Well this blog is called Kathy's Waffle and waffle is what I'm going to do - in the absence of having anything more interesting to write.
New Blogmates Challenge?
You know when you're listening to the radio and one of those songs comes on - the sort that makes your shoulders relax, a smile come on your face and you just go aaaaaaaahhhhhhh? Well which ones are your aaaaaaaahhhhhhh songs? I'll probably end up coming back to update this list many times but here are seven to start with. Perfect Day - Lou Reed More Than Words - Extreme Fix You - Coldplay Woman - John Lennon Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton Mary - Scissor Sisters Always - Bon Jovi So, put your list on your blog and pass the challenge on then please come and let me know you've joined in with my little game so that I can go and see which are your aahhhh tunes.
New Crafty Challenge
A new card template challenge will be launched today. Kate has made this one, but as it's not been announced yet you'll have to wait to see it - so if you thought coming here would give you a sneaky peek, guess what? You were wrong! However, I've not only seen it, but also have had the chance to play, and so far made THREE cards using the new template nah, nahnenahnah :-)
In the Garden
There are two huge, overgrown buddleia bushes at the front of the house (among other oversized stuff like an enormaous yucka), I spent yesterday morning armed with my secateurs and big, extendable loppers (oooer mrs), the ladders and the empty garden waste bin trying to bring a measure of control to bear. Well the bin is now stuffed to the top, and whilst I can see the bushes are a bit better no-one else will know. I wonder how many fortnight's worth of garden bins it will take to sort this out. And as for the yucka - well I don't actually know where to start with that. Ideas on a postcard, or in the comments bit here, please.
Family Stuff
It was nephew Dan's 6th birthday yesterday. We couldn't get over to see him so we'll pop over there today. Seems only five minutes since we were visiting him just after he'd been brought home from the hospital, a tiny redheaded bundle of babydom. I found an old school photo of his dad at the same age the other week and boy was it scary to see how much Dan is like his dad. The strange thing is, we all thought Charlie was like his dad until Dan came along....
One of the cards I made with the new template is going to be for BIL. I always struggle with bloke cards so getting this done when his birthday isn't till the end of July - well, how smug do i feel? And if you thought I'd fall into the trap of showing it here, well you're wrong again. Later later... ;-)
Here's where I share the things I've been making. If you like anything you see, or would like me to make something special for someone special, just ask - use the 'contact me' button in the side bar.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
It was a Challenge.....
Thanks to the Card Challenges we've been doing on the CBC forum (and if you're reading this and haven't visited, then why not????) my card stocks have soared, fantastic stuff eh?! So much so that I've sent Hubby off to work this morning with a nice new batch of cards to replenish the box he has on his desk - something I've been meaning to do for weeks! With the dreaded football still appearing to take over the entire country (those greying St George's flags hanging out of windows are soooo manky, aren't they?) we had a different challenge at CBC yesterday to see what cards we could make while the match was on TV. As long as each ca
rd contained 3 eyelets/brads, 3 flowers, a tag and some ribbon or fibres we could use whatever other stuff/techniques we wanted. I only managed 3 but Hazel managed to make TEN!
It's taken me best part of an hour to get the pics of my 3 cards on here - for some reason they just wouldn't load. In the end I've had to split today's posting into little chunks - I don't know if that's why I've finally got the photos to upload, but at least they are there now. if anyone knows what's going on, or if I've been doing something wrong - please let me know!
Crafty Update
Now, let's get craftily up-to-date.
I spent a busy Friday making some more Wedding Congratulations cards for a wedding that takes place on 1st July. I'd already made one for this particular wedding and this customer had passed my details on - suddenly I found myself with orders for FOUR cards for the same wedding! Got these orders done and in the post, along with a jewellery order, so was quite pleased with myself.
My next card orders are for New Baby cards and although wedding cards are nice to do, I'm ready for a change after that lot plus the other few I've done with wedding themes lately!
Then I've orders for a couple of little kiddie birthday cards - not really my forté, especially as they are the dreade BOY variety, but hopefully I'll come up with something.
I've a stack of friends and family birthdays coming up soon, but I've been pretty good and have a little stock of cards in the box ready for those. YAY!
