Happy New Year

Hi my Friends

The message says it all, but I would love to add that I wish  a VERY HAPPY & HEALTHY 2020 TO YOU ALL, AND MAY ALL YOUR NEW YEAR HOPES & WISHES COME TRUE.

I Look forward to seeing you in the new year. XX







 LOTS OF LOVE & HUGS

TINA XX

HAPPY CRAFTING IN 2020

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS & A HAPPY & HEALTHY 2020
                                                
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG AND BEING VERY SUPPORTIVE IN 2019 AND I REALLY HOPE YOU WILL STILL VISIT ME AGAIN IN 2020, ALSO I HOPE SANTA BRINGS YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE WISHED FOR.

LOTS OF LOVE

TINA XX

Phoenix is 2 today

Hi My Friends

How amazingly fast the last 2 years gone. I can't believe Phoenix is 2 today. He has been so entertaining and to listen to his speech coming along mixed in with his baby babble has been hilarious. I wish we could press a button and keep him at this stage forever. He likes Harry Potter and when you show him Harry Potter items in the shops he shouts with a big smile " Arry ", he makes me laugh every time.

Claire Toby & Phoenix are going to Marwell Zoo today so we won't be seeing Phoenix on his birthday which I'm really sad about. Evelyn has a giraffe name after her at Marwell and Phoenix has a total fascination of giraffes so I'm sure he will have a lovely day. I will get to see him on Friday and then again on Sunday for a little birthday party

Since my last blog I have contacted my doctor again to be referred about my neck. It's not so much pain now but still difficult to hold my head up when emptying the dishwasher or loading the car after a wholesaler visit or just making a card. then it's an ache until I rest my neck and have some strong codeine. The doctor said he would refer me on a fast track appointment. I had my date through and it's for the 17th January 2020, how fast is that!! so we are in the process of going private.Anyway enough about the neck.

Andrea Jenkins, if you still look in please wish your hubby a " Happy Birthday " Too. We used some of the old work tops in my new room and your hubbies birthday scribble is still there. Hope you both enjoy the day.


Here we Go!!




I got my water colour paints out to colour the giraffe. I love this stamp it is such a stunning looking giraffe.

I made a couple of false eyelashes made out of black card to give another dimention

Well that's it for this blog. I hope you like Phoenix's birthday card. Next things to make are my Christmas crackers and also trying to think of some special Christmas cards.

I hope you are all well. See you again soon

Lots of Love & Hugs

Tina XX

50th birthday card , holiday piccies & a little video of my little man.

Hi My Friends

I'm so sorry I haven't been on my blog for a while. My neck is still giving me pain. I can hold it up without my hands but if I bend over it is easier to let it fall forward rather than try and hold it up. I'm still doing my exercises and I'm still on strong codeine Ibuprofen & paracetamol but I know this can't go on and the numbness has gone to a 3rd finger, so I need more help me thinks!!

I decided to make an eclipse card for Emma's 50th as they are quite a striking card and just a little different.I made the flowers with one of my favourite flower dies, they are  the Sue Wilson Orange Blossom dies. I do have the stamp that goes with these dies but I thought putting the veins in with a small ball tool and colouring them would be a little softer as the paper is quite busy even thought it's  pastel colours.


Here Goes!!

While we in Yorkshire we drove to see the Angel of the North. We thought it was very impressive, brilliant architecture.

Paul said that I should make something quick to say that our little Angel of the South met the Angel of the North. We sent this picture with Evelyn's rose I had made and the message to Claire and she loved it.

This was Phoenix on Friday afternoon. He loves to play with my pot of crystals, but we don't like the clearing them up after he has gone home. Hey Ho! but it makes him happy. I dare say we will still be finding them over the next few day's . Also Phoenix getting excited watching one of his favourites on CBeebies whilst trying to tidy up too.

Paul bought me a new Camcorder for my birthday next month, but I couldn't resist giving it a go.I think I'm going to need  many more memory cards as this was just one of many video's taken yesterday.

See you all soon, Take care

Lots of Love & Hugs to you all

Tina XX

Party Pics & Cards

Hi My Friends

I'm sorry there are not very many photo's as I still haven't contacted the family for their contribution. These are a few taken by Craig on the day and Paul the day after. Craig said there was so much happening and so many people to catch up with he only took a few. I have heard that everyone had a brilliant day and also had a few Thank You cards before I have managed to get my Thank you cards out.

