You learn something new every day...

Well its been another hot day down on the ranch, and not a lot going on it has to be said....much sitting in front of the fan nattering on the pc with the odd (frequent) wander out to the kitchen for another brew. I took a few more piccies of mummy bird, but as they look pretty much identical to the ones I took yesterday, I will not bore you with those! The tree is so much more bushy this year so Im hoping the magpies wont find her!

To break up the day I stuck some paper onto some card (and snipped the excess off)...not a very photogenic activity, so what can I blog this evening thinks me? Lets have some interesting facts - a little bit of learning for you all, so get that brain cell ready!

Did you know:

That only female ducks quack? Sall, is this true...can you test this out for us?!?
UPDATE: Evidently this is rubbish - our resident duck expert Sall says all her ducks quack, and maybe it is some peasant cross-breeds that do not, but for now that myth is BUSTED!

Slugs have four noses - who is going to volunteer to research that one?

A snail can sleep for 3 years...just like me given half a chance!

Butteflies taste with their feet! They'd better watch where they tread then!

Pringles are made using potatoes that have been cut, cooked, mashed and then dehydrated...that sounds so yuck and yet they are SO tasty!

Well, if this isnt a blog post to send you to sleep I dont know what is! lol! So do you have a favourite interesting fact you would like to share?

Hoping for more sunshine and chilling out tomorrow...have a good Sunday folks!

Sue x

Phew what a scorcher!!!

WOW its been a hot one today hasnt it! Well....when I say today, I really couldnt comment on the morning, on account of not seeing it...oops! It seems the happy hippy pill that I took yesterday had extra-strength drowsy powers and zonked me out. I didnt slither out of my nest until about quarter to one, which would be okay seeing as I didnt have work today, only I DID have an appointment with the nurse at ten past - yikes!

So I says to Dad...'why didnt you wake me, my appointment is in a minute?' Dad - 'I didnt know you had an appointment today' Uh?...he was there when I made it just yesterday....doh! It was a very hurried flick of the flannel and a quick slurp of tea for me, then a fast drive (probably still under the influence of said happy pill!) to the docs. Phew...I made it in time, only to be kept waiting while the nurses gossiped about nothing in particular...gggrrrr!

However, my nurse was very lovely to me so I will let her off. She started by peeling away my tapes slowly....yow...so I said, just rip them off fast, it will be easier (and quicker) that way ...and it was, with the pain being much shorter lived. She said my wounds look beautiful (?), very neat and healing nicely. Thankfully she popped more dressings on so I didnt have to be nervous about hurting myself as I rushed off to my next port of call....

Tescos....on my own....yay! Dad was too achy from his antics in the garden to be going shopping (phew!) so I was sent off with his debit card and a free reign down the sweety aisle...cool!

But boy, was I hot and bothered by the time I got home...not having had a proper brew yet, so it was a wonderful relief to sit down, guzzle down a gallon of tea and set about actually waking up!

Sis popped round during the afternoon which was nice...we sat in the garden soaking up the rays when all hell broke loose in the tree! What the heck we thought, when we saw a little fluffy head poke out through the leaves....ah, Daisy....its you scaring the birdies away! Well, when the little minx found her way out of the tree, I took a look and it seems I may soon be with child once again as there is a nest...he he! I couldnt see any evidence of fallen eggs or babies, so Im hoping chasing mummy away was the limit of Daisys interference and the nest is still brewing a little one.

Mummy bird meanwhile had taken refuge in a taller tree - out of paws reach...



Of course, any excuse to grab my camera...and I did my best to get a piccie of birdie flying back to its nest...



She eventually found her way back to her tree...



She sat on the branch for ages, while this little minx was told to stay exactly where she was!

>

...looking a little miffed I feel lol!

But at last, birdie found her way back to her nest...



...and I could rest my sore neck from all the looking up trying to get a good snap!!!

Anyway, can you believe it...earlier in the week I was scraping ice off the car and today its a blooming heat wave! I have the fans at the ready - well, they never actually got put away after last summer, so thats good eh, sometimes laziness really does pay off lol!

Time to go rootle for the choccy buttons I bought today I feel - thank goodness I popped them in the fridge or I think they would be a melted blob right now...a bit like me!

Happy Saturday ladies, and Sall...I hope Ive posted in time for your bedtime reading...lol!

Sue x

OK...time to 'fess up!

