WOYWW 130

Wednesday finds me sluggish, tired, and a bit "bleugh!". New medication from the hospital... not very good at all :(

Still, things could be worse, time for me to get my blues packed up and sent away, for today is "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday" - hosted as (nearly) always by the wonderful Julia at the Stamping Ground.

To be really honest, this new miniature dollshouse has somewhat taken over my desk - and my life! It's so addictive... however, I really am using my papercrafting 'skills' (for want of a more apt word *lol*)  in trying to get this dollshouse together on the cheap :)

So... here's the desk with the dollshouse (still in bits) and a whole load of dust, sawdust, paint, brick-mix and a lot of other mess that has me sneezing a LOT:

And, I ashamedly admit that the floor is even more of a mess - and this is AFTER I had a quick tidy-up *lol*

I'm just in the middle of colouring the inner doors from a white plastic to something that may look a little more like wood. I've seen people do this with acrylic paints, a whole chunk of time, and a LOT of effort. I used alcohol inks :) Rust and Espresso mixed, and applied with the felt after it's been roughed up a little, gave a pretty good effect - "Yay!" for TH and his incredible alcohol inks - is there anything you can't use them for, I wonder? I've also used the same ink combination to 'stain' all my coving, architraving, bannister spindles and newel posts... it's so much better than actual woodstain, it's something I already have handy... and it really could have been designed just for the use of staining little miniature bits of wood!

I'm downloading and printing patterned papers to use for wallpaper, and have already done this for the hallway flooring. Even the extra room I've built has walls made from my scrapbooking and papercrafting materials. Not that I'm a skinflint... really... but better to use what you've already got... right?

Here's the spindles, newel posts... and also the white plastic doors in the background (now looking wooden enough for a bit part in Hollyoaks *lol*)

Well, I really should get round to 'seeing' all the wonderful blogs I've missed whilst my brain has been on vacation and housework/hospital trips/cats, kittens,dogs/etc have swallowed up all the hours each day... and I have a ton of posts to add to my other blog (Adventure Into Miniature)... Anyone got a spare few hours to sell...? Either that or a willing teenager who will work for coffee *lol*

In the meantime... whether you're playing along with WOYWW, or just mooching around (ah, the pleasure and freedom of the mooch*lol*), please do have a wonderful Wednesday... and the rest of the week too!

A Little Bit Of Crafting...

I missed WOYWW this week - I was at the hospital getting measured up for new wrist splints. It's so annoying, having this part of me that stops my body from working the way I want it to... especially now I've extended my hobby needs. I have this urge to make dolls house furniture using the same techniques and materials I use for scrapbooking... but working in 1:24th scale (also known as 'half 'scale because each half an inch represents one foot) just isn't possible for me... it's too fiddly.

I did try though... I wanted to make a little travel chest, but it's ended up being slightly too big for my needs, and slightly too small for what my Mum could use it for (my Mum has a 1:12th scale dolls room). It did look kinda cute though...

The wee mini trunk measures about 4cm across, and is less than 3 cm high - I've shown the two pence piece against it so you can gauge the size. I was so tempted to make a mini album to go inside it... but Bethany wanted it for her bedroom instead, to keep her earrings in :)

That's all I've really had time for - though I have made a few tags for the "Autumn Swirls" album. Tuesday was CallieCats vet appointment, and she sailed through the operation. No more kitties for Callie! She's gained over 6 ounces in just two weeks, and looks amazing! This is Callie today, just one day after her operation...

As for Bella... well, she seems to have found a place to hang out and cause mischief now we've stopped her climbing the Christmas tree...

... and, yes, that IS my craft desk she's sat on *lol*

I really will try and get around to paying visits in blogland... as soon as I have more than ten minutes to spare at a time!

No Time To Catch My Breath...

Guess who went to Dunelm Mill...?

ME!

Lou and myself took my Mum down to the shop at Park Gate in Fareham on Thursday, and she loved it! I bought a few little things...

In two small aisles at Dunelm Mill, I found more treasure than I have at any other big retail store.

On Friday it was time for Craft Club at the local church hall, and one of the ladies there presented me with my very own little bear. It's something she does for everyone... only, when I first joined the group, I didn't get a bear :( Apparently, she was looking for the perfect one just for me. She makes the little clothing pieces herself in bright happy colours. What a lovely little gift to welcome someone, don't you think?

