WOYWW 418

It's Wednesday blogging time and once again we are baring our desks for all to see.  Well, those who do have a desk that is.  Mine varies from my knee to the kitchen worktop to the study (which I have taken over with all my craft stuff piled in it - or have I?).

We are finally back in our own bedroom, in our own bed and the spare bed has now become a sort of haven for craft things that were previously in different parts of the house.  So now my craft room is (temporarily) in the study  but still got things all over the house.

Received more lovely atc's so I thought I would show them all together so you can wonder at their loveliness once more:

latest one from Lisa

Top left, reading to right Margaret, Lynne, Shaz, Angela, Dolores, Jo, Jan, Annie, Sandra de (Sorry you ended up sideways on Jan).

Well, that is it from me craft-wise as I am saving something I have been doing, for Friday with Annie, and, of course, my journal page for tomorrow. So let's hop on over to Julia's blog and see what she and the others have to offer.  Toodle Pip for now.

ps final tweaks on the bathroom and then it will be finished.  It's been a bit of a nightmare for Tony and Christine but I had a "reveal" last night and I am well pleased with it - very minimalistic - just hope I can keep it that way.  Photos to follow.

Annies Smiles 223- The Bathroom Goes On

Not a lot to smile about in some ways but a lot in others.  I am housebound in a way because of the work going on in the house.  We have to leave the door open so they can go in and out to the garage and back where most of the materials are stacked so we don't feel like leaving the house totally unattended when the workers are here.  Hence me being housebound.

Various things happened like the plasterer not turning up which threw Tony a day behind with his plans but boy have they worked hard and long when they have been able to.  Only took Sunday off last weekend.  Now I have not to go in (no photos) as Christine has started doing the painting.  I have left it entirely up to her - yes, this duo do the painting as well.  Nothing to do when they leave and they clean up every night so no mess for me each evening.  

Not sure how far they are willing to travel but they come from Formby area, I think, and travel to us in Bolton each day.  Well pleased with them (sorry not meant to be an advert but  ....) - I just keep the "brews" flowing.

Hopefully next week I will have lots to smile about and this week I am smiling because he has got rid of the step in the bathroom.  Split level meant it jolted my hip every time I stepped down from the vanity units to leave the bathroom (loo on the bottom bit, washbasins on the top) but there is a down-side to that.  It was going to be a feature and have led lights in the step that I could change the colour of.  Was kind of looking forward to that but then it will be easier on me now and I am not going any younger.  Maybe a reveal next week!

So picture-wise what can I show you that makes me smile.  Chas has been in the little garden at the front, mown the lawn and is now busy weeding the garden bit.  Such a shame my poppies and the azalea have got battered by the rain yesterday, it was looking lovely.  And the peonies have totally been destroyed.

Just part of the front garden
We 'aint gardeners you can tell

Now to see what Annie and the others have been up to this week.

Jeudi Journal - Yellow (and my tribute to Manchester)

Ok Ok So we are supposed to be on a travel thing at the moment. Well, yes we are, or yes, I am, but I have stopped off in China for a short spell and am crafting away whilst there.  Today I/we are having Yellow as our theme for crafting.  (aside: Actually I cannot find anything with the craft room as it is, got most things to hand but forgot about country type stamps)

Last week, as you no doubt remember from the news we had a terrible bombing incident in Manchester which is only a few miles away from where I live and I was so upset and angry that this had happened that I decided I needed to do a tribute to Manchester and the victims of the terrible bombing.  This is what I did:  

I had already painted a page yellow and so I decided to work on that. I found a picture of Manchester's skyline and printed it out along with some hearts that sported the Union Jack.  The latter of which I altered in sizes before printing.  I then stamped some more balloons from my Crazy Birds Accessories and stamped three Dyary figures from Dylusions.

I tried to colour the skin of the three figures differently to represent the various nationalities in Manchester and stood them together along with a giant heart saying "we love Manchester".  There are 22 balloons all told in the sky, one for each of the victims who lost their lives in the bombing.  As you can see I kept the colours to those of the Union Flag and I tried to use colours appropriate to the people when colouring in their apparel.

As for such a sunny background - I hope that Manchester will rise once again from this and there will be sunny days ahead for every one.   God Bless all those who have suffered from that dreadful day.

WOYWW 417

What should I do first?  Show you my craft room or the lovely atc's I received last week?

OK atc's have won - here are the atc's I got from my swaps with the wonderful people on this group:

Lovely aren't they!  Starting top left (Margaret (Glitter&Glue); LLJ, Sandra de; Annie (Wipso), Jo (Twiglet), Shaz (Silver Wolf).  I won't show you the ones I sent because I forgot to take a photo of them all but I did manage to do a couple of them that weren't needed,  I will show you next week when I know everyone has got theirs.

Now for my craft room.  Think it is going to be a bit longer than first thought as the bathroom has taken a bit longer than originally estimated and ... I have decided to have a new floor in my craft room.  Christine, the other half of the bathroom company, is the designer behind things and she has decided that instead of just painting the one wall in my room we may as well refresh it by giving it a coat of paint all over.  That said, it now needs a touch of plastering on this one wall and she is happy to do it!