I spent a busy Friday making some more Wedding Congratulations cards for a wedding that takes place on 1st July. I'd already made one for this particular wedding and this customer had passed my details on - suddenly I found myself with orders for FOUR cards for the same wedding! Got these orders done and in the post, along with a jewellery order, so was quite pleased with myself.
My next card orders are for New Baby cards and although wedding cards are nice to do, I'm ready for a change after that lot plus the other few I've done with wedding themes lately!
Then I've orders for a couple of little kiddie birthday cards - not really my forté, especially as they are the dreade BOY variety, but hopefully I'll come up with something.
I've a stack of friends and family birthdays coming up soon, but I've been pretty good and have a little stock of cards in the box ready for those. YAY!
Players are ready.....
Wheyhey, today is the first day of Wimbledon. And after a good few weeks of amazingly good weather, I woke this morning to the sound of rain hammering on the Velux window above my head - well, WHAT a surprise.....not.
So here I am, the draws for the Gents and Women's Singles tournament all printed off and waiting to be followed with my customary eagerness and they've already been on, off and on the courts and it's only 2pm. Forecast is better for tomorrow, they say, but today is going to be one of those seriously annoying ones - I'd just like to say, Please God, don't let Cliff Richard start singing, that would be too cruel.
So backtracking a bit to catch up with what's been happening (not much, but what's new? - and don't say "microchip technology" because that's actually not so new anymore, really is it, now?)
Our loft is now insulated, and boarded and ready to receive all our junk, the Christmas stuff, the old paperwork, the skidlids and all those other boxes of stuff you don't want to see every day but don't want to get rid of! So next weekend I guess we'll be back into "sorting" mode, ruthlessly discarding the bits we REALLY don't need to keep and putting the rest up in the loft at last. This of course will lead to the time when we have to do some decorating as the room currently disguised as a great big walk-in cupboard is actually designated as the No 1 Guest Room! See how one job leads seamlessly to another?
Yesterday I got the ladders out and hacked a few more braches off one of the trees that's been allowed to do it's own thing. They empty the garden rubbish bin on Wednesday and it would be a waste to put it out without it being packed to the very top! At least that particular tree looks loads better now. Which one will be next to face my little pruning saw.....
So here I am, the draws for the Gents and Women's Singles tournament all printed off and waiting to be followed with my customary eagerness and they've already been on, off and on the courts and it's only 2pm. Forecast is better for tomorrow, they say, but today is going to be one of those seriously annoying ones - I'd just like to say, Please God, don't let Cliff Richard start singing, that would be too cruel.
So backtracking a bit to catch up with what's been happening (not much, but what's new? - and don't say "microchip technology" because that's actually not so new anymore, really is it, now?)
Our loft is now insulated, and boarded and ready to receive all our junk, the Christmas stuff, the old paperwork, the skidlids and all those other boxes of stuff you don't want to see every day but don't want to get rid of! So next weekend I guess we'll be back into "sorting" mode, ruthlessly discarding the bits we REALLY don't need to keep and putting the rest up in the loft at last. This of course will lead to the time when we have to do some decorating as the room currently disguised as a great big walk-in cupboard is actually designated as the No 1 Guest Room! See how one job leads seamlessly to another?
Yesterday I got the ladders out and hacked a few more braches off one of the trees that's been allowed to do it's own thing. They empty the garden rubbish bin on Wednesday and it would be a waste to put it out without it being packed to the very top! At least that particular tree looks loads better now. Which one will be next to face my little pruning saw.....
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Lythan's difficult challenge
Lythan wants our early memories and boy is that a tough one!
My head isn't so much like a sieve as a colander.I'm never really sure whether I actually remember something, or I've just seen the photo!
I grew up in a little seaside village in the North east of England and most of my early remembrances seem to be to do with the sea - going rock-pooling with one of my Grandads for instance. We must have spent hours and hours crouched over the pools looking for crabs, sea anemones and starfish.
When I was teaching, I'd tell the little ones how my mum used to meet me out of school and we'd go straight down to the beach - for children living about as far away from the coast as possible here in England, who saw the sea maybe once a year if they were lucky this sounded like heaven and their little eyes would open wide in awe!
