ago when Debs' shop was still in Tutbury.
I shall be glad when this snow has gone now. I love it until it starts looking filthy and that is how it's looking now. Mind you...DD and I were up in the hills here earlier today and I was shocked at how much more there was up there. Massive drifts still about where the sun doesn't quite get to it.
My little angel has been very poorly this last week with a cold and the most horrendous cough which has been stopping her sleeping.
Hopefully she was able to go to her Easter party at pre-school this morning. I haven't spoken to DS yet today. I hope the injury I sustained while making her Easter bonnet weren't in vain. I took a chunk out of the side of my finger with hot glue. Oh my word it hurts. Very dangerous stuff this ganma business.....lol!!!
DS is taking me out for a meal on Saturday night to give me a night off cooking and washing up. Bless him. It will be nice to spend a bit of time with him.
I thought I would nip into town and have my hair trimmed to tidy it up a bit and ended up going mad and having it restyled to a chin length bob. I love it. Hubby didn't even notice when he came home from work.........it was only about six inches shorter......lol!!!
Well I am off for a major cardmaking session. No Ruby until next Wednesday so once the housey jobs are done my time is my own....yay!!!
Happy Easter.......have a good weekend.
Sheila-x-     

Easy Like Sunday Morning!!!

.......and what might I ask is easy about Sunday morning when you've been up since the crack of dawn? Six thirty am and I have already had a shower and cleaned the bathroom, tidied Ruby's bedroom and sorted the laundry. I forsee an early night tonight...lol!!!
The reason for my unusual activity is a visit later by the Doodle Clan who are coming for lunch......well if they can get out onto the road that is. They were snowed in yesterday. I think the farmer has cleared the roads but it's a bit tricky getting down the track from the cottage to the road. Hopefully they can make it.
ETA.....no they can't make it. They are blocked in by huge snow drifts. I have plated their dinner up and DD and I are going to drive down to meet DS who is going to walk down to the road.
I soooo wanted a hug with my Doodle Bird today as she isn't very well......well they all have pretty bad colds and DS has tonsilitis too. Not sure if DDIL will be able to get out for work tomorrow so it's a bit of a waiting game. 
My card today is made using some seed packet images from Dover Pictura. The background is stamped using an image which I think is PSX and Peeled Paint Distress Ink. The card is 8x8.
I'm off to crank up the old oven ready for it's days work. First a batch of scones and then a roast pork dinner with all the trimmings.
Bye for now.
Sheila-x-   

A Card To Share At Last!!!

I was beginning to think I would never post another picture on here. After promising to take some pics of the Easter cards before they went down to the shop Mr Manic was taken very ill and I have been nursing him back to health along with still taking care of Ruby and cooking for two households. No wonder I am feeling rather ragged around the edges then.....lol!!! I would kill to have my bath back right now and have a good soak in some Badedas.
Anyway......here at last is a card. I am rather enjoying using my Sweet Shoppe collections at the moment and for this one I have used a free kit called One For The Road (car and traffic lights) and a kit called Best Dad Ever for the papers.
I had good news when I went for my annual diabetic review last week. Not only have I lost more weight but my blood sugars have come down dramatically and my cholesterol too. I want to try and lose another two stones before we go to New York. The healthy eating is coming along nicely but I do need to do more exercise so I am going to try and get out and walk every day.
I'm afraid that I have had to disable the ability to leave anonymous comments due to the horrendous amount of spam comments I have been getting. Blogger usually copes with them quite well but lately a lot have been getting through and my e mail inbox has been inundated with them.
Right.....I am off to make some paper roses for my Darling Doodle's Easter bonnet........or I might cut up some paper ready for card fronts. I shall decide after a nice cuppa.
Thanks to anyone who is still dropping by.
Sheila-x- 

Hanging My Head In Shame!!!

