Wash Out Bank Holiday

The last day of August and what a wash out, especially as it is Bank Holiday.  Well I was at work as we dont get this holiday (yes we get lots of others instead).  Work passed in a whizz, I was very busy and it was very quiet so the morning soon went.

Once I got home it was phone call after phone call, I was a popular busy bee.  Next it will be time to have a little chicken and rice....again.  Well tum feels a lot better but I am not too sure about eating different food at the moment so I shall stick with the chicken and then, I am in craft room for an hour or two.  I didnt get to clean it all and I do have a few projects to start/finish including the birthday card box.

This is one of the cards to go into the box, now that it has an insert.

Tomorrow is the launch of the Winter Mini Catalogue.  If you havent got one of these and would like one, please do let me know.  You are most welcome to call in tomorrow evening to collect yours if you wish as I will be in crafty space from around 5.30 ish on a mission to get some pages complete in the projects I am working on.  Kettle will be on and I look forward to seeing you.

Yesterday I managed to do a lot more gardening, dead heading, had the hoe out and cut a few plants.  I felt a lot better after all that fresh air, so much so that I came in and went to sleep on the sofa for an hour, opps.

Well thanks for having a read, if you do want to any help with regards to Stampin' Up! please do get in touch.  I am always happy to help if I can.  Tracey x

Smashing Sunday

Good morning from a very warm Derby.  Forecast today is for around 20 degrees with some showers around lunch time, that will suite me.

Up and about bright and early as I want to whip through the chores and clean up crafty space after the mess we left it in on Friday tut tut.  Well these things happen.  Then there is the bit of ironing a bit of hoovering, a bit of polishing, you know how it is for a Sunday, getting prepared for the busy week ahead.

Yesterday turned out to be a lovely day spent with lovely friends.  I ended up in Peterborough, as you do.  It was a totally chilled out day and I feel so much better for it.  We watched a demonstration by Niki from Heartfelt Creations, caught up with Janice and Andy and even had a treat on some wonderful stamps that were on offer, it would have been very rude not too. At lunch time I managed to sit on a bench, in the sunshine just letting my thoughts drift to this view, the sky was stunning.

So today, once chores are done, I would like to go and have a little play in the crafty space, I have a card or two to finish and a sad one to make ready for the post tomorrow.

Here is yet another card from the Garden in Bloom collection that I am working my way through.  I saw this on the wonder web and loved it, as did lots of lovely ladies last week.

 

Used lots of bright colours on this, Real Red, Watermelon, Tango Twist, Daffodil Delight.

I am pleased to say that I am feeling a lot better today, I would say 98% well, phew.  I dont like bugs.

I have a little order going in at around 5pm this evening for Stampin' Up! goodies, if there is anything that you would like from the catalogue, the clearance rack HERE or from the Weekly Deals HERE, do let me know and I shall get it put in the basket for you.

Thanks for having a read and I wish you a smashing Sunday x

Mr. Mous tache

I did quite a bit of pottering yesterday as well as empty another box that has been in the loft for just over a year.  A few bits went for sale on the crafty site, a few tops went for sale on the top site and a few bits went to the tip.  Looking through the box I found so many nighties and pyjamas and I hadnt even missed them, how terrible is that.  Well I have to be a bit selective as my nightware drawer is just 1/4 of what it used to be, guess I will be trying my nighties on tonight.

Tum is feeling quite a bit better today but not 100% perfect just yet but a girl can only eat so many tea and toast breakfast and lunches followed by chicken and rice dinners..... maybe tomorrow I will have something else.

How do you like mr. mous tache.  isnt he wonderful.  Found him on pintrest so us all crafty ladies  had a go this week on making him.  There is another version, which i shall share later in the week.

Window saga update - David came to visit.  It turns out that David is the same chappy that came round on Wednesday to chisel out some of the plastic to stop the rain from spilling into the conservatory.  I didnt have faith in him then and I dont now.  He wanted to put two thin plastic strips over the holes *gulp*.  I very calmly said, urmmm, I dont think that will look quite right really, do you.  He said no but what else can I do.  Boss should come out to see this to which I replied boss had been out. ohh, well what am I supposed to do says David.  In the end, he is coming back next week with some putty to fill the holes.  He did ask me what colour white was the plastic on the conservatory as there are lots of different shades.  He cant tell me when he is coming back but he said he will.  In the meantime, I may call trading standards as has been suggested to see what I can do.

