Holiday News

Hello at last.  Today we are half way on our holiday so I guess things will speed up from here on in.  Life has been very hectic and very wonderful.  The week cycling in Italy was fabulous even though we got drenched on the first leg from Venice to Chioggia.  Now I know why there are so many canals in Venice!!!  I was thinking, so much for sunny Italy!!  After that it was hot and sunny for the rest of the week and we enjoyed every minute - well maybe not the two big hills which were on the last day! The long freewheel down into Florence made up for the long WALK up the hills before.  We took the train back from Florence to Venice which only took 2 hours!  I don't know what we had been messing about at. It took us a week!LOL  We had an extra day in Venice before and after the cycling so there was plenty of time for us to wander around all the alleys exploring.  I did buy a beautiful Venetian glass necklace which I love. 

So now we are back in the UK - the SUNNY UK- I have to say.  The weather has been great. We have had a couple of country walks from our log cabin but really not had much time for that so far what with catching up with family and friends etc.  Last Friday I went to a lunch which was a reunion of 'girls' from my year at grammar school.  It was fabulous.  I hadn't seen these girls (except one) since 1964 when I left school.  There were 14 of us.  I had been very nervous before hand but it was just like we had seen each other last week!  Then on the Sunday the same group had a BBQ with partners included this time.  We had so much fun together.  They always have a get together on the first Friday in March every year.  Next March we are going to try to link up via SKYPE which will be great.

On the Saturday between the two reunions we went to a big craft fair at Newbury racecourse. We have been several times before so I knew I would enjoy it, which needless to say I did.  Wall to wall craft supplies - it doesn't get any better than that does it?  Of course I had to buy one or two things - as you do!  So what a fabulous weekend.  It's Thursday now and I think I have just about come down to earth with my feet touching the ground once again.

I have been watching Create and Craft TV this morning (and a few other mornings as well) and have seen a few new ideas, so my notebook is filling up ready for action when we get back.  It's a good job we don't have Create and Craft TV in NZ or I would never get anything done.  It is on EVERY morning!!!

Well this afternoon we are out visiting (again), a meal with a friend tomorrow night, I think Saturday is free at the moment, out all day with friends on Sunday, meal with my nephew and family on Monday night and off down to Brighton on the south coast to spend a few days with another nephew of mine on Tuesday.  So as I said at the beginning life is very hectic but very wonderful.

I thought I was smart before we left putting by Picassa onto the laptop so I could show you the odd photo.  Ha ha - I forgot to load my camera software onto the laptop too!!! Duh!!! So sorry no photos.  Maybe you're glad about that????  I did get some good photos at the craft fair so maybe I'll get to share those with you when I get back.  Am I suffering withdrawal symptoms?  Well Harold keeps taking me to craft shops to stave off the worst of it and I did make a beautiful camellia flower last evening.  I have also been writing class instructions on the odd evening when we have been at 'home'.

I hope you are all well and enjoying life and that I haven't bored you silly with my ramblings.  Take care and as always thanks for looking at my blog.

Lucky Last

Last one for a wee while. Another version of the slider card for a little girl. Again it is a sample for a class at Sister Act later in the year after my holiday. I love the hair !!!!! Well That's All Folks!!! I am away for seven weeks but I won't desert you altogether. I will post a few things for those of you who are interested. We go cycling in Italy for a week , a week today, so we should find some sunshine there at least. Not sure about the UK. It's not reknowned for it's great weather. Still we know what to expect we lived there long enough. Take care all of you and those of you south of the equator stay warm and cosy through the cold winter days. Bye and as always thanks for visiting. Elaine

Santas and Snowmen

Hi Everyone - quick posts this afternoon as things are a bit hectic here as you may imagine. Tomorrow is our departure day so it is packing the cases, checking the lists etc, etc. Two posts - the first on is this variation of the stepped card. Instead of being Side Stepped it is Centre Stepped. Used some of my yummy crystal card I have had in my stash for ages. I bought it in the UK so I have added it to my (quite long) shopping list for my UK craft shop visits. Hope I can find some more then I can offer it as a class as is. Otherwise I will have to make a substitute which is always a bit dissappointing. Anyway I was pleased with this one and it will be a class later in the year at Sister Act in Waikanae on the beautiful Kapiti Coast here in NZ. I'm just about to mail the last of my samples to the shop now so I will post this here and then one more before going to the post box with the mail. See you again soon.