Goodness me......what a lousy blogger I have been this past few weeks.
To be honest it's been a bit busy here at Manic Towers and I am just managing.....by the skin of my teeth to get through the lists of card orders and keep the shop topped up. I'm doing inserts and packing as I go and just not getting any time to take pics although I will try my best to take some this weekend of the Easter cards that don't need to go until Monday.
The Doodle Bird is keeping me very busy. As I don't drive and there isn't always a driver available we do spend most of our time at home so I like to have activities to keep her busy. Today we baked fairy cakes and sowed cress seeds before having a dressing up session as it wasn't fit to go out for a walk.
Both DDIL and we have had expensive car troubles. One car didn't pass it's MOT until some jobs had been done and the other had the exhaust drop off the day before a trip to London. Sometimes I curse the flippin' things but none of us can do without one out here in the sticks.
The counter is ticking down to our trip to New York and we are getting more excited by the day. I'm like a kid being offered a trip to a sweet shop......and DD is just as bad....lol!!! Every Friday we go out and do the weekly shop and treat ourselves to a Starbucks and every Friday we say 'ooooh.......two hundred odd days until we are drinking our first Starbucks in New York......how sad is that....lol!!!
Anyhoo I had best go and finish off this batch of Easter cards and then get to bed.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-    

Party Time!!!

What a fabulous day we had yesterday at Ruby's third birthday party. These are the cakes I made for her.......sixty of the flippin' things.......lol!!!
I can't say they were the easiest things I've ever made as to start off with a lot of the cones were broken when I opened the boxes. The first batch didn't work out as the blog where I had seen the idea had posted the wrong oven temperature and timings but eventually got there with sixty perfectly cooked ones. The first two batches of buttercream went well but then disaster struck on the third when my mixer decided to die and it had to be finished off by hand. The silver balls wouldn't stick to the icing so I had to insert them with tweezers and then the sugar wouldn't stick so I had to gently spray them with water. Finally got to the wrapping stage which started off as a nightmare until I discovered a packet of white chocolate buttons in the fridge which I melted and used to glue the cones to the silver card. Luckily I only had to wrap twenty five which were to be given to the children with their party bags. The rest were piled onto the cupcake stand with candles in the top tier.
I started them at 10am on Friday and wrapped the last one at 3.30am on Saturday with a two hour break for food shopping and well deserved Starbucks
The party itself was fantastic. DS and DDIL hired the village hall and it was all set out with a crafting table and lots of toys and balloons. DDIL's sister did face painting and her partner who is a fabulous artist drew a caricature of every child for them to take home. So proud of all them for the brilliant job they did.
Today I ache beyond belief but it is so worth it for my beautiful grandaughter.
I think gentle pottering is called for today. There is Sunday lunch to be cooked and tidying to do so I shall go and get on.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-

Oh Dear!!!

I seem to be spending an awful lot of time apologising for not posting pics but it has been pretty mental around here for the last couple of weeks and all the cards I have been making have had to be packed and shipped out before I have had a chance to take any photos. Although having said that....a lot of them have been remakes of old designs with newer papers etc.
We've had the builder in sorting out the water system so there have been floors up and goodness knows what else but.....everything crossed......it seems to have sorted the problem without the need for replacing the whole thing so not as expensive as we were dreading.
There has also been lots of soup making. I took advantage of a weekend special offer at Lidl and bought loads of tiny plum tomatoes to make Roasted Tomato and Garlic soup. Then I roasted butternut squash, red peppers,onions and garlic and made that into a soup too. I think there are about four or five different ones in the freezer now so my next thing to tackle is casseroles.
I have a week off from looking after Ruby next week....except for Tuesday when I will be having her for a couple of hours while daddy goes shopping for birthday party stuff. I can't believe she will be three in a couple of weeks. Where did that time go?
Don't know if I am going to be able to sleep tonight as DD and I have a rather exciting job to do tomorrow..........we are off to book a trip to New York. I am so full of squeeeeeeeeee that I can barely sit still. We won't be going until the end of November but we wanted to get it booked as we found the perfect package for our needs so thought we would book it while it's still available. I shall be saving madly for a trip to Michaels, The Ink Pad and Casey Rubber Stamps.........and if anyone knows of any other crafty shops please let me know. I will be visiting TJ Maxx and Target as I understand they have some spectacular clearance prices on craft stuff if you hit them at the right time. I am soooooo excited.
To calm ourselves down after booking it we are off out for a relaxing lunch once we have some shopping bits and bobs out of the way so I think it will be a lovely day.
Right....I shall get back to my card chopping.......I'm running short on blanks and it's about all I can concentrate on today.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-

A Bit Behind!!!