Today I wont be doing a lot, more pottering and a bit of a tidy, I think that will do for a Saturday.  Thanks for having a read and I hope that you have a wonderful day. x

Window Saga

Up early because the tv came on at 5am? I have no idea why so I guess that is how the rest of my day is going to progress, should be different.  Still got an upset tum so going to stay home.

The window manager came out yesterday.  He came in, had a look at the holes, opened his mouth wide in suprise,  had a walk around to see the other damage and said "they were heavy handed with the drill".  Again I asked about all the muck and dust inside the window frames and wouldnt it get the drain holes all blocked up when water got inside and his reply, "shouldnt do".  After another wander round he said "okay I will get David to sort it.  I will pull him off another job and make time for David to sort it".  I asked who is David and what will he do. "David is the one to sort it" and with that, he turned round and walked out the house!!!! in between I mentioned, reputation, disappointment, mess left outside so now...I await David.

Unfortunately Paul came home just before lunch yesterday, packed his case and drove down the M5 for about 10 days, which is sad.  He has shown me how to use canvas 8 so I will be printing off photos for the new little books I have made, which is exciting.

Here is a card that I have finished off and put in my for sale box

It is one that was made a few months ago but needed to be put together, which I have done.

I have sorted out some 12 x 12 papers and they are for sale in crafty space.  If you fancy popping in over the weekend or next week, please do. If you would like directions on how to get to me, please get in touch.

Off to potter, thanks for having a read and have a lovely day, whatever you are up to x

Thursdays All Sorts

After a busy few days, here I am, at home with a very upset tum.  I started to feel unwell on Tuesday but carried on, as you do but having been up most of the night and having wobbly legs today I decided to stay home and stick to tea and toast.

Apart from feeling 'off it' I have had lots of fresh air in the garden doing light duties, deadheading, a little weeding and at last, the last of the fence panels on the front have been painted.  I now have all the back to do, bit by bit over the next 3 weeks but these are to be stained, rather than painted, ready for the winter.

We have been having a few hiccups with rain water coming into the concervatory from the windows.  I called out Cloudy 2 Clear to have a look at them and they suspected 'blocked drains' which sounded about right.  So I got a quote, along with a replacement window and they came round Tuesday afternoon.  Two very nice lads took all the pains out, drilled larger holes and told me that would sort it.  Well there was hell of a lot of dust and dirt in there but they didnt seem bothered about cleaning that out, they just drilled the holes?? 

 After the downpour in the early hours of Wednesday, up I got to a wet concervatory so I called them back.  Another chappie came out, said the holes were not too good because water was backing up in another area, so he proceeded to chisel out two bits of plastic and said that would sort it. 
 
Again, he wasnt bothered about all the dirt and debris, even despite me asking if that would cause a problem when mixed with water!!  He said no so off he went.  Paul came home, I told him what had happened and we went to inspect the outside where there are supposed to be little drains.   OMG we discovered drill holes all around the conservatory where the two young chappies had drilled on Tuesday but, some of them have actually come all the way through the window sill and others into the frame.

I rang the company last night....they will call me back.  I didnt hear anything so I rang again today, another complaint and hoping someone will call me back.  So, watch this space.

On the crafting front, I have sorted out 3 large boxes of images that I stamped over the years, so a good job done there.  As soon as I feel up to it, I shall be putting inserts in the 20 or so cards that are prepared, ready for the selling box, including this one that I did some time ago.

This weeks Weekly Deals are

The next order will be going in on Sunday tea time so if there is anything that you would like me to add, please do get in touch.

Off for a bit more tea and toast, thanks for having a read and have a lovely day x

Smashing Saturday

Saturday all day YIPEE.  The weather is cloudy until around lunch time and then the sun is breaking through for a few hours.  At the moment it is thunder storms around 6pm but thats fine by me.

We have a hedge to cut this morning.  If you havent already guessed, the gardeners didnt turn up.  I am really disappointed about this as I really do need help with the garden.  Whilst Paul is here its great, between us we get lots done but when he isnt, it is a struggle to keep on top of it, as well as everything else.  So, I went through rated people dot com and gardeners dont appear.  I get not one but three people say they are coming round to quote, two came round.  Never got a quote.  Then I find a reliable firm, 2 chappies, not a bad price and he wants to come and have a look, he is 45 minutes late but did turn up to quote.  Then on the arranged date to start work I get a message, he is not coming but rearranges and then never showed up for the job.  I got recommended a good gardener, he came to quote and didnt show up last week but it was raining heavily so waited this week and nothing. When do people decide that they are not doing the job and why dont they let you know.    Moan over.

