Friday 29 April 2011

That Wedding...

Yes, I have spent today watching the Royal Wedding and doing very little else. I never knew that sitting on one's behind in a chair all day, watching television, could be so tiring!! Lifting a cup of tea to my lips was the most energetic thing I did, but, well, these sort of occasions don't come along very often, do they??





Normal physical activity should resume tomorrow!

Tuesday 26 April 2011

Dinosaurs on my Desk!

I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend. I did, despite obtaining a blister (ooch!) whilst wearing inappropriate footwear. Himself and I met his family for coffee once again on Sunday, I delivered his sister's card order and tucked into an Eastery cupcake. Sat out with my parents in their garden yesterday (is it possible to burn through clothing??), and this morning I tried a bit of shopping for holiday clothes, without much success, blah. The inventor of bikinis obviously had no consideration for people with thighs.

It's another gorgeous sunny day but I have resisted the temptation to sit outside by reminding myself sternly that I should be working - this is not another holiday!! So I'm making Father's Day cards and my desk contains dinosaurs...



These will be appearing on kids' cards soon!

Sunday 24 April 2011

Happy Easter!

Despite the torrential rain yesterday, I had a very pleasant day. Met up for coffee and cakes with Himself's family in the morning, then H and I took a walk around Greyfriar's Kirkyard , which is just spooksville, what with all the creepy gravestones carved with skulls and bones and foreboding inscriptions. In the rain it felt even more ghoulish! Hopefully photos to follow...


We popped into the National Museum of Scotland for a bit of respite from the rain, then trudged back, getting soaked to the "bone" in the process. Wet jeans and sodden socks - yuck! But a delicious frittata cooked by H soon put things right!

Thankfully it looks like being nicer weather today, and a flock of butterflies has appeared on my craft desk.




I'm not sure what they're going to be used for yet but they certainly brighten things up!


Have a great Easter, whatever you're doing today!

Friday 22 April 2011

Happy/Sad

I was recently pleased to discover a source of plain notebooks that are just perfect for decorating.



I used my current fave papers from Dovecraft and my current fave template, 3D Petals by Papermania! It really satisfies my penchant for using up scraps!


Some sad news received tonight about my friend's cat, who had been ill recently. RIP Jerry :( You will be missed.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

CPS #214

I made a card to tie in with the current CPS sketch and this is how it turned out:





I'm not sure why I decided to use kraft card, but I think I like it! Stamps are from the Pampered Pets range.

Grannie's Day

Today was the second anniversary of my Grannie's passing away and my family got together for a lovely meal at a local carvery and a nice walk in the sunshine so that we could mark the occasion in a happy way rather than a sad one, which I'm sure she would have wanted us to do. At the meal I stuffed myself with the veggie option of brie and broccoli parcel plus all the non-meaty carvery trimmings, with a gigantic raspberry Eton Mess to follow. Suffice to say, physical movement felt like an impossibility for a while afterwards, but the glorious weather ensured we made the effort to walk it off ! I think Grannie would have approved!




This morning I completed my card order and felt smug and self-satisfied, etc. I can't show them all yet but here are a couple more girly ones:









This one didn't look complete until I added the doodled butterfly, but I wish I'd stamped the greeting in black instead of pink; it's a bit wishy-washy.






This one uses DoCraft's Pampered Pets stamps which were a freebie off the magazine. I didn't think I'd ever have cause to use them but this one fits well into the space on the notelet, also DoCrafts.



Finally, I've just found this on the interweb - everyday objects that really seem to have human expressions - check it out, it'll make you smile!

Sunday 17 April 2011

Lazybones

Ah, looks like a lovely day out there today! I've been lazy so far, waiting for Himself to come back from playing golf, and then we're going to tackle the assemblage of my garden furniture (with a view to then parking our behinds on it for an hour or two!!) I just hope there are no screws missing!


On Friday the girls and I had a pleasant, snack-laden evening of crafting at Gill's house, and I made these two girly cards for an order:





I made a third one also, but it's too deeply hideous to ever see the light of day (unless I give it to someone I don't like, heh heh!!).


Enjoy your day, people!

Friday 15 April 2011

Pretty Purses

For a while now I have been meaning to buy myself a wee coin purse to hold all my loose change, because I'm fed up not being able to close my wallet thing. BTW I'm not bragging about having lots of money there - it's mainly five pences because the little blighters seem to pop up everywhere!!


