Home comforts ....

Nothing like making yourself comfy, and my little Toyah is a dab hand at it.

I have been wanting to scrap this piccie for a while and just had an urge (creative this time!) so went with it. Not my usual style as I seem to go for clean and simple, but there is a definite trend for clustering at the moment so thought I'd give it a go.

Do you?

Well ....... ever get unexplainable urges!????

I was doing some quick shopping tonight and whilst meandering around the aisles there was one man in particular that I had a real strong urge just to nip his butt as I passed!

Of course I didn't but I just was so curious to how he might react. Now in my own defence, I have to say here that it was nothing to do with a sexual attraction. He wasn't particularly good looking, nor really what might be my type (based on appearance only of course), and I'm absolutely not looking as I am more than happy with the man who is in my life, heart and head right now.

There was just something about him, which I suspect had a lot to do with the fact that he looked ultra conservative, proper and business like, that I wanted to see how me might react - would it be shock, would he laugh, would he even realise who had done it!

So does that make be bad, bold and brazen??? Well most likely not as I didn't actually do it.

So, do you every have the urge? To do what? Did you? Tell me!

One man's induction to crafting!

Well since we've been dating, I've been chatting to M. about crafting and he's now involved in a whole world that he was previously oblivious to. He now knows where all his local Micheal's and Jo Ann's stores are, and indeed the best routes to take to get there in a hurry, and, has taken to checking out all the sales flyers that come with the Sunday paper. He's also great at letting me know when Costco have any interesting crafting things. A few weeks ago he informed me that they had a Scrapbooking set at a very cheap price - but he didn't buy it for me as it looked more like something a beginner would use and not really for someone of my level - awhhhh what a sweetie! He does makes me laugh ........... a couple of HIS versions of scrapping tools!

CROP-A-DOP - if he hears me working whilst we chat on line he'll ask me, "are you crop-a-doping? Obviously he's referring to the ole Crop-a-Dile, although what I have is the Big Bite, but hey, let's not split hairs. He's doing much better than a crafting lady who came in to our local scrapbook shop and asked me if she could use the "elephant punch"!

CHUNK-A-DUNK - that little thing you'd like for Christmas, the pink binder thing. Ahh that would be the Bind-it-All then lol.

He says he has no clue what the things are but they always have cutesy names - and there lies the genius of the marketing gurus. Give us a cutesy name and a girlie colour and we're suckers for it.

So what Dop-de-Wop, Crop-a-Dop or Chunck-a-Dunk are you hoping Santa will bring this year?

People say .........

the nicest things. Well at least yesterday one did. I'd been doing my usual briefing with one of the senior managers and discussing generally how things weren't too happy in the world right now. Anyway after we finished she said I'd managed to really cheer her up, she felt great and that I was an INSPIRATION! Awhhhhhh I just thought that was so sweet and nice.

Anyway so on to inspiration, well this fabric CJ I'm involved in has my wee brain cells blinking on and off all over the place. Lou's was next in line, and I have to say both her and Sharon's pages were to die (or should that be dye!?) for. Lou mentioned that she is very interested in all things spiritual ............ and when I think spiritual I think Yin Yang. So this is what I came up with.

The velvet was stamped, then devored, then dyed. Natural wood needle felting on the other side, which I deliberately left quite rought as I like the contrast in textures. Some beading and some of the swirls (doesn't look like a Fancy Pants stamp does it?) on the velvet picked out with hand stitching. I quite like the finished result even though it wasn't what I was planning to do at all! But then, isn't that all part of the fun in creating!



Hasn't the weather turned cold!! Makes me realise that I need more sweaters oh and oil too. I hear prices are to drop over the next couple of months .......... maybe I'll just dip it and see if I can wait!!!!

Hugs to all. xox

Two in a row ...

but I don't expect I'll keep it up for too long. Just thought I'd share another layout I did this weekend when I was just having some crafty play. I haven't done any scrapping just for me in ages so I really enjoyed my last few projects.

Don't think this would win any awards but I just loved the autumn colours. Obligatory bling included of course - would you expect any less ;oP

Especially for Paula .............

Well she has rapped my knuckles a couple of times now for being missing in action for such a long long time, so decided I really must update the blog.

So what's been happening? Well I suppose the most important thing is that I am a woman in love! Oh yes indeed, well and truely snagged and bagged. Now of course, you know I never seem able to take the easy route but hey, what's 3500 miles when love someone, right? Mr. L. lives in the USA (oh there's a surprise I hear you say), but at least it is East Coast; Virginia to be kind of precise. I had a wonderful two weeks there back in August which went just so amazingly well that we had to get Mr. L. to Ireland and spend another two wonderous weeks together here in October. Next get together will be on Boxing Day when I head back west for another 10 days or so. All is going better than I could have imagined and I never thought I'd say this, but my ex. E. did me a favour. Mr. L. is the most wonderful, lovely, loving guy I could have hoped for. We laugh a lot together, share very similar views, hopes and dreams. He is definitely one in a million and I am well and truely besotted and blessed.

So for curious minds, here's a little layout I did of my favourite pic of him so far. Who says manly and bling don't go together? I find it so hard to resist putting a lil sparkle on any of my projects!!



Work has been challenging, I now do a national role which means I'm working right across the UK. More travel!! Not filling me with a lot of enthusiasm as it's just so tiring, but there are lots and lots of people who are facing redundancy across the country that I try and focus on being thankful that I am still employed.

I've also been doing quite a bit creatively. The little canvas below is a blatant scraplift of one done by the wonderfully talented Tracie Hudson. No point in trying to improve upon perfection! If you haven't seen her work go and check out her blog she's amazing, so talented.



Sew, what next .... well fabric!!! I did a needlework qualification when I was at school and recently I've joined in a Fabric CJ which has just soooo inspired me to get sewing again. The left hand page is my first page, the one on the right is the page I did for Sharon (Magpie) who's work is amazing - I want to go visit Sharon so she can teach me her wonderful machine embroidery skills!!



OK so is that good for now Paula? I sure hope so!! Promise not to leave it so long next time.