I've always been stubborn and my mum was never able to "shift" me once I'd dug my heels in. She could just bribe my brother with a matchbox car or something to get him to do what she wanted, but that never worked with me. My aunt however, could do no wrong and it was she who dealt with the stuff my mum couldn't get me to do.
I've never been a happy bunny about getting my hair cut so it was my aunt who would take me all the way from our little village to Newcastle on the bus - which took an hour or so - to the children's hairdresser at Fenwicks (I think) in the hope that they'd be better able to cope with my tantrums. My aunt has always maintained that I never had tantrums when I was with her - which only served to wind my mum up, of course. I aslo remember the hated frilly dresses we had to go to Newcastle to buy for special occasions like Easter. I was a shorts and T-shirrt kind of little girl , not the frilly-frock sort that my mum must have wanted. Tradition had it that you HAD to have something new to wear for Easter Sunday or it would be bad luck so the hated ritual went on every year! I'm sure I remember throwing tantrums in Fenwicks and the other big Newcastle shops! Horrible child I was
Until we got a puppy when I was about 14 I was absolutely terrified of dogs. I don't actually remember this, but my mum told me that when I was a baby a big alsation stuck it's head right into my pram, it didn't hurt me, but she reckoned that's where my fear came from. I was so scared that if I was eating chocolate and saw a dog coming towards me I'd throw the chocolate away in case it came up to me - because dogs like chocolate, don't they?I'm still a bit nervous but I'd prefer a dog to a cat any day - they are just nasty creatures (oooooooh I can feel the wrath and the hate-vibes coming in from all those cat lovers already :)
My head isn't so much like a sieve as a colander.I'm never really sure whether I actually remember something, or I've just seen the photo!
I grew up in a little seaside village in the North east of England and most of my early remembrances seem to be to do with the sea - going rock-pooling with one of my Grandads for instance. We must have spent hours and hours crouched over the pools looking for crabs, sea anemones and starfish.
When I was teaching, I'd tell the little ones how my mum used to meet me out of school and we'd go straight down to the beach - for children living about as far away from the coast as possible here in England, who saw the sea maybe once a year if they were lucky this sounded like heaven and their little eyes would open wide in awe!
I've always been stubborn and my mum was never able to "shift" me once I'd dug my heels in. She could just bribe my brother with a matchbox car or something to get him to do what she wanted, but that never worked with me. My aunt however, could do no wrong and it was she who dealt with the stuff my mum couldn't get me to do.
I've never been a happy bunny about getting my hair cut so it was my aunt who would take me all the way from our little village to Newcastle on the bus - which took an hour or so - to the children's hairdresser at Fenwicks (I think) in the hope that they'd be better able to cope with my tantrums. My aunt has always maintained that I never had tantrums when I was with her - which only served to wind my mum up, of course. I aslo remember the hated frilly dresses we had to go to Newcastle to buy for special occasions like Easter. I was a shorts and T-shirrt kind of little girl , not the frilly-frock sort that my mum must have wanted. Tradition had it that you HAD to have something new to wear for Easter Sunday or it would be bad luck so the hated ritual went on every year! I'm sure I remember throwing tantrums in Fenwicks and the other big Newcastle shops! Horrible child I was
Until we got a puppy when I was about 14 I was absolutely terrified of dogs. I don't actually remember this, but my mum told me that when I was a baby a big alsation stuck it's head right into my pram, it didn't hurt me, but she reckoned that's where my fear came from. I was so scared that if I was eating chocolate and saw a dog coming towards me I'd throw the chocolate away in case it came up to me - because dogs like chocolate, don't they?I'm still a bit nervous but I'd prefer a dog to a cat any day - they are just nasty creatures (oooooooh I can feel the wrath and the hate-vibes coming in from all those cat lovers already :)
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
And now for my answers
1. A bald-chested, blue budgie called Sparky
2. Pooh, with an awful lot of Piglet in the mix
3. Probably get shot down in flames by hubby for this, but I'm going for the Aston
4. Salt and Vinegar - currently loving the Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar ones fromMarks & Spencer's Hand cooked range...
