Kool Kitty Musings

Rob n Bob moment...

Gratuitous usage of rob n bob paper and dimensional stickers on ma's birthday card... well I like it! hehe

In the wee small hours...

So 1 a.m. here and I have finally finished the LO for the day... blimey... I spent most of the afternoon procrastinating and looking for the perfect fonts for the title... lol

I am so slow at this whole scrapping malarkey it is no joke.

Lots of lovely snow here to distract me with, Kizia (aka the Siberian fox feline) couldn't get out of it fast enough, whereas Monty (the ginger warrior) decided to dive bomb any snow in sight and buried himself in it, alas by this time it was too dark and he was too fast to catch any decent pics, but he did have a bout of his favourite game of "please open the door, I want to come in" then coming in running to the end of the room and doing an Indiana Jones type leap back out the door before it closed!

So yes, anyway I need to go to bed and this is the LO:

Another heritage LO and finally the ideal opportunity to break open Phresh n Phunky, yes I know not the latest in paper lines, but it was too nice to use until tonight hehe!

Spent most of my time looking for new fonts for the title and also creating the fleurs de lis templates for the robo, oh and a bit of Photoshop brush (from vbrush) action on the mini folder...

So all papers are Phresh n Phunky
Lime silk ribbon is May Arts
Prima flowers
Fonts: Civilian (At the Ball), Royal Gothic (Caps), Nocker Cranky -- ooer -- (l/c in title), AL Aunt Marie (tag)
PS brush action on the mini folder courtesy of vbrush - fab site for brushes, fab! Especially grunge and old text sorta stuff...

OK, night night, I am off to bed!

Festive redux

Grrr... well I just lost my entire post about Christmas there so a brief recap:

Christmas Eve
Great - traditional Polish Wigilia - not the full 12 dishes - just the 3!! - no meat - no booze except white wine (juice for me - not a wine drinker) - no poppy seed cake - first star in the night - mucho tradition...

Christmas Day
Fantastic - started with traditional Polish breakfast - vodka (2 shots of the good stuff!) - Polish cooked meats and proper rye bread - German mustard! - presents - many surprises from very dear friends including a paper salon Christmas pad (plus chockies and baileys to enjoy with it hehe), a great storage box and jelly tots galore, fantastic journal made from handmade papers and oz road sign fridge magnets, a talking Daffid doll (from little bro) more a gift to himself I think! lol, gorgeous hotel chocolat chocs, and of course my craft robo (part gift to myself) - traditional Christmas dinner in the evening - really enjoyed those mini sausages and prunes wrapped in streaky bacon that I handcrafted hehe - and at last, bed!

Boxing Day
Craft robo testing - made some templates and also decided to decimate my Dec '04 Self-Addressed kit:

And some robo action on the grey flower - one template created from default shapes in PS CS - also had a play at stamping with white staz-on onto the black plastic slide mount - nice:

And some more white staz-on, this time on the pink pvc from the kit... love that stuff as it cuts a dream with the fiskars circle cutter... wonder if it would go in the CR, but I am too chicken to try it but at least I managed my first cursive word with the CR:

And finally, using up some scraps from the kit:

So that leaves today, and I decided to get down to a LO at last - it has really been a while what with the run-up to Christmas and the card production for that! So I dug about in my heritage folder and came back to this photo of a friend of our GGG Aunt Milly's must be from around 1910 judging by the address. No idea who she was as it's not signed or anything but it's a great photo postcard of her in costume for a New Year's ball one might imagine since it's been sent to wish Milly and the family a Happy New Year. I also managed to twin it with a small photo of Milly from around the same time that I wasn't sure where to use... perfect.

So lots of LRS Oct. kit Daisy D's stash plus prima flowers and Chatterbox rub-ons. And the title was a trial and tribulation with the elaborate caps in the Penelope font, so 3 attempts and finally got the right size for the CR not to munch it up. Well worth it though as I never would have managed to ever cut this font by hand, never mind that size! The other font is Desdemona, also used it to create the monogram on the tag.

Well, the snow has started to settle, so after my trip to the dentists tomorrow I should hopefully have time to wander out and take some pics if poss, or to head straight home for some more scrapping! Yey!

'Twas the day before Christmas...

Well having done the mini-tuna melt bites, the blue stilton cheese butterflies and put a batch of mini mince pasties (not mince pies - am feeling experimental with all that puff pastry!) in the oven I am just taking the time for a mooch before I need to help out with the kapuśniaczki and pierogies...

