Kool Kitty Musings

Punch cravings

And not of the summer alcoholic tipple variety either!

This is not good. Not good for the budget at all!

I am being happily bombarded with fab ideas for scallop punches at the moment. Hm... It is worrying to say the least as a) big punches usually cost a packet, b) I have no space for big punches, c) I have a heck of a lot of stash going unloved at the moment!

So when I see things like Shimelle's cool article on the Banana Frog blog and these amazing ideas on Capture the Moment then reasons (a) through (c) tend to fly out the window faster than flying pigs with turbo jets strapped to their little pink trotters.

So I ask myself, do I really need the square, oval and rectangle punches used in these projects... and if so who are they by and where can I get them stat??

I think I need a sign from the scrapping gods as to how to best resolve this dilemma.

Meanwhile, I have received my lovely box of goodies from Bev, hope to get down to some scrapping Sunday as I am 99% sure that I have a shopping date with Zoe Saturday but silly me forgot to make a note of it in my diary, instead I put it on a post it and promptly lost it yet convinced myself it's this Saturday... if it's not this Saturday that's fine - I'd best check with Zoe mind! And I wonder if she's watching Big Brother or The Apprentice tonight. I think I'm staying with the Apprentice as I am sure both shows will be available on Virgin's free on demand shows later in the week.

Oh and I finished my book today! Fab to know I have so many more "Nora" reads ahead of me, will be starting JD Robb's latest one tomorrow methinks. ;o)

The waiting game

Well after a less than thrilling Bank Holiday weekend, all that it seems I have to look forward to at the moment are some goodies in the post!

Anything to not look out the window at the ghastly cold, wet weather.

I have some nice things on the way from Bev, I think - and my new kit has managed to reach Ireleand and Sweden, so it shouldn't be too long before it gets to the UK right?

Might go and check the tracking doo-dah again.

Have done the gym and tea, quite nice to have a whole evening ahead of me for a change. So think I am going to be indulgent and read more of my book!

Also, Dream Topping gosh I forgot how nice it tasted, shame our local Tescos doesn't stock the no added sugar version tho although there's not much difference in going "healthy" - only one syn between them...

Shock horror!

For I have finally scrapped a layout today. I got side-tracked this morning with a load of domestic stuff of zero interest and then watched Step Up on DVD whilst getting my stash out and deciding what to scrap.

Then I realised I had this photo printed up and getting crumpled and thought I'd better get it into the album soonish!

And thankfully I knew those Crate papers (especially the port hole one) would finally find a use!

Anyway, at last the Vancouver album is starting to be added to again. This was the only flaming day we actually had sunshine all day - well in the morning I was off stash shopping, but when I got back in the afternoon it was blissfully sunny over Coal Harbour and Canada Place (3 min. walk from the hotel) looked absolutely stunning in the sunshine and very different compared to every day we'd walked there before in the rain! So naturally I had to get photos of the famous white sails.

As for stash in this LO, papers from the Hampton line by Crate, Banana Frog Calendar set for the date, BG chipboard covered in patterned paper, AC rub-ons for the title and the frame around the date, plus the stitching hehe, and my Fontwerks journaling stamp. I think I really need a bigger journaling stamp now as I'm having to practise writing what I'm going to journal just so I can fit it all in! LOL

Anyway, simple yet to the point - now I'm off to heat up and think tropical thoughts. It's been so cold today and I've had the coconut candle burning trying to convince myself it's warmer than it is. Shocking weather for a Bank Holiday in May it has to be said!

Ahhhh...

The good stuff - I don't half love a bit of card making on a Saturday afternoon. After I got back from the gym I decided to get a couple of projects done.

First up a New Home card using lots of nice Banana Frog stash (those new fonts I received!!). Have to say I really like the way this turned out in real life. I am making my way through my stash of pearlescent card blanks and the turquoise was perfect with the Arctic Frog Ski Bunny papers that I have a few scraps left... The pic isn't as vibrant as the original and I used brown and red ink and that rub-on is brown too.

Here's the little montage:

Also I had a go at this week's card dare to use something office-related - so I think I met the challenge by using my note journal Karen Russell paper right?

Right I am off to tidy up a little now and veg - the Canary Island Banana candle, my word it is so nice... the room is smelling all tropical and nice. {happy sigh}

Ahhhh summer

It may still be quite windy outside and real sunshine is at a premium... but my order of summery scents in Yankee Candle format arrived this morning.

