Summer Holiday Last Day

Well it had to happen the Summer Holidays have come to an end for another year.  I have managed to blog more and create more so that is a bonus.  Household jobs some of which have got done others haven't plus we have had a wonderful week in Turkey.  

Not been before and I must say I would like to go again.  We all had a relaxing and fun time in the sun and a well earned time to recharge our batteries for the British winter weather.

We stayed in Fethiye at a fairly new hotel and the facilities were superb.  You can see our room (Top left - with the yellow shorts on the balcony) from my sun lounger on the beach.

My son and I enjoying the sea which was lovely and warm. 

 Plenty of these were consumed during "ice-cream time" 3 - 4pm.  This day I chose pistashio and tutti fruitti yum yum.

 A few of these were also drank a cocktail called a "Falcon" they went down very nicely with pistashios bought in Fethiye town.  My husband and son also went into Fethiye to watch the local team play football.  Of course the custom kebab afterwards was more authentic here in Turkey. hahaha.

 And just to prove I did let my body see the sun - the customary beach shot.  Haha, I don't really tan so I don't really have a sunkissed appearance so the photos are my only evidence that I've been abroad. hahaha.

 We went on an excursion to Dalyan and visited a mud bath and this was my husband and I after ours.  We then had a boat trip, handmade carpet demonstration and visited turtle beach where we did see a Loggerhead turtle.  He was massive.

Thanks for looking at my photos.

Have a great day.

- ♥ -

Totally Scrumptious

My daughter and I went for afternoon tea at One Aldwych yesterday as a late birthday treat for her.

The menu was inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and boy was it delicious.

I haven't any photos of the savoury side of our tea as we munched our way through those pretty quickly and even had seconds of the devine stilton and leek quiches and the Heritage tomato tarts.

I do however, have photos of the sweet side of the afternoon.  

I chose a Organic Lavender Grey tea and my daughter had a Smooth Caramel tea.  Water was very much needed to quench the thirst after the sweetness of so many gorgeous desserts.

This was how the desserts were presented to us.  Yes that is candyfloss and it was delicious.  Our waiter didn't tell us of their flavours it was a guessing game which we guessed correctly after devouring them all. haha.

On the left are Eton Messes and on the right Chocolate Caramel Milks, the eggs in the middle are dusted with gold (I think these were my favourite).  We also had scones, brioche and 4 Cocoa Bean Financiers, which my daughter ate, they were far too chocolatey for me and you can just see them in the photo at the bottom dusted with gold too.

Now this is how I would like my egg in the morning and no it is not a normal "Cadbury's creme egg".  This one is filled with vanilla cheesecake and mango.  It was so delicious that I ate half of my daughter's "shell" too.  ooops

It was a wonderful afternoon and I was very full coming home on the train.

- ♥ -

Why am I always late?

. . . with my entries to challenges that is.

 I can never seem to get one in on time.  This card was supposed to be for Number 137 Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge and I went with the colours from the picture inspiration. 

I used another of my Gelli Plate backgrounds, reminds me of my favourite Basic Grey Christmasy Papers but actually made with a Tando mask.  Papers and Father Christmas sticker from Bella Road "Everybody Loves Christmas" (I think - oops) with a new sentiment I recently bought as I needed some more Christmasy greetings. 

Hazel must have known I ordered more Christmas word stamps as for her challenge this week she has chosen, " A No Sentiment" prompt, hahaha nice one Hazel.   x 

 

Next I just wanted to update you on my pumpkin.

Bigger than a tennis ball, bigger than a small babies head, it now could be used for football.  :)

 

Thanks for visiting today.

Have a restful Sunday. 

- ♥ -

Gelli Plate paper creation

Well I made loads of gelli plate prints the other week but now what do I do with them???  hahaha

Whilst looking at this blue and white paper I thought it looked cool and frosty so used it to make a Christmas card.  I coloured in a Gorjuss girl in blue tone Copic Sketch Markers and added some acrylic rings (using a toilet roll of all things :) ) and then sprinkled on some silver glitter whilst the paint was still wet.

 

As I had some blue acrylic paint handy I painted an envelope and used the loo roll stamped into black this time to create some mail art.  Pink dots added with a cotton bud and some green lines stamped on top using a piece of corrugated box complete the make over. 

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

- ♥ -

DCM Sweet Things Challenge

Well look at me . . . posting on the first day a challenge has come out  hahaha.

The challenge this week from the Daring Cardmakers is "Sweet Things" and I went for another CAS card with this birthday cake stamp and think the sentiment says it all, "Yummy"

Thanks for your visit.

Have a great Friday

- ♥ -

DCM Challenge

I think I've just got time to show you the current Daring Cardmakers Challenge for this week, just before  a new challenge is set tomorrow.

So the current challenge is a colour combination, Citrus colours.  I've come up with two cards to show you today but have plenty more of these gorgeous Paper Smoochie/ Lawn Fawn characters left to create more cards.  Yay that's what I like.

