It's the reason why I make handmade cards..

You might ask why... ? I make cards to make others smile, to let them know I'm thinking about them, to send my best wishes, to tell them their special to me, to say happy birthday, celebrate an anniversary, to tell them I love them, to share a good story, to say I'm sorry, to say thank you and all those other very special moments and heartfelt occasions. Card giving is about sentiment and how people feel and it's true, it's like sending a great big hug in an envelope. I made this special card for Pearl & Dean (sorry, Tom!) to thank them for making my car-buying experience so very special. I have even included a photo of me, my tiny bucket and my baby wipes! I'm all ready to clean my new car.. he he.. I think you'd agree that it's unlikely that I will ever drive another car out of a car showroom, so this was my time. To mark the occasion, I wanted them to know just how special they made me feel.. ;-)

They forced me... honest..!

Oh what a find...! It seemed a shame not to go and try the Gumstool (sorry Fi&Rob) so me & Ginger took ourselves off there on Monday evening and woo hoo, what a fabulous meal! I believe the best food at the moment is served in Stow, but I couldn't possibly tell you because it's a secret! Now I reckon they have a serious contender and I'd have to say, beaten hands down by the wonderful attention of the lovely waiters. We had one all to ourselves, plus a couple of others who obviously realised that it was more fun to wait on us than any of the other diners. He was such a sweetie and the food was so tasty, we had such a fun night. Me & Ging tucked into belly pork and beef ribs followed by bread and butter pud and I'm not sure what Ginger had, mmm. She asked for Stiffy Toffee Pudding.. which kinda set the tone for the rest of the evening! The waiters were giggling and we were snapping photographs, we had lots of laughs and some great food and threatened to return! So the next night... we did. We walked in and they'd prepared a table especially for us and it was like our own special reception committee, how lovely. It's rare to be treated so well and it's all because we were pleasant, courteous, playful and just plain cheeky! They asked us to guess the table number.. yes, you guessed it.. 69! And we had yet another brilliant meal and chocolates too this time too... nothing was too much trouble.. so we've booked to go again in May! We can't wait... ! Missy Ginger Pie you are such a flirt and everyone loves you.. and I love you more ;-) X

You might ask... !!!!

I noticed one of my neighbours behaving a bit suspiciously beneath my window. He had both his hands in plastic carrier bags and was sheepishly fiddling about in another plastic carrier bag between his knees! Not one to miss an intriguing photo opportunity, I snapped him first then watched to see exactly what he was up to. Any guesses...? Comments welcome... !! A rubbish photo I know, but I was snapping through the window, and trying not to be caught in the act!

Soulmates...

There are people in my life that are my soulmates, not many, I can count them on one hand. Our great friendship comes from a special experience we've shared that is like a glue. It has bound us together for life. Some are older friends, some are relatively new and we are not necessarily alike. We just have something unique that puts us on the same wavelength. The lovely Fi is one of my 'glued-on' friends and no matter what we're doing, or where we are, I know we'll always be soulmates. The heart of our friendship lies back in 1979 (sounds like a Dr Who moment) when we shared a room together at college. Now we have more glue, quite literally, because Fi&me are scrapping buddies too!

It's amazing to me how on some days, just 24 hours can be packed with such great memories. FI & Rob came just to stay this weekend and we walked, we talked, we laughed and we ate!
'Rob the Explorer' & Ellie made some discoveries on their travels and brought back stories of scary cows, big gates, private land (ooops!), colourful and most likely very magic mushrooms, 'ooo ahhh' ducklings and secret (swinging?!) barbeque parties... oooer! x There were so many highlights and photo opportunities to be had, thank goodness us girls always have our cameras with us. We discovered the wonder that are the infamous 2-1 pies at the Weighbridge Inn, they were truly yummy. We got chatting to some lovely SA people, as you do and discovered that these pies were meant for sharing! My eye was caught by some fishermen who spent the entire afternoon and early evening floating about on the lake. I thought I was in with a chance until Rob pointed out they were ancient and were out there to get away from women like me! Mmm, a boy's view of the world.. how interesting! Not to be put off, I did give them the once over with my binoculars and as ever, he was right!
Later that day...
Fi & Rob really did take the sunshine with them when they left... ! As they drove away the sky changed, the clouds descended casting big shadows over the lake and with the sun low in the sky, the trees shone... and within the hour the heavens had opened and it was bucketing down! x

silly things..