5. A long, long sail around the Aegean, visiting as many of the Greek islands as possible
6. Coffee
7. Probably Spring - as long as it's a nice warm Spring!
8. Yes, in France, 1999
9. Snake
10. Backgammon & Scrabble, fave is Backgammon. I abhor Monopoly
11. Yep, I got a daily sudoku calendar - but I'm still in May with that!
12. hard one this. Gerbera, Snowdrops, Sweetpea - but tomorrow the list would be different
13. coffee cream, or maybe a praline
14. 10-15 I think, but I didn't go and count properly
15. I've counted 20, but I might have to have a recount
OK, so over to you. The questions are in the previous posting in case you missed them
2. Pooh, with an awful lot of Piglet in the mix
3. Probably get shot down in flames by hubby for this, but I'm going for the Aston
4. Salt and Vinegar - currently loving the Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar ones fromMarks & Spencer's Hand cooked range...
5. A long, long sail around the Aegean, visiting as many of the Greek islands as possible
6. Coffee
7. Probably Spring - as long as it's a nice warm Spring!
8. Yes, in France, 1999
9. Snake
10. Backgammon & Scrabble, fave is Backgammon. I abhor Monopoly
11. Yep, I got a daily sudoku calendar - but I'm still in May with that!
12. hard one this. Gerbera, Snowdrops, Sweetpea - but tomorrow the list would be different
13. coffee cream, or maybe a praline
14. 10-15 I think, but I didn't go and count properly
15. I've counted 20, but I might have to have a recount
OK, so over to you. The questions are in the previous posting in case you missed them
Monday, June 19, 2006
Questions, questions
Okay, Come on Blogmates - You've been tagged!
It's time for another list of random, nosy questions! - so anyone who reads this please join in and answer my questions.
Please leave a message here so that I can go and read your answers. And don't forget to pass on the tag.
1 What was your first pet and what was it's name?
2 which WtP character are you? Pooh, Piglet? Eyeore? Or one of the others?
3 Aston Martin or Ferrari?
4 Favourite crisps (potato chips) flavour?
5 Money no object sailing trip - where would you go?
6 Tea? coffee? or juice?
7 What's your favourite season?
8 Have you ever seen an eclipse?
9.Would you rather hold a snake or a spider?
10.Which do you play? And which is your favourite? Chess, Monopoly, Backgammon, Scrabble
11. Do you do Sudoku?
12. 3 favourite flowers?
13. What's you favourite in a box of chocs?
14. How many handbags? none, 1-5, 5-10, 10-15 or more than that?
15. How many different countries have you visited?
It's time for another list of random, nosy questions! - so anyone who reads this please join in and answer my questions.
Please leave a message here so that I can go and read your answers. And don't forget to pass on the tag.
1 What was your first pet and what was it's name?
2 which WtP character are you? Pooh, Piglet? Eyeore? Or one of the others?
3 Aston Martin or Ferrari?
4 Favourite crisps (potato chips) flavour?
5 Money no object sailing trip - where would you go?
6 Tea? coffee? or juice?
7 What's your favourite season?
8 Have you ever seen an eclipse?
9.Would you rather hold a snake or a spider?
10.Which do you play? And which is your favourite? Chess, Monopoly, Backgammon, Scrabble
11. Do you do Sudoku?
12. 3 favourite flowers?
13. What's you favourite in a box of chocs?
14. How many handbags? none, 1-5, 5-10, 10-15 or more than that?
15. How many different countries have you visited?
Nothin' much
Not much to report.
At long last the guys came on Thursday to insulate the loft. This meant hubby spent Saturday putting some boarding down and I reverted to the role of Chief Go-fer. Between handing planks and tools up to him I managed to make a card for an order. I'd planned a sort of "Happy 2nd Birthday to Our Little Princess" theme but couldn't quite get it to fit, so went for this instead:
At long last the guys came on Thursday to insulate the loft. This meant hubby spent Saturday putting some boarding down and I reverted to the role of Chief Go-fer. Between handing planks and tools up to him I managed to make a card for an order. I'd planned a sort of "Happy 2nd Birthday to Our Little Princess" theme but couldn't quite get it to fit, so went for this instead:
I'm quite pleased because I actually used the QK tiara and wand that have been languishing in the die box since I bought them thinking "Oh wow aren't they cute, I'll used them loads....."
