A little challenge... and a little fun - gi..

I've just noticed whilst writing this post that there are some new little icons on the top of my post bit...  how fancy shmancy!

Anyway.. back to business..

Today saw another challenge over on LOTV, and I managed to get my card finished and uploaded in time.. that is a novelty.. lol. I had taken a break over the last few weeks with the challenges as I had a bit too much on, but now things are settling down a little - and it's only 39 days to christmas!! - I thought I'd get back in the routine.. lol.

Here's my card.

The papers are all Stampin Up, and I've finished off the card with a little charm, some flowers and a few pearly gems. I love this lickle image too.. so cute!

Also, here's the mushroom I was telling you about the other day.

Now how many mushroom stroganoff's can you make with this? What a corker..

And lastly, a little piccie of Truly for you.

When we walk in the woods, all the woofers hunt out water in the trees. Some people put plastic tubs in the bottom of the holes so that they fill with water, and other trees just collect it without the help of tubs. They all enjoy drinking out of the holes, although I check before hand that it smells fresh and is clean.

Here's little Truly having her slurp -

I know it's not a totally clear picture, but it was a quick one off my phone.. sorry.

Right.. I'm back to sorting out my SOS mail, chasing up parcels and tomorrow I'm having a crafty sorta day, I'm making some special samples for the Stampman - or actually stamp woman - Jill! I've already made a few, but more to go yet. lol.

See you soon.

PS.. don't forget about my Wish List post underneath, or check out my site here.

What are you getting for Christmas?

Stampin' Up! Christmas Wish List Service

Do you know what you want for Christmas?

Would you love to recieve Craft goodies, but anyone you ask doesn't know what you want?

Then this is the perfect solution.

Fill in my Wish List form here and mail it back to me which I will safely store for you. Then give your family/friends my contact details when they ask you what you'd like for Christmas. They can contact me and between us, we can select what Stampin' Up! goodies to purchase off your Wish List according to their budget and I can even organise to have them delivered either direct to your door or have them sent here for wrapping and collection/delivery.


How easy is that? What a happy reindeer you'll be knowing that you'll get some craft goodies you've been wishing for!

For a copy of the Wish List form or more information, please email me on joaustin22@aol.com. Please remember that orders need to be placed before the 4th December to ensure delivery.

Alternatively, if a Gift Voucher is more your thing, I can arrange to have these in any denomination for your family/friends to purchase from me. These have no expiry date and can be used at any time.

Both of these can be used with your Loyalty card.

Time?? What's that?

Rush Rush Rush... that's all I seem to ever do these days!! This week is another hectic one with SOS things coming out my ears - not that I'm complaining, oh no! And I'm sure neither will the troops out there when they get their Christmas boxes!

Apart from this, I've been busy sorting things out for this weekend.. I've got a Dabble Day to do over in Blyth for Kim, so getting prepped for that.

Last week saw another one of the brilliant Passionette meetings.. I love these. A group of Monica's Stampin Up downline meet up to have  an evening of crafty project making, hints and tips and a good general laugh. Sanitary towels at the ready for our Mon.... read here!

Now - I apologise for the quality of the pics as they were off my camera, and it looks like a certain someone has been fiddling! - here are the samples we made on the night.

Aren't the colours on this card just lovely?

This one used brayering. The colours are so much nicer in real life than they are on the picture.

And here are another couple of pictures from the evening =

This was our lovely Julie Kettlewell - both her and Monica did extremely well at the Convention, so huge congratulations to you both!!

And of course, here's the lovely Ms Monica Gale! Stampin Up's top demo for the year.

Now don't these three look like mischief? lol. Three lovely ladies who also came along for our lovely evening. Lynda, in the centre, I have met a few times - previously too at our SU evenings.

A great time was had by all, and the samples from the convention which were on display were so lovely!

Back to the furballs - -

Morning everyone..

I have always said on my blog, that good food for your dog is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. Sometimes you give your dog a food that it likes, sometimes it's for the cheapest, and sometimes because you don't know any difference. Now, I've bought up the subject of Bakers (aka bonkers!) dog food before on here, and today I came across this.

In ireland they have to list all the ingredients i have had this for a while, but just look whats in it

Sunset yellow, tartrazine and carbon black are all banned in kids due to hyperactivity, so why feed it to a dog?

There are also things in the food that are banned from human consumption, so again.. why give it to your dogs?

Obviously the choice of what you feed your dog is entirely upto you. But I can tell you a little story about my Scooby.

He was on Bakers when he first came to us nearly two years ago. He had got what was called Colitis, if he ate anything he shouldn't, then he'd have to run to the toilet for days, and would bend over double in agony for around five days. He was constantly at the vets. We had taken him off Bakers, as Holly was on a 'good food' (Hill's Science plan). He was still having problems for months.

After a long time, he is now fit and well. His coat has improved, he doesn't drink so much as he did before, his colitis is now something of the past and he is a totally different dog. So, I can say from experience, that giving a dog a food that has colours in 'just because it looks pretty' is not something you should do. Go for a good food! Wainwrights (pets at home), James Wellbeloved and Hill's are three of the top ones in my opinion. My wooflets never vary from these brands, and they are in brilliant condition.

Also, they are Springers - how many people do I meet in the Woods that say 'ooooh, bet they're a handful'.. well, actually, no they're not. They are quite lazy springers really. But Scooby wasn't when he had Bakers! And the treats are no exception!!! Dozy me - bought some bacon sizzles strips that were Bakers - talk about hyper!! Never again.. Sardine cake here we come.

You wouldn't eat McDonalds everyday.. so why give it your dogs?

And just one last thought - you feed Bakers / other because it is cheaper.. ? Well, actually it's not. You have to give an awful lot more of the cheap food to your dogs than you do the Premium brands mentioned above!

What can you do in two hours??

Alot of things most probably. lol.

Today, I've been down in Derby to the lovely Craft Central, and had an amazing day demoing for a group or two of lovely lovely ladies and the odd gent!

However, there had been an accident on the M1 and had closed it in both directions. Blimey.. I had to readjust the sat nav to bring me around a different way. So I came off at Junction 31 and it took an age to get me to my destination - well, around an hour and half extra than it should have!

On the way back, I thought it would have been back open again, and it wasn't until I was going down the slip road that I saw all the bloomin' traffic... still stood all along the motorway! All day it had been causing havoc.

Anyway, it took me around an hour or so to travel around 300 yards! I am eventually home - tired, thirsty, cold and hungry!!

The memories of a fantastic day were there to cheer me up though - I saw a TV star too! The lovely Tracy Coates of Create and Craft fame dropped by to see me, and we went for a coffee. The customers were amazing, and the staff - well, they are always amazing! Boy I love that shop!

Piccies tomorrow - they're all still on my camera. xx