I sat and tried making some cards while I was in bed recovering, but I wasn't that pleased. So I went back to an old favourite stamp. Their not perfect but it's the best I could do with a dodgy neck. I did sit at my work desk and stick on sequins but when I went to put the cards in the envelopes the sequins fell off, I don't know why as it was a new bottle of Cosmic Shimmer glue. So I had to pick all them off and I went for some AB sticky gems instead. I hope they stay on the cards in the post.

I have a few cards to make for September, 1 guy card and a 50th b'day card. So will post them here soon.

This is what I call the tunnel drive, the tunnel is made by a linen Tree and a Mulberry tree, but you can't see all the balloons at the bottom of the drive.

This is one of the patio's to the side of the Kitchen

You can't quite see Claire, Toby, Phoenix with aunty Teresa. Phoenix had decided he didn't want an ice cream on his 1st visit to the ice cream van he just wanted a cone in each hand minus the ice cream. He was so chuffed with his choice.

This is Half Pint looking for left overs after the ice cream van had gone

My niece made this cake for us and I didn't realise what the topper said until a while later. I will be having a few strong words with her later, Bless her. She was one of our bridesmaids.

These are the Thank you cards after replacing the sequins. They're not what I wanted to make but were so easy. It's was just a stamp and a stampin up punch, a little glue and glitter and gems with a little matt and layering and butterflies of course.

Back of envelope

Front of envelopes.


So That it folks! Normality will resume soon I HOPE!!

Take care everyone see you soon

Love and Hugs

Tina XX

Party Photo's Later

Hi My Friends

I'm so sorry the blog pictures will be late but I have been poorly. With all the work of moving me and my workroom upstairs and changing my old room to a little sitting room which is now Phoenix's playroom and getting all the furniture out of the lounge for a new carpet, plus the garden and the menu for the party. Over the weeks since April trying to get everything sorted I noticed I had a pain in my neck that was getting progressively worse.We decorated the little sitting room, and when the carpet was laid in there we then had to get the furniture out of the lounge to have the carpet laid in that room. I was still trying to get things sorted for the party while Paul worked away a couple of days a week. The day I went to the wholesalers to get some last minute food that could go in the freezers. A lovely man came over to me and asked if he could help me with loading the car as I was in tears. On the way home I was panicking about making some desserts and buying frozen ones on the Saturday and thinking how the hell am I going to manage all this for all these people as I had run out of space in the fridge too. When I got home I realised that my head was hanging down even more and I needed my hand to hold it up. We went to my cousins 70th birthday on the Saturday the day before our party and I was in a lot of pain and could only rest my head on my hands on the table. I couldn't wait to get to bed that night and rest my head and neck. The next day I woke in pain and my head was literally on my chest and took both hands to hold my head up. Paul said that he was going to cancel the celebration and in tears I said NO not after all this work I'm not going to miss a minute, so I dosed myself up and my sister was a great help and laid all the food out and it looked wonderful. Bunting was up and balloons at the bottom of the drive, but the garden was not looking it's best as we ran out of time, but it looked ok ish. The family all arrived about 2pm and had their main food and an hour later They heard a little jingle and I said Desserts are being served on the front lawn, and they were all surprised to see an ice cream van parked ready to serve them as much ice cream and iced lollies they could manage. After that painful day at the wholesalers I knew I had to do something else about the desserts, so came home and googled ice cream vans for hire and it so happened Fat Sam's had one available on the afternoon of the 14th July. Everyone thought it was a brilliant idea and said that they enjoyed it very much and said it was lovely memory of our special day. I checked with a good friend and my sister before I ordered the van, but they thought it was a good idea and something different. Paul wasn't sure but went along with it and wished he'd thought of it first.