The first is very C.A.S. (clean and simple) but I had great fun using my H20s again to colour the drinks in.  A hand stamped sentiment and "cheers!"

 

 The next card I've added some Bo Bunny patterned paper and used some more Paper Smoochies stamps and a sentiment from a different set. A bit of doodling round the edge et voila. 

Thanks for visiting my blog.

- ♥ -

Gorjuss Challenge - 194

Today I am entering into a challenge set by the girls over on the Totally Gorjuss Challenge blog.  Their challenge is

"anything goes with pearls".

I've made a birthday card for my neice using my Gorjuss Awashed mermaid and her fish friends.  Coloured using H20s, Copic Sketch Markers and the sea is mica powder.  The letters are well and truely mix-media'd (hahaha) with them being gesso'd, Copic coloured and Stickled and then because the colour wasn't right H20'd too. (hahaha)

Thanks for visiting my blog today and do check out the Totally Gorjuss blog to find out what everyone else has come up with.

Much love

- ♥ -

Blast from the past

Whilst looking for my pearl pigments mica powder I came across my box of H20 paints.  It was a pleasant surprise and I had forgotten how lovely they are to work with.

So seeing as I have quite a few cards to make during this month I thought I had better make a start.

The first card is for my Dad and I went with this fun Snoopy image (my Dad's not into motorbikes but nevermind hahaha)

I've painted Snoopy's bike with H20s and Copic Sketch Markers and mat and layered using Bo Bunny papers.  I think the adverture and chevron stamps are also Bo Bunny.

ooops just noticed that I forgot to colour Woodstock in - haha he will of course be yellow!  tee hee

The next card is for a friend's birthday.  The background is pearl pigments mixed with water swooshed over the card with the script versamarked onto the card and pearl pigments brushed over the top.  The butterfly is painted using H20s.  You can't really see with my dreadful photographic skills but the card does have alot of shimmer on it.

I've another card to finish also using pearl pigments and H20s and I'll show you that tomorrow - when I've finished it. hahaha.

Happy mid-week everyone.

- ♥ -

Gelli on a plate

:)  no not the skipping song we used to sing as kids . . .  am I showing my age????

I've bought myself a gelli plate and have spent the afternoon playing with it only having to stop and tidy up just before dinner tonight.  Why oh why do we need to eat dinner when I want to play?  I tidied away and thought I would show you what I came up with.

I've cut the prints down to the size of my gelli plate 6 x 6 - I only bought the small one (that was pricey enough at £19.99) and used a variety of acrylic paints and things laying around the house to make patterns.  I printed onto copying paper as I didn't have any white cardstock spare, hence why some of the prints look crumpled.

 I've also included some close ups of some of my favourite patterns and colourways.  I like the fact that you never really know how the prints will turn out.

Thanks for stopping by and do leave a comment if you are able.

Thanks 

- ♥ -

How am I doing?

This is my second go at crocheting.  My first attempt was only yesterday I used a You-Tube video to get me started here but I'm not sure this looks correct?

Have a little look and tell me what you think?  It is suppose to be single crochet?????

Thanks.

- ♥ -

Garden news

Hello blog friends, happy Friday and soon it will be the weekend. :)

Thought I might up date you all on my growings in the garden.

Here you can see my potatoes ready for lifting and some dahlia's (remember those cheap ones from Wilkinsons? so far only the yellow ones have flowered)

Here is the whole pumpkin plant . . .  ok what I could get in the picture, can you see how big the pumpkin is?  To the left are some of my broccoli plants and in the lower left the tub of sunflowers.

 These are my runner beans growing up my pergola.

And last but not least my onions and some more broccoli.  These look a bit weedy but I've never grown vegetables before so maybe next year they will be better.

Thanks for visiting me today enjoy your Friday whatever you get up to.

- ♥ -

Christmas cards in August ????

Well yes . . .  you have to start early don't you?

So I popped over to Hazel's Christmas Challenge blog and saw that this week's challenge was for "snowmen".  Great!  I knew just the stamp to use.  It is one by Great Impressions,  I've had it quite a few years now but always looks good I think.

I used the stamp for three different looks.

1) I used Distress Inks in Shaded Lilac, Broken China and Chipped Sapphire, Copic Sketch Markers in BG53 Ice Mint and 0 Colourless Blender for the background and various shades of blue for the scarves and hats, Diamond Stickles and white acrylic paint.

2) I used Bella Road "Everybody Loves Christmas" papers for this one and a range of Copic Sketch Markers.  I wanted a very colourful Christmas card.

 3)  The papers used were Bo Bunny and the letters were from Basic Grey range "green@heart".  Copic Sketch Markers used again to colour the scarves and hats.  Think this one is my favourite.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and do visit Craftyhazelnut's Christmas blog a new challenge is up every Saturday.

- ♥ -