WOYWW 178

Well, here I am back home in the rain and boy is it cold.  Speaking of which I came home with a cold, just knew those coughs and splutters that were going on around me would affect me sooner or later.  Got a massive cold sore on my bottom lip - or is it because of the sun?  It's only a cold though and on its way out now.

Welcome to my newest followers, only three to go and we can draw a name out for a give away.  Wonder who it will be?  Thanks to all of you, it is humbling to think so many of you signed up to be followers - hopefully I will get some stuff done shortly to tempt you to keep looking.

Well, what with the sniffles and washing and ironing there has not been time to craft but hopefully that will be remedied soon.  I didn't manage to curl up and watch the tv programmes we had set to record - they didn't!  Watched some old stuff though and just rested but now I am raring to get going in my craft room so will shut myself in there for a day or two.  In the meantime this is my desk as it is today.  Not for long hopefully.

A start on Christmas

Kept this briefer than usual for our illustrious leader Ms Julia, so if you want to see some action pop along to her blog, have a laugh (she writes so humorously), and then follow some links to other desks.  Afterall, everyone wants to know What is On Your Workdesk This Wednesday.

Have a Spooktacular Evening!  It's Ghouls and Gremlins night.  (Got mi' dish of sweeties ready)

Homeward Bound

Well, it's goodbye to Cyprus, or should it be "Kalinichta"? Tonight at 10.45 we should be taking off from Paphos airport on our way from the sun to Manchester and much cooler weather and wetter rain.  One son tells us it is very cold up north!

Thought I would take some photos of where we have been staying. This is Kefalos Village:




Our apartment was the bottom left arch. That is the porch/balcony where I used to sit in a morning and where we had a light snack at lunchtime.

And watched the glorious sunsets in the evenings.







Looking up one of the walkways we took when going to breakfast.




These roses smelled absolutely gorgeous.




This was looking towards the tiny church which some people choose as the place to get married or renew their vows instead of the canopy on the edge of the beach.




Another walkway we passed on our way out.




I loved these tiny flowers on this bush.

So it is Kalinichta from me and from Spencer (who needs a sun hat rather than using his t shirt to shelter him from the rays of the sun)




Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Challenge 16 Colour

For this Challenge Sam has chosen the colours Orange, Brown and White.  Until I spoke with her I did not know that mainly the only colours she likes are green and orange.  I did know about green - think everyone knows Sam loves green.

Anyhow, I very rarely do anything orange.  I have some orange card but it has been in my stash since I began rubber stamping back when the dinosaurs roamed the land.  I was in a quandary!  Then I remembered that I love using my 'orangey Distress Inks' so out they all came and I began to play (any excuse to use Rusty Hinge).

First of all a piece of card for the background, don't ask which colours went on it, maybe all of them.  Then the card for the butterflies got the same treatment but this time just with the Dried Marigold with the centre left white.

One of the moths (I suspect that one is a moth) got a bit of Twinkling H2o treatment so it probably is more like a butterfly on my card and is, in fact, an overlay of another one I stamped and cut out. You know wings up and all that.

A bit of brown card provided mounts and an orange brad secured the butterflies to the main card - I did not want to stick it down as that would have obliterated that lovely script on the stamp.  You know, swinging about, if the recipient knows that. 

Main card - just a touch of Dried Marigold and some circles (bottle top and Snow Cap Dabber) to finish it off. 

Now what will you make of Sam's choice - you could go bright and sunny like me and hope that the sun comes out and provides a lovely autumn day tomorrow.  Hope we get a good few of you joining in, it's good to see so many ideas flowing.

Missing Pictures

Now that I have discovered it was ME and not Blogger at fault I will upload one or two photos but to be honest I have not taken that many.




When we first arrived at the Kefalos we had this gift delivered to our room saying thanks for staying again. Yes, we came here last year. Rather a nice surprise. Spencer rather enjoyed the wine too. He only got a sip as he is such a tiny bear.




And we watched another wedding







Complete with man in kilt - not the groom by the way.