 I had a few people ask me if I was ok and I just said I'd hurt my neck but I'm ok.  By 11.30 I couldn't stand the pain anymore and  I could not hold my head up at all, luckily the stragglers went home about 11pm and I just sobbed. Paul put me to bed topped up the pain killers and I slept. The next day my sister knocked the door and said she had contacted a physio but she said that wouldn't even entertain seeing me and I needed to get to her doctors asap as it could be neurological. I rang the doctors and I my sister took me straight away. One doctor did tests but had never seen anyone having to hold their head up with both hands and asked for a second opinion. The next doctor came into the room straight away and took me for more tests that were very painful they both apologized and had a little chat and said their first thought was that I had had a stroke. That was the most scarey thing to hear, but after more tests and so many questions about everything I had been doing in the past weeks and months they both said they seamed to agree that it was my Trapezius muscle that had just given up due to the stress after all the lifting of my work room equipment and moving furniture and all the stress of the celebrations they said something had to give. Thinking back carrying all the card and machines up stairs and I have crumbling knees I now remember going to bed with such pain in my neck and could hardly walk the next day, but you think after a good nights sleep you can cope with another heavy lifting day, but I guess I can't anymore.They sent me home with Diazapan x1, Ibuprofen x2, Paracetamol x2, and strong prescribed codeine x2, all at once four times a day. Needless to say I don't remember much of the following week. I'm still not right, I can bend down but my head still tends to droop and I can't lift my head to see where I am placing things so I think a Physio is needed asap as we are driving up north soon to see our friend then going across country for crafting time in the Lakes and I do all he driving. Paul can drive but my neck would be worse as a tense passenger.

Sorry no photo's yet of the party but  just wanted you to know I'm still around and I am trying to get some photo's off other members of the family. I know Craig took a few but there was so much going on with games on the lawn, ice cream van and the families just taking time out to chat I just didn't think of photo's.

I will post pictures and also the Thank you cards I'm trying to finish for all our wonderful pressies, hopefully by the weekend, keeping my neck bent is quite painful so please bear with me.

Sending love & Hugs

Tina XX

My Cousin's Birthday Card

Hi My Friends

I hope you are all well and are enjoying your Sunday. Cloud & Sunshine for us today but still pretty hot in the sunshine. Air con working at full power in my workroom though.


I got called over Claire's a couple of times this week to sit with Phoenix while she went to interviews, such a hard job Right!! He is so unbelievably cuddly and he even closes his eyes when he gives me a kiss, Oh I love him to pieces. On Thursday Claire went to an interview  at a little village school in a place called Colden Common hoping to get a part time teaching position. She came home on cloud nine and couldn't stop telling me about it an hour later she got the call she really needed that she had got the job and the want her to work Monday & Tuesday which means it doesn't interfere with Phoenix's child minder and we have the rest of the week to spend together when she can fit me in. 

It took quite a long time to photograph this card today, being a darker room and not quite so much light I had to get little spot lights out just to get these pictures. I'm going to have to work on my lighting as this was such a faff!. and maybe a new camera too.

Plans are going relatively smoothly for the 14th Anniversary party, still waiting for a couple of RSVP's but on the whole it's heading in the right direction. It wouldn't be such a panic but it's Cheryl's party on Saturday 13th ( the cousin the card is for ) and our party on the Sunday, so it's one last mad dash to the Wholesaler for a few dessert then back home to make the rest of the desserts. Anyway it'll be alright on the night!!! (Day)!!



Here Goes!!

That it Folks! Hope you like it. I really enjoyed making this card and I am hoping to use some if my new flower dies I bought months ago.

See you all soon, Take care all.

Love & Hugs

Tina XX

My Sanctuary

Hi My Friends

This is my new work room, don't get too excited It still has corners to be rounded on the work bench opposite mine. I have a new Venetian blind that will go up over the weekend if time allows as we are having our Fathers day get together this weekend.

Well, we had the lounge carpet fitted today and it looks FAB. I've waited 20 yrs for my lounge to look like a cosy carpeted place to spend time in. I was so tired of climbing over furniture in the hall trying to get to the front door waiting for the fitters to arrive today. The guys were so lovely, I offered them some bacon rolls as it was lunch time, they looked shocked but said that would be lovely, after the bacon rolls they ate a whole packet of chocolate digestives, butter short bread fingers and a boost bar each. They did a lovely job and offered to bring all my furniture back into the lounge, which they did. They asked with this kind of luncheon service are there any other jobs I need sorted, bless em! They left with more cans of coke and another packet of biscuits and said if you ever need another carpet fitted book a Thursday, cheeky buggars! I said we are having a new dining room carpet, bedroom and little, hall carpeted in August but have not chosen them yet.They just said remember Thursday's.!!

Well onto workroom pictures. This is more than a workroom for me, this really is my sanctuary when I am having a reflective day, it's definitely a place I can come and chill out with a glass of wine, watch telly and think of projects to do. Now that it is almost finished I'm really hoping that I can get back into crafting my style of cards again, just so long as they have not gone out of date as it seems more stamping these days.