Despite being the very lucky owner of my own crafty emporium (titivated spare room!), which is full to bursting with pretty papers, enough embellishments to sink a battleship (or 3), a button collection which would make the Pearly King AND his Queen green with envy.........I BOUGHT my son Joe a birthday card!


It was a very very cute card....

Aw...just look at that little piggy with his sparkly snout!!!

But before you all banish me to the naughty step, I did have plans for this card...it would not fall on Joes mat without some lovingly handcrafted enhancement. But to set the scene, when my Joe was a nipper he drew me a wonderful picture of flying pigs and wrote a little poem, it started off:

If pigs could fly, I'd fly a pig
To far away places, small and big!

Bless him...and thereafter, flying pigs have always been a special thing between us, and one even features on Joe & Kates 'coat of arms' (more about that another time!)

So......with a little adaptation of a butterfly die-cut, and the addition of some sparkly pink stickles, I came up with this:



Ha ha ha...I hope you loved it Joe as much as I enjoyed 'creating' it!

(We will draw a veil over the fact that is arrived with you about a week late though eh Joe!)

Being late with my projects for May has been the order of the day Im afraid, with my calendar page for Kate destined for just a fortnights viewing before Junes' page will be due...ooops! I was going to theme it around the election (if only I could draw like you Kate!), but then figured we had all had about as much as we could take of that, so I went in a completely different direction and made a 'joyful' page...

Here we have inked up doillies, oodles of flowers with brads and pearls, nice sayings from my K&Company big box of goodies, some lace along the bottom, one of the cute little owls that Kate bagged for me some time ago...so sweet, and to finish...a coating of rock candy crackle glaze here and there. I love that stuff and am on my second jar!!!

I would promise to be on time with my June page, but I think I promise that every time...then life kinda gets in the way....I will do my best though Kate, seeing as you have sent me May and June (show off...lol!) Both are gorgeous - I will photo them for a future blog post, thank you Kate!

So, after the crappy week I had last week, how has this week been you might ask?!? Well, it started off with a funeral on Monday :( Obviously a very sad day, bidding farewell to my brothers mother-in-law Jean who was a lovely lady in every way. But it was such a beautiful service in fact, that it was so much more a celebration of Jeans life than a deeply sad occasion. Everyone has such fond memories of her, and in that way people are alive in our hearts forever arent they :)

From then on however, my week has been pretty good...no nasty incidents - well, as long as we discount the calming down of my boys I had to do after Lee caused panic on Facebook about 'car accidents and hospitals' that is...he he! My boys dont read my blog Lee, they wondered what the heck had gone on! At first I thought...aw bless, at least it shows they care and were worried about me...but since then its occurred to me - they didnt actually pick up the phone, or rush round with flowers and choccies - they simply left a message on Facebook expressing their shock and horror, and hoped I was okay! Ah well...thats the modern way I guess! lol!

My happy hip pills have done wonders Im glad to say! I still end up limping after some heavy zapping, but at the moment its not painful....and I can walk...hooray!

My other body parts which were nipped and tucked last week are doing okay - I think?!? I will be seeing a nurse tomorrow who will remove my tapes and at last I will see just how neat Mr V's embroidery is! I do think the lack of pain is a sign of a good stitcher so Im hopeful of a good result, although I will be nervous about having no dressings on - thats always the difficult bit at first!

Some bumper sparkle deliveries required this week - for Gina & Valerie, Fi and Doodles - lots of healing ones for you my lovelies!

AND....Daisy Ann, our docrafts niece has arrived!!! Welldone and congratulations to Tracy and Darren on the arrival of your beautiful baby daughter! Daisy Ann is a little poorly at the moment but she is getting stronger every day - the power of sparkles (and the wonderful nurses) are doing wonders! Welcome to the world little one, from your Auntie Sue Bubbles!!!

So my week ends on a high....well maybe, maybe not - its shopping day tomorrow....aaagggghhh!

Have a great weekend folks!
Sue x

Nips tucks and other highlights...and lowlights... of my week!

Farewell w/c 9th May...and dont come back! lol!

What a week...starting with yet more shuffling around on a dodgy hip which of course, as predicted, was just fine and dandy on the day I was due at the quacks...sigh! Actually, I made sure I strided about during the morning at work...just to set it off, and then the drive did kind of finish it off...so the doc could see my discomfort just by looking at me! A big hooray, the x-rays I had some time ago had come back all clear...no lingering nasties, so the diagnosis was indeed a sciatica type of thing, which was flaring up creating nasty spasms. More pills to add to the colourful array I already have...which was preferable to the physio therapy I was offered...geez, no thanks - I didnt walk for two days after the last session!

