All over for another year....

But one of the plus things that happened this year though, was that Steven actually for the first time ever pulled the cracker with each of us on his own, (usually he has to have hand over hand with one of us). So it shows him helping out at the little farm day centre is giving him some muscle, lol.


(you can see his dad was a little worried he was going to hurt himself though, also had to smile as Steven had the all the ends with the presents and jokes, lol)

Anyway it's all over for another year, we had a lovely but sort of different Christmas, with my mum staying over for a few nights and my daughter and her fiancé being here both evening, which was lovely we even played a few board games, which we don't get chance to do normally.

Steven was a little confused with his nana being here when he went to bed and woke up, but I think he coped very well to be honest. Think it was more me that had to get used to having someone else saying in the house, I couldn't really relax, silly I know, but I'm so used to it being just the 3 of us or when hubby is working away, just the 2 of us, lol.

Mum went home this afternoon and we had dinner round my daughters which was extra nice, as they waited on us, hehehe. Anyway after Steven went to bed this evening, it was chill out time on the settee, watching what we want, when we want and even putting the lappy on to catch up on blogs etc. lol.

Tomorrow Steven is back to his day centre as the poor animals have to be cleaned out, fed and watered (it's all right, they did have staff there over Christmas to do that). I'm lucky that where hubby is working have decided to close till next Tuesday so have him home till then, yeah. So we can do some of the house things that need both of us to do and catch up on the paperwork for the business, boo, also got Steven's paperwork too. Oh the joys of being busy when Steven is out, oh and if time, I will start sorting out all the presents from under the tree into their new homes (and if I had my way, the decorations would be slowly coming down as I really just want everything to get back to normal, lol).

Then think it will be sausage and fried onions with mash potato, veg and lots of gravy for dinner, yum, as got a little fed up with the buffet type food and roast after the last 2 days, hehehe.

I hope everyone else had a good Christmas and got some lovely pressies, (we did, were all totally spoilt as usual, hehe)...

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to wish all my readers and their families a Very Merry Christmas and hope you all have a good one, hugs.

Maria xx

PS thought I would share with you, one of hubbies Christmas Presents, a Santa Cacti isn't he cute, lol.

Saying of the week...

The only way to get the best of an argument

is best to avoid it.

Saying of the week...

One must be nice to strangers,

or however will one meet one's friends.

Out and about...

Over the last few weeks, I've also managed to make a trip to Southampton with my daughter for our annual Christmas shopping trip, even though we didn't really need anything as we were already sorted with presents, but still had a lovely time mooching around and having lunch out.

Also mum and I caught a train to London and had a fun day there too, OK we got lost and were intrigued by a wall and gate that had barbed wire on, (to look at the map to find out it was the grounds to Buckingham Palace), just wished I had taken a photo of the Queen's back door, lol. Oh well, maybe next time as think we might do it again and now we have our bearings will aim for somewhere in particular.

Also while Steven was in respite I managed to get another trip to Bath in, as hubby is still working there.


When I got there at 1, I had a walk round the shops and then walked back to Victoria Park, as Sam was asking me if it was the same as she remembers, so went and took some photo's for her.

What I loved about this park and still do, is the disabled swings, as they are few and far between. I suppose if you've never had a special needs child in your family, you don't really think about it, but I was so nice that both my children could have some fun in the same park.



It was lovely and Christmassy, I made sure I had a mooch round Bath Market especially when it was getting dark, as was really pretty. It consisted of more that 130 wooden chalets nestled in the picturesque streets and squares. Yes was very pretty, all lit up and so pleased I was up there when it was on, as only was on for just over 2 weeks.







On the Tuesday I caught a train to Bristol to reminisce as I moved there just before I was married, as that is where hubby comes from. I downloaded a map before I left home and headed straight for Queen Charlotte Street as I worked for BT as head chef in their restaurant there for their offices, it is now student accommodation.



Then headed for Christmas Steps as another place I remember hubby taking me to, after we first met.





Then headed into town, WOW what a lot of shops and different centres, it had changed quite a bit since I moved there nearly 27 years ago. I met up with my sister-in-law Anne and had a lovely lunch and mooch round the shops, (good job she was with me and put me in the right direction fr the train station back to Bath, lol).

