DAY - ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO - A bit of gardening and how to keep letters straight

 

 

 

 

Good morning. So much happening at the moment, I am unsure where to start.  Let's start with the amazing painting above. We discovered this on one of our recent wanders to one place, going slightly off track as we thought it may be a shortcut and we were amazed about all the street art, I have more to share on another day.  We have no idea who painted it but it's stunning.

I can also mention the gardens on the complex which are in need of a little attention, particularly one area that has become rather neglected. To get a better idea of what we were dealing with, we asked a local handyman/gardener to pull out the dead plants and weeds so that we could lay a water pipe.

To be fair, he did most of the clearing, although he left us with quite a bit of tidying up to do afterwards. Once everything was cleared, we made a surprising discovery,  there was already a water pipe installed beneath the soil.

Curious to see if it still worked, we carefully unearthed it and laid it on top of the ground so we could inspect it properly. The main supply pipe was still intact, but the smaller irrigation pipe that was meant to water the plants had completely perished. A little gentle investigation soon turned into gushing water everywhere as the old connectors gave way!  The handyman assured us he would sort everything out. New connectors, new irrigation pipe, a standpipe and a timer were all promised, so we left him to it.

A few days later, everything appeared to be in place, apart from the timer, which hadn't quite been set up correctly. That was quickly sorted, and feeling optimistic, we headed off to buy some new plants.

Armed with plants and enthusiasm, we began digging holes, only to discover that one of the new connections was leaking. Not just a little drip either,  enough that the newly prepared planting area was sitting in water.  So, for now, the remaining plants are waiting patiently while we wait for the leak to be repaired. It seems that every time one problem is solved, another one appears. Still, we're getting there... eventually.  The purchasing of the plants is another story.

How do you line up names and sentiments on your cards and projects?  I have been doing mine this way for many years and as I was asked to show someone how to do it, I thought I would share it on here.  Using my alphabet set I die cut out the name Alex 5 times.  The reason I do this is that I want the name to stand out and I get all 5 layers, stick them together and leave them to dry.  I then line them up on my grid paper so that they are straight, most of the time..  

 

I grab a post it note and with the sticky side on the name I make sure it is still straight and give it a little press down.

 

 I turn the post it note over as can be seen below, so now I can move the whole name at the same time.  Add glue to each of the letters.

 

I place a ruler across the card, making sure that it lines up with the grid paper underneath and you get a straight light, as can be seen.

 

Pick up the post it note with the letters on and place them directly above the ruler, which should mean that they are in a straight line.  As there is glue on them also, they should stick down, straight.

This worked out perfectly for me, it doesnt always but it does for the majority of the time and I find it easier that sticking one letter at a time or having a pencil mark that doesnt get quite rubbed out. 

I can reveal the whole card tomorrow, as the little chap will be two years old, where did that time fly off to?

Did you know that there is FREE SHIPPING for the next couple of days?

If there has been something on your wish list, or you simply need to top up your crafty essentials this is a lovely opportunity to save on postage. And what about the Last Chance section? Have you had a look in there lately?

Don't worry if your order is only small. I am very happy to combine lots of little orders together to help everyone reach the qualifying amount. Whether you need a single ink pad, a packet of glue dots, a stamp set, a bundle or a few items from the Last Chance section, they can all be added together.
And there's an extra little bonus too. If your personal order comes to £70 or more, you'll qualify for the Product of the Month for just £5 and its such a wonderful cute stamp this month.
There is absolutely no pressure, if you'd like me to add anything to a combined order, just drop me a message and I'll be happy to help. 

So today we are off out for the morning and have folk popping in this afternoon,.  Dinner with the family tonight so thats something to look forward to.  Thank you so much for having a read and I hope you have a lovely day x

Stampin' Up! Promotions

Here is the May - August 2026 Catalogue that you can click on and have a browse but better still, why not pop into the Craft Room, Derby and grab a copy of your own. 

There are 5 brand new design (magnetic close) 2026-2028 In Colors.  

JUNE PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

Here’s a little sprinkle of crafty magic.  When you place your own qualifying order of £70, you’ll unlock the chance to grab the Product of the Month for just £5, how lovely is that? A special option will magically appear, inviting you to pop it straight into your basket. Do note that this treat is only available whilst supplies last and can  only be added once per person, so dont dawdle too long. 

The Last Chance List has lots of beautifully colour co-ordinated favourites, all with that signature Stampin' Up! quality we know and love, but only whilst stock lasts.  If you click on the image below, a new page will open up and your can have a browse.

Paper Pumpkin is now available in the UK, I did write a whole post on all I know about this and we can subscribe in the UK.  Subcriptions are now for the June kit.   To find out a little more, click on the image below and a new window will open.  But please, do get in touch if I can help in anyway, I am always happy to help.

