Out with the Old...In with the New...

It is New Year's eve and I shall be bidding farewell to 2006 and welcoming in 2007.

As we live quite close to the Thames it is tradition that we stand outside at Midnight and listen to the horns of the tugs and other vessels on the river. We usually bash saucepans too but as we have a new set of pans I think something else will have to be found (can't see DH being too thrilled at his new toys being bashed and battered before he has had a chance to play with them...!).

I have loved my crafting this year and only wish that I had been able to spend more time doing the things that I love. My craft room is in need of some organisation and I really do need a decent size work surface - perhaps these are things I can work towards in 2007.

I have been very lucky with the various tools and gadgets that my Mum has bought me this year (she is a crafter at heart but her health prevents her doing the things that she would like to) and she is ever supportive of my efforts and the results - Love you Mum !!!

2007 - what new things will this hold ?

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. Toni :o)

Just How many have I done...???

I found this list on another blog - Life is Scrap (link can be found to the right) - I have been through and highlighted items that I have actually done. Quite surprised myself at just how many I have done over the course of my life.

Please feel free to copy and paste the list to your blog but let me know so I can drop by and see how you have faired with the list...

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
2. Swam with wild dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain (albeit a small one)
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said “I love you’ and meant it
9. Hugged a tree (too much watching Ground Force, me thinks)
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites (forgot the Roman aquaduct in Southern France)
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch (forgot this one too, perhaps because they weren't very good...)
78. Won first prize in a costume contest (if this means fancy dress costume)
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children (or…raising children)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds (cumulatively, if you count pregnancy! lol!)
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school (took evening classes in English, History & Biology)
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes ... yum!
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

Waste not...

Every year I buy one of those slimline calendars for the kitchen and every year I throw away the envelope that comes with it - not this year !

Having attended crops/workshops involving the creation of mini albums using paper bags and envelopes I wondered what I could do with an envelope 6.5 x 14 inches. I made a Christmas card...

I had already given this to my Mum before I got the blog up and running so she very kindly let me borrow it so that I could scan the results. Just love the Bo-bunny winter papers. The scan doesn't show up all the detail as I would like, the glittery bits are much nicer in real life.

The envelope was folded in three so with the aid of the ribbons it is easy to secure it in a triangle shape which makes it far more stable for standing up. The envelope flap hides a pocket where some messages and memories are stored. Overall I was quite please with the finished result.

Merry Christmas...

It's Christmas Eve and just a few hours to go until Christmas Day (my Santa is still missing but I have my fingers crossed...). The elves have been with my new PJs, family tradition, and I am taking it easy for the rest of the evening - haven't started on the booze yet, just snuggled down with some lemon & ginger tea...

Just thought I would drop by to wish everyone a super Christmas and hope that you all get what you put on your Christmas lists.

Peace and goodwill to everyone (and no fighting over the last sausage roll...).

Love Toni :o)

Santa is missing...!

Yes, he really is but before everyone starts to panic and wonder how they are going to break the news about Christmas being cancelled perhaps I should clarify. THE Santa is fine and merrily working toward tomorrow's deadline (as far as I know), it is my Santa that has gone missing and I am feeling very sad...

Let me tell you about my Santa. When I was born both Mum and I were kept in hospital for quite a while, finally being discharged on Christmas Eve. Mum insisted that as I was home for Christmas I had to have decorations so she and Dad dashed to the shops to see what they could get - not very much so Mum tells me. Their prize find was a 10-inch cardboard Santa. MY SANTA.

Every year Santa has been unpacked and placed in a position of honour and then after the holidays carefully packed away again. He has survived numerous house moves and even my childish enthusiasm to brighten him up (I must have been about seven at the time) by liberally covering him in various colours of glitter. Luckily, very little stuck.

This year we had workmen in to change the windows and DH had a massive clearout. Concerned that Santa would be included in this I decided to put him somewhere safe. The safest place I could think of was my current scrapbook which also gave me the idea to come up with a page to scrap that Santa could be attached to - thought it was time he was allowed to retire. However, when I went searching for him yesterday he wasn't there...

I don't remember moving him, I can't find him tucked in any other scrap albums, he is not in any of my totes - tomorrow I think I am going to have another blitz and go through everything again...

In the mean time, I know it is short notice but.............

Dear Santa,
I have been a good girl this year and would be ever so grateful if you could help me find my Santa.
Love Toni xx (mince pies and carrots will be in the usual place)

Not my strong point...

As you can see from the photo, photography is not my strong point...I like to snap away but don't aways get the results I want. I could say that this is down to the camera used but then a good workman should never blame his tools, so I've been told.

So, this is not the best pic in the world but I wanted to post something that reflected a couple of the other crafts that I dabble in - ceramic painting and knitting. The sweetie pot and the squirel-baby were completed at a class I used to attend. The "Dona's" technique of building up colour can be time consuming and at times very frustrating but the results are worth it (although you might not be able to see that clearly from the pic). And knitting, what can I say about knitting. seems I have been in and out of fashion numerous times over the years just because I CAN knit but that doesn't stop me from picking up my needles from time-to-time. This year I have been playing with rather large needles and making those shaggy scarves that everyone seems to be going nuts about - most have gone as pressies for Christmas but this one I fell in love with because of the super Autumn shades. This one is mine all mine...

So thoughtful...

Last Christmas I went mad making loads of cards using CDs (you know, the ones that come though the letterbox or you find by the checkout at the supermarket) and gift tags. Well one of the recipients 'lifted' the idea for her Brownie pack and this year they made a load for their Christmas sale. Jan very thoughtfully purchased one of the cards to send me along with a lovely note thanking me for the idea. I was so touched.

Had to let you all see the card that I received and pay credit to the young lady who made it, Rachel.

Not only did I love the card but the colour was soooo me. As anyone who knows me can verify, all my crop totes are lavender and purple.....

Ouch...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't like this cold weather, no not one bit. Me and slippy-slidy things just do not go together!

At the moment I am finding it very uncomfortable sitting (don't want to hear anyone LOL) as I had a crash landing this morning after coming into contact with some black ice. Embarrassing or what ? One can never manage to do these things without an audience and what an audience...tons of kids on their way to school. Still, one Mum did express concern...

I can confirm for all that train seats are not very comfy when you have a bruised rear.

Here's hoping things will be better tomorrow..............

Ribbons & Envelopes...

I didn't believe that you could make something like this out of envelopes ! Still, always ready to give things a go I attended a crop at the start of the year where that was exactly what the project was made of. These photos are of an envelope book that I have completed since...think I got a bit carried away with the ribbons.

This ain't so easy.....

Talk about problems...there's me thinking I had done very well and set myself up a blog and then I found I couldn't get back into it - doh!

Think I have sorted it at last cos here I am merrily entering my gripe about not being able to get into my blog. Really think I need to get some help from someone who knows what they are doing......Nicola, heeeeeeeeeeeelp!!!

Done it..........!!!

Well here I go... Nicola has been on at me for ages to set up a blog so here it is. Very basic at the moment as I need to get to grips with all this technology, but I'm sure I'll be able to twist her arm to give me some pointers... :o)

I will have to think of something suitable as a background for my banner, but that can come as I learn a bit more about all this stuff.

I've visited other folks blogs and I often leave comments about their postings, but it seems weird finally putting something into print myself...eeeeeek!!! am I really doing this???

Well, no turning back - I'm up and running.............