Now, will I manage to get some crafting done while watching it this evening... or not?
I also have another movie to watch once I finish catching up with the last episode in my Spooks re-run marathon (Season 5 to be precise, watched Season 6 last week and Season 5 became available right after, typically). ;)
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I'm setting the V+ as soon as I can...
because the Great British Bake Off is back next Tuesday on BBC 2 at 8 p.m.
I've had to stop watching the news because the more I see the more disgusted and sick I feel. So many innocent normal people losing everything they have worked so hard for. Being terrorised in their own homes and businesses. And for what?
Truly shameful.
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I'm sure it has felt rather neglected this past week as I have totally failed to update it with anything interesting... in fact this post is likely to be rather boring as well...
But here goes - the best way to sum up how the past week has been spent would be as follows.
I got the shock of my life when an e-mail arrived from Next to say that my collage frame was ready to pick up... remember this brown collage frame?
The one that was going to take 3 weeks to get here. Well thankfully it was more like 2 and a bit weeks - and the frame is now waiting in it's wrapping for photos to be decided on, ordered and inserted!
Last weekend after a fruitless search for the "bbq of my dreams" in local stores including B&Q, I spent far too much time on google over the weekend trying to narrow down my options and reading every review under the sun, until my the weekend culminated in a dash to Argos on Sunday afternoon at 3.30 p.m. in order to pick up my new grill.
It's a 47 cm Weber Bar-B-Kettle and is a decent size without being totally impractical to store in my garden or shed. I went for the Argos deal because for £8 more I got Weber accessories with it including the vinyl cover, charcoal and utensils which would save me in the long run. My little grill has been built and is now waiting to be used - fingers crossed the weather holds this Sunday for the inaugural bbq-fest!
What else... oh yes... in amongst all the bbq review-reading-until-my-eyes-went-blurry I read a couple of books on my TBR pile... always nice.
Then Monday I got The Call from the library to say that the new Nora Roberts - Chasing Fire had finally come in!
So I rushed over straight after work to pick it up... and well there went my Monday and Tuesday evenings... but it was well worth it - a very good Nora book and rather memorable. :o)
Last night was photography class - I shall have to get practising with my exposure settings...
Oh and I did of course make time to watch the double-nighter return of...
The Apprentice and You're Fired...
And here we are at tonight, just added the finishing touches to my DCM card for tomorrow and now I am off to decide which new book to start on... ;o)
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Long evenings and sunshine - can't get much better than that can it?
When I got in from work this evening it was lovely and light - so much so that I finished off my current book while my dinner was in the oven.
I'm now in a quandary as to what to start next. I popped into the library to pick up a book that had come in for me, but managed to leave with 6 more!
Ooops...
Not just hist-ro (yep, still quite addicted to that thank-you-very-much) but also a couple of new chick lit reads to try and get me back in the chick lit zone.
One is the latest Jane Green - which has had good reviews on amazon, as I was put off by the reviews I'd heard of some of her recent books... so will be glad to give her a go again, although it has the word "heartbreaking" on the cover, and as Zoe will attest that is usually not my reading enjoyment zone - hence the complete avoidance of The Picoult!
But hopefully the heartbreak in this book will not be on a similar scale. hehe
So I shall have to go consult my rather tall book pile to decide on my new read. But come 9 p.m. I shall be avidly tuning into my soon to be over Tuesday night must-see-TV fix.
Silk.
Yep, I don't know what it is about this show, but I rather like it and the characters all have their faults but it just makes them all the more interesting... Just one ep to go after tonight's so I hope it gets recommissioned by the Beeb.
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At least for the rest of today!
I'm hopefully off up to the beach later with Zoe and the girls - armed with the camera. Or at least we will be if the sun stays out. From constant rain this morning I currently have a craft room flooded with sunlight. Ahhhh...
The sun has also meant that the crocus have come out:
And the hyacinths are really coming into their own:
And now, I'd best stop watching Emma:
And get myself sorted for this afternoon's outing. :o)
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Friday night is crop night.
Now, when it comes to packing efficiently for crops I have quite a sketchy background.
Efficiency and forward-planning are not my middle names!
So tonight, in hopes of changing my ways slightly, I have tried to plan my Journal Your Christmas album for 2010 - and as mentioned I am going to try to go the December Daily route where I have the basics of my album ready before the first of December and just need to add pics and embellishments so come January it is done.