Fellow Blogger NZJane made the little dress - I added the little silver flowers to match the pink and silver colour theme. Jane is such a cleverclogs, her stuff is fab though sometimes she doesn't seem to realise how admired her work is.
I'm not sure where Sunday went, it sort of just disappeared. All I remember doing was making some earrings from silver and swarovski crytal beads and wandering into town at some point to post a belated Birthday card for another fellow Blogster Debbie. Happy Birthday for yesterday Debs. Do you want to see the card I sent?
And that was the weekend over.
I'm hoping that today the postie will bring a parcel of goodies I ordered last week. I might need a bit of help and guidance on a project I have in mind for a Christmas gift - so watch this space, OK?
Friday, June 16, 2006
And the answer is:
Please welcome Kathy's New Bag.
With thanks to CBC members, and to Sara and Janine for their help and support during my dithering.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Taking up the challenge...
20 Things About Me
1. I'm stuck on this already
2. er...I love Leonidas Belgian Chocolates
3. I'm really shy, I'm useless at making small talk, but then tend to waffle on far too much when I'm nervous
4. My musical tastes are wide, from rock to the classics
5. I'm a terrible hoarder "I'll keep this piece of tat, it'll come in useful one day"
6. I hate football
7. ...but I love tennis, especially watching Wimbledon (wwohoo, not long to wait, now)
8. I've been around the world - and we didn't back-pack!
9. I've been up in a glider and it was magical - even though I nearly bottled out on the day I was due to go up!
10. I've been round Silverstone GP circuit in a car driven by a pro-driver. Terrifyingly fast, but VERY exciting.
11. I've driven a ferrari; we used to have a 308 - I only drove it because hubby was in plaster and couldn't. Far too scary for me
12. My hubby bought me a GameBoy for Christmas and I'm soooo addicted!
13. I can never decide on my favourite colour
14. I'll never stop missing my mum and dad
15. I love my new house - well, except the bathroom which is horrible
16. I adore Greece and especially the Peloponnese and also the islands. I've been to: Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Kalymnos, Telendos, Kos, Rhodes, Crete, Kefalonia, Symi, Skopelos, Alonissos, Andros, Tinos, Samos, Santorini and Lesvos, I think I've missed some off the list though
17. Travel is one of our favourite things. Not just overseas - we like to have weekend breaks here in the UK too.
18. I've always been fairly creative, I can't remember a time when I wasn't dabbling in some crafty thing or other. I like sewing and cardmaking among other things
19. I'm not a great fan of spiders, or creepy crawlies of any kind really.....
20. ....but on holiday in Morocco I did have a snake put round my shoulders......I have no immediate need of experiencing it again - but would rather that than have a spider on my hand!
OK, so if you've managed to get to the end of this list, guess what? it's your turn now....
1. I'm stuck on this already
2. er...I love Leonidas Belgian Chocolates
3. I'm really shy, I'm useless at making small talk, but then tend to waffle on far too much when I'm nervous
4. My musical tastes are wide, from rock to the classics
5. I'm a terrible hoarder "I'll keep this piece of tat, it'll come in useful one day"
6. I hate football
7. ...but I love tennis, especially watching Wimbledon (wwohoo, not long to wait, now)
8. I've been around the world - and we didn't back-pack!
9. I've been up in a glider and it was magical - even though I nearly bottled out on the day I was due to go up!
10. I've been round Silverstone GP circuit in a car driven by a pro-driver. Terrifyingly fast, but VERY exciting.
11. I've driven a ferrari; we used to have a 308 - I only drove it because hubby was in plaster and couldn't. Far too scary for me
