Our Happy Halloween!

Here is the first Halloween cake that I've ever made, and the first attempt at piping all over a cake as well, lol, it tastes good, so it was a good effort. Darryl says he could eat the whole thing himself!

Above is Matthew waiting for his first victims to turn up at the door... and they started early this year - 5pm, so it was still half an hour away from getting dark. We went our at 6.40pm, in our street to just three houses, and then on to Merce's but she wasn't in, then on to his friend Jack's street where his mum told us to go to about another 5 or 6 houses, then we walked through the next street to ours and he got some more goodies. It was a good night. We only had 3 lots of kids turn up; I think they came while we were out for half an hour. We even moved the pumpkin to the window so people could see we were participating!

And now there's me and Matthew when we'd been out trick or treating... it's the first time I'd put any Halloween make up on myself... I know it's just a little bit of fake blood, but I felt more the part, lol.

Above is Matthew and his dad being daft - both tucking into the new goodies!

Below is Darryl just after getting home from work. One of his supervisors painted his face and gave him the hat to wear out of the shop - looks like I'll be wearing a hat next year too then!

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Dawny's Sketch #01

My entry for Papertake Weekly Challenge. This is my first time of entering a card with them.

I made the card for Justin. He'd already given me instructions for the rubber stamp he wanted me to use, and also the background papers, lol. Let's hope he likes it!

I used...

Stamp - Magnolia Santa, and Cuddly Buddly greetings stamp.

Dovecraft papers, and various cardstock from stash.

Two tiny bells.

Kanban jewels.

Snow writer for the beard etc and covered with glamour dust for sparkle., and red Stickles for the holly berries.

Holly punch.

Anita's Merry Christmas ribbon.

Click on the photo for a much better view.

Here is Matthew with todays creations. He got fed up pretty soon after this photo was taken.

Ok, so my end is on the left, and Matthew's on the right... which end is the tidiest?? LOL! He always has his stuff nicely positioned whereas mine is on top of each other, on chairs, and the floor... perhaps he should give me lessons.

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Sparkle & Bling challenge

This weeks challenge at A Spoon Full of Sugar is to add sparkle and bling! I love sparkle and bling... so here's my entry. I know there's two cards, but Cheryl at work wants two black and white Christmas cards so I made them together. 

I've added Stickles diamond glitter to the snowman, Father Christmas, and yellow Stickles to the star on the snowman, and both cards have the odd bling (jewel).

I used the snowflake cuttlebug embossing folder, again in my trusty old Sizzix. I cut the little reindeers, the stars, and the polar bear from the Joys to the Season Cricut cartridge, and the scalloped edge mats with the Storybook cartridge.

Stamps are Magnolia, and Cuddly Buddly greetings.

And here is Matthew making his cards as well. He coloured in a Santa card, just next to his mug on the photo, and now he's sticking a green felt Christmas tree to the next card. He is using the little kit that we bought for him in the pound shop yesterday. Bargain!

So the weekend came, the weekend went...

A&E was busy busy busy, well on Saturday it was. Cheryl had the mother of all hangovers on Saturday... so I had to "carry" her for most of the day. She finally livened up at 3.30!!! I REALLY do NOT understand why anyone would possibly want to get drunk every weekend and go to work. I'm not tee-total, I do like to have the ODD drink... you know, maybe a couple in the evening two or three times a week, and it really is a couple as well. Having said that, I haven't had any for over a week, lol. So... if anyone knows what the thrill is of getting so drunk every week that you can't remember how you got home, when you went to bed, and spend the next day like the living dead and having to throw up every hour or so, coz I think I'm missing something by not finding that fun??? What is it???? 

Aside from that...

Pat absolutely LOVED the mug, and everyone (I say everyone, but figure of speech really), came out to have a look at it. We also got a lovely big slice of cake in the afternoon. 

A father of one of Matthew's school friends was admitted to A&E (Accident and Emergency is what we call the Emergency Room here in the UK) unconcious. No one knew why he was unconcious and it was suspected that he could of had a stroke. He is 40 years old. 

Today me and Matthew have been into town and bought the pumpkin. I also bought a couple of other bits. Some small Christmas crackers for the Christmas trees, some Christmas present 3d labels, a glittered bag for Abby's presents to go in, and Matthew got a Christmas card making kit which he said he will use later. We also always buy a Christmas tree decoration every year, and today we found some lovely silver snowflakes for £1.50 so we bought those. 

I'm not sure what else we'll get up to today. I'm watching No Angels on Virgin tv's Video on Demand at the moment. I never watched it when it was first on, but I love it! Good job I have the whole 3 series to watch now.

