Wintry Globe!

Hello Crafting Friends and Visitors, start of another week, I hope everyone had a good weekend, we had a quiet one. 
Is everyone well, hope that you are but sending kind thoughts to those who are struggling a bit just now.

Well, I'm getting ready to go down and visit with my dear friend Dale tomorrow, really looking forward to it, just going myself, Alistair is staying to look after Teallach, actually he felt he couldn't face another long bus journey after our trip to Glasgow. Dale and Stewart are off to New Zealand in a couple of weeks to spend a few months with their son and family, so I felt I wanted to see her, especially also as he sister has just died and she s awfully sad as you can imagine.

Getting the house prepared, making sure there is food for both my boys has taken time. As Alistair doesn't know how to work the washing machine I've had to catch up with the washing too. I don't do meals, he is capable of cooking thank goodness. I just hope he get on OK minding Teallach, he isn't finely tuned to him as I am.

Milo too is going to have to do without me , I think Damian is going to work a bit more from home. But get this, our chewing boy has been to a doggy nursery. They have found somewhere locally that you can take your dog where he has loads of company of humans as well as other dogs. They took him along at the weekend and Milo was assessed to see if he got along well with other dogs and he was fine. Lots of space to play inside with loads of toys, activity things and a big yard outside for them to play. climb n objects and goodness knows what else. Milo loved it, got along fine with the dogs who were there and came back home whacked. I've never heard the like of it, but if it helps well and good. obviously it costs, didn't ask how much, but it must be cheaper than having to replace furniture and carpets. So I think he will be going there sometimes. Whatever next??

So for my share today I've decorated up one of the fabulous Imagination Crafts MDF Globes I bought whilst at the Glasgow show;

When I saw the globes, there are a few of them, on Hochanda a few months ago I thought I just have to get some, so I did. I wanted to make one for Damian and Moreen and this is it. I've not used all of the elements that come with this set, but I've made a wintry background scene with DI and used an IC tree stencil, Inkylicious sun/moon stencil, Creative Expressions glitter.  The Deer are part of the globe and the have been painted with Starlights and Sparkle Medium, The frame of the globe has been painted with Silver Starlight and Diamond Sparkle Medium just where the deer are standing to give the impression of snow. I've made snowflakes using various makes of dies and added sequins to the sky.  I also added little lights, again seeing this done by Lisa on the show. It all took a wee bit of time to make but I think it is worth it and hope that Damian and Moreen will like it, hope you do too.
I have one to make for myself, but that all depends how I get on with the Christmas knitting.

That's me done for today, I might not be able to get around to visit whilst I'm away so forgive my lack of commenting. 
Thank you for all the lovely comments on my CCC cards, you are all so kind. but for now,

Trees and Mixed Media for the Christmas Card Club!

Well Hello Everyone, here we are again to share our makes from the Christmas Card Club, a very fast fortnight. Since then of course Blogger has made changes to it's dashboard system, real pain in the ass. Now I thought I was doing well with it, not liking it, but I thought I'd managed to suss it out, until I looked for the CCC button on my dashboard which would take me on to that page.....gone....eek!!  Now I am understanding what the girls who are on blog DT are talking about.

Fortunately, I got help from Christine and Margaret both from the CCC, just how they managed to know what to do is a mystery to me, so a BIG THANK YOU for your help.

So this time around it's Mary's turn to choose a theme and she would like to see Trees and mixed media, here is what I've come up with;

The colours are much brighter in real life, and I've completely forgotten whose stamps I've used, sorry, the branches are freebies from Creative Stamping mag.
Next;

Imagination Crafts Art stamps and Starlight Paints, and finally;

Chocolate Baroque large Trees stamp which was one of their AYOS stamps the other year, lots of sparkle, inked up sky with Memento and Ink Dusters and a few sequins.
I hope these do Mary, I enjoyed the challenge, and I do love trees.

Thank you all so much for your comments on my Oldie yesterday, you are all so kind and encouraging.
Scheduling this post for going live tomorrow, so till the next time take care and I hope you all have a smashing weekend,

Twas the Night for Friday Oldie!

