Hello my friends. Not a lot going on here at the moment – motivation gone missing! Maybe I can blame the weather?? Too hot for me, I’m afraid – sorry all you folk who just love the sun and the heat, I can’t cope.

I’ve pottered around making a few Christmas cards, then today (Tuesday) I’ve made a golden wedding anniversary card, and begun a commissioned wedding card. The photo of my desk today looks a bit staged ‘cos I’m waiting for inspiration to strike and for the water colours to dry…

Like I say – not a lot of action here. The gold card is for the wedding anniversary of two dear friends who rang up Monday out of the blue and announced they are in the area for three days this week, and where shall we meet? Welsh Highland Railway is the final choice! It will be a great day going through fantastic scenery – let’s hope the air quality is good in the mountains so we see the tops! The two coloured images are for the wedding card. They are Brambly hedge stamps – gorgeous cute mice! Just need to get the CD out and hunt a few backing papers.

So that’s me really – wondering about summer holidays and the crop in September – wondering how many are going to come – wondering if I’ll have a good drive up to Oban to meet my family for our holiday in August on Mull. As you can tell – not really concentrating on the present – just dreaming about the future!!

Well, short and, hopefully, sweet this week. Take care everyone. I’ll be visiting over a couple of days as I am shopping for step inside this week. God bless.

Margaret

“It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas…” Yes, my desk this week contains a load of Christmas bits, and around 25 finished Christmas cards. I realise that, compared with a number of you, that’s nothing – but it’s a start. So, hello my friends – my desk this week…

From right to left… a pile of finished and almost finished cards – the robin die is lovely. I have been given two – one cuts out and one cuts into the card – slightly different sizes, and patterns around the edge – but both really attractive. So I made lots of those! I discovered a pad of Jayne Netley Mayhew images which I have been busy playing with, and at the bottom of the pile, the red cards are a die image of the wise men. Also out are the necessary scissors, DST, tweezers, blade, the next images to be cut into, glues, ruler and paper pads for backgrounds. The cards are simple layered designs – nothing fancy.

I have also been given a load more dresses and shorts from Dress a Girl Around the World for the team to take out to Uganda next month. We now have a local group sewing – which is great, because we don’t have to think about transporting the items to get them up here. So, dresses, shorts, jumpers, more bags, and a large blanket I crocheted in the evenings whilst watching TV, all now with the team and their suitcases. And now, until late this afternoon, I was right out of squares for more blankets… then someone has delivered more. But, in the meantime, I have to do something… so…

I found this rather pleasant and fun picture in a charity shop (never buy my jigsaws new), and as it was top of the pile of those not yet done… I cannot quite believe it only took two evenings. Can’t have been much on TV!

So that’s me folks this week. Thank you all so much for your encouragement over my caravanning efforts. It honestly wasn’t as scary as you might think, and I would always rather tow a caravan than a small trailer! I managed to visit everyone last week – and I think the only people I couldn’t comment on were those on Instagram – sorry guys – I don’t do social media.

So, take care, everyone. I’ll endeavour to get around folk whilst interspersing visits and gardening. God bless.

Margaret

Hello my friends. Well, I’m home again after my time with the family – but more about that later! You are here to see what mess I have made of my desk since being home…

An incredibly blurred photo taken Tuesday late afternoon, after a mammoth card-fest. 19 altogether, including an anniversary card for daughter number 1. I can’t quite take in that she and her sister have been married for 21 years this summer!!! I know, I look far too young… Anyway – on my desk are peel-offs, sticky rise pads, some decoupage pictures given me by Shazsilverwolf, which I am slowly working my way through, some pots of gesso gifted to me from a lady at church “looking for a new home for them”, glue, scissors, corner cutting thingy, hand cream, and specs. I can see two pairs – one with a closer focal length and one more distance. As the preacher on Sunday said of himself, “I’m at that age – if I wear the specs I can see some things but not others, if I don’t wear them I can see the others but not the things!” I know the feeling…

So, the end result of all this swapping and changing of specs?

All to be shared between the hotel, charity shop and June charity stall. I obviously can’t show you the anniversary card.

Well, last week I was MIA. I was heading South for my eldest grand daughter’s AS level art exhibition – there was an incredible amount of work to look at – I think it took us two hours to go round everyone’s work. Beth’s cousin had her A level art work on display too, so there really was a lot of personal interest. The surprise bonus was that grandie number three had work on display, and grandie number five discovered he had a piece on display too! Because the work was all to be externally assessed we were not allowed to take photos…

Of course, I live in North Wales, and it is nearly 250 miles to get to my younger daughter’s home – so I decided to try something out. I had fitted a towbar onto my car, so drove first to my elder daughter’s home, hitched up the caravan, and set off for a small campsite near to Ruth! I hadn’t towed for around ten years, so was just a little nervous – but, as soon as I was on the road, I discovered an incredible bubble of excitement rising inside. I was loving it!!! I had a great time pitched on an alpaca farm and visiting the family each day, then returning the caravan at the end of the week before coming home. WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Another part of the new life I am having to carve out for myself, without John, achieved!

And to prove it…

I know the caravan is old – this is its 36th season! – but it’s comfy, I can pitch all over the place, go where I fancy, when I fancy a break. I even managed reversing it on the car – something I hadn’t ever done on my own. To be honest, I gave myself three cheers and a good pat on the back!

Well, folks, that’s it. Mr and Mrs D are coming over on Thursday to rescue all their house and garden plants from my sticky clutches, and for Chris to pick up all the rest of her craft things. I hope they have a lorry!! It will be good to see them again.

Take care all. God bless.

Margaret