Rocking Your World Friday

Hello *wave* this is my first time joining in:

There is a logical reason for my being here but more about that in a little while.

So what has been good in my life this last week.

First there was Christmas Eve into Christmas Day it all went really well. Why should this rock my world well........The last few times my family have got together my friends it hasn't been pretty, accusations,  crying blah blah blah. There were threats made (by me) and it was just lovely., everyone was on the their best behaviour and a good time was had by all.

My husband  - he made my musical world.  A few years ago in one of those 3 months in your life when it all just goes wrong, I was just leaving Sheffield and my flat was burgled. They took many things including A - S of my very extensive (400 +) CD collection.  In that collection was The Bluetones albumn - 'Last Chance Saloon'. Now my copy had been a limited edition complete with cardboard saloon doors. A couple of years ago my mum tried to get me a copy with the result it was being reprinted and 2 years later still nada. This year my lovely husband got hold of the electronic copy and recorded onto CD so he could 'give' it to me for Christmas :)

My little toddler fella. This Christmas he asked for a battery turning electric spaghetti fork and was quite delighted when Santa delivered. This is the first year he has got the hang of Christmas  and presents so it has been very special :)

Which leads me neatly on to the reactions of the two people who I made secret santa gifts for . I always think it can be a tad risky making (and sometimes even buying things). I love making things and when the person who receives them is delighted it makes life just well splendid quite frankly! Which is why I am a here, as part of my secret Santa stalking was involved and I loved the idea of this post, so with all revealed and out in the open here I am!

Which jumps nicely into the beautiful journal I received as one of secret Santa's from Doone - I haven't blogged it yet, I am still finding my way around all its gorgeousness, but I will do soon.......

So thanks for having me. it has of course been an odd week with all the festivities and we had an open house party today so my crafting has been at zero or less but I have plans a foot oh yes big plans my friend. Have a good one and I'll 'see'  you next Friday.

WOYWW - mmm cake

Hello All! A rare this is what was on my workdesk (like 5 min ago) post. First there is the table of indeterminate purpose:

You may be somewhat unsurprised to hear my crafting mojo is taking a break. It did extraordinarily well I am sure you will agree. Monday I spent the whole day wrapping presents (how long does that take - jeees and didn't have half as many as usual with the budget deficit - oh and watching Harry Potter films......  If you luck carefully you may see some Fimo tortoises that my tutee and I made at the end of yesterdays lesson. Today my workdesk moved to the kitchen :)

Here is my little elf helping me make a cake this morning (it is currently in the oven and smells good :
). The jury is still out on his hair between looks like a girl and what lovely curls. Doesn't look like a girl to me and never has!  SO what does my little elf want from Santa, well it went from nothing to all of a sudden, a battery operated turning spaghetti fork. Well I've had a word in Santa's ear and it is looking very hopeful!

Merry Christmas one and all.  I am looking forward most this week to goose and snow topped spice cake. Oh yes and the big reveal from Carmen's secret Santa what a star for organising that she is :) Have a good one and lets see how many of us make it next Wednesday!

WOYWW - Last Few Bits and Bobs

It was a good week for parcels my friends. First there was the lovely bunting from Lunch Lady Jan won in the festive fabric frenzy :)  (I will display that for you next week. I am not allowed to put up anything but the tree until the end of this week as it was DH's birthday Monday and I try to keep a bit of separation for him).,  Then on Monday there was a double wammy  with my not so secret santy parcel - it's pretty and  you can gently shake it and it makes noise. I'll parade that after Christmas day :) Lastly there was the winning blog candy from Jude at Craft's International  - it is even more lovely in real life than in the picture.  I love memory box paper (why can't we get more of it and the 12 x 12 papers in the Uk?........). I haven't fully assimilated all of the gorgeousness I have been deserted by said DH so it is me and the 3 and a half year old.  He helped me wrap presents yesterday.........

