Tuesday 31 May 2011

We are Family

I am suffering withdrawal symptoms from no crafting for a while ... I'm so hoping that once half term is over, and once the bathroom is complete (flooring being laid on Friday) that I might be able to get back into my Crafty Corner, although now that the decorating is also finished in Hayden's room I have two pairs of curtains to make as well :(

So, here is another of the layouts that I did a short while ago:


The photo was taken on Easter Sunday when we all got together at my Mum's house (yay for the timer function on Alex's camera!)  I used Basic Grey Cupcake papers because I still have loads of them, and punched out coordinating flowers using my EK Success large flower and my XCut smaller one.


Kitten Update!  Both of my little boys are doing well.  Today they have been constantly hungry and as a consequence, Ickle Pickle gained 85g (!) and Arnold 50g.  Pickle now weighs only 200g less than Arnold, although he is still a LOT smaller.  They are getting a lot braver, and now that all the workmen have left they have the run of our upstairs, and we bring them downstairs with us in the evening, into the same room as the dogs, although they snooze on the back of the sofa while the dogs are on the floor.  Hopefully it won't be too long until everyone can mingle together.  We are finding it difficult to get good photos of them, but I will keep trying!

Carole x

Friday 27 May 2011

Hayden's Birthday Card

Now that my new bathroom is almost finished, and all the boxes, sinks and loos have been removed from my lounge, I could finally get to take down Hayden's birthday cards which reminded me that I hadn't yet shared with you the birthday card that I made for him.


This card is made from a piece of red A4 card folded, and the graph paper was amongst some old school books that Hayden was chucking out and actually has a graph on the reverse!  The letters were cut from an old copy of either The Beano or The Dandy (can't remember which).


Thanks again to Alex for taking the lovely pictures.

So, it is lovely to have a quiet house today!  We need to choose some flooring then when that has been fitted the bath panel and plinth can be fitted and it will all be finished!  Hooray.  We are delighted with it so far.

The kittens, Pickle and Arnold, went to the vet on Monday.  She gave them both a clean bill of health along with a  dose of worming medicine (just in case!)  She thinks that Pickle is just little, the runt of the litter, but hopefully he will thrive now that he is home with us.  We have to weigh him every day to make sure that he is gaining weight.  The first day we weighed him, he weighed just 620g and has put on 20g so far this week (bless him!).  We have to pop him into one of my mixing bowls on my kitchen scales :)  Being little doesn't stop him chasing around and playing/fighting with his big brother nor from purring very loudly and loving his cuddles, as does Arnold who compared to Pickle is such a strong robust little chap and equally cuddly and contended.

Well, thank goodness it's the weekend.  That was quite a week.  Exhausting.  Gotta love Bank Holiday weekends, especially when there is a huge clear up along with more decorating to be done ...

Carole x

Sunday 22 May 2011

My New Babies


As promised, here I am, back with some good news.  Meet my new babies!  As you know, we very sadly lost our beautiful Morris and we have been missing him like mad and our home just didn't feel right without a cat.  So, yesterday, we picked up these adorable little bundles of fluff (and when I say little, they are tiny, especially the one on the left).  They are both boys, brothers and are 6 weeks old (I am now a little worried that they are too small to leave their Mum, but I was assured that they are).  I shall make an appointment and take them to our vet tomorrow to have them properly checked over.

As we didn't know whether we were getting brothers or sisters or one of each, we had terrible trouble deciding on names for them.  The little one (did I mention that he is miniscule?) quickly got the nickname Little Pickle for obvious reasons and despite me suggesting other names (such as Sidney) I have been over ruled, and Pickle it is!


For ages, the other kitten was referred to as "the big one" - bless him.  He really isn't big at all, only compared to his little brother!  Eventually we settled on Arnold as his name.


It's so lovely seeing them playing (and fighting) together, they are so funny.  We very briefly introduced them to Tilly (our Spaniel) today, and she is such a good girl that she refused to look at them so that she wouldn't be tempted to chase them.  They did little arched backs and Arnold even hissed at her (Pickle tried and made the face, but no sound came out bless him).

Loads more scrapping opportunties - I can feel them coming on already!

Carole x

Saturday 21 May 2011

Us

We are going through a funny old patch right now, and what with all the building disruption from the bathroom and redecorating Hayden's bedroom, my house is an absolute bombsite ... and it's beginning to get me down.  This coming week, I have two funerals to attend on consecutive days, followed by two days of work.  I did book a lunch out with a friend on Monday (unless she goes into labour as her baby is now imminent!)  I'm anticipating very little or no crafting on my agenda this week :(  However, I'm told to expect great progress on the bathroom this week, as things are starting to go in instead of being ripped out.  The bath is now in and tiling should commence Monday - I'm hoping that things might move along quite quickly now (with no more indoor water features downstairs please).

Anyway, I thought it was about time to share another of my layouts!


Considering how simple it is, you would not believe how long this one took me!!!  Normally, I love my Core'dinations in perfect condition, but for this layout, I had a lovely time distressing and sanding it.  I handstitched the flower leaves and stems, used my new Nestabilities and a photo taken of Phil and I on Easter Sunday (thanks Alex!)


A bit soppy I know, but it's not often that I get a photo of the two of us that I actually like so had to make the most of the opportunity!

Next time I blog, it will be with happy news ...

