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 Stand

THIS POST INCLUDES A LOT OF PHOTOS - ALTHOUGH RESIZED TO BE QUITE SMALL, THEY MAY STILL CAUSE THE PAGE TO LOAD SLOWLY. I APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED.

I have finally finished the stand (or the base) that will hold another mini-album. I think I'll call this one... "Autumn Breeze", or maybe "Autumn Swirls".  It's taken me a while to create... not only because the rheumatoid arthritis really is slowing me down lately, but I kept changing my mind about how I was going to finish the top of the stand! Remember all the stuff I bought to go on top... and then I changed my mind and made a little configuration box instead...?

Rejected! *lol* In fact, I have used NOTHING which I bought with the idea to use it on this stand... and made something completely different instead.

I used my new Tim Holtz Sizzix die "Autumn Gatherings" (657454), and spent a huge amount of time sanding and inking up each leaf after die-cutting it out of Co'Ordinations cardstock (I used distress inks: Fired Brick, Spiced Marmalade, Dusty Concord,  and a lot of Vintage Photo).  I also used some paper roses I bought at Pickwell, and blackberry vine picks (that I can't remember the manufacturers name to! Sorry!), as well as a crochet doily I shimmer-misted (with copper, ruby and purple) and part of a small lacy wrap I chopped up and 'dyed' with "Espresso" colour wash (also by Tim Holtz, Adirondack). Here's some photographs to show the full 360 degrees, as well as the inner compartment (not shown well in the photograph), the drawer, and the top. I was so keen to get these photographs online, that the ModPodge hasn't dried properly yet, and it shows a bit milky-white where this has happened.

 I forgot to mention the little owl too... he had such a cute expression on his polystyrene face that I had to use him *lol* It's a shame the photographs don't really show the swathe of leaves at the front - they're all swirled like a rollercoaster track - I wanted it to look as if the wind had caught the leaves and they were swirling about in the air. Although it doesn't resemble it at all (I think), I got my initial inspiration from Patti Carrow. She was sent a beautiful (gorgeous, magnificent, amazing... get the picture? *lol*) mini album and stand made by 'Fred'. Patti's album and stand are definitely Vintage and a little Shabby-Chic, whereas I wanted mine to be all about Autumn. Isn't it strange how you can get inspired by something, and yet that inspiration leads you into a completely different direction?  You can see Patti's album by her friend Fred HERE. I can't imagine anyone seeing this amazing creation, and not being inspired by it in some way. I can't wait to start the album to go on my stand now.

I'm just hoping that, after uploading all these photographs, that my internet stays on long enough to get it all posted. I have been trying to get online and post comments over the past three days... but have been thwarted by internet chaos! Thank goodness blogger saves posts in 'draft' when the page disappears! I'd be pulling my hair out if I had to do all this again :)

I recall promising a kitten update too...

This evening I sneaked into the dining room looking for Duchess, Essex, and Rosie... and I couldn't find them anywhere! I had been feeding Bella, and she'd fallen asleep in my arms (well, in my hands really - she's such a tiny wee thing), and I wanted to see if the others were hungry too. I searched the room... in the basket - no. Litter tray? No. Behind the door, under the sideboard, stuck behind the bookshelf? No, no and no. Under the table? No. Oh... wait a minute...  There they were - in a small basket that I keep their toys in! All three of them were snuggled up - Duchess all snuggly and warm (and squashed) at the bottom...

It didn't take Bella long to decide she wanted in on the snuggle-fun too...

Daft little munchkins, aren't they?! *lol*

Fiddle Fart Joy

WARNING... PHOTO-HEAVY - SORRY!

The heading of this post does make sense... honest! I am so happy to have recieved my gift from Helen today.  The woman has to be a mind reader... I had these little Christmas postcards that I wanted to use... but I can't find them anywhere. Then, lo and behold... Helen's packet arrives, and there's a set of the postcards inside! Amazing! And talking of amazing... you all have had a peek at Helen's blog recently...? She's been Fiddle-Farting (see... post header making sense now? *lol*) away at Halloween and once again (as always) doling out the brilliant ideas and fun projects. Go See!!!