Stepped Christmas Version

Hi Everyone and I hope you are snuggly and warm if you are here in NZ. It's another awfull winter day but just the ticket for crafting in a nice warm room. This is my first Christmas version of the stepped card and I am quite pleased with it. I think it will make for a good class project and that was my thinking when I did this card this afternoon. I feel quite pleased with my progress because this work done now will take the pressure off when I come back from holiday and maybe find it hard to settle into a regular routine again. I must say I do like making these stepped cards. They are just a bit different and I like different! Ashleigh, our eldest granddaughter is due in about 10 minutes for tea and to spend the night with us which will be lovely. I had better go and make a start on tea. Thanks for visiting today and I may see you again tomorrow.

Side Stepped Butterflies

Hello again. Late as usual on Monday nights because I've been watching the netball. The first game was a good one but the one which was supposed to be the battle of the giants turned out to be a one sided flop and the team I wanted to win didn't!!! Never mind. That is the last I will see of this year's ANZ Championship. I always miss the finals because I am away on the other side of the world. I'll still be checking on the progress but I think it is a bit of a foregone conclusion. It certainly looks that way at the moment. Anyway onto my post. I found these stepped cards somewhere out there in Internet Land and liked what I saw so I got Harold to draw up the template for me and here is my first attempt. Do you like it? I do - I am thrilled with it and have plans for more. Especially ones with a Christmas theme. They will probably have to wait until my return in August as time will be at a premium this week. The card was fun to do but you do need to be accurate with measuring and cutting. Lots of possibilities though don't you think? Well it is bedtime so 'night 'night for tonight.

Mid Winter Christmas???

Hi Everyone. This is a really quick post as it is VERY late and I am teaching all day tomorrow but I did want to share this card with you before I go to bed. I love it and I hope you do too. I just learnt how to make the poinsettias this week and put together this card using them. If you live in NZ I hope you all have a happy, safe and enjoyable Queen's Birthday holiday weekend. Thanks for visiting and 'night 'night I'm off to a snuggly bed for some shut eye.

Last Three off the List

Hello Everyone. It's been almost a week since I posted something so sorry for that. I had a busy weekend - teaching all day Saturday and then catching up with things on Sunday. Add to this the fact that I have had a very heavy cold for the last week and it's not surprising to me that a week has slipped by. Winter has really set in here in Upper Hutt and it's been wet and miserable for the last ten days or so. It's not actually been too cold, but it sure seems it when the weather is so grey and wet outside the window. Anyway - enough moaning - get over it Elaine. At least I will be taking off for warmer climes in just over a week. These three cards are the last from my MUST DO BEFORE I GO list. The moonlight one has tiny stars in the sky too. I think you can just see one at the left side but there are more. Maybe you will see them if you click on the image to enlarge it? It is for our son-in-law's birthday. I think I have shown you a version of the second card before. This is a birthday card for a dear friend we shall be seeing whilst in the UK. I love this seascape stamp. It's so peacefull and very calming to work on I find. The red flowers on the trees are Pohutukawa flowers and bloom here in NZ at Christmas time and so we affectionately call it our Christmas Tree. The friend who it is for has a daughter living in NZ and has visited several times when the trees are in flower so that is why I included them. The last card is a Well Done card for someone I just felt needed a bit of recognition. So I had a productive afternoon yesterday and now I have lots of ticks on my list!! Today's job is to get class material ready for this Saturday when I am teaching in the morning and running a Question and Answer session in the afternoon. I keep getting a few butterflies in my tummy when I think of the deadlines I still have to meet. Still I expect everything will get done. It usually does and at least all my cards are done now. Thanks for stopping by a listening to me dribble on - sorry. See you next time.