Now you see it, now you dont

Thankfully I am feeling a lot better today especially as I had a really good sort out of cupboards and drawers yesterday. Sadly I didnt get into the craft room as time just ran away with me. I had lots of lovely visitors, a long time chatting on the phone and catching up with friends and before I knew it, it was time for bed, why do the days that you are off work go so quickly yet when you are at work, the time drags?

Here is another card that I made using the Sale A Bration set Punch Bunch and So Happy For You. Whilst I was making the card I got glue on my fingers, as you do but instead of getting up and washing my hands I carried on crafting.... as you do. What I didn't realise until I had finished the card was that there was a black gluey finger print on the top of the card. If you click on the photo you can make it out
I remembered that I recently purchased a "glue eraser" from Stampin' Up! that I discovered whilst browsing through the catalogue for the 1000th time (does anyone else do that? go through the catalogue and find something new although it was there all the time?) anyway, so out came the eraser to give it a try

Doesnt look much does it? But it works (fingers crossed that I put the pictures on the blog in the right order).

I shall be making quite a few of these birthday cards in various colours to pop into my emergency box. I have left lots of space on the front so that I can add a name as and when required, all you have to do is stamp or print out a name, use the oval punch with a scalloped oval border and bobs your uncle...not literally of course but you know what I mean.

Its the last day of 2010 and I am so looking forward to 2011, lots of exciting things to look forward to. Wishing everyone a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR and hoping you dont wake up with sore heads in the morning.

Tracey x

Sale A Bration starts today

Yesterday I told you that I had some exciting news well, Stampin' Up! Sale A Bration starts today and runs until 28th February 2011. Sale A Bration is where you can get your hands on FREE limited edition stamp sets and there are 3 ways to get these stamp

• Place an order for £45 (excluding p+p) and choose 1 stamp set from the 4 sets on offer. For every £45 spent, you can get another stamp set.
• Hold a party and should you get £300 worth of orders (excluding p+p) you get yourself a free Sale A Bration stamp set on top of the hostess benefits
  
• Join me and my team and become a demonstrator during Sale A Bration. You not only get £230 worth of products for an amazing £119 but you also get another stamp set up to the value of £45.00. If you have been thinking about signing up then this is the ideal time.

Here are the 4 stamp sets.....I wonder which one will be your favourite.

You may need to click on the image to make it larger

Being a demonstrator I was lucky enough to be able to purchase these sets so that I could make some projects to show you. I instantly fell in love with Punch Bunch and here is just one of the cards I have made.....more to show you tomorrow.







I am taking party booking for the end of January and the whole of February and I shall be placing orders on a weekly basis so, if you would like to get your hands on one of these sets, please get in touch 01332 721877 or tracey.rossos2@hotmail.com

STAMPIN' UP! PARTY INVITATIONS

Lots of invitations have been sent out for Stampin' Up! parties on 7th and 8th January 2011. If you havent already received yours and would like to come along, please let me know.

Im leaving on a jet plane

well, I am not leaving but Katerina and Andis left yesterday on a big bird in the sky.

Here they are in the hotel waiting for Paul to bring the car round to load up

What a hectic week that was, shopping everyday except Christmas Day, getting dressed up everyday, eating out everyday wow, I am certainly going to miss them both. I am sure they enjoyed themselves and judging by the shopping they both did, they have gone home with some bargins (and I was lucky enough to find some too).
Today is going to be a day of rest for me, just chilling at home in a slouchy jumper and some jogging bottoms, pottering around and hopefully getting my craft room back.....bliss. I will be making telephone calls for thank yous, seeing how my poorly friend is and sorting out some emails.

Here is a photo of the table decorations I did for Christmas day using SU goodies, hope you like them.

Thanks for having a read and if you can come back tomorrow, there will be something exciting to tell you about.

