My last batch of cards

Hi Friends

This is my last batch of cards for this year. It has been quite manic here as I'm sure you all have experienced too. Every year I say it will not be so mad as the previous year, but it always is, why don't I ever learn!!

Anyway these are the last batch of cards I made for hand delivery around the family, I hope you like them.

The ones for Evelyn & Phoenix were cards cards I found on line. Phoenix is known as our foxy little man and Evelyn was always associated with woodland animals as her bedroom was decorated in the woodland theme, especially the hare and became too real with the message " I love you to the moon and back" I just had to add something to them to make it more personal. I made them a night sky and added some more snow and a big moon and obviously Santa and his crew.


Here Goes!

 

Well that's it for this message. I hope all your decorative activities are going to plan.

Thank you all for popping in, see you before the big day. X

Love & hugs

Tina XX

1st handmade wreath

Hi My Friends

My night out with Claire was hilarious, mother in law Erica came too. We arrived about 15 minutes late due to handing Phoenix over to his dad and also very heavy traffic.

When we arrived the instructor had already shown how to attach the moss, also all the tables had been taken up and all the good foliage had gone too they were like vultures, they were determined to get their £35 worth. We eventually got squished onto the end of a long table and because of the time to find us some space we had what battered foliage was left. Claire did find a lovely branch of pale blue thistles but when Claire wasn't looking the couple of WI women opposite took it and shared it between them. At the time I didn't see this but Erica did so when they weren't watching Erica pinched their sprigs of rosemary. For the rest of the evening these two ladies would not drop the subject that their rosemary had mysteriously gone missing staring straight at Erica every time they mentioned it. I'm so glad I was blissfully unaware of this but it did make us laugh on the way home. I said to Erica I've got a piece of rosemary in my wreath. She said so you took my last piece you tea leaf and Claire & I just laughed.

Anyway, before I put the wreath on the door today I put a few strings of beads to cover the bits we didn't manage to get. Next year we are going to have a wreath making session here at home with mince pies and a glass of wine. We'll raid the garden and see what happens next year. Well you have to have things to look forward to!!.

Here goes!!

 
Typical, excuse the holes in the door frame as our bell decided to fall off during the week.

I hope you enjoy putting your decorations up.

See you all soon

Love & Hugs

Tina XX

Another Christmas card

Hi My Friends

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on my last blog.

There should have been 2 Cards today but because of my clumsiness there is only the one card.
Mo Mo the cat wanted a cuddle as I was setting up to take the photo's of the cards, . I had only just walked back into my room with a nice a cup of tea and sat down as she jumped up on my desk I picked the cup up so she wouldn't knock it over. I raised the mug quite fast and when my hand stopped the liquid didn't, then I could see Mo was in line for a red hot deluge so I covered her but one of my cards took the full brunt of the hot tea, the only thing I could save was the poinsettia so as there wasn't enough time to remake another card I stuck the poinsettia onto this card and added a few more fluffy stamens.  I hope you don't feel too cheated.

I'm off out with Claire Friday night after looking after Phoenix. I think I am going to be pretty tired. Claire booked us in to a making a Christmas wreath evening with tea & mince pies. If it's any good I'll put it the blog over the weekend in between putting Christmas dec's up.

Here goes!

Be back again soon with more Christmas cards.

I can't wait for the Christmas cards to be done and dusted as I have bought some beautiful flower dies and can't wait to use them, and of course it means looking forward to Spring, not that I'm wishing my life away, just Winter and the cold.

Sending Love & Hugs to you all & Thank you all again

Tina XX

1st of my Christmas Cards

Hi My Friends

I hope you are all well.

How are you all progressing with the Christmas festivities. I am as usual way behind with my cards.

As the children get older it's more difficult to think of pressies and I don't really like giving money as the unwrapping of pressie's is over way too soon, but if that's what they want so be it, they have lots of stocking fillers though. Claire said  "It's all about a lovely meal and spending time with you ". I said how come I come 2nd, and she thought for a moment and said, " It's all about the meal and spending time with you & dad ". Cheeky mare!

This year we are having Phoenix so it is going to be an amazing Christmas. I am going to start putting up the Christmas Decorations next Saturday. I have bought a few new ones, so really looking forward to decorating the house and garden.

I've only just started making my Christmas cards and didn't think they would have taken so long just to make one so I really need to get a move on so lots more time planned in my workroom.

Here are just the 1st two cards. It's the foamiran poinsettias and foiling of the greetings that are taking most of the time. I have another nine cards to make up with the poinsettia's.


Here Goes!

hope you like them, more to come!

Hope to see you again soon.