So what is on my desk this week (WOYWW link on the right - gateway to Ms Dunnit's and desk paradise),  well you did ask to see the finished snowman............

There are some presents for my family in the background and the fabric is the start of a second present for my mum to be completed on Thursday. The snow man is sitting on top of the birthday cake (or what T hasn't eaten of it..........) and our lovely muji wooden Christmas tree resides to the right. Just a few simple kids gifts left to be constructed now. The Christmas cards are written and addressed I still have to do the letter but it looks like our happy flat ending is going to drag into 2012, sigh. I just keep holding off and hoping. Would be good to hear it for definite from someone, damn lawyers, vendors and estate agents.  This weekend we need to get the food gifts made and it is the  5th (get that oh yes) the 5th annual waffle brunch.  It is the last time before the 25th we hang out with our close friends. We get together for brunch starting with some cheese and onion waffles and follow up with some sweet waffles with increasingly bizarre and beautiful toppings :) do you have any traditions?

WOYWW a sign of the times

Oh yes you can tell it is December and everyone has gone arrggghhhhhh - the number of comments and visits fair plummets! I'd cry but I'm too busy you know what I mean?  So it is Wednesday and time to present our desks at the bequest of the very fine Ms Dunnit and for the joy of those with still an hour or 2 left to blog. On Sunday night mine looked like this:

Oh yes my friends fun was being had with gluey watery mixture and tissue paper - why? because my lovely MIL who asks rarely for anything was reminiscing about a snowman that came out every Christmas and held a surprise present for everyone and I am sure in her own way she was saying you know how you like making things - so there it is a work in progress (it is now all lovely and white but taking a back seat while higher priority things are happening. On Monday the sewing machine came out again and I had a good run finishing a bag and making a couple of gifts. Now it looks like this:

It's back to paper craft. I am feeling pretty good and on top of things, lets not factor in the Crimble cards that still need writing (still hopefull of being able to include really good news (have I mentioned before that I find Whitefriars a really incompetent company and if the flat is still in our possession during Christmas it will be because of them.....). Only a few more small things to go and at least a couple of weeks :) nearly 3 really......... Lets hope the little ones cold stays with him alone and dh birthday passes smoothly this weekend and I shall remain serene as the landslide towards mayhem develops.................

WOYWW - I blooming finished it at last

Hello lovely people it is nearly here oh yes the month of December. I have yet to see the town with its pretty lights and still need to organise my yearly trip to eat ham at the Birmingham Christmas market but anticipation is in the air my friends.

My desk this week looked liked this:

Complete and utter carnage and then of course I had to clear it for dinner - now all it has on it is some drinks and a laptop - why I hear you cry because my friends my task today was to finish the advent calender and it is done oh yes it is done and it has been presented to my dear son and greeted with much interest - we counted along the number of days and then yes there are presents at the end. Now it is hung and filled with chocolatey goodness so I present to you (sewers please don't look at the corners, otherwise rather a proud lady!)

The done could also apply to the finished making parts of all secret Santyness oh yes or the pile of Crimble cards you can see at the back all made and ready to be written in and padded out with the obligatory summary of the year (I am holding out ladies (and gent) for the hopeful news of the sale of our flat (enquires answered (hopefully well enough) paperwork returned, searches in, surely I can start to hope again now, surely it will all be over soon.  The only current blight on my cheery landscape - some bugger snaffled me credit card details - caught very early (John Lewis have a very effective monitoring technique) but now I am without a card for a week or so and I faithfully clear my card every month but I do spend it all so I am sitting very tight and hoping it arrives sooner rather than later (very glad we stocked up on food at the weekend.....). Can I just say though I love my new book binding glue where has this stuff been for the last 2 years of my life?

Right off you go desks to been seen, there is a WOYWW banner on the right click and enter a world of WOW (like you don't know about it all already ha!)