Have a lovely day

A sweet Christmas

I am in Manchester today, catching the Man U tour that was missed at the end of last week. Fortunately Paul is a lot better, not 100% but better. I will be wrapped up warm and wandering around even more shops...phew.

Katerina and Andis are leaving tomorrow and it will be very sad to see them go. Didnt that week fly past? We went shopping on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and had a day off on Saturday. We hit the sales yesterday and I am sure that we shall visit a few shops today. Here are the shopaholics

Here is something else that I put together for Christmas presents, a sweet Christmas



These went out to all the BIG kids in the family, I do hope that they enjoyed them.

Thanks for having a read and have a lovely day.

All wrapped up

What a lovely day yesterday was. I managed to get everyone up and opening presents about half 8, I think I was more excited than they were. What presents I got WOW. matter, I got far too It was wonderful watching Katerina, Paul and Andis open their presents.
Lunch was prepared, cooked and cleared away and then I managed to look at presents properly. Cuppa was had and just about to make another cuppa and 2 neices with boyfriend, little son, parents, sis and bro in law arrived. We had a brilliant afternoon and evening. I did a buffet for everyone and then it was more presents.....spoilt or what.
I managed to speak to Christiana and Sophia quite a few times throughout the day which was so nice. Next year they have to be here with us.

As you know I have been busy making lots of little bits and pieces the last few weeks (must start earlier next year) but I couldnt share them with you as they have gone out as presents.

I was told about some candles in china cups and so off I went searching the net until I found some and wow, they were lovely. Okay that was it, I wanted to make my own. I started scouting the charity shops for my china cups and saucers until I had enough. Off I trundle to a shop to buy everything I needed. The morning that I wanted to go shopping I woke up to snow but hay, that wasnt going to put me off, I got lost in Nottingham, the shop assistant wasnt too helpful and I did get rather frustrated. But thanks to Jayne and Kev for getting me "unlost" and helping me find my way and thanks to a lovely lady in the shop I managed to purchase all that was required. I started making them and whilst it's time consuming, I really enjoyed it. Here are a few photos

All ready and setting. A little colour and a little perfume was added

I had to try them out didnt I, just in case they didnt burn

All wrapped up and ready for Santa

Thanks for having a read. Have a lovely day, whatever you are up to.

Tracey

Santa has been

Well I did it, I got the presents all wrapped, the cards all sent, my washing and ironing done, the house spic and span phew. I ask myself, was it all worth it and the answer is YES. Although its only for one day its a day I look forward to all year.
I think that I must have been a very good girl as Santa has been. Here is a photo of whats under our tree this morning.



I must admit that some of the presents were put there this morning whilst everyone is still sleeping because last night we sat down to watch Shrek 3 and guess what I did, fell asleep, oops.
Off to wake everyone up now as I want to see what santa has left me.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. I hope you have a lovely day.
Tracey

Change of Plans

This week is going too quickly, it wont be long and we shall be going back to Manchester to take Katerina to the airport.
Today we had planned on going to Manchester United to the tour around the stadium...again. Andis is a big Man U fan as is Katerina but Paul woke up rather ill and covered in a rash. He is full of cold and I just couldnt ask him to stand around at railway stations in this bitterly cold weather. After a family discussion we decided to give Manchester a miss until Monday so instead of wrapping up warm, chilling at home with feet up, we went to Nottingham (via Beeston to a model shop). We spent a lovely 6 hours around broadmarsh and Victoria Center. Andis was lucky in his shopping and found some brilliant bargins, Katerina came home with earings and a couple of new tops. Here is a photo of a strange gentleman we stumbled across
He was very good actually. Katerina and Andis had never seen anything like it. This was taken after we discovered that our favourite cafe in the Broadmarsh had gone. I have been taking the girls there for over 10 years. Both Katerina and I were rather upset that it had closed, it seems like an end of an era to us.
On our walk back to Victoria Centre we very quickly browsed a small market, it was quick as well as it was bitterly cold with a chilling wind blowing. We managed to get just the one photo in front of one of the rides.
Just 2 more sleeps until Santa arrives. I have to be up at the crack of dawn to get some fresh salad and fresh veg, a few chores and then the day is my own. Surprise surprise but Katerina and Andis want to go back to the Westfield Center to do MORE shopping. I think I will be dropping them off and leaving them to it for a few hours.