12. My hubby bought me a GameBoy for Christmas and I'm soooo addicted!
13. I can never decide on my favourite colour
14. I'll never stop missing my mum and dad
15. I love my new house - well, except the bathroom which is horrible
16. I adore Greece and especially the Peloponnese and also the islands. I've been to: Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Kalymnos, Telendos, Kos, Rhodes, Crete, Kefalonia, Symi, Skopelos, Alonissos, Andros, Tinos, Samos, Santorini and Lesvos, I think I've missed some off the list though
17. Travel is one of our favourite things. Not just overseas - we like to have weekend breaks here in the UK too.
18. I've always been fairly creative, I can't remember a time when I wasn't dabbling in some crafty thing or other. I like sewing and cardmaking among other things
19. I'm not a great fan of spiders, or creepy crawlies of any kind really.....
20. ....but on holiday in Morocco I did have a snake put round my shoulders......I have no immediate need of experiencing it again - but would rather that than have a spider on my hand!
OK, so if you've managed to get to the end of this list, guess what? it's your turn now....
Just for Janine!
The links thing, with thanks due to Debs (aka Buttercup) from the Crafts by Carolyn forum.
(In Blogger) What you need to do is
type the words that you want to be a hyperlink ie Northumberland photos,
select them
click on the little hyperlink button at the top of the post editing panel
when the pop up box appears, type or paste in the URL you want the link to go to ie the http link to your gallery
click OK
(In Blogger) What you need to do is
type the words that you want to be a hyperlink ie Northumberland photos,
select them
click on the little hyperlink button at the top of the post editing panel
when the pop up box appears, type or paste in the URL you want the link to go to ie the http link to your gallery
click OK
Monday, June 12, 2006
Monday prevarication
Another warm and sunny day - if a bit on the humid side.
I've loads to do, I really must get started on that card order - if only inspiration would strike. If any of you have any going spare, please send it my way, will you?
In order to put off the moment when I really do have to do some of the stuff on my list, I've just spent the last hour resizing and uploading some of my photos Northumberland photos from our recent trip. I hope you'll find time to take a look.
(with BIG thanks to Debs for telling me how to make the link thing work!)
I've loads to do, I really must get started on that card order - if only inspiration would strike. If any of you have any going spare, please send it my way, will you?
In order to put off the moment when I really do have to do some of the stuff on my list, I've just spent the last hour resizing and uploading some of my photos Northumberland photos from our recent trip. I hope you'll find time to take a look.
(with BIG thanks to Debs for telling me how to make the link thing work!)
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Lofty
Hubby and my Cuz have worked so hard today, clearling the loft ready for the new insulation. Not the best of days to be in a loft, it's been baking hot all day, but at least it's ll ready for the work to be done on Thursday. You wouldn't believe how filthy everything was, thank goodness we had the foressight to cover the landing, stairs and hall with dustsheets. They had to make two trips to the dump - this is all other people's rubbish that has just been left up there, how can people not clear their houses properly when they move on? grrrrr.
I managed to keep out of the way of the really dirty work and stuck to the clearing up and providing plenty of food and cold drinks for two mucky, hot, hungry and thirsty men. Having the two showers working now proved very useful today!
I thought I'd post the latest card template challenge on here too, just in case any non-forum people stumble across my blog and want to play!
I managed to keep out of the way of the really dirty work and stuck to the clearing up and providing plenty of food and cold drinks for two mucky, hot, hungry and thirsty men. Having the two showers working now proved very useful today!
I thought I'd post the latest card template challenge on here too, just in case any non-forum people stumble across my blog and want to play!
And here are the cards I've made so far using the template
I'm not a great football fan, but thought Father's Day and the World Cup could come trogether pretty well with this template!
Friday, June 09, 2006
That was the week that was
Woohoo another lovely warm and sunny day, gosh that must be about 10 in a row, wow!
Unfortunately my hayfever has been particularly bad the last couple of days and has sent me running indoors to nice dark rooms while my poor eyes settle down and stop watering like crazy.
Anyway, it's Friday and what have I done this week? Not a lot to be honest. Sue came round for coffee on Tuesday, I gave her the guided tour of the house then we sat in the garden and had a damn good natter. My SA kit arrived while she was here and we oohed and ahhed over the lovely paper in there - but only one piece of ribbon? We were shocked.