Presents not wrapped yet so am sensing that this will be me close to midnight tonight:

Winding down

Well I am feeling a bit too festively merry here... that coconut liqueur have truly seeped in - oh it is lovely stuff... imagine a baileys that is the flavour of Malibu... yummy...

After Christmas lunch with my boss we headed towards the shops for last minute pre-Christmas purchases, I wanted to see what was reduced in Boots - answer nothing, and to get my journal in preparation for you know what... so could I find a nice spiral-bound notebook anywhere??? Could I heck as like, only nice ones were the ones with plastic covers in like MOD style patterns that were a bit flimsy inside... so thought, well that'll do as a back-up and it has an elastic band thing round it, I love those types of note books hehe...

What I picked up as my ultimate "you really must have this journal and you know it" choice was this one:

And well it's even more luxurious inside as the pages are separated by wax paper

I think really this doubles up as a photo album but it was marked as a journal... without any price tag... leading to a problem at the till as there was nothing to scan as it didn't have a label - anyway imagine my shock when told it was £25!! But well... there really wasn't anything else I wanted and this was just calling out to be bought hehe...

That's my excuse, I just hope I don't muck it up totally!

Anyway, finished my ice hockey guilty pleasure read today so must keep off the books over the holiday and knuckle down to some scrapping etc.

Oh and before I forget...

Merry Christmas!

OK... It's done...

I finally decided on what class to do next year, since everyone is doing an online class of some sort - we all have resolutions and aspirations by the looks of it! And I am no different, I want to try something new, something that I've not contemplated before - I know many of you will have done this course already, but what can I say, I like to take things easy! :oD

Anyway, I think shimelle's art journal class is essentially the one that looks like it will best suit me. So all I need to do now is go check out Smiths tomorrow for a nice journal, unless there are any suggestions? :oD The Muji ones I was looking at before were quite nice, in fact I was rather taken with their CD holder binder thing and just inserting pages... but it would have been a bit restrictive in space I suppose so something more A5 is what I've been advised to go with.... hehe

OMG, had a lovely visit to Becky's for a big cuddle with baby Zach, he is totally gorgeous and it's so strange, many babies just look well, like babies, but Zach is one of those babies where you can instantly recognise his parents in his features... lots of hair and very inquisitive eyes, those extra two weeks in the womb obviously helped! hehe Also long discussion about Yankee Candles, and lots of sniffing of Becky's collection - I think Honeydew is one for the list! Apparently Baby Powder YC are limited edition now as they had to remove them from sale as Johnson's wasn't best pleased that they smelt like Johnson's baby powder... well it's a generic baby powder smell to me but hey ho... life is never dull in corporate candle world!

Note to self

Do not mix up Molton Brown lipsaver travel tube with Molton Brown eye rescue gel travel tube.

Results not nearly as effective.

'nuff said.

Oh woe...

So it's official, with no Medium tonight, there are no shows to really look forward to now. All runs of the good stuff have sort of come to an end... :sob: :sob:

However, I did see an ad for a new comedy on C4 called "my name is earl" and it looked quite promising... does this mean that tonight I may finally have my soak in the bath and catch up on my amazon DVD rental list.. who knows! But Catherine Tate special is on tonight and I am finding it hard not to get back to reading PS I Love You.... :oO

Gratuitous grotto pics

So, after a few, OK two, requests here are some gratuitous pics from the grotto - i.e., the scrapping corner... hehe It's a nice little addition next to my desk bless... but heaven knows where I'll set the craft robo up when the time comes...

Anyway my lovely silver (yes, tacky, but sparkly!) tree in all its fibre optic glory with stars that change colour gradually between blue and white, ahhh... very calming.

Let's try a near full length shot:

And a close-up of the little angel fairy lights, awwwwwwww I just love these lights, such a great buy:

And "a bit of blue for't dads" :oP Can you tell I've had Peter Kay on tut telly hehe:

Right, off to catch this new series - Chopratown, looked cool and sounded fab in Sanjeev B's interview on Steve Wright today.

Must brave the crowds tomorrow or Wednesday in search of the final gifts on the list - just didn't happen today... but I will have to go as near after 9 as poss. me thinks in lieu of dinner! :oD Oh and get the festive sandwich from Thomas' their cranberry and rosemary cibatta is divine, never mind the contents!

Read more of PS I love you today - really getting into it now, lots of LOL moments as well... so no blubbing on the bus of late, however I blubbed again in the repeat of Bleak House yesterday, 2nd viewing as well and it got me right there, poor Lady D... my lady is goooone... sob sob... I don't know when the words "Shake me up Judy" will stop ringing in my ears though! Every one keeps saying it!! LOL

I don't know what we'll do without the twice-weakly instalments... <sigh> it's getting dire now, no closer, no Grey's Anatomy, no Bleak House, I only have Medium, but for how much longer??