Thanks for having a read and I hope you manage to get everything done in time.
Tracey

Very Lucky

YEAH Katerina and Andis arrived safe and sound. Our trip to the airport was very uneventful, roads were good, no snow. There was an unusual amount of traffic though but we made it. They soon came through the arrivals door and it was hugs and tears all around. Paul decided to bring us home the pretty way, up and down the roads through Congleton, Leak, Ashbourne and into Derby....very nice. We did have to make a stop in Leak for a nature break. It was home to a roast dinner and and evening of catching up. At half past 8 there were two teenages fast asleep on the settee so it was a peaceful night. I managed to do some Christmas wrapping but there is still lots to do.
Woke up this morning to SNOW, we were so lucky to have made it to the airport and back without the white stuff yesterday, phew. Now this snow can stay for a couple of days and then it has to go again cause we have to go back to the airport next week.
Here is a card that was made by Sandra, a friend, neighbour and fellow crafter, a couple of months ago when we spent a night of crafting, getting ready for the papermax show. It has been made using the gifted stamp set....isnt it lovely. I shall be using this for my cards next year.

Last year I was given a beautiful orchid for Christmas. Once the flowers died I was going to "throw it away" as I thought that it wouldnt do anything else. Lesley told me not to, she gave me strict instructions on watering it, giving it daylight and said that it would flower again. mmmm okay, so patiently this last year I have been doing what I was told. Orchid lost a leaf or two but thats all, it hadnt done anything else except look like a twig in my kitchen window until recently. It has now grown another stem (is that the correct word) and da da

These have now appeared. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the flowers will open this week.
What an actioned packed day we have today starting with food shopping, (this will be done whilst the teenages are still in bed of course), a visit to a model shop (Andis is into racing model cars in a big way) then its Westfield. Home for half 3 as we have Robert (son) coming round with his other half and the 4 grandchildren for tea. Sometime in the evening I get to have an hours sanity with a friend who is coming to visit.
I hope you have a great day, whatever you are up to and be careful if you have to go out. Thanks for having a read
Tracey

Half a sleep to go

It is silly o'clock and I just cant sleep so I decided to nip downstairs, have a cuppa and a tab and then go back to bed again. Tomorrow (or later today) is the day that Katerina arrives.
I dont think that I will ever find anything in my craft room ever again. It is spic and span with everything put away in a home.... instead of my work table there is a bed and instead of my small tables and stool I have a hanging rail....mmm. The spare room is all made up and the house is looking lovely, just the ironing to do before we go and then I am just about ready for santa.

On Saturday we went off to Bluebells in Spondon, somewhere I hadnt been before and it was lovely. I shall be arranging another trip out there in the New Year so keep nipping back to have a look on my blog for dates.

I managed to take a few last minute photos and caught people unawares oooppps





Anne handed out a lovely little box with a surprise in it. Well its a surprise for me as I resisted the temptation to open it....others couldnt.

If all goes according to plan, Ilkeston Dabblers may be taking place on 21st January and Anne is going to show everyone how to make these boxes. We are just awaiting confirmation from the venue that its okay to use the room. Again, more details will be posted here, also on the Derby Dabblers Blog.

Off to get a few more hours sleep before we head out to Manchester Airport. Please keep your fingers crossed that the snow doesnt disrupt things for us.

