Saturday, January 31, 2015

Done...Dusted and Back To Work...

Hi folks...the 2015 Diary is finished and just in time seeing as this is unbelievably the last day of January already...I have to say it looks rather smart sitting on my desk next to the pen holder...



and all that's left to do is fill in all the important stuff....birthdays...appointments...work stuff...trips away etc..etc...etc...
but the work stuff beckons...a magazine commission which needs to go in the mail on Monday...so it's back to the production line for me...head down busy busy...enjoy your weekend whatever you have planned.
Hugs Kath xxx

Friday, January 30, 2015

It's Fun Friday...

Hi folks...you'll be happy to know the visit to the dentist wasn't half as bad as I thought...just one more appointment next week for a scale and polish and that's me done and dusted for 6 months.
But back to the crafty stuff and a sneak peek of yesterday's playtime...no way could I leave the 2015 diary sitting naked and undecorated...
so I downloaded some diary pages from the internet and set to work...creating pockets on the inside cover...
but this boy will be taking up residence in my "everything but the kitchen sink" bag...so an acetate protective cover is a must...
time to fix everything together...ready for tomorrow's big reveal...
And it's that day of the week when the Friday Girls look forward to a "kicking up our heels" fun day out.
See you all tomorrow
Hugs Kath xxx

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Taking a Rain Check Thursday...

Hi folks...I've taken a bit of a rain check on the work stuff...you know what they say about all work and no play so yesterday on a whim I decided I couldn't live a moment longer without a new pen holder for my desk ...don't know about you but I can never seem to lay my hands on one of these elusive items when I need one...
an old tin can decorated with some of my favourite Tim Holtz products...Wallflower Paper Stash...using scraps only...no whole sheets of this precious commodity were harmed in the process...Writing Desk Die...a few Prima flowers and Idea-ology bits and pieces...


if truth be told...it was a "killing 2 birds with one stone" project to take my mind off today's appointment in the torture chamber...a date with my lovely dentist for a filling...how I wish I could take a rain check on the numb "for the rest of the afternoon" mouth...the drinking coffee through a straw and the inability to utter one word that's recognisable...yes the chatty old crafter will be rendered speechless for a while and perhaps that's the greatest torture of all.
See you all tomorrow to share "having fun" project 2
Hugs Kath xxx

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Waffling Wednesday...

Hi folks...I'm in waffling mode today...yes I'm prone to a bit of waffling when all the crafty stuff I'm working on falls into the "top secret-can't show you yet" pile...it's all about WORK WORK WORK and no play...
Have you spotted a bit of alliteration going on...yesterday we had Ticking Along Tuesday so today it's about the letter "W"...starting off with the "W" that we're never happy about...the good old British WEATHER...the snow has all but disappeared here but if the weather men have got it right....WINTER may well be back with a vengenance before the end of the WEEK...check out yesterday morning's sky...a beautiful blended palette of Tim Holtz Distress colours...Weathered Wood...Broken China...Spiced Marmalade...a hint of Wild Honey and a cloudy overlay of Dusty Concord...
and it's been so mild...well as mild as it gets here in WINTER...a balmy 3 or 4 degrees at best but that's all about to change...bone chilling winds blowing right down from the Arctic bringing more snow means I'll be back to WRAPPING up cosy in my new dog WALKING coat...
a super WARM WINTER WOOLIE half price bargain from Cotton Traders with the best fitting hood ever and it's very very RED...think of me as a walking pillar box or as a fellow dog-walker commented...."well you won't get lost in a snowdrift...will you". And after this morning's stroll with my Furry Tail WAGGING Friend...I'll be WADDLING off to the cubbyhole to continue with the WORK stuff and I'm not done with the alliteration yet...I'll see you all tomorrow for TRAUMATIC THURSDAY.
Hugs Kath xxx

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Ticking Along Tuesday...

