A little bit of Heaven...

Evening all... 

So sorry that I haven't been about alot over the last month (really.... that long???) but things took over and time was a little limited to sit and play at blogging... 

but I'm here. And I've lots of lush things to show you, but for tonight, for my quick blog post, I thought I would share with you, my little piece of heaven where we spent five days for my birthday. 

My wonderful daughter decided to book us a few days away at a wonderful place called Longlands in Devon. Honestly, I didn't want to come home... I could have quite happily have squatted in me ol' tent forever. Yes.. you heard me right... tent... and this is it... 

I mean, it's not camping per-se but never the less, it was a fantastic week spent under canvas. To be truthful, it was glamping. The safari tent had running water, albeit not hot unless you lit the water heater, a loo, and beds... but no electricity, no tv, and no cooking facilities unless you lit the wood burner. And it was idyllic. We spent most of our evenings sat out on the veranda looking out at wonderful sunsets and scenic views. After dark, there was absolutely NO light whatsoever, so you could see every single star in the sky. It was totally amazing. 

We did get out an about, and spent our days doing different things together and alone. Carley and Martina decided they wanted to do surfing, so one day they went to do that whilst me and their dad nipped off to Clovelly and surrounding areas. It was perfectly sunny and warm most of the time, a little rain mid week, but nothing that stopped us doing anything... and how perfect is this view?!

We also went on an Exmoor Safari with the excellent host, Neil. A very knowledgable and lovely guy who gave us a great tour around places everyone can go, and people can't go... so it was very special. 

The views were amazing from Exmoor, and the tales told, views seen, information absorbed and places visited were all absolutely fantastic. 

And look at this little beauty... Exmoor ponies at their best. We saw lots of wild ponies close to the landrover, and were pleased that the babies were not too shy to say hello. We also saw lots of wild deer, buzzards and more.

All in all, we had a fantastic week, and it seems so distant now.. but we are planning a return visit next year... for a little longer next time. Same place - Longlands - as it would be lovely to see Bella and the team again. And of course her three little puddytats who came to say hello quite often. This was especially nice as our three furbabies were having a little holiday of their very own in the care of Andrea and James at Holmewood kennels. Very spoilt, chicken and tuna handfed babies they were too! No wonder they didn't want to come home!

Anyway... it was only a quick post... I promise I will be back quicker next time... please keep checking by and say hello. It would be lovely to see you back. xxxx

You can't unscramble eggs...

I'm not really sure where I saw this... and I thought to myself, you know, how true is that!

What I mean is, if you do something wrong, or not to the result you wanted, you can't undo what's done, but you can carry on going forward and try again. Hoping to get it better next time.

This is how I look at my crafting. It's not always perfect.. in fact, to me, it's never perfect, but people seem to like what I do. I often wonder why, but I think like so many crafters out there, I'm never happy with what I make. I have this conversation regularly with other crafters. Now, whether it's just a case of a low self esteem, low confidence, or just genuine good old self doubt, it never ceases to amaze me how many people don't like what they produce.. and that they all feel like I do!

What I have found however, is that driving all over doing demo's can be quite therapeutic. Usually on my travels I listen to Radio 2, quite a few of my favourites on there, but after a while I do just want to sit in the peace and quiet. My drive over to Stockport the other week was no exception.

Nipping up and over the Peaks, I came across this beautiful view... well, I couldn't help but stop and take a quick snap of the scenery. I had set off early to ensure I got to my demo on time, so spending about five minutes looking at this was nice.  Doesn't it look beautiful?

I've also been busy making a few extra samples for the craft area at Ackworth Garden Centre. I do my Docrafts demo's there, but to help out, have made a few samples for other bits that aren't selling too well.... and how can these not sell? I lubs wellyfants and these little couple are no exception.

I've coloured the stamped images with pens and then used the fantastic Boofle papers and Papermania ribbons to finish off. I just love the simplicity of this card.... it was hard to let it go!

Here are a few more samples from this range too... quick details underneath to what I used.

This little guy uses the stamp which I have coloured with pencils, and I thought it would be perfect to team up with Wellington papers... they are so generic for male cards, I felt that they worked perfectly.

A little decoupage card here... simple embossed background on this card and a lovely lime green base to the layers.

Finally... LOVE this little guy... I reckon this little card could rekindle my love of decoupage.. I've kept the background really simple and used the fantastic Capsule spots and stripes collection in pastels (Docrafts).

Hope you like this little selection... more coming soon!

Frosty mornings....

Good morning all!

Well, it's finally warmed up a little this last couple of days, thankfully, but I just wanted to share a couple of photos from our doggy walks in the woods. 