Here's my gift from her, which I shall be sharing with my friend LouLou - but not the felt flowers (sorry Lou!) because they may be headed straight for my new project :)

I thought I'd best update everyone on the cute fluffiness that is "The Kittens".

I have to feed them twice a day just to help CallieCat out... she's all worn out, poor wee mummy-kitty.

They are doing well, and are about normal for their age. Ready for the mugshots? I couldn't take a photograph of them all together, as they were exploring all afternoon - in separate directions.

First we have Duchess ... she's going to be a matronly, loving, big fluffy grey ball... and my future SIL's Mum will be taking her on:

She's also very shy and it was so difficult to get a photograph of her at all! I had to play down the brightness and up the contrast so you can see her in this photograph.

Next we have the last born... the little surprise that popped out sometime around dawn the day after all the other kittens had been born. I named her "Aurora Blaze" Aurora means 'the dawn', and she has a little ginger blaze on her forehead. Rosey, for short:

Isn't she adorabubble? She's a squealer... but loves her cuddles too.

Next is the only boy of the bunch... now named "Essex"... because he's grey like a cloud, but with a lot of silver linings. Anyone under the age of 40 may not realise the connection... think "Eddie Moon", Eastenders, David Essex... and "Hold Me Close".  How I love that song!

We're hoping he'll be a churchyard cat, and have a happy home with the Rev. He's playful, and loves to crawl and hide under things - like my wooden chest he's under here.

Last, little firstborn "BellaBella"... the runt of the litter. She only miaows when she hears my voice, and then toddles towards me... she's so tiny and adorable, I may just have to keep her...

As you can see (I hope), BellaBella isn't actually a pure black cat... she's a black tabby. She loves to curl up in my hand and fall to sleep. I swear I could take her anywhere and she'd be content just to sleep tucked into my cardigan... and she's only 3 weeks old!

So.. they are my "Moggy Crew"... all doing well and being happy.

And Mummy-cat Callie is doing okay too...

Keeping watch over her little balls of fluff.

Kitten Update

Just had to let everyone know that the kittens have started to open their eyes as of Wednesday night... they are soooooo adorable! In fact, there aren't enough o's in "sooooooo" to explain just how cute and adorable they are!

I thought the first litter Callie had were the cutest kittens ever... but these ones are so sweet, I could squeeze them ... oh, no I don't mean like Lenore and the hamsters kind of squeeze them *lol*

Little tiny Bella mewls for me... how cute is that?

I got so lonely and bored in my craftroom on Tuesday and Wednesday, that I bought the kittens upstairs with me. Much as I miss them... NEVER AGAIN! *lol* Callie plopped each one out of the small basket, onto the floor... and then waltzed off and left them to crawl around on the carpet!

They did look cute all curled up together in that basket though...

NB please note that "Lenore, The Cute Little Dead Girl" is not appropriate for children... or the easily-sickened, faint-hearted or easily offended.  But she definitely appropriate for anyone with a dark sense of (slightly sick) humour *lol*

Oh, and now...

*doing the happy dance*

I finally got to plug Lenore!

Yay!!!

Bargain Stickers & Kitten Update

I found these bargain-priced stickers at The Range... they did have other designs, but these were my favourites - at just £1 per packet! Very pretty I thought... course, I have no idea what I'll use them for yet :)

Callie is doing well - she's found her way to my craft room and has poked around a little bit. I reckon she'll be up here, getting in my way as often as she can, when the kittens are older.

As for the wee little bundles of mewling cuteness...

The grey one on top is the only boy... I think :)The little black one we've already given a name to - BellaDonna - she's so tiny, but when she wants mummy, she'll claw her way through *lol*

They Said It Couldn't Be Done...

