Monday 29 December 2014

Seasons Greetings

My cousin tells me that I'm meant to say "compliments of the season" in this time between Christmas and New Year ... so being a good cousin, that's exactly what I'm wishing you all.

We had an absolutely fabulous Christmas, made that much nicer as Simon has been at home since the 19th, and we've celebrated the season, with catching up and seeing good friends and family.

One of those good friends has been Emma ... and here are the last of my gorgeous and I mean gorgeous Advent goodies from her ... Emma, or should I say "Santa" ... I've really really really loved my gifts, thank you xx


 I can't wait to start scrapbooking in the new year with these.

I also want to share with you some of my lovely presents that I received from Simon


And yup, that is a sneaky peek at what will be happening in the new year! .... I'm soooooo excited, and will certainly share more on that with you soon.

So, I'll end this post, thanking you for the lovely comments you've all left me over the year, and thank you for the friendships that blogging has given me.

xxx

Thursday 25 December 2014

Merry Christmas

Wishing my dear blog friends a very very Merry Christmas.  Thank you for all the lovely kind comments you've left me, its really meant a lot, and a huge thank you for blogging through the year too ... you've really inspired me with your creativity, your homes and to keep blogging.

xx







Monday 15 December 2014

Tis the season

For faffing .... and faffing certainly seems to be my word of the month.

As always, I'm writing my daily to do lists, but more often than not, I'm moving items onto the next days list as well. Sadly, not as much crafting is happening as I'd like. But I am seeing lots of friends and really having fun, and isn't that part of the fun of this season?

I always plan to make cards through the year, so come Christmas time, I'd have loads ready to send out. So far, that's never happened. Oh well, they're is always next year.

I did manage to make a few quick ones with my Silhouette Cameo for the neighbours ... oh I so love that machine.
But other than that, not a lot is happening in my craft room.  I am receiving the most amazing Advent presents from Emma each day, here are my goodies so far.
So dear friends, have fun today ... and I'm off to do some more faffing :) ... Yup, maybe that will be my one little word for next year too.



Friday 12 December 2014

Christmas at the Little House

Only the other day I was thinking, that I've actually not shown you around the little house much.  You kindly all stood by me and watched the building work; you've even seen a few of my upcycling projects (more will be coming). But I actually haven't shared much of the house with you.

Its still a work in progress; like any home, but this weekend we put up the little house Christmas decorations, and oohhh I'm loving it there.  Its always fun to have a completely new space to decorate, and I've always been the type to change around where decorations go and colours and themes etc. But to have a completely different area to dress, well that was just great fun.

So here you are, here is the downstairs, so far.

This is the first room you come into ... as you see, the table has been painted, but I'm still working on the chairs.

The fireplace was the one found behind a wall upstairs when the building work was taking place. And that door you see in the corner, leads to the garage/utility room and downstairs toilet ... sorry, I forget to get a picture for you  ... next time lol

Then turning around, you have the piano, of which, I'm still making the cushion cover. 

This then flows into the stairs and living area 

Again, another chair that needs to be covered in the corner. 

And that leads into the kitchen 

 I adore my little larder space.





As, you can see its all open plan, to make use of the amazing view. I'll show you around upstairs next week. Enjoy your weekend xxx







Tuesday 2 December 2014

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Oh it certainly is.  Plus, its Advent time again .... so exciting.  Yes, Emma and I are doing our annual Advent swap again and oh I'm just loving ... and I mean loving what she's bought me. If I'm honest, I actually haven't got much past oohhh'ing and ahhh'ing over the sack she's put my gifts in.  So here are the past few days ... oh and I couldn't help photographing our actual swap day. I'm sure people in Costa's think we're nuts lol.

(I was told, I could only post this picture if it didn't make her look drunk or with 5 chins ... boy, did photoshop, have it's work cut out lol) x

Normally we exchange presents earlier, so that we can open them on the morning of the 1st ... but as the 1st fell on our weekly coffee date, we exchanged them at Costas. Plus, Emma can't be trusted with a present earlier lol.