It was a really bad frost last week, as most people across the UK had I think, but it did look really lovely. Just a shame I didn't take my camera with me up to the woods, as the pics would've been far better than these ones that were taken on my mobile... but I think they're still nice. 

Frosty mornings are just perfect for the furballs as they tend not to get too wet or muddy... however, try telling that to little Truly who is always determined to have her belly and feet dried come rain, shine or snow! Daft dog!

 Spot the Spangol.... Scooby our little Springy spangol was running around like a loon - probably smelling the rabbits I guess.

I hope the weather has warmed up a little where you are this morning. I know it's supposed to get cold again this week, but a few days of warmth has done me the power of good.. lol..

Have a great day everyone!!

Pretty in pink....

Morning all!

I hope you're all staying nice, warm and snuggly in your houses - I know it's not thawed out for the past few days here, and it's freezin'!!!

Only a couple more weeks until Christmas, and are you ready? I am... sort of.... presents bought, wrapped and waiting, and a few of the food bits got too. I've failed miserably with making my own cards again to send, but cards have been sent (they just weren't made by me.. lol). But that's nothing new really... next year I will make my own... !

Today I thought I'd share a non-christmassy card with you. This is from the Just to Say range of small decoupage from Docrafts - and they're fab!!! I love all the designs in this range, the stamps too! We don't have papers that go with the set, but they are such lovely images you can see they go with any you may already have in your stash - this was the Forever Friends New Additions. 

So here's how I made it. 

• Perfect pink - in the image, there are some pink flowers, so I decided to use a pink base card to accent these areas a little more. 

• Keep it simple - the image was a beautiful decoupage, so I kept the layers really simple. I combined layer colours and used white, pink and blues. It helps to bring things together. I also cut the borders slightly different widths for variation.

•  Embellish it - With this card, my little addition was a couple of die cut corners and a few gems. I put them in opposite corners to each other. I think it helps keep the focus on the image, and just adds a small bit of elegance. 

Now.... as you know (or should lol) it's been a tad frosty this past couple of days or so... so yesterday, I decided to go into the garden and grab a few photos of the frost on my little plants.

These were on my holly bush, which has bloomed this past year. It's a variegated holly, but at the moment looks white!!

And something a little more focused. I love how the crystals form on the leaves... my +4 filter came in handy after all! lol.

Righty... that's me done for today. I hope you like todays project... keep a look out for the Just to Say range in your local Docrafts stockist... they are simply stunning.

Until next time - happy Crafting!!

Wonderful nature......

The weather has really taken a turn for the worse this past week - lots of flooding everywhere, over 200 flood warnings, flood alerts and the like, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everyone stays safe out there. 

We're very lucky to not live anywhere near water, so I don't quite need to grow my waterwings and webbed feet at the moment!

So, today... I'd like to share a few photos with you to celebrate nature at it's best. 

This first photo was of some funghi that the hubby noticed when out walking with the woofers. He came home and told me about the small collection that was going on under the said tree, so I ventured out, armed with his fuji camera and snapped these beauties!

Ever since I did my photography course years ago (and yes, I have letters after my name as a result!) I have loved  taking natural history photographs. In fact, my final assesment was flora and fauna, and I even managed to have a four page spread in Amateur Photography as a result!! So chuffed was I!

Anyway, I digress..... Red Caps (the Fly Agaric) are amongst my favourite funghi - so bright and colourful against the autumn tones that you'd find them nestled amongst at this time of year.

This little one was just sat all by itself, and I thought the leaves just added to the feel of the picture. I think these funghi are pretty cool.. I hope you do too!

Now.. this little view is from the back of the house. My daughter shouted me - as she has a thing about clouds! - and told me that the sky looked beautiful... so again, grabbed hubby's small fuji camera (because it's quicker to find!) and snapped this picture. Cool eh?

I did darken the image VERY slightly, so the houses were more in silhouette.

I hope you like today's post.. back with crafty bits and bobs tomorrow - I spent yesterday making my room a little tidier, so I can now at least get to the desk! That's always a bonus isn't it.. lol.

Until next time!!!

Flowers galore...

I am really loving being out in the garden these days - my greenhouse is filling up with courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes, physalis and other edible goodies... and the garden is too! We have today had ONE green bean and a whole kaboodle of plums and potatoes! And very nice they were too.

In addition to the veg that is flourishing, I am also loving the beautiful flowers that are really coming along now. I'm sure the rain has helped as the baskets are looking so full with blooms. I really like taking photographs of flowers - in fact, flowers are the one thing that helped me get distinctions on my way to becoming a LRPS with my photography course years ago. (Although, it may be because they stay relatively still when I'm snapping them!)

So, today, I thought I'd share a few of the pictures I took the other day whilst out weeding and replanting. Enjoy.

