Boxing Day

Good morning on this wonderful Saturday, oh yes it is wonderful in the Anthony / Rossou household.

A fantastic day was had by one and all here yesterday.  I must have been a very good girl in 2015 as I was spoiled rotten by friends, family and of course Paul and the girls.  I had lots of lovely gifts and lots of crafty bits too so a very big thank you.  I really do feel extremely blessed.

I think I will be sharing Christmas cards with you for the whole of next year as there are so many smashing items to show you so, I have decided to have a Merry Monday.  Each Monday I will share a card I made or received and that should get me sorted out for the festive season for 2016, nothing like being prepared.



This is one I made and the little robbins are covered in crystal effects to make them stand out.

Today is a relaxing day, looking at the presents once more, putting things away and generally having a catch up.  If the weather stays nice we hope to nip out for a walk. Of course I hope to have a visitor or two this afternoon too, especially when there are so many lovely treats to be shared out.  I think I could open my own little chocolate shop, how lucky am I?

Thank you for having a read and I hope you have a lovely day x

The fella in the red outfit has been and gone

Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas.

Today is a special day as its also Christiana's Name Day. All (well most) Cypriot names are saint names so when it's their name day, they celebrate, a bit like St. George's Day, St. Andrew's Day etc. in the UK.  So Christiana has an extra little present to open, when she gets up.

I found another little pile of Christmas cards that didnt get posted last night, what am I like?  I forget to hand out presents, leave cards and I think I may have got it all totally wrong this Christmas but lets hope that I can get it all sorted for next year.

Just look at this wonderful hamper that Rob and Nat turned up with last week. 

There are so many lovely things in it. well there would be, its from Fortnum & Mason. Cheeses, pickles, tea, salmon, pate, wine, port, chocolate, biscuits, dates, etc. etc. etc.  We shall be having the Christmas pud today and spoiling ourselves on a few other little bits, how lucky are we? If anyone has any use for the straw please let me know. 

Wishing you a wonderful day and if you fancy a cuppa (and lots of cake) over the next week, please, pop in.

The night before the big fellas visit

Still great news on the weather front, warm enough for Christiana to go out and about although we havent visited Alvaston Park yet.  If anyone fancies a walk round and a cuppa over Christmas please let me know....we shall be taking bread this time P.Ann.  Whilst we have rain the temperature out there is double figures but the wind does make it feel a bit colder.

Santa is due tomorrow and I am pleased to say that finally, I am ready.  Next year will be different, or did I say that this year?

Here are a couple of cards I have made and sent out.

I have used a stamp set that I was looking for and received it for my birthday.  It is lovely teamed up with Crumb Cake (CC) card and ink as well as Very Vanilla (VV), thank you Pam.

Christmas card club will be on again on the second Friday of January but places are very limited so if you fancy coming along, please do get in touch.

I cant believe that I have just found a card and pressie I was supposed to drop off last weekend, sorry Sue if you are reading this.  I shall be nipping in to see you with it tomorrow.

Time to put feet up for a while.  Have a lovely evening and thanks for having a read x

Fuddle Night

Good morning. It is going to be another warm day today but we are to expect rain later this afternoon.

Rather a late evening last night as we went out for dinner and then I came home and made reindeer biscuits for tonights fuddle.  Just the room to get ready and then set out all the plates, cups etc.  how exciting.

Here is another Christmas card I have made. 
 
Just two of these as they are rather time consuming but I adored making them.  I will be making a lot more for next year.  There are a few different stamps used for this, all Art Impressions on watercoloured card.  They are inked using marveys and then coloured with a watercolour wash with the marveys.

Lots of photos need to be taken and I will get round to it, honest.  Time is just not my own at the moment which I am sure you can understand.

Thanks for having a read and have a lovely day x

Sunday's post

Well everything is just about ready for the big mans visit and we are starting to enjoy all the festivities.  The weather is being so kind to Christiana so we are able to go out a little bit more.  I am hoping to take her to the lake this week to feed the ducks, she will love that.

We nipped into town Friday evening and got through lots of shopping, the town centre was relatively empty and we had a lovely time. All the pressies we have are wrapped and sent off to Santa but I have ran out of tags.  I have made so many tags this year and I cant believe I have ran out.  So it is tag duty this afternoon, which isnt a complaint.

Here is another card that I have made

All my cards gave been posted out apart from the neighbours which will get taken this afternoon.