In the evening hubby and I had our company Christmas dinner, just the 2 of us, lol at The Boathouse restaurant in Bath. Had a lovely 3 course meal and was so full, that we couldn't even fit in a coffee.

On the Wednesday had another mooch round Bath, before getting the train home at 11.30, in all a lovely break and this time I was actually relaxed and felt as if I had a break, lol...

The wonderer returns, again, lol....

Sorry not been around, no real excuses, just not enough hours in a day

One of the things that HAS been taking up a lot of my time is being on the phone to Bank Of Scotland...

...why you ask, well since 30th September I've not been able to log into our business account. It seems their computer has set me up with a personal account, yet they cannot delete me or re-register me as I've already got an account, even though it does not recognise me.

I've been on the phone nearly every day and sometimes for an hour a time, having to explain it all over and over again, to be no further than I was on the 30th September... I've since reported them to the financial ombudsman but they have 7 weeks to act, I DON'T WANT TO WAIT 7 WEEKS... I want to get into my account NOW. I just prey it doesn't lock hubby out of the account as we will be totally in the ****. As how can you say to the TAX man, sorry cannot pay your bills, as I cannot access my account, yes I'm sure they will buy that, (not).

Crafting wise, I did make 2 'hugs & sparkle' cards last month when 2 of my crafty friends were suddenly been rushed into hospital. Thankfully they are both now home and slowly on the mend, but in the rush to get them in the post, I forgot to take a photo of them.

I also managed a card for Gina's birthday...


A couple of Wedding Anniversary cards...




Birth congratulation cards...




Retirement card...


and Christening card...




On the none craft side, I've managed to finish all my Christmas shopping, and is stored in my 'Arty Atiic'




but still need to wrap them and write out the Christmas cards.

Then it's just been the usual, organizing the Yackety Yac coffee morning's, Steven's hospital appointments and chasing up his day centres, wedding bits with Sam (flowers and bridesmaids dresses sorted now) and still plodding along with invites, well like she said it's only 10 months away, lol... housework, shopping etc, etc, etc.

Saying of the week...

Don't knock the amateur - after all he built the ark.

Professionals built the Titanic

Saying of the week...

Insanity is hereditary...

you get it from your children!

Saying of the week...

Any place is nice to be...

as long as we have nice company..

Saying of the week...

The secret of long life:

keep breathing....

Update on jury summons

It seems Steven does not qualify for jury service, so the summons has been withdrawn, lol..

Saying of the week.

The simple questions...

are often the hardness to answer...

Saying of the week...

When the going gets tough - I head for Grandma's

Saying of the week...

A marriage is made in Heaven,

and so is thunder and lightening.

This will make you smile...

Well it will to everyone that knows my son, or remembers what I say about him...

He's been called for jury service, he got his summons today, lol...

Oh well there is one thing they can count on, and that is him not telling me anything about the case, lol....xx

Saying of the week...

Maybe age dims our near vision, so we can't see the lines on the faces we love.

Bath photos

For people that don't know much about Bath, it has been called the World Heritage Site because of the Historic buildings being the best in England including The Roman Baths and pump room, Thermal Bath Spa and the Royal Crescent to name a few, see here

I've enclosed a few photo's here's the hotel we stay at the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel the outside spa was to die for lol...


It was only about 20 minutes walk to the centre of Bath, but I tended to take a slow walk along the canal to Bath centre...






Sometimes stopping to watch the narrow boats go through the locks, it was very relaxing watching it (OK maybe not for them doing it, lol)...


The the doors closing behind the narrow boat.


The when the doors were well and truly closed.




Then once they were at the next level would open the gates.



I had a few places that were memories, as when I first met hubby he was working in Bath, so would mooch round while waiting for him to finish work...

The Crescent

Habitat... shame but the shop has since gone, but it was where I bought our first posh tin opener after we had got engaged. I asked the sales assistant to put it in the biggest carrier bag they had, you should have been my future hubbies face when he walked out of work to see the size of the bag I was holding, he panicked to think of how much I had spent in there, lol...


Putney bridge



On the Tuesday I was picked up by hubbies sister and we drove over to Bristol to visit our great nephew Finley for the first time..



and what a little cutie he is, we've got his Christening to look forward to next month.

Saying of the week...

Grow old with me,

the best is yet to be!

A year today...

I expect we will be all running around like headless chickens, as our daughter prepares for her wedding day, yikes, must get on with the invites etc...