This is my shrub with no name... well, I'm pretty sure that it does have a name, but it's one of the 'oh dear look at that poor thing - it's half dead... let's take it home' type of plants.. and it didn't ever have a label. I took it home and planted it behind the shed, thinking it was never going to do anything. But it's grown (and grown!) to be a fine specimen with lots of these wonderful flowers that attract many bees. And if it attracts bees, then all is good!

Oh double petunia.... how I love thee... I LOVE this flower - they fill the baskets with a wonderful array of strawberry and cream colour.. and they look amazing. I'm hoping that they go to seed at some point so that I can throw a few in a pot next year.

No garden is ever complete without a marigold or two.. but these basket plants are just a little bit posher than a normal marigold (which I do plant so that the hedgehogs can feast on them). The colours are always so vibrant and they brighten up any basket. And they flower wonderfully throughout the season too, which is always a bonus!

Another plant with no name. Although this was planted in a basket and I took out the label without looking what it was... and it's lovely innit?? Will have to do a bit of 'googling' to find out what it is me thinks.

Oh sweet verbena... how I love thee too... Such delicate flowers, and as my friend Julie said... how comes they grow soooo tall and lanky, yet they are always upright and never fall over?! Amazing plants, and yes, I grew these from seed... so pleased that they survived my neglect at times.

I will post again soon.. but just wanted to share these beauties.

Monkey!

Yep. That's what this post is all about!

I thought today, I'd share a few photos of our little trip to Monkey World in Dorset. What a charming place it was too... the only disappointment for me was that there wasn't any silverbacks! However, my hubby did tell me that it was 'MONKEY' world.. not 'Gorilla' world! Well... some people do have to be picky don't they!!! And I took great relish in reminding him that I didn't really mind, as I'd taken my very own silverback with me... hahaha...

Anyway.. here are the photos.. I've not done much with them as far as editing is concerned.. they're more or less SOOC..

Love this little guy..he loved playing with his feet and looked so cute.

This was about the only subject that stayed fairly still for me when trying to focus..

And this little cutie just sat here for a while looking a little forlorn - it was a very hot day - and was sat playing with plastic balls and water. Just look at these lickle ears... aren't they the sweetest?!

And finally.. mummy and baby.. not a great photo as it was through glass and quite a way away.. but couldn't resist a quick snap!

So there we have it... just a few photos. Now, I must fly - I've got quite a few images that I coloured last night, to mount up and make into cards!

Happy 'whatever you're doing' ...

Our few days away...

As you know, last weekend I made the trip to Docraftsland to film some more video's for the Creativity Club... and I just wanted to share a few photos of the little trip down there.

After leaving the house early morning ( !! ) we arrived down there around midday, and stopped off at the HighClere Castle to have a quick mooch around. Oh what a lovely building!

I wasn't too bothered about looking inside, but wanted to take a peep at the gardens - I love taking photographs of flowers, something I did to pass my ND in Photography years ago and that passion has never left.

So, this first photograph is of HighClere Castle from the grounds.. do you recognise it? It is of course the same building that is used for Downton Abbey.

And a little view whilst playing around with the Panorama setting of the new camera.

And then we took a walk around the grounds and came across quite a few beautiful flowers..

There were a couple of different gardens to look around, and this one was the Monk's Garden.

The lavender looked and smelled amazing.

We stayed near the centre of the New Forest, and it was absolutely beautiful. This is the little village of Minstead, where there were loads of thatched cottages which looked absolutely beautiful!

This is the Trusty Servant pub - just one of two in that area.

And of course the Village green and shop. I love how the stocks are fastened shut... me thinks they should be made available for anyone who needs them.. ha ha.

A nice relaxing couple of days had, beautiful hot weather, and I was off to film the next few episodes for Creativity TV...

Poorly pupsters...

Awwww.... today my furbabies are not well... they're all feeling a little under the weather with a bit of a doggy-bug that seems to be going around. Truly has been up most of the night needing the toilet, bless her.

So, I'm going to share a few recent snaps of my lovable furballs here with you.

Here's Truly - yes, I know she looks sad. This is her doing the 'whites of the eyes' game. Everyone she does this to is putty in her hands, and she definately knows how to milk it!

My baby girl... this is little Holly... aka Hollypop / Lollypop.. She is always the one who hates her photo taken, always refusing the look in the direction of the camera. She is officially camera shy.. but I got her on this one - the new pointyshooty camera works wonders for some things!

And Mr Scoobs... the Scoobster! Here he is on his 6th birthday at the weekend.. he'd just woken up from his slumber (yes.. another one!! Very inactive, my springers don'tcha know!) and was looking a bit worse for wear.. but he's always happy to pose for the cameras.

