Happy New Year!

Is it just me or are the years getting shorter?

It seems that one has only just started and it is the summer, then the winter and another one about to start. And is it really 7 years since I "emigrated" to Cambridgeshire? Here is my New Year gift to you all. Unfortunately it isn't as good as previous years as I just haven't been out taking photos like I used to. I got out of the habit when I broke my wrist and the camera was just too heavy to hold, then didn't get back into it.

So that is my New Year Resolution, to get out at least once each month looking for photos so that I have a nice collection all ready for next years calendar.

And my other, which I was going to make last year, is to get some of those patterns which are part written up on the site for sale.

I only managed two last year, partly due to the broken wrist and partly due to the Clematis.

However, as much as I think the Clematis was well worth it, I won't be attempting anything that big this summer.

On Time!

I know I have been very bad lately and not been getting these calendars done on time - if at all - but I am hoping you will all forgive me. This months is a Sunflower which the birds "planted". The seed was from the food I put out for them. It had rooted on top of the weed membrane between the slate.

I carefully pulled it up and planted it next to the fence where there is some soil. I even re-routed the watering system so it had plenty of water. And this was what I got! As always, two versions of the calendar, one in wide screen. Enjoy!

A long time in coming.....

......... but I have been busy with other things!

Its amazing how fast time flies. The summer seems to have gone in a flash. So, rather late this month, I have finally done a new desktop calender. The good news, however, is that I took loads of interesting photos over the summer and plan to make the rest of the years calenders well in advance.

I just need to remember to upload them on time. As always, there is a wide screen version as well.

March Calender

I am having a slight problem in uploading the calendar this month. For some reason I can't get the page to load so that I can upload the files.

And I really wanted to show off the beautiful lilies I had for Valentines Day. I couldn't take photos of them sooner as they all in bud when I had them, so had to wait for them to open. However, I am sure you will agree that they were well worth waiting for.

As always, I have made a "normal" screen and a wide screen version for you to enjoy. As soon as I can upload them, that it. When I do, they will be available from the usual link on the left.

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March 2nd - Finally uploaded. Enjoy!

Only a few days late.

After posting yesterday, I went out to the local market. I have been haunting it the last couple of weeks in the hope of getting some snowdrops.

I am very disappointed in the display in my planter. I only have two there - after all those ones I planted. I am wondering if they didn't like being moved from my old trough to my new planter.

I was in luck. She had loads of pots of them on her stall. I have always been told that snowdrops are better bought "in the green" than as bulbs, as bulbs are a very hit and miss affair. I bought five pots and came straight home and planted them. Of course, the other advantage of "in the green" is that you have instant results.

The ones in these pictures are ones that I had for my birthday last year. I planted these in a ceramic pot around the Holly Tree. They were in flower in the sun and looking lovely. This isn't the best photo but I had to use the compact with my left hand to take it.

As always, I have made both a normal and wide screen version so one of these photos is going to look right on your screen while the other looks weird!

And, as always, download from the normal link on the left.

Snow Joke!

I have to tell you, I really hate snow!

I used to live by the seaside and we didn't get much. Now I live in the middle of the Cambs Fens and we get too much.

And to top it all, I slipped on some ice on the way to work last night and I think I have sprained my wrist. Of course, never having sprained anything before, I am not entirely sure about that!

And you know what that means, no crocheting! I think I might have to borrow some of my sons books to read.

However, the good news is that I have finished my 2010 printable calendar.

This year I have done the link a little differently so that you will never need to change it, I can just update the page automatically.

And having splashed out on that Mr Site package for my site this year, I know it will have a permanent home.

Also, the calendar is a little different to my usual style as well.

So here is wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Its December!

And I am on time for once with the desktop calender. This is one of the photos I took on the weekend. There were loads of people there. The switching on of the lights is a very popular even in Chatteris. I was lucky enough to have permission to go up into the top floor of a building opposite to get these photos.

All I need to do now is to find some time to go out in the dark and take more photos of the lights and my X will be finished for my A-Z. Again, I have been ever so nice and made a wide screen version as well. I use a wide screen in work and have to admith that I hate the way it distorts everything. And while we are on the subject of December, the Advent Calendar is now active.

Go and see what treat is in store for you today!

November Calendar

And it is only one day late! But I have been busy. This month there are two versions in the zip file, one for wide screen. I have been using a wide screen monitor in work and I hate the way it stretches everything. You would think there would be a setting for a widescreen monitor - but there isn't.

So I created the calendar in a widescreen shape, then squished it to a normal screen size. When it is installed on your desktop, it will all be the right shape. It does look rather wierd here though.

The Poppies are from my Scrapping Flowers and Friends pattern on Rainbow Valley.

I have been good!

