Wednesday, 30 December 2009

Father Christmas or Tim Holtz?

December 30, 2009 0 Comments

I hope everyone had as great a Christmas as I did :o) The fact I got all the things I really really wanted may well have had something to do with the fact I ordered or bought nearly all my own presents this year :o)

So Father Christmas came in the shape of Tim Holtz, with some distress ink pads, stamp sets, perfect pearls, stickles and ideology bits. I also got a gorgeous red jumper, booze (never goes amiss), money (never goes amiss either) and some fantastic black furry slipper boots that make me look like a cartoon character (huge black feet) but who cares ........... my feet are so warm it's unbelievable (shame the rest of me isn't).

Oh look at the goodies ........... shiny, pretty things

Postman Pat feet

A wonderful Christmas dinner cooked by Mum and yet again I forgot to take a photo of it, but it was scrummy. And to top it all a 2 hour post Christmas dinner siesta - what a good day.

My lovely neighbours gave me a bottle of sherry, a home made Christmas cake and some of Sarah's wonderful mince pies. No I am not a lover of mince pies normally, coz I don't like 'flies' but for these I make an exception - the pastry is to die for ......

Yum Yum

A nice few days off and now back at work. MP is having to take me and pick me up at the moment (he's on holiday) as the lane to our house is still covered in snow and ice and MP's car has snow tyres fitted (one of his Christmas treats to himself). Just as the snow started to melt it came back again and It's still snowing on and off, with bad weather predicted for New Year. Good job we don't have any plans but a quiet night in.

The photo opportunities have been great though and the icicles amazing ....

snow

icicles from our guttering and drain pipe

icicles at the side of Bacup Road

Impressive or what?

Not done much crafting. TBH I have still got a cold and my asthma is quite bad at the moment but a trip to the GP's today and a shiny new inhailer and hopefully I should be back on track soon. Hope so, as Mum, Kathb and I are booked for Sarah's cards Warrington crop on Sunday and we haven't been for a while so I am looking forward to it. Lets hope the snow stops and I can get down the hill, no way I won't need my car (and full boot) to go to that.

Well, best get on, MP is cooking dinner and I should at least offer to help :o)

Take care all and drive safe

Friday, 25 December 2009

Merry Christmas

December 25, 2009 0 Comments

I'd like to wish everyone who reads this ...................

A very Merry and Happy Christmas

Hope your day is filled with love, good cheer and of course presents

Sunday, 20 December 2009

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

December 20, 2009 0 Comments
Well, several days later it's still snowing.

I did the shopping Friday after work and MP picked me and the goodies up from the supermarket. The nice men from the council had been and gritted the road/hill to our house (the drive down in the morning was hairy to say the least. Looked like they had started gritting and run out half way) so we managed to get all the way up. After reading the weather predictions (we have the met office in favourites!) I suggested to MP we take one of the cars down and park it on the main road, just in case, but MP didn't think it was going to be that bad so didn't bother - bet he wishes he had now :o)

Looking out of the window it's blizzard like and about 3-4 inches covering everything and it's so cold but we have a lovely fire burning to keep us warm.

Yesterday we put up our Christmas tree. Now I love a real tree, think it stems back to the dodgy silver tinsel ones we had when I was a child, so we usually get at least a 7 footer for the lounge. Getting it in is easy but not so when it comes to take it down and we have to throw it out the patio doors which are over a conservatory (my house is upside down - lounge, kitchen upstairs, bedrooms down with one of the bedrooms having a conservatory attached!), no patio, making sure to throw it clear - not an easy task. So this year in a moment of wisdom, MP suggested a pretend tree.

So ............... Snow + Real fire + pretend Christmas tree in all their glory ............




Ho Ho Ho .........

As well as trying to make bookmark/tags for my team at work I have been busy doing door hangers for the children of one of my work colleagues. Took me a full day to do these, but I am pleased with the results - just hope Finn and Joe are .......


One of the blogs I check out on a regular basis - Ink on my fingers - is giving away these goodies. Why not pop over and have a look - the stamps are gorgeous :


You got to be in it to win it!

Well, best get back to the bookmarks but the way it's going, looks like tomorrow will be a snow enforced crafting day - how sad :o)

See you soon xx

Thursday, 17 December 2009

12 months

December 17, 2009 1 Comments
Just a quick post ......

It's been 12 months today since my gorgeous boy went to sleep. Can't believe how quickly the time has gone, how much we still miss him and how many stones in weight I have put on with no dog walking.

Winter is also upon us, with the first snow today. Drove up the hill tonight and fingers crossed will get down it again in the morning as it's our Christmas 'party' at work tomorrow and like being at school we are going to spend the afternoon playing games :o) What good use of tax payers money eh?

Murphy RIP

Wednesday, 9 December 2009

Piggin flu!

December 09, 2009 2 Comments
Am massively feeling sorry for myself at the moment. Having nursed MP through swine flu recently, dodged every other person in the office sneezing and coughing all over the place and thinking myself lucky, I have finally succumbed to the dreaded lurgy. Not swine flu, just piggin ordinary flu which feels bad enough and thats despite having heroically had my vaccination a month ago!! So fire lit and house like an oven, lemsips and nightnurse taken, fleecy blanket a permanent fixture around shoulders and naff films on tv - sorted!

So not much done on the crafting front for a few days, haven't really had the energy and so much to do.........

Think I picked up the lurgy at the Christmas market in Manchester last Friday, where I met up with my old pals from Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) - Team Risk. A good time was had by all and it was lovely to see them after what seems like ages. MP came along for the food, which he consumed in large amounts and Gary's partner Michael came to meet us after he finished work which was great. Didn't take many photo's as it was packed and have to be honest, was not fit after several hot Gluweins!!!

Michael, Sue (surgery), Ian (team risk - peeping at the back), Norman (children's), Gary (team risk) and me

MP and I left them to it about 7pm and they looked set for the night! Bet there were a few hangovers the next day.

I took part in a circle journal (CJ) on UKS, hosted by my pal Kathb earlier this year. The theme for this CJ being 'all your own photo's'. How it works - there are 10 members in a circle, each one makes an album, containing enough pages for all 10 to do a double page layout, the owner does the first pages and then posts it on to another member of the team. They do their pages and it gets posted on again. This happens until you get your original album back, fully completed.

I decided to use the opportunity to get one of my Christmas presents done. An album of photographs of my neighbors dog, Beth, who sadly died not long after the photographs were taken.

The album arrived back last week and it is incredible. My neighbors are going to love it and whilst it may be a little upsetting at first I am sure they will treasure it. So here are the pages ....

first pages done by me - Beautiful Beth

pages 3&4 'Forever friends' by Amanda (Westiegirl)

pages 5&6 'Always in our heart' by Pennyk

pages 7&8 'Beautiful Beth' by Louise

pages 9&10 'Epitaph to a Newfoundland dog' by Donna (Teajenny)

pages 11&12 'Beloved dog' by Perdita

pages 13&14 'How gorgeous you were' by Lynne (Retired Nana)

pages 15&16 'Forever' by Clairbear

pages 17&18 'Adorable' by Joan (Lilacjo)

pages 19&20 by Jayne (Craftyfeeling)

So now I just have to bind it, add some ribbon and think of something to put on the first page which will explain it to non scrappers.

Thank you to everyone who took part and did the most wonderful pages and to Kathb for hosting. The next CJ starts in the New Year, now just to decide what to do!

Thanks for looking