WOYWW - sssshhhhhhhhh

My desk for you all this lovely crispy morn. This was my facebook status yesterday
 '‎2hours cleaning and tidying, 4 hours tutoring, hour and a half making elves, santa, reindeer sleigh and snowy scene (with help of CBeebies magazine). Now for dinner. Another quiet day at the ranch. Watching Timothy fly a sleigh around shouting 'hee hoo' and 'another blooming Christmas'.............'  

It should go on to say ' eat dinner, try and persuade toddler (failed miserably - banned biscuits fed milk instead) to eat some dinner, hang up 2nd load of washing, wash-up, help put toddler to bed, craft for an hour and a half while watching Kate Crane DVD, go to bed, read book for 20 mins then fall fast alseep. Nothing to reveal on my desk this week- all secret santy at the moment (nudge nudge wink wink). The sleigh and accompaniments are visible in the background.......

Sorry I didn't get round to visiting everyone who came to me last week (I will do better this week), and helo to Shaz in Oz :). Durham was beautiful as always - not the visit we had hoped with the Lumiere festival on but we were all delighted by the snow globe in the market square (which is good because it really was all we got to see)

Next to it is the place we stayed in Durham - our favourite drinking place when we lived there (and I was fortunate enough to live on Hallgarth St for 2 of my 3 years. We also spent our wedding night there :) so lots of happy memories.  I will stick up a separate post about the image transfer (don't worry Crafty Elf I tend to post on Wednesdays and if I do a different thing I'll give you a heads up on a Wednesday!).

Right I think that is as brief as I can manage. have a good week and I'll see you all next week in December (ha ha ha - how many of you are panicking? - don't go and look at desks instead via Mrs Dunnit and the WOYWW link on the right (like you don't know how to get there already....)

WOYWW - Some of it is not even for Christmas

Only one thing for Christmas this week from me, still working on DS advent calender, all the stitching is in place and I am just quilting Santa - I am really pleased with the way it is looking.  The table of determinate purpose is getting more of a look in this week so I have something to display. At the end of last week I finished my card for the Quick Cards competition - 12 days of Christmas it is not as elaborate as my previous entries so not sure if it will get anywhere - but I scanned it in and plan to print off copies to send out as my cards this year:

Meanwhile on my desk today are these non Christmas treats:

On the right I signed up for a free course on Willowing with Guadalupe Brizuela Cabal learning how to draw and colour Mandalas. Very relaxing and an interesting experience, this was the result of the first lesson part 2 tomorrow . On the left is the start of my last memory box for a wedding this weekend in lovely Durham, I am intrigued to see what is going to happen I found an image transfer technique.  Basically coat a piece of cardstock with washable PVA glue in a thin layer and allow to dry.  Print picture on to cardstock (I had to flip my photo of Durham castle and cathedral in picture manager so it is the right way in the end). Apply a thin layer of mod podge to the area of wood that you want to apply the picture then press down while still wet and make sure picture is well adhered to the wood. Then wait overnight so here we are:

Tomorrow evening I will apply water to the cardstock and gradually rub away leaving hopefully the finished transferred image. If it works well then I shall do the same idea with the date - if not paint will be coming out!

Hope you are all having a good week and may you get round lots of desks and experience lots of goodness via Mrs Dunnit :)

WOYWW - a change of scene

Hello - are you all well? Me I am having a change of scenery at the moment. The table of indeterminate purpose has been temporarily abandoned for the sofa of most determinate purpose - that is I am hand sewing. That's because I wanted to make my little fella something adventy - I was toying with wooden and altering and then Wispo (oops nearly wrote twilglet and then twilight there, that is what is entertaining me - sorry Carmen the vampire porn is hilarious but something about the first book and film I love and you can keep RP but the whole Edward look - hello!). So soory very easily diverted I saw the lovely hand stitched advent calender that Annie had and then at the NEC my mum offered to buy one for me to make for Timothy - well ladies (and gents) in this time of frugal spending who am I to refuse so I give you my started advent calender on the sofa of determinate purpose........