Everyone agreed... they looked into the little space, and declared with absolute certainty "It won't fit!". But she knew different. She knew there would be space... that there would be a happy ending. There is a moral to this tale...

Never, never tell a crafter that their 'stuff' won't fit into a small space. We'll squeeze and jiggle, push and fiddle... until everything goes where it should.

Actually, I didn't need to jiggle or push anything - I borrowed Hubbys tape measure when everyone else was out... but we'll keep that little gem just between us :)

So...

It's been quite a day... my new craft room has been painted. I chose white - boring, yes - but cheap and practical too! It's a North-facing room, so I needed to keep it light to help what little sunlight I do have peeping through the small window. I've kept the original carpet - the condition is excellent as it's been preserved through years of odd socks, paper bits, and general rubbish being piled on top of it. The curtains were free too - black, of course... and now I only need to get hold of the mock-flocked chandelier in black that will hang from the light fitting :)

Hubby will be building shelves and also a desk for me - we can't find a workdesk I like at all, so MDF and white gloss will have to do *lol*

I've kept my plastic storage shelves... they are useful, practical... and why replace them with something that will do the same job (even if something else might look a bit better)?. Here's the space the storage needed to go... behind the door of the room:

Six plastic storage boxes to fit in the gap? Not a problem...

The red baskets won't stay on top - they'll have a space on the shelves Hubby is building. But the important thing here is... I WAS RIGHT! *lol* Everything fits in the space nicely. Now I just have to get everything else up into my 'new' room too!

Hopefully, everything will be sorted by the time the kittens are getting curious and leaving their little box. Talking of kittens... want a peek? Just a photograph of the little boy kitten - he's such a cutie!

SURPRISE!!

Our little Mystery was solved this morning... Callie had another kitten :)

She's so beautiful... and is so very similar to Mum and Dads cat Mitzi, who passed away on the second of August this year. This new kitten has the same colouring, white paws, white belly, little white nose, and ginger blaze on her forehead as Mitzi had...

Unfortunately, the new arrival just wants to feed all the time... so no decent photographs yet showing her lovely markings... and in the one photo I do have, she almost blends in with her Mum's fur :)

The kittens are so much more of a 'normal' size - especially compared to the HUGE kittens she had fist time round. They are so tiny and utterly adorable. Well, we all know what's going to happen to my crafting over the next couple of months... nothing will get done!

**EDITED

Callie just left he birthing box, so I managed to quickly take a snap of the newest arrival...

The Patter Of Tiny Paws...

After several sleepless nights and false alarms, Callie has had three kittens :)

We're a little worried here at the moment, as she had her last one at around 9pm Saturday night, but she's still HUGE and with wriggling going on in her belly (it's now 1.15am, Sunday morning). She's purring, and has eaten and seems very content at the moment.

First kitten born was a pure black VERY tiny little girl, followed by a silver-grey tabby (also a girl) and lastly a darker grey tabby who is a little boy kitty.

They are GORGEOUS! and much more tiny than her last litter.

The photograph isn't too good - I didn't want to disturb her too much... but here's a little blurry peek :)

WOYWW

I only seem to post twice weekly lately - and one of those posts is always on a Wednesday to show my workdesk to the world! *lol* So... happy "WHAT'S ON YOUR WORKDESK WEDNESDAY?" to all.

By the way... if you ever want to join in just pop over to the Stamping Ground and add your name... it's really a lot of fun to have a nose around other people's work spaces :)

I've started work on yet another mini-book project... a Christmas House, and this is taking over my desk this week (and possibly a few weeks to come too!).

