HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

I want to wish everyone a very Happy and Prosperous New Year for 2010

I cribbed this idea for displaying cards for the whole year for Tracey’s site.  Mine has a slightly different slant as some months I’ve  chosen  2 cards to display as I couldn’t favour one above another.  2009 has been a difficult year for me but luckily I have survived it and come out the other end thanks to the support of my fantastic family, friends and work colleagues.  Although it is no consolation at the time there are always people worse off that yourself.   January Samantha’s 22nd birthday card

February Nicola’s 25th birthday card

March one of my first pieces of die cut decoupage

April my very first piece of non die cut decoupage

May   these were made for Emily and Cameron’s christening – sadly because of Mum’s illness she was unable to be there bit I took lots of photo’s for her

June   This was the last card Joe and I ever sent to my Mum on her 84th birthday June 26th 2009.  Very sadly on July 31st she died – after a relatively short illness – so 2009 has been a very sad year for me and my family.   Mum has left a very big gap in my life especially and I miss her loads.

July    made for  a fanatical Everton supporter

August Samantha  and Ash’s new home card when they moved into their first place 1.8.09

September   Ash’s 23rd birthday

October   Declan’s birth card

November Imogene's first birthday card using a SU set

December   these are significant as they are coloured with crayons and Sansador a technique which I have taught myself and which I feel very comfortable with Best wishes for 2010 to everyone Lesley x x

Coffee and cake or ‘Afternoon Tea’

We all met up on the Saturday before Christmas for one last coffee before Christmas, festivities commenced.  We met at the book cafe opposite Primark.   I didn’t even know it was there until that morning and I had to go into the craft shot on the corner of St James's street as despite it being in a large building I couldn’t fine it!!

P Ann eating a delicious cheese scone!

Tracey had a large piece of chocolate cake

Jane

Jane’s hot chocolate -  doesn’t that look delicious         I forgot the girls to take a picture of me :(  But I had a latte and a bacon and brie pannini It was a lovely couple of hours relaxing and chatting in great company and wonderful surroundings.  I can recommend this book cafe as a great place to stop for a coffee. I managed to get Joe into town a few days later and we had coffee here.  On  this occasion I noticed way up high on the out side it was original the owned by Derby & Derbyshire Banking Company

Chez Emilie’s

Il y a ‘blog candy’ à Emilie’s blog http://stampinmylie.canalblog.com

Merry Christmas to all my blog friends

Merry Christmas to all my blog friends and hope you all have a lovely day best wishes Lesley x x

Picture from the weekend of our family Christmas dinner

2 bottle of sparking rose from France consumed prior and with Christmas dinner along with handmade chocolate truffles and mince pies – sorry I have no pictures of Delia’s torte

eating his Christmas dinner Cameron hiding behind the tree

Emily eating her Christmas dinner                                                                                            but taking time to pose for a photo! and another photo opportunity!!

Samantha and Cameron watching and doing activities on the Thomas web site

The family are coming!!!

All the family will be coming shortly for our family Christmas dinner today around 2pm as we can’t be together on Christmas day.  Although we are having a family day on Boxing Day :) I have the best china out.  Turkey in the oven.  The roast potatoes are being done in duck fat that comes from the Confit de canard that we buy when we are in France.  They make the most fantastic roasties at tip I learnt from Joe’s cousin Carol.  I’ve made Delia smiths run truffle torte yesterday for desert,  without rum because it’s not good for young children (the rum that is!!) I’ve been baking this morning chocolate truffles, mince pies and maids of honour.   We are having Christmas crackers & some lovely sparkling rose that I bought in France in June.  the lads will probably drink beer.

I I made this card a few weeks ago to send to Australia to my friend Elaine who’s birthday was on December 15th.  She will have been out there 2 years in February.