Love & Hugs

Tina XX

My Little Man's 1st Birthday

Hi my friends

What a very moving Remembrance Sunday. The footage of the 1st world war was really emotional, and the stories of remaining soldiers of  the 2nd world war have so much to say about the loss of loved ones and their comrades was heart breaking, and the realities of our young men and ladies that have fought for our freedom in the more recent conflicts proudly on parade whether marching or assisted reduced me to tears many times today. I remember listening to Paul's dad's stories of world war 2, he trained fighter pilots and had many stories and we never failed to be enlightened by the ups and downs of the part he played. In 2014 When the poppies filled the moat of the Tower of London, unbeknown to me Craig managed to buy one and he gave it to me. It's one of my very loved gifts and it's stunning and a real treasure.

Also we need to Remember all the animals that perished supporting our war hero's in the line of duty, they were hero's too.

We Will Remember Them.



Wow what a full on weekend. I'll start with Sunday. I met my nephew who I haven't seen for a few years and has been battling throat cancer, that bloody awful disease that has claimed too many loved ones and lovely friends. His cancer returned earlier this year and he has had to go through the horrible treatment yet again.. Fingers crossed he has a test at the end of this month and if he gets the all clear again it will be tests every six months from then on. He came over with my niece Jayne. Jayne lived with us after we got married, mainly weekends but if she could stay during the week too she jumped at the chance, we called her our adopted daughter. They came over to see if we could all arrange a big family picnic in May next year. We're totally up for that as time is passing so fast and life has kept us all so busy and family obligation seem to settle on our own little family circle and we all tend to say "yes" we must get together but never do. So May next year is our family time to reunite.

It's so weird when Richard rang to see if he could come and see us,  Paul & I were only talking the night before about having a big get together next year in July for our 40th Wedding Anniversary. So after all these years we are going to have 2 big family get togethers and we can't wait.

Saturday was amazing. Phoenix's birthday party was held at his other Grandparents house. When the star of the show arrived at midday he was a bit over whelmed, he had been up since 4am. Of all the days not to sleep later. It was a Moana party, I hope you know who I mean. Ok I'll go and take a picture of the DVD that we watch on a loop and the picture will be below. Back now, do you know this one, I'm obsessed with the music it's fab.

Here are the pictures of the very happy birthday boy at his 1st birthday party and a very proud mummy.
We all had to wear flower garlands and Phoenix loved it.

 This makes me smile every time I look at it.

Phoenix Checking the cake out, and he loved it.

Claire 1st cake ever. There were 4 layers and each one various shades of blue for the sea. It was amazing and tasted really good too.

Phoenix's 1st encounter with an older lady on the left. She's 4

He seemed quite happy to oblige, bless em! I don't think he was going to get away anyway. OH! the innocents.

Evie Bear was also there to celebrate with Phoenix. Evie bear is on the right, Primrose is the middle bear and Joshua bear is on the left. Because of Evie bear other mummies have chosen to have their babies ashes put into bears and these are just two of the baby loss families that came to support Claire. the little blue bear on the left is the brother of the little girl kissing Phoenix and she told me all about him and I even had a cuddle with Joshua bear. She was an absolutely beautiful little girl with so much energy.

Well that's it folks, I hope you enjoyed the pictures.


Christmas card next.

Thank you all for looking in. Take care all and see you soon.XX

Love & Hugs

Tina XX

Sorry about the untidy desk, I'm trying to make Christmas cards, and trying to work and share my space with Mo Mo. She has reorganized my work several times today so I think I'm going to call it a day now. XX

Decorations on the Christening day & 1st birthday card

Hi My Friends


Can you believe it's Phoenix's 1st birthday today. Seriously, where has this year gone. He has been the light of our lives and has been a complete delight to look after since Claire went back to work, but totally exhausting though, but those cuddles make up for any back &, hip pains at the end of the day. Luckily he is a very cuddly man and loves the film MOANA which we have to watch on a loop sometimes, but to see him clap,smile and try to talk along is just heart warming.


So So sorry I haven't written before. After Phoenix's Christening I went down with this awful cold that is going around, it was really quite brutal and completely wiped me out.,poor little Phoenix had it too. Since he has started at the child minder he has not been free of a cold, bless him, but the Christening day was magical and a fantastic memory. He came over again for another celebration a few weeks later on the 22nd Oct with mum & dad of course to celebrate my birthday. I cooked a full Chinese takeaway menu. I did ask, "can we order in", but Paul prefers mine, but I prefer not to cook!, but hey ho! it was good as Claire & Craig went home with lots of goodies. Not so much of a birthday break but a very good day.

