It's Now Sunday .... And No Paper In Sight ....

After yesterday morning's adventure, the rest of the day passed without serious mishap .... the runner beans got planted out, the salad growbag planted with seeds, a bit of snipping here and there in the garden, a surprise invitation to a BBQ over at my daughter's in the evening. The only thing that did happen was that while I was out at said BBQ, a cat had had a bit of a scratch in my growbag. I was not impressed .... so there I was in the rapidly failing light rigging up temporary netting - so we will have to see on that one.

I thought I would share what I have been playing with for the last couple of evenings. Back in March, my son forgot my birthday and Mother's Day and by way of apology gave me his credit card (again lol), a fixed sum and said 'Get some stamps'. So (again) quicker than you can say rubber, I was on the phone to the Stamp Attic and got myself these absoloutely beautiful and gorgeous Studio 490 stamps, designed by Wendy Vecchi. Matt bought me my first three sets (some apology eh - everyone wants him - lol) and after getting them I simply had to add to the collection ......Here are some of the flowers I have made so far and, no, there isn't a piece of paper there. All the flowers are made from Grungepaper. All of these in the photo, plus a few more leaves, have been made out of 1.5 sheets of the Grungepaper, so when you consider that there are three sheets in a pack - it goes a long way. The only inks I have used are Distress Inks, so this is a high scoring project on the mess front - lol. I'm not getting everything I own out - just the three elements.
Be back later to share what I have done with them .....

It's Been One Of Those Days ....

... well so far at least ......
Was up really early, thinking over my plans and that this was going to be a great day. First hiccup (minor) was that I got bored listening the news on TV so casually flicked over to the films and lo and behold 'The Birds' by Hitchcock - an all time classic - so I just had to have another cup of coffee.
Anyways left the house and pointed the car in the direction of The Craft Barn at Lingfield. Didn't take that long and there were plenty of spaces, which did strike me as a little strange - but moving on. Paid the car park fee for six hours, toddled over the road to The Craft Barn and wham - straight in front of me was all the info for their Craft Extravaganza Weekend - which was on 6th and 7th June ..................... next weekend - lol.
So 82.7 miles later driving through more tar and chipped sections of road than you can shake a digger at; a drive on the M23 (first time I've been on a motorway for ages), a major diversion which took me almost to the uncharted territory of East Grainstead (last time I went there I got totally lost); £3.60 car park charge; £18 in The Craft Barn because it would have been rude not to - lol; another drive on the M23 (which was another disaster because I came off for the A264 and while singing along to the car radio just didn't think and took the first exit of the roundabout at the top of the slip road and ended up back on the M23/A23 - lol; and a semi-serious food shop; I feel just a tad silly - lol.
Still at least I now have strawberries, cream, smoked salmon, prawns, salad, chocolate biscuits and the new Michael McDonald CD ......
Off to plant my runner beans out and sow my salad grow bag ....... what could go wrong with that?

All About The Gorgeous One ....

I cannot believe it - but a whole year has gone by - it was The Gorgeous One's aka Finley William's first birthday on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to have the day off but as a Birthday Treat he was allowed to stay up past bedtime and sit with the grown ups for a celebration tea.

And here's the Birthday Boy, still on a roll at 7.30pm .....Here's his Birthday Cake that Grandad made (the photo doesn't do it justice - it was brilliant) ......Here's his card that Nanny made .....
Off later to a Family and Friends Birthday Party for him. Looks as if the weather is going to be lovely and a good time will be had by all .....

It Makes All The Difference ....

To just chill out .....

As the Paper Artsy stamp says - I Don't Feel Like Working Today - and I didn't. I was, at least, honest about it. I rang up and just asked for the day off - not throwing a sickie. They know I'm a bit 'under the weather' (fed up more like) and tired because of what's happening with my mum (she's back in hospital), so there wasn't a problem.
So what did I do?
I popped out and bought a chocolate cake and a pint of milk. Then came back and finished off the year end accounts for my part-time job (the chocolate cake was the reward for doing that - lol). Then I tidied up the house (will clean tomorrow) which made me feel even more better. It was really bugging me coming home from work to all the clutter - wouldn't mind, but there's just me so it's not as if I can blame someone else - lol.
Then I attacked the spare room. First thing was to clear the spare bed of all the piles of this and that - I can now see the duvet - lol. Next, was a huge pile of magazines going back to 2004 - problem was they were all Somerset Studio ( and no, I don't have every single one - I wish ). I simply couldn't bring myself to throw them out and I spent a happy couple of hours leafing through them, munching away on my chocolate cake. I've kept all the Somerset Studio and Inspiration mags; but I've recycled the Somerset Sampler mags, after I had torn out the 'inspirational pictures and articles'. Then there was the huge pile of already torn out 'inspirational pictures and articles'. I was quite ruthless with that and I now have a them all neatly in a lever arch file. Have to say, I found some really great stuff - and I do feel inspired - but I have to clean the house first. Then it's playtime.
So there you have it - my 'legal' last minute day off - I had a great time ......

Two More Bank Holidays until Christmas ....

And the last one dawned nice and sunny but by 11am it was overcast, grey, cold and horror of horrors the 'R' word happened - it kept drizzling on and off - true to form it was the local PreSchool's Maypole Fete. That said though everyone had a good time - there was loads to do, plenty to eat, cream teas and a beer tent. There were tree climbling races, go karts, kiddie fairground rides, welly wanging, stalls and a load of other interesting stuff.Even the Fire Brigade came ....

These people didn't seem to mind the weather ....

Oh - and the most important thing of the whole day ... The Stall .....When we turned up, we were the only ones without a Tent. So after the third patch of drizzly rain, there was a quick dash to the local garden centre and bingo - a Gazebo with sides. We didn't bother to put the sides up but what a difference being under cover made. This is my daughter doing her salesperson of the year bit .... I did very well which was great; and I think my daughter has plans for us to do the School fete circuit this summer - with the Gazebo - lol ......