Cards from Crafters .....

I had some lovely Christmas cards from crafting pals around the country, and further afield which I thought you might like to see ....Thank you - all of you.

Here's another two cards - one from my friend Sue (the one who hasn't got a blog but should have) and The Gorgeous One ..... Apparently my daughter did get a card For Nan but sent it to my mother, sort of by mistake - lol .......Isn't he clever ..... he even wrote his name inside ....

A Christmas Disaster .... Well Nearly .....

So that's it then ...... all done for another year - just New Year's Eve to go now ......I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. I hope Santa was kind, the family behaved and there were no power cuts, water leaks or other domestic dramas.
My only complaint about the whole time was SELLOTAPE ..... Could I find the real thing, could I heck. The three shops in the three nearby villages (we don't have a village shop anymore - bit of a pain if you need a pint of milk - you have to drive a 10 mile round trip) all had a nameless clear tape because the real thing is too expensive and "does the job just as well". At the last of the three shops, Sharon said "it's fine, I use it". So I purchased a roll and told her that I would bring it back if it didn't work. So there I am on Christmas Eve afternoon, on the floor, a glass of wine nearby, munching on a cheese and tomato sandwich, getting heartburn and wrapping presents. The stuff stuck OK but everytime I tore off a piece I lost the end and could I find it again - could I hell .......
I didn't take it back to Sharon because I went out in the garden, screamed at no-one in particular and hurled the offending roll of tape into the field at the back - lol.

Moral of the story -
1. Make sure I have the real thing next year
2. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's any good
3. Don't believe everything you're told

Sharing My Christmas .....

It took a long time for the Christmas Spirit to kick in this year. In fact, apart from the couple of bits bought online, everything was done on 22nd December. I hurtled round town for an hour and a half in the morning, went back to the office and did a bit of work and then said "I refuse to join the hoards in the supermarket after work, I'm going now". Two hours later I was back and that was that. When I got home I re-considered the Christmas Tree and thought - No! I had bought this stand and the baubles in November and thought that will do ...... There was no way I was going up in the loft ..... I rang my son and he said not to worry about it, so I didn't anymore - lol ....
These don't live in the loft - but in the top of my wardrobe - just love them .....
Have to show you this one as well - The Gorgeous One's (aka Finley William) Advent Truck ....
I got this in the newsagent round the corner from work. I filled the drawers with chocolate money and the real McCoy. Fin was kind to his nanny - he shared the chocolate .....My son, Matthew arrived Christmas Eve evening, just as I had sat down (isn't it always the way), so I fed and watered him and he shared the thought with me that he thought I was mean not wrapping Fin's large present. So back to the top of the wardrobe and fished out a sack that one of my children had had when they were little - which was just as good as wrapping it up. One little drama over - how many more ..... lol.
After Matt had been sitting around for about an hour - he comes out with "Where's the Christmas Tree?". Little drama no. 2 .....
Christmas morning came. There was the exchange of presents and I have to share with you Matt's present to me. I didn't have it on Christmas morning, it arrived today. His head is full of other things and shopping is not high on his list of priorities. He says to me "Mum, I just don't know what to get you. Tell me what you would really like". So after giving him the Wish List to die for, I said some rubber stamps. He gave up then and wrote down his credit card details and said "Get what you like".
So I'm on the phone to Wendy at The Stamp Attic quicker than you can say rubber - lol. It came to a little bit more than the limit he had set and when I told him he said "You're the best Mum ever, don't worry about it".
Tissues away ladies - please .... lol
Here are my goodies ........Don't you just love him - Wendy wants to borrow him - lol.
After Christmas dinner, we toddled off to see my daughter, Elizabeth and James and the Gorgeous One .......

Here's a photo of him early Christmas morning .... all done in after a hard day at the Office ....And ready to go again - after re-fuelling ........

So Christmas Day came and went. Matt left after a late Boxing Day brunch to collect his new girl friend from Luton Airport and I spent the rest of the day with some more of my favourite men - lol .....
So there you have it - Christmas in West Sussex.
Hope your's was as good - wherever you were ............

Look What I Got ....

In my absence the lovely Gail has given me this Proximity Award ......
I was very naughty because Gail gave me this a while ago and I have only just got round to acknowledging it - thank you so very much Gail. It would be great if you would go take a peek at Gail's Blog - she is currently Journalling her Christmas with Shimelle and her layouts are great. While I'm going on about Gail - you must also have a look at her other Blog - A Curious Girl's Guide to Life where Gail writes articles in a very talented way about all sorts of things but in particular, at the moment - Strictly Come Dancing .....
Anyways - my nominated five other blogs are - all of whom are superb ....

Alison
Ed
Linda E
Linda V
Rosie

I Have Returned .....

The last few weeks have been really busy with one thing and another but I'm back (yes, I know I said that a short while ago - but this time I really am - lol).

Over the last few weeks I have been really busy with one thing and another but I am back - and yes I know I said that the last time but this time I am - really - lol.
One of the things I have been doing lately is making cards - loads and loads of them.
Right this minute I really don't care if I never see another Christmas stamp, pads of Christmas backing paper or anything remotely to do with a crafty Christmas. Although I will confess, I am waiting for the Tim Holtz Letters to Santa plate from the lovely Wendy at the Stamp Attic!!!
So why all this frenetic card making? Well, I have ventured out into the public arena with them!!
I haven't 'done' a Christmas Fair for a good couple of years and earlier this year, the confidence took a bit of a bashing, when a potential outlet to sell my stuff went pear shaped (she turned out to be a very nasty lady and I had a lucky escape). Anyways enough of that, spurred on by my daughter and my good friend Sue (you know, the one who hasn't got a blog but should have) I set to and Today was The Day .....
Here's a photo of one end of my table (the photo of the other end was all blurred) ....
What do you think of the stand? I was going to buy a couple of the cardboard ones but then I found these online and thought they would be much better - you can take the slopey bit off the back and hide them away flat under the bed or somewhere. You can't do that with the cardboard ones without risking breaking all the little tabs and where would I keep them!!!
Here's some pieces that I like - More than Words albums from Colour My World. I just love these and have quite a few now. These are Christmas and Noel ...

And here are some Paper Artsy Christmas Tags - just love these - aren't the green boots something else ....The Christmas Fair was for the local PreSchool and they also did their Nativity Play. That took me back a good few years I can tell you - lol. One of the angels suddenly started crying because she wanted her Mum, the PreSchool leader picked her up and the Mum threw the angel's comfort toy to the leader and caught her stright in the face with it. One of the Shepherds got 'stage fright' and wouldn't get out of his seat for anything or anyone and one of the Kings tripped over Baby Jesus laying on a pile of straw - just your pretty normal Nativity Play really. In all seriousness though it was great and gave you a nice warm feeling to watch.
The Pre-School did well and what will I do with my earnings? I'm off to visit Wendy in The Stamp Attic again, 'cos I'm going to make Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas for both this year and last year and they will be Just For Me - lol.