WOYWW 395

WOYWW 395  28^th December 2016

Yes I am late posting again but I had to go to my sewing group this morning and had to use public transport which is virtually non-existent here. One bus does a circular tour along the beach road and up to the village, one price 1.20€ but I have my bus pass so really mustn’t complain. My car became poorly over Christmas so is in the garage for repairs, not a very happy start to the New Year and something I could do without after the expense of Christmas. But without my car I would be virtually housebound.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas celebrations, I love this time between Christmas and New Year, and I don’t have to think of food as the fridge is still full so all help themselves. I can therefore concentrate on doing just what I want to do. Sitting watching television, catching up on what I recorded over Christmas or deleting this programme and that programme saying what a load of rubbish, a little knitting, crocheting, even embroidery. Yes, while sorting out my workroom I came across some rather ancient embroidery that my old Aunt sent me she thought I would like to finish it! Well the cloth is yellow from old age but I may finish and wash it. Also in the parcel was this unfinished Mayflower embroidery all done in small chain stitch. Bless my Aunt she is 95 years old. 

Chain stitched Mayflower

The ancient yellow tablecloth

I also have some knitting on the go; decided as it was getting colder I needed a new jumper to go with the one I had to buy when in the UK. I have to smile when I see tourists in shorts and tee shirts at this time of year, and we locals are all wrapped up.

My desk doesn’t feature this week as there is nothing to photo. I suppose in a few weeks it will be covered with card making materials as I will have to start my Christmas cards soon! You may smile but last year I tried to make 2 – 3 a month and it certainly saved a lot of hassle November time.

OK that is me done for this week, all that needs to be said is I hope you all have a Peaceful and Healthy New Year. 

I am now off to make a cup of lemon and ginger tea and cut a piece of stollen  my weakness over the Christmas period. 

WOYWW 394

Well that was a fast week. Firstly let me thank you all for your comments and support over the last few weeks, it is great to know people think about you.

Now for my work desk, I have not one to show you, all is packed away ready for Christmas, but be warned afterwards there is going to be a big, big tidy up of my two rooms after Christmas. Call it a New Year's resolution, perhaps not as it won't happen if I do. Also I am going to promise myself not to purchase any more craft materials but to make 2017 as the year I use all what I have available. As I approach my 70th birthday I feel materials must be used!

Here is my swimming noodle Christmas wreath all finished and hung on the front door.

Although on Friday it had to come indoors as we have had some terrific storms over the weekend leading to our dry river beds becoming rivers and fast flowing into the sea. This is the Med on Sunday morning, but today it is quite blue again. We certainly needed the rain but not in the amount we received. 

That is it for this Wednesday I wish you all the joy of Christmas and a Healthy and Peaceful 2017.

Ani xx😎

WOYWW 393

Ok yes I am late this week but it is still Wednesday. 
I have suddenly realised only 10 more days, help. Along with the Spanish and most Europeans I celebrate on Christmas eve with our big meal. No I haven't ordered my turkey or thought about any other eats. 

Well at least my Christmas tree and outdoor lights are up.

Obviously my house is the one with Christmas lights!

Lights down the stairs

Right for the real reason we are here, what is on my desk this week, not a lot as I am trying to tidy up for Christmas, all my cards and inserts are done.

On my other table, yes I have two work stations the one above is in my work room so I can leave projects out but the other is in my sitting room for occasional crafts. 

This is the wreath I started last week not yet finished but will be in time for Christmas, I have learnt from my mistakes and if I was to make another one, it would be smaller so using less baubles and I would cover the swimming noodle with tinsel or ribbon before starting. Maybe the finished article next week who knows.

Before I go must show you why I am late posting. I needed to go and buy some Olive oil for presents. When I arrived the locals were bringing their olives for pressing, ranging from a  man with a few sacks in his boot, a trailer full, then the big lorry overflowing with olives. While waiting for the man to serve me - he had to go and fill the bottles, then label them and find a presentation box because they were for presents, I took these photos. By the way the smell was fantastic.

 

Now to link up before I lose all again, although I was saving as I went along it didn't save and all but the first two photos were gone. Perhaps it was trying to tell me I had typed to much!