Thanks to all the regular visitors of my blog. I try to visit lots every day, although don't always comment, but there are some great blogs out there.

A Ghost ship!

I just had to take a photo of this dad after school today. As most of you are aware, it was a day to dress up as pirates in school today - they've been learning about pirates this term. So when I saw Sean's dad, Will, I just had to take this photo. Will is a Ghost Ship! How fab is that???! I couldn't get over how great he looked. I love the lookout thingy on top of his head, and the gold ladder/rope thingies down his legs, the sails, just brilliant!

Friday Sketchers sketch 25

Here is my entry to the Friday Sketchers sketch 25 challenge. I used an old snowman stamp for this one, and Forever Friends papers with plain Bazzill cardstock as well. I'm making a lot of blue Christmas cards this year it seems, lol.

A mug and a pirate!

Here is Matthew this morning, dressed up as a pirate. The bandana is an arm sling which I got from A&E at work. I also drew a skull and crossbones on it just before he went.

And here is the mug that me and Cheryl had done for Pat who's retiring from our restaurant at the hospital this weekend. I have put some teabags, coffee, sugars, and various fruit teas inside the mug also... she'll love it! LOL!

I've been tagged!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG I've been tagged! First an award, now a tagging! 

Ok, ok... breathe in....... breathe out..... 

Right, here goes...

I have been tagged by Tab! Thanks Tab x (Check out her blog she has some really fab cards on there, with Magnolia's so even better!).

Here's the rules!

1.Link your tagger and list the rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your log, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of the post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4. Let them know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here's 7 facts about me...

1. I met my partner, Justin, in an online chatroom almost 10 years ago, so it goes to show that we're not all weirdo's... or at least we don't let it show, lol.

2. I'm terrified of heights - which gets me out of changing any cubicle curtains in A&E, coz even a chair is too high.

3. My favourite place in the whole world is................. home! 

4. I HATE leaving any baked beans in a can... I have to keep shaking the can to get them all out.

5. My favourite song is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd.

6. I believe I have seen a UFO.

7. I also believe I have seen a ghost, standing in the doorway of my bedroom when I lived with mum and dad, and no, it wasn't either of them!

And now, 7 people I have tagged...

Jeannie.

Paula.

Marion.

Winnie.

Totty.

Shell.

Debbie.

An eye and a fence.

Hmmm... well the wind finally won and knackered the fence, AGAIN! This is the view into nextdoors garden. The wind had been threatening to take it down for a few weeks and it had hung on for a lot longer than we thought it would. Justin had to remove the centre post and take down completely the two panels. Another panel and post need removing, but ex hubby is going to do that for us when he puts up another fence. Must go to Westend DIY tomorrow and check prices... I got the last lot from them as their delivery price is under a fiver, unlike Homebase and their £15!

And below is Matthew. He bumped heads with Ross at school just before they came out. He cried when he saw me. You can't really tell from the photo, but his eye is beginning to go black now... he's got to dress up as a pirate tomorrow at school, so that will save me making an eye patch!

OOooOOooOoo, and I'm so excited!!!!!!!! Just saw an ad on telly for Celebrity Scissorhands starting again on Sunday night... I hope Steve Strange is on it again, SO FUNNY!!!

Blog Award

I was awarded this from Marion Thanks Marion!!!

The Rules of this award are...

1. The winner can put the logo on their blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated. 

I am awarding this to... and in no particular order. 

Helena

Lynsey

Sue

Claire

Inge

Debby

Julie

I love all of the above blogs, and visit them daily, and more than once. I love all of the creative things that they have to show us, and all of the little stories too. 

I haven't awarded any of my friends, mainly because they know I love their blogs already.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge.

This weeks challenge over at Cute Card Thursday is to make a card with either stars on it, or something spooky. I chose stars. 

I used that favourite santa stamp of mine, and the Cricut Expressions came out to cut the silver glittered stars, and the corner swirly thingy top right, oh, and the other swirly thing on the bottom on the right. I also used my Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder in my sizzix.

Other news.

I still have "Man Flu" and I can't stop sneezing!! I'd lost my voice this morning which I'm sure pleased them here - stops me yelling at Matthew to "PLEASE go and clean your teeth!!" and "HURRY UPPPPPP!" lol. Anyway, it's back now, which is good coz I have parents evening at 4pm with Matthew's teacher later today. 

2nd card of the day!

Here is the second card I've made today. I'm surprised I've made two, being as I have a cold and not feeling that great. Justin had a half day so cooked the dinner for us tonight... awww. I'm going to make cherry crumble and custard in about 15 minutes, but thought I'd upload this latest creation.