Looking on folksy there was a spectacular variety of coin receptacles on offer and it was very very hard to choose my faves, but here they are (in no particular order):


Annchandleroriginals has these kimono silk purses in various pretty patterns:



SweetlyWrapped has these ingenious purses made from sweetie bags!




These gorgeous bird purses are available at the SewHappy Shop:



I love the bright retro stripes on this purse by EvaBDesigns:



This Primrose Meadow purse by Lynwoodcrafts is very cute:



and I have long been a fan of the gorgeous collage-style purses by PantsandPaper:



But after much deliberation I've decide my fave is this pretty Luisa purse by CoCoCrafts:



Ooh, I think I could become addicted to buying purses! (But then I wouldn't have any cash left to put in them!!)

Tuesday 12 April 2011

Jacob's Birthday

Himself's (I should really start calling him Iain!!) wee nephew was 2 yesterday. Sadly, I wasn't able to be present at his birthday party, I really do wish I could have gone because he's the epitome of cuteness. And coming from the least maternal person in the world, that's saying something!


I know he likes tractors so I did him a paper-pieced one:



Nice bright colours and that button punch coming in very useful again!!

Monday 11 April 2011

Craft Fair Fabbyness!

Well, Crafty Mushroom made a somewhat nervous but excited appearance at Saturday's craft fair, and I would say, all in all, it was a fabby day!



Gill, the organiser, had done a great job in advertising the event; I was deeply impressed by just how many people came along throughout the day.



My long-suffering parents were there to help me out and their support was invaluable, as was the presence of Himself and my friend Clare, who was the one to tell me about the fair in the first place!




In the end, I sold enough to cover my table costs and a bit more, and I met and talked to some lovely crafters on the other stalls. There was a great range of items to look at, and it was nice to feel part of the crafting community.


The sun shone all day, we had chips for tea and I went home tired, but pleased. I would definitely like to do it again soon!!


Friday 8 April 2011

Speccy Chicks

At the opticians where I work, even the Spring Chicks have got their specs on!



My colleague Eileen has made a very pretty window display with these little fellows!


I'll be closing my Folksy and Etsy shops over the weekend, just until the craft fair is over. Keep your fingers crossed for a good turn-out!

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Need To Get Out More?

Probably.


Because I got rather excited when the paper bags I'd ordered from Craft Creations arrived - they sent a random mix, and mine just happened to feature paw prints! So cute!!


I just hope that people buy things at the fair so I can have the pleasure of giving them one of these bags!


OK, OK, I know, I should just get back to making things, shouldn't I???



*Anyone who has any concerns for my sanity at this time, be assured I'm not always this excited about paper bags, it's just a phase, I'll get over it!

Monday 4 April 2011

Eco-Warriors!

After paying my third visit to Ikea in the space of a week (I'm obsessed - it's official!) and buying my garden furniture (yay! Now all we need is a summer!), Himself and I went on one of our Walks; we chose nearby Loanhead as our starting point and followed a very interesting route along part of an old railway. The sun stayed out, although it wasn't particularly warm, and the "heady" stench of muck-spreading on the nearby fields accosted our nostrils for much of the way.






After crossing a huge viaduct and passing by a strange tower that was plonked randomly in the middle of a field, we found ourselves walking through a woodland and, in the deepest darkest part, we came upon an encampment of treehouses and shambolic ground dwellings built out of all kinds of rubbish! This was the work of a group of eco-warriors who have mounted a long-standing protest against plans to build a bypass through the woodland and we were intrigued by them.


At first the camp appeared deserted but as we snooped around we were approached by a dreadlocked young male so we quizzed him about the situation. He said he'd been there on and off for four years and would remain there until the fight was won. Then off he went to a nearby allotment-type place where they presumably grow their own food.


Himself took some photos but I wasn't brave enough. It felt like there could have been lots of pairs of eyes watching us from within the treehouses!


As we left the woodland we saw a beautiful red, white and black woodpecker high up in the treetops and at that point I hoped fervently that the eco-warrior would win his fight so that the likes of Woody could keep his home!

Friday 1 April 2011

Eeeeeehhhhk!

It's been a bit dulls-ville weather-wise around here today. Not too clever for taking photos of craft fair stock.


Some tweaking has been required.



But I think I'm pretty much there with completion of stock for the fair now.




And if I don't sell anything, my Folksy shop will be full-to-bursting with it all!


Only a week to go now - eeek!