Carole x

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Brother and Sisters

So, today, even though the builders are still here doing the bathroom, I snuck into my Crafty Corner and did a new scrapbook layout (yes, another one!)  This time however, I am going to enter it into a challenge - my first ever!!! I followed the weekly sketch (#156) at Creative Scrappers  and came up with this:


So, not only am I being brave in entering one of my layouts, but I had to be extra brave and put ink splodges on the layout that I had just spent hours on!  Oh my goodness I half wondered if I would have to put it in the bin because I wouldn't like the splodges ... but I do!  I did loads of practice flicks until I was fairly confident then just went for it! (Does anyone know what I can use to get the ink off my hands?!!!)


I used some Papermania Kraft as the base, and then my Basic Grey Sugared papers (and I even managed to sneak in some brown parcel paper too yay!)  The photo is of me and my siblings and was taken on Easter Sunday at my Mum's house - in hindsight maybe a portrait photo might have been better for this sketch, but hey ho.  The title is because "Brothers and Sisters" is my favourite tv show!!!

Carole x

Sunday 15 May 2011

Oh I do like to be beside the Seaside ...

My uncle Dave is a bit of a legend!  He has been researching our family tree and has gone back many many generations, and along with his research, he has been scanning in old family photos so that we can all see and share them (and some that aren't so old but are a bit on the embarrassing side!)

So, as soon as I saw this picture of a happy family beach scene, I knew that I had to do a scrapbook page!  I love how the older generation are at the beach on what is obviously a warm or even hot day, but they are all dressed in shirts, ties, waistcoats, jackets and best hats!  And look at how miserable they look!  I suppose it wasn't the done thing to smile in photographs in those days, but it would have been nice to think that they were having a lovely day!



I most definitely wanted to include some bunting to recreate a beach theme, and I hope that the colours of the papers kind of suggest beach and sea.  When I had made the bunting I remembered that an ebay seller had sent me a little pack of die cuts with a die that I had purchased and there was a cute little seagull in the pack - perfect!  I made the pin wheel (and the bunting) from my lovely WRMK Vintage Blue which I am now sadly running very low on :(



I managed to sneak into my Crafty Corner this afternoon while everyone else was busy doing their own thing (and while there are no builders here banging and crashing about!) and have completed another layout ... that's five in less than a week!  I think I am becoming addicted!

Carole x

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Male 21st Birthday Card

Yay!  Blogger seems to have sorted itself out and has decided that I am following some blogs afterall, so hopefully normal service has been resumed!

I don't want to speak too soon, but my mojo seems to have hit an all time high ... although the timing couldn't be worse as the builders are expected in tomorrow to rip out our old bathroom and replace it - about 2-3 weeks work.  I usually find that I craft better when I am on my own with peace and quiet so I'm thinking that tiles being knocked off and men going up and down my stairs won't be very inspiring!  However, I have completed four, yes, you read right, FOUR scrapbook pages over the past two days!  I'm on a roll!

However, today I shall share the 21st birthday card that I made for Jonathan - expertly photographed by Alex:


Luckily, Jon loved it (although for some reason known only to students) he thought it was a tv set!?


It's lovely to have some projects stored up to share over the next few days (or weeks, depending how stressful I find the invasion!)  I did remember to take some "before" photos of the bathroom, will try and get some "during" ones and can't wait to be able to take the "after" shots!

Carole x

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Evie's Birthday

My cute little minx niece Evie had her third birthday the other day.  I found the cutest little red with white polka dots tea set in a little red and white spotty suitcase for her birthday, and this is the card I made for her:


Not sure what is going on with blogger today, but apparently I'm not following ANY blogs, so no updates have come up in my dashboard list, but yet when I go to one of the blogs that I am following, there I am listed.  Go figure.  Not sure now whether to re add or hope that it will sort itself out (don't you just hate it when things like this happen?!)

Off this afternoon for another crochet lesson, so I will hopefully be able to produce three different kinds of flowers!

Had a successful afternoon in my Crafty Corner the other day (as Suzie Boo will confirm, as she surprised me with a visit mid craft!) and managed to get both that male 21st and my son's birthday cards done - phew!  Will add to my blog after the big days!

Carole x

Sunday 1 May 2011

Emotional Rollercoaster

Sorry for my absence from blogging, but I have been blind sided by recent events.  Very sadly, our beloved little cat Morris was knocked over and killed just two days before my birthday.  I can't begin to tell you how sad I was, and still am.  He was only 15 months old and such a lovely little character, not a lap cat but loving and funny in his own little ways.  I miss him terribly.

Also, that same week, my Nanna was taken into hospital again, and unfortunately, she isn't doing too well.

So, with the recent events, my birthday this year was a little subdued to say the least, but as it was on Good Friday, the whole family was home, so we visited Bath for the day.  The sun was shining, we had lunch at Jamie Oliver's Italian and did have a lovely day despite everything.

Alex made me some Happy Birthday cupcakes which were delicious:


and Hayden bought me the lovely star cup cake stand!  Thanks you two, love you!

On Easter Sunday, we went to my Mum's and all my family came for a birthday/Easter/30th wedding anniversary celebration.  It was a lovely day, and Alex got some great family shots:


I struggled to make a 30th wedding anniversary card (pearl), but in the end went with pearlised papers and as many pearly bits and embellishments as I could manage(!):


I think they liked it, hope so anyway!

Hoping to muster up some crafting mojo again this week, as I urgently need to make a male 21st birthday card (groan) and Hayden's birthday card (another male card, groan)!

Carole x