We have only eaten at three places in the evenings - the Metaxas, the Sissyfos and Big Mammas. All so different but all so good. Wish I had taken a photo of my plate tonight at Big Mammas I had a burger and fries that would rival any on America. Huge was not the word for the burger and the fries - mountains of them. I can show you the salad I had the other night though, they called it a Slim Jim salad. Imagine my surprise when this humongous plate arrived. That's a tiny pot at the side with dressing in it and Chas's pint back right (just to give you an idea of how big the plate was).




It had everything in it, loads of delicious chicken. It even had Nachos in it and I tell you what, they tasted delicious. Will try that at home.

Need to upload some photos from the camera so that will be another day. Our last day for this year tomorrow, well, we have until five o'clock on Saturday as well but I am not counting that. I will be sad to leave Cyprus but it will be nice to be nearer to my son, even though I don't see that much of him. Just miss knowing he is close at hand, plus I have got a cold. First one in two years and despite having had the flu jab and using a nose spray at the moment for something else! So will be able to curl up with the TV and hot lemon on Sunday. Bliss!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Like Waiting For A Bus

You stand there for ages and then two come along at the same time.

Apologies for the dual photograph below. Not a clue what happened but all of a sudden it let me upload a photograph. Next thing I went on to my blog (here) and found it had uploaded twice.

Guess what? Yes, it won't let me delete one of the photos now. So from no photo to two of the same.

And I think I have discovered what is wrong! I forgot that when abroad and using my iPad I have to go through another application to do it. Doh! Told you I am naturally blonde.

Now amended and one photograph has been removed  Doh!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Problems and WOYWW 177

If only you knew how many times I have tried to upload a post today and yesterday with a picture of my desk on it. I give up.

Welcome first of all to my new followers, hopefully all problems will soon be resolved and you will be able to enjoy some crafting activity on here - and of course when I have another three followers I will be doing a draw for a prize for someone.  Watch this space.

Blogger  will only upload pictures from my Picasa album?  Does this mean I have reached my limit?  No message appears to say so.  Anyone out there know what is going on with my iPad and Blogger?

There was I with a picture of my little white table on the balcony here in Cyprus on which you could have seen my cutting out and colouring of Christmas images which I have been doing in the time I have had out of the sun.  It has been so hot.

Yesterday morning however we woke to find it raining.  That lovely gentle rain that tickles your arms as it descends on you and provides these hot countries with much needed water.  I had a picture of a rainbow to show you with my work desk in the forefront.

Ah well, now I have told you the sad news of no pictures until my return, apart from the two scheduled posts which I hope come up, I will leave you and see if the sun has now come out and the rain has cleared.  Only ever seen rain in Cyprus once and that was on our first visit.

Enjoy the other desks on WOYWW.

Now why do I not have a brain?  Why did I not think of uploading to Picasa and then transferring?  'Cos I am a blonde!

Here is my desk in the sun (after a slight welcome shower)

Ps the rain did not last long, now it is hot hot hot.

A Card with a Curl

This card is one I made a while back but never blogged.  It has been sitting in my window sill since I made it as it needs to be a hand delivered one on account of the 'curl' at the bottom right corner.  It was the card that provided the inspiration behind one in my recent workshop at Happy Stampers.

The main background was done with Distress Inks, a stencil/mask placed over and water lightly spritzed through.  After a couple of minutes or so you remove the mask and the design appears, almost as if bleached.  Sorry it is a bit wonky but I had to photograph it rather than scan it because of the curled out bit at the bottom.

Each image (sorry, not a clue whose stamps they are - unmounted and un-named) has a black surround and the curve on the large one is simply because that particular 'scrap' piece had that curve - obviously been left over from a die cut.  I rather liked it though.

The 'curl' rectangle is simply another piece of card with a small border marked around the back and then a 'cross slit' cut in between the corners of the border.  Curl the points around a pencil and voila - that is it.  I love doing these and can remember my class loving them when I first did one on a book cover years ago.

Well, must get on with other things, so am leaving you with this.  Take care and keep crafting!

Internet Problems on Cyprus

Apologies to all of you who have commented over the last few days but I have such spasmodic Internet connection (or most times, none at all) that it is nigh on impossible to comment back to you.  Hopefully I can make up for it when I get home.  Thank goodness for having done some scheduled posts.