As you can see I couldn't wait to open and try the Canary Island Banana candle - oh my it is lovely and a creamy banana smell, but thankfully does not give me hunger pangs like their cookie candles!

Alas nothing else arrived in the post today, was hoping for my new kit to arrive, but it's still en route from Chicago O'Hare and Bev sent me some stamps for a project that have gone awol in the post as well. So I shall have to play with Tree's Spree alone! ;o)

Everyone should have one

A personal stash shopper that is! ;o)

My wonderful mate and fellow stamp addict Tree sent through my wishlist purchases from the Bolton show she went to last week - that's right, more Banana Frog stamps - one can never have enough!

I'm looking forward to a little play with them this weekend. I know I say this in the run-up to every weekend and then seemingly get sod all done... but I have high hopes for this one.

Especially as I am going to get non-crafty things out of the way tonight (well except for those set in stone gym visits) including checking up on the baby boom zone that has become my current Sims 2 family of focus... I am trying to see if the force twins cheat really does work. LOL So far one baby Sim (Betty) arrived so we need to test this cheat code again!

Also I will not attempt to finish the rest of my current read - my first attempt at JD Robb now that my Nora pile is awaiting her latest release... so far, so very good!

Back to the stash, I have been eyeing up the new Elsie stuff - and wondering if it'll ever appear in either of the two kits I'm subbed to! That'd save the hassle of my dilemma - to buy or not to buy, but I think my gut instinct is telling me to hold off until there is a project I have in mind where I know I'll use it. Ahhhhh logic, I knew I had some of it stored away!

Sunshine in a box

Well I just finished off my current read and switched over to The Apprentice... oh heavens... looks like it's going to be an interesting one to say the least!

Just who's for the chop? And Judging by the progress right now I am wondering which team is going to fail! hehe

And rug in a box??? What the heck is that I've still not worked it out.

Just two days!!!

Then it's the new series of Grey's on Living! hurrah!

Only thing is, I accidentally waded into the spoiler swamp today and well, woah there are some strange things afoot in Season 3 - hm wonder if we'll be getting the Grey's spin-off I've heard so much about the last month or so. But yaaaay Grey's fixes here we come!

Season 3 of The Closer starts in the US next month as well... let's hope it arrives here a lot sooner than season 2 did! But sob only a few episodes of Brenda left on More4... :o(

Anyway, I am off for a mooch with my Sims, I seem to be getting back into playing it now, but really if I could be more focused I'm sure I could be playing with my stash instead. That'll have to wait for Friday night I think!

Phew

There are some benefits to being on a SW diet... namely homemade cheese burgers!!

Mmmm... got back from the gym and got the grill fired up, tossing those burgers then scoffing them!

Not had any play time tonight, and I am determined to be gymming tomorrow night and Wednesday night... then of course Thursday... broken record... yadda yadda.

Well the new kit I've subbed to should be en route now! LOL With any luck I shall be playing with it this weekend! :oD

Love these stamps

Cowboy's Ransom... Fab font... anyway I was charged with making a Mother's Day card by my mum to my grandma in Poland for next weekend... Following so far?

Well she has a lot of mail go missing so it needs to be flat as a pancake when it's sent and keep a low profile... I just can't do flat - I was itching to put buttons, brads, ribbon and 3d foam to use, but had to show restraint! {gasp}

Those Basic Grey rub-ons are finally getting used, allbeit sparingly!

And the extra rub-on bits - perfect for the back of the card, plus I think that Heidi Swapp foam heart stamp is my favourite heart shape at the moment! I keep stamping it everywhere!

Tick tock

Another from the album dealing with that pesky biological clock... I'd never really consider myself a maternal girl, but kids have always been part of the equation... on the dim and distant horizon, except that horizon seems to be drawing nearer... hm.

But there's plenty of time!

{she says}

Excuse me while I sway round the room

The new Pink Martini album arrived yesterday and I didn't have chance to listen to it until I got in from the gym, and between lots of little tasks today (including the gym) I have had it playing non-stop on loop.

It's really, really growing on me now and I have already carved out some favourite tracks.

Currently can't get enough of Tempo Perdido, Hey Eugene and especially Cante e Dance - I just love Cante e Dance and almost have the Portuguese lyrics down for that one and am happily singing along every time it comes up....

And then Dosvedanya mio bombino - ha that's a good one as well...

So plenty of ear candy this weekend, I think I'll have my 3 Pink Martini Albums shuffling and looping constantly - with the volume most definitely UP!