There's been no time to take pics of the altered vase.......sorry about that but I have had a poorly little bean on my hands the last couple of days. It's been a little full on as she has been a bit scared about what has been the matter so a lot of bad temper and screaming. My nerves are shattered so I am glad she will be having a day with daddy tomorrow.
I'm in the workroom tonight and cracking on with things so I should have some pics to show tomorrow thank goodness......even I am getting fed up of 'Just Chatting' posts.
So much for the snow we were predicted. It did come down on Sunday in the night and we did get a slight covering. Monday it snowed very heavily but it was the wet mushy stuff which melted as soon as it hit the ground. Doodle and I had such plans for our snowman too. He was going to have a hat and scarf with coal for eyes and when I asked her what we would use for his buttons she looked at me like I was a complete idiot and said 'buttons ganma'....lol!!!
Anyway.....enough nattering. I must get on with this batch of cards.
Thanks for your visit.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-

Mirror, Mirror!!!

Today I thought I would share an altered project I did for my living room.
This mirror started off life as a beautiful brown leather covered mirror but over time the leather panels started to lift away from the the base wood. I didn't want to throw it out and buy a new one so I removed the panels and used a pad of Papermania black and white paper and Mod Podge to cover the frame. Once it was dry I applied black chalk to shadow some of the details on the paper and gave it a couple of coats of varnish. I then used some silver gilding wax over the whole frame which I rubbed off immediately so that it left a metallic effect without covering the details on the paper.
All that's left to do now is to find my pot of paint to cover the fixings holding the mirror up.
Tomorrow I will show you the vase I altered to match the rest of the living room.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-

Lovin' It!!!

Well my wish came true and the temperature has dropped quite drastically here at Manic Towers. We are even being promised some snow at some point over the weekend/early next week...yay!!! Just enough to be able to build a snowman with Doodle Bird would do me.....anything to put her in a good mood. She's going through a bit of a cranky phase at the moment with quite a bit of squealing added which I am not liking very much. Hope it's not a long phase.
There's not been much in the way of cardmaking going on the last few days with having Ruby....just prep work in the evenings and today there were housey jobs needing to be done in the way of freezer sorting before I went shopping, laundry and lounge cleaning. Tomorrow I will be hitting the workroom all day.....and Sunday too if I can get away with it......lol!!!
I'm off to crank up the Cricut and get some more stuff ready to be made into cards tomorrow so I shall say goodnight.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-

It's A First!!!

Another card order done and dusted. This is for a man who restores old cars.......hence the cogs.
I used the cogs embossing folder on the fishtail flags and for the silver cogs I used the new die set. Both by Papermania.
Didn't get much done today in the way of crafting. I felt proper 'off it'. I don't know what was the matter apart from feeling hot and bothered all day. I long for some nice crisp, frosty weather.
Dancing On Ice seemed to be lacking something tonight.......not sure what. Hopefully it will get a bit more exciting.
Must go and tidy the kitchen up as Miss Doodle will be here first thing. I only saw her Friday but it seems ages ago so I am ready for my kisses and cuddles.
Tara for now.
Sheila-x-

Nose To The Grindstone!!!

At the start of every new year I always wonder if this will be the year that the card orders dry up and I will have to find something else to do. Well I don't think it will be this year. I have just completed four orders today (sorry....Saturday) and have a mahoosive order from my best customer for her cards for the whole year.
Lucky for me that I have new Cricut cartridges and stuff to play with then.
My card for today is made using the Cricut Suburbia cartridge which I had for Christmas.
The background is stamped using an Artemio stamp and I have gone around the edges with black chalk.
DD restocked at the shop for me on Thursday so I had a few pennies to pick up some of my want list from the new Papermania collections. So I now have the cogs stamp and embossing folder and the Vintage notes doily stamp and die. I also treated myself to a DCWV stack of glitter paper as I am fed up of the glitter card that sheds and gets everywhere. Oooooh I do love new stuff.
I'm hoping that Mr Manic will offer to do lunch tomorrow so that I can get on with making as everything will have to stop for Dancing On Ice......yay!!! Last year I watched Strictly Come Dancing for the first time.......loved it and am missing it so DOI has come along just right for me.
Well I just have to put the finishing touches to one last card for this session and then it's a cup of decaff and bed for me.
Bye for now......and thanks for visiting.
Sheila-x-