She actually, handed her present to me for the 1st, so that she could surprise with this beauty, when it came out of a bigger carrier bag. 
Yes ... I know a Cath Kidston sack ... oh I couldn't be happier. 
Here was day 1
 
And here's day 2 .... sooo excited. 

If you get a moment, pop along to Emma, she's sharing her presents too. 


Monday 1 December 2014

Goodbye November .... Yippppppppeeeeeeeeeee its December

November, you were a fabulous month for sure ... but oh I'm soooo excited that it's December. 

This weekend our decorations went up, it only took 3 days and 15 really useful boxes to go through ... but we're there. But today's post is all about thanking November for being a good month 

It was about celebrating Simon getting signed off from the hospital, baking Christmas cakes (so far two). The first frost of the winter, seeing the poppies, and then receiving them, new sofa delivery, catching up with crafting friends. (thanks Jo, for trying to teach me crochet, but maybe next time we don't chat as much lol xx) and generally having a good month. 

So here we are 1st of December, and so much to look forward too, so have a fabulous week friends, and catch you soon xx

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Actual scrapping

yes, you read that title right ... I actually scrapped again at a recent crop.  Probably helped by the fact that there was no Starbucks near it, that meant I actually got on with crafting.

So thinking of what got me crafting at the last crop I attended, I did the same again, and took only a small amount of stash.

I also decided to scrap my recent Day In the Life photos ... so here they are, just the first few days for now (mainly as I've still to do Friday onwards);



I managed to include a little bit of the memorabilia that I collected each day, but I was going to include receipts etc., but decided against that. 

That's it from me for now, I'm madly catching up with Project Life at the moment ... and here is a shot of my desk in all its chaotic glory. 

  
So all it needs now is me sitting in that chair, with a tea in hand.  Better go and put the kettle on then, I think. 

Friday 14 November 2014

Countdown begins

I'm in full Christmas mode! ... The decorations may not be up here yet, but that hasn't stopped me getting in the mood.

I thought I'd share a couple of recent events with you ... first up, is something that is very very special to me.  It belonged to my Mum and its where she wrote down every year, who she sent and received cards from.  I suppose its become a bit of a tradition, as its something I've always done too, since I got married.



As you can see, she started it in 1964 (a fabulous year, I must say) and wrote in it every year until the end. And then I took over the book. 

I love looking back through it and seeing her writing ... I can almost hear her now asking me to find out when the last posting dates to Australia and the USA are.

Next, I realised I hadn't shared some of the photos I took when visiting the Christmas departments in Libertys and Fortnums.

I must admit, I wanted to see the Christmas store at Liberty after watching the tv show.



We were lucky as we got there nice and early and it wasn't too busy ... but boy, by the time we left, it was packed.

Next was my all time favorite store .. Fortnum and Mason.  I just love it there, and their Christmas department didn't disappoint. It was a WOW with capital letters.





Lastly we called into Cath Kidston ... well, it would have been rude not too.

Can't believe I'm actually saying this ... but sorry, I don't like their Christmas prints this year.

So there you have it, a little glimpse into how I'm starting my Christmas this year ... and what did I buy?

Not a lot! ... I was very restrained. As you see, I have a slight obsession with bottle brush trees.

Have a lovely weekend all, and I hope to be back with a Me on a Monday post.

Monday 10 November 2014

What a Week

Happy Monday dear friends, what a fabulous week I had last week, and I know if it's Monday, I like to join in with Sian's Me on a Monday posts, but today I wanted to share with you some of my highlights from last week.

First things first. You may remember back in September, Simon had to have some biopsies done.  50, in total; this was actually his second time of having biopsies, as last year too, his PSA (the prostrate test) was higher than they liked. Back then, they didn't find anything, but didn't sign his off from the hospital as they wanted to keep an eye on him. Well, his test this year came back higher so they decided to do a lot more ... well the FABULOUS news was that he was all clear, and they've signed him off, telling him they don't want to see him again.  The consultant said sometimes these things do go higher but he is no where near the danger zone, and shouldn't worry.  I can't tell you how happy I was ... actually, I got emotional when the consultant told us and cried.  Shows you how much I was bottling it all up.  Still ... we celebrated with having a Starbucks Red cup.  I can't tell you how relieved we both were.