Off to enjoy the tunes of Mar Desconocido - love how the strains of Chopin's waltz in C sharp minor are intertwined - perfection!

Ahhh and on the telly front - The Closer tonight and wonderfully the new series of Medium starts on BBC1 on Sunday night! Excellent, the countdown is now on for the new series of Grey's Anatomy next week!

Saw this... And had to try it!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

What's your VisualDNA like?

Home sweet home

This entry is about those ideas for a dream home...

What? Where's the Hippie chick paper and all the other stuff?? Well it got a bit crowded with all that eye candy so I basically had to make a cover page that unfolded for the journaling! Brads... nice invention!

Here it is - The Chair. I LOVE this chair! It is just absolutely gorgeous, and I saw it in the window of Laura Ashely and it is divine in person. I just love the height, the shape, the fabric, the colour! Everything, and don't you think it's the perfect knitting chair... not for housing my countless unfinished projects, but for actually sitting and clicking away on the needles... hehe

Love the colours of this bathroom, especially the wallpaper and mirror!

 

The inside revealed.

I had to snip this out when I saw it in a mag as we had this image as a tea towel when I was kid - I had totally forgotten it then wham! It just reminded me of those class 70s/80s kitchen accessories... *Ü*

There's the hippie chick hiding!

I have always wanted a totally impractical (but then if you can afford it you can afford for someone else to look after it) luxuriant bath positioned in the centre of the room - like the Flake advert!! Granted I'd want it to be a wrought iron claw-footed one... but yes bliss!

Pretty pretty cushions...

And that doggie cushion, on the sofa, very reminiscent of one I had as a kid.

So there you go a few snippets of my taste in interior design! And also lets not forget those Dulux adverts Cocoa Blush and Forest Green.... hm.

A Spy?

Odd eh - do not worry this is not an entry about my Dr Evil-esque plans for world domination, I do not have a pool of mutant sea bass with laser beams strapped to their heads residing below the house... although...

No, quite simply this is an entry about the dream job or the day-dream job... or the job that a certain rather interesting book said was perfect for my namesake!

Oh what a tag line to have - Espionage, mayhem, general mischief and other heinous crimes... The adventures of Moose and Squirrel! LOL

Wish I had more of these MM tags... they are just the perfect quick addition to projects like this. They MUST make more!

Squint and you can read it!

Something for the weekend...

Or perhaps a Tuesday night off from the gym?

I managed to get my mitts on 3 back issues of Adorn magazine - now I have managed to have a very brief, very brief, flick through before dinner and all that I think this evening could require a little closer reading huh?

Also the May Self-Addressed kit also dropped in.

Hm, I really like this month's - especially the stamp, but it's going to be a bit more challenging as the papers and mini book concept are a bit further out of my box so to speak... but yes, the cogs are turning... may need some WD40... but hm... the possibilities!

Also I need to go get another entry uploaded from my When I Grow Up journal. :oD We'll be one step closer to revealing my dream seating selection... I even passed them last week in the window of Laura Ashley's can't believe it was March I made that page and only now am I seeing the chairs in real life - but mama mia they are divine!

I cannot wait to get back...

...to Whim So Doodle when we go in November - their new store looks totally amazing (check out the pics!)... oh my gosh, so pretty and the space!!! :oO

We'd best get saving up seriously now as it looks like our till receipts will be longer than ever!

Got Creativity?

Hm, good intentions again today, but feeling a little lacking in the ideas - I think it's more being overwhelmed by ideas and not being able to decide on one and crikey, too much stash to choose from! Usually the reverse is true, the mojo was there but so was a lot of stash!

Anyway, I had a play with the BF Postage stamp set for the baby card I needed to make last weekend. It's perfect for baby cards this set - special delivery and all that...

I'm still waiting for the monogram detail to dry, ahhh glossy accents... so hopefully tomorrow it'll be ready to go on! :o)

Then I thought I'd have a play with some oldish Florida stash and my "new" Limited Edition tropical stamps - you know with the flamingo and palm trees... Hm... so I dug about in the Florida photos as I'd been very inspired following a rather long phone conversation with Angela this morning.... hehe those Florida '07 wishlists are coming along nicely.

So yes, the LO in honour of Bath and Bodyworks - definitely needs to be a sooner rather than later visit this time round! hehe I need to stock up!