The house (which will have a 6"x8" mini album inside when complete) has had the edges painted, and the roofing 'tiled' (Martha Stewart edge punch) and I'm using Papermania silk papers to decorate it (eventually!). My carousel is full again... including glue sticks that fit into my new glue gun that Hubby bought for me (YAY!!!). It's got a lovely small nozzle, and runs on batteries... so no cords getting in the way (for kittens to chew). Quite a tidy desk today (I'm quite proud of myself for being less messy *lol*) and even my work mat is clean. Though that mat will have to be replaced soon - I'm wearing away the numbers and cutting grooves into it!

More news (you just know this will be about kittens again! *lol*)...

I sold a kitten!

A lovely lady called June bought Boo-Bear, renamed him Thomas and took him home to meet her 8 year old cat Charlie.

The next morning June phoned me... Charlie had no intentions whatsoever of making friends with 'Thomas'... so he's back with me and being called 'Boo' again...  ah, well.

And it didn't take him long to snuggle up next to Sox and get right back to being part of the household again.

All kittens doing well... being very cute... and still biting my ankles. It's a wonder I get any crafting done at all! *lol*

But they are so adorably cute, aren't they...?

WOYWW #108

Yay! It's Wednesday!!! So... What's On Your Workdesk this Wednesday??

The last Tuesday of each month is "Craft Night At Pickwells!" and so my desk is covered in crafty bargains when I shopped... well, craft night isn't just for crafting, you know!? *lol*

Anyhooo... Here's my desk:

My purple mini trunk and album is all finished (bar one page) - oh, if only we could learn to stop having giggling fits (or "Tena Moments" as we ladies over 40 like to call them *lol*) and actually do some crafting, then perhaps we'd have our projects finished. Still,  Mini etc on the bag covering my laptop on the left. Top right is the carousel - bearing in mind that until I came home from Pickwells, my desk was totally empty!  Propped up against the carousel is Tyrell's Vegetable Chips... scrummy-yummy! Well, I need a food break sometimes :) Now onto the interesting bits... I picked up some Papermania and Basic Grey double-sided papers... Gorgeous! next to them  coming toward the middle of the desk is a little plastic pot filled with feathers and a new pokey tool (yay!!!... actually, when shopping at Pickwells, my intention was to buy just the pokey tool... I kinda got waylaid by pretty things and spent a lot more *lol*).

I also purchased some Tim Holtz goodies... just a couple of little things, some 7 Gypsies book covers, a little cupcake chipboard mini-book (naked chipboard, 7 pages)... and a ton  of charms! I love these brass-like metal charms... so low-priced and an essential... I didn't want them - I needed them!

A close-up of the charms I bought except for a skull steam-punk one that I gave away to my Lou-Lou's (she's my best friend since I was 1 year old, so I'm allowed to call her my Lou-Lou's *lol*), and an angel I gave to my mum...

There are probably another ten designs I need to get hold of too... when Hubby goes on holiday with my Dad in September, I'll buy them then... Hubby gets a holiday, so I get guilt money *lol*

So... a slightly messier desk this week (nearly 1am on a Wednesday morning!)... but a happy crafter who's managed to craft, shop, giggle, and munch - all in just a few contented hours :)

Oh, and yes, that was little kitten ears you may have seen poking up from behind the desk in the first photograph... I've moved my desk away from the chairs so that the kittens are (supposedly! Ha!) unable to climb onto the desk and chew everything they can get their little teeth into. They're just about ready to re-home now, and although I'll miss them when they do go (IF they go), it will also be a bit of a relief to be able to craft in relative peace and quiet again.

Wanna see...? Oh, okay then...

Max is all camera-shy... but Misty, Sox, and Boo-Bear love all the attention :)

Mini-Dresser Mini-Book

Okay, so this isn't quite finished yet (no book inside for a start... and the bottom needs a good lick of crackle paint)... but I couldn't resist showing off this new mini-book cover I made. Chances are, I made it in the most difficult, round-a-bout, hardest, fiddly-est way possible... but I did it! *lol*

It's all paper and card, crackle paint, glossy accents... and a bit of acetate and a couple of hitch fastenings (a la Tim Holtz - TH92731). Oh, and a LOT of Scor-Tape and glue :)

This one opens with a side-hinge made from Kraft paper and strengthened with Tyvek...

and the 'door' is about half an inch thick. Both drawers are fake - but they are useful in that the drawer handles are used to pull open the door to reveal the minibook inside. The dresser window is acetate, and all the crockery inside is cut out of paper and blobbed with Clear Glossy Accents from Ranger (GAC17042).