The blinds are  up in the conservatory whoop whoop.  It makes it look so different and I am really pleased with them.  I do need a rug for the floor but here we have discovered another problem.  When it rains, the grout in the flour tiles goes dark and gets damp which means that there is a problem underneath the floor tiles.  Well you know what, it will have to wait until another year, perhaps I can just sweep it under a carpet!! sorry I couldnt resist.

Off to grab a few bits from sainsburys before coming back to the ironing, a few chores and then the afternoon and evening in the craft room

Thanks for having a read and have a great day x

Weekly Deal

Good morning and what a good morning weather wise it is.  13 degrees when I got up at 4.45 and now it is just about 14 degrees.  I am really happy with this warmth and long may it last.

Yes I am up early today as today is the day that the twins return to Cyprus.  I get very sad when they leave and I just count down the days till we meet up again.

I cant beleive that I havent been on here for more than a week.  I know it was a great idea put the computer in the spare room but, to be honest with you, I am not so sure if it is a good idea.  I cant use the computer if the girls are in bed and they are always in bed in the morning, my blogging time. 

I do have to play catch up on all the cards I have received but I will get there in the end and if I dont, it wont be the end.

Today, my Christmas card is made using a stamp that I have had for many years and used with Gina Martin some time ago. The star really sparkles in real life.

And here are a few more tags.



We are having a Christmas fuddle on 22nd December and I may have already told you this but, I shall just have to keep reminding everyone.  Starts around 6pm, everyone brings a plate of food and we shall spend the evening all christmassy.  There is a secret santa if you would like to take part.  A raffle for some lovely prizes and a make so bring sticky stuff and scissors.  Please get in touch if you can make it as it would be lovely to see you.

This weeks weekly deals are

 I have an order going in on Sunday so if there is anything you would like, please let me know.

Right best get my skates on, an office with a desk and chair await me.

Thanks for having a read and have a lovely day x

Congratulations Katerina

Back from a wonderful time in Preston.  We have eaten, we have drunk and we have spent lots of time with family and friends.

The highlight of the trip was the graduation ceremony for Katerina.  So proud of her especially as English is not her first language.  I shed a tear or two and she walked across the stage.

Here is a photo that Paul took

I have lots more photos so I will share these with you tomorrow.  We returned home this evening with Christiana who is staying with us for a while.  After a fish and chip supper, we have unpacked all her goodies and she now feels as though she has never been away.

Tomorrow we have a few more Weekly Deals from Stampin' Up! which I shall share with you in the afternoon and any orders that you would like to place, to receive prior to Christmas, will need to be with me by 12th December otherwise they can not be guaranteed to be here by 25th. 

Here is another Christmas card that I have made and it is in the box



Unfortunately I still havent written out all my Christmas cards but must do so tomorrow, once I have picked up Sophia and Katerina from the station. They have spent today in Manchester and will join us tomorrow afternoon for a week.

Right, quick shower and off to bed, its already a bit late for me.

Thanks for having a read xx

Happy Birthday Kirsty

Good morning, its 13.5 degrees outside before 6am unless my outside thermometer has broke? I must double check that.

The girls and their father arrived yesterday but the flight was 4 hours delayed and quite a bit of panic at the airport but they are here safe and sound.  After a few hours sleep I think it will be shopping time, goodness me.  I am hoping everything is in place for the graduation tomorrow, it's going to be such a proud day.

Yesterday I managed to get lots of chores done, a bit of shopping and to just about finish the two projects I have been working on. Just words to go in them today and viola, months of working on them will come to an end. I cant wait to show someone what I have done as I love them and am now happy to make another one.

Today is my niece's birthday and here is a card that I made for her

 I cant believe that she is 26, all grown up.    I love making this type of card and must make more, its just a few more hours in the day that I need.

Thanks for having a read and I hope you have a lovely day x

Stolen Holly

Good morning, 11 degrees and not yet 5.30am.  It was warmer here last night than it was in Cyprus, which Christiana is so pleased about.  Today is the day they arrive whoop whoop.

I nipped out to the garden center yesterday and to be honest, nothing tempted me!! So me and sis had a cuppa and came home.  I was shocked at the price of Christmas trees, £169 for a 5ft tree, it was nice but goodness me, I will stick to the one I have.

On one side of the house we have a holly bush.  I have been waiting for this weekend to cut down some of the holly, with the berries ready to spray this weekend.  Imagine my horror as yesterday morning on my way to work I saw that someone has been into the garden and hacked at the the holly, taking everything that had the berries on.  I cant believe it!!!!   I dont mean a little bit either I mean a good 3ft of hedge.  Grrrrr

This is how the hedge looked.