Tracey x

2 more sleeps to go

before Katerina arrives. Lots of things are crossed off the to do list.....but still going to be a busy day today. I didnt get up till 6 so its a bit of a lie in for me, especially as I was in bed at 9p.m. last night.
What a lovely day I had yesterday. It started off at Bluebells, this is a farm just outside Derby, not only do they have a lovely little cafe there, also a little shop, a Christmas Marquee and a santas grotto. Lots of lovely home made ice cream, a play area and in the summer a maze. Farm animals that children can go and see too, it was delightful. 8 of us met up and had a good chin wag and it was a pleasant change to being in a craft shop. Really christmassy.
Then I came home and it was up the ladders to the dreaded loft brrrrr, its cold up there. Down came the bags and the boxes and a few hours later, hay presto, its Christmas. The decs are up, the cards are displayed and Paul put batteries in all the singing toys. Yes we have lots of them. knock knock on the door and in come the grandchildren, ohhh lovely. How they have all grown. A couple of hours of laughter and natter and catching up with news and when they leave the house is soooo quite, and then the day is about over.

What do you think of these?

My mum has made them for me, photos arent brilliant. Isnt she clever? Mum makes baby cardis, jackets etc. all the time as she loves doing it.

CONGRATULATIONS to Debbie who is a fellow crafter, a Derby Dabbler and a SU fan. She is now Mum to a little girl and I hope that I get chance to pop up to see her later this week to take up cardis and cards.

Have a lovely day whatever you are up to and thanks for having a read. It would be great to hear if you are all ready for the big day or if you have a list as long as your arm.

Tracey

Its the weekend AGAIN

What a lovely evening out I had last night. We went for a meal at Fat Cats in Derby and the meal itself was really nice. The company was fantastic although we did miss a few people...you know who you are. I havent laughed so much in ages, it did me a world of good. Not too much to drink but I certainly ate too much.

I am so pleased that the weekend is here, goodness what a long and busy week. Just a few more days till Katerina arrives, happy and sad. Happy that she and her boyfriend will be with us for Christmas but sad that my other two daughters wont be here to share it with us...maybe next year.

Here are a couple more cards that I have made, one we did as ss earlier this year on our girlie
weekend away and the other is with copics, I do keep practicing. We have another ss weekend in April sorted, something to look forward to.

My list of jobs is starting to get smaller and hopefully on Sunday I can report that I have no jobs left. It is so sad putting my craft room away, really it is. I have been told to think positive and I will. I will look forward to putting everything out again and having a good old sort out of things ready for the car boot which didnt happen before Christmas. We have now booked a car boot which is indoors at Belper on January 9th, I will keep reminding you about this as there will be some crafty bargins to be had.

Thanks for having a read and hopefully, I will see a lot of people at Bluebells in the morning. Have a lovely evening and stay safe if you are out on the roads.
Tracey

Can someone please give me some more days in this week

I am so so so behind everything and I cant see how I will be all ready not only for my daughters arrival but also for Santa. I guess on a positive note, all my cards have gone, most of the SU orders have been dispatched or being hand delivered on Saturday (weather permitting), the house is spotless (apart from windows and kitchen glass cabinets oh and the oven). The presents that I have purchased are all wrapped and seperated into piles mmmmm so whats left you may ask.
Turning my craftroom back into a bedroom
buying a bed
buying more presents
washing and ironing
table decorations that have been ordered for months
Xmas works meal tonight
cleaning windows and washing curtains in bedrooms

Oh I guess when I write it all down like that, it isnt too bad after all
Here are a few last minute cards I had to make, yes I didnt make enough cards so I was frantically stamping, colouring and cutting this week to increase the stock.



Everything has been posted either with royal mail or the local scouts Stamp and Deliver service.
Snow started this afternoon so I have to wrap up warm tonight. Looking forward to a night out with work and then there is just tomorrow to get through before the weekend YEAH.
There are quite a few of us going to Bluebells on Saturday in Spondon for a coffee, cake and get together so I hope the snow isnt too bad. If you are local and fancy an hour with some very noisy crafters for a chatter, you are most welcome, I just hope the place can cope with us all.
Thanks for having a read and listening to me panic....have a lovely evening.
Tracey

Nearly the weekend

At last Paul has returned home and of course the first thing that he has done.....install the new telly, cor its a whopper. Not that I have time for watching it this evening though. The SU orders have arrived so I am busy sorting them which I love doing.