Now stretching back a week - the pies - very very easy - take one silicon muffin mould, push a layer of pastry into cover so you can see no colour anywhere (no resting pastry needed or rolling  :) add in your filling, seal on pastry lid using water (more pushing!)  Bake at 190 - 200degC for 20 to 25 min, let them cool for 2-3 min upend on to a baking tray (they pushed out really easy without greasing). Egg wash the tops and put back in the oven for another 20 min. Voila!  We figured cherry filling with heart moulds would be good the possibilities are endless - now go find those silicon muffin trays and bake!!

Motivation - at the moment I think the reason I can do so much (out of sight on the table are two finished secret santy presents (first one done - just one thing to buy and then a wrapping - aren't you  just proud of me!) , The start of another bag, A card for a competition. Is that I have lots of different things so if one thing is frustrating or boring I leave it for something else, sewing, painting, papercraft.  Another is that I have some nearer deadline stuff and other 25th of next month  and last and I think this one is a no brainer - I love making things for people, it gives me so much pleasure and all that I make has a person who will receive it so everything is personalised to them no as in named but something important so hopefully will be received with love and appreciation.  Right of to sew(and drool a little).

I will post about how I did the bag (it didn't even get a look in oh well!) soon in a separate post but will give you a heads up on the nearest woyww post.  Have a good week you hear.

WOYWW- still juggling

Hello - thank you for all your lovely supportive comments. I did think I was going to have to have serious words with one of you this week, been looking everywhere for my Versafine black ink pad and rickety fence punch, I knew I had them the other week and then poof gone......... thought one of you nosey lot had run off with them, turns out I had stuffed em in a bag and put them upstairs when I had finished the competition entries......... so in advance sorry!

So down to business my desk this week:

Lets see some secret santy stuff on the lower left, one project finished and a second started. Some alphabet cutters (for the bargain price of £3 from Sainsburys - planning to get the fimo back out soon for a last memory box as a wedding gift). A finished bag for my sister-in-law for Christmas and the starting of another one for one of my best friends. Moving over  an open note book with ideas in it and then plans and materials for a competition card for Quick Cards, thought it was about time I had another go, fortunately got until 15th November. Oh and a little slip of paper with the winning name from the draw for the Wizard of Oz nesting boxes - what do you mean you can't see it from there?..........

Ok here it is closer up then:

If you go to my profile you will find a link for my email address please let me know your address and I shall get it on the way - sorry I couldn't give all you lovely people who wanted them one.....

Right and last but not least I just had to show you these (they were on the table of indeterminate purpose just on Saturday not Wednesday........) I was so pleased with the way they turned out I had to share - little Halloween sausage, onion, potato and apple pies :D

Oh and on the flat front - third offer lucky - keep everything crossed, we are.............

WOYWW back to paper and card

Well another week and the stress levels are rising (the first offer on the flat is waiting for the new electoral register release at the beginning of December, the second offer is dilly dallying back and forth and likes it but can't rent it out to who they want so disappeared for a week then thought they would buy it with a friend to rent privately but now they are going to look at a flat for £20 000 more because then they don't have to do any work on it..............and so it goes on and on will someone just buy the stupid place so I can move on with my life properly please).  In answer to your lovely queries we don't live there any more when it becomes a matter of you and your families safety over money, family wins hands down so we have been renting for 9 months and the flat is empty. So there is no need for extreme tidyness - other than the pressure from my mother.......... But there is its position as a table of indeterminate purpose and to allow our family to eat together every night it must be cleared. So after dinner tonight it now looks like this (until dinner time tomorrow night).

It is mostly top secret santy stuff but I should be safe and your not seeing any more until after the C day so there. Yes I was playing around with stuff last week for the stamper of the year comp, not because I stand a chance in hell but mainly because I had an idea and wanted to try it out (and then had to do a card to) I don't even know when short listing happens by, because assuming it goes no-where I want to give the bag to the lady who makes the stamps. Any-ways it went like this:

This is the low quality photo and not sure that it does the colours justice but it really looked beautiful and sparkly (the bag that is), I'll post how I did it another time.  Oh and lastly if you are still with me I decided to give one of you lovely folk the chance of getting your mits on the Wizard of Oz nesting boxes.  Just let me know in the comments box if you want to be included and I'll randomly select a name and let you know next Wednesday.