Hi folks...it's Tuesday and I'm confident it's going to be a ticking along nicely day...yesterday's negative thoughts have flown out the window and thanks to Mr Mojo's co-operation...mag commission number uno is in the bag...just the dreaded step-by-steps to tackle and I'm home and dry.  I do love my job but it's easy to fall into the "bogged down with deadlines" trap...Mrs Grumpy takes over and that's a recipe for disaster but life in this little crafty space is never doom and gloom for long...there's always something guaranteed to lighten the mood and remind me that life's too short to get your knickers in a twist...it's playing with paper for goodness sake...not inventing the bloody atom.
Time to share the little incident that got me back on track and had me giggling all day...an absolute classic...a real "telling tales out of school" story and of course it involves my Furry Partner...to be found most days chilling out on his cubbyhole cushion...
and yesterday was no exception...snuggled up all cosy with his bottom right up against the radiator...when without any warning whatsoever he released a huge explosion of wind with the accompanying sound effect of a bullet ricocheting off a tin can. The look of  "crikey was that me" indignation on his face had me cracking up and I was in bits when he bolted for the kitchen returning a minute or two later to peek around the door with his "is it safe to come back yet" face on...an absolutely priceless laugh out loud moment.
And there's more cheery news...the all important Flybe flight to Birmingham is booked...thank goodness I didn't procrastinate on this occasion as there were only 3 seats left...any later and I might have been making the journey strapped to the wing...arriving a little ruffled...bedraggled and looking seriously botoxed...now here's a thought...I may have stumbled upon the perfect way to smooth out this old wrinkly face.
Until tomorrow
Hugs Kath

Monday, January 26, 2015

Here We Go Again...

Hi folks...crikey can you believe it's the last week of January already and everyone's least favourite day of the week...that old Monday morning feeling...brave face...drag yourself out of bed and return to work after the weekend...yes I sometimes feel like sneaking in a sickie too but hey a hot shower...a freezing "wake me up" stroll with the Furry Boy...2 or 3 coffees and I'll be heading to the cubbyhole to tackle another busy "here we go again" week starting off with 2 magazine commissions...one of which needs to be posted by Friday and believe me it's going to be a real "way out of my comfort zone" adventure requiring "rarely seen in the cubbyhole" unusual crafting tools.
let's hope when the alarm clock goes off Mr Mojo's raring to go with his "full of brilliant ideas" hat on...if not...it's going to be a sod of a week with a torture visit to the dentist on Thursday thrown in for good measure. Time to think positive...hop over to Mr Flybe and book my flight to The NEC in March...
heavens above...that means the Fiskars Workshops are only 7 weeks away...well if that doesn't set the cat amongst the pigeons and kick start the old creative production line...I'll just have to sit in the corner...suck my thunb and wait for "tomorrow's a brand new day" Tuesday.
Hugs Kath xxx

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Mucky Lugs and Hairy Feet...

Hi folks...let me assure you that the title of this blog post does not refer to me but to my adorable canine partner...my gorgeous bundle of golden deliciousness or he will be after he's had his Sunday pamper...a vigorous session with the Furminator to get rid of the billions of excess hairs...mucky lugs cleaned...nails clipped and the bit he hates...a tidy up of the overgrown toe hairs...I have to say I'm not too keen on anyone touching my feet either so no doubt it'll be the usual battle...me skidding around the floor until the job's done. Not what Fiskars intended their scissors to be used for but hey I won't tell if you don't...
and then I'll be ready for a flop on the sofa with coffee cake and the Sunday crosswords but better keep a space for tonight's supper when we'll be joining Scots across the world to celebrate the birthday of Scotland's bard...RABBIE BURNS...the world's most famous wordsmith...he had a magical way with language and with the ladies too apparently...
 Love it or loathe it...I'll be tucking into the traditional feast of 
HAGGIS
Fair Fa' yer honest sonsie face
Great Chieftain o' the puddin' race
NEEPS
and
TATTIES
washed down with a wee dram or two...
and snuggling up to enjoy Sunday Night telly...Call the Midwife...brand new Top Gear and Last Tango in Halifax
See you tomorrow
Hugs Kath xxx

Saturday, January 24, 2015

I've run out of steam...

