"Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful..."

Hello Gentle Reader, I hope you are keeping well. It's been fairly quiet here over the last ten days or so, what with our various ailments, Jo and I rarely leave the house these days. If we want anything we use the Internet, with ASDA's Home-Shopping being the greatest use of the web ever.

Of course, you can't use the Interweb when it comes to visiting family or friends and trust me, if I could find a way around that I would! So Jo and I went to my son Liam's house last week to meet his new girlfriend for the first time. Holly-Marie (her stage name if you don't mind!) was super, such a lovely girl, she made Jo and I feel like we had known her for years, she has a lovely relaxed demeanour and she is making my son very happy at the moment so she is alright by me. With a love of gaming that seems to match my son's I think that he finally has someone in his life who can share in his obsessions instead of just watching from the sidelines. She is into vintage clothing and has a very unique style, as a potential future daughter-in-law she makes a great fit into the family.

On a more bizarre note, I have started to watch Eastenders again after about a twelve year hiatus from the show. Jo and I used to watch all the soaps - Coronation St. Eastenders, Emmerdale, Home & Away, Brookside, Neighbours & Family Affairs (but NEVER Hollyoaks!). We found that as they followed each other day, after day, after day they were beginning to take over our life (or at least that's how it felt at the time), so we said enough is enough and stopped watching them all in one go, it was surprisingly easy to do; no withdrawal or anything! But I recently read that one of my favourite 'actors' Danny Dyer (I say actor in the loosest term possible, I know he's cr*p but I love him, he is just too cool for school! plus he will fit right in with the atrocious acting that is already on display in the show) will be joining the cast of Eastenders so I felt I had to start watching again before he starts in it so I can at least follow the stories. One of the main reasons for stopping watching Eastenders was that I found it to be very depressing and so I start watching it again on the very night Janine Butcher once again murders someone! I just hope Danny joins sooner rather than later as at this rate I will give it up again if I find it starting to bring me down!

As you can see. I have been busy making this years batch of Christmas Cards. This one has a little side panel with a bookmark in it. I don't know who is going to get it yet but I did enjoy making it. The image is obviously another one of my fave Kenny K's, I say obviously because I have coloured her so many times now it's ridiculous. I have used some Marianne (Ski's and Snowflake) dies and some Spellbinders (Ornament and Curly Holly Vine and Stamp set, also heat embossed with clear powder), the berries being made from ProMarker coloured half-pearls. I think the paper is from Papermania but don't hang me if that's not right!

As a little treat to ourselves, Jo and I have now set Saturday evening aside as The Strictly X-Factor Movie Musical extravaganza night. We watch Strictly Come Dancing followed by The X-Factor and round it off with a movie musical, classic or contemporary, which we take turns in picking. I chose 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' for the first week as Jo had never seen it before and I absolutely love that film, the costumes, the songs, the actors, everything about it is just a joy to behold. Jo's choice for Saturday was 'Gypsy' starring Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell as I had never seen it before. I loved it, Rosalind Russell was brilliant in it and it's the first thing I have ever seen Karl Malden in that didn't make me want to drown him with a bag full of hungry cats! I am now looking forward to this week's treat as it is my choice again and I have already chosen 'DreamGirls', Beyoncé is beyond amazing in it and Jennifer Hudson breaks my heart when she sings 'And I Am Telling You...', a great movie all round.

We also went to the latest Craft Fayre put on by Sincerely Yours on Saturday afternoon. There weren't many retailers there really as most people are gearing up for the N.E.C. this weekend. I did manage to get a couple of lovely Magnolia stamps though and the latest MagnoliaInk magazine. I have managed to buy every issue of it so far (except Issue 1 which I missed!) and while I love the stuff people do in it and I find it really inspirational too, in truth it must be one of the worst magazines out there for mistakes. Whoever proof reads it before printing either doesn't have English as their first language (in which case I can forgive them some of their Faux Pas) or they are just illiterate, which is slightly harder to forgive. I have even toyed with the idea of getting in touch with them and offering my services for free, as the mistakes are the only things that stop the magazine from being perfect.

 Anyhoo, that's me, all talked out and ready to start watching the excellent Ripper Street, so take care of yourself,

Hugs 'n Stuff,

Andy

xx

 

Entered Into:

 

Kenny K Krafty Krew Challenge #159 - Pumps and Pearls

365 Cards Challenge #308 - Men In Blue
Artistic Inspirations Challenge #66 - Anything Goes/Spots and Stripes
Card Mania Challenge #33 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenge #187 - More Than One Fold
Craftin' Desert Divas Craft It Up & Link It Up Linky Party Challenge #18 - Anything Goes
Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge - Christmas
Creative Creations Challenge #22 - Books
House Of Gilli Challenge - Anything Goes
Lawnscaping Challenge #69 - Let A Sentiment Stand Out
Love To Scrap Challenge #17 - Anything Goes
Make It Monday Challenge #165 - Anything Goes
Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge #26 - Anything Goes
Sparkle 'n Sprinkle Challenge #25 - Anything Goes with Glitter, Embossing Powder and/or Flocking
The Paper Girls Challenge #43 - Cut It Out
The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge #16 - Anything Goes
Through The Purple Haze Challenge - Anything Goes