Sometimes you come across the silliest things! I took this photo in a queue because the two signs on the back of this lorry just above the number plate both read... DO NOT PUSH! Doh... are they joking?! Do they really think we're that stupid..? I guess so... ;-(

Highlight of the week.. yummy chocs from the lovely Sara... how very, scrummy indeed! It brought a big smile to our faces because it's always wonderful to get surprise pressies + the way to a girl's heart is always 'chocolates!'

I've been to Morans tonight with the guys and gals from IVC. Just chatting and winding down after another long week of work, work and more work. Thankfully, Fi & Top Totty are coming tomorrow - woo hoo - and I've bought lots of yummy scrapping pressies from my fav shop for Fi.. well, that's if I can part with them! I've got them home, stroked them, wrapped them up, stroked them again and you know what... they say giving is as nice as receiving... well, I agree with that.. it's always lovely choosing presents for people you love because usually they are just the things that you'd love to keep for yourself... ! X

out on the open road...

What a brilliant day...... in between juggling mags and projects (I feel like I'm spinning plates at the moment!) I've been to pick up my super new mini! I couldn't believe it was sitting inside the showroom and I actually drove it out of the glass doors... woo hoo, how fab is that! I felt like a film star and surprise, surprise, I was even presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers by Pearl & Dean.. ooops, I mean Tom & Dean! These boys made my car-buying experience very memorable and out of all the cars I've owned, starting with my white ford escort, my gun metal grey alfa romeo, my silver puma, (see the recurring theme!) my silver blue renault cabriolet, my wonderful electric blue cooper s... this brilliant sparkling silver cooper s cabriolet is at the top of my best car list! It oozes character with its butterscotch coloured tan leather sports seats which look good enough to eat. Best bits are the wizzy handle in the boot which was added for the Americans.. just in case they fell into the boot and needed to unlock it from the inside! I'd like to see that... the boot is tiny, not small, not ample, but tiny! But, what kinda girl needs a big boot when all she really wants is racks and racks of pretty shoes... ?! This is just the start of my next mini adventure.. x

work, work, work...

Or so it seems... and you know what they say about all work... ?! Today was the last day that my mini would spend in the office car park! Feels a bit sad because it's been a great mini adventure. But, it's time for someone else to love my little blue mini because I'm going topless! X

Birthday Girl...!

Saturday night was Fi's night! Her surprise birthday party was packed with friends and family who love her for who she is and what she's means to us all. Me included... I've known this wonderful girl for 32 years. She is one of my closest and dearest friends and I love her to bits. I owe 'Top Totty' a drink or two, for finding me and putting us back in touch just over 10 years ago. She's given me lots of smiles and funny moments ever since, and I wouldn't swap them for anything. From college room buddies to serious scrapping buddies, I'm so looking forward to the next 32!

My birthday present to me... little miss Impulsive... x

With the wind in my hair and my foot on the pedal, yes I've done it! I've missed my cabriolet so much, that today I went out and bought one! WOW, that's such a great feeling! I know I'm going to love it and can't wait to pick it up. The girls in the showroom are just gorgeous, they say I have to keep coming back to visit, how sweet are they. I drove over yesterday because I'd searched and found about 6 hopefuls. All scattered around the country of course, so I chose the nearest first. And, the whole experience was just as you'd wish it to be... x

My word of the day... "Fortunately!"

Life amuses me most days and today was no exception. Weird, and uncanny things happen and I often can't work out why. It feels like 'there's something going on' which most people would call 'a coincidence' and I call 'weird'. Life is like a train track... sometimes you're happy just trundling along. Some days the other tracks running alongside cross over your path, which make life a tad more challenging. Yesterday was one such day. My BIG MINI adventure took centre stage, yet there was another story line unravelling in real time, like a big ball of string. I often get challenged by mechanical things, that's no secret. Yesterday, I'm sitting in 'my new car' on the forecourt and I hear the lock click over. Okay, except that I have no keys so effectively, I'm locked inside. I try the doors.. the switch on the dashboard... nothing. Anyone who knows me well, will know that I'm not comfortable in enclosed spaces, so I was starting to get flustered! Fortunately, my mob had the teensiest bit of signal so I buzzed reception and found myself having this very strange conversation about being locked in a mini on their forecourt. It felt like a scene from 'Candid Camera', (mmm yes, I've dug that up from the 1970's). 10 seconds later, I hear the doors unlock and Mr salesman comes wandering around the corner with his trade plates, totally oblivious to what has happened. So, who or what locked and unlocked the doors? He didn't and I certainly didn't... "my new sidewalk" did... aaahhhhhhhhhhhh! Mr Salesman admitted afterwards that it's one of their new sales techniques. They lock you the car for a day, reckoning that after 24 hours you'd be hungry for more cappuccinos and biscuits. They'd come along the next day, open the window just enough so they can swap the car keys over for your credit card - and hey presto, job done! He was joking... !! But the story line isn't finished... I get home, put my key into my front door and it won't turn. I'm standing there like a lemon with a puzzled grin on my face because I'm stranded. The key won't go fully into the lock and it won't budge! I know in that situation, I really would be screwed, though the girls last night had a suggestion for me... you could go and knock up vertically challenged... mmm, the answer to that is unprintable! Fortunately, (my word for the day!) my neighbours kindly let me in. David forced the key into the lock, something I hadn't managed to do, and it's back working again. For how long, I'm not sure...