Now off with you to other desks it is WOYWW after all.................

WOYWW An indeterminate table of most determinate purpose

Good morning everyone, Hello to all the lovely new people who are following! To anyone who hasn't come through the hallowed portals (sorry for any dodgy imagery if you are here at an early hour) of our hostess Julia Dunnit then press the WOYWW link on the right hand side to enter a whole new world of time disappearing in a cloud of friends, genius and well desks really.

Life here is feeling more optimistic.  My PIF gifts are all done and distributed, we have accepted a different offer on the flat and this time it is an investor wants to complete in 28 days (come on world give us a break on this one).  Last but not least the creative juices are still flowing strong so without further ado (sorry Doone) I give you my desk today: 

The bags are a work in progress, 3 to be precise and the one that is finished is hidden behind the mug of tea......... I have been a playing with my stamps this week thought I'd have a go at a last minute entry to Craft Stamper - more later,  The cakes in the background were a joint collaboration between myself and my 3 year old he did the egg cracking, egg mixing, flour adding and the icing decoration!

Oh and for those of you who were wondering about the black nesting boxes - some dodgy photo's.......... Still on their side............ I tried emailing Di but don't know if it got though? We're off to see the wizard.........

I went for a tornado with barn, fence and rainbow (you can see some of it in the photo.........

Happy autumn day all :)

WOYWW - the desk of indeterminate chaos

Good Morning,

Mojo still present and correct.  It is lovely having the 2 days in the week to myself and I have been motivates to carry on with my crafting after I put T to bed. So here is the indeterminate chaos as it stands:

Then there is the sewing projects from the last week.  You will either recognise the character on the bag or wonder what on earth I have made,  I cut the pieces out using felt then used embroidery thread to fix them to the calico - my sons response 'WOW mummy that is AMAZING'!!  The other is my first ever sewing project with a zip (and a pay it forward gift for a blogging friend, she hasn't been on here of late and I don't know if she has received it yet so I hope it doesn't break the surprise......).

Lastly before I leave you to head on over to Julia's via the WOYWW link on the right - going lots of desks and creativity to explore, I finished my houses nesting boxes, I was pleased to get hold of a couple of miniature dolls boots for the chimney :)

Sorry can't get them upright you'll need to twist a little.............

Right have a good week, I'm off to link up and see what you have all been up to since last Wednesday.

WOYWW - progress galore

Mojo present and accounted for.  Still no change on anything else from last week (but at least none of it's bad news either).  So here's my desk this week:

Blank white boxes covered and waiting the next layer - ideas drafted underneath, a second set of nesting boxes this time in black (and a pad full of graphic 45 wizard of oz paper lined up and ready). A sketch of the catbus from My Neighbour Totoro for a bag idea I have using felt.  And in the background (so below a close up) the 2 bags I made since last week - I'm pretty chuffed and the reversible one on the right I knocked up in 2 and a half hours - not bad I figured.

So in the spirit of keeping it brief have a good week and head on over to Julia's (follow the WOYWW link on the right) and wallow in desks galore, meet up for chats with friends old and new.