Here are a few pictures of the decorations that survived the storm on the Christening day. We put the decorations up outside on Friday and the remainder of the storm ??? wiped them out on Saturday/ Sunday, but when we left the church after the service the sun came out and the winds died down and it was a lovely afternoon. The only decorations that survived the storm outside was the bunting, the indoor ones fared a little better. I stupidly wiped some files off the computer with pictures of the cake and the spread. No one went home hungry. We were going to send people home with goody bags but decided to pack the food up in containers and Paul handed out food boxes out to some homeless people he passes on his travels. He did make me laugh when he came home and said that they were over the moon, but one said he was a vegetarian. Paul said there vegetarian in all the boxes, it's up to your friends to share it with you. They were really chuffed with their goodies, but I said don't go back for a few weeks or they'll be putting orders in for next time.

We are having a party for Phoenix on Saturday for Phoenix so will take some photo's there and will post them on Monday. I would post them Sunday but my nephew is coming over. I haven't seen him for a while as he has been fighting throat cancer. He had an all clear but it came back but I'm pleased to say he is all clear now and can't wait for a big hug. I still tease him about the speech he gave at my wedding as he gave me away. I said in the car to the church how's the speech, have you mentioned the bridesmaids and thank you all for coming. He looked at me in complete shock and said " I thought you were joking". I knew then this would not be a polished wedding speech. When Richard's time came to give his off the hoof speech, it was short and sweet and he said. "Can we please all stand, which everyone did, to raise our glasses to Paul and say thanks for finding a mug to take her off our hands" Cheers! Everybody found it really funny ( even Paul ), a typical Richard quote. I've never let him forget it but I know he is really sorry he didn't write a proper speech, but like everyone says they'll never forget it and it was a very funny one off speech.

Anyway enough waffle, here some photo's


Phoenix's 1st birthday card.

Remaining Garden dec's from the Christening and a few indoor pic's.

Well that's it for the Christening pic's.

Like I said on Monday I will post some pictures of Phoenix and his Birthday party. I know you're probably thinking Yeh right! I've heard that one before. There will be some pic's here on Monday,  what Monday!. I mean Monday 12th. Nov

Well I hope you are all still awake. Just one last thing to say. Andrea Jenkins, if you still look in I remember you saying when I announced Phoenix's birth on the 7th Nov, you said it was your hubby's birthday. I scribbled it on my desk, but wrote it in pen and it's still there so, Happy Birthday Andrea's hubby hope you have a lovely day!

Hope to see you all soon, and again sorry it's been so long.

Love & Hugs

Tina XX

SCAM ALERT

Hi my friends

I thought I would let you know the latest computer scam.

I had an automated phone call yesterday saying that my internet will cease in 24 hours and my personal data had been violated, and by several people world wide and to get help now and to stop this happening in the future, press 1 to talk to an agent.

I just put the phone down, but it worried me so I rang Paul and he said it's scam you did the right thing BUT it doesn't end there. 24 hours later my computer would not allow me to open any windows, and within a few seconds two notifications came up telling me that Firefox had crashed and to put in my email address and they would notify me when Firefox was fixed. This time I rang Craig and I read it out to him and he said to click the little red cross, top right to close them, then close your computer down and start again. I did that and it's fine.

I thought I would let you know as this scam goes over a 24 hours. When I first saw this this morning I doubted that yesterday's call wasn't a scam. I'm not that good with computers but I am lucky to have two people in the family that are.

I hope you don't think I'm teaching you to suck eggs, but if I hadn't spoken to Craig today I really was tempted to press for help.

Love & Hugs

Tina XX

Phoenix's Christening Card

Hello my Friends

Hope you are all well

As promised I have put The Christening card on for you to see. I was so fed up after making this card and the amount of patterns my cutting plate, rubber mat and the plastic shim put on the last topper I felt that I had to emboss it. I really wanted it very plain. Then when making the large frame I had patterns on that too, so I tried other plates from other machines and finally got a clean one. After I finished the card I couldn't for the life of me remember what plates I had used so I went on line and ordered new ones for the Gemini, so in future it won't take so long to make a card or use so much card as I did, but message to self when new plates arrive  "check you have the dies face down on the cutting mat".

Really must get a new camera too and better lighting. I took so many pictures but these were the best of the bunch. Some night shots, some daytime shots and some without lighting but I think there are enough to get an idea of what the card looks like.

Well most decorations are up. My sister helped me decorate under the large garden umbrella so if it's nice weather people can go outside. I woke this morning to find the umbrella had been pulled out of the patio. It's so heavy that Paul screwed it into the patio but the wind was so strong over night it ripped the screws out and blew it onto the fence which is covered with beautiful yellow Clematis, luckily not too much damage to the Clematis, fence or umbrella, but the weather at the moment for Sunday is sunshine & showers, so smaller umbrella's maybe needed.

Decoration pics to follow.

Here Goes!

Hope you like it!

See you soon.

Love & Hugs

Tina XX