Tuesday 28 May 2013

Happy Birthday WOYWW!

Only just been able to add some pictures tonight as I was traveling again - but this time in London on business!

No crafty action again as only just back from holiday and deluged in laundry!

How can 2 people generate so much washing in a single week - I'll be ironing for the rest of the decade!

I did manage to print a mass of pictures yesterday all ready for a serious scrapping session.

Here are just a few of the pictures lined up in the scrapping queue !!

We took the snaps above in the ancient city of Mdina, a magical atmospheric place - we could have wandered about the twisting streets all day !
The walls of virtually every building in Malta are this gorgeous sandstone colour - but here in this peaceful place we really enjoyed the character they brought even more than all the other places we visited.

Last Friday we set off up the hill from our own "sea front" and walked from Sliema along the rocky coastline to St Julian's - it was a three hour round trip with a coffee & croissant stop but stunning views  all the way !

Finally this was the iconic view across from our "seafront" - which was the coastline along the creek over to the city of Valletta - somehow we just couldn't stop taking photos of it !!

Had to add some pictures to this post when I got home, as I wanted to link up this morning to be part of the anniversary ATP fun.

Hope to have a post which actually has some crafty content in it at some stage soon!
So please bear with me! !
Have a fun 4th anniversary week!
Ali xx

Wednesday 22 May 2013

WOYWW What's on my sunbed Wednesday!

Well nothing happening on the crafty front this week as I am on a week's holiday in Malta!  Trying to post on my tablet but can't really see the screen for the keyboard!

So only some crafty books on my sunbed to show you this week which I had saved to read on my holiday!
The hotel overlooks the harbour with a view of the Maltese capital Valetta

The weather is warm with a strong wind but this is common on island holidays!

Our whole ambition was to do as little as possible!  So whilst we have hired a disabled person's buggy for DH we have been happy just strolling about & loafing on a sunbed!


Well  hope you all have a great week & catch up with you again when I am back in rainy old Wales next week!  Ali x

Tuesday 14 May 2013

WOYWW - Venture into ATC !

Hi hope everyone is having a good week ?

The rain is lashing against my window tonight & the temperature is barely 6oC - so last week was obviously summer !

Blink & you will miss it !

Last Saturday my friend Lynda, her friend Nikki & I went up to the RHS Flower Show at Malvern.


At lunchtime the heavens opened - just as we we well away from any shelter - so we got soaked to the skin !


So we squelched about in the afternoon - clothes clinging to us like a soggy shower curtain - trying to dry out !








Still we had a great time looking round the show gardens and got lured by some lovely plants too !


So there I was on Sunday - also trudging about gardening in the rain - trying to get all my new plant friends planted out as I am away next week !










So with all that gardening not much crafting got done - but I did make my venture into ATC's - for the WOYWW swop next week - not sure if I have done it right making them the same design but I planned one for my "asterisk" swop WOYWWer and one each for my friends Bella & Lynda - plus one for me to keep !
 

Anyway - hope the weather is better with you then me - have a great week !!
Ali xx

Tuesday 7 May 2013

WOYWW - Persephone Rises !

At last, after all my weeks of grumpy grumblings, Spring arrived here in West Wales !
And even timed it to turn up over a bank holiday weekend - how often does that happen !

So thank you Persephone for deciding to come back to the upper world this week at long last !

I was a football widow for most of the weekend - the Much Beloved was watching Swansea with his friends on Saturday - and then was away Sunday into Monday morning watching Manchester United at Old Trafford ... but it's an ill wind that blows no crafter any good & I was able to work on a secret project !!

A card for Rich for our  20th wedding anniversary this Wednesday
How can it be 20 years since our wedding - where did all those years go !!


I decided to use photos of the wedding & some up to date ones - and the papers are from the Chronology range which I thought toned well & are suitably masculine !






With the card safely made, I was able go outside & take a few Spring photos in the garden
Then I headed to the garden centre to get some veggie plants - hardly any of my seeds have germinated this year - too cold maybe ? - so I had to give in & get some ready grown Pea plants, Sugar snaps & Little Gem lettuces - all now safely planted out in my veggie beds !


My name is Alison & I am an addict.... I am addicted to craft stash

We had forgotten to turn off the alarm clock & so when it went off at 6am on Bank Holiday Monday -  being on my own I thought "whatever !" and set to having a blitz through my scrapbook papers !

I learnt a lot !!

I buy too many papers !
I buy too many brown papers - and don't use them up ! Note to self USE THOSE PAPERS !
It's not a bargain if you never use it !
There are always dreadful papers in every paper pad or set of paper ! ADMIT THIS & MOVE ON !
It's also okay to move on & admit you are never going to use that paper you bought 5 years ago !
If you haven't used it by now you NEVER WILL !
Even the greatest on hoarder (that's me then !) can clear out, bin and bundle up to give away a full box of papers - and it needn't cause palpitations - it can even feel liberating !


Yesterday was gorgeous here - we made a trip to Aberglasney Gardens - it was a pretty enough place - but not very good value for money - quite expensive to get in & not that much to see really - a couple of garden areas & a small walk in the woods .... not a patch on Picton Castle Gardens or even the Botanic Gardens !
But some pretty flowers to snap !


And as we drove back the views over the Towy Valley were stunning !
We just had to stop & take photos !


Have a great week !
Ali xx