Hello Everyone, hoping all is well with you and that you've been having a good day.
Another cold, bitter really, but sunny. I didn't wrap up enough when I went into town, so I didn't waste anytime, business done and back home.

Thank you for your kind comments on my last card and the photographs. It's always appreciated as I know everyone has a bus life.

I was delighted to be a Top Three Winner in the Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge, I don't do many challenges but always try to make a card for this one. Thought I would just boast a bit lol😊

I had the most sleepless night last night, I kept wakening up from 12.30, so by 4.30 I decided to get up and try and finish one of the socks I'm knitting for Damian.  Teallach was sound asleep on his cushion when I went downstairs and decided that he was staying on his cushion so just ignored me.
Anyway got the sock finished, but what a phaff as I was struggling to understand the pattern. It's the first time I've made socks on a circular needle, I always use 4 needles and trying to do the decreasing  was really awkward, I had to eventually return to the 4 needles. In the circular needle's favour, I thought it made a a neater leg.  However, one sock done and another started, so he should have them for Christmas, at least that's the plan.

I'm scheduling this post for tomorrow joining Erika of Snappy Crafts in a Friday Oldie share, and you can find Erika here.

This is just a fun thing where we share something handmade from an earlier time in our crafting journey. It can be anything not just a card. there are quire a few of us joining Erika now and it's interesting to see how our crafting styles have changed, here is what I've found to share;

Well you can tell I'm an animal lover, I just think this image is adorable. It's all from a CD and I've added some embellishments. Can't for the life of me remember what CD it is. 

 
So that's me for now, it will be an early night and hopefully a decent sleep. Take care of yourselves,

A Pot of Poinsettias and Rehersal Photos!

Good Morning to Everyone, has your Blogger Dashboard changed? Mine has and blogger is back to the robot thingy. I was all over the place looking for the icon for new post, well obviously I found it but I wish blogger wouldn't tinker with blogger.

Anyway, I hope you are all well, and keeping dry and cosy. You folks down there in Englandshire are having awful weather, we in the Highlands are doing OK, very cold but sunny today.
Needless to say my Adventurer is off to the hills, he's so pleased to have his chum Derek back who has been away in China for the last 3 months, so they are off out to play.

A big Hello and Welcome to Shaz who is my new Follower and also now one of our CCC members, I hope you will manage to pop in when you can Shaz and thanks for clicking the follow button.

Thanks also to all who commented on my last project, busy now looking for small doggie treats to put into the drawers.
Thanks to for your good wishes for our concert, it went brilliantly, the soloists were wonderful and we were wonderfuller lol. The audience seemed to receive the music well, although Alistair admitted to dozing off in the first part, but some of the pieces are very repetitive, especially the amens, 8 pages of amens is really too much for anyone regardless of how well sung. He loved the second half where the music was a bit lighter and the soloists sang their own music and the Bass was superb with the famous aria from the Marriage of Figaro.
Here are a couple of photos from our rehearsal;

 The soloists rehearsing, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor and the fabulous Bass

And then there's us... I'm the one with my arm leaning on the back of the chair. I was amazed that I was actually in the photo, I never am, but getting the back of me is quite something.
Unfortunately, we are not allowed to record the music, not that I would know how do do that and get the video on here anyway, and I'm not sure if there are photos yet of the actual performance. Thanks once again for your interest.

Righto, on to my card;I was

 I was quite pleased with how this turned out, it's my take on a sample in Creative Stamping Magazine using the free stamps. I made it for a friend who is having a bit of a struggle just now with her health. She has received it and pleased to say she liked it.  The blooms are embossed with Wow powder and painted with Starlight Paints, Papers are various bits from pads I've had for ages.

Well the sun is streaming in the window and showing up that they are needing cleaned, Teallach makes such a mess of them. He is loving this weather, out most of the day and staying in at night, but I do have to get up for him about 5 o'clock as he comes up to let me know that he needs to go out.

That's me for now, so take care and keep cosy and see you soon,

Santa Advent Calender!