Anyway here goes!!
Hope you like it as much as me.

Here is my main part of my work bench.

This is to my Left of my work bench.

T

This to my right of my work bench.

Sorry this is Mo Mo she really loves to get in on the action.

This is the right side opposite my main workspace without Mo Mo and to the left side of this bench is the door into the room housing all my odds & sods.

 

Odds & Sods door shelf.

These units are where I keep my stamps, glues, glitters, foamiran, ribbons and medicine draw. Plus so much more and the air con in the middle, sadly not used this year yet.

This is Squeak, another little member that shares my workroom, ( Bubble, his sister was too shy to be photographed), she''s hiding behind one of the 25 under unit box's placed around the room.

This is Half Pint on her own swivel chair that has to be right next to mine.

Finally, This is a very treasured gift given to me. It was made from a photo of my beautiful little Summer that passed 3 yrs ago. Hazel's daughter captured her colouring perfectly.


I would loved to have been able to have one of those fold away cupboard units but I would have needed several of them  but they would never have fitted into the eaves of this room. but I love what Paul has built for me and am very happy to while away the hours here in my little craft world. Thanks Paul X.


Sending you all Love & Hugs

Tina XX

Paul's Card

Hi My Friends

Sat in my workroom yesterday trying to think of a Father's day card for Paul. My little grey brain cells had definitely gone to sleep I just couldn't think of anything to do. So I had a large glass of wine and hoped it would jolt my cells into work mode. I remembered a few months ago Sue Wilson making a card by cutting strips of card so I started with that thought, then I remembered I'd bought a stamp a few weeks ago of a woodland scene as it looks a bit like our driveway but we now have leaves. Our driveway is a lovely tunnel of a mingle of a linen tree and a mulberry tree. I got the inks out to colour the scene and then thought nah! I'll do monochrome. So I put everything away and got out black and white card and black ink, cop out I know but I knew Paul would like it just for the effort put into it.

I was going to put photo's of my new workroom on today too but we are using it to store tables, lamps and objects from the lounge as we are decorating and having a carpet fitted Thursday. We have finished  my old workroom and turned it into a little summer room to sit and look out over the front garden, that's what we built it for 20yrs ago but the room has had many uses in that time, so It's nice to put it back to what it was intended for. We are going to look like 2 silly old f--ts sat sitting having our mug of tea and dunking a custard cream, so we thought we might invest in another toy box for Phoenix's toy's too so we won't look so indulgent.

Photo's of workroom to follow on Friday when the the lounge is straight and everything is out of my sanctuary.


Here Goes!

Not a difficult card but enjoyed making it.

Take Care and see you at the end of the week.

As Always Love & Hugs

Tina XX

.

Another goodnight

Hi My Friends

Today is a very sad day for the Eldridge family as we say yet another goodnight to another little member of the family. Skylar was born on the 14th August 2018, she had a long road ahead as she was born with a few health problems but every operation she had she battled through them like a real trooper. In April she had major heart surgery, she fought with all the strength she had and won. Then 4 weeks ago she contracted Sepsis and pneumonia and fought that too only to be taken with a tummy issue that the doctors could not control and sadly Skylar passed peacefully away on the 6th May.

Our hearts break for Paul's brother and his wife as grandparents as we have walked this heart breaking path ourselves as you know. Then as parents you realise you never get your own children back again as their lives take on a new path of trying to come to terms with losing their babies, and when you look in their eyes a little light has gone out and that is hard see. My heart breaks for Georgie and Hartley as they say goodnight to their little girl today at 4pm.

Fly high and shine little Skylar, you are not alone.

Love & Hugs

Tina XX

I didn't realise I was away so long

Hi My Friends

I really hadn't realised I have been missing for so long. 

Well a lot of things have been going on here, like moving my workroom upstairs into Craig's bedroom. My word am I a hoarder, I thought I was quite ruthless regarding keeping things but there are so many craft things I will never use but are too good to throw away, so they are back in the box for storing.

We are only half way through moving me and still have another workbench with shelving overhead to do. One side of the room is done and I am able to work/play. I just can't stand the  mess it seems to have a knock on effect of the whole house.