I've been woo-woo-wooed... !

DL has cracked the secret to this girl's heart. Their trendy showroom is just fab! It's enormous and yes, it's packed with dear sweet minis, but it also has fab, funky chairs, yellow cups and saucers branded with the mini logo (bless) and a wacking great Smeg fridge in the corner. How great is that?! Vicki, who greeted me, made me a frothy cappuccino and yes, they had chocolate biscuits, fab@! Call me shallow if you wish, but it's all part of the wooing process, isn't it?! And, I've been seriously woo-ed! It loosened up my purse (and no, not my knicker elastic!) and I've never been so pleased to part with quite a considerable amount of money with such a big grin on my face! x I tried to get the cups and saucers as part of the deal but they are more precious than gold dust!

I thought it was my lucky day... @!&%!

No, it isn't the man from Delmonte! Nor is it the man of my dreams delivering a box of Milk Tray? He didn't look like Daniel Craig either and from the look on his face when he saw me with the camera, he wasn't going to stop for long! But who said we have to rely on men for chocolate and flowers? Here they are, my wonderful Editors who surprised me today with a box of chocolates and a beautiful bunch of Spring flowers as a thank you for hosting 'At Home with Anna' yesterday at my apartment. What a wonderful surprise and I never fail to be impressed by them. They make every day in the office a real treat! Tuesday was such a fabulous day. We managed to shoot 4 videos as well as fitting in lunch at the Old Lodge.

It was a tough day! ;-) Joking apart, they all worked very hard and lunch up on the common was well deserved! x

What's real?

This incredible background isn't in fact a bookcase... it's a trompe l'oeil...! What a project! It's yet another spectacular scene in the library at the Hotel Du Vin in Cambridge. Taking over 3 months to paint there are some wonderful humorous touches. One book "I can't believe we got there" is written by Denis Frucot, who is in fact the General Manager at the hotel! Painted by Gary Myatt, http://www.garymyatt.com/famurals.html who paints himself into the murals and sits alongside the girls on the reception desk after what appears to be a great night out!

Cambridge adventures...

I've had a wonderful couple of days. I've been to one of my most favourite hotels.. HDV in Cambridge with Dom for a Sake evening. She loves Sake... I've discovered that I don't! But that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the evening. We were treated to Sake cocktails before dinner in the library with about 16 other guests. The hotel had created the cocktail themselves, infused with lime Sake and 25% proof! That really started the evening going! Here I am with the expert from the Akashi Sake Brewery in Japan. There was young fragrant Sake with the starter of sea bass, both warm and chilled Sake with the main course fillet of beef and tempura vegetables. A 6 year old aged Sake with the cheese course. And to finish, a cherry tart served with a cherry infused Sake over ice! There were some interesting characters there, not least the very knowledgeable French General Manager, Denis, who had worked establishing both the Bristol and Cambridge hotels so knew them inside out, He'd been involved in making some of the choices with the building work and had worked for Malmaison previously, so knows the companies inside out. He was a lovely guy and although I didn't get to chat to some of the other guests around the table, it was a great way to spend an evening. The hotel lived up to expectations and I'm now longing to go on another HDV adventure!

Cambridge Fitzwiliam Museum...

We spent an hour or so in this museum which just happened to be along the same road as the HDV and opposite Loch Fyne! How convenient... ! It was raining so we had a lovely lunch at Loch Fyne, yummy, then went into the museum. The entrance hall was amazing.. there were paintings by Monet and Sisley, a few nice sculptures.. so we had a good mooch around then went back to the hotel for a cocktail in the bar! x

big sis knows best...!