Yesterday Paul and I spent the afternoon backwards and forwards to the tip, got rid of lots of bits from the new gate work that was left,  cleaned all the new concrete path and did a lot of painting of the white gate.  Today we have to gloss the white gate and clean the walls and windows where the concrete / cement got splated!! one job done 5 new jobs created but its all a step in the right direction.  I will take some photos for you later today to share tomorrow.

Speaking of photos

I know, its another card with Garden in Bloom stamp set.  Now if I dont get in the craft room to clean it today, next week classes will have to be held outside.  Everytime I go to clean, I see this stamp set and sit down to make a card lol.  Fancy a card making class next Thursday afternoon at 1.30?  Do get in touch if you would like to come along

Thanks for having a read and I hope you have a smashing Saturday, I know I will. x

Showery today

It is forecast to be very showery today which is good for the plants but not so good for me and Paul as we want to continue painting fences and cleaning outside.  Fingers crossed that it picks up tomorrow because it's Friday and guess who is supposed to be coming round.  The gardener.  I will let you know if he appears.

Even though it was drizzling last night, we set a fire in the new incinerating dustbin that I purchased for Paul.  We then burnt all the trimmings from the last month and the shambles is clear again, for a while.  We also managed to burn some of the wood from the gate change over but there is still a lot of concrete and rubble to be shifted.  Not too sure how we are going to get rid of that unless it is endless trips to the tip.

As planned, I spent a couple of hours in the craft room getting it all sorted out for next week but I got distracted.

I cant leave this Garden in Bloom stamp set alone but never mind, I can finish cleaning  the craft room when I get home later today.

Thanks for having a read and I hope you manage to stay dry today.  Tracey x

Wednesday Weekly Deal

It was a very hectic Tuesday, late finishing work, followed by a few pieces to collect out and about.  We managed an hour at home sorting out a corner of the garden before showering and nipping off to visit family from New Zealand, phew.

Today so far I have finished work a bit later than normal, again gone out to collect and deliver a few bits and after I have done some washing and ironing, I intend to get in the craft room to give it a good clean and start getting everything ready for Crafty Week.

Here is a card I made earlier this week


I have used my new favourite set, Garden in bloom and this is one of the stamp sets we will be using during crafty week.  A few spaces left on Thursday and Friday if you fancy coming along.

Stampin' Up! have some lovely Weekly deals this week

If there is anything you like, please do get in touch by Sunday tea time and I can get them ordered for you.  Speaking of Sunday, if you fancy a crafty get together Sunday afternoon, why not pop in.  I shall be in the craft room making a few cards.

Off to meet up with the iron, thanks for having a read and have a lovely evening.  Tracey x

Tuesdays Twitter

Spent a few hours in the garden again last night, trying to get rid of more weeds.  We won YEAH.  I know that they will come back but I feel that I am on top of them.  I believe that I have a couple of new plants coming this week, which will be nice.  Unfortunately the Laural trees are not doing well at all.  Hope the gardener can give us some advise when he turns up.

I am getting myself ready for next weeks Crafty Week, if you fancy coming along I have a few places on Thursday afternoon and some on Friday night.  Its exciting get all the cards ready and of course, not forgetting our little curvey treat box.

Here is a card I have made using Garden in Bloom with is my favourite stamp set at the moment

 The new gates are all up whoop whoop.  This is what is was like when we started

 And now its like this.  Still a little more painting to do and we are waiting for a new fence panel but after a good tidy up and sweep, it will be lovely.  Paul said he is parking his car on this side of the house, so all my crafty friends can park outside the crafty space, bless him.

Right, I had best get a a wiggle on and get myself into work.  Thanks for having a read and I hope you have a great day

Dave's card

So where did Sunday go?  No sooner had I got up and sorted, it felt like it was time to go back to bed again.  In between we did see the grandchildren and Rob and Nat of course.  Their dogs are so entertaining.  We did have a Sunday lunch, do a lot of gardening and sort out other bits and pieces so I guess thats why the time went so quickly, cause we were having fun.

Here is the card that I made for Uncle Dave's birthday on Saturday. 

It was a LOTV stamp coloured in with my SU wax crayons which I turn to lots and lots these days.

So work went well and now I have a few chores to do and tea to cook before we get a man visit us about blinds for the conservatory.  This will be followed by a bit more gardening.  Whilst Paul is here we shall do as much as we can, lots of digging out and planting. Many of the plants I got for my birthday are coming on very well and tomorrow I shall share some photos with you.

