as promised!

........... these are the photos of the Xmas tags I mentioned in my previous post :)

3 tags from one card!!

The last one is a bit of a cheat really because it was already a double tag shape with a tree and all I had to do was add some new ribbon! I actually saved this from a card I gave to my Dad a couple of years ago & never knew what to do with it. Too good to throw away :)

I know some of them are huge and probably will never get used but I had so much fun making them & I'm crafting again so its all to the good :)

Thanks for looking xx

Happy New Year!!

...... hope you all enjoyed the Christmas festivities? I know some of you have had illnesses of varying descriptions so I hope you are all feeling ok now :)
Our Christmas was lovely & all over too quickly as usual!! Spent far too much money but like my old Uncle used to say "theres no pockets in a shroud"!!!

I dislike the New Year hype & have given up on resolutions (because they just lead to too much guilt if you cant keep them going) so now the year is a few days old I can begin to come out of hiding & start looking forward to the Spring. I have always found January to be such a depressing month even though .... or maybe because ...... its my birthday month!! lol

I have one tradition in this month though and thats to make gift tags from the cards we recieved. My Mum started me on this when I was a little girl & using her 'pinking shears' from her sewing box I would cut out nice circles or squares from card fronts that would make tags for next years presents. Theres never been a year that I haven't done this when all the cards have been gathered together after taking down the decorations on New Years Day (fed-up of them by then lol). This year though I felt disinclined especially when my Mum admitted that she doesn't bother now as tags are so cheap to buy.

Then I found this page and I was immediately inspired to have a go!! Last night & most of today I have been making tags for next years xmas presents & they look so posh & Im so chuffed with them :))) Pictures to follow I promise ;-)

My mojos back hoorah!!!

Also ..... I returned to UKScrappers after another long absence & Im really interested in doing a challenge on there called Q52 (scroll down the home page) which has weekly questions for you to ponder on & make a mini book page or art journal entry or whatever takes your fancy!!

Such a lot to do & think about & I can't believe I've been gabbing on so long lol :)

TTFN xx

20 questions

just found this Christmas list of questions on Rachels blog

1. Wrapping paper or giftbags? mostly paper & ribbon but sometimes a bag
2. Real tree or artificial? artificial - I can't be doing with the needles!!
3. When do you put up the tree? as soon as possible - end of November this year
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day! fed up of it by then lol
5. Favourite gift received as a child? Teeny Tiny Tears doll
6. Hardest person to buy for? my Dad - plays golf & loves red wine - boring! (sorry Dad)
7. Easiest person to buy for? have to say my Mum as she only ever wants "nice shower gel"
8. Mail or email Christmas cards? I could never send an email card :( not personal enough
9. Favourite Christmas movie? 'Its a Wonderful Life'
10. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I start picking up stocking fillers in November
11. Have you ever recycled a present? No
12. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas? Boxing Day lunch of cold turkey/beef with pickles ....... mmmmmm yum!!
13. Coloured or clear lights on the tree? clear
14. Favourite Christmas song? I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizard
15. Travel or stay at home for Christmas? travel 10 miles to my parents for lunch!! it used to be 70 miles when we lived in Leicestershire & we would stay a few days.
16. Angel, star or ribbon on the top of the tree? Angel on main tree & a star on the other!
17. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? oh Christmas morning of course :0)
18. Most annoying thing about this time of year? having to work in a card & gift shop - madness!!
19. What do you want for Christmas? I would love an iphone but it aint gonna happen! :(
20. Traditional red/green or modern colours for decorating? trad in living room & modern in dining room

I had great fun doing this list so why don't you have a go? Thanks for the questions Rachel!

TTFN xx

Winterscape

Goodness! Its the 7th of December already & this is the first blog this month ..... eek!!

We (in the UK) have all had snow in various depths over the last couple of weeks. I love snow :) but now we seem to be stuck with old snow that cant thaw yet because of the crazy air temperatures. Yesterday & last night we had freezing fog & we woke to a beautiful 'winterscape' with everything covered in an amazing hoar frost. I couldnt resist taking some photos on the way back from taking Jake to school this morning but I didnt hang around too long!! Brrrrr

The pools are frozen over still - I wonder where do the ducks & geese go??

The downside of all this prettiness is the paths are now treacherous so I walked on the roads where I could!! Or failing that tried to keep on the snow on the grass where it isnt compacted. I managed to maintain my dignity thank goodness & stayed upright lol :))

Sadly (but predictably) Im already behind with my JYC project :(( though I do hope to find some time tomorrow before I go to work.

Hope you all stay vertical on the pavements xx :)

I have to share this!

seriously I'm smitten by this site
I'm not going to tell you what it is but you wont regret taking a look!! Some of you may already know it ..... isn't it great?!!
Let me know what you think :)))

Kitchen update

following a windfall a few months back we decided our top priority was a new kitchen. The timing was just right as our oven was starting to lean alarmingly to the left and we had suffered a leak behind the units (undetected for goodness knows how long)!! Also Homebase had their summer sale on AND a further 15% off the weekend we bought it :))
The pic below shows the 'dining room - but mostly Heathers craftroom & laundry' separated from the kitchen by an enormous 'breakfast bar - cum - dump area'


next is the tiny U-shape kitchen minus the tiles & wall units already. This is when we discovered the gas pipes from the boiler in the garage were hidden behind the old wall units & now they needed to be moved so we could fit our new chimney hood above the new oven & hob!!

next is Jake having a go at lifting the old floor tiles

Believe it or not the next pic is of the first of the new units & the oven in place - gas pipes moved!

(hardboard sheets on the floor ready for some lino)

and finally the extended kitchen area to make one big kitchen/diner.

LOVING the colour we chose for the walls.

Its way off finished but its already a massive improvement on the old one :)))

Thanks for looking xx

Better late than never!

Oooookay I know its November ........... but look at his little face!

Because I was such a lazy ***** last month I didn't get to share this pic. It was a date well worth noting as it was the

1oth minute of the

10th hour of the

10th day of the

10th month 0f the

10th year of the new millenium!!!

I hope to make a layout for this photo too - one for posterity :)

Thanks for looking xx