Then on Saturday it was back to Dunelm Mill with LouLou, her daughter Lisa, and my Mum ... plus her credit card *lol* We had such a giggle! On the way home, we stopped off at a craft and card shop Called RS Cards & Crafts. Run by Roz and her daughter Sarah, this is a little piece of heaven hidden away in Bursledon. Roz is AMAZING! A brilliant woman full of enthusiasm and information... and I came away with my Christmas pressie from Hubby to me. Wanna know what he bought me? A 1:24th scale dolls house! I love it so much! Hubby also bought me a few little pieces (it's possibly the last time I'm ever aloud out of the house with his credit card and details *lol*)... and I went shopping on EBay and bought a few more - but I'll be popping straight back to see Roz and to purchase more from her shop too.

And so on to today... where I said "Goodbye" to the little kitties. Duchess went last night, and she's now called Ronnie and settling in beautifully with her new family. Rosie is now Matilda, and she has found a loving mummy called Claire just around the corner from where I live, and Essex (who may or may not be changing his name) lives not too far from Ronnie near the New Forest with Andy and Debbie and their family. I've just recieved a called from Andy... Essex was curled up on their bed asleep, and has really settled in amazingly well. So... happy news for the kitties. Of course, Bella hasn't gone anywhere at all... she's still here with us, wrecking the Christmas tree, and is part of our family now.

So... lots happening and no time to get anythig done - though any shopping that involves crafting materials is always a guilty pleasure :)

I'll leave it for tomorrow to find some time to catch up with all those wonderful blogs I've been missing lately... and have to say a special "Thank You!" to Helen for letting me in on the wonderful world that is Dunelm Mill *lol*

WOYWW 128

"...wwWWWWHHHOOOOOSSSSHHhhh..."

Did you see that?

THAT was another week rushing by :)

Oh, yes... it's time to join Julia at the Stamping Ground, and her band of  Merry 'Makers' across the globe for

"What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday"

My desk today is just a mess... I'm working on the "Autumn Swirls" album (still), and haven't cleaned or tidied my craftroom (still), let alone even looked at a vacuum cleaner (still!) for over a week *lol*

See... it's all 'samey-samey' at the moment... with nothing really getting done at all. I'm still looking after CallieCat - making sure she's okay and she's having her medicines every day... though she is pretty much back to normal.  The kittens need their litter changing twice daily - at least - and fed three times daily too... it's just taking up so much time! I did manage to cover a paper leaf (centre, near the bottom of the photograph) with crackle accents... and it's taken eight hours to dry so far, with the middle being slightly tacky still. Maybe I used a bit too much? *lol* If I carry on crafting in this way, the album may well be finished in time for NEXT Autumn :D

I shall be so happy when I complete this project... the only real problem being that I am at a complete loss as to what to do next. I do have a couple of little metal wire handbags that I shall make mini albums for - but I think I need to think up a new paper crafting challenge for myself... which could take some time.

Anyhoooo...
wherever you are, whatever you're doing... and whatever and whomever you're doing it with... make sure this Wednesday is a fantastic one!
Oh, and don't forget to click on the photograph of the Christmas mini-album in the side bar (right) and add your name to the post you're sent to, for a chance to win the mini album. Tell as many people as you like about joining in - the more the merrier!

Autumn Swirls

It's getting there... slowly. I finished the basic mini album for the Autumn Swirls stand, and just need to decorate the spine of the book and the inside. It only has five pages - but that should be enough to hold at least 30 photographs by the time I've finished :)

The album fits snuggly on the base, without anything being (too) squashed.

The spine of the album needs a leafy decoration - and you can just see here where I've ModPodged the crocheted doily as well as the roses.

I shan't decorate the back of the album, as I don't think it needs it really :)

I was really happy with the effect ModPodge had on the decorative roses - it's made them stiffer, and the colour more intense. I also added a little gold bee to the album cover  to co-ordinate with the bee on the drawer. The album front is also a photograph frame.

I'm so pleased with how this has turned out so far... and am going to enjoy (slowly) finishing it too.

My Gift From Karen (PurpleHouse)

Well, I said I'd post a piccie of my gift I received... it was the album from Karen that she made for the mini-album swap over at the DoCrafts site. When I opened the package, I found a beautiful box carefully covered in green material with jolly Santas all over, and tied with a gorgeous ribbon. As you can guess, I was impressed before I even opened the box :)

So much work went into this amazing little album - and the colours are perfect for me... sort of traditional with a modern twist. As for the Christmas pressie I received (yes, a present was included also!) - it was a stunning little calendar, and a sweet mini stamp set. I am such a spoilt woman *lol*

I just have to share this little album - please do click on the photograph below to see more detail - it's full of vellum pockets and little tags, the cutest embellishments and expertly applied glitter (I really love the glitter in this album!). If you can, take a peek at the close-up of the first page... it's a little envelope with a card inside. On the card is a key, and inside the card it reads "Santa's Magical Key" - GORGEOUS!!!! So, so me... I love it!