So on to my cards for today.  I made a dozen of these little beauties and the robbins red breasts and Rudolphs red nose has crystal effects on them so they stand out, all nice and shiny.

 

We have booked to go to the Xfactor show next year.  I usually buy the tickets and put them in Pauls Christmas pressies but he has beat me to it this year, which is lovely.

So I managed to get the SU boxes late last night.  I shall be having a sort out and packaging up as soon as I can today and I shall let you everyone know when everything is ready.

Right then, I had best get a sorted as I have a million and one things to do today.  Thanks for having a read and have a wonderful day, whatever you may be up to x

Gone Quackers

The girls are coming tomorrow, how wonderful.  I am so looking forward to seeing them.  They arrive Saturday night/Sunday morning so life is going to be rather hectic for the next few days. The other good news is that Paul returned earlier than anticipated so I have help at home too, phew.

Yesterday I had a quacking afternoon wandering around Alvaston lake with P.Ann.  The weather was lovely, the fresh air was invigorating and we had a wonderful time catching up.  I shall be looking forward to the next time I have a walk around it, the ducks, mallards, swans, signets etc. etc. were spectacular to look at.

 

 

We felt quite guilty for not taking any food with us... next time. The photographs arent brilliant as it was gone 4pm when I took them but you get the idea.

Doesnt it get dark early?  I was quite surprised how dark it was this evening, oh that isnt a complaint, I love dark evenings and dark morning too.  It really makes it all feel like Christmas.

The SU goodies arrived yesterday WHOOP WHOOP but I couldnt get the boxes as they are at my neighbours and every time I went over, they were out.  Fingers crossed for later today.

So I have handed out 2 of my cards, got all the others ready as well as graduation cards, birthday cards, thank yours and get wells.  I just need to get to the post office to get them all posted.
TAH DAH

I have only made one of these this year, I love the reflections and the colours and not too much glitter either.

And here is the very first Christmas card that I have received for 2015

Thank you Sam, it is stunning.

Well I had best get a wiggle on and get into work, after that it's hairdressers, off to garden center for vouchers, drop of birthday goodies for niece and then home to make a Christmas present for a very special person.  Ohh how I love Christmas.

Thank you for having a read, have a wonderful day x

Christmas card and tags

12.5 degrees last night whilst I was nipping in and out of the crafty space.  The forecast for today is some rain but still 11 degrees, keeps me happy.  Up with the larks as I would like to finish off some little goodie bags I am making for all the children in the family.

I had a lovely couple of hours catching up yesterday with Sandra, sat in the conservatory watching the helicopter but still dont know why it was out.  After a tasty curry from Mr. Sainsbury I spent the evening putting some finishing touches to some Christmas cards.  I do hope to have them all signed and sealed by the weekend, well I can hope cant I.  That will leave just the special ones to finish off. 

I can certainly recommend attending the Christmas Card and Chatter club each month because after spending time making cards for the last 11 months,  putting the cards together is such a lot easier than starting from scratch.  The club takes place on the second Friday of each month and is £1 for the evening, which includes cakes and refreshments.  If you would like to come and see what it is all about next year, please let me know and pop in to see what we do. Space is limited.

Here is one of the cards that I have made and I hope to share a card a day with you now, leading up to the big day.  Mind you, with the amount of cards I have made, I could perhaps share a card a day leading up to Christmas 2016.

 And here are a few more tags that have gone into the box, I definately dont need more of these until 2017 but what fun I had making them.

Weekly deals for this week from Stampin' Up! are

I shall be placing an order tomorrow morning as I am going to get the Spring / Summer brochures as well as all the Sale a Bration leaflets.  If you would like anything from Stampin' Up! do let me know this evening.  I believe that there are only 9 more Stampin' Up! shopping days left before the big man arrives.  Any orders placed after 12 December will probably not make it in time for Christmas.

Thanks for having a read  and I hope you have a lovely day, whatever you are up to. x

1st December - the count down is on

Good morning and we have lovely temperatures again today, up to 11 degrees although the rain is due later this afternoon and evening, never mind, we cant have it all.

I have got my advent calendar out

had this a few years now and although I havent filled the drawers yet, I hope to do so soon.

This is the Christmas card I sent out to lots of people last year and I have found 2 that I hadnt finished off. 

So 2 of these will be in the Stamp 'n' Deliver box this weekend. You cant see all the sparkle on this though I dont think.

Hibernating in the craft room this afternoon and evening, got lots of little bits to do, the chores can wait till tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting today and I hope that your afternoon and evening is a good one x