………. Too Exciting For Words ……..

As you may have realised I, along with three monkeys are mahoooooooosive fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, as is Marc’s partner Rick.  Last year we both tried so hard to get tickets, I even played hookey from work to make sure I was on the ticket hotline as it opened, not once, but twice, to hell with the consequences (my mind was already made up to leave anyway!!!), but tickets sold out within 20 mins, so that was that, we resigned ourselves to the three of us watching it in Worcester together in the Christopher family retreat …… where Marc put so much booze in every single layer of his chocolate trifle, I felt that I could almost sing all the entries in their native tongue!!!

So back in November I hadn’t given tickets for the 2016 contest much thought, it seemed too early, but imagine how I felt when Rick text me this message ……….

OMG?  Interested? Hmmmm I need to check my diary …………. not!! It seems that Rick joined a fan site that gave him prior warning of the sale ……..

I was so excited I nearly stopped breathing ……. but it was still an anxious wait for both of us as Rick awaited the official confirmation …….

It’s not the final final on the Saturday night, it’s the Jury Final on the Friday night, so it’s minus the voting, but Rick decided that if tried to get final tickets, he would probably not get them and then get locked out of the site, only to have to try all over again and risk not getting any tickets for any show at all!  But this also means that we can still watch the event in Stockholm and be amongst the crowds.

With the tickets bought I set about booking a hotel, I think Rick was a little surprised at my speed of my work, but I reasoned  that everyone else would be doing the same and prices would certainly soar if we cleft it much longer, however, should we find a better deal in the ensuing months then I can canceI   ……

However, I think I may happen to burst before then!!!!!

No Resolutions for 2016 …….. I'll Be Too Busy ...........Just Roll On The Good Times!!

It has taken a year and about four days to keep my one and only resolution of 2015 and that was to sort out all my addresses from my old Lavender address book to a new “romantic” French one given to me by the Lovely Laura’s mum for Christmas last year (2014)!  That’s why I don’t do resolutions!!!

However, Lucy and I decided a little while ago instead of presents etc. we would “do” experiences  through holidays and weekends away.  So Harrogate is already booked for February, neither of us has been there before so it will be quite an adventure.

Before Christmas we went to Liverpool, originally to see Reeves and Mortimer, but unfortunately the event was cancelled because Bob Mortimer had to undergo heart surgery, despite this we had such a fantastic time we decided we really needed to do the touristy thing sometime in the new year, including a bus tour and a ferry ‘cross the Mersey…….. and as I type this another weekend has been booked to see Ross Noble, though I think another longer weekend will also be booked.

Because I am no longer ruled by taking my main break in the school holidays we can now book holidays out of season, when they are considerably cheaper, so hopefully we plan to visit a Greek Island to be decided in May, and perhaps a trip to Spain in late September/early November, selling, buying and moving houses permitted!!

Then …… what I really, really want to do, along with three very excited monkeys go to the Bridge Cafe in London where the losing team from The Apprentice go to after they have had their mauling in the boardroom with Lord Sir Alan Sugar …… Marc says that it isn’t too far from him, so it has to be done this year!!!!

BUT there’s more ………. not just a plan ……. the next visit is for REAL!!!!!!!!

Fiddle Fart Update

First of all …HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

…… and a HUGE apology, I am afraid today’post was written right up to my midnight deadline. I got to Evesham, without the pictures I wanted to illustrate a couple of January updates with …… so today, if it isn’t cheating, I thought I would show you some of the lovely handmade cards I received over Christmas, the cards I always keep, because it is always so special when someone actually makes you a card, and also for inspiration.

I am a crafty chicken and very rarely venture away from the style/format I feel comfortable with, but having an example of someone else’s work in my hand to see how they have put it together, their choice of colours, layers, embellishments etc. often helps to inspire me to occasionally veer from my comfort zone, especially when it comes to stamping ……. something I have never really got the hang of!

The reindeer card with jewelled antlers came from Denise, the Lovely Laura’s mum, cut on her Silhouette, a very under used tool of from my own crafty arsenal!  I have to confess that the only time I “use” mine is to switch it on now and again to check that it is still working after it wouldn’t load about a year or so ago and it took me ages after countless e-mails to Silhouette to sort out!  I think the last time I used it properly was for Tom and Laura’s wedding back in August 2012, which is disgraceful!  Marc is always nagging me about just download the free templates every month, even if  I don’t make anything, I promise, I will try harder!

The second card was from my friend Sarah, made I think, by her mum.  It was the wooden heart on this that made me think of trying to do a bit of doodling on some of the blank hearts I have squirrelled away. I might have to be careful of what pens I use as they could bleed into the wood and would obviously have to be fine tipped on work so small.

This card is from “Tilly”, the centre is printed but I think that Christine has added a little translucent micro glitter to some of the leaves, and the owls wings and hat.  The centre was then mat and layered on a very pretty, pale blue candy cane and star paper with punched silver snowflakes in the corners.

The next card is from Krafty Karen who, if I am correct, always sends me a monkey orientated card. There is so much work in this card, the stamped centre, with, that Christmas “must have” translucent micro glitter on the hat and bobble and then perforated holes all round the edges. This has then been mat and layered three times on plain blue and then two styles of square die cuts, with added tickets (stamped) in the one corner and red flat back gems to finish the whole design.  This is the card I would love to do, but my version would look like a dogs breakfast!

Diane’s card also uses another one of my much underused tools, embossing folders, I have quite a few, and was once mad for them, but when I used them they never, ever looked right!  I am thinking about putting some of them for sale, as if I haven’t used them in the past ermmmmmmm, two years at least, what is the chance of me using them this year?

You know me and Kraft card and paper, I just love the whole effect.  This card was from Lynne (and Archie her adopted Monkey) plus the boys and girls of the Burghead Breakfast Club.  I just love it, it’s so simple and soooooo effective ,  I think the lettering may be die cut and the holly and berries possibly punched(?)

And finally, last but not least,  I love, love, love this card, from which I will definitely be pinching elements, as soon as I saw it, it screamed Elizabeth Shaw mint!!!!! So watch this space ......