I have had a hair raising couple of days, I came home from work on Tuesday to frozen pipes in the kitchen, which wasnt nice. Everyone frightened me by saying that it was likely that the pipe would burst and all I could imagine was my kitchen flooded, two weeks before Christmas. Fortunately that wasnt the case and yesterday they thawed out and I now have running water again. The other problem was the pond. We usually have two balls floating around the pond so that it doesnt freeze but the balls have vanished and the pond froze over. Again I was worried about the poor fish not being able to breath so I broke lots of ice up and took some out only to find out the two hours later, it had frozen again. So what did I do...yep broke up all the ice again and removed even more. The fish were fine, swimming away at the bottom of the pond. I am then told that you shouldnt bang the ice as the noise of this under water can actually shock and kill the fish so now I am worried about them and keep going outside to check that they are okay, as if I havent got enough on my plate. Here is a picture of the pond

broken ice

frozen waterfall

I have been a busy little bee in the Christmas card department and ALL MY CARDS ARE DONE YEAH. Here is a little chappie that Pauline managed to locate,

I am not too sure who is going to go out to. I have coloured him in with promarkers and I know I need a bit more practice.
This other card has been done using SU colours and a little shaving brush. This is something that I am trying over and over again to see if I can get it right. It isnt a bad result but I know that I can do better
This has already gone out in the post.....hope the postman delivers it soon. I have also been busy making little gifts for all my stamperettes which I shall show you later in the week.
Have a great evening and thanks for having a read....
Tracey

Tuesday Twitter

14 days until the big bird in the sky brings my youngest daughter home, although it is only for a week this time. In August I think she will be coming over for quite a few months as she is hoping to get to Uni here, fingers crossed.

Well I soon got Monday out of the way now its another day closer and another day to cross off lots of chores from my list. It was my nieces 21st birthday yesterday so had tea with her and her friends last night. I will show you the card I made tomorrow.

Another Christmas card to share. This is one of my favourites from last year, it is a Stampin'Up! stamp set. I had the bits cut out and ready in my Christmas box so I decided to make them up and send it out to new friends.....only because I really cant remember who got what card last year...oops


My new BEASTIE is working a treat, even taking 300gsm card without a problem. I am very impressed with it although it is still causing me havoc in the study. Paul will be home soon to sort it all out...fingers crossed.

This is the temperature I woke up to this morning

When I looked out the window I thought it had snowed but no, it was the frost, everywhere is covered with white powder, it looks lovely but it is lethal, so slippy.

I have been wanting to make chocolates for a while and so last night I made these.

I am taking them into work today to get peoples opinion and if they are a success I will be making more as stocking fillers.
I think this is day 8 that I havent had any post at all. It is going to be a bit tough with all the Christmas cards that I have to post out as I understand that the postmen and postladies just cant get to some houses....oh dear
Have a lovely day and if you are going out, take care.

The countdown has begun

m

Today I am starting my countdown...no not to Santas arrival, more importantly, Katerinas arrival. I now have 15 days to get everything ready for Christmas, including putting the craft room away. Can it be done? No choice.
I am so excited that she is coming over but Sophia and Christiana will be missed a lot.

Not all the Christmas cards are done, but hopefully they will be by tomorrow night. I am nearly there and cleaning the craftroom in the process of finishing cards. I know if I did just one thing and finished it before starting another life would be less complicated, but boring.