Hello Everyone, gosh it's been cold today, has it been the same where you are.  A heavy frost and icy roads and our local mountain is plastered in snow, Alistair can't wait to get out on it.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my last card, I do appreciate you visits as they all take time.

Just a quick post tonight, as I'm all behind with everything. I've got a share tonight that is a bit different for me, I hope you like it;

When I saw this Advent Calender in Hobby Crafts I thought I'd love to decorate one of them. Now you've not to laugh, but it's for Milo and the little drawers will be filled with doggy treats, of course that will be all he's interested in. 
I've used various paints including Starlights, and I bought the little star lights hoping that they would light up the scene when dark, unfortunately they are not strong enough, so have positioned the two battery operated tea lights in front of it. Just a bit of fun but I did enjoy doing it.

Right off to give myself a manicure for tomorrow,  long day it will be with rehearsing all afternoon then performance in the evening.
Take care and see you soon,

 

Sparkling Mistletoe

Good Evening Everyone I hope it's been a good day for you whatever you've been doing. Hoping all is well with you too.

Thanks so much for your continued visits and all the lovely comments that you leave, always very much appreciated.

Have you been watching Planet Earth 11? What an amazing  programme, the filming of the animals and scenery is awesome.  Alistair was watching it on Sunday night and I was kind of in and out of it, not fully concentrated as I was trying to multi-task, so when Damian said he'd recorded it, I thought I would sit and relax with Milo this afternoon and watch it. My goodness I thought I was there, Damian's new TV is a cracker, it's all sorts of things ours isn't, curved too. It brought the colours and the picture so that you felt you were were the camera was taking you. The fight between the Golden Eagles was incredible and the Ibex on the sheer cliff face took my breath away. The photography is fantastic and the shots of the Himalayas were wonderful.  Well worth the tutorial from my son when the TV arrived on how to operate it as it's light years ahead of ours. Well worth watching on Sunday nights.

Milo was awfully good today, but he has been getting into more trouble with his chewing, so I've suggested that the consult an animal behaviourist. Now a couple of years ago we had lovely neighbours and the lady happened to be one of those, she now has her own business and lives locally. Shanta and Iain  have two gorgeous Akita dogs and the younger one has autism and she has trained him incredibly well and he is a very well behaved dog. So, Damian had agreed to get in touch with her to see if she can help, so fingers crossed.

So on to my card and one for  the Flower challenge;

I've use a CB stamp, Mistletoe, this was one of the AYOS range the other year.
I've embossed it in Red WOW Embossing Powder and coloured the leaves with SN Aqua Pens, then used Glitter pen over them. Matted on to SB Adorning Squares, some old Papermaina paper and some green card. Die'Sire greeting dies.

A simple creation really, anyway I would like to enter it in to;
http://theflowerchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/the-flower-challenge-2-theme-occasion.html


Our rehearsal went very well last night, I'm confident that it will be a super concert;

and here is what we are performing.

So that's me for another night, time for a wee bit of knitting, I've started sock for Damian and I'm trying for the first time using circular needle instead of four needles, meant to be faster, well I hope so or my lad won't get them in time for Christmas, i suppose it's all what you're used to, but I'll persevere a bit longer.

Take care and see you soon,

Sparkly Tree!

Good Morning to Everyone, start of another week and I hope you are well, I know some of you are struggling just now so sending kind thoughts that you'll get through your difficulties whatever they may be and feel better soon.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my CCC card, I have to say it was a theme I enjoyed doing.

Been up early today to go to the eye clinic at the hospital to check on the diabetic damage caused to my eyes, and pleased to report that what doctor is seeing now is an improvement and that they are discharging me and I will go back to having the back of my eyes photographed at the diabetic retinal screening as before. Now I'm not sure what was happening as my sight wasn't affected, and I very rarely have to change my prescription for glasses, but they saw something that worried them. Mind you my diabetes on the whole is pretty well controlled, that always helps, it goes a bit awry sometimes but I can get back on track. So now I just have blurry, nippy eyes from the drops that numb them so that they can take the pressure reading......???? and and the drops that dilate them. All a pain in the neck, but nevertheless, thank goodness we have this on the NHS, or many people would be in deep trouble with their sight, so I don't complain, well only about the very early appointment.