Well, that is the plan!
I'll be using something old... papers from last year... Yummy Jolly By Golly, October Afternoon, and some My Mind's Eye... ;o) And something new - new Christmas bits from Crate and BG, and Echo Park... my lovely package has arrived, but I need to go pick it up tomorrow!
I've created some templates from old Artbin satchel dividers for getting the holes punched in the right places, and for working out photo placement in my little Paperchase A5 binder...
I've dug out what seems to be the last of any KI Christmas line that a certain a-million-kinds-of-lovely person sent me last year.
And there's always room for some Eskimo kisses...
And somewhere along the line, I want to use these...
And counting Thickers?
I worked out I need quite a lot of numbers - and thankfully I have enough to cover all of them in my Thickers collection, quite a relief I'm sure!
Anyway, I'm off to finish watching Mansfield Park since it is a bit of bleak night for TV tonight.
This version is soooo much better than the recent Billie Piper version. Really recommend it for the Austen fans!
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Yep, it's over... the final was fantastic, and I am so glad one of my favourites of the entire series won. :o)
I am seriously going to miss this show, but not the mouthwatering moments as hunger pangs started for a scone or nice choux bun!
And best of all... the little catch-up with where the other bakers are now. It brought a big smile to my face to read especially Miranda and Ed's updates.
And now, must stop all thoughts of delicious cake!
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I've not read a single word of my current book since trying to start it Sunday.
Looks like the next couple of weeks are going to be rather busy with work and I may need to work this weekend too. :o\ More than likely after today's progress!
But this evening I have caught up with some stuff at my desk, watched the latest Great British Bake-Off....
Only thing is it makes me feel rather peckish!
And I've taken the opportunity of watching some free movies online with Lovefilm. This one wasn't too bad:
Have just found that Lost in Austen is free to watch online with my package so am catching up now, as I never saw it the first time round - a perfect excuse for some period adventures!
So far so good... :o) Best get back to it!
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I have been enjoying the Austen dramatisations that they've been showing as light relief to the football on ITV3 - well... enjoying more some than others...
I just don't really "get" the film version of Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly, much prefer the BBC one... maybe it is like Dr Who - everyone has their favourite from their formative years!
And I much preferred the recent version of Emma the BBC did, thought Johnny Lee Miller was a wonderful Mr Knightley...
But ITV's adaptation of Persuasion had a great Captain Wentworth in the form of Rupert Penry-Jones:
Anyway, this has all been a nice accompaniment to my current guilty pleasure.
Regency-set historical fiction... erm, including some good old romance!
Definitely a guilty pleasure yet soooo many books to try and to choose from. My library list has been well-stocked and I have been in there almost every other day picking up something new and returning a little stack of finished books.
This weekend I've read:
Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh - have never read any of her books, but enjoyed this one although I hate starting in the middle of a series rather than at the beginning. But I shall definitely be adding her to my author list and following the series.
And then last night I read (very quickly and skimming in the end...)
The Elusive Bride by Stephanie Laurens, second book in the Black Cobra Quartet and it was very "meh" for me. Just a bit OTT and far-fetched in plot (well even far-fetched for this genre) and I just didn't warm to the characters at all. I hope the other books in the series are better as I have the first one on my reserve list at the library. Plus she seems to be a very popular author for this genre, but I much prefer what I have read of Lisa Kleypas and Mary Balogh so far. I've read another of Stephanie Laurens' books from the Cynster series and just hope the other books in that series are better too...
And now I am reading:
Amanda Quick's novel set in Victorian times and includes some paranormal talents... I find Jayne Anne Krentz a bit hit and miss in the books I've read. They are nice enough reads but never terribly exciting... So will see if her historical fiction style is any different. :o)
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Just finished Season 1 of Battlestar Galactica...
Thank heavens Season 2 disc 1 is on the way from Lovefilm!
Woah, talk about a bit of a cliffhanger, I'm just glad I can delve right into season 2 tomorrow!
Am now off to wind down and watch Monday's ep of Glee and perhaps delve into my new book.
Also I am currently counting down the days until this track is available for download:
She definitely has the voice of Stevie Nicks... rather uncanny, but I am loving this track and of course I managed to download In Sleep when it was the free track on iTunes... oh and speaking of, I have pre-ordered the new Sarah McLachlan album which I can't wait for either!