Anyway, the pills (and the TENS machine I kind of got sucked into buying in the chemist waiting for the pills) seem to have done the trick - I can at least walk without limping....for now anyway!

The highlights of my week were all the election shenanigans...I did enjoy all the 'will he wont he'....and 'thank goodness...HE's gone!' Im feeling quite positive about the new set up personally, they dont dare let us down (or do they....mmmmm?!?)

And then came the main event of the week.....my next appointment with my wonderful plastic surgeon Mr V after I walked out in a huff last time...

Once again Dad insists that he will wait for me...sigh...but thankfully we were sent to a much nicer bit of the hospital which had a tv on for him to watch...and more comfy chairs.

For me, not such a long wait and before I knew it I was lying on my side covered in sheets, with a nice little man keeping me company at the head end giving me a blow by blow account of what was happening...yikes! I have to say, for an area that has been quite numb since my original ops, it decided to be somewhat un-numb on Thursday...tut...leading me to beg for more and more local anaesthetic! As it was I could still feel lots of pulling about which was very weird, and almost every stitch, although not painful - and I was so glad when it was all over!!!

Im glad to report that the wound areas are not painful...as long as I dont stretch too much, and Im avoiding laying on that side just now, but thats okay. I felt rather wretched this morning but I think that was all these blooming meds...and the thought of going shopping today - as you all know - not my most favourite pastime, and today my fears were realised!!! Having asked Dad specifically to take things easy on the drive, seeing as I was in a fragile state, what does he go and do but back into the garage wall across the road...aaagggghhh! In the event, I was okay with that...which is more than can be said for the car!!! I thought to myself, OMG...we havent even got out of the close and he's already gouged chunks out of the car, but thankfully noone or nothing got in his way after that...because of course, it was the WALLs fault!

Once the shopping was done, packed away and I got a cuppa down me, I made my escape and went to visit the lovely Babs. It was great to have a good natter and lots of giggles...and generally get away from it all!

I was SO glad to get home though and look forward to a weekend of doing NOTHING! Well, hopefully not nothing...I would like to think I might find my mojo lurking around here somewhere and feel the urge to craft.

But the week is over....and hip hip hooray for that (excuse the pun..lol!)

Before I sign off, a few special sparkle deliveries....for Valerie and Gina - I hope you will both be feeling a lot better soon, for Tracy who will be meeting her little Daisy Ann very very soon, and for Maria - I hope Steven loves his new room!

Nighty night, and a great weekend to you all!
Sue x

Another kitty layout...this time a double dose!

Two blog posts in one day...whats the world coming to...lol!

The reason for lack of blogging all week, and my blogging today is due to my horrible hip giving me jip! I have to confess to being a moany old moo all week as inbetween hobbling about I have had spells of not being able to walk at all....well, not without feeling like my leg would snap in half...ouch! Having rested it for a day...and a night slobbing on the sofa watching the election results (yawn)...I thought I was making progress, but then Dad made me go shopping with him - the sod...so it was back to limping and moaning again...sigh! It was as much as I could do to shuffle out to the kitchen for brews, so crafting was out and I was way too grumpy to blog. If I tell you that I passed on a trip to Colemans with Lesley today, you will understand how disabled I have been feeling...mega sigh!

However, do I dare speak too soon...after a long lie-in and the swallowing of as many pain killers as I can get away with, I am currently able to walk without too much aggro...long may it last this time! I am at the docs on Tuesday...whats the betting it will feel fine and dandy on that day...and back to ghastly come Wednesday...we'll see! It is promo changeover at work on Wednesday...which means a mega-zapping day - kill or cure I reckon!

Anyway, moan over...honest...and back to a little blogging...

It took me over a week but I finally finished my double layout of my kitties...these were the first photos I took using my new camera...and I know there are way too many piccies for a layout, but I think I quite like it anyway....what do you think?

The flower embellishments are from the K&Company flower pad I bought the other week...its so full of gorgeous flowers I could be quite reckless and pile up the layers! The title is cut using Tim Holtz Vintage Market alpha deco strip...and embellished further with green stickles. The background paper and stickers are from a Cloud9 kitty kit...about time I used it! You know me...busy pages are the order of the day, no matter how many scrapbooking 'rules' I break lol!