Not only have I done the calendar for October, I have even done it 4 days early! The photo is part of one I took yesterday at Emmanuel church of their Harvest display. I love the rich colours of the fruit and flowers.

Originally for my "H is for Harvest" I was planning on taking some photo of various vegetables being harvested around Chatteris. I already have some wheat being harvested on a friends farm for the first page. However, due to lack of transport and the slim possibility of actually catching them at the right time, I decided to take up the suggestion of somebody else and use the Harvest Festival displays at the Churches.

As you can see, this has worked very well. Also, with both churches celebrating Harvest on the same weekend, I was able to get all the photos done in one go - and finish up my pages today. I have made a stocking lantern. No pics yet as it needs blocking. I am going to have to find something the right size the put inside to dry it as I cannot pin it to a board.

And to answer some questions............

The lights I use are LED tea lights.

They are wonderful!

You can get them quite easily on eBay but mine were actually bought in Wilkinsons. If you don't have one near you (I had never heard of them until I moved to the Fens) try your local £1 shop. They are battery powered and the batteries are replaceable.

They don't get hot, drip wax, smell, cause soot or any of the other things real candles do. This means you can use them in a whole load more situations.

I discovered them last year and used them for the residents "Candlelight Carols" in paper lanterns. No risk assessments to do and no telling residents that they were not allowed to touch them.

I haven't even thought about prices yet but they will be for sale on my site when ready.

Not to everybodys taste..

..and a few days late but here is the September desktop calendar. This is one of the turbines from the local windfarm. I managed to get right up close and shot some photos with the zoom lens. Not everybody likes them but I love them!

March Calendar

I know, I was really bad last month and didn't do one.

So I hope this months makes up for it - especially as I waited all day for the sun to come out long enough to make the crocuses open. But it didn't. And it was my birthday! I have decided to be 27. I figured that nobody believes 21 any more so I might as well pick a number I like and stick to it.

I had some snowdrops from Benjamin, which was why I was out in the "garden". I also had some cash so bought some bulbs while I was out shopping. I planted them all yesterday afternoon.

I had some flowers from Mark. He found a bunch with bright purple ones in. He knows its my favourite colour. When I opened them to put them on the vase, all the stems were purple as well, which led to a discussion about dyed flowers and the way it was done.

Of course, then we had to experiment and have put one of the white flowers in a glass of water with blue ink in it. The ink keeps disappearing though so I don't think it is the best thing for the job.

I might just have to splash out on some food colouring.

Out with the old.......

........In with the new.

I thought I would something a little different for the calendar this month.

Especially as I was in Cardiff for a couple of days visiting my parents.

So here we have a close up of the gorgeous brick work on the Pierhead Building at Cardiff Bay. This stunning brick and terracotta building facing the Cardiff Docks was opened in 1897 as the headquarters of the Cardiff Railway Company (formerly the Bute Docks Company).

I was very disappointed not to get a lot more photos than I did that day. We walked from Penarth to Cardiff across the barrage.

The problem was that it was funny light and the camera didn't like the auto setting.

The other problem was that it was so cold that my fingers were getting numb and I couldn't feel the buttons to set the camera myself.

I did get a few though. This one is the Pierhead Building with the Wales Millennium Centre in the background. It is one of the most unique and lively performing arts centre in Europe, attracting over 1.5 million visitors since it opened.

The building was designed by the Percy Thomas Partnership architects, construction starting in March 2002. Thirty-three months later - in November 2004 - the theatre and education complex was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The roof looks like copper but it is, in fact, rose coloured stainless steel.

There you go, another load of useless information! Aren't you glad you came for a visit?

Happy New Year

I know it isn't quite the New Year yet but I have made a New Year pressie for you all!

As I had a lot of positive response from the one I did last year, I have made another downloadable calendar. Making the calender was actually the easy part, printing it off was another matter!!!!! My A3 printer has decided to throw a temper tantrum and won't print properly. I ended up with lots of lines through the pictures - when there was any coloured ink coming out at all!

So, I am now in the middle of using my photo printer to reprint all the photos on A4 and am having to stick them on to the A3 sheets with the calendar bit printed on.

Another problem is going to be putting it together. Last year I borrowed a friends Bind-It-All. What a wonderful machine! This year I don't have access to it so am going to have to improvise yet again.

I think ring binder punch and lots of ribbon may be in order here.

I will let you know how I get on.

And, as I am now working, I may even treat myself to a BIA this year.

In the mean time, enjoy the calendar. I have uploaded it as a pdf so you can print it off as A3 or A4 as required.

If you download it or add a link to it on your blog or site, please leave me a comment to let me know.

I forgot to tell you.........

That I uploaded the December desktop calender last week.

Yes, I know it was a bit late but I hadn't got around to finding a suitable picture.

But then we had this really hard frost and I got this one!

Using the flash made the frost sparkle - just right for Christmas.