After taking so long to move all the craft stuff I decided that to move it all back and then do it again at some later stage would be silly - besides which I don't think I would do it!  Bang goes my share of the new bedroom money, my craft room is being done up, the bedroom will have to wait.  Bye Bye Big Strong Boys and your decorating - but not to worry I still have the memories - and the photos.

So once more my craftroom is non existent. Still using my knee to work on as well as the kitchen worktop.

Ready to pop over to Julia's and see what others got in the great atc swap?  Just follow this link.

Jeudi Journal - China

You may remember last week we did "Travel"as our theme and now we are off on our tour of the world.  Not in any particular order, no direct flights between places, but today we are in my favourite place - China.

Even though it is my favourite place, and I have lots of stamps I could have used, I wanted to keep it to Dylusion Stamps where possible so I ended up with a Willow Pattern Plate.  Had this idea in my head but it was difficult and so things have had to be adapted.

One tall lady, without her cheongsam (because Dylusions ladies do not have one), an umbrella used for her Asian hat and a pair of eyes with a slight Oriental look to them with a hand-drawn plate behind was the order of the day.  Two birds flying towards one another completed the picture on a previously painted blue page.

Now to see what Wendy has done and make sure we are both in the same country next week.

416 WOYWW and and ATC

First of all let me begin by saying my thoughts are with the people who have suffered in any way from the Manchester bombing.  

I remember 21 years ago only too well, as I was a teacher then, and Head of Careers and Industrial Coordintor for the school I was at.  I had children on work experience in Manchester at the time of the bombing.  I panicked and with 150 of them placed in industry all over I could not think which ones were likely to be working there that Saturday.  A quick dash to school, meet up with the Deputy Head and and hour or two checking the computer and ringing around saw all were safe. Thankfully most of the pupils were at a basketball rally (I think it was that) so well out of harm's way.

I cannot begin to imagine the awful hours that some families are having at the moment with loved ones missing or lying in a hospital bed - some critical.  I know how I felt all those years ago but to have a son/daughter/mother/father/any relative/friend/colleague hurt or worse still missing I cannot begin to imagine their feelings, the amount of tears that must have been shed.  All I know is that hearing some of the stories, seeing the bravery of all those people, the wonderful warmness that has gone alongside this tragedy has been heartwarming and it reduced me to tears on several occasions as I watched the story unfold.

God Bless Manchester and its people.  Stand together and stand strong.

Oh, hecky pecky - it's 8 wonderful years for Julia and it is also time to sign up for ATC's.  I have been a bit "muxed up" these past three weeks and I am no better now.  Those of you who have seen me on a regular basis will know that my craft room is in complete disarray due to the room next door being redone - the bathroom.  A connecting door has meant that my craft room has now got to be gutted as well.

Today I went in after the guys had left and looking around I had a brainwave.  We should not have the bathroom put in but rather have an archway (large) in the wall shared with the craftroom.  Imagine that - how lovely it would be to have a large craftroom - and a window!

craftroom as is now - empty

bathroom - door blocked off to craftroom

bathroom - an actual window with light

Not to be, so my crafting area has to be on my knee or, as yesterday, in the garden on the patio playing catch up in my Dyary.  Fell asleep so only one page done - well partly done!

Yes £110 to have my rings made smaller

Today I am going to get my paints out, my roller and make a background and then work on the pieces I cut out for my atc's.  Not sure how many I will make but if you want to swap just let me know in the comments and I will make them until I run out.  Might be late commenting - I have a date with a roller and some paint!

Well, time to wrap this up - Congratulations Julia on eight wonderful years.  So nice to see some of the 'old faithfuls' still joining in on a regular basis and lovely to have new people joining in.  Now to see what Julia has to say and check up on those atc swaps.

221 Smiles from Annie - Joining in Today

Today I am once more joining Annie with her smiles.

I have been away this week exploring beaches that I have not been to before and paying a visit to an old friend who I haven't seen in simply ages.

Where am I?

This is a notice that was in the foyer of the Premier Inn that we stayed at.  This is a massive clue to tell you where we were.  It's all to do with a ship going aground and the local people rescuing a monkey.  You can read all about it here.

This was the view from our window - we overlooked the Marina and had this sunset on our first night.

During the day we looked out and saw the Trincomalee which is Britain's oldest historic fighting ship still afloat.  We didn't go aboard but are saving that for another time when the weather is not as good. Even though it has been sunny it has not been that warm.  There has been a cool breeze most of the time although yesterday was very warm if you got out of the wind.

Despite it being a bit chilly we saw three people practising in the Marina on Wednesday evening. Just what for I have not a clue - they got out onto dry land on the opposite side of the Marina.  Had we been there we may have found out.  Below is the boat and the last swimmer who did more lengths (if you can call them that) than the others.

(below) the three of them

Wednesday turned to rain and as we were heading to Seaton Carew I thought I saw a a horse on the pavement.  I did ...

and I snapped him on the way back

We did a tour of the beaches yesterday, once more to Seaton Carew to Blackhall Rocks and Seaham.  I loved Seaham with it's little harbour and pretty Marina full of boats.  Nice shops too!

Now, this morning it is time to say "bye" to Hartlepool (did you get it right?) and the lovely little Teddy Bear's Picnic which is on the counter of the Premier where we are staying.  We will be back - and to the Premier as well as we were delighted with the staff and the room and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone heading "up north".

"Bye" to my friend too

See you next time for a cuppa Dot!