 

For Scrapbooking and Memory Keeping products please click on the image below and a new page will open up for the Memory Keeping section of the online store

 

 

You can click on the image below and a new window will open up where you can have a browse through the WHOLE shop. Please do get in touch with me if you would like any help.  My contact details are at the end of the post and I really am happy to help as much as I can.

If you would like to receive my newsletter and be added to my email list of friends do let me know.  I would hate you to miss out on all our get togethers and socials.  Always lots of new friends waiting to be met. 

If you would like to get in touch with me, here is where I can be found.  

 

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FITY EIGHT - Congratulations to the happy couple.

 

We have had an amazing few days, the time has just flown by even though we have been chilling, catching up and generally doing not a lot.

Friday we were were lucky enough to be invited to a wedding of a lovely young couple.  We had known about it for some time so, we were prepared.  It was up this road, well, it was a road for most of the way and as usual, it was a steep climb up but well worth the effort.  

Here is a view from the church

You can actually see the sea in the distance with a few ships sailing by.  It was amazing.  The church was a little one and not everyone could sit inside but it was most pleasant sat outside, in the shade with a breeze.  There was plenty of water and some little bottles also appeared, I am sure they contained a little alcohol of some description.

This was followed by a reception not too far away so we ended up staying out a lot later than normal but, it was a special occasion and we enjoyed ourselves so much,

I had the opportunity of creating a personalised wedding card for the happy couple, which is below.

Thanks for having a read today and I hope you have a smashing Sunday.  Tracey x

DAY - ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO - 1st June

 

Good morning and white rabbit white rabbit, white rabbit.  Not only is it the first of June but it is a Bank Holiday today whilst we are on our holibobs.  Everywhere with the exception of beach bars and cafes will be closed.   Today is the Festival of the Flood which is a unique ad vibrant holiday observed 50 days after Orthodox Easter. It commemorates both the biblical story of Noah's Ark and the Ancient Greek myth of Deucalion, blending religious tradition with age-old celebrations of water, renewal, cleansing and new beginnings. So it will be a quiet day with visits to the little ones at some stage.

Who knows what dramas will unfold around the complex today? There is always something going on, and life here is rarely dull!

One of our biggest ongoing sagas involves the local cats. Now, before anyone worries, I absolutely love cats and would never harm them, but they do have a talent for creating a little chaos. As holidaymakers and residents alike leave food out for them, the cats decide that our complex is the perfect place to settle down and call home. Unfortunately, that means flowerbeds become litter trays, gardens become hunting grounds and the occasional "gift" of a dead (or sometimes very much alive) creature appears where you least expect it. Add to that the fact that many haven't received any veterinary care, and it can become quite a challenge.

There has, however, been a major breakthrough in our ongoing cat chronicles. We have finally managed to persuade both owners and residents to feed the cats in the garden and park adjacent to the complex rather than within the grounds themselves. This may sound like a small thing, but it is actually a huge milestone and one that many of us are delighted about. The cats are still cared for, but hopefully the complex itself will be a little less attractive as a permanent residence.

Of course, where there's cat food, the pigeons soon arrive. They happily help themselves to the food and water, then repay the favour by building nests in every nook and cranny imaginable. The result? Let's just say the housekeeping department has its work cut out.

The latest discovery is that the pigeons have become rather creative interior designers. Dead leaves are apparently no longer sufficient for nest building. They are now helping themselves to pieces of the wooden umbrellas from around the pool, bits of plants, and pretty much anything else they can carry off. Resourceful? Absolutely. Appreciated? Not so much.  And the noise.   When the entire feathered committee gathers for a meeting, it sounds as though they're holding a very heated debate. Whatever they're discussing, they certainly all have an opinion on it.  So, as I enjoy my peaceful Bank Holiday, I'll be keeping one eye on the latest chapter of The Cats, The Pigeons and The Complex to see what today's episode brings. With this cast of characters, there is never a shortage of entertainment.  

Here are a few cards that recently made it into my box.  My box of cards is becoming quite full so I have plenty to choose from when an occasion arrises.   It also means that there are lots for sale too.  

Thank you so much for having a read today, hope you have a wonderful start to your week and the month of June.  Tracey x

Stampin' Up! Promotions

Here is the May - August 2026 Catalogue that you can click on and have a browse but better still, why not pop into the Craft Room, Derby and grab a copy of your own. 

There are 5 brand new design (magnetic close) 2026-2028 In Colors.  

JUNE PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

Here’s a little sprinkle of crafty magic.  When you place your own qualifying order of £70, you’ll unlock the chance to grab the Product of the Month for just £5, how lovely is that? A special option will magically appear, inviting you to pop it straight into your basket. Do note that this treat is only available whilst supplies last and can  only be added once per person, so dont dawdle too long. 