I have a card today that I'm entering into the CB Colour Challenge;

I've concentrated more on the blues and greens of the colour swatch, attempting to create an Aurora Borealis sky and used stamps from Sparkling Tree set and Christmas Cheer set for the sentiment.
Embossed with WOW Glitter and coloured with Momento inks and Ink Dusters
A selection of coloured gems and lots of glitter.

Off to see Milo today, been over a week since I kept him company so I'm looking forward to that, then in the evening I'm at Choral practise and it's the last one before our concert in Eden Court Theatre next Saturday.  I'm pretty confident about singing this program as I've sung most of the pieces before, except for the Humming Chorus from Madam Butterfly, but I am an expert in miming and have to with this piece as as some notes are off the page for me being a 2nd soprano.

Lovely day here, temperature is up somewhat and the sun is shining. I'm off to do a bit of ironing, see you soon, take care of yourselves

I would like to enter my card into:http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/challenge-twenty-eight.html

Reindeer for the Christmas Card Club!

Hello Everyone I hope you are all tickity boo, but if not , I hope you will soon feel better.

Well what a week for excitement... Trump for President, England beat Scotland at footy, well there's a surprise, they even lost the rugby, an even bigger surprise, lol, but most importantly the John Lewis Christmas Ad is released featuring Buster the Boxer, has anyone seen it, it's absolutely brilliant, Aldi have released their with Kevin the Carrot, he's a wee cutie and M&S has brought out one that bring a wee lump to the throat, which I think is the best one they have done for yonks. Oh yes we're speeding full tilt towards he big day, and talking about Christmas, it's time again for the ladies from the Christmas Card Club to share what they have been making for Sunday. This time the theme has been chosen by our lovely Lorraine and it's Reindeer, always lovely to see them on cards.
Here is what I've come up with;

I've used this beautiful stencil from Imagination Crafts and Sparkle Medium on to black glossy card and then matted on to card I've had for ages from Hunkydory, them gold card from Crafter's Companion, my sentiment is from a wonderful set by John Lockwood.

The image on this card is made with one of Imagination Craft's Art Stamps, and various colours from Memento, inked on with Ink Dusters from Inkylicious. The Embossed background is a folder from Sara Davis, tartan ribbon and a lovely little embellishment form Creative Expressions, then some gems. There is a sentiment there, embossed but not showing up well.

Finally, I'm sure you will recognise this sweet image from LOTV, coloured with Promarkers and Gel Pens by Sakura, lots of glitter, but not showing up. Gold glitter card and papers from an old pad from LOTV, sentiments from Little Claire, a little gold ribbon, a few gems and we're done.

Being part of the lovely group of crafting ladies is such a good way of getting ahead of the game  by having your cards ready in time for Christmas, so it anyone would like to join us for next year please let me know and I will put you in touch with Margaret who keeps us all organised.

Just want to thank everyone who visited and left a comment,  and this is for Mary from Carolina, a Gritter is a big vehicle that spreads grit when the conditions are icy and snowy, you will have the same thing over in your neck of the woods, probably just by another name.

Take Care everyone and see you soon,

I would like to enter my second card into the ;http://www.fashionablestampingchallenges.com/2016/11/13/challenge-117-tis-the-season/
and also my first card into the; http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/week-389-feature-creature.html

A Poppy for Friday Oldie!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and keeping cosy, boy is it getting colder or what! We still haven't got snow at ground level, but it's cold enough for it.

Well it's Friday and time to join Erika with sharing an Oldie. This can be anything Handmade from an earlier time of your crafting career, albeit my share are getting closer and closer to my present makes.  This is just for fun, and there are quite a few of joining in, here is what I've rummaged around to find;

This is a lovely digital stamp drawing by Jane, from Janey's Cards. Now Jane is a gardener and her drawings are inspired by her love and work with flowers. Unfortunately she now longer has her digital shop.  As you can see it's a pretty poppy, appropriate for today, although not planned.
I wear a white poppy for Peace  to remember all who have been killed in all wars, military, civilians, animals. I would dearly love if lessons could be learned from the needless wars fought, but it would seem that governments aren't capable of that and greed will always prevail over human suffering.  Just to say that I do respect, the fallen military personnel, I wouldn't want to offend anyone. 