WOYWW - the indeterminate table and a whole load of blank canvasesesesessss

No news is good news that's it isn't it. We are still waiting for the surveyor to go into the flat on behalf of the person buying it (one week and waiting) other than that all is ok, oh yes and the perspective buyer doesn't want to hand over their solicitor details until they know that they have a mortgage........ so it's a waiting game.  That one is less hard than the other one my family and I are playing we are waiting at the moment as my 25 year old cousin is in hospital and under maximum sedation following a massive brain haemorraugh at the beginning of last week. No one knows yet if it will be ok, ok given time and extensive therapy or if it is already over.  That aside really can't complain I have a table of indeterminate purpose for you this week - see:

It is a canvas of blankness awaiting opportunity and time.  There are all the lovely fabrics I washed the other week - but look I now have the threads and some extra bobbins so I can start bag crafting.  Then there are a couple of my other Christmas projects - clear plastic baubles and a puzzle maker. Next to that there are some glass painting pens for another idea in my head. Then lastly are the 3 nesting boxes that I made the last couple of nights - based on an idea over on the graphic 45 website from a project that Laura Denison did.  They are blank canvases too waiting to be created on - was looking at my pile of Lavinia Stamps for inspiration (and to see which other ones I really really need  want!). Starting next Monday I have a run of 3 or 4 weeks where I won't be tutoring (due to late holidays) and Timothy is in nursery I am hoping to be a hive of activity for 2 days a week. 

So how are you anyway?  Want to see lots of exciting desks - hop on over to Julia's place (vis the WOYWW widget on the right and discover a desk or 2 or 150 that are waiting for  a good nose.  Now put the kettle on I am looking for distractions.........

WOYWW - Onwards and upwards

Thanks for all the lovely words and support for last week.  I'm on better form this week, mainly for being proactive rather than reactive.  Nothing exciting to report but no bad news either just keepin' everything crossed.  End of last week (literally Friday), I finally got my butt in gear and washed all the fabric that I have been hording: (it's pretty :)

At last I have a desk to show you (well actually it is back to the table of indeterminate purpose) - mainly because cutting fabric requires floor space and I needed somewhere to iron to.  

Resplendent with all my Argos value equipment (don't knock it, it's cheap and it works).  I have created my first piece of sewing in 20 years. It's got a couple of obvious mistakes, but it will do what it needs to and I learnt a lot.  I'm sure the recipient will forgive me the dodgy stitching and all that makes it unique.  By the time I get round to the last stitched bag as a Christmas gift I'm sure I'll be a pro.  Now to knock the paper-crafting into touch too.

For more desks of indeterminate purpose as well as most definitely dedicated for purpose desks press the WOYWW widget on the right and find friends, inspiration and just well good company dammit.

WOYWW - gosh someone got out the wrong side this morning

Hello everyone.

I am having a grumps day, do you get those? I'm sure it will all pass soon.(post holiday blues? we had a nice time in Scotland last week catching up with family) .    Timothy and I are home alone for a week and a half (with a days respite in the middle).  Motivation for everything has hit a low point. I really must get round to the washing up, and sorting the garden and up the stairs looks like a bomb has gone off.  Then that depressing moment where you have been doing everything right - your calories are under control, you've exercised and for no sensible reason you are heavier this morning than last night (oh I know there are lots of splendid explanations from water retention due to periods, muscle gain - don't weight yourself everyday - its Wii fits fault it says I should take the body test everyday - why I should listen to it when I ignore rational people I don't know.....) still it puts a gloom over everything.  There is a part of me that thinks if I just do some every day then there will be plenty of time to do the things I want to do - but then I forget I have a child who is being incredibly demanding at the moment - which is OK he is allowed to be he is only wee after all. But golly it is draining on energy.  Then the internet thing - does anyone else lose time (I mean masses of it - like hours in one go because you start looking for something - in this case material and then the next thing you know it is dinner time and you have done nada?

So crafting - I have a plan - bags, I got a book and the fabric is one the way I also want to have a go at clothes but figure bags are one up form cushion covers (my only previous sewing experience) and therefore a good interim stop.  Also will make excellent christmas gifts when they turn out all splendid (see optimism appearing already!).  I'm sure I could be getting on with papercrafting projects but every evening by the time I get the boy down I am ready to curl up myself.  Then there is the worrying - someone is interested in the flat and wants to go back and look again - but knowing our luck it will be one time to many the evil neighbour will appear and we will still have that bloody flat for ever and ever.