So there we have it.. a little family of under the weather furbabies... Get well soon furry friends!

Couldn't resist...

Sorry.. but I had to include these two quick photos of my furbabies.

Firstly, a little snap of Truly looking quite sedate. And believe me, sedate is not a word she understands!

She is a little bit of a hyperactive lily... a typical red head you could say.. but she has so much character, she's adorable.

And my boy...

This is one wooflet who really loves his photo taken as you may guess. My Scooby doo.. you're such a poser!

I've coloured them both in black and white to add a difference.. love black and white photos.

Hope you like them too!

Q... for Quilling? Quilting? Qwoss Stitch?

You know, I really don't know where the time is going recently - it seems to be absolutely flying!! I have had a quiet week all considered, so decided to have a play along with the Docrafts Alphabet challenge... and we are currently upto letter Q.. okay, so I have A to P to complete, but I don't think that will be this week!

Anyway.. here's my card for you.

As you can see, I have cut up the backing paper into 2cm squares, inked around the edges then remounted onto a piece of white card. This was for the Quilting section of the challenge. The quilled flowers were for the Quilling (obviously!)... here it is in more detail..

After the background was stuck onto the card, I did a little doodling to create faux stitching. The centres of the flowers are adhesive pearls. The flowers were created by using the XCUT quilling die. I love the dimension that these flowers give.

To finish, I added some lace that was given to me by a lovely lady at one of my demos in Derby. The bows were from ribbon given by the same lady.

I hope you like the card - I enjoyed doing it even if it was a tad fiddly.. !

Just one other little thing... a birdy... in fact one of my starlings from the garden.

I was sat outside the other day with my camera trying to get a photo of a robin, and this little cheeky chappie came and sat on the fence.. it sat watching me for a while whilst the babies were all feeding, so I took the opportunity of getting a quick snap.

I just think the colours of the starling are beautiful - a little like oil on water. It's such a shame that the starlings are in decline (and thankfully not solely due to the stupid sparrowhawk that keeps visiting the garden!) particularly in the south and west of Britain. They are greedy, messy eaters who relish the meal worms and peanut paste that I put out for them.. such odd little characters, but I love to see them.

Anyway.. until next time - I do have some other cards to share too, so I know it'll probably be tomorrow. xx

Just a few photos for you -

I have had great delight today in watching the fledgling starlings come down to the feeders for some food... they are so cute. I am also delighted that I still have one little Great Tit come back down for dinner, even though his (or indeed her!) mate was taken by the 'orrid Sparrowhawk the other day. Poor thing. I know it's nature, but not in my back garden thank you very much..

So.. without further ado, here are a few photos I wanted to share with you.

As you can see, I love the little birdies in the garden.. this top one is a little blurred, but I couldn't resist getting my cheeky sparrow. It always come down and sits on the shrub when I'm putting feed out. Cheeky thing.

And then there's this little chappy. I LOVE the colours of the starlings, even though they are like the vandals of the bird world! They are so haphazard they are comical.. Here the little chap is looking at the meal worms that were in the dish.

I just like the expression on the birds face - "by eck Mrs.. what the flippin eck are you trying to feed up? they is still wigglin'.... !"

Hope you like the pictures. xx

Pwiddy flowers...

yes.. it's flower time! Photography. Flowers. Dogs. But this time just flowers, well, blossom to be more precise.

This is what our plum tree was amass with last week - but after the battering of rain, wind and snow ( !! ) today, then I'm not sure what will be left.. I didn't arrive home until late yesterday, so didn't have time to assess the damage.

The worst thing is about this weather, we have an abundance of little lambkins that have been put out to grass with their mummys... and they're so tiny. Poor little things must be frozen. Bless.. I hope they're okay.

Anyway.. photos... here you go... enjoy! I just think there's something quite magical about the dormant plants bursting into life within a short while of Christmas. Don't you?

My scooby doo...

I wanted to share this photo with you before I forget... here's my big boy, Scooby..

Isn't he beautiful... awwww... my gorgeous boy... He's looking more handsome every month, and I love him even more when he's got his silly expressions and raggy ears.. He loves his photo taken, so even though I was trying to get photos of the thush's below, he just kept woofing and whining until I took his picture.. such a poser!

I had put out some fruit and suet for the birds when the snow arrived the other week, and these two thrush decided to take charge of the garden and chased off every other bird that came to eat. They are quite territorial, but they are also so beautiful. I feel quite priveledged to have had two in my garden at once.

The photos aren't great as they were taken from inside the house.. they're quite shy birds and didn't come to feed if I stood outside.. still, I think they're quite good pictures, so I'm more than happy with them.

More tomorrow ... until then, Happy Crafting!