Thank you so much for the kind comments on my last card, you are all so kind.
Off to see to the dinner, it's going to be a pot luck night I think, sometimes they turn out to be very tasty, I must get food shopping, it's only Teallach who has a full cupboard at the moment.

Have a good evening and a great weekend, hope you have something good planned, see you soon,

Christmas Greetings!

Hello Everyone, how are you today....or rather this evening now, well I hope and not suffering snow and being really cold.  I saw a gritter out spreading  earlier on heading for the A9, so maybe there is something brewing on the higher ground.   Alistair was in the Cairngorms today and there was some snow, he just love it.

Thank you all so much for your visit and kind comments on my last card, most appreciated.

Well our news is still awash with the USA Election result, it would appear that there isn't anything else going on any in any other parts of the world.  Mind you, who would have believed it! Scary times ahead, but one was as bad as the other, so who knows what will happen now.

Anyway, enough of all that, here is my card for today.
I've used a fabulous background stamp from Imagination Crafts and it's all Christmas Sentiments. I Embossed it with Silver Wow Powders and matted it on to silver glitter card and blue card.
Snowflake paper is from Papermania and then stamped Sue Wilson's Poinsettias die and embossed them in the Silver powder on to acetate and added a couple of little flourishes.

I would like to enter my card into;
http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/november-anything-christmas.html

I've had a break from Milo as Damian is working from home this week and I'm having puppy withdrawal. I just hope he isn't getting into any more trouble as last week he made a huge hole in the bedroom carpet, how he managed that is astounding as it was done between me leaving him and Damian and Moreen arriving home from work, and that was about 45 minutes.  Damian was so angry at him he had to go out for a walk in order to calm down, he had also chewed the corner of the bedside cabinet.  The consequences for Milo is that he had a visit to the vet with a very upset tummy.
He is some boy, but I've said I'll stay with him until they come home after work, on the days I can. He has a ton of toys, but he seems to want human things, oh and I forgot, Moreen's Ugg boots.

I'll leave you with a photo of one of the quieter pets;

Little Toby the Horseshoe Tortoise, he's a wee sweetie and fits on to your hand, even my small one.

That's me for now, take care everyone and hopefully be back tomorrow to share another Friday Oldie,

Time Flies!

Hello Everyone, how are you today? well I hope, but sending kind thoughts to those who are not so well, and hope you feel better soon.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my last card, very kind of you, and I do appreciate each of them.

It's mighty cold here today, the temp has fairly dropped over the last couple of days, definitely time for the Winter woollies. I do love the Winter light though.
We went to the cinema this morning to see I Daniel Blake, very moving film, well I wouldn't expect anything else from Ken Loach, he is a fantastic film maker, and as you may know he has the Establishment up in arms with it.  I thought that although a harrowing story, there are many more much worse out there, many a person I had to help support through the dehumanising experience that this film is about.  I would recommend seeing it.

Anyway, off my soapbox now and on to my card;

Crafty Individuals Time Flies stamp, embossed in Wow white embossing powder on to black card, and as I had four attempts at doing this and finally getting one I was happy with, I decided to cut another clock out colour it and layer it on. Matted on to platinum card from CC and added a few gems.
I think this is a lovely image and would do for many different occasions and for male or female cards.
I'm going to enter it into http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/week-388-timeclocksnumbers.html

Just a short post today, having a quiet evening as Alistair will be out at his music group, so I plan to get a bit of knitting done.
Take care and see you soon,

Blue Lake!