Hope you enjoy it!

November Calender

It's here at last!

The November calender. I cheated a bit. With this new job still throwing me for a loop, I haven't had much time to get out and get some pics. So I have used one I took last November. I rather like it and I hope you do as well.

And as you may have noticed, I have a new background. Thanks SC for the help. This is the same one I have on my site.

I haven't got the text colours right yet though so please bear with me.

Oops, its a bit late!

I am sure I will eventually get into a routine but I have no idea when.

In the mean time, you will just have to bear with me.

I realised last night that I hadn't done Octobers calender, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it. I am really missing blog hopping but am finding it difficult to fine the time to blog just now, let alone blop. I have loads of unanswered emails and piles of other things I should be attending to.

On top of everything else, after not having sold any crochet for months, as soon as I start work I get some orders!!!

I am not complaining, honest! Its just that I am not the most organised person and everything coming at once has thrown me a bit.

I sit and crochet in the evenings while watching TV so the orders really are not a problem. And I have come to the conclusion that I am not going to get the new Halloween scrapping pattern written in time for this year so there is no point trying. I have, however, put some of the stuff on the site for sale.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the Calender even if it is late.

September Calendar

I have been a bad blogger! Nothing in over 2 weeks!!!!! I hope these pics make up for it.

I thought I would brighten up your desktop this month! This is a photo I took yesterday at the local garden centre. I just can't resist those bright blooms. As usual, click on the pic over in the left column to download.

I just can't resist dandelion clocks! The macro lens allows me to get really close and see all the fine detail. I like the way the narrow depth of field softens it and make it look fluffy. I did get some of a bee on the dandelions but he is blurred in all the photos because he just wouldn't keep still! Better luck next time?????

And, yes its pink, but it was the only rose bush there!

I really don't know where the time has gone. Since Benjamin has come home it has been all go. We went to Cambridge on Friday to do all the Museums. Of course, I didn't realise just how many there were! There are 8 free ones in walking distance of the bus stop and 15 in total. We managed 4!!!!!

But we had a great time. The down side was the 1½ hours on the bus each way, which was actually more than that because of the traffic. But the fare was only £5.50 for both of us so that made up for it a bit.

This is a definate repeat for half term, however, as he also has 2 teacher training days added on to the end of half term, we might do it then when there won't be so many people around.

And I must remember to take the camera next time!!!!!!!!!!!!

Something else I have been doing is working on some puppet patterns. I "lost" the Jungle Puppets in my recent puter crash and didn't realise until I was putting them all back on the puter from the discs. I hadn't saved that one to disc - Silly me!

Anyway, I was sent a US copy of one I had sold and have been using that one the create the UK copy and remake them to take pics. While I was at it, I have altered one or two things to make them easier to do.

When finished, I will be putting both the pattern and the puppets on Etsy and send out the re-vamped copies to the two nice ladies who sent me theirs!

I have also been re-working some of the older pupper patterns. The original ones were made in a totally different way to the newer ones as they have "evolved" somewhat over the years. I have been working on the Pond set. This will also be on Etsy when finished.

Now, I have a jam packed day ahead of me so I had best get off here and get on with it!

Dragonflies finished!

Well, almost. I still have to finish backing them which I will do today. Then, this evening I have to staple the backing on.

Then I need to scrap them to go in my album. I have some off cuts of silk from putting them on the frame and plenty of thread and beads to use on the page. I might even try to make a beaded dragonfly to show the beads I used. I suddenly realised this morning that I had not made the desktop calender for May. So, as I was editing the pics of the dragonflies anyway, I decided to use them.

They look really good on my desktop. If you fancy them on yours, just click on the pic on the left to download.

And I had some good news yesterday. I found out that one of my smaller lilies has sold! That means a total of two. I have (almost) finished the new winter. That just needs backing as well ready to staple tonight.

I have to go to the Angle Theatre in Wisbech and pick up the others tomorrow morning. The friend who was going to take me phoned me really upset yesterday. Her car got stolen so she can't. However, she has asked her hubby to take us all up and he has kindly agreed. I am even more pleased I decided to do this silk for her now, it will cheer her up!.

April Calendar

Between the frenzied activity in getting ready for the exhibition and the dreadful weather, I haven't had much chance to go out and take something new for Aprils Calendar.

So, as so many of you like this one, I decided to use it!

I finished Autumn this morning. Pics tomorrow.

March Calender

Sorry that its a little late but I am sure the last few days of February disappeared in a puff of smoke or something because I didn't see them go!!!!

I did go out to get some daffs for March, partly for St Davids Day but mostly because I like them. However, the field that they grow in locally didn't have any. At least, I think it did but they were not out yet.

So I took some of the lovely lilys I had for my birthday. This way I get to enjoy them longer - and so do you!