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Much of a muchness
Things that make you go 'hmm'…
Tag Archives: Crafts
Christmas wishes…
Posted by on December 20, 2007
My lovely blogging friend, Kiwipulse, sent me this video in her comment yesterday. I enjoyed it so much I thought it deserved a wider circulation, so I am posting it here. Kiwipulse’s blog is always full of amazing things, it must take so much work to find all the weird and wonderful things she writes about. In fact, she wrote my first ever review and featured a lot of my books when I was first starting out (you can read that here).
As for the video, well this is just what it is like at my house when I am making a book……..not! I love the way she just gets on with it and produces what looks like it is going to be a gorgeous book – what a shame we don’t get to see the finished book properly, that spine looks interesting.
Both my boys are home now and we are expecting a guest for a few days over Christmas, so I have had to switch into mummy-mode. Today, we are decorating our tree (yes, I know I’m late but I haven’t been in the mood ….) and I’m not sure I will be able to make many books for a while. I shall still write here when I can and I’m sure I won’t be able to resist getting back to the books but it will be sporadic at best! I am going to make an new photograph album for our guest as part of his Christmas present, mainly as we couldn’t think what else to buy him (we all know men are notoriously difficult to buy gifts for) so I shall try to post that when it is finished.
Here is a little Christmas greeting to you all from me. Have a very jolly Christmas and the very, very best of New Years.
I must also draw your attention to this wonderful article By Mark Bittman in the New York Times, ‘101 Simple Appetizers in 20 minutes or less‘.
Yummy, quick, delicious, easy…. the man is a genius.
The Book Mountain
Posted by on December 13, 2007
I bought this paper a while ago and I’m not sure if it is meant to be a ‘seasonal’ paper but I think it looks like Santa’s hat so it can be classed as another Christmas book :)
Paul over at ‘Struggling Writer‘ was wondering yesterday where I stored my books. Well, that got me thinking and I got them all out, mainly to count them but also to tidy up the plastic storage boxes I keep them in. Here is a photograph of the books – all 77 of them – and the room I work in. I checked back and I have been making books since July 2007 – less than 6 months, so I was pleasantly surprised at how many there were, especially as I have sold quite a few and given others away as gifts!
The trees outside this conservatory are lime trees so I decided to call my business Limetree Studio. During the summer, on one of the few sunny days, I took a photograph of the tree and designed a banner for the web site I am building and I have just used the same image for some mini cards from my old friends at ‘Moo.com‘. They have just arrived and are really nice. I also bought a very sweet turquoise leather holder to keep them in when I am out and about, it is really cute.
I’m off to the hairdressers shortly. I keep trying to pluck up courage to have my hair cut shorter and into a different style but I chicken out whenever I get there and end up having the same old trim. I’m going to another Christmas party tonight, so it’s probably not the best time to be too adventurous anyway, so I shall come back looking exactly the same – just a bit neater and minus quite a few pounds – unfortunately not of the weight variety :)
It’s Nice here…
Posted by on December 6, 2007
This book is smaller than my usual square books, only 5″square, so it is actually very cute. I might make more this size as they are almost handbag sized. Well, they are if you have a big handbag!
I am posting this from a rather swanky hotel room in Nice, France. I made this book before I went and saved it up for today. I flew out of England yesterday at 8.30 am, after a really early start in the foulest weather you can imagine. I left my house at 4.30am as I have a 2 hour drive to Bristol airport. It was raining incredibly hard and there were gale force winds – really nasty. At around 5am I was caught by a speed camera which I hadn’t noticed as I was concentrating on the dark, empty road (and I don’t like driving at night). I was so busy watching for huge puddles, as a lot of the roads were flooded, I didn’t notice the camera so being caught on an empty road, doing 40 in a 30 zone is very annoying.
I arrived in Nice and the sun was shining in a clear blue sky. And it was warm – such a treat. I’m only here for a couple of days but as it about 6 years since I was last here, it is nice to be back. I took some photographs but haven’t brought the cable to get the photos off the camera, so they will have to wait until I get back on Friday. Here’s a photo I found on Google images.
When I was last in Nice, this wonderful Art Deco facade was all that was left of the original building which was a casino on the Promenade des Anglais. For years behind this facade, there was just a huge hole but recently they have re-built the casino and added a lovely hotel. On the third floor, there is a sun terrace and a swimming pool (on the level above the arches).
It is really very nice here in Nice and it’s a shame that my winter break in the sun is over on Friday, then it’s back to the rain…
Bowing to the inevitable…
Posted by on December 4, 2007
I’ve finally given in and accepted Christmas is coming and I am going to have to face up to it. So, a festive book. And I’ve ordered my Christmas tree and festive wreath for the front door online from Crocus, uploaded a photograph to be made into a personalized Christmas card from Moo.com (also ordered stickers and mini cards as I love them – they are such a handy size for a little business card) These are mine – I uploaded some images, cropped them and chose the colour and text for the reverse and within a few days a little box full of adorable mini cards arrived.
I also went to a site called ‘Elf Yourself’ which was recommended by Peteej and turned my sons and me into elves – you can see the result by clicking on this link. I think it is hilarious.
So that is as far as I have got with Christmas preparations. I am off to Nice for a couple of days tomorrow – back on Friday. I have a 30th wedding anniversary party to go to on Saturday night and I haven’t even thought about what I am going to wear so I hope I find something chic in Nice. The perfect boot hunt might just be resolved too….
Luscious lips
Posted by on December 2, 2007
I finally managed to track down some silver ribbon that wasn’t twinkly-sparkley, you wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to find. Just so I could use this blue and silver paper from Falkiners with a plain silver paper I bought from Paperchase – see the effort I go to for you? These books don’t just happen you know :-)
I was scanning through the papers yesterday and found this. I’m not sure quite how it is supposed to keep your lips smooth and luscious as if it tastes as nice as it sounds, I would keep licking it off. Still, it would make your lips very kissable if you used your other half’s favourite flavour :-)
My favourite ice cream flavour is either honeycomb or rhubarb and custard from my local health food shop. It’s nice to know they consider ice cream a health food :-) I’m not sure that I like the sound of this ice cream as demonstrated by Heston Blumenthal though.
Do you have a favourite flavour?
Much of a muchness 