She was right... someone must have been here and eaten them when I wasn't looking.. cheek! I'm sure the box was full the last time I looked. Today I went to the cupboard and surprise... even with my hands behind my back and my eyes shut... the box was empty!!!!!!!!!!!
Maz... you must have known this when you wrote your little note... did the chocolate fairies come and take them away...?! bet they can't fly now they've got stomachs as big as pot-bellied piggies! ;-) x

awesome view... I'm euphoric..!

What a view! And there are fishermen on my lake today... Bill & Harry, how exciting! I'm not sure what they are after but one had a big net, a piece of string and a wiggly worm. I kept watch with my binoculars but with a combined age of over 150, there wasn't much to see. Beats city living in my book..! x

new month... new hair... newt and frog!

I took the plunge and had some chopped off today! Less is more in my case and if only I could say the same about my stomach.. hey ho! x I like it longer, but it's got a bit unruly and I know it's not a 'Katie'... as in Holmes, Tom Cruise's significant other who is currently sporting a new bob.. well, that's what I've heard on the LA grapevine. I read that little snippet in a magazine, but as I've stood outside their house/mansion in Hollywood, we're almost good friends, don't you know! x
ps what's the opposite of significant other..? unsuitable content... !

Take2!

Take 2 scrapbookers and what do you get...? I'll tell you... a fight to see who can be in front of the camera the most! Tis true, me & Ging will take photographs of almost anything and we particularly enjoy making sure we're in the shot! Mealtimes are so much more fun with 2... one minute there's no one at the table, then there's me, but not for long.. as if by magic, Ginger has reappeared so the question is... who is taking the photograph?! Mr Olympus of course.. clever things these cameras x soft focus works for me...! though how about this for a still photo...? not mine I hasten to add.. it was the good ginger fairy at her best! I just cooked the salad... mmm... she takes these great arty shots!

My technicolour wig...!

Just joking.. it's therapy.. that's what I call spending most of Saturday sorting and theming my ribbon collection! The honest truth is that I just have so much ribbon and like most of my stuff, it takes me as long to find anything as it does to do something with it! So with Ginger here to amuse me I set myself the task of putting my ribbon in order! I sorted every length by colour and created my own tags for each collection. Call me an anorak, because I actually enjoyed the journey and the end result is that I now have a curtain of glorious ribbon. And how about this for a bonus.., my system actually works! HURRAH!

A ribbon fest!

What can I say... there are more ways to photograph ribbon that you've ever imagined..! From the floor seems to be the most popular position... though we did try standing on a chair (just like my dad!) and peering through the ribbon and not a drop of alcohol in sight... honest...! ;-o x

Jack Frost has arrived...

Woke up this morning to find the valley covered in a blanket of light snow and a sprinkling of frost. The trees looked stunning and it's amazing what great photographs you can get by just hanging your camera out of the window! Beats getting dressed and going outside.. though if I hadn't been scrapping with missy Ginger then perhaps I might have just set foot outside the door and said hello to the swans.. I do so love living in my picture postcard... x

Just call me Jenny...

I went to London today and someone, I can't remember who now, said try Kemble station, and you know what... it's lovely. You know when you go somewhere and it feels comfortable and you don't really know why...?, (which, after the week I've had so far is very, very welcome!!!) well even just driving into the car park gave me that all over comfy feeling. I was getting quite excited parking my car because I knew this place was special and I wasn't disappointed. Kemble is a wonderful, old-fashioned station with old-fashioned values, I like that! A cosy shop which sells coffee and bacon sandwiches, a ticket office with a pleasant old gentleman with no queue, and best of all, people who wait for the train in a very Gloucestershire gentlemanly way. Bring back men who open doors, smile and know how to say please and thank you! There was no pushing, no spitting and no nonsense! There is even a garden alongside the platform (hope it's not memorial!) where a guy was sitting drinking his latte. This station was a gem of a find and charging just £2 for the car park too, phew... I'll definitely be using it again. I've just become one of those lovable railway children... just call me Jenny! x

Here's a little gem from the memory banks..

In the face of great adversity a girl guide sings and smiles at all times! It's certainly been one hell of a challenge to do that this week and with so much thrown at me.. it's a wonder I'm still standing... but I am and turning it on its head, as I so frequently do.. thank goodness my guardian angel is smiling down at me and warding off those seriously unsuitable insignificant others and unsavouries!! I think I'm Pollyanna I'm so glad about everything!! And, that's all I'm going to say on the matter... ;-0

my very own cardshow!