Good Morning....Just, to You All, and I hope you are well and have enjoyed your weekend. Weather wise it was a dreich wet one, but that seems to be usual for bonfire night up here. 
We had a lovely weekend, and an enjoyable birthday meal with Damian and Moreen for Alistair's birthday at our favourite Indian restaurant. Thank you all so much for your lovely birthday and anniversary wishes. 
Here is the card I gave Alistair;

This was my first attempt at using Stampscapes stamps, I had bought some to make a card for a friend, but hadn't considered this good enough, I haven't got the sky inked well, looks like there are flags flying in it. However, when I showed it to Alistair he loved it, so I kept it for his birthday as like his friend, they both canoe. He was thrilled to bits with it.

Well, that's all our birthdays done for this year, I'll be starting to think about Damian's in January and them Moreen's for February. Time is just going by so quickly, it will be around before I know it.

Thank you all so much for the kind comments you made about my last card, I do appreciate your visit to my blog, it all takes time, but  they are lovely to read.

Take care of yourselves and see you soon,

A Special Day and Friday Oldie!

Good Morning One and All, end of another week again, going fast! I do hope you are well, but sending out positive thoughts to all who are struggling at the moment.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my last cards, I do appreciate it.
So what sort of Special Day is it? Well, it's our Wedding Anniversary 21 years ago we were married, and it's flown by so quickly. We didn't have official photographs, did it on on a shoestring budget, and my DIL at that time Karen was going to take the photos, but she had a disaster with colouring her hair, that morning when she arrived in Inverness, and she was devastated about it. When Damian arrived to collect me, he was all harassed and told me not to mention "hair" to Karen, when I got to the church I could see why, poor lass. Anyway the result was that not many photographs were taken, but here is one that isn't too bad;

Now here is the card I made for my lovely Alistair;

As were are always talking about going to learn to dance, and he has a thing about hats just now, I found this lovely Crafty Individuals stamp. The embossing folder is from CC as are the sentiment dies. Papermania paper and Pebeo silver gilding wax.  He loves it.

It's also Oldie day where we join Erika with sharing an older handmade creation. This is just for fun, it can be anything at all just needs to be handmade, here is mine;

A lovely House Mouse image, I'd forgotten that I had this one.
So why not join us in sharing one of your previous makes, it's good to look back and see how your style has changed.

We aren't doing much for our Anniversary as it's Alistair's birthday tomorrow and it's that we celebrate, as he's a child at heart.  In fact, getting married was what we did for his 50th birthday, when I asked him what he wanted he said lets get married, well I hadn't planned of anything on that scale, but there you go, so tomorrow when will be going out with Damian and Moreen for a birthday meal.

That's all for now folks, I'm a bit behind with my commenting, hopefully I can catch up.
Enjoy your day and take care of yourselves and see you soon,

Candles!

Hello Everyone, are you fine and dandy? I do hope so, but if your not, sending through some positive thoughts in the hope you will feel better soon.
Thank you so much for your comments on my last card, and sorry about the long post, somehow I didn't quite realise just how long it was, so if you did read it, thanks for that too.

I've had a morning at home trying to catch up with bits and pieces, it's amazing that my few days away have knocked me to pot, anyhow I had Alistair out of the way as he took off this morning at 5am to go to the Cairngrorms, there was a particular route he wanted to climb. As I was awake, he can't do quiet, even although he tries, I just got going with my chores. I'll crash out later, anyhow he is back now, and informing me that he was walking through mist and snow and it was bitterly cold when he stopped to have his bite to eat. I guess that Winter is now taking hold. Anyway a nice bowl of homemade soup, a hot shower and he's as right as rain, or mist and snow.

I have a share today that is a variation on a theme;

 A lovely MB die, a little paper piecing with the green card and some green Sakura sparkly pen, glitter. tiny red gems, sequins and a free sentiment stamp

This one has been cut out in green card, and I've used the green pen again, the ribbon is covering up a mistook, glitter and gems

 White with a pop of red on the berries and some crystal gems and glitter.
Just plain and simple , but quite effective I thought.

That's me for now folks, enjoy your day whatever you're doing, take care,

Crystal Snowflakes and New Stuff!

November.....EEEEEK!!!! Hello Everyone, gosh where did October go??,  well at least we had beautiful weather. Really frosty this morning though and yesterday rained all day.