And here's my special pressie...

So, Karen, if you get a chance to visit here, I want to say a huge "Thank You!" which is easier to type than actually say at the moment due to the huge grin on my face :)

What A Day!

Today is a day that I don't think I could live again, even if I wanted to! Don't get me wrong... there's been a couple of good things that have happened today - but a lot of stress too.

It started out so very well, when a parcel arrived for me. Ooh... thought I.  I hadn't ordered anything, so I was really excited to recieve something that I knew hadn't cost me anything *lol*.

I'll reveal all in a later post - suffice to say that my gift is STUNNING!

It's not the only gift I've received lately... I've mentioned my friend LouLou a few times - she's the kind of friend who not only knows where the bodies are buried, but helped dig the hole to get them buried in the first place. This woman is my 'sister from another mother (and father)' *lol*  On our way to visit Argos, we discovered  a Dunelm Mill store! This place is highly recommended by Helen at It's All Fiddle Fart, so we had to go in and have a nosey around.  Lou sneakily bought me something as we were browsing... she knew I liked it, and popped it in her basket without me seeing. What an amazing friend she is:

She bought me this gorgeous wicker heart, and some border stickers that I thought looked very 'Art Nouveau'.

I photographed them on my desk this afternoon... and then went to check on my CallieCat who'se been a bit under the weather the last couple of days. What a shock I had when I found her! She was curled up on Bethany's bed - where she'd been for the past two days. Her eyes were sunken and cloudy, she couldn't move let alone stand up by herself, and just by picking her up I could feel that her temperature was much too high. My poor baby! Hubby had just come home from work, and Beth was due home soon.... so I phoned the vets and made an appointment straight away. I then had to phone Beth to arrange for her to go to a friends house straight from college as we wouldn't be at home.  Out came the cat travel box from storage (under the stairs), and in went Callie. We knew then it was serious, as she didn't miaow or struggle at all when we placed her in the cat carrier - and she hates that little plastic box! Hubby and I went to a new vetinary practice we'd heard about called Vets4Pets and they were wonderful! The staff really put us at ease, and the vet was so gentle with out precious cat. Callies temperature was 40.9 - which is very high apparently, but the vet gave her a couple of shots and some sound advice, a contact number just in case she got worse in the night, and a real peace of mind.  By the time we got home, Callie was trying to get up and walk... she ate some food and had a drink (she hadn't eaten anything for nearly three days!) and managed a disgusted look at me (she doesn't like that box at all! *lol*). She's curled up resting outside Beth's bedroom door now - looking much much better.

Her ears are pricked up listening to what's going on around her, and her eyes are bright and clear - and her breathing is no longer shallow and slow. I am so relieved to get my baby back home, getting well.

So... everyone finally gets home and settled... and the kittens now have to be fed and have a run around.

Bella decided she was going to act just like her cat-mummy, and found the space between the glass coffee-table top and the base...

... and then she and Rosie (Aurora Blaze) 'discovered' the Christmas tree.

Oh, dear.

At first it was a simple matter of hitting the baubles on the lower branches until they fell and rolled around on the floor, and then chasing them all over the front room. I thought I was being clever by putting the more expensive and breakable decorations further up the tree.... not so. All I have managed to do is entice a certain two little mischevious kitties to climb up the middle of my tree!

Shortly after this photograph was taken, both kittens were having a competition to see who could get the highest up the middle of my 6 foot-tall Christmas tree. Bella won by default, as I plucked Rosie off the tree first. They both managed a respectable 4 foot climb though... impressive really! *lol* I think our treetop angel had better watch out for little furry visitors!

Well, apart from a very poorly daughter with an ear infection, a hubby who's in shock with having to pay the vetinary care bill, a home that's had to be de-flea'd (again!), and a house that needs a good clean from top to bottom... this has been my day.

Please, please let tomorrow be more quiet.

Which I expect it wioll be after we've taken Callie back for her check-up at the vets... and the dog... and all the kittens too.

Okay... maybe a good rest on Sunday instead then :)



Mini Album Up For Grabs!

This is the first of my November 'blog candy' give-aways... the Christmas Album that's supposed to be made from cardboard toilet roll inners - but mine is made from kraft cardstock. Details of the mini album are here:

http://patchworkapples.blogspot.com/2011/09/cardboard-tube-mini.html

The front cover looks like this...

