Halloween 2011

Sorry the pumpkin shots are not the best ... they do not do them justice ...Vicki did all the carving...with a little help from Kris and Robbie ...who both thought it was a little yucky removing the seeds from inside ... I thought boys loved getting messy lol. I love the cat one ...so fitting for us.
The flesh has been kept to cook with ...along with that of several other pumpkins ...bought while we can still buy then here ... the season is so short for us.

This is Robbie and Kris ...all ready to go 'Trick or Treating' ....they loved it.

We had loads of callers this year ...all in costume ...and all so polite. I bought loads of goodies and they nearly all have gone.

And this is a photo I stole from Emma's face book page ... Ben, Olly and Jake ...all dressed up for Halloween ...and for those who remember their births ...yes that is little brother Olly in the middle.

Hope everyone had a great evening.

Take Care xx

WOYWW …Again Already? … Yep its.Wk 125

I did do better last week …I managed to visit and comment on 95ish in number order … and the last five …a few didn’t seem to be there when I clicked on them. …and I may have missed one or two by clicking off, thinking my comment had registered, when I should have verified it …hope I am forgiven for those that I missed.

Now down to business …WOYWW … well its still Tuesday technically.

I really have the paint bug …I had to play some more …this time on a canvas. The background I created last week has been filed away …and is still awaiting a flash of inspiration …probably a LO.

This week …using the same initial technique of streaking my paint and bubble wrap …I have added extra dabs of colour ... and stamping. I really could not get it to work at first …even though I had used Gesso to seal the canvas and then I remembered someone saying that one should stamp on tissue and apply it to the canvas with PVA or Modge Podge …and it worked…does any one have other tips for stamping onto a canvas ?

Hope fully I will be able to show you the finished canvas next week.... I am so enjoying this form of creating.

I may not manage so many visits this week, as I tend to pay the price …either a sore back or a swollen ankle …the later this time.

Now all I have to do is move everything off my bed so I can get in it lol

Will be around as many as I can tomorrow... Night Night

Take Care xx

Heavy on Cute Catness

The new member of our family has two favourite places to be ....inside Vicki's top



... or in Robbies Builders hat
Rusty will happily let the boys wander around the house, carrying him in it, and some times will put himself in it for a snooze.


China ...and
Sid ... love the little rascal ... but hate being woken from a sleep

or having their bed stolen.


And although Willow is quite fond of him ....she is definitely not amused by too much boisterous behavior.

Take Care xx

WOYWW Wk 124 ….and playing with paint too.

Three cheers...I finished my LO of ME … and after all the changing of mind …I actually went back to the first paper. The embellishments I used have meaning behind them so I thought I would let you in on their significance…the lace flowers are a larger version of the ones on my wedding dress …my engagement dress in ’66, was white with a black and white ‘op art’ bodice … and when running a youth club in the late 70’s/early80’s I found I had a love of motor bikes hence the zip trim, which hints leathers….and then I hand wrote the text as it was about me …even though I have rubbish hand writing.

Nearly forgot about my WOYWW desk with all that nostalgia …

... not an clear square inch …I just keep moving things from desk to bed to floor to desk at the moment…depending on which area I need to use. Can you see the item which shouldn't be there…looks like an alien hand …I wondered where I put it lol…. it’s my back scratcher!!!

An artist I am not ….some may have seen my first strokes of white paint on black, destined, at the time, for the previous LO …but it was not to be. I did however take LL Jan’s advice ….to create with out having a purpose in mind.

Out came assorted paints and my beloved two sizes of bubble wrap. I streaked it at right angles with an acidy green, then from corner to corner with a deep forest green…using my large bubbles, played with a burgundy and a deep beige followed by small bubble wrap in a tone lighter … such fun …and I got my desk so messy.

This was the result of all my efforts

And this is my favourite patch

But I had the urge to play more so got out Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo Distress Stain …yes I gave in and bought a couple of the T.H stains …and added a touch of these with the small bubble wrap.

It is hard to see the difference the inks made but this close-up shows what the subtle effect was.

Now the question that remains is …. What do I do with my painted piece of card???

Maybe add a photo some where …stamp on it …stick things on it …cut it up for cards fronts or keep it as is, for posterity….I rather wish I had done it on a canvas as I do like the effect but I think it needs a focus …the cogs are clanking in my head at the moment…un-oiled and a little rusty…any ideas gratefully received.

Emma … ‘Of Dropped Stitches’ (see side bar)… has a guest crafter posting on her blog. Elise makes paper bouquets, amongst other things … ‘that’s a touch different’ I can hear you murmur and I would have to agree. I really think they are gorgeous and fun and do not have to be just for weddings … well worth dropping in for a nose.

More of them can be found on NerdNuptials… I know we do not promote Etsy shops but she, as yet, does not have her own blog. A big thank you, from Emma and Elise, if you have time to pop by.

I will try to visit a few more blogs this week ...I dotted around last week and got a little muddled ...so I will try to be more organized this week but will be hopping for at least 3 days, so bear with me.

Take Care xx

I am loosing track of time … is this week 123?… and how many days ‘til Christmas? ….no don’t tell me.

I have not been at my desk much over the past couple of weeks …other than to muse over family worries which thankfully are proving not as bad as we first feared …and to stare at possible LO’s that will however, not materialize onto the papers... they are great in my head lol

I have changed my mind about papers etc, more times than there are days in a week … and torn my hair out over the photo of me 30-ish years ago, as there are so few that I would like future generations to gaze upon … and I want the final LO to feel right to me.

I am now playing with paint for it …not really me … but I had the urge and so we will see if it becomes part of the LO …or rubbish in the bin... at the moment I'm in limbo and it sits on my desk.

I actually finished the LO that was there as a WIP, two weeks ago …there is still something, for me, that jars a bit but I think I can live with it so I don’t think I will mess around any more.

The day captured here was a ‘milestone’ for Robbie as he refused to join in last year and became very upset about it all. The wonderful staff at the school, have worked so hard with him and this year he loved it all…although he only joined in when he was ready.

This is China ….one of our 12 year olds …finally letting Rusty come closer than a few feet. When I found them like this I let out a huge ‘Ahhhhh’.

I will be around for a nose and some inspiration, later …and I really need to catch up with those that I regularly visit too. Be patient with me …we are having Internet problems in our area this week too.

Take Care xx

...and Rusty Diego makes 20

...well 19 plus our 'Green House' cat Marvin.
I can hear you all scream ..."Another one" ...but there is a reason or three.... well I thought they were good reasons lol.
Firstly Emma and Steve's cat got out again before it could be neutered and had a second litter only 4 months after the first. Secondly several of our cats have reached 12 and one is VERY close to Kristofer ...with everything that has gone on in their lives I am not sure he is ready to loose 'a best friend' so we thought it would be good for them to bring up a kitten of their own but learn a lesson in sharing too.... and lastly ....who could resist this little 8 week old cutie ....



The family came over today with him and he is adorable ...we just have to see who he gets on with ...feline wise...but I don't think he will put up with any nonsense

I have added some background to my Sandy LO on G the P if you want to have a read

Take Care xx

PS The boys chose the name ....honest