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After yesterday's lovely unseasonal Bank Holiday weather, it's back to wintry weather today - sooo cold the heating has been on all evening!
However, it has meant that I've stayed indoors and got ahead on some projects as I'm out tomorrow night to see Sex and the City 2 (including the return of Aidan!).
But here are the cards I can share so far... time for some Fly a Kit action...
Paper: October Afternoon
Stickers: October Afternoon
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Brads and button: Basic Grey
Other: Stickles
Prompt: "Fresh Lemonade" - Inspiration: American Crafts, Woodgrain design, gingham ribbon, decorative pin, vintage label.
Paper: American Crafts
Rub-on: Basic Grey
Bling: Prima
Die: Nestabilities
Ribbon: Rusty Pickle
Other: Stickles
This dark and dreary weather has also meant that I've finally had time to check out Battlestar Galactica from the beginning... not the 70s version, but the more recent one from 2004-ish starring the yummy Jamie Bamber as Captain Apollo.
Think I'm around 9 episodes in... plenty more to go thankfully! :o)
Also once I log off it's back to my book...
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Well not just because that's the theme of this week's dare over at the Daring Cardmakers blog...
Speaking of, here's my card:
It's a trifold card - that's the flap element! ;o)
Papers: October Afternoon
Stickers: October Afternoon
Pocket: Martha Stewart
Bling: Prima
Die: Nestabilities
Rather cute stuff that Fly a Kite line...
And I rather like the spotty stickers!
Anyway, it's been a rather stressful day and I am probably going to have to do some work this weekend as next week is going to be very hectic. :o(
When I will be moving house is a mystery I had hoped to be moving stuff over next weekend since the TV and Internet is getting installed but have a big project in at work and may have to work next weekend to meet the deadline as it hasn't got off to a smooth start and is already delayed. Grrr...
But in cheerier news, here are some nice things - my summer Yankee Candles arrived (and I have two newly cleaned out jars from old candles to add to the ribbon jar collection):
And...
Also Glee fans - I saw that Sue Sylvester's version of Vogue has been uploaded to the official site and here at digital spy - can't get it to embed properly, so check out the link.
Anyway, I'm off to take a couple of Ibuprofen and wait for Ashes to Ashes to come on. :o)
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Well, I am a bit late in posting today. I had a little lie in since I got in from last night's crop at quarter to 1 in the morning and then was too awake to sleep (it is amazing what random movies from the 80s they show on ITV in the early hours - bizarre is an understatement) so I didn't nod off until well past 2 a.m.
And I have been a doing a bit of non-stop pottering-about since I did get up - I am still in my PJs!
Caught up with Grey's Anatomy, received my lovely Elemis stuff (hope to try that out after my shower) and a copy of US April 2010 Scrapbook Trends, however now have to again chase my February and March issues. My sub is due to run out in November but I am so ticked off with the amount of chasing I am doing, plus it hasn't helped that they never sent out December's issue and it was sold out before they could resolve this oversight. What is the point of a subscription if they don't actually allocate the magazine to subscribers? I could have a real rant over this, as it has totally bleeped me off and really reduces any enjoyment I have in reading the mags that do make it this way.
But moving on...
Last night's crop was very nice and it was lovely to see everyone again and experience Gill's beautifully and artfully edible-glitter-decorated cupcakes in person!
I didn't actually make anything substantial, I had a little spree, cashed in my loyalty card, tried to get to know my new Copic pens a bit better (Debbie I need a link to that colour chart thingy! Scratch that, I've found it and coloured in 72 little boxes) and started on a mini-album using the Paperchase stuff I bought a few weeks ago and some new Basic Grey. I still have a lot to do on that so might sit and do some today - we'll see.
But let's move on to stuff I have actually made and finished!
This was a card I originally made for this week's Daring Cardmakers' "How Egg-citing" dare, but I made a few boo-boos and the card just didn't photograph well and it looks a lot better in real life, but I wasn't happy enough with it to have it on the DCM blog, especially as it was my last card as a guest designer....
Papers: Papertrey Ink, Sassafras Lass, Bo Bunny
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Take a Bough/Out on a Limb sets, Mega Mixed Messages)
Pearls: Prima
Die: Stampin'-up
Yep, upside down Christmas bauble decorations as Easter Eggs....