The weekend is looming

The weekend is looming yipee!!  I am having my hair done late tomorrow night and I can’t wait as it is getting to long. Joe is waiting in for my parcel from SU which contains amongst other things a new stamp set from the Sale - a - Bration catalogue which can be ordered from from the 30th December. I have just sat down to write my Christmas cards tonight.  I’ve been putting it off as my heart is struggling with the Christmas spirit this year.  But I have done the majority of them.  I’m usually that person who writes them in November!! We are having a family Christmas meal on Sunday as we cannot all be together on Christmas Day, but we will all be meeting up Boxing Day for a day of family fun!!! Well hope you all have a great weekend and you all don’t get bogged down with shopping.  Remember Christmas is only 2 yes 2 days!!!

The Weekend

Well I have had a relative quiet weekend compared with last weekend.  Friday I met Samantha in town after she finished work and we had a couple of hours Christmas shopping together.  Yesterday Joe and I ventured to Toys R Us late afternoon with a drop into Boots next door, to get him some NRT as he’s has not smoked since we went to Caracassonne on the 16th November.  So I’m really proud of him as he was a 20 + a day man.   It has also spurred Samantha and Ashley to stop smoking and they are going into their 3rd week – well done them too.

I am off to Tracey’s tomorrow night for a  card making get together which I’m looking forward to.  I’ve been busy making birthday cards today as I have a run of birthday’s in December and January – so hopefully I will be well prepared! lol  These I will post later on in the week.  I’ve used a couple of Penny Black stamps for them. I went to Church the morning which was lovely – 3rd Advent Sunday so everything is getting Christmassy.  There was iced fruit cake and wine or non alcoholic ‘wine’ afterwards which was ratehr nice.  I opted for the non alcoholic as I was driving.  I then went up to see Cameron and Emily and had a indoor picnic on the floor with them – just delightful.

 

I’ve included a bit of Christmas cheer in this posting, a picture of Joe beside our Christmas tree & our Nativity. I put my very first SU order in last week I chickened out and phoned Chris in Germany to do it :) So hopefully that will be with me next week. Well  hope you all have a great week – back to work tomorrow but and only 12 sleeps to Christmas :) best wishes to all Lesley x

Skating on thin ice

After a busy weekend it was back to work Monday but I am off tomorrow yipeee! I’ve got to put my SU order into tomorrow other wise I will not get my discount – it has to be there by the 12th.   I do have my Christmas tree up though!!  I am off to my French evening class in a bit.

I’m out for a meal with the ‘girls’ tomorrow.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do tomorrow whether to go into town for a bit to do some m,ore shopping or stay at home – the latter seems more appealing :)  Might shop Saturday then again I might not!! I’ve done some internet shopping which is being delivered to my brother’s house and my sister in law is kindly wrapping it up for me as it seem silly to pay 2 lots of postage. well off to French – have a good evening fellow bloggers. Lesley x

Christmas Clearout

This is another one of my experiments with SU Christmas with some heat embossing with a sparkly powder.

I’ve had yet another busy weekend.  I went off to the Farm Shop near Locko Park – Crow Wood Farm to be precise to get some meat.  Their meat is lovely produced on their farm and the pork is from Gloucester Old Spot.  Their sausages are to die for.  Not expensive either.  As I was near Spondon popped into to see the Grandchildren. I then went to the Charity shop again to relieve us of years accumulated items that have been stored in the loft.  I have found items that I’d forgotten we’d got – so why did I keep them in the first place!! Well just in case.  One of my many failings is that I’m a hoarder!  I have many more trips to make over the coming months!!! The other reason was to bring our Christmas decorations down.  Our tree is now up in the Conservatory, along with a few other items.   I have thrown away several sets of lights that we have had for years & have 2 bags of old decorations to take to the charity shop this coming week. I’m having a fairly quiet day today, Samantha.  Bought a lovely sirloin roast which Joe and I are going to have for dinner today.  I have my French homework to do.  A few birthday cards to make for friends. Well have a great day as I will try to do thanks for stopping by to read my blog and leaving a comment Lesley x

Retirement Card

A colleague was retiring from work after several years of working in the NHS and this was the card I made for her

the weekend is looming – yipee   thanks for stopping by to read my blog and leave a comment Lesley