Now I need to think about attending to my to-do list...not least my May calendar page for Kate...I havent forgotten you Kate!! And my atc for Jenni...a male them...sigh! lol!

Thank you for popping by my lovelies. I hope you had a good shopping trip today Lesley - I cant wait to see your list of goodies, and Tracy - oodles of sparkles for the arrival of Daisy Ann who WILL be here very soon Im sure! Gina and Valerie - special healing sparkles for you both!

BFN, Sue x

The great matchbox & embellie swap!!!

It all started with Joanne over on dc asking for tips for treasure she could fit into a Smarties box for her little girl to take to school...you know, that project you find they need the night before they are due back at school after a weeks holiday..yikes...he he!

Well, crafters and stash addicts that we are, a number of us were delighted when Suzie Boo suggested we do our own swap. At first I thought...yummy...I get to 'empty' a box of Smarties in preparation for this challenge, but then it was decided that you really wouldnt fit many scrummy embellies into such a little box, so we plumped for a big fat matchbox...you know the sort....

Suzie paired us up and it was all systems go for the swap! Decorating the box was not compulsory...but who could resist?!? My swap partner was Gill, and here is the box I decorated and filled to bursting with bits and bobs...





It was such fun rootling around for beads and baubles, die cuts and so on...I hope you enjoy your box of treasures Gill!

Gill was very creative in decorating her matchbox for me - deconstructing it and making it open at the side with a lovely ribbon to tie it closed. I wish I'd though of that...lol!

Here is Gills wonderful creation and my scrummy new stash...





Thank you Gill!!!

And thank you Suzie Boo for organising us all - such a great idea and lots of fun! To see Suzies beautiful matchbox creations, visit her blog
HERE.

In the words of Gordon Brown...yesterday was yesterday, and today is today....

And let me tell you, thats the only time you will find me agreeing with anything he has to say!!!

Yet his words are SO fitting for one who sinned, as he sinned....and as indeed I sinned...on that fateful visit to Tescos....sigh! But lets move on, put the sorry episode behind us Gordy and talk about the economy instead....

To Gordy of course, that means talking about trillions and squillions of pounds which sadly I do not have at my disposal (mmm thinking about it, neither does he?!?)....but to me, it means discussing my ongoing efforts to boost the economy........ by buying random crap!

Of course its not crap, its lots of really really useful stuff that Lesley and I discovered on our trip to IKEA on Friday...woohoo...what fun we had!

Like a dogs bum that you can dangle things from....

...or a pair of cuddly rats!



But thankfully we did NOT get sucked in to buying things like THIS!

That orange thing I fear is supposed to be a CAT!?! Thats once scary cat!!!

We didnt do bad however, here is our Lesley as we departed from IKEA having only gone in for a crown shaped basket!!!



Oh, I nearly forgot...I have redeemed myself with Bubbles after chucking her out of MY crown shaped basket - and bought her a lovely flower petal bed...see, she is well impressed.

:

I think?!?

There you are Gordy...I think Lesley and I are doing far more good for the flagging economy than you are!!! Hey...someones got to do it eh Lesley...he he!

Before our jaunt to IKEA though, and before the rains came, Lesley took me for a tour around her beautiful garden. I had a sneak peek at our sunflowers - Lesley grows one for each of the office chicks every year...and they are doing fabulously well girls...



After such an exhausting morning...and boy, shopping is SO tiring (but utterly enjoyable), we were too tired to be die-cutting and crafting...in fact it was all we could do to transfer my share of the booty from Lesleys car into mine! So I have made the ultimate sacrifice and left my bestest dies with Lesley to play with.....including my bird cage...yikes! Dont wear them out Lesley!!!

Anyway, I pretty much havent been able to move since getting home on Friday evening...utterly pooped! I had a bit of a bump at the checkout - its so squashy at IKEA checkouts...and I have a bruise...yow...but its on my big fat hip so you are not getting a photo of that!!!

I had a brilliant day, thank you Lesley for joining me for some lovely retail therapy!

Before I go, the other day my sister remarked that she had actually looked at my blog...checking that I hadnt posted the photo of her playing with my butterfly embellies in her hair...she was quite relieved that I hadnt...



Thanks for reminding me Sis! lol!

Have a good bank holiday folks...never mind the rain - all weather is crafting weather! Back to work on Monday for me...sigh...but its been a good week while it lasted!

Sue x