OK maybe not all, Steven will be his normal happy self, flapping at all the excitement with watching his mum running around, lol...

Saying of the week...

Your pet loves you unconditionally.

Sorry, been awol again...

Reason's being, not really done any crafting the last few weeks, I seem to have lost my mojo, not sure if it's because since hubby has been working away, I feel tired most evening... OK I did manage to knock up a quick one for Matt, (my daughters fiancé).



But on the PLUS SIDE I've actually achieved something, I went away for 2 nights to Bath to visit hubby...

You are asking WHY is that such an achievement, well it was the first time I've actually left Portsmouth while Steven was in respite for the 2 nights. As when he's usually there, I don't go anywhere in case I'm needed, but felt I had to try and with hubby being away the thought of staying in the house on my own, I knew I would have sat here worrying about Steven...

When looking into it, I worked it out that going by car it was going to cost me nearly £40 and going by train would be £35 for a return, so still was not sure, but checking online later for trains, I found out if I booked it as 2 singles, it worked out at just £19.50, so that helped me make my mind up.

It was a good job I bought the tickets upfront (the only way you get it at that price is buying them early) as on the Monday as I waved Steven off to his day centre I felt very tearful and would have quite happily stayed at home, Steven was actually happier than usual, waving me goodbye and yawning. (Which is his sign that he was sleeping at Russets, he makes me smile as if he sees any member of staff out, he yawns at them, as to him they mean sleeping at Russets, lol).

Anyway I kept myself busy with doing the last few chores round the house, drove Stevens bag and paperwork to Russets, came home, put the car back in the garage. Then grabbing my handbag with the tickets, phone, MP3, craft mag and kindle headed to the station, (hubby had taken my few bits of clothing and wash bag in the car with him).

It was lovely sitting on the train just chilling, reading and watching the world go by. I had a lovely time in Bath, the weather was fab too, (hopefully photos will follow)... I also visited Bristol to see my great nephew Finley, (as hubby had to work as usual through the day), they loved the hanger I made for his bedroom. In fact it was in his room that night and a photo placed on Facebook, (my daughter told me as I didn't do any emails while away, just a couple of texts to my daughter and mum to say I had arrived safely, OK AND a text to gina, as she told me I had to when I was on the train as she didn't think I would go through with it, lol)..

So in all, a lovely few days away, but when I got back to the station waiting for the train home, I was soon 'bought back down to earth' as I got a phone call from Russets. It seems they had lost Steven's toe spacer and coat, the coat has since been found, but the toe spacer is gone for ever. Slight problem with that is, it's especially made for Steven, luckily when Russets misplace it last time (but found it) I had made an appointment with the podiatrist to have it replaced, so kept the appointment. Which meant I had a spare, but it did make me think was it worth going away, but like Russets said, even if I had been at home, they still lost the items! OK, that would have been true, just wish they didn't.

But I've been very brave this evening and taken the bull by the horns and booked the train up for later this year. Again when Steven is at respite, as this time it's worked out at just £12 return, and at that price I felt I cannot got wrong. OK I wonder what Russets will lose this time, I did say to them 'I suppose I'm lucky you don't loose my son' and yes I did actually say that to the manager. He did say, that's why they like me as I speak my mind, I'm quick enough to moan but also quick enough to show my praise when earned, lol..

Anyway not bad, it's only taken me just 20 years to leave the house, but hopefully this is just the start.

Saying of the week...

Let's be teddy bears, in our next lifetime!

Everybody loves them;
nobody cares if they are fat;
and the older they get, the more they're worth!

Saying of the week...

Get even - live long enough to be a problem to your kids.

Crafty time

It's been a bit hectic these last few weeks as hubby's got a new contract, which is good news for our bank balance, but he's now working away from home Monday to Friday probably till next April... So it's not only me getting used to not having him around but trying to explain to Steven where his dad is and that mummy has to read him his bedtime story, (he still won't let me read him Thomas the Tank, lol).

But I have managed a little bit of crafting since I finished the Christmas cards, I made this hanger for my new great nephew.


The bases are from a cosmo kit, same ones that I used for my Arty Attic hanger, (as I bought 3 kits when it was a one time only).


The papers are from the pastel papermania 8x8 pad, which I inked round the edges of the boards to add some dimension, or at least I think it does.


