Space at last!!!

If you saw my picture from yesterday of my workspace you would think I was a real messy, disorganised sod!!!

Not really! Only in my craft room (usually) but I do eventually get around to tidying up.

I really need to have a GOOD sort out but I'm a bit of a hoarder (take after my Dad) and hate parting with things "just in case"

Anyway, I did tidy my space yesterday but I haven't done any crafting.

So I went from this

to this

in the space of about 15 minutes. I thought it would take so much longer that that which is why I left it so long!!!

I also received a package yesterday from Dapfnie of a gorgeous handmade card and a stamp I was lucky enough to win during Jennifer's blog hop.

Thank you Dapfnie

I can't wait to use it, probably at the crop on Saturday which I'm really looking forward to...

Not much going on here...

...with a craft desk like this!! :O

I have so much to do today. I have made a good start but still loads to tick off my list including the shocking state of my craft desk.

A really good sort out is required and I WILL get it done today along with the 101 other jobs.

Busy day with meetings tomorrow and off on a retail therapy sleepover to Liverpool on Thursday.

Crop day is Saturday :) Elbow for the 5th time on Saturday night then the Crop Christmas do on Sunday night.

My list MUST be finished today

Inspired and Educated

Fridge magnets aren't really my things but I saw some during our Summer holiday and couldn't resist.

They sit proudly in the corners of my fridge freezer doors and they remind me of gems on a scrapbook layout.

My friend took a shine to them so, knowing I wouldn't get them here, I decided to but some (how hard could it be?)

Well, my obstacle came when I didn't know what the little round glass, nuggetty, pebble thingamajigs were called. I went to bead shops, crafting shops and got the same (are you mad?) look from everyone I tried to explain them to. I'd resigned myself to the fact that my friend would be getting something else for Christmas,

THEN...

...HERE last weekend Jennifer made a gorgeous necklace out of a  

CABOCHON

and there they were on ebay along with some cheap round magnets to stick on the back.

Two days later, postie delivered my goodies and here is the product of my new found education....

Our Favorite Recipe

This weekend I've been following Jennifer's Jumbles Frosty Festivities Blog Event.

One of her blogs Jacket Potato Surprise inspired me to blog one of the Graffham Three favorite meals.

I threw this together one night when I hadn't been shopping and didn't have much else in the cupboard. It has become Imogen's most requested food, she adores it and would eat it every night if allowed! Full of protein, it's good for us being non meat eaters and it's always very filling and warming on a Wintery night.

So Beany Wraps can serve 4 but as we are only 3, I divide the mixture between three flour tortillas instead of 4 :)

Ingredients


4 flour tortillas (big are better)
1 tin mixed beans in tomato sauce
1 tin pineapple chunks (drained)
1 jar pasta sauce
200g cheddar cheese (grated)
rice (I use 2 of the boil in the bag)
greased ovenproof dish

Lay the tortillas flat and divide the beans and pineapple onto the middle of each tortilla

 Fold the tortillas and place in ovenproof dish

Pour over the sauce ensuring the tortillas are covered Sprinkle over the grated cheese

Bake in a pre-heated oven 180ºC for approx 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling

 Serve on a bed of cooked rice

I hope you like our recipe - we do!!!

And now for something completely different...

Whilst in the USA earlier this year, I saw a lovely pinny which has stayed in my mind since.

Google is  a wonderful thing as I recently managed to find a "how to" online so after hunting down some BIG jeans for £1.50 in the local charity shop and dusting off the sewing machine, here is what I made...

Cute ruffled flower

Designed and printed onto transfer paper then transferred onto the material ready to stitch on

The extra pocket from the front of the jeans stitched on

Now I can keep my clothes clean from paint etc whilst enjoying my favourite pastime!

Frosty Festivities

After the big comedown from the UKS crop I was glad to arrive at Jennifer's Jumbles Blogspot via JimJams
{thanks Jemma :) }

I am now so looking forward to the weekend where once again I hope to find inspiration and creativity and ignore my family! This gorgeous My Mind's Eye collection is up for grabs...




and with a few glimpses of the weekend, I can't wait until Friday....

Silly Prices!!!

Having see something similar online with a cost of just under £10 for one card, I set about to make my own version to send to my family this year.

I found a royalty free tree then used a snowflake font in a different colour to add the "leaves" to the tree. Using PS, I've resized and printed the background for the card separately so that my tree would be the "stand out" feature of the card added a bit of ribbon and a few gems.

At a cost of about 50p compared to £10, I'm pleased with the card and think Mum and Dad will be too!!!

SO ENJOYABLE...

UKS CYBERCROP is nearly over :(

Well, what can I say? I'm really going to miss the fun of the UKS CyberCrop.
I've had some great laughs with my 'Splorer Teamies, I've sat here at night literally with tears rolling down my face with some of the banter that's been going on.

The CC itself has taught me so much and I'm especially loving the digi stuff which I've really started to get into and enjoy. I think this has to be one of my favourites. Having seen a similar Americanised saying, I wanted to make it my own and hence put this digi LO together...

I've also learned to journal more after being slapped on the hand (you know who you are) to follow the rules.
I normally hide my journalling as I don't like my writing but here I just scrawled all over the page!!

The next two LO's I used images from the Internet to print onto my background paper before adding photos and embellishments.

I also printed the violin onto sheet music paper for this one and really like how it's turned out.

I've also learned how to use those embellishments that I really don't like. Used in the right way, I don't think they look as bad as I first thought...

AND finally for now, sewing, I HATE sewing, but with inspiration (and after two failed attempts) I managed to get the LO how I wanted it. I'm glad I persevered and gave it a go....