Right so creativity at the moment nil - there were days when I happily crafted away these are from last year for a competition entry that went no-where - I liked them though - Cosmo Cricket.

Ok no promises next week - but who knows the flat may be on its way to someone else, I may be lighter still and I might just have made my first bag...............

So press the WOYWW button and head on over to The Stamping Ground - most people are no where near as grumpy promise.......

WOYWW 116 - Gosh has it really been that long?

Well it has been far too long.  It is lovely having a dedicated crafting area except now I never seem to find the time to get up there with part-time tutoring twice a week and the little fella (who is now 3 and doesn't stop talking all day).  I disappeared under a mountain of exam marking for 3 months and then there was the gardening to get to grips with.  But there is a light on the horizon the little fella is going into nursery on a Monday - a precious Monday with no other commitments and my brain is a whirling with plans for presents for that time of year (you know some people have already mentioned and got it out there) so I anticipate having glimpses to show.  This year with having the 2 places (no luck selling the flat yet the evil neighbour has so far foiled any likely buyers) it is going to be a handmade Christmas - there I said it.  The other full time job at the moment is weight loss so armed with an app for my ipod (as I don't have £72 a week to try that Lighter Life thing) I am doing OK so far but it takes a lot of commitment and planning to get in the exercise - funniest thing watching the little fella using some bathroom scales to do stepping, running and hula hooping because the Wii board is too big mummy, I laughed until I cried.

So no desk this week - but I do have a couple of past creations to keep things ticking over until the new master pieces start appearing!

I think the first is obvious and was made using spellbinders, the second card I folded an A4 piece of card in half and stamped the poppies in the corner (Lavinia Stamps - love her stuff) then carefully cut round.  The poppies underneath were done by first loading the stamp with a clear ink for embossing, then the coloured inks, stamping and then sprinkling with embossing powder and heating this allowed me to put other poppies behind as the inks resist the embossed surface. A few strategically placed butterflies (you know where that bit of ink on your thumb transfers to the card -sigh) and a leaving card for a lovely friend was made.

Looking forward to having a nosey at what everyone has been up to so put the kettle on (but no cakes or biscuits for now - sighhhhh).

Return of the indeterminate crafting womble

Hello again. How is everyone? needed an excuse to visit again and today seemed a good a day as any. We have been in our new place for just over 3 months and it took me until the end of last week to finish getting the craft room sorted........ A combination of being on an adrenalin (I don't care if it is grammatically incorrect it sounds better to me) fuelled emotional high for 6 weeks after we moved in followed by 4 weeks low then high, low, high, low oh yes and the tansforming of my garden from nothing to productive! - mostly portable so we can take it with us when dh gets the long awaited permanent lectureship thing that he really deserves - although not the proper established one because that has to involve living by the sea and none of the current chances offer this. Anywhoo I have a desk and mostly I have somewhere to put everything (hurrah yay) or possibly not enough stuff.......... ;)

So crafting has been little and sparse, mostly stamping because it is small and highly portable. There was a new addition to my storage crafting space shown below a final treat before the drawing in of the coffers (unsurprisingly the flat is still unsold despite its bargain price tag.......).

There are a number of projects still on the go go and once the exam marking and moderating season has ended (that would be the growing (and still growing) piles scattered about) and the garden is maturing nicely the rains shall be picked up once more. So much to do and so little time. Of course it would help if the dear chiil stopped waking me up in the earlier hours of the morning (it is 4am as I write this) he was fast asleep 5 secs after he was returned to his own bed that was well over an hour a go. Oh well on the plus side it is my birthday today :)

Oh Gosh has it been that long?