Love those tropical stamps - especially the palm trees! They look great inside the BF calendar circle stamp, I may end up using that combo a few more times with this album!

Good grief

A 90s chick??

Hello I have never been that modern - people always tell me from my music choices that I was born before my time... lol

But I have just taken this quiz as seen on Sam's Blog and got this result:

You Belong in 1991

With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

Nice one...

Brum, Brum

The next entry in my When I Grow Up journal is all about my vision of finally passing my driving test and my little dream car.

Well I know you're probably thinking, she's not passed her driving test yet?? Ha it gets funnier than that, as I didn't actually have my first lesson until last Autumn.

So yes, I certainly have taken my time in attempting to cross this off my list. Erm... about 10 years or so.

When I was 17 and my friends were learning to drive, I just didn't have the funds to do anything about it then... at uni "the time was never right" seemed to be a great excuse and I think everything started becoming an excuse. People would tell me "oh you need to learn to drive, then you'll have so much freedom" well yes, I knew that, in my head, the voice in my head was telling me this over and over again and I just managed to put off doing anything about it until it started to present itself as a bit of an obstacle and something which was daunting rather than exhilarating.

Anyway, the fear was overcome and now I am in the process of preparing for my test (early July if I can get the DSA to finally commit to something now that they have my moula!).

There's the little dream-'mobile - preferably in the pistachio green version, not such a nifty sight in the British winter, and I fear I would need to relocate to a Cornish beach to get that maximum groovy look going on. {g}

Wise words

and so true after going through a whole glue stick this afternoon from my cutting and sticking session! I don't think I've ever truly gone through a lipstick! They tend to need throwing out before I get to the end of one. hehe

Well tea is looming on the horizon and I also have a little photo editing to do and post up some more pics from my When I Grow Up journal. ;oD

Time to get snippy!

The latest issue of CK has just arrived through my letterbox, so that means I need to get the scissors out and get updating my style file!

The regime continues. :o)

I've got an hour or so before my driving lesson so let's see just how much I get through!

All is not lost

in the M&S salad aisle...

For I had a sighting today of the fabled Orzo pasta and slow roasted tomato salad - hurrah! I snapped one up immediately together with some other new ones to try.

If you are on slimming world check out the 220g pot of giant couscous and wheatberries with roasted butternut squash salad at a 3.5 syns for the tub - it is delish and on a par with the Wholefood salad (which has now disappeared) but fewer syns. :oD

Then I picked up the Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Tortellini salad bowl, 280g of the stuff, and 10 syns but it sure looks filling.

Also bought some new salad dressings, alas cannot work out the syn value for tablespoon measures of them without developing a severe headache... :oS

Anyway, just wanted to spread my Orzo pasta and slow roasted tomato joy... hehe

Prepare to McEnjoy!

Completely forgot my noteworthy heads up!

The ads for the new series of Grey's Anatomy have started on Living, oh yes... and there is even one hilarious ep that features Mitch Pileggi (AD Skinner from the X-Files) as the chief of staff who has a rather embarrassing medical moment... can't wait to be reunited with Grey's - now if only the latest series of Medium was on our screens... :sigh:

Oh and the Sims are winning out so far!

Change of plan

Oh quel dommage... tonight the gym is off the agenda due to a sizable oversight in the laundry dept. in that a rather vital piece of gym kit is still in the washer, oops!

So quickly adjusting to this change in plan I have devised my evening's entertainment which includes: Canada's Next Top Model (will see how this compares, but no Nigel or Jay :o\), The Apprentice, and Ugly Betty.

Now do I get back to playing with stash or do I reacquaint myself with my little Sim population, I have a bit of a hankering to to play the Sims for a bit, but we'll see how long that lasts!

Love is in the air...

Well of the KI variety!

I had an anniversary card to make tonight {baby card still to be made - but I saw her today on an impromptu visit, very cuuuute!} and what better excuse to crack open the new KI wedding-related stash (OK I mixed it with some older KI as well... technicalities!).

Had an almost disaster on the stamping front, but all's well:

Bit hard to tell in the photies, but here it is scanned:

I have sinned mega like today, but will be back to the gym tomorrow night - I fancied just one chocolate cookie in Sainsbury's, but they only sell them in at least bags of 4... and I think I've got it out of my system as I had one and a bit and oh my they were so sweet... so I am off big huge cookies for a bit I think. :oS I got a few little toffee crispy bites as well they were delish, but think taking any cake eating to excess will get it right out of my system, at least that's the plan! It's back to fruit and stir frys tomorrow! ;o)

Party Girl

OK, at last I introduced this LO to my scanner today. After I got back from the gym!