Anyway, how are you all, I do hope good, but kind thoughts coming your way if you're not.
I'm recovering after my trip to Glasgow, still a bit tired,as when away from home base my blood sugar get knocked to blazes as I find it difficult to control when eating out, and when my BS is raised I get very tired. 
However, upon saying that, both of us had a lovely time, Alistair with Jim and me at the craft she and meeting up with Rita. It is really so good to meet Blogging Friends, and this time Rita and I spent more time together and could have spent more if time had been possible. I was amazed to learn that we both sang in the same choir many decades ago, although not at the same time...small world. We had a ball spending money, and our first port of call was to the Imagination Crafts stall and as we were first there was able to chat to Sue who owns the company and is a fab designer. I love their products and have to say that's where most of my money was spent. I have photos of my purchases which I will put up.

Our hotel.....well I wouldn't recommend it, we had a tiny room up in the attic, sloping roof which Alistair cracked his on when getting out of bed.  The smallest of toilet and shower space, had to come out of it to dry. And it was four flights up and no lift.  I struggled with the stairs I have to say, I'm not fit and could feel a pain in my chest long before I reach the top floor. I asked for a move but it was full and not possible.
The dining room was in the basement, which was more stairs and so cramped especially when full, an hour an a half allotted time for breakfast, it was noisy, people having to share, two waitresses hurrying around, and then they doubled as chambermaids. Nightmare!!  At least our room was clean.

So enough of all this, just to say it was good to get home, oh and I've done something to my knee, so it's painkillers and Voltarol gel for the moment.
On Sunday, once home I was at a Craft Workshop with a super guy called John Bloodsworth, he is going around the country fund raising for the charity Mind.  He used to be a producer on C&C, it was really a good day, all about the techniques of using the Geliplate.  Now I had been wondering if I was missing something by not having one, but I don't think it will be something I'll rush out and buy although I did enjoy the workshop, and I don't mind getting messy. Always good to learn new things.

Now I do have a card to show;

My first attempt of using Sparkle Medium on acetate, so difficult to photo. I had made this before I went to the show, but had forgotten how to attach the acetate on, another reason for visiting Sue's stall as she was able to put me right. You might be able to see that the acetate is bevelled, but it comes flat for posting. I'm sure my new one will be better as I can see quite a few mistakes.

Now for my new stuff, quite a few piccies;

 Imagination Crafts Globes and owl tee light holder, been wanting them since seeing them demonstrated on Hochanda,

Well one couldn't not buy their wonderful stencils, Starlight Paints and Sparkle Medium, which is the most luscious red colour. Little lights to use with the globes, and the all important spatula.

 A fab Sheena Douglass stamp, Card -io and Sue Wilson stamps, Pebeo black gesso and some lovely little linen canvases, oh yes, I think I'm an artist now..lol, a few sequins and a roll it off, for picking up waste, it's a brilliant tool, I also bought some heatproof acetate.

Now, I just had to have this yarn and pattern, little slipper boots, and they look easy peasy and will make a fab gift, or not as the case might turn out.

So there you are, I don't feel I spent too much, and certainly not something that I might never use, in fact everything there is what I was going for, the yarn is the only thing not planned.
I hope I've not bored you silly, but I know some of you do like to see what is bought at craft shows, I know I do.

Thanks to all who visited and left such kind comments on my last cards, I have tried to catch up a bit with my own commenting, but when you've been away from it for a few days, I find it's just not possible to go back and do everyone, nevertheless I have seen your lovely creations on my reading, list, so please forgive if I haven't commented.

Up early awaiting our new sofa arriving, apparently it could come anytime between 7 and 12 o'clock, so that's the first hour gone.

Have a lovely day whatever you're doing, I'm having a quiet one until I have to go and see Milo, who after I left him yesterday, got into a cupboard and had a go at Moreen's sandals and her Ugg boots, don't know how bad they are, and worse was that he has destroyed a Queen ( Freddy Mercury) book of Damian's which was rare and valuable.  So once again Milo is in the doghouse. I wonder what it will be today.
Thanks for staying with me on this saga today, and see you soon. Oh and the sofa has just arrived, and it's looking good.