I have also been trying to get a new house name sign made as our neighbour at the bottom of our drive had a skip being delivered and another one to be left for their building work and the driver decided to use our driveway to turn around in the lane. He came up our drive to straighten his lorry, in doing this he churned the driveway up and the grass on either side and ran over our house name sign that was made for us 20yrs ago when we first moved into Drakes Field. I had pulled the blinds back and watched him. When he saw me he did several shunts in the lane only to drive over the bottom of  our garden moving a boulder that was in our garden into the lane. I made a note of the skip firm and called them. They couldn't have been kinder. The boss actually came around and moved the boulder back into place and said that everything will be put to rights when we are ready. So I have been looking for a house sign to replace our old one, but it won't have the same sentimental value, but the skip company have been brilliant ( so far ), he hasn't received the bill for the driveway yet or the sign.

Also I have been trying to make Save The Date cards for our 40th Wedding anniversary party in July, but most importantly spending time with Claire and Phoenix, that is the fun bit of my busiest times!!

When my workroom is finished I will put some pictures on the blog, as I'm still battling with Craig's rubbish too. 

The last photo is of the little dog Craig wanted to rescue, so we went over to a family that is involved with the Phoenix animal rescue abroad. they go over to rescue animals that are in such an appalling state and near to death. They then bring them back to Britain, then into quarantine, then re homed into an adoptive family, then to wait for people like us to take these gorgeous little animals to become a member of our families. Craig has named him Bentley, he is a Corgi Dachshund cross. He's very timid, but loves Craig to pieces and that is all Craig wanted from his a dog to help him through his health issues and he couldn't have got a better little friend. They are inseparable, he looks for Craig every move he makes, but I guess Bentley is in as much need of reassurance as Craig is. How people can treat these beautiful little animals in such an appalling way really need to get a taste of their own medicine, words fail me or as a lady I choose not to share them on my here.

Anyway sooo sorry it has been so long since my last blog, and hopefully will I be back very soon with pics of my finished workroom.

 

Very quick and simple cards, but very pretty when finished. I can't show the best of the invitations picture as my computer and my camera decided to part friends. I really need Craig over to help me out!!  but I just wanted to let you know I'm still here.

Little Bentley

WHOOPS!!!

Hi My friends

I had planned to have these cards on my blog on the 27th March, as I had spoken to Steph on the 26th and said they would be on my blog tomorrow (27th).

I went off to bed early hours only to awake to no comments also none on the 28th which was so unusual as June is always the 1st person to comment on my blog ( thank you June), but nothing! I guess you know what I'm going to say, YEP!  I hadn't pressed publish. I shouldn't admit to it but I worry about myself sometimes.

I made these notelets for a lovely friend and Head Mistress of the school I used to work in. I worked as Head of Kitchen and we had a lovely working relationship and when the school were doing special assembly's or play's we were asked to join in and of course I jumped at the chance. One time they were learning about pirates and Galleons, so I sat up one night and made a Galleon out of card with all the ropes for the sails. I made a large ships wheel that I attached to the serving hatch and used muslin to hang to make the sails in the kitchen and finally Me and my absolutely lovely kitchen crew dressed up as pirates. We had an absolutely FAB day and the little ones loved it, it took a lot longer to serve dinner that day and the children were so excited. I think we enjoyed it as much as the little ones.

Her husband had a health scare the end of last year and the last I heard was he was coping with the treatment and all looked good, thank goodness. I just thought I would send her some notelets as she loves to keep in contact by letters. I really enjoyed making these and they were quite quick to make also, well until I decided to do matching envelopes and box but was really pleased with the end result.

Later today, It's now (1.35am) I am being taken out for lunch by Claire & Phoenix for mothers day. Claire thought it might cheer me up as it is 40 year today that my mum died and she knows how much this year is special as it is our 40th wedding anniversary too and my mum was soo looking forward to my wedding day as she chose my dress and I was happy to go along with it. she never got to see me in the dress only the one you try in the shop and she cried when I came from behind the curtains, I'll never forget that special day. Paul and I are going to the church on Saturday.

Sadly we won't see Claire on Mothers day as that is also Evelyn's goodnight day 3 yrs ago and they want to do things as a little family, so a quiet day for us all this year.


Hope you like the notelets

Here Goes!!

This a 3d die from China, I think it was 1.99 & free P&P. If anyone wants any cut I would be more than happy to send you some, I just cut mine in white card and coloured with my ink pads.

I Hope you all have a lovely Mother's day and get spoiled rotten. Enjoy what ever you are up to.

Lots of Love & Hugs

Tina XX