I found the little Christmas tree charm in my stash and thought I'd hang that from one of the flowers.

Sketch Saturday Challenge 18th October

Here is my first time challenge on the Sketch Saturday challenge blog. I used my one and only House Mouse stamp which I love. 

I have no idea of who made these papers as I bought them in a folder this morning. I do know that the patterned one beneath the stamp is Dovecraft.

I had intended to use a Magnolia snowman stamp, but just as I'd finished colouring, almost... I thought I'd just add a bit of colour to his body around the bottom... and then completely ruined it, lol. Oh well... 

Friday Sketchers challenge - Christmas Forever Friends.

Here is my entry for the Friday Sketchers challenge blog. It's the first card I've made in over a week! I do love these stamps!!

I used...

Forever Friends stamp from one of the packs for £9.99

Papers were from the Forever Friends pack, and also Dovecraft papers.

Cuddly Buddly greeting stamps.

Cricut for scalloped circle. Punch for the holly. A Kanban jewel, and organza ribbon from stash.

Woohoooooooo... I have a...

I love your blog thingy from Marion, so I shall have a think about who I want to give it to as well and will post as soon as I can. Thanks Marion! XX

Paula and Mark's visit!

Well, Paula and Mark came round today after Paula's visit to the hospital. Mark was his normal joyful self, bless his cottons. He absolutely LOVED my lemon cake and wants another one made for next time. Ok... honestly... he DID like it, but said it resembled cheese on top (runny burger cheese, lol), although didn't taste like it! It was slightly harder than last night, but that was coz it had been stored in the fridge. He was a good little fellow though coz he fixed my cross stitch stand again that had fallen apart again this morning. He had a good play with the Music on Demand on me telly delighting both myself and Paula with his chosen tracks. 

Here he is hard at work below.

Me and Paula swapped a few crafty things. Paula had got some extra rubber stamps that she'd acquired and gave me those - gorgeous leafy scrolly designs and text. Paula took some Whispers layering templates, and some Morsels stamps and I've forgotten what they're called... the little stamps that you stamp on top of each other... ohhhhh, grrrrrrr... Paula, what are they??? lol

I'm cooking the dinner, so unless I want to feed them charcoaled parsnips, I'd better keep my eye on it.

Lemon Drizzle cake

Yeah I know it looks a bit too much drizzle, more of a downpour, lol. I also went wrong on the butter icing in the middle. I can't believe what a plonker!!!! I have made butter icing LOTS of times... only this time instead of icing sugar I stupidly used caster sugar, lol... oh well, it tastes delicious all the same. Nice and lemony. I'm sure Mark (Paula's hubby) will like it whatever I went wrong on.

WIP Father Christmas

Here's where I'm up to on the Father Christmas cross stitch. I've done quite a bit today as Matthew was still off school - back tomorrow tho!

Paula. I'm making a lemon sponge cake tonight, coz there's only enough Bakewell for Justin left... and it's his favourite, so you'll have to have a slice of that when you come over tomorrow!!

Football is on the telly again tonight. I think I'll probably be either stitching or crocheting. Hopefully next week I'll get a couple of cards made.

Well it's sausage, egg, chips and beans for dinner, how's that for a banquet?

Bakewell tart anyone?

Matthew has been off school today. For most of yesterday he was complaining of a headache and tummy ache, and he had a cough. This morning he woke up with a temperature and still had a headache, so he stayed home. 

We've been watching dvd's today - The third series of The Royle Family, and our home dvd of Christmas 2007! 

I made a Bakewell tart! I've only ever made one before, so thought I'd have another go today.

Recipe for the spongey bit - I cheated and bought a pastry case.

2oz (50g) Self Raising Flour

2oz (50g) Caster Sugar

2oz (50g) Butter

2 tablespoons of milk

2 teaspoons of almond essence 

Layer of jam.

Shove the lot (apart from the jam) into a bowl and give it a good ole whiz till it's light and fluffy. Spread out a layer of jam - preferrably raspberry, but strawberry will do, onto the pasty base and then pour in the sponge mix. Cook in the centre of a preheated oven at about 160 for 20 minutes. 

When it's cool, mix some icing sugar, teaspoon of almond essence, and a little water, depending on the consistency that you want to spread on the top of the sponge. Add cherries to decorate.

Last night I did some more of my cross stitch, and yesterday was taken up with crocheting the blanket. I expect I'll do more of the same tonight due to football being on the telly!!

And, I did want to do the Friday Sketchers challenge this week too.

My current Work's in Progress.