Some of the 'plates' are decoupaged (the rims), and the other crockery is just bent rounded slightly to give it some shape - all stuck on with silicone glue. My original idea was to put a real mini tea-set into a box like this... but I couldn't bear to glue down such cute little pieces... so paper it was - though cutting out the handles on the caups, jug and some of the plates was a pain!

The feet are made the same way paper beads are done - just glue and rolled strips of paper. I didn't have feet on it at first, and although the paper feet are strong, the addition of these to the project makes it less steady (though it doesn't topple over at all)... Eventually I decided to keep the feet - it does look better :)

The inside of the box is empty - and is smply decorated with leftover paper. All the patterned paper used in this dresser was leftovers from that Henbury Lane A4 paper I had... it's never-ending!

The 'door' is stopped from closing in on the box completely by two small pieces of chipboard in the right hand corners.

It's not the prettiest solution, but it does work well, and doesn't take up too much space. The size of the inside of the box for the album will be: 4.75"x7.75"... not a bad size for an album.

Well... that's my 'Big Reveal'... I'm just so pleased because it's all my own - my idea, no measurements from anyone else... and I haven't seen anything like this anywhere else.

And just a quick update (yes, Dawn... for you *lol*):

Callie and her kittens are doing well- as this photograph from yesterday shows. Boo has now the nickname 'BooBear' - because he is one HUGE bundle of solid fluffiness :)

I think I shall miss this little bundles of miaowing fur when they're re-homed.

**UPDATE (travelcase mini)

Apart from a few little flourishes (dangly charms, etc) the mini album is complete. I made a little journalling/notes book mimicking a passport, and also changed the camera mini too (making it less bulky).

The 'passport' is slightly bigger than a real one, and is embossed with gold stamped images on the front cover - so easy!

Now it's back to another unfinished project - the mini to go inside the book cover...  but my mojo stopped jiving and is having a little sleep *lol*

And... talking of sleep - wanna see how the kitties are doing...?

Here they are...

Sleeping!

Their eyes are opened now... and they are getting so big! Poor CallieCat is a bit overwhelmed I think - but she's doing okay... and is such a good mummy!

WOYWW 102

Another very hectic day... half past nine at night and I'm just showing my desk for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

Seriously... mine is such a mess right now... Thank you so much Kathy Orta (Paper Phenomenon) for getting me started on the travel suitcase mini :)... now I have less time than ever! *lol*

The mini is on the far left... it's coming along nicely (though the inside is completely bare right now).

We have the 'always-there' carousel full of bits and pieces that I'm using right now (rulers, scissors, pens, glues, scor-tape... so much!), crop-a-dile, scraps of paper, cold coffee (again!), distress inks, alcohol inks, Basic Grey precision file set, ribbon to match the mini-in-progress, brads... and cutters??? Goodness knows what they happen to be doing there *lol*. Just coming into view on the right is my netbook...oh, and todays paper which is as yet unread (no time!).

A quickie look at the suitcase mini so far...

and a cutsie look at how the kittens are doing today (still such a distraction!)

They have temporary names, starting with the ginger tom and going clockwise, they are:

Max, Boo, Sox, and Missy.

Sox (black and white ball of cuteness) already has a home with my eldest daughter... and Boo may be staying with me (though he'll definitely have to have his knackers knocked off!).

KITTENS!!

My proud (but very tired) kitty-mummy Callie with her four bundles of mewling joy :)

I put the numbers on to show the order they were born... aren't they just the cutest?