Crappy Birthday to me!

Well, it was a day of ups and downs in the end. My car decided to give up the ghost - I just bought it 3 months ago and the head gasket and the alternator decide to go at the same time!!! We sat in the car in the pouring rain, with a car full of booze (hee hee, birthday celebration booze) and a completely flat battery. This of course made the BF loose it big time...if he could have picked up the car, he'd have thrown it through a window. Not a good start to the evening. I was supposed to be doing a craft fair in the next county the next day, and he flat refused to let me go in the car. Later when the family came round, Dad offered me his car for the next day, which I gratefully accepted (hell, I definately needed the money now to get the car fixed!) The next day I was up bright and early (curse you, insomnia) and despite the lack of sleep, travelled to a small village in the middle of nowhere. I say travelled, actually I drove round and round in a circle for what seemed like hours before I found the place. It was a fairly successful day, though not as good as the previous year. I drove back struggling to keep my eyes open, I stopped several times on the way home and got out of the car to try and keep myself awake. I had a gang of mates arriving for Birthday booze-up later, so after a dinner of chip shop chips, (unheard of for me, but I was too tired to make myself anything healthy) I was just about up for it! Never mind, I've got Christmas coming to make up for it!
Anyway, I got some lovely pressies in the end, I'll post some piccys when I get a minute.

Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my Birthday!! Yay! Happy Birthday to me! It's now 6.45 am and I'm not a saddo with no life to be on here at this time, but the BF starts work at 6.oo am (he does a permanent early shift) and he desperately wanted to give me his present before he left for work, so I have been up since about 5.15 am (eeekk!) Anyway, he gave me a big box!! Inside the big box was a new laptop!!!!!! I made an attempt to squeel excitedly which is difficult at that time, the spirit was willing, but the body was weak and oh, so tired! My poor little old baby is getting more and more unstable and needs a re-install I think, but now I have a new shiney one! Brand spanking new!!! It even has a DVD burner on it! The wonders of new technology!!! I love it! I have to go to work in a bit (Phah!) and I sooooo don't want to go now! I wanna play! I have to pick up a wi-fi thing for the Broadband connection when I'm out so that I can hook it up, and then I'm off! Ooh, I can be lounging in bed on a Sunday, watching trashing TV, surfing the net, and knitting whilst the BF plays games on the pc!! I have my family coming round tonight for a more sedate celebration, I have a craft fayre tomorrow, and then my mates are coming round tomorrow night for a night of mayhem! Well, I suppose I'd better hit the shower and make myself look the part! *lol*

Winter Spice Pinecones Tutorial!

One of the nicest things to do at this time of year is to make some Winter Spice Pinecone Decorations. To do this, you take a walk in your nearest woodland area and collect some pinecones. Spread them out on a bag and spray them with metallic spray paint. For mine, I used a mixture of gold and copper. Make sure you do it in a well ventilated area. I did mine in the garden. When they are dry, spread some PVA (white) glue onto a palette and dip the ends of the cones in. You don't need too much glue on each one. Sprinkle with some glitter (I have used gold) and allow to dry. When they are dry, pop them in a plastic bag and sprinkle a few drops of essential oil in to create the winter spice smell. I normally use cinnamon, clove and orange oil, but I guess pine would be nice too! Shake the bag to spread the oil and Voila! Some seasonal pot pourri that won't break the bank. I use them as table dressing for Christmas Craft Fairs, as gifts for friends and piled high in a bowl as nice smelly room scenters.

Happy Hooker Piccys

Here are the gorgeous hooks that Miss Mermaid sent me with close-ups!! Blogger has been misbehaving for the last day or so, so I hope this works!

Happy Hooker!!

I received the most gorgeous crochet hooks from Miss Mermaid today! They are covered with polymer clay and inspired by one in my Wists! And the hooks themselves are coloured metal - they are *almost* too good to use, but I can't wait to try them out on a project. It's a shame I've already started a corkscrew scarf for my Mum's Christmas present, and have just finished one for a friends present, so I guess I'll have to think of something else to use them on! It's my Birthday on Friday and I have to work for the first time ever! :-( I have my family coming round in the evening, then on Saturday I have a craft fayre (I know, I'm a glutton for punishment) It's one that I have done before and it's been a good one, so I was loath to turn it down! I've done some new glass pieces for the Craft Fayre so I feel very smug! My friends will be coming round Saturday night to help me celebrate another year and then Sunday I have to myself (and the BF)! I was able to get Monday and Tuesday off, so I have decided that I will be like the Queen and have two Birthdays this year! Hmmm, could become a new tradition!
WIP: Glass - ongoing
Craftster Hogwarts at Christmas Swap - almost finished.
Mum's Christmas Scarf - halfway done.
Finished: SewPixies Pincushions, glasses case and glass pendant
Corkscrew Scarf for my friend Theresa's Birthday
Owl swap with Lemonfloorwax.
Birthday Swap gifts for Craftermath.
Yet to start: Stencilled T-shirt gifts for Christmas (the BF, Dad and the Brother)
Wheaty bag for my Sis.
Several knitting projects for personal swaps!
I have nearly a month at Christmas for school holidays, so I'm hoping to get quite a bit done this year. I hope that the bank balance can stand the lack of pay though!

Trees and stockings!

Well, I'm nearly done with my swap stuff, just the Hogwart at Christmas to finish. I had a mass posting session this afternoon on the way home from work, and when I got home I received a hoody in the post from Banga! It's lovely! Blue, with a tree design from my Wists painted on the back. Also it has a design on the front too. She did a great job! Current WIP's are some Christmas stockings - I haven't decided yet whether they will be for the BF and I, or whether they'll be a gift for someone else. I'd like to keep them, but the BF would never fill mine for me, and I would feel ripped off if I did one for him, and didn't get one back :-(
Oh yeah, this is my lil Brother...basic, but I love him! Ha ha ha! Note the crowded crafting table.

Hard at it!

Well, these few weeks have been crafting madness. I have sent bookmarks and pantas for swaps, these have been received and both recipients seem pleased! Here's a picture of La_Chrystelle with the panta I made her! The flower was crocheted in two layers and had a blue crystal bead in the centre. I made it as a brooch pin, so that she could wear it on or off the panta.
I have also made some Christmas tree decorations which will be going to Canada, and some lovely owl goodies for a private swap, which I will post pictures of when I have taken them off my camera! I've made a couple of pincushions and a glasses case for SewPixie, and as a private swap, I'll be sending a glass pendant, and in return, she is making me one of her wonderful Tree of Life pendants that I have been coveting for ages! *lol*
I am well into crafting for the Hogwarts at Christmas swap too, and I'll be ready to post that too. I signed up for a Birthday swap too, so hopefully I'll be getting some Birthday gifts in the post...the poor postman must curse me sometimes! Mind you, I sometimes think that I'm personally keeping Royal Mail in business!
Did I mention that it's my Birthday next week? I have to work that day for the first time ever! I've always been able to book the day off before! :-( Ah well, I suppose I'll live! I might have to ban my brother though, he has a nasty rash all over apparantly and is quite contagious at the moment! He has potions from the quacks, but I don't know when he can socialise again! *lol*

Fallen Angel?

I did a personal swap with

Devilninny

I sent her a glass pendant, some patchoulli body scrub and some English chocolate, and she sent me a stencilled angel wings t-shirt and a ton of Kool-aid! I love my t-shirt!!