What Did I Go To The Shop For?!

Hi there!

Yesterday was a very not productive day in the craft sense, I of course knew already that OH and I were going to the cinema to see two films – Puss in Boots – Awesome! Very funny, if not a little silly! And Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows, which has done the last-minute job of overtaking Captain America as my favourite film of 2011! Totally brilliant stuff! This part of the day went completely to plan. This isn’t to say I am unhappy as I sit here, I’m not in the least unhappy…

I was of course going to also get some more scrapbooking supplies in one of the craft shops in town yesterday, this however didn’t quite go to plan… We didn’t make it to the craft shop. I didn’t buy any paper, though I still need to, I spent a LOT more money instead!

OH has an Xbox… I’m not one of those people who finds this so terrible, after all his Xbox time is my cross-stitching or card making or scrapbooking time so it kind of works for both of us… Anyway, we went into the computer games shop which shall remain nameless, so he could tell me what games he wants for his birthday (at the end of Jan, but if you know how much these games cost,you will agree, hitting the shops at the beginning of the year is definitely a good idea!) So we find the games, and I buy them. 

Now I’m not really a computer games person, I’m kind of rubbish at them and don’t have the patience to go over and over and over something that is supposed to be simple entertainment, but for some time now, I have wanted a Wii.  More accurately I wanted Wii fit. Plus. And well, of course there was a bundle… on sale… which I HAD to have… So I got it. Bang goes getting craft stuff! 

It has currently been hooked up, and OH, H (OH’s mum) and I have all had a go. There were of course some laughs, I think me laid out on the living room floor attempting the first real exercise in far too long, was enough for us all! I’m not a big girl in the slightest but nor am I fit! Hopefully now this will change! This is of course yet another thing to keep up next year… I’m gonna be busy!

So, tomorrow has more plans of a creative nature, I have to make a card at least for H’s birthday before she goes away for new years, and I STILL need to do some scrapbooking (I WILL DO THIS) so yes, productive day ahead!

Hope you’re having a great week! Do let me know if you’re doing anything creative!

Happy Crafting!

Plans Plans Plans

Cover via Amazon

Hi there!

The last week of 2011 is upon us. And what a year it has been. I started the blog only a few short months ago, not knowing how it would go – or whether I could keep it up. I have been unsuccessful in looking for a job – but remain optimistic. OH has put up with me for over a year now (!) And we have had some wonderful adventures in this time! Though maybe I am getting a little ahead of things…

I have been a busy bee the last couple of days, Christmas was lovely, simply spent with OH and his family, opening presents, enjoying a great christmas dinner, and then relaxing, watching a couple of films we got as presents (The Hangover Part 2 and Unknown  - both great films!). We also ate much too much chocolate (as is the norm for me at least)!

I am not going to list all of my presents, though OH got me a couple of books on Scrapbooking, and since I have done nothing but Cross-Stitching the last couple of months, I can’t wait to start reading them and working with some paper! I have a couple of scrapbooking projects to do this year, including a family album, and something a little more personal to OH and I. (Though rest-assured I also have some wonderful stitchy plans too). 

I have been thinking a lot for a couple of weeks now, about what I want to do in the new year, when it comes to the blog – in the end unlike Christmas time, I do not usually live and breathe cross-stitching, nor any other crafts for that matter! I tend to have quite a varied list of hobbies I haven’t really immersed myself in, in the last few weeks, and in the new year I really want this to change! 

I have a vague idea of things I would like to do every month, to keep things fresh and to keep things interesting, when it comes to both creating, and posting on here. I also have a new years resolution to read more (I used to read loads, and this seems to have stopped somewhere in the middle of this year). I want to cover all my creative hobbies, from cross-stitching and scrapbooking to card-making and even cooking (something I have never been a great fan of in all honesty). 

I hope that you, dear reader, will stay with me on the journey I am taking, as I try to figure out if it is possible, to do all of my favourite things, and (hopefully) get a job, sustain a relationship – and of course blog about the goings on every day! 

My first little project, I am beginning in the new year, is based on one of the books I received from OH, “Cut Loose, Break the Rules of Scrapbooking” (by Crystal Jeffrey Rieger), in this book, which I have already had a scan through, there are loads of little challenges, and I am going to undertake them all. Of course to do this, I need to have a book – and because I already have plans for the books I was going to do this year, it means coming up with a new one – and this one, as a second small challenge, will be about ME! I am planning on using the A B C format – using a letter of the alphabet, and creating a title from there… I would love it if you would join me – I am not setting a formal challenge, but I will post the challenge from the book, and the letter I am using. If you choose to join me, just send me a link to your blog and I will post it on mine (and be grateful if you would do the same in return). Just keep an eye out at the beginning of the year!!

When it comes to stitching, I want to do at least one new small project each week, as well as one larger piece each month (lets just see how that one goes shall we?!) I am thinking of how I’m going to go about this already, but I have a few plans up my sleeve!!