The weather yesterday was quite mild and some of the snow has melted. I havent looked outside just yet so I dont know what its doing today. I do hope that the roads are okay as I am expecting Mr. UPS. Mr. UPS plays an important part in my life...he brings me goodies. Maybe I should explain that it is the delivery driver of U P S that brings all the Stampin Up orders and I am waiting for a couple of orders, fingers crossed the boxes will be here this evening.

I have taken some photographs of Christmas cards to share with you over the next few days. Here is the first one
Thank you for having a read and I hope you have a lovely day.

Tracey

oh no.....it broke

my printer broke which is a major catastrophe for me at this time of year. Birthday cards, Christmas cards, inserts etc. etc. all waiting to be done this weekend. Typical. I I knew that I had to replace it sooner or later but I was hoping it was going to be later.
I have had my eye on a Canon printer and as this has also been recommended to me by a friend, Pauline, I had done quite a lot of homework on it, looking it up on the net, reading reviews etc. etc. so of course, with my Epson failing me I had to get my hands on a Canon quick. I managed to get a good deal at Argos and as they only had one in store, off I went yesterday morning at half past 8 to pick it up. It weighed a ton and could anyone at the shop help me to the car with it....no. Off I went with this big heavy box, through the snow to the car park and phew, made it without mishap. Got it in the house.....now what. Paul is away and bro in law said he would come and install it. I waited and waited and waited......at half 10 last night I gave up waiting.
Opened the box, took out all the packaging and just stared at it, its big, its black and silver and a there are so many books to read, pieces of paper of what not to do, what not to touch, what not to bang it was a bit overwhelming.
Up at the crack of dawn determined not to let a printer beat me, well a printer, technology, the internet and everything else really. Got rid of the old printer and put the new one in its new home...IT DOESNT FIT. Oh well it will just have to do for now in the middle of my study desk. Plugs, mmm Paul has drilled holes in the worktop for all the wires but never mind, we shall have trailing wires across the study for a while. First hurdle, where to you plug it in lol. The instructions say to install in a well lit area well tough, my study is dark so we will have to manage best we can. Yeah plugged it in and got a little pop up screen talking to me, well at least something talks to me. Right, open printer head package and install, open printer cartridges and install DO NOT BANG AGAINST SIDES, DO NOT CATCH, DO NOT TOUCH, what, how on earth am I going to do this.....slowly but surely got that sorted. Then got to get the printer and computer to talk to each other via wii fi gulp. Amazingly enough by going through each process, step by step I got both the computer and printing chatting to each other, I felt like a gooseberry. Now CD rom in place, followed the steps, registered, done. Hay, not so bad. Insert USB lead. Oh, what is one of those? I've heard about them but Paul always goes into a drawer in the shed and comes out with a USB lead mmmm maybe, just maybe one of the old leads from the Epson printer is a USB lead. The first one obviously wasnt but the second one HAY PRESTO, it fits (sounds a bit like cinderella). So now I have a talking printer, a cd rom installing the software and a printer that should work. It doesnt matter that I cant work on the desk, am scrunched up to type on the compter and I will probably trip over the wires and have an accident....IT DIDNT BEAT ME.

The Beastie

If only cleaning of the craft room and finishing the Christmas cards was this easy.

Ththth Thursday

It is soooo cold this morning, brrrr. Here are the bags that I promised to show you last week (where does the time go).

Dont forget to get in touch with Anne if you would like to purchase one of these bags for an extra stocking filler.







Tonight it is late night shopping with mum, she needs to get a few presents and hopefully I can grab some more and cross them off my list. Its dabblers tomorrow night but who will be able to make it with these weather conditions? I shall be there and I am sure Sandra will and we will just see who else turns up

LAST MINUTE ORDER - yes I am placing a last minute order first thing in the morning. If you would like anything from Stampin' Up! before Christmas, no matter how big or small, please let me know before 6a.m. tomorrow morning. You can pay direct into the bank or by paypal or credit card. I think this really will be my last order prior to Santa visiting as I really really really do have to put my craft room away this weekend.