This is the blanket so far that I'm making for Merce at work. I had to go and buy the other three balls of wool today, but they didn't have anymore of the same pink, so I had to get another shade, but it's very close and Merce said it would be ok to use that one. So here we are, this is how far I've got with it. I have the current ball of the original pink to use, then three of the new shade and then six of the fluffy black eyelash wool.

The two photos below are of my cross stitch that I'm working on. I had a bit of a disaster with the stand last night though. There is a strip of wood that is there to sort of keep the top bit at an angle (I'm good at describing eh?!), and part of it had split... I started searching online for another one, then decided to get my hot glue gun out. Not only had the wood split, but when the lamp and the chart holder were added - even though they are made by the same company for this stand, it made the whole top bit top heavy, and it couldn't cope... so I hot glued the lot, lol, and now it's solid as a rock! 

Anyway... the top photo here shows the chart I'm following and the stand etc, and the bottom one shows how far I've got with it. I tend to work more on the blanket though, just to get it finished and out of the way... 

 Normal gossip...

Cheryl was really hungover yesterday at work. Normally she "comes to" by the afternoon, but this time it took till 4pm for her to look remotely human again... although she didn't seem too bad for the first half an hour of the day. I really couldn't do what she does most weekends. I like to be alert every day! She tells me I'm sad because I don't go out to the pub!! I think she's jealous coz I spend every evening with my partner and she doesn't hers. If that makes me sad, then I'm happy with that, lol. She's just a mad woman who needs HRT I think. She loves me really, or so she says. 

A & E was MANIC! I said it wouldn't be so quiet. We had an RTA come in so that livened an already lively day up. 

I'm overworked!!!!

I have been working on a blanket for Merce at work... but now wants another 6 balls adding to it... blimey! It's crochet, so quicker than knitting, but it still takes LOTS of time. I'm also cross stitching as well.  I'm doing Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas. I shall have to take some pics and upload as I progress... no time for cards at the moment - bit of a pain what with Christmas coming up!

Thanks for all your comments, have a great weekend!! Thank full A & E was quiet today, bet it won't be tomorrow.

Santa card.

Tonight I have made another Christmas card using the gorgeous Father Christmas stamp. I keep meaning to do another challenge, then totally forget!! I'm also TRYING to find a card using this stamp on a blog recently using blue papers. I commented on it, and now I can't find the blog!!! ARRGGHHH!

I used...

Stamps - Santa stamp (forgotten company), Cuddly Buddly round stamp.

Dovecraft papers.

Organza ribbon.

Kanban jewels.

Holly punch.

Cricut Storybook for circle scalloped frame.

Prismacolors for colouring.

Other news...

We had some of the tea leaf tart and it was gorgeous! I also made some chocolate sauce to go with it... first attempt not bad! I made some basic white sauce, added sugar and drinking chocolate powder and it was lovely! I say lovely... bit lumpy, lol, but that was coz I'd added the powder to the mixture after it had all thickened. What I should have done was mixed it with a little hot water first to mix the chocolate powder, then added it. Still, it was lovely all the same. Justin ate it all, and he's my biggest critic when it comes to my cooking.

Tea Leaf Tart or Fudge Tart.

I've just made a tea leaf tart. Remember what we used to have if you had school dinners?? It was accompanied by chocolate sauce (hot chocolate blancmange). Some people used to call it fudge tart. Well here's the recipe!

Ingredients.

1/2 a pint of milk

2oz  (50g) marg

2oz (50g) sugar

1 and a 1/4 oz (38g) plain flour

2 teaspoons of vanilla essence

Chocolate to grate

Method.

In a saucepan put the milk and marg, heat until the marg melts, then add the vanilla essence. Add the flour and sugar and stirring all the time, bring to the boil while it thickens. Pour the mixture into a ready made sweet pastry case - I bought one from Sainsburys, of course you could always make a 7 inch one yourself, but I couldn't be bothered with the hassle. 

When it's cold, grate chocolate on the top and put in the fridge. YUMMY!

Card for Sunday evening.

I made this card tonight for a lady called Pat who works in the restuarant at work. Pat is retiring at the end of October. 

I used...

Forever Friends stamp.

Bazzill and Dovecrafts papers/cardstock.

Prima flowers.

Kanban jewels.

Cuttlebug embossing folder (in my sizzix)

Hearts and scalloped frames cut with Storybook Cricut cartridge.

A Forever Friends Snowman.

Here's a quickie card for tonight. I say quickie, but it still took me an hour to make from scratch what with having to stamp it and colour it! 

I used the gorgeous little Forever Friends snowman stamp that comes in the 12.99 pack along with another stamp, papers, stickers etc. I love these FF stamps.