Twinkle twinkle

Well have just spent the last hour or so getting the gorgeous real tree up ready to decorate...

Bought a stunning set of LED flower lights in Wilkinson that are for indoor and outdoor use, they change colour but there is no switch to set them to static that is a bit annoying so although there is a slow change they then go slightly demented for a few seconds which ruins the peace and tranquillity look I was going for but otherwise they are Gor-GEOUS!

Also bought a set of super bright static white LED teeny tiny lights, but half the circuit is faulty so only 40 light up... grrr I will have to take them back tomorrow but I think they were the last set :o( I don't want to go back to bulbs, I have had very bad results with previous bulb sets made by Premium and you can't seem to get anything else anywhere... at a decent price... the LED lights are just lush!

Anyway, also huge surprises in the mail today, a card and gift from Tree - must be good and follow the instruction not to open until Christmas hehehe! And a lovely card off my friend Barbara from uni, with an SW8 postmark, so she is still in London but I only have a very old London address for her - we share a birthday and a uni course and I would dearly love her actual address, but I shall send a card to the London address I have for her, just in case she gets it some how.

Other postal surprise... Seabrook crisps have sent me a complementary gift box of their new crisps... wowsers... so unexpected as there are about 10 packs most of them new flavours and in their posh foil wrap, I love the usual packaging, but am intrigued by how some of these flavours will go down. Especially fish n chips... now in our household I must confess that there has always been a certain taste for scampi niknaks so I dare say the fish n chips flavour will be fine! hehe

They included a card "Merry Crispmas" celebrating their 60th birthday edition flavour which is the fish & chips. And now they are doing mail order by e-mail. I cannot fault their service, they are just fantastic crisps and also fantastic as they send prepaid envelopes for your order and cheque... nothing like Seabrook crisps, and they are finally launching an online order and pay service in the new year... excellent... as there are only some of the favourite flavours you can get in the shops round here... Am off to send them an e-mail to thank them for the gesture as it was so out of the blue and just really nice that a company would reward its past customers like this.

Also, omg, I started Rosie Dunne by Cecilia Ahern this morning on the bus, got it as a bookcrossing trade this week, my god it's really, really good!!! A real page turner, I was so happy the bus was late, but I have a million things to do tonight not least make a card to wish the girl at reception good luck as she is off on maternity leave next week and there is a little baby/Christmas party downstairs tomorrow. Hopefully won't be as squiffy as I was last year after 2 glasses of mulled wine as I still need to decorate that tree tomorrow night once I've had an argey bargey about my lights in wilko! hehe Always has to happen to me doesn't it...

Christmas twinkling

My lovely silver tree is up with it's fairy-fairy lights and lovely mint green and lilac baubles, I love my tree!! :oD

And there is a new addition parked under it awaiting wrapping - yes the craft robo has landed... Justification is 9/10ths of a scrappers raison d'etre so I am verging on being seriously excited for Christmas day to come around so that I can finally play with it - hopefully leaving it until then will not mean that come Christmas day I can do nothing as something is wrong and there is no one to call... :oS But statistically I have more chance of choking on a brussel sprout...

So I shall just sit amongst my wintry scene and quietly do the happy dance...

Snoozy Sunday...

Despite feeling rather narcoleptic most of today I have finally resolved the dilemma amidst much hunting for my existing Hippy Chick collection so that I could sort all my nice new SEI papers and nicely hide the new purchases amidst the old, etc.

Finally after 2 hours and a couple of 12x12 satchels later all is organised... which meant I could have a play with my lovely new K & Co. Mod papers, who'd have thought I'd be loving K & Co. again after buying so much of it in the past but not really using it...

Anyway, I really love the new designer designs, think they were last seen in the QVC TSV box so I now have those lovely brown n pink papers... also got the 8x11.5 landscape pad which is supremely ideal for cards. So as Inga's birthday is coming up she got a bit of the K n Co. and Rob n Bob treatment! :o)

And this one to use up the scraps and is being put to use as I send off a book for a bookcrossing trade. 

Next stop baby boy card for Becky! So exciting to know he's finally arrived and awaiting a cuddle.

And objective of the day has been ticked off the list - all Christmas cards, written, addressed, stamped and ready to send! Yessss!!!

Dilemma

So tonight was my night to write my Christmas cards... but I have failed already. I've got the list ready and have worked out how many stamps I need to buy tomorrow, but still... someone kick my butt into gear for me!