Thanks for having a read and I hope you have a lovely afternoon and evening.

Superb Sunday

This is the view that Christiana woke up to first thing this morning, wow.  It is lovely.  She was up very early so she will be having a nanny nap later.

I am really pleased to say that I managed to get all the baby cards done, in the end.  It took me weeks rather than hours but what fun I had in between making them.  Note to ones self - get organised earlier.

Paul came home whoop whoop but only for a few days.  We are going to try and accomplish so much while he is here, the magic word is 'try'.

Friday, during all that rain, Paul went up on the roof to try and clear some of the moss out of the drains.

It has been 13 months now that we have tried to get someone to clear the roof of moss, to no avail.  Gardens didnt come but it was raining.  Not having much luck with that either so between us, we shall continue to try and sort out as much as we can with the garden.

Friday night was Christmas card and chatter club and that was a smashing night, thank you ladies for making it so enjoyable.  I managed to get a dozen cards all stamped out.  I shall put them in envelopes ready for sticking together in November.

Yesterday we went to uncles 70th birthday party, it was wonderful.  We spent hours and hours in their lovely garden, having a wonderful time and catching up with family.

Well I best get Sunday started, not sure what the day is going to bring but it will be a nice day, no matter what.  Thanks for having a read and I hope you too, enjoy your day.

p.s. - A cheeky little Stampin' Up! order is going in at 5pm this evening.  Should you want anything from Stampin' Up! do let me know.

Thursday.....all day

Life always throws things at us that lead us to a crossroads and who knows what is the right or wrong way.  I have always felt that if you go with your instinct, you cant be far wrong but this time......I dont know.  Lots of pondering time over the next week or two.

Paul is home later today whoop whoop.  He will be here for at least a week and then we shall see.

It was Sandra's birthday yesterday and here is her card.

I popped round for a few minutes to see the birthday girl and so pleased that she was having a busy day.  

Stampin Up Weekly deals this week are below

A few little bits and pieces will be going into my shopping basket on Sunday, well it would be rude not to wouldnt it.  If you would like any bits and pieces, do let me know.

Christmas card and chatter club tomorrow.  Are you coming along?  Please do let me know if you plan on coming round, there are only 4 more of these evenings left this year.

I had best get a wiggle on and get myself off to my day job, thanks for having a read and I do hope that you have a wonderful day x

thanks

Good morning on this Monday and the forecast, cloud and showers but never mind, its still going to be warm.

Yesterday I managed to do ALL the ironing whilst watching Create and Craft, (it gets worse).  All the hoovering and polishing got done and lots of sorting out of clothes to part with.  I got my 5 outfits for work ready, bag ready for work and everything organised to make this week run smooth.  I shall do a bit of food shopping today, its always quieter on a Monday.

WHOOP WHOOP  Daytime crafting is being resumed, oh yes on Thursday 27th August at 1.30 in the afternoon, we shall have an afternoon of crafting during Crafty Week.  If you would like to come along to make a couple of cards and tags and who knows what else, please do get in touch.  My contact details are on the right hand side.  It is always a pleasant afternoon, with lots of crafty chatter, laughter and new friends to meet.

Here are this months Thank You cards.

I have used the Gift from the Garden stamp set, lots of Tip Top Taupe and Mint Macaroon and that little flower, its from the new tree stamp.  The sentiment is from another set Cottage Greeting.

Off to finish a page or two in the scrapbook before cleaning and sorting out more baby cards.

Thanks for having a read and have a lovely afternoon and evening x

Made by Denise

If you go to bed early, you get up early so here I am, 5.30am having the first cuppa of the day.  Weather, high of 22 in Derby, just lovely for me but I know that not everyone likes it that hot.

Yesterday was spent in some wonderful company, crafting away.  I am really pleased that I not only finished the outside of my album, I did the spine too (and I now understand it), I managed to put the pages in and started to decorate them, whit whoo, get me.  I am so proud that I could do all this.  I now have all week to get the rest of the pages decorated so that I can have a mamouth photo printing session next Sunday.  Guess what everyone in the family is going to get for Christmas this year, small versions of my album lol.

Some time ago Denise told us all about the quilt that she had been making for a couple of years (yes that;s right).  I am really pleased to say that Denise took the quilt off her spare bed for us to see. Each Square was stitched individually.

Then the squares were all put on the white material to make up the base of the quilt.

