….. especially the last set ……If I had such a set (fortunatley or unfortunatley, well out of my price range) I would have been forced to linger and lounge in bed ….. perhaps forever …… feeling (if not looking) absolutely fab-uuuuuuu-lush!!!!!!
However, I did have some time during the summer holiday, when the school was empty to spread myself out, make as much mess as I liked, without any time restriction …… my brief was to “recreate” the Skogafoss waterfall which we were fortunate enough to visit during our A Level Geography trip to Iceland at Easter. 
…… and the water fall was made using layers and layers of white bin liners and shredded plastic sheeting.
The cliffs either side of the fall were the hardest to do, I am rubbish at perspective and I was doing this all by free hand and eye, constantly looking at the pictures I had …… 
…… So I just got several lengths of black and green poster roll and cut them roughly to the shape of the rocks and then screwed them up to create something that resembled the texture of the rock.
Next followed lots and lots of chalking and charcoaling and rubbing out, again trying to capture the texture. It was at this stage I began to hallucinate!!! Sometimes when I am working really close to something I need to just walk away from it and then come back to it, standing back and seeing it with fresh eyes.
And when I did, the next day, I could see where I was going and realised there wasn’t that much more to do.
I added a few very basic figures to try and give it some perspective 
And then I had to try and get it onto the board in one go, single handedly!!!! 
And, if it didn’t fit or look right, I didn’t have a clue what I would have done.
But it did, and I was dead chuffed.
If I may say, the pictures do not do justice to the depth and flow of the water ………… all those layers gave it a sort of fluidity and life …..
….. well, that’s my opinion any way!!!Today I thought I might just get my Silhouette out as Marc is always nagging me to use it more and after seeing what The Equally Lovely Denise makes with hers ……. I was going to look at what I have in my library and perhaps make a simple card or two …….
…… but still nothing! Agh … I know I don’t use it as often as I should but it’s a handy piece of kit to have lurking in the background …. I have messaged Silhouette, who have always been quite helpful in the past ….. but at present it is most annoying …. is it a problem anyone else has had.?
And I am wanting this lantern (£5) which would look great at the bottom of my garden sitting on a gnarled tree trunk stump! http://www.wilko.com/halloween-decorations+lights/wilko-halloween-spooktacular-pumpkin-tealight-holder-terracotta/invt/0334938
Also ……. Christmas jumpers are now rearing their head in Primark (men's dept.) I wandered round with the light up Christmas Pudding for about 20 minutes before putting it back …. as I kept on reasoning that I really do have enough Christmas jumpers ….. and the ones with lights were £18. But ……. I might, just might have to go back!!!!
They had a other designs priced at £9 which were musical …….. and this year the designs aint half bad!
As I said the other day this Christmas I am determined to make a HUMUNGUS dent in my Christmas embellishment collection and in making these cards I managed to use up all the HobbyCraft foil stickers I had left over from last year, plus the last of the smaller snowflakes from a disassembled garland I found in a charity shop (also last year).
I haven’t made a nine square card for ages but Marc has been nagging and I have to admit although fiddly they are a brilliant way of using up all your odd, small stickers and embellishments etc.
I’ve also gone up a size on my cards to 6” x 6” which are a little out of my comfort zone, but again, I have a pile of larger envelopes that need to be used up.
The squares on the card each measure 1.25ins and are mat and layered on red and white panels, finished off with white faux stitching using a white Uni-ball Signo gel pen.
Twelve phials of caviar ….. or, if you are a crafter, micro-beads, but I was looking at them for possibly using them as charms on jewellery or as an embellishment on tags (I am still working on that idea), The only thing I need to do to them is take out the stoppers and spray them gold as the plastic just aint working!
With my mojo currently in overdrive my craft room is now being given a right old bending, for a while, when my mojo was flagging, I admit to only using it to use my computer to write my Monkey blog. Working in such a small area has taken some getting used, I confine a project to the turquoise mat, with my tools etc. around me. When Marc was with me, we worked in the front room (as I do for large projects) and all the crafty stuff has to follow! 
But, it does keep me disciplined and on track, I can’t get everything out and lay stuff all over the floor like I used to in my old room and I have to make sure everything is left tidy at the end of a crafting session …… that way everything feels fresh to start or continue a project the next day ….. 
I do find having my A4 card/paper in stacks on the shelves instead of in drawers frustrating though, sometimes finding a sheet of card can be such a palaver, but as far as I can see, at the moment that’s the only way it can be done.
BUT ……. since I discovered that I can indulge in my guilty pleasure Columbo on my tablet on demand ….. I can spend even longer in my craft room and crafting. Usually, on a Saturday afternoon rain stops play when there is a Columbo double bill on 5USA and I’d have to go downstairs to watch it ….. but now ……. now I can do both!! Life just keeps on getting betterer and betterer!
So …… what you need to get started is a pack of battery tea lights from any Poundshop, they usually come in sets of four. 
It took me quite while to work out a basic set of templates for the hat, but got there in the end …… and once I got that right, decided to go the whole hog and added confetti holly and flat backed pearl berries!
The face was easy, as I had just bought a couple of packets of black flat backed pearls for my gingerbread men from http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Lardysticks-Larder?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 – size 4mm for the mouth and 5mm for the eyes. I glued the gems straight onto the tea light with a woodwork PVA.
I could have added a magnet to the back of my snowmen to make them fridge magnets but in the end I decided to stick a pendant loop on the back of the bobble so that the snowman could be hung. I have visions of one hanging in the front window of a car.
Anyway, that’s my take on a very popular idea ….. as I said at the beginning, just Google the idea to see the different variations.
I was thinking, wouldn’t they look lovely in the gaps between Christmas bunting hung by a small peg or what about on a wreath??????
But ….. although dated 11th January 2014 …. I thought I would just add this as an extra post ……. especially as I believe The Boyz are still there!!!!!
What are they like?
Then, a voice in my head reminded me of some lace papers that I know I have had stashed away, untouched, since I bought them at least ten/twelve years ago …… if only I could remember where …… after about 15mins I found them, if my idea worked they would be perfect ……….
I cut a piece of each paper to fit each jar, and then sprayed it with a little adhesive spray and gently eased it round each jar as carefully as I could praying that it wouldn’t tear …….
……… but, despite it’s fragile appearance the paper was quite robust . Once in place I then painted the paper with a layer of PVA. This was when I started praying as it all looked awfully thick and lumpy …. I knew that PVA dries clear ….. but I hoped the delicate effect of the paper wouldn’t be lost.
I then added some fluffy rustic twine round the top with a mother of pearl button, I am so, so, chuffed! 
…….. But if money was no object and I had a house that would take such a lamp/s…… I could be sorely tempted!!!!!! 
But, as it is, my bijou and humble Wolverhampton mansion is, for the moment, safe from (in some peoples eyes) such atrocities !!!!!!!