The Last Chance List has lots of beautifully colour co-ordinated favourites, all with that signature Stampin' Up! quality we know and love, but only whilst stock lasts.  If you click on the image below, a new page will open up and your can have a browse.

Paper Pumpkin is now available in the UK, I did write a whole post on all I know about this and we can subscribe in the UK.  Subcriptions are now for the June kit.   To find out a little more, click on the image below and a new window will open.  But please, do get in touch if I can help in anyway, I am always happy to help.

 

For Scrapbooking and Memory Keeping products please click on the image below and a new page will open up for the Memory Keeping section of the online store

 

 

You can click on the image below and a new window will open up where you can have a browse through the WHOLE shop. Please do get in touch with me if you would like any help.  My contact details are at the end of the post and I really am happy to help as much as I can.

If you would like to receive my newsletter and be added to my email list of friends do let me know.  I would hate you to miss out on all our get togethers and socials.  Always lots of new friends waiting to be met. 

If you would like to get in touch with me, here is where I can be found.  

DAY - ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR - Birthday card and Strawberry Festival

 Good morning and it's another early one.  As the windows are open, the man coughing sitting on his verandah, the dogs barking as someone ran past and the pesky birds all added together make an amazing alarm clock.  That is before the neighbours alarm clock goes off at 5.45am.  Oh well, at least I can sit in the sunshine as I write this.

There was another friend that celebrated a birthday recently and this is the card I sent.  

It is a right combination of elements from the die cuts to the ephemera of a wonderful designer series papers, sadly retired, to sentiments and banners.  I had great fun in making this.  

We went off to a local Strawberry Festival, just up the coast slightly and what an afternoon we had.  Not only was the weather just perfect but the venue was amazing.  It was all set out at a local football stadium,  There were hundreds of tables and chairs that were empty for the majority of the time but we soon realised that all the seats would be filled with family who came along for a picnic.  There was entertainment, a pottery class, a strawberry cocktail class, strawberry pavlova demonstrations, traditional dancing,  puppet shows, the strawberry ladies entertaining children and singers galore.  

We arrived at the festival around 4pm and I had to have a strawberry milkshake.  We wandered around the various stalls selling strawberry products and I got fresh strawberries and strawberry jam for us and the girls.  We then had more drinks, watched the baking demonstration, saw the local band which consisted of two men playing a flute and bouzuki  which gave the music to the traditional dancers to dance to.  We then had a traditional souvlaki and sheftelia, which was cooked to perfection.  However, we do think we left far too early because the photos show, the place was packed.  There were live singers and dancers well into the late night so we must return next year, to stay a lot longer.  

Today is the very last day that you can grab the starter kit and join Stampin' Up! with this amazing offer

I would love you to join my team and should you need any further information, do let me know. 

So today's job at the complex is to sort out an issue of noisy neighbours which is proving rather difficult as they are not home.  It seems that there was a standoff in the middle of the road last night with headlights facing each other and a slanging match.  I am so pleased I didnt hear it.  I shall let you know how we get on.

I am slowly having a bit of a sort out, discarding things that I have no use of whatsoever, advertising a few household items and moving things around.  I am not one for sitting doing nothing. 

Well, I had best get breakfast sorted, we shall eat out on the verandah this morning before our early morning meeting at 9am with the gardener.  Thanks for having a read.  Tracey x

Stampin' Up! Promotions

Here is the May - August 2026 Catalogue that you can click on and have a browse but better still, why not pop into the Craft Room, Derby and grab a copy of your own. 

There are 5 brand new design (magnetic close) 2026-2028 In Colors.  

The Last Chance List has lots of beautifully colour co-ordinated favourites, all with that signature Stampin' Up! quality we know and love, but only whilst stock lasts.  If you click on the image below, a new page will open up and your can have a browse.

Paper Pumpkin is now available in the UK  I did write a whole post on all I know about this and we can subscribe in the UK.  Subcriptions are now for the June kit.   To find out a little more, click on the image below and a new window will open.  But please, do get in touch if I can help in anyway, I am always happy to help.

 

For Scrapbooking and Memory Keeping products please click on the image below and a new page will open up for the Memory Keeping section of the online store

 

 

You can click on the image below and a new window will open up where you can have a browse through the WHOLE shop. Please do get in touch with me if you would like any help.  My contact details are at the end of the post and I really am happy to help as much as I can.

If you would like to receive my newsletter and be added to my email list of friends do let me know.  I would hate you to miss out on all our get togethers and socials.  Always lots of new friends waiting to be met. 

If you would like to get in touch with me, here is where I can be found.