I made the mistake of doing some digging on Wednesday morning. I had some plants that really needed planting, but as usual I went hell for leather at it and ended up red faced, boiling hot and dripping so much I hardly needed to water in the new plants. Ok so you didn't really need or want to hear that. Found out just how useful and refreshing a downstairs shower can be though. Two days later and I'm still aching like mad which is a good enough excuse not to do any more digging I suppose.
Crafty wise, I still have the same batch of cards to make for an order that I had 2 weeks ago - I really need a good kicking to get them done, don't I?
I'm involved with a Circle Journal thing at the moment - the first time any of those involved have tried one of these and although I was really really worried about joining in, I must say I'm loving it. I can't go into any more detail because we're trying to keep our pages secret until the journals get back to their owners, but I can say it's great fun - a real challenge, sometimes very scary, but such a change from the other stuff I do that I'm already thinking "ooooh I hope we can do this again soon" which is pretty scary to someone as lazy as me.
I've got jewellery to make, sewing to do and loads of other stuff, but that flippin' CJ is just mesmerizing...
Unfortunately my hayfever has been particularly bad the last couple of days and has sent me running indoors to nice dark rooms while my poor eyes settle down and stop watering like crazy.
Anyway, it's Friday and what have I done this week? Not a lot to be honest. Sue came round for coffee on Tuesday, I gave her the guided tour of the house then we sat in the garden and had a damn good natter. My SA kit arrived while she was here and we oohed and ahhed over the lovely paper in there - but only one piece of ribbon? We were shocked.
I made the mistake of doing some digging on Wednesday morning. I had some plants that really needed planting, but as usual I went hell for leather at it and ended up red faced, boiling hot and dripping so much I hardly needed to water in the new plants. Ok so you didn't really need or want to hear that. Found out just how useful and refreshing a downstairs shower can be though. Two days later and I'm still aching like mad which is a good enough excuse not to do any more digging I suppose.
Crafty wise, I still have the same batch of cards to make for an order that I had 2 weeks ago - I really need a good kicking to get them done, don't I?
I'm involved with a Circle Journal thing at the moment - the first time any of those involved have tried one of these and although I was really really worried about joining in, I must say I'm loving it. I can't go into any more detail because we're trying to keep our pages secret until the journals get back to their owners, but I can say it's great fun - a real challenge, sometimes very scary, but such a change from the other stuff I do that I'm already thinking "ooooh I hope we can do this again soon" which is pretty scary to someone as lazy as me.
I've got jewellery to make, sewing to do and loads of other stuff, but that flippin' CJ is just mesmerizing...
Monday, June 05, 2006
Normal Service has Been Resumed
Woohoo
We have our house back!
I waved MIL off this morning for her trip back to the airport and home. Obviously I won't rest completely easy till I know the plane has landed her safely back home, but at least the first leg is over.
Apaarently the England Football Team is flying out from Luton later today too so all I can say is they'd better watch out for a mad woman with yellow hair....
Best quote of the weekend:
When asked if she had her sister's new phone number in her mobile as we didn't have it
"Oh no, I only keep peoples' mobile numbers in there, because when I'm at home I can ring their ordinary phone numbers, can't I?"
nuff said?
We have our house back!
I waved MIL off this morning for her trip back to the airport and home. Obviously I won't rest completely easy till I know the plane has landed her safely back home, but at least the first leg is over.
Apaarently the England Football Team is flying out from Luton later today too so all I can say is they'd better watch out for a mad woman with yellow hair....
Best quote of the weekend:
When asked if she had her sister's new phone number in her mobile as we didn't have it
"Oh no, I only keep peoples' mobile numbers in there, because when I'm at home I can ring their ordinary phone numbers, can't I?"
nuff said?
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Castlemania 1
OK so MIL has gone out for the day with her sister who now lives near us (you've no idea how much pleasure this gives me!), so I thought I'd dig out some of the photos from previous trips up to my home county, and show you just some of the fantastic castles we have in Northumberland. I love castles - probably because I grew up so close to so many of them!
These three are of Dunstanburgh Castle, the first is the view from just outside Craster village taken as you make the long walk towards it 
Eventually you reach the gates!
Alternatively you can approach from the village of Embleton
on other side - it's just as lon
g a walk.