Hello everyone - I'm still here I've been doing the mountain and valley thing emotionally since we moved at the beginning of February.  Things are so much better now (nice neighbours for a start).  It has been an entertaining catalogue of disasters too though - nothing I wouldn't take over the last nearly 6 years of my life though :D

The day we moved in the washing machine and fridge/freezer packed up (took 2 weeks to sort the first and a month to properly sort the latter). At this point the shower stopped being able to turn itself off so we had the landlord round at 9:30 at night trying to locate the stop tap (it was hidden behind a panel - at least he did the bashing - I'd already had my fill but more about that later.  Then the next day the boiler packed up (and it was still pretty chilly at the beginning of March.  Still we have shiney new replacements of most things and only the cooker left to pack up (so far it seems pretty solid - touchwood).

Timothy has been delighted with our new place and settled in straight away. He sleeps through the night and everything now :D The instant relaxing of his parents has been attributed towards this.  He delights all by taking them up to show them his bedroom when they visit.  He has, however, been rebelling about the amount of time mummy is spending unpacking and building furniture etc so we have had a number of 'exciting' incidents to deal with, from flour over the floor (makes pretty patterns mind you)

That was the first week, then there was the sanitary products floating in the bath that was 3/4 full.  Followed by the spreading of shredded paper through the whole of downstairs.  The locking of himself and a friend in one of the bedrooms - that would be the door banging part -I had to smash a door panel to get them out (then the shower packed up later that day...........), still need to replace that.  This week we ended up with a bottle of salad cream emptied over the railway tracks and all over the livingroom floor.  Got to love them though right :D

Crafting has largely taken a back seat - there is only so much a girl can do in one day and still need to finish sorting the craft / office space.  There have been a couple of cake decorating moments though:

A couple of scrapbooking classes and I've dug my stamping stuff out and did a trial run for creating mothers day cards.  I've also been trying my hand at gardening the last few days and I managed to remove a very nasty prickly thing and dig over the whole border, next I need to create again :)

border before

Border after

OK it is not quite WOYWW but I'm building up to being back

I promise something handmade to the FIRST 5 people* who leave a comment here who want something. However, to be eligible, you must repost this status, offering something handmade to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade (or homemade) by you and it must be sent to your 5 people some time in 2011. Ready, set, GO!               

Anyone who wants an update on the neighbourly (or lack of situation) please look at previous post.  I've tried putting in some pictures but blogger is not playing at the moment and I have not the patience........

An update long overdue

Hi everyone, hope you all had good christmases or survived the whole thing depending on your take and your health.  By the time it arrived I was ready for the break and the away.  The hardest part was getting out of my sisters driveway on the 23rd as Rugby area had an extreme snow fall on the 22nd.  The motorways were clear and my laptop and Toystory made the whole journey painless.

I'm not really sure what is being dealt with as regards downstairs. He was due to be arrested last week but then yesterday I got a call to say he was being invited in for a chat. One of our neighbours agreed to give a statement to the police (anonymous) regarding the intimidation he and his family have recieved and all that has been said / done regarding ourselves - however (I suspect) as we plan to move on indefinitely (they don't know how soon just the for sale sign board) he failed to show up to the agreed meeting. There are rumours that downstairs is a grass which could explain a number of things. Whitefriars as ever are silent at the working end - we do have one lady who phones up to find out what is being done (but she is not allowed to step in until her colleagues are seen to be failing to do their job............)

So crap out the way.  We are moving out on the 1st Feb, we did the maths and reckon we can just about swing a mortgage and the rent so financially 2011 will be pants BUT, in every other way things have got to be better.  We are moving to a 3 bedroom terrace with a garden, 20 doors down from one set of friends and over the common and across the railway bridge from another.  I CAN'T WAIT -  the reason I haven't posted before is I'm terrified of jinxing the whole thing. The paperwork is now in my hands the rented sign is up and everything set up bar the gas and electricity so I am taking the risk.  So my friends it will go quiet again until we are packed, unpacked and set up but then there will be a shared (office space for dh) dedicated room for crafting in - let the productivity commence and start to build our lives again. All we need to do is get the flat sold - surely that can be accomplished in 2011 - surely.