So much happening

I can't believe that it is May already and judging by the weather we have gone back to March! What has been happening since I last posted? Well, we went to Wales for a week, had a wonderful time although it rained a lot, the cottage we rented was lovely, very isolated but with spectacular views.

We have totally gutted and refurbished our bedroom, of course nothing went according to plan but at long last it is finished and I'm really pleased with it.

I have been trying my hand at different crafting things. I made an altered art photo frame, I loved the bubbled effect of the Terra when it was heated. Then there was the needlework ... I usually only do cross stitch but we had a workshop at the sewing club that I attend where we were shown how to do needlepoint (I think), anyway I got hooked and made a little sewing case that would hold small items of needlework when on the move, a pin cushion, scissors fob, key fob and bookmark.

And last but certainly not least, last week my 17 year old Grandson passed his driving test on the first attempt, needless to say we are very proud of him and of course I had to make him a well done card.

I will now upload a few photos but of course they will be in no particular order as this machine does exactly as it pleases! Just look on it as a game of guess what the photo is.

Went to Twickenham on Saturday

Hi everyone, what a beautiful start to March, today is bright and sunny, the birds are singing, what more could we ask for? ..... more of the same please!

Rob and I went to Twickenham on Saturday to watch the England v Ireland rugby match and what an exciting day it was! I have to say that I am a big rugby fan although I haven't a clue when it comes to the rules! Our Son and Daughter in law bought us the tickets for Chistmas (what a fantastic Christmas present).

We went up to Twickenham on the train, neither of us had travelled by train for goodness knows how many years but we were pleasantly surprised as to how comfortable, warm and clean they were, they were all running to time too and the staff were extremely helpful so we had a good journey. We had to change trains at Clapham Junction and that is where "rugby fever" began ... I have never seen so many huge men! I am tall but I was dwarfed by these chaps, it was all very good natured, English and Irish supporters packed together like sardines for the 15 minute journey, then everyone spilled out and all you could see was a sea of people making their way to the stadium. We had superb seats, on the second tier, behind and slightly to the right of the goal posts (I suppose they are called goal posts?)so the view of the pitch was brilliant, and we were under cover which was just as well as we had a terrific downpour part way into the game.

Unlike football matches the fans at rugby matches are not segregated so were were in amongst lots of Irish supporters and the atmosphere was electric but very good natured with not a hint of trouble.

By the end of the match (England didn't win but it was a great game) I was hoarse with so much shouting and cheering ... imagine the scene .... 18000 fans spilling out of the stadium, I had to hang onto Rob for dear life as there was no way we would have found each other again if we had got parted, but the same wonderful chamaraderie was still there as both sets of fans laughed, joked and chatted about the match together as we all inched our way towards either the town centre or the train station.

Our younger Son met us at Southampton station and drove us home, it was around 10pm when we got home, we were both exhausted after a long but wonderful and very memorable day ..... thank you so much Adrian, Deb, Lewis and Rachel for our wonderful Christmas present!

Guess what we did last week?

Guess what my two crafting buddies and I did last week? ...... Christmas cards! Yep that's right, mad I know but our challenge was to make Christmas cards using just two stamps that one of the Sues had provided. I found it very difficult to get in the mood to make the actual cards, we had used the stamps during our crafting session using the resist technique then made the cards at home ready for our session yesterday. Here are my cards.

I also of course made a Valentine card for my lovely Rob, which he loved.

Latest "creations"

Hi everyone

I haven't been on for a while but I haven't been slacking! Rob and I have started the low GI diet, well to be honest Rob has enrolled for the diet sessions and I am his "Buddy". The first week was quite tough trying to get my head around what we could and couldn't eat and trying to follow the GI recipes but after that it got easier and it is now going really well, in 3 weeks Rob has lost 13lb and I have lost 8lb so we are both really pleased and really motivated.

I have also been busy making my cards and trying different techniques. My friend Sue has some of the Stamps by Judith which are really cute so a couple of weeks ago we spent the afternoon playing with them, here are my two cards (isn't the Dorky bird cute?).

The following week it was playing around with Mica Gloss, I love the shimmery results you get with it. The background and the frame (cut with Nesties) on the pinky card are both glossy card brayered with Mica Gloss and the butterfly is painted with it. The turquoise and lilac card is made by brayering Mica Gloss onto a cuttlebug folder then putting it through the machine, the butterfly is again painted with it. The shimmer doesn't really show up in a photo but it looks stunning.

Collage/scraps ATCs

Here are the collage ATCs that I made a couple of weeks ago, it was the challenge my two crafting buddies and I set ourselves, it followed on from our previous week's challenge which was using bits from our 'scraps' box so my ATCs are all made from scraps.

DIET UPDATE
It was Rob's first weigh in since we started on the GI diet. The first week was quite tough for me as I had to study all the recipes and do the shopping etc but the diet itself is quite easy and the recipes are all very tasty, and it was worth all the hassle because, guess what? ...... I have lost 4lb and Rob has lost a whopping
6lb!! So we are both well pleased and highly motivated to carry on.

Spectacular sunset

We had the most spectacular sunset last night, here are a couple of photos taken from the back garden, plus one that (can you believe) was taken only two weeks ago. Beautiful wasn't it?

The GI has arrived!

No not the American Serviceman, the GI diet! Rob really needs to lose some weight, his BMI has gone into the red and I need to lose a few pounds (or more!) myself, so when my friend Sue told me about the GI diet sessions that were going to begin at the beauty salon where she works I thought it would be ideal for Rob. He has tried dieting before but hasn't got the willpower to go it alone, here he goes up to the salon each week for the group session (very small groups so he doesn't feel intimidated), he is weighed (privately, no one else knows how much he weighs) and given support and guidance. I am his "Buddy" so I will be doing the diet with him but I won't be going to the support sessions.

The weekend is not really the ideal time to start a diet though (but since next weigh in is Thursday evening it couldn't be delayed!). We eat sensibly all week but weekends we tend to relax somewhat. Friday evening we usually open a bottle of red wine to have with our evening meal then later in the evening we will have a Gin and Tonic. Not this weekend.... I made a chicken curry (a GI recipe) so that we wouldn't miss the wine (well you can't have wine with curry can you?), but a glass of water or green tea is not the same as a G&T!! I had made some GI carrot muffins and wholemeal fruit scones during the afternoon, after our mammoth shop for "healthy" foodstuff, so we each had a muffin late evening, they were delicious so it made up a little for the missed G&T.

Homey Porridge for breakfast this morning instead of our usual hot buttered toast and homemade jam, but it was surprisingly tastey and very filling (I couldn't manage all of my portion). Rob then went off to help our Son with some work and I stayed to do some more baking, I've made Mini Breakfast Puffs (they don't look very mini!!), Cranberry Cinnamon Bran Muffins and some Apple Pie Cookies, can't wait to try them. This evening instead of steak and chips and a glass of wine we will be having Pork Medallions Dijon (the recipe sounds rather good) with new potatoes and veg .... and with it we'll be having water!!!! We had been invited over to our Son and Daughter in law for tea today but I thought it better to take a rain check.

I know it will be easier when our first weekend is over as we don't have wine etc every evening, but for now ..... sigh (makes me sound like an alki doesn't it?)

I'll let you know how we get on (that's if you're not bored to death already!).