Where has the day gone?? I feel so sleepy and could do with a power nap! Shocking.

The back story - it's another LO for my childhood pics album - am thinking of getting an AC 12x12 D-ring album so I can put my 8.5 x 11 pages in it as well, then everything is in the same album right?

The photos are from my friend Matthew's birthday in 1982, I was just 4 and it wasn't long after we'd moved house. Looking at the party food on the table made me so nostalgic, there are Party Rings (used to wear them on our fingers and lick off all the icing before eating the biscuit), chocolate crispy cakes, sausage rolls, the infamous hedgehog centre piece that all kids had at their parties in the 80s which, for those not in the know, was half a melon or grapefruit covered in tin foil with cubes of cheese/ham what ever stuck into it on cocktail sticks giving it the most life-like illusion of a hedgehog... mmm-hm.

Also get a load of the 80s party ware - Danger Mouse cups!

I'm also cringing at my usual mismatching dress sense - green tights with cherry shoes, and my little purse filled with dolly mixtures. hehe

Let's Get Physical

So next up - another entry from the "to do list"...

It's another one of those song lyric entries! hehe

Featuring my beloved orange ipod shuffle. :oD

Ahhh for a pair of proper roller boots!

Made it!

Had a lovely day out today with Zoe in Newcastle - my feet are well and truly killing now and my bank account is looking bare... oops!

But I made some lovely purchases and eyed up some eqally lovely "If I ever win the lottery" purchases in Monsoon...

But today's items included a new stylish T-shirt in Next - very nice!

New top from Evans - used up those vouchers so just cost me £12 and it is REALLY nice! I love the print on it, and it's got a great neckline with none of that gaping (like current Principles top that is held in respectable place with a safety pin...)

Also in M&S spent erm... £128. {cough} Well 2 pairs of Linen trousers (hurrah one pair is white!) and lovely linen dip dyed brown top and a nice per una top in green which really looks a lot nicer on me than on the hanger (usually the opposite is true).

And the Hello Kitty stuff? Well my boss had a little girl on Friday (card to be made tomorrow) after I last saw her Thursday for lunch - hehe, apparently raspberry leaf tea does work. And H&M had these gorgeous little outfits, but the bibs... my oh my, the bibs were so sweet and I couldn't pass by the apple bibs without adding them to the stockpile!

Also, inadvertently, Zoe and I purchased... buttons. Yes, there was a little stash shopping although it was most restrained, but the buttons were nice and very LO friendly! And I left her in John Lewis Haberdashery dept. when I went for the bus - heave knows what damage she could have done there...

Wagamama's for lunch was perfect - I had the chicken with pickled ginger udon noodles - I think... but lurvely and will have to go again.

In a fit of post-shopping-spree euphoria, I said to Zoe that I may actually walk home from the bus from town... since the connecting bus on a Sunday is an hourly service and the Newcastle bus arrives 5 minutes after that hourly service leaves. Great... Well the weather was sunny and warm, it was just a bit windy... but I walked the 6 miles home with the Archos plugged in and my shopping bags being hefted... 6 miles in the shopping shoes... I did it though!! Am well chuffed as it's quite different to know you could in theory do it, but another to actually do it! LOL I have never walked home all the way from town, ever. Think that nicely makes up for the lack of gym Friday and yesterday's chocolate escapades. Took me almost 2 hours and I have a sizable blister on one toe, caught the sun a bit, but am feeling very satisfied....

Shed those lbs

Well after today's chocolate fest I think this is truer than ever! :oS

But time for another entry from my When I Grow Up album.... Cue photo montage!

Been playin'

Well, OK, maybe more than 1 LO was a bit optimistic for today!

But I can't be bothered to get the scanner warmed up and stitch it (will do it later) , but here's the one LO I managed.

Oh yes playing with my new KI and the new Calendar stamps from Banana Frog.

The Calendar stamp in it's full glory. :oD

Loving the felt letters! :o)

A little gift card using Versa Magic Key Lime, Plumeria, Versa Color Opera Pink, Simple Greetings, a heart from the Make a Chain set, and Fanciful stamps for the envelope - plus a bit of Hambly scrummy transparency. Mmmm!

And this uses Key Lime and Opera Pink ink - Concentric stamps and teen lowercase - will find it's way to a card some time!