So... here's the 'rules':

You DON'T have to become a follower, nor be a 'regular' visitor here. All you have to do is add a comment to this post and wait 15 days for the draw. That's it :)

I'll post the winning name on my blog in 15 days time... That'll be the 25th November, and will try to contact the winner.

So please do tell anyone you think might be interested in 'winning' this little mini-album, and force them to add a comment to this post *lol*

If you need to contact me at all, my e-mail details are in the right side-bar.

Thank you!

Oh, For Goodness Sakes, Blogger!

Yes, there are problems with my comment posting on Blogger ... again! On some blogs when I hit the 'comment' button, I'm just flipped back to the main blog page. I have no idea how to sort this one out - so if my usual inane and random comments are obvious in their absence, then it's really not my fault! *lol*

A quick note to everyone who went to visit my Mum's blog, Tatter Natter:

Thank You!

She is such a talented woman - and as soon as that Star Of David mat is finished, I want to see it on her blog - it's going to be GORGEOUS!

WOYWW 127

Wednesday already? What's happened... where has the last week gone? Actually, where has the past year gone?

I have had no time spare in the last few weeks to do anything really - and I'm so behind on what's been happening on other people's blogs... oh, the guilt! Trips to the hospital, doctors, parents, friends and shopping has taken up all my days - and the rest of my spare time has been used up with ... oh, my - can I even type the word here...? ... housework! I've cleaned out the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom so that they're all ready for theYuletide season. I've scrubbed, polished, vaccuumed and thrown away so many bin bags full of rubbish that it wouldn't surprise me if the bin men took one look and decided to go on strike again. I'm even late on putting up the decorations this year. Every November 1st, the loft is raided, and Christmas begins! I only managed to get the tree up on the 7th this year! Yes.. I know... I've been told a thousand times already that I'm a bit of a Christmas freak. Anyway... here's my tidy-ish desk today:

And yes, that really is a little gold Christmas tree on my desk :)

I've made the front cover of the album (bottom middle) and decided to ModPodge the roses on the stand too, as I discovered tat the colours really 'pop' with a bit of a varnish (middle).  Lots of Christmas magazines and brochures - I have two main pressies left to buy and then the main bulk of it is all done, but I do love looking through these publications just to see the pretty Yuletide glitz.

So, a quiet and simple desk this week for me on "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday"... pop on over to Julia at the Stamping Ground if you want to see more workdesks - or add your name to the ever-growing list and join in the nosey fun :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday all!

Just a quick add here... the photograph is awful because in real life you can't see all the horrid wires... but here's my tree all decorated and ready for December 25th...

I don't do tinsel... I leave that to people who can colour co-ordinate *lol*

A New Blogger On The Block!

Just a quickie post tonight, to say that there's a new blogger on the block!

You've all seen my Mum's wonderful creations that she's made for me, and that I've posted here... but it's well past the time when the creative genius that is my Mum  needs a blog all of her own :)

Tatting is a form of lace making that uses a shuttle instead of bobbins... and my Mum is a self-taught tatter (can you tell how intensely proud I am of her?!)

As the weeks progress, she'll be posting photographs of her tatting creations (you really have to see the Star Of David mat she's making... GORGEOUS!), and sharing the life and loves of a handbag addict (she really is seriously addicted to buying handbags *lol*). Oh... this is also the woman who is more well-informed and capable of using new technology than I am... she has a better phone (read 'better' as 'so complicated I couldn't even answer it'!), a computer tablet-thingy... and probably already has in mind what technology-based pressie she'll be getting next.

So... please do pop over to Tatter Natter and say "Hi!" to Margaret... she'd really appreciate a warm welcome from some of the nicest people in the blogging community (that would be YOU who's reading this *lol*).
Hmmm... now all I need to accomplish is getting my Dad on here too - if it's got an engine, it's got potential as far as Dad is concerned. Maybe I could tell him that Blogger is a site all about motorbikes and beer?

WIWOYWW

Also known as...

"Where IS What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?"
I already had my post all written out and ready for today (it was 4am Wednesday morning, and I was bored! *lol*).

I waited until 6am to add a linky on the widget (the usual time, roundabouts, for a WOYWW post)... no Julia.

Maybe, thinks I in my tired and fuddled state, Julia has decided that with the clocks changing she'll change her post time too. 7am comes along... no Julia.

Is it my computer, I wonder?

Nope... everything else seems to be working in an okay-ish manner.