Hope this hangs on until it is published.  Thanks!

And Now it is a Big Girl's Birthday

Happy Birthday Sam!  Hope you find lots and lots to spend your money on at The Dome.

Before I left for my holiday Sam told me she was going to The Dome which, unfortunately, is scheduled for the same time as the Lincoln Show by Sincerely Yours.  I know which one I would have chosen and Sam would have visited that one too had I been going.

Still a week in Cleethorpes is just pipped to the post by my holiday in Cyprus - I have so missed the sunshine, yet again, with our miserable summer.  Didn't schedule this post to have a whinge about the weather so here is my card for Sam.

A large Kraft card

Knowing Sam likes Kraft card I thought I would use that for the backdrop to my birthday card to her this year, and knowing she likes Stampotique I just had to use one of their images.  A third thing she likes is Steampunk, hence the mask I have used and finally we all know she just loves anything and all things "Green".  Think she also likes Distress Inks so I used a few of my greens on here.

Sorry about the image Sam, it just made me think of you so I gave it blonde hair - thought of you earlier in the year when you had a "peg leg" encased in pot.  You don't look a bit like her, honest.

Now I had better run and duck and maybe not open my emails in case she is giving me a blasting.

Happy Birthday Sam.

A Special Little Girl is Five Today

I actually scheduled this post for 5 am today because a special little girl was born five years ago at one minute before 5 am.

"Happy Birthday Sweetheart - Love you lots Chloe."

I was so sad when her mummy invited us to her party because it came too late - we had already booked our holiday in Cyprus.  Originally they were going to have a short holiday themselves for her birthday so I had not a clue my friend had changed the plans.  However, I will share her birthday card with you all

As you can see from this top view it is a Quad Easel Card.  I just hope her mummy can fathom out how to display it.

Here are two of the images

And here are the other two.

Chloe is never still so I thought this little girl on here was very much like her, a real busy little bee.  I haven't seen her since she started school so that treat is still to come along for me.  I expect she will talk non stop about what goes on, who is in her class and her teacher.  Chas might even have to play at being in school!

Right, will leave you all with this now and once again wish Chloe a very very Happy Birthday.

Ely to Anglesey Abbey (not the Welsh one)

Whilst away last weekend we decided to go to Anglesey Abbey on the Sunday and be back in time for the Harvest Festival at 4 pm in the Cathedral.  Don't think Chas was that bothered about the trip but what a lovely time we had - he enjoyed it so much and we chatted about it all the way home.

These sculptures were at various points along the way, a lovely rust colour but not rusted.

We noticed at various times over the weekend that the trees had not really begun to turn at yet.  This was about the orangey'ist we saw.

Loved the Silver Birch Forest - really quite eerie.  They are laying cables at the moment and these trees will be illuminated in different colours as will other parts of the garden.  An artists impression of these trees looked wonderful - quite magical.

Does anyone know what these flowers are - they looked like tulips but obviously weren't and they did not have tulip leaves either.  Really beautiful flowers.

Captured these two swans sleeping

Gosh I do look grumpy (maybe because Chas takes so long to take a photograph when I am standing there feeling a real nit wit with folks walking past).  This is supposed to show you the size of the dahlias.

If you click on this you might see the names of ALL the dahlias in the garden.  Just one complete wall of them as shown on the diagram.

Inside the house I could not resist taking a photograph of this loo paper

Or these butter knives (ok I know they aren't but they do remind me of giant ones)

The library is magnificent and has mirrors at each end so that it makes it look even bigger than what it is.  This is just one side of it.

This fascinated me, it was made by a French prisoner in Norman Cross Prison in the 1800's and the rigging is made from his own hair.

This is the outside

and this is behind it

I took lots more pictures but I think that is enough for now.  Hope you enjoyed them.

WOYWW 176

Jan S (121 last week) went to your number and it said it could not find your blog - went to your name and clicked that but still could not get to a blog - sorry.