The letters and numbers is 'BOYS WILL BE BOYS' sizzix and 'Naturally Serif' decorative strip. Then is was finished off with some stars from a cuttlebug snowflake die, teddy pictures are from the range at Toys R Us as that is what Finley's nursery is based on and finely I finished it off with some stickles on the stars and rabbits, I didn't go too mad as for a boy.



As for some of the cards that were needed for this month, I cheated a bit and adapted ones that I had already made earlier in the year, lol...

Saying of the week...

God learns by his mistakes,

which is why he created man first.

Saying of the week...

When life throws you lemons, make lemonade!

Update on challenge

Well have managed to make another 40 Christmas cards...



So have 90 finished, with all their inserts and envelopes...



There was a little bit of cheating, as the kit's decoupage was done back in April, when I was in the mood for doing it. I really enjoyed doing them all, I don't know if it's because I was not under pressure (as it's not December, which is when I'm usually doing them) or what.

Saying that, I'm a little fed up with Christmas looking things now, so will leave the personal cards (hubbies, Steven's, Sam and Matt's and mums) till when I'm back in the festive mood, lol...

I've now started a baby date hanger for Finley, it's a shame as I found a lovely one I could have based mine on, on Pinterest, but had already started the one I'm doing.

Also am thinking of doing a couple of door plaques for Alfie, Charlie and Finley, will let you know how I get on as I've also got 9 cards needed for this month as well, but am hoping I can use some of the ones I've already made...

Saying of the week...

If today was a fish, I would throw it back...

Set myself a challenge

OK, not a really a hard one, but more of a common sense one really...

This year I am going to make all my Christmas cards using stash that I already have and not buy anything...

I've got off to a flying start, as so far have managed to make 50 out of an Dawn Bibby Christmas kit I found in the wardrobe, while tidying the Christmas stash up last year, (not bad seeing as it's still only August, lol)...



I've also managed to use up card blanks that I already had, so quite chuffed with myself...

OK I didn't quite keep to the challenge, as needed a corner punch for the corners of my inserts and I had nothing Christmassy, so ended up buying a Martha Stewart 'snowflake furry' punch, as I hold my head down in shame.

But on the upside I also managed to make some curtains for my 'Arty Attic' from a couple of tablecloths...



Why you ask?

Well I bought the tablecloths for our dinning room table, (very cheap from asda) to find that when I washed them, they were very creased and there is nothing more having to iron, let alone iron a very creased tablecloth... yikes, makes me shiver just the thought of it, lol...

OH... and they also shrank, so was a little too small for the table when extended... but the colour and size was just right for some curtains, so at least they weren't wasted and were a lot cheaper than buying some curtains as were only a couple of pounds...

Yet more cards...

Am still catching up with blogging and showing my crafty makes over the last month or so...

Sam's Birthday card is a little over the top for my liking, not sure why, think it should have been smaller flowers...


I used the cuttlebug embossing folder at the bottom with sizzix 'daisy' dies and added a sizzix 'fern'. Glitter down the side, sizzix decorative strip 'slobbery kiss' writing and finished off with some butterfly stickers.

Steven made up one from his box of Brenda Pinnick cards for her...



For hubbies Anniversary card, I used a die that gina sent me (having found out she had 2, lol) the peel off's were from the forever friends freebies from a docraft magazine, OK last of the big spenders on hubbies card, lol...



Lastly my niece was the BIG 40, but she didn't want to admit it so I sent her a simple card, but had to still remind her she was 'getting old' (not as old as me though, lol)... The bird and sentiment on the front of the card were an old Dawn Bibby kit I forgot I had, until it fell out of a box I was sorting the other day, hehehe, the added words were using a 3d Dymo tape...





As I said in a post last week, Sam and I had popped along to Basingstoke to have a look at centre pieces for her wedding next year. Well she did settle on them, very pretty, but will not describe them to you though, as not sure if she wants people knowing things just yet, also I've now started her wedding invites...

On the way back we stopped off at Port Solent for some lunch and had a mooch is Paver's again, but this time it was me that ended up buying a bag, lol... I loved the brightness of it and the compartments inside, just hope I don't loose things in there, as rather a bigger bag than I usually have, hehehe



(I nearly came home with the colourful zipped one too, but it didn't sit on my shoulders right, well it has to feel comfy, lol)...