At work today I saw the tiniest little baby girl ever, she was soooo cute bless her in Special Care Baby Unit. You could of held her in your hand and she had the tiniest little face, awww... she had a quilt over her incubator to keep the light off of her. I hope she does well. It makes you wonder how they survive when you see them SO tiny.

Anyone for cake?

I made this this afternoon, a lovely gooey chocolate cake. Trouble is, me being me, "licked" out the bowl and the spoons, and the mixer blade thingies, and now I feel sick...

Vet Prescripton charges...

- are about to come into force again. 

In 2005 it became law that a vet couldn't charge you for writing a prescription, on the 1st of November, that is to come to an end.

I received a letter from my vet today to tell me that I shall now be charged £9.50 per prescription. It is for the expertise and the time it takes to produce this prescription. One of our dogs is on Florinef tablets, and Prednisolone for Addisons Disease, so each prescription is the same each month (for the last 5 years!)... so not much expertise needed every month surely??? Or every three months, we get a repeat one valid for three months. Anyway, I phoned them up and yes, I will have to pay that amount each time. Luckily it's per prescription and not per item as on NHS prescriptions. It's a pity it's not like the NHS though, being as Sophie has a condition and on the NHS this would be free... 

I was quite surprised to read that back in 2005, vets were charging between £0 and £30 per prescription! Vets can charge precisely what they like, as I found out this year with two dogs suffering from Pyometra which meant both had to have hysterectomies within 3 months of eachother, yet £200 extra the second time. 

I just have to add. I'm shocked! I'm SHOCKED at Paula for DUNKING battenburg cake in her coffee....... there is no hope for her. They're coming to take her away ha haa.

Here's a better link for the cuddly lamb and other cuddlies that you heat in the microwave. I got Matthew's lamb today, it's SOOOO cuddly. I love it... and it smells of lavendar as well. I want one for me tooooooooooooooooooo!

Sorry, just to clarify on the vet prices coz Shell didn't realise. The prescription price doesn't include the pills, they can be up to £30 depending if I get them from the expensive vets, or Boots. 

Yet more candy!!

Over at Elf-Creations. Emma has some fantastic Christmas candy to give away. Too much to mention, so go over and have a look. While you're there, have a look at the rest of her wonderful creations as well!

40th birthday for Joyce

Here it is! I was quick wasn't I?! Does it show??? I hope not... although my cards never turn out the way I'd hoped they would when they go from my head to reality. I do love this stamp. It's from the gorgeous Forever Friends stamps, and I stamped it in Tim Holtz Distress Ink in walnut, and just used a water brush to colour it in from the outline itself. I added some Prismacolor to the roses for a hint of colour.

Here's a link for the sheep Beddy Bear... it's out of stock at the moment... and just think, they've got loads of this continental market... I have to get get one!! Paula, there's also Cuddles the Cow on there too, now he's cute!

My aim for today...

... is to make a 40th birthday card for my supervisor who's errrr 40 in a couple of weeks!! I also need to make a goodbye, been nice knowing you card as well. So I'd best get to it... in a bit.

I went into town with Darryl today, and there's a Continental Market on the market square today, and for the next 3 days. Anyway, I spotted a teddy bear stall!! They were called Beddy Bears...awwww, and the blokey on there gave me one to cuddle... oOOooOooh, it was gorgeous! It was on of those lavender filled ones that you put in the microwave, and I've now fallen in love with the sheepy one. I didn't have my bank card on me, shame, so I will go back again tomorrow and get one for Matthew for Christmas. I know he seems abit old for cuddly things to take to bed, lol, so I might just nick it if he doesn't want it. 

Well watch this space, there SHOULD be a card uploaded here later today. But, so's you don't get too bored waiting, here's one I made earlier... bout 3 0r 4 years earlier. I've always loved this card, pity about the picture of it though. It was rubber stamped and stamped a bit more, and a bit more to layer it. Even the little stockings hanging off the chimney breast were 3d'd as was the little puddy tat on hearth! And lots of glitter added as well.

Ok... off I go then.

Blog Candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know we all love blog candy, and here's a gorgeous one, just look at the stamp, and the papers are sooooo yummy!!! It's over at Dollie Dewdrops, so make sure you have a good look at her blog too, it's worth the visit!

Gggrrr @ Background!!!

I thought I'd get a nice pink and black background, which I love... but I can't find the html that puts the blue one up there first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I changed the background a while ago, but I think the Cutest Blog people only use the new way to add a background, so I can't find the old way!!!!!!! HELPPPP