Ahoy Matey! - ATCs

These Sugar Nellie ATCs are for a swap on UKS - a Sugar Nellie Swap. I don't normally 'do' ATCs, but I really quite enjoyed these. Had to do them all almost the same though, couldn't cope with thinking of 10 different ATCs. There are 5 different ones - identified by the different stamped images in the top right hand corner of the cards.

Pictures of the dining room coming up soon......

Nightmare & stress

Quick update:

Laminate flooring laid.
Radiator leaked.
Laminate flooring taken up.
Plumber enlisted.
Radiator fixed.
Room decorated.
Laminate floor re-laid.
Furniture moved (again and again and again ad infinitum).
DH's eyes zapped.
Various check ups undertaken (at Meadowhall=expensive journey/shopping trip).
Kids now back at school.
DH back at work.
ATCs for swap almost finished (phew).

Manic couple of weeks.

Normal service will be resumed shortly.

Not forgotten

...but life has really got in the way these last few days. The floor is almost laid (I forgot to take a picture of the craft room before, but I've got one of during, and I'll take one soon of it now (in it's floor-finished state, but walls as yet untouched).

I might even have an old photo of the craft room somewhere (probably not quite as full as it ended up in the end, but you'll get an idea).

We have great plans for the new look room (none of which include piling it to the ceiling with stuff), but we need to take the excess flooring supplies back to Ikea in order to buy the storage unit from there too. One of those Expedit thingies - a 4 holes by 4 holes one like the one in the picture - yes a white one! We'll probably start off with two of the plastic boxes for it, and build up the collection later on (they cost a whopping £7.99 per box).

We're also painting the existing wall shelves white and raising them up a little so that you can actually lift the lid of the piano when it's underneath (essential if we're going to have it tuned regularly!).

I also met up with Helen from Craftables yesterday, but I can't tell you much about that or I'd have to kill you :smile:

Quick cards

Had a busy weekend - hence no blogging. I've made a few cards, but mostly I've been assisting my dear husband to lay the laminate flooring in the living room. Sadly, apart from a few square feet in the tiny porch/hall as you come in the house, the next area to be done is the craft room - so we're now past the point of no return.

The only reason I've had a reprieve up till now is that we decided to put threshold strips between the rooms (the original plan was to go straight through).

Anyway - here are my cards (some of which are already on their way as the birthdays are imminent - sorry if I've spoilt the surprise).

£££££££ and a few more £££££££

I've spent a small fortune today. First was £69 for a new back box for the exhaust on the car. Then off to Ikea and spent loads on laminate flooring for the living room and 'dining room'.

The only problem with replacing the floor in the dining room, is it is home to not only the computer, ALL of my craft stuff (not inconsiderable as many of you know), but also a rather large upright piano that I haven't seen for at least 2 years from behind all the craft stuff.

Frightening stuff.

I have to make sure I'm up to date with all the cards I need to send for Feb, then I have to start clearing it all out.

It's going to be a long hard task, but the by-product of all this tidying up, is that I'll probably be selling off plenty of unused stuff (like the set of Prima flowers of the month which I sold to Ruth this afternoon - LOL).

Michael's hoping to start on the laminate at the weekend, but from Monday onwards he has to wear his glasses in preparation for his eye treatment the following Monday.

I'll take a photo of the 'dining/craft' room in the morning in daylight before I start clearing, and I'll post photos along the way. Oooooh it's exciting.

Double whammy

Well, I had a fab day yesterday! Well, evening anyway. LOL

We heard from Ofsted that we are a 'Good School with some Outstanding features. Can't go into more detail as it all has to be verified, but basically we're chuffed to mintballs with their findings.

Second bit of good news is that we had James' parents evening, and he is doing fabulously. He is on the Gifted and Talented Register for Literacy and also for Music, and is heading for some fantastic achievements if he keeps up the good work. He is acheiving level 4b and 4a work now,for literacy, and that's usually the expected grade at the end of year 6, or so I'm told - he's in year 4.

Add that to pancakes for tea all round (one of the few things I'm really good at) and things don't get much better.

Went to the Papermill Shop to get my card, so will get onto stamping those images today for you Donna!

ZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZzzzzz

I finally got some sleep last night, after the nightmare that was Ofsted yesterday. I didn't sleep properly or eat properly on Sunday night, and I spent all Monday morning reading pertinent documents. After all that, the meeting only lasted 1/2 hour, and I think it went OK. We'll find out the outcome at 3.30 this afternoon, so until then, it's fingers crossed.

So today is going to be a craft day methinks. All the cards I made the other week have all been used (cripes I send an awful lot of birthday cards!), so I need to really go for it and build my stock up properly. I also need to stamp some images for one of the girls on UKS who I've discovered only lives 5 minutes away from me. We're going to arrange a meet up soon, so I need to get my bum into gear. First I'll have to visit the Papermill shop at Macarthur Glenn to stock up on some white card. I'm off there in about 10 minutes (they don't open until 10am).

Hope I'm strong and don't slip other things into my basket. LOL

Bling

I've finally got to grips with my Kandi Kane - and lo - there was bling!

Trouble is, I only seem to be able to do the studs (which you press onto the cards) or the 4mm gem stones, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of the others if I keep practicing (don't stand still too long near me as you may get 'diamante'd).

Anyway, here are my latest few cards (I've also been back over a couple of older cards and given them the Kandi Kane treatment, but I wont bore you with the pictures again).

First another Sugar Nellile - the Guitar boy - papers from Dovecrafts new masculine papers, and a peel off greeting:

Then we have Cosmobella (a StampingBella stamp, bought from Funky Kits) used in conjunction with my new nestabilities circles dies (sentiment from Craftwork Cards):

And finally a Paper Nation decoupaged image from the QVC TSV, also with the nestabilities dies, a couple of Primas and a rub on sentiment:

Buried alive

under a mountain of Prima Crazy Daisies - but what a way to go! LOL. I got more Primas from Helen at the wonderful Craftables (see link on the left) - along with some Blonde Moments embossing powders. I'm hoping to get time to have a play tomorrow.

For tomorrow I am again a Brass Band widow, as DH is off to Preston to play in a competition with his band Newstead Welfare Brass. In fact, he's off out of the door right now to a rehearsal. I know that I met him whilst I too played in a band, so I do understand why they have to do all the rehearsals, but it really is silly season - with loads of contests in Feb/March/April May, and all the extra rehearsals really cut into family time.

I made a couple of cards yesterday, but I wasn't really feeling any inspiration, so they aren't particularly noteworthy. However, in the morning I will endeavour to photograph them and get them on here. There was a sprinkling of snow this morning, but there is more forecast, and maybe it will make for good photo taking with all that light reflecting into the house off the crisp white stuff. And maybe not.