Is it Wednesday? I wonder.

Yes... I've checked already - asked my youngest daughter as she was making her way through the door to go to college.

"Is it Wednesday?" I ask a bleary-eyed Hubby as he wakes up at the alarm call. His reply of "Grrmphhuuulllrrpppgrrrmmmmm" I took to mean something along the lines of "yes".

The last posting at the Stamping Ground was on All Hallows Eve... did the goblins come and steal our Julia away? Did she find the spell to actually make a broomstick fly? 

Did Julia... oh, I can hardly bear to even think it, let alone write it... BUT, could a tired and needing-of-rest Julia have overslept and forgotten it's WOYWW?

Oh, my!

In all seriousness... Julia, I do hope you're okay?!


On a brighter note... I finally decided (I think!) on the design of the mini album that'll sit on the book-base (Autumn Swirls). Yay! Now I just have to find a bit of inspiration for the inside... and some time when I want to do something else other than sleep, sniff, sneeze, cough, and feel sorry for myself (all at once... which is kind of scary *lol*).

WOYWW 126

It was a dark and lonely night, as she sat alone in a cold room... a vigil of her own makings. The importance of what lay ahead  bore heavy on her shoulders, the responsibilty was hers alone. What drove this woman to such extremes? What was it that made her sit here, with no company save for the moon peeking from behind a looming cloud... what was so important that she gave herself this task? So long - hour after hour - she sits. Waiting. Until... The sky in the East held a faint glimmer... the hue that gave rise to a new day, a new dawn. The lone woman turned her head toward the growing light, and smiled... finally her wait was over. She could finally, and at last...

...

... publish her "What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?" photo and post.

WoopWoop!

Oh the fun I have thinking up new ways to introduce the WOYWW challenge *lol*  Julia at the Stamping Ground (who hosts this wonderful weekly event) must think me quite insane. And she could be right *lol* But if you read her blog, you'll see that she probably understands this sort of madness quite well (in a good way... really!).

So, what is on my workdesk this Wednesday? A mess. A big, jumbled, missing-mojo, can't-create-for-toffee, sit-for-hours-staring-into-nothing sort of mess.

The makings of a paper-bag album that I know already I shan't be using on the "Autumn Swirls" book-base - including kraft cardstock, corrugated cardboard, 'Vintage Photo' distress ink... and my rhubarb and custard boiled sweeties (helps with concentration. Really!). Oh, and a few Halls Mentholyptus to clear my blocked nose. Yes, on top of all my grumbles, I have also managed to catch a rotten cold *lol*

This is a photograph I'll have to hide from Darling Hubby... he's a keen-eyed man, and will notice  the computer turned on, with my purse laying next to it. He'll put two and two together, and come up with something a LOT lower than what I really spent online shopping...Oops! Time to hide the bank statements *lol*

My notepad lies open - though falling off of the table - with not a single word written down... my mojo really has disappeared. Of course, this could be a good thing, which gives me a few hours to tidy up and vaccuum the craftroom, make the bed, clean the toilet, do the dishes, and sort the darks from the lights in the washing pile. Only I haven't done it... any of it. I spent yesterday in bed with a box of tissues and Jeremy Kyle on the television. The early hours of Wednesday found me adding a bit here and there to the book-base... just a hanging charm of some keys and a clock face:

And a little gold-coloured bee to the drawer:

That's it... nothing else has been created or made - or even thought of!

So... what's on YOUR workdesk this Wednesday? Time to share folks... I want to have a nosey around, get some inspiration, and find out on whose desk my mojo is vacationing to :)

Oh, before I go off and have a snooze, thought I'd share a photograph of a really cute kitty. This one has turned up twice in my house in the past week - but she's such a pretty-kitty!

In fact she's such an adorable feline, that I think I'll keep her *lol*

Of course, it's my baby-gurl dressed up for a Halloween party at a friends house - the second time she had to dress up as a cat for a party in the past week. Funnily enough, her boyfriend went to the Haloween fancy dress party too... they made quite an odd couple that night...

... and Connor was so NOT impressed with having his photograph taken whilst dressed as Scooby-Doo. It didn't help that Hubby kept asking him if he wanted a Scooby Snack. Still... they do look cute together :)

That's it for me now... I have to wake up Beth so she can go off to college, and make sure Hubby's new alarm clock wakes him up too - and then I'm off to have a nap until Jeremy Kyle is on the telly at 9.25am. Oh, a morning of slovenly bliss!

Y'all have a wonderful and amazing WOYWW now!