So, loads to come and look at, in the meantime, I will be using the next week to tie up loose ends, I still have a couple of scrapbook pages to finish for this years album, and then I plan on posting it on here so you can all see what I’ve been up to! (And how my scrapbooking technique has improved over the year!) I have one birthday card to make and I might even throw in some cross-stitching for good measure!

I hope you have a lovely week, thanks for visiting, 

Happy Crafting!

5 Days to Go!

Hi there!

I hope you’ve had a good start to the week, I had a reasonably productive day (I have a tidy house!) And even managed to get some stitching done yesterday.

The project I’m now working on, is so quick and simple, just something I can do sitting around in the evening with OH whilst he plays on his new XBox! I’m making more cross-stitch baubles now, this was kind of my emergency project, and now that I’m unable to complete the advent calendar I’m working on these instead. I got the first one pretty much done in under 2 hours last night, though I still have to add the hanging loop: I’m not going to say how many I want to make, I’m just going with it at the moment.   I do like it though, simple but complementary to the other baubles I have made in the lead up to Christmas. That and it’s more an excuse for me to stitch something quick and easy! 

I even have plans to actually relax on Christmas Eve!

We have still been watching Christmas movies, and last night watched an old favourite Scrooged! Seriously, I forgot how funny it was! Love it, I think that’s one of my favourite things about this time of year, the chance to dig out all the old festive movies from my collection. We also have the CD in the car, though my chosen Xmas No 1 is the Military Wives’ Wherever You Are – not usually one for making people listen to things, do check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hR6O7VxKaQ

I hope you have a lovely day.

Happy Crafting!

Feeling Wintery!

Hi there!

Winter has fairly officially arrived! Yesterday was the first day I really felt cold on my walk to work, and that’s without the torrential rain, and eventually hail that affected my walk home (seriously that stuff hurts)! This morning, my jeans are waiting on the radiator, my scarf and gloves are out and my coat has thankfully dried out from last night! OH and I were laughing last night at the hail storm, saying maybe we should go out in it, as it may be the closest we get to snow! We didn’t get much last year at all. Do you have snow where you are? Are you, much like Bing “Dreaming of a White Christmas“? 

It isn’t that far away now! We’re down to 11 days! How did that happen, when I started blogging about my festive projects, Christmas felt so far away, and suddenly it is almost upon us! This weekend will see me finishing my homemade gifts, all ready for posting on Monday (my family are over 200 miles away and I won’t be seeing them until the new year). I have the last of my wrapping to take care of on top of that (though that is for here, so no major rush) and of course I need to wait for the last couple of internet purchases to arrive. I of course am stitching like some sort of cross-stitching obsessed person (oh wait!).

I am not ordinarily this organised! I have kind-of impressed myself this year, managing to do as much as I have done. I’m looking forward to being able to enjoy the build up, without the usual stress of last-minute shopping (and a couple of years ago, I said I enjoyed waiting til the last-minute!) how things change!  Now I get to sit back and relax in the warm, instead of battling the crowds in town!

OH and I have still been watching Christmas films, last night was Elf! I love this film, it’s so cheesy and Christmassy! It seems a lot of people agree, it tops a lot of polls as everyones favourite! My personal favourite christmas film, came out the year I was born (coincidentally) Santa Claus: the Movie, (The one with Dudley Moore, and all the elf puns) I don’t know why, but it has become a personal tradition to watch it on Christmas Eve! Not long now til OH and I will be watching it, with my favourite winter drink – Hot Chocolate with Baileys! mmmmmm…. 

Have you got any traditions for Christmas? I’d love it if you’d share! 

I hope you too are getting on well with your Christmas crafts, cards, presents, wrapping and decorating (etc) or whatever you are getting creative with for the holidays!

Happy Crafting!

Sharing a Project

Hi there!

Today is the day we’re putting up the rest of the decorations downstairs! Having finished ours upstairs last night! So much fun! OH and I also watched a couple of Christmas movies yesterday (Deck the Halls and Bad Santa) and generally chilled out, I do feel bad because I haven’t got any stitching done this weekend (yet) it’s looking less and less likely it’ll get finished in all honesty, but I don’t mind so much – it’ll be done by next year! I am still going to carry on though – more to see how far I get! 

Since I haven’t been up to much, I thought I would do a post on behalf of someone else (it could happen to you! Share those links people!) The person in question is actually someone who doesn’t have a blog, or anything online, it is OH’s mum, “H”, who has been card-making much longer than I have. As well as other hobbies, including painting and other crafts! (She is also responsible for  getting me into scrapbooking!) and her work is so beautiful, I hope to share more with you in time!

The project I am sharing, is her Christmas cards, which she has hand made this year: Both of these cards, were hand painted by “H” and later scanned and printed. Glitter was added, to add some detail and they were finally topped with some festive sentiments purchased from a craft fair a couple of years ago. 

I think both of these cards turned out beautifully, and was really happy when H said I could share them with you here on my blog.

If you have a project you are really proud of and want to share do leave a comment, here or on the Facebook page! 

I hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Happy Crafting!