Well, the excitement is all over, or is it?  This morning will see the big reveal of all the photos from the crop on Saturday when lots of WOYWW'ers met up for the very first time.  I am so looking forward to seeing everyone's photos.  I know there will be lots.  Me, I didn't go due to an already booked weekend in Ely so without further ado, here is my desk:

On the left you can see my latest "to make" in the form of a cut down cat food box.  Haven't had time to decorate it yet but it holds my two ATG guns which have driven me crazy in being all over the place and sticking their tape to all and everything.  As you can see the guns fit in perfectly, are always now to hand, and, when decorated, will be another addition to my already growing collection of 'hand mades'. Next to it is my cut down box for my dusters and to the right of that is my cut down cereal box which holds pending papers.

You may remember last week I had some fabric snippets on my desk which LLJ had kindly sent to me for my free machining.  Here is the "Thank you" card I sent to Jan.

At first I was going to send one about 'sewing' but I changed my mind as I sat there with all my sewing related stamps and wondered what the heck to do with them.  Inspiration would not come forward. Then I espied the above stamp from a sheet of Joanna Sheene's and remembered LLJ's little trick of starting her posts with a song.  "I could have danced all night" is on the inside left of the card and I am sure it got her humming the tune when she opened her card.

The actual dress was first given a wash of Twinkling H2o's, then the trimmings were painted and the whole cut out.  Another image was stamped on a piece of card and the coloured one decoupaged on the top giving a fairly substantial 'bow' to the centre of the dress.  Hope it survived the post.

Right, you don't want to be on here with no pictures of the crop so I will take my leave of you.  Enjoy looking at all the WOYWW posts with all the photographs of the various peeps.  That's where I am off to - right now.  Toodle Pip!

Almost Finishing Off Trip to Ely

A bit late in the day but here are some more pictures of our trip to Ely - for those who don't get bored looking.  This first table is one of two that had vegetables, nuts and cereals on it spelling out various words to do with a Harvest Festival.

Love this lectern and the floral arrangement that was to one side of it.

This was a magnificent display on one of the tombs along the side of the central aisle.

This display was on a horses 'whatever' outside the Lady Chapel

I did think of counting the tins and having a competition with you all to guess how many but as they were two layers deep I quickly lost count and abandoned the idea.

Another lovely display as I walked back down the other side of the Cathedral.

This one almost looked Christmassy

Look at the size of those Parsnips - I've never seen any so big.  

Imagine roasting those!

There was also a spinning display with the ladies in costume

This is 16th Century spinning

  

Whilst this one is 17th Century with a more modern wheel alongside

And especially for Annie and Jo

The ladies were members of ...

I will leave you with this picture as we walked to the Cathedral on Sunday evening, it was so beautiful seeing it bathed in sunlight.  No time to show you the photographs from Anglesey Abbey which was about half an hour by car away - another beautiful day - perhaps I'll squeeze them in at some time.

Ely Cathedral & Harvest Festival

Just got back from a lovely weekend in Ely, Cambridgeshire.  We actually stayed in Stretham, a tiny village close by, in a lovely pub called the Red Lion which did the most fab food and had the best barmen in the world working there.  Only snag was the WiFi connection did not reach to our bedroom so I had to use it in the bar (much to the amusement of one of the locals).

When we arrived in Ely we went to the local market and I fell in love with this stall - look at the bread and then at the cakes.  Yum Yum Yum!

... and the ice cream van.

An d now to the Cathedral - this is a display in the outside entrance

and inside we have

Sheep ... and ...

 Hens

I like the idea of this Prayer Net

When the Cathedral was built Ely was an island in a sea of rivers and swamps.  fishing formed an important part of peoples' livelihood.  We were asked to take a piece of wool and fasten it into the net as a symbol of our renewed determination to follow Jesus whatever the cost.

Below is an impressive display of produce from the farming community...

... and these are just some of the wonderful floral displays that adorned every single pillar in the Cathedral

In the Lady Chapel they had a display entitled "Old Macdonalds Farm" - something for the children.  You can hopefully imagine how large it was from this photograph.  Sorry about the blue tinge, I forgot to change the setting.

Here it is in more detail ...

Complete with Old Macdonald

Who had his pint and food to hand

There was even a duck pond

And one other famous face was there, in the Cathedral

Do you know who he is?

I had better leave it there for tonight, might get a bit more done tomorrow or the day afterwards - hope I am not boring you all.  Night (yawn) night.