The dilemma of the week is.... should I buy myself the Craft Robo as a Christmas gift and put any money I get for the festive season towards the credit card bill!! I mean £350 is a lot of money, and my CC bills are on the decline... I have lost my scrapping mojo, but when asked what I'd like for Christmas this is the only thing I can think of. I don't want perfume, jewellery, cosmetics... I've got all that covered... no... so.. to craft robo or not. Tree asked me whether I'd get my use out of it... well I tried to think about this rationally... and yes I think I would, virtually all my Layouts have some aspect of a handcut title or element, whether it's QK or hand cut so I think I'd have that covered... it represents a few QK font sets in price and I have come to the conclusion I don't want any more QK I'd rather get a Craft Robo as I am running out of desire/need/space for QK dies now... I have what I wanted and to be honest they don't get used as much as they should, tastes change quite quickly... so that's why the CR would be great since it'll cut any truetype font, etc.

So do I or don't I?

I haven't got much time to debate it if I want one before Christmas...

Oh well, I need someone to tell me what to do in situations like this! Will I love it or will I regret the investment.

I am not a good saver of funds, money burns a hole in my pocket... hehe

Anyway, away from the dreary stuff and onto today's funny, supplied by a thread started by Mary Anne on UKS - the Dialectizer provides hours of fun as you can translate any website into various dialects such as hurdy gurdy Swedish Chef and my favourite, red neck... so my best experiment was seeing what my own musings looked like in red neck! :lol:

Fry mah hide, this is what I sound like! Kool Kitty Musin's

Personally I love how the book titles have been translated down the side: Nora is now No'a Billy Bobs!!!

Ooh post...

What a refreshing change this makes to be receiving packages again! hehe

My self-addressed kit arrived today plus my 2006 desktop calendar. Decided to go back to the novelty again, as by April I usually give up ripping off a sheet each day! But this is for work, plus it's a Foxtrot calendar, and I've not had one of those since 1999! So I am about due: Check it out

Oh and you should really visit the Foxtrot website here

Hm, note to self, must write and send Kel and Andreas' anniversary card... before I forget... :oO Wouldn't do as I made the card months ago... lol

Oh and I need a play with the staz-on on those plastic tabs in the SA kit...

What the hell???

Makers of Grey's Anatomy, I hate you right now!!! :sob: :sob:

How could you leave it on such a cliff hanger for season 2... I mean if it isn't bad enough that the seasons are soooo short, what's with the dastardly painful agonising cliff-hangers... I mean when is the next season starting anyway...

I am now having palpitations, there's only Medium left now, and I bet that'll go *pooof* soon...

Oh I am off to cry into my pillow... Dr McDreamy, you better be making the right decision, you've certainly got long enough to think about it!!!! Grrrr....

Nothing interesting

on TV tonight thank god. Now that Top Gear is done there's nothing to watch, so finally I can get back to my book without interruption! hehe

As part of ma's name day we went to see Harry Potter today - not money wasted although perhaps not as enjoyable as the previous ones as the books have gone darker and so have the films. At the start we had a strange glitch with the projector and we were thinking it was some arty strange zoom in close kinda film school trick, but no... an unfortunate mistake!

So I'd say you need to go to the Kino to get the most out of the action and darkness... woooo...

Afterwards went to Kansas Exchange for some TexMex food yummy, but alas no space for dessert - was veering towards Pecan pie or Banoffee... then there was also the cookies n cream pie too... :oO too much choice and no space in the tum! LOL

Right, I'd best make tracks and go read at last... hehe

Wasted some time playing with PS brushes earlier with the excuse of needing to work out a banner for the blog, but got carried away - downloading and experimenting on nothing banner related. Oh well... Grey's Anatomy tomorrow night! last ep but ooooh looks good!

Quick update

Well had a lovely meal out with the girls last night at Franky and Benny's - black and blue burger is my favourite there and I did try and get something else off the menu... but no, back to the trusted favourite...

Bit low on the choice of non-alchi cocktails, so had a couple of saucy ones, a woowoo and an ice cool... ooer

Anyway, have tried out my new white staz-on and it's definitely true, it's great on acetate and plastic, but really poor on dark cardstock since that is porous... sigh...

Had a bit of a cleaning spree today, but still not licked everything into shape, needed to make ma's nameday card for tomorrow, and still need to wrap her pressies - a couple of Il Divo CDs -- by demand!!!

But here it is anyway, right, must go and change bedding - nice clean sheets nothing like it!