Next up; we went to see the poppies at the Tower of London. I'm so glad we did, I've been meaning to go for some time now - but last Friday, Simon took the day off and we went.  It is truly humbling and breathtaking.
Following that was the Spirit of Christmas fair at Olympia ... the kid in me, can't wait for Christmas to come, I'm seriously counting down the days till I can put our decorations up.


And lastly ... I went to a crop and well, I must be turning over a new leaf as yes, I actually managed to scrap and do 3 layouts.  I'll share them with you later this week. I also got to see the lovely Ruth again, its been ages and I'm sure she tried to stop me scrapping by making me talk to her lol
So there you have it ... my week.  I've always loved it when Jo used to share her previous weeks on her blog, and I'm glad she's started that again.  So thanks Jo for the idea xxx

Wednesday 5 November 2014

50 days to Go

Well, that's till Christmas, but only 25 (I'm not counting today) till the 1st of December, and yes that means Daily December album can begin.

I'm putting my own together this year, out of the mountain of Christmas goodness that I already have. Saying that, I did do a little shop at Papermaze for a couple of Christmas papers that I fell I love with.

Initially, I thought I'd go down the "gold" route that is so popular at the moment, and then the kitsch and vintage lover in me came bubbling through and I just couldn't resist adding colour and bling.

So here it is; first up my papers etc.
 Next, here are a few of the loose embellishments.
I'm still debating on which album I'll use. I have a gold 4x4 we are memory keepers, instagram album that I'm thinking about. but then I worry it will be too small.  Still I have a little bit of time before I have to commit to anything.

So there you have it ... my Christmas album. I'm sure as I go along I'll add other bits from my stash, and I still have yet to cut out frames etc., using my silhouette, but I thought I might just show you how I'm getting on.

I do have a Daily December board if anyone is interested


Also, can I say a huge, huge thank you all, for the lovely kind comments that you left on my week in the life posts. x

Monday 3 November 2014

Week in the Life ... Day 7

Well that's it .... the last day of a week in the life.  I've enjoyed documenting the everyday in more detail, but if I'm honest, its probably what I do most days.  I've always taken a photo for the project 365 app, and I think as we don't have children, I tend to photograph the everyday things that happen in our life anyway. Especially as I do project life too.

Still, its been fun, it has also given me a new appreciation of those that blog daily. No way in the world could I do that.  It has though also given me a new found love of blogging, and hopefully I won't leave it too long between posts now.

So here it is; a brief snapshot of day 7, which included Simon cooking breakfast, baking our Christmas cake for the little house, the footstool I covered that day and a before shot of the piano stool, before its first coat of paint.


The shells, I bought at a little table top sale on Sunday (I have a lot more the other side of the candles, and I thought these might be nice in the collection) ... and the anchor is on our way when we go for a walk along the sea wall.

I do have a lot more photos, which hopefully I'll get printed this week and put into a little mini album.

Thank you all for sticking with me, I hope you didn't groan too much, when my blog popped into your reader day after day.

Have a fun week.

Saturday 1 November 2014

Day 6 ... Week in the Life

Day 6 is the weekend and what a lovely day it's been. I really can't believe how lovely the weather has been, even better we've been spending it at the little house.
I'm actually writing this on my phone, so I'm hoping it looks ok. 

Happy Sunday to you all. 

Day 5... Week in the Life

Day 5 was Halloween, and its now turned into a bit of a tradition that my lovely friend Michelanne and her kids drop by, but other than one other group of kids, we actually didn't have many knock for sweets. So come Monday, they'll be making their way to my friend Emma, for her children to eat. I daren't keep them in the house for long.

Anyway, here is what day 5 looked like.  Simon had to come home early for a dental appointment - he's so good, he told the nurse what I was doing, so she took a photo of him in the chair for me.

This weekend, I'm also starting my Christmas baking, so out came my old Della book.

Have a fun weekend, see you tomorrow.