This is the view from the beautiful Embleton Beach
Two photos of Bamburgh Castle, one from the beach
and the other taken inside the castle grounds.
These three are of Dunstanburgh Castle, the first is the view from just outside Craster village taken as you make the long walk towards it 
Eventually you reach the gates!
Alternatively you can approach from the village of Embleton
on other side - it's just as lon
g a walk.This is the view from the beautiful Embleton Beach
Two photos of Bamburgh Castle, one from the beach
and the other taken inside the castle grounds.
Castlemania 2
One of my favourite photos of Lindisfarne Castle. We were in Northumberland because Hubby had been working for Enron and when that all went Pear-Shaped we found ourselves with some spare time! It was nearly Christmas so not much around in the way of a new contract so off we went for a little extra holiday! We were so lucky with the weather that week - it was freezing cold every day, but the sun shone all the time and the light was just amazing. This photo was taken just as the sun was starting to go down and we were about to get back in the car for the drive back across the causeway.
Prudhoe Castle dominates the little town. There's a fantastic approach to the castle through various stone arches before you reach the castle precinct. 
On the right is Etal Castle, not a great picture but it's all I could find without going through the photo boxes. Etal itself is a picture postcard pretty village worth a visit if you're ever in the vicinity
Alnwick Castle - is it the most famous of the Northumbrian castles? It appears in the Harry Potter films and probably loads of other films and TV stuff too for all I know.
What I DO know is that we've failed miserably every time we've tried to get in there for one reason or another, so it's still on the "to-do" list.
Belsay (pron Bel-sa) is a lovely castle in the grounds of Belsay Hall - a wonderful place to visit, with fantastic gardens to wander through on the way to the castle. We were there in the Springtime - you can see all the snowdrops in the grass if you look closely.
Timing!
I blame Carol.
Yesterday I was due to pick MIL up from the airport, her flight was due in at 11.55 I needed to be there by about 12.10 so I didn't have to overstay my welcome in the "drop off/pick up" area.
I had an email from Carol and she mentioned something which started me off on a rant of a reply. I glanced at my watch and thought "bum, it's quarter to and I'm going to be late..." (actually it wasn't "bum" but you can imagine, I'm sure)
I grab jacket, keys and dash out of the house, completely forgetting my circle journal package which is already late getting in the post (sorry Kel), jump in the car and head for the delight that is Luton Airport, and the wonderful (not) prospect of a few days with MIL for company.
Every set of traffic lights is on red. There are roadworks in Hitchin and I'm stuck in a queue which was literally a mile long. Good run up the 507, but just as I reach the 30 mile limit I get stuck behind a really slow truck. I'm soooooo late.
But, what's this? No sign of MIL - but its 25 past, surely she must be through by now? I ring Hubby "Can you check the flight's on time because I'm here and there's no sign of her"
"Why are you there already?"
I look at my watch again and the penny begins to drop
he continues " The plane's not even due to arrive for another 30 minutes......"
Great. Fab. What a pillock
Yesterday I was due to pick MIL up from the airport, her flight was due in at 11.55 I needed to be there by about 12.10 so I didn't have to overstay my welcome in the "drop off/pick up" area.
I had an email from Carol and she mentioned something which started me off on a rant of a reply. I glanced at my watch and thought "bum, it's quarter to and I'm going to be late..." (actually it wasn't "bum" but you can imagine, I'm sure)
I grab jacket, keys and dash out of the house, completely forgetting my circle journal package which is already late getting in the post (sorry Kel), jump in the car and head for the delight that is Luton Airport, and the wonderful (not) prospect of a few days with MIL for company.
Every set of traffic lights is on red. There are roadworks in Hitchin and I'm stuck in a queue which was literally a mile long. Good run up the 507, but just as I reach the 30 mile limit I get stuck behind a really slow truck. I'm soooooo late.
But, what's this? No sign of MIL - but its 25 past, surely she must be through by now? I ring Hubby "Can you check the flight's on time because I'm here and there's no sign of her"
"Why are you there already?"
I look at my watch again and the penny begins to drop
he continues " The plane's not even due to arrive for another 30 minutes......"
Great. Fab. What a pillock
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