Hi folks...they do say you should start the year as you mean to go on and I've been in an "out with the old...in with the new" kind of a mood...I spent a whole day sorting out my wardrobe...clearing out loads of stuff I'm never ever going to wear again and happened across these boxes from Ikea...the perfect size to hold wafer thin dies and you know what's coming next...yes before you know Mrs Organised is off on another tangent...sorting the dies out and creating some kind of "easy to find what I'm looking for" filing system...
and without stopping to catch my breath...finishing off the MDF storage...



but I'm ready to throw in the towel...take a breather...this "always bites off more than she can chew" crafty person has run out of steam...the novelty has worn off and I'm hanging up the DIY hat for a while...life's too short to be crawling around with a paintbrush in your hand for more than a day at a time not to mention the nightly ritual of a rigorous scrub up session to rid my hair...face...hands and the cubbyhole of excess paint and hey it's the weekend...believe it or not I'm actually looking forward to tackling the huge pile of ironing...ticking the neglected household chores off the list so that come Monday morning I can jog off to the cubbyhole and do what I LOVE best...have SOME FUN with the gorgeous goodies that arrived in my February Inspiration Emporium DT parcel...
have a fun weekend whatever you have planned
See you all tomorrow
Hugs Kath xxx

Friday, January 23, 2015

"In The Pink"

Hi folks...I'm back "In The Pink" and sharing another card for this month's Colour Challenge over at The Ribbon Girls...

I may be in the pink with the crafty stuff but life ain't so rosy in the DIY department...absolute disaster darling...hubby was right and I was WRONG about the computer station thingy and it's a back to the drawing board...eat humble pie and start all over again situation. But not today...I'm off to lick my wounds in the company of the Friday Girls and Mr Paddington Bear.
Hugs Kath xxx


Thursday, January 22, 2015

Time on my hands...

Hi folks...I hope you are all safe and warm in this chilly UK weather...we've had more snow in my neck of the woods and apart from venturing out for our daily doggie strolls...the Furry Boy and his Mum have been snuggled up all cosy in the cubbyhole. And the make-over continues...with a bit of spare time on my hands between crafty projects...I set to work sorting out my Idea-ology storage and decorating the storage chests from Rob MDF Man...
what better way to spend a snowy afternoon than having fun with the new kid on the block...this little guy is worth his weight in gold...how did I ever live without him...he sure made short work of sticking down all the Idea-ology bits and pieces...
two down...one to go...
in the meantime hubby has been busy with the new computer work station...it didn't go entirely to plan probably because there was no plan...it was all a vague idea in my head and after spending most of yesterday covering my ears I haven't yet got round to telling him it may need a little bit of adjustment here and there.
See you all tomorrow
Hugs Kath 

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

The "Off On A Tangent" Project...

Hi folks...I'm back to the crafty stuff sharing another DT project for Inspiration Emporium and this month's Fresh Start Challenge at Inspiration Journal with my latest "thanks to my lovely buddy Anne" addiction and it just so happens it fits in nicely with the "Fresh Ideas" Challenge over at Art With Heart. I love...love...love these Recipe Card Box and Recipe Card Label Dies from the Eileen Hull Sizzix BigZ Scoreboard Collection and had great fun going a little bit vintage using what is probably my favourite paper collection ever...Tim's gorgeous Wallflower Paper Stash...to make a photo album.
a chance to try and make a dent in another addiction...the mountainous pile of the "can't live without" Remnant Rubz...I'm sure I didn't buy them all...they must be multiplying all by themselves...


But I seem to have been bitten by the DIY bug again...the computer station is next on the make over list so while hubby gets into demolition mode...I'll be heading for B&Q armed with a list of supplies...the all important tape measure and my 10% "on a Wednesday" Senior Citizen Discount Card.  Have fun whatever you're doing today.
Hugs Kath xxx