So instead I made this card - much cuter and more fun! Little Red in Spring attire with some Easter Eggs in her basket:
Papers: Papertrey Ink, Bo Bunny
Stamps: My Cute Stamps, Papertrey Ink
Dies: Nestabilities
Other: Promarker pens
So many thanks to the girls over at DCM for asking me to join them in February and March - it was fun! :oD
And last but not least, today it's my turn to share a project of the day over on the Frog Blog - and here it is. For more info go on over to the blog post - and no I have no mini jelly beans left...
Papers: Papertrey Ink, Bo Bunny, My Mind's Eye
Stamps: Banana Frog - Paperchains
Dies: Nestabilities
Punch: Martha Stewart
Other: String, 3D glitter paint, mini jelly beans, clear bag
And they were very yummy...
So that's about it so far... I had best go and acquaint myself with my new little Elemis home treatment stuff, looking forward to trying out the Papaya Enzyme Peel, and I restocked on Aveda Shampure and Confixor in Fenwick's a few weeks ago so it will be like a mini spa session. Although I wouldn't mind a day in the Aqua Sana!
Then I suppose I shall get back to making something.
And I see that season 2 of The United States of Tara:
Has started in the US so that's great it got another season - really hope it gets shown over here. From what I saw it was a very good series, and lots of John Corbet screen time!
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I daren't touch any pretty stash tonight in case I totally ruin whatever I try to make. It seems luck wasn't on my side too much today and I am glad tomorrow will be here soon.
I won't bore you with the details but a run-down of what wasn't so great today follows:
So that is where we are at... the good things about today? Well there is a new TV show starting tonight I fancy checking out, Married Single Other - supposed to be the new Cold Feet:
Then it's America's Next Top Model (not really got into this cycle of the show yet), but still necessary viewing.
Also I found a bit of inspiration (hopefully) for getting back on track at the gym (I have had such a bad lazy attitude to it so far this year), but I saw that Slimming World have a Body Magic challenge on their site where you can put your exercise activity into fun goals like this first one, where I am getting around Central Park:
You can only use it for cardio activity, where you know your distance and duration, and since today was a core/weights session I've only entered my 10 minute warm-up... that looks quite satisfying to have got round 1.71 km of Central Park! LOL Just 8K to go... Not sure if I will get back into the gym before Gibside this week, but at least I have a goal for when I'm back. :o)
Wonder if there are any other fun fit logs out there like this, ideally free ones, where you can keep track of what you manage in real terms.
Anyway, suppose I should go and eat something healthy and filling - looks like it's soup!
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It's been a while since I updated my style file, mainly because I've not really bought any scrapping mags in the past year that I am happy to cut up. I still have my sub to Scrapbook Trends in the US so those are stacking up nicely on my shelves - those definitely won't be undergoing to style file treatment!
So when I went in search of what I could add to my file, this was the only mag I found! Shocking really, it's the last copy of CK I bought (and mainly for the coupons) back in April last year...
At least it shouldn't take me long to cut out what I want to keep! LOL
Aside from those organising endeavours I managed to catch up with last night's Big Bang Theory episode - OMG Sheldon in the ball pool was so hilarious:
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I've combined the CaD challenge for January 5th with CPS sketch 148. Over the summer I had a lend of that very nice SU big shot die that so many people have and cut about 60 odd labels from various scraps, it's very nice flicking through the pile of labels and finding some nice gems!
Prompt: "Happy Bird Day" - Inspiration: Bird, a square card, and/or sentiment in a circle using 2 different fonts
I think I've actually ticked all the boxes this time! Shocking! hehe
Paper: Prima
Rub-on: Prima
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Other: Ribbon, Stickles
It's a shame that American Crafts green cardstock doesn't photograph as well as the red ribbon, the colour is much nicer in real life.
Well, I think that's it for the day. No doubt the actual creating of things will slow down over the next week and I hope I manage to get up at 7 tomorrow, as I've got rather used to late nights and late mornings! lol
Oh and I have seen that BBC 2 are showing Nurse Jackie tomorrow - this series has been recced to me from the US so I'll be checking it out. :o) Hopefully it will be good, I am still waiting for a UK station to show United States of Tara, from what I saw it was a great series!
It's another Showtime show and starred the delicious John Corbett - yum!
Who also played the lovely Aidan in Sex and the City (and who I much preferred to Big!). One of my favourite scenes of theirs was this one...
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Micah Persell: Emma (***)
Jane Costello: The Wish List (****)
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