 It then had the wadding and this wonderful dragonfly stitch put on the back with multicoloured thread and you can also see this on the front, making it look stunning.

 Of course, it had it be finished off with a little bit of cross stitch

 And here is Denise with her stunning creation.  I can image that this will be in the family for many many years to come and I am so pleased that I got chance to see it.

Isnt is amazing, more than 3 years in the making of it to completion but wow.  I told her I would put it on the blog for us all to have a look.

Thanks for having a read and I hope you have a wonderful Sunday ohh, before I go, I am putting in a cheeky little Stampin' Up! order later today so if there is anything that you would like, just let me know.
Tracey x

Gift from the Garden

I am so pleased that it is Saturday and that the weekend is here and the weather forecast is now lovely.  We are supposed to have 24 degrees today, a bit different from what was said earlier this week.

The gardeners *puff* I cant tell you how I felt.  They were half an hour late on Wednesday so I sent them a message "hi, was expecting you earlier, is there are problem or are you delayed"  their reply was "on way now, stuck in traffic", well it must have been a big traffic jam cause they still havent turned up.  I can not recommend M&J gardeners despite all their advertising.  To add insult to injury, I went on to their facebook page later to find that they had blocked me???  So I have been out again for more quotes and am very happy with the replies I have had.  Fingers crossed that this time next week I can give you some positive news on the garden front.

Not a lot happening on the crafting front though.  I have really tried to get into the crafty space to do a bit more card making but it hasnt really happened.  I shall be in there all day today as it is scrapbooking day and I am making my little album.

I have some SU orders arrive WHOOP WHOOP, they are all sorted, in bags/envelopes and ready for collection.  If you fancy a coffee sometime today you are most welcome to call in and collect, failing that I will be in touch on Wednesday next week to arrange dropping off.  Here are the little tags I have made for this months orders.

I have used Gift from the Garden stamp set.  The stamp is 3 little plant pots together and I have inked up just the one stamp with Stamp n Write markers. 

I am off out to grab another 5 wooden panels this morning, hoping to get them painted today and tomorrow too, ready for the new back gate that is going to be put up next week, fingers crossed.  Its all go in this household which means that I will be ready for my holidays.

I thought I would ask if any of my friends want these?  Over 6ft tall gates x about 8 ft wide.  They do need a coat of paint.

They are available on Thursday for collection.  I shall be advertising them tomorrow,  if no one I know could use them.

Thanks for having a read and have a lovely day

Midweek Musing

Its rather warm out there today but no sunshine so its a good day to get on with more chores.

Today I am doing something a little different, painting gates and wood.  We will be having another new gate put on the side of the house next week and Paul and I would like a white gate with black fixtures so today I am painting the gate

Of course it has side panels so I have started priming those too.  I guess I will spend a couple of hours each day getting all these bits ready for phase 2 next week.

We have to have some new fencing between us and our neighbour and finish off the new gate area that was started some weeks ago.  This is what was started, note the fence panels on the left hand side going up to the house

 Well these were removed and redirected to go across the main driveway

 This is the view from the other side of the road, lots of green ivy over the fence panel right hand side

 Ivy removed and repositioned fences in along the right hand side and area on the right made ready for the concreting next week

 This is the soil, rubble etc. that we were left with after a week of work being done

 Paul and I soon got rid of it into a skip, making it ready for the next phase

 This is the new border I will be having so that I can plant all my climbing flowers that I brought to this house with me.

The large old gates that will be taken down so that we can see the new gates.  (if you or anyone you know would like these gates, please get in touch).  

Lots of new concrete to be laid too.

 The view of the new gates up at the moment, and the next photos I take should be of the new fence panels along the border between us and the neighbour.

 A better photo of the right hand side.  The little bit of fencing underneath all that ivy, hedge and budlia has to be taken out yikes.

More updates to follow next week.

We have some brand new Weekly Deals from Stampin Up of course

If you would like anything, do please let me know as I will be very happy to place an order for you.

Here is another card that we made at crafty week last week, I took the photo without the sparkles opps

It does have lots of bright shiney gems in the middle of the flowers and down the body of the butterflies.  Unfortunately not everyone made the tag....we ran out of time.  The grass was created with the fringe scissors and I have a couple of extra pairs of these scissor so, if you would like a pair, do let me know.  They are at a reduced price.

Thanks for having a read, I am off to finish the baby cards, plan my classes for the next few months and then it will be tea time.  Fingers crossed that the gardeners turn up today.  Have a lovely afternoon and evening x