Fun Fun Fun!!

In my part of the world we were lucky enough not to get too much snow during the cold snap, but there was just enough to bring out the details on the landscape when Himself and I took one of our favourite walks around the grounds of an abandoned hospital near my home. The sun was going down but it was very atmospheric:

And at the weekend we attended the fabulous wedding of Himself's sister and her new hubby, a small gathering but great fun. The reception was held at the lovely Hotel du Vin, where we partied into the early hours and perhaps had one or two of these..

This is the card I made for the happy couple, I was pleased at how it came out:

And today I've been sorting out all my stock, there's a lot of it! I've added a clearance section to my Etsy shop so it's your chance to grab a bargain!

Blockage

It's feeling 00000.1 of a degree milder here today I think, as I am not having to make use of any heating aids in my craft room apart from a cup of tea! Or maybe it's because I've been bustling about in the kitchen making a cake! Or doing all my housework. Whichever the reason I'm making the most of it and hoping for a shiver-free crafty session this afternoon!

If I can move this blockage between me and my craft desk, that is....

Do you think he's wondering if Bagpuss is a real cat????

Feeling The Chill

Brrr! How are you all coping with this super-chilly weather? I am getting through the days by drinking lots of tea and holding/wearing every heatable item I possess! (That would be hot water bottle, microwaveable slippers and those gel-filled hand warming things!) In an effort to ignore the chill my crafting has been very much focussed on spring-themed items this week!

Owls

Birds

Birds again

Elsewhere I am slowly getting back into cooking again. Trying to eat a bit more healthily and mindfully (although that doesn't count the 7800 biscuits I've just polished off!) and really make the most of being a vegetarian. Tonight I'm planning to make Roasted Squash with feta, mint and chilli. 

Pic source: Tesco.com

Over Christmas when I was ill I did almost lapse into eating meat (because my appetite went haywire and I went off all the things I usually enjoy) but that phase has passed and I am looking forward to my fifth year as a veggie! 

Wrap up warm and have a great weekend!

Fab Days

Some days can really be lovely and leave you feeling that you have lots to be grateful for. Yesterday was made fab by the fact that A) I finally sought help for a sinus infection that has been plaguing me for the past few weeks - the pharmacist gave me some strong decongestant tablets and they've worked wonders, my appetite is back and I have energy again! B) I bought a cute dress to wear to the wedding of Himself's sister  C) I had a yummy cream tea with my mum and D) I did some cooking for the first time in ages and made Quorn Tikka skewers - tasty!

Today has so far been made delightful by the fact that A) I've done ALL my housework - and I mean all, the house is sparkling! B) I received a parcel from a lovely regular customer containing a fab selection of scrapbooking card and papers from her own stash, as well as a pretty notecard:

and C) This cute lump-under-the-duvet made me smile - it's a naughty habit someone's got into, look at all the hair I'm going to have to vacuum up!

Now I'm hoping to have a productive wee crafting session, that would make my day complete!

Love Birds

Little birds seem to be featuring on all the lovery-dovey items I'm making at the moment...

They're one of my favourite things to use on cards (after owls, that is!!)

Happy 2013!

Happy New Year everyone! I've realised that I was a very bad blogger last year, with fewer posts than previous years, so I am determined to keep a better record of my crafty life during the next twelve months!

It's hard to believe that Christmas and New Year are now over, after all the build-up. I had a nice, quiet time, although I was plagued by two lurgies, one after the other, during the festive season. Even though my appetite and energy levels were affected, they didn't prevent me from enjoying my Christmas dinner and I only spent one day in bed, resting. What felt weirdest was the extreme lack of crafting! I was absolutely itching to get back to it and I begin this year with a great sense of optimism about my Crafty Mushroom business. I intend to work harder on it than ever before!!!

Several of my Christmas gifts had a distinctly "owly" theme:

I have a cushion, a diary, two wee hanging decorations and a not-as-yet-filled doorstop! Fab!

Owls are going to be around a lot in my crafting this year. These Vally Day tags are a start:

Before Christmas I was busy with orders, including a first for Crafty Mushroom - a wedding keepsake box!

It was a challenge, as I wanted to keep to an elegant "less is more" concept, but, with the addition of a hand-drawn and paper-pieced wedding cake, the end result was, I am assured, enough to bring tears to the eyes of the bride-to-be! For the right reasons, I hope!!!!

Himself's sister and her boyfriend announced their engagement at the new year, so I made a personalised card for them:

And finally, a couple of calendars, also personalised, that I was asked to make:

I think personalising is going to be big this year, so I've decide that any of my cards in my shops can have names added if required.  Stocks are a bit low though, I notice. I'd better get filling up those shelves again!