Hope you all have a good week and don't work to hard in the run up to Christmas being with family and friends are more important than anything else.

WOYWW 392

Firstly thank you for all your kind messages received over the last few weeks.

Now to move on I know it is not easy this time of year but....

Now for something completely different on my desk this week. I had seen these bauble wreaths made from a swimming noodle all over the internet and thought mmmmm maybe I could do this. So here is my effort I started yesterday, come back next week for the finished project that is  - if the cat hasn't destroyed it, the baubles are a great temptation for her and many have found there way to the floor, and our local chinese shop (similar to your English pound shops) hasn't run out of baubles. Be warned it takes many baubles and a number of glue sticks but who cares it is keeping me busy. I have put coloured baubles on the inside and outside and am going to fill in with just silver and gold. Well that's the plan watch this space.

And that concludes Ani's desk for this week, need to get the Christmas cards I have made over the year together and type inserts for them, then get them posted. Then put the marzipan and ice my Christmas cake, then get my decorations and tree up as everyone round here is way ahead of me this year. I can't see it being done today as I have my sewing/knitting group this morning and this afternoon is the Christmas party at the Women on Wednesday group I go to so this evening it will be snoozing in the chair! Need to rustle up a plate of food from somewhere to take with me.

And to think when I was moving to Spain people said to me 'What will you do when you get fed up of sunbathing'. Sunbathing what is that I don't have time to sit in the sun - well perhaps when I meet a friend for coffee. 

Well 'til next week.

xx

WOYWW 391

WOYWW 391 30th November 

Hi Girls
Yes I am back in Spain and trying to resume my life. My son died on 4th November at home with his family around him. Thank you for all the messages of condolences I have received, although I only know you all from WOYWW I felt your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.

So down to WOYWW and my desk is exactly as I left it many weeks ago but perhaps with a little extra dust. I can't even remember what I was about to make this 'joy' stamp into. 

The other project I did take to the UK with me was the charity blanket I was crocheting with the oddments left from my grandson's blanket. Needless to say it didn't progress very far but I shall make an effort to finish it.

Maybe next week I will have a more interesting page to show you all. I am now off to catch up with my Wednesday sewing/knitting circle so until next week. Adios. xx

WOYWW 387

Sorry girls but there has been nothing on my desk over the past few weeks - the reason being I am in the UK nursing my terminally ill son. We were told a few weeks ago that the treatment hadn't worked and he only had weeks left with us. So I was on the first plane back to the UK to spend this valuable time together. Life is so cruel.

I have been reading your blogs each week and it is good to see life carries on.

In my time out I have been walking round the town centre and seeing all  the crafty items and christmas goodies I miss living in Spain. I am having to be strict with myself or it will be a case of excess baggage charge when  I go back.

I am in the process of crocheting blanket squares from the wool remaining from my grandson's blanket of many colours.

It will be interesting to see my desk as I can't even remember what is on it, but I do know nothing was put away before leaving Spain, perhaps my cat is keeping guard on it!

WOYWW 383

Hello everyone, another week passes and oh how quick. Didn't manage to do this blog before I went to my sewing group this morning so here goes now.

Well it seems you all or most of you have a dumping ground so that doesn't make me feel so bad. By the way it is all still in place I have made no effort to clear as being retired I just don't have the time to do these things.

My work desk to day only has my faithful cat 'QC' on it and as you have all seen her so many times no pic. Card making has been put to one side for a few weeks and I have taken up my crochet hook (not that I put it down for long) to finish my blanket, I laid this to one side when my grandson said he wanted one in all bright colours, so of course his came first and as I was visiting the UK I had to get it finished to avoid postal costs.
Now our nights are getting cooler it won't be long before this is needed.

As I have to have more than project on hand I am also using up the wool left over from my grandsons blanket to make a blanket for Africa or wherever it will be needed. The lady who has been collecting all our charity knitting over the last few years is giving up because of high transport costs and the difficulty in delivering to Kenya.  Fingers crossed we will find another organisation who will take our items.

I will leave you with two postcards I received this week, I belong to a post crossing group (via the internet) where you send and receive post cards from people all over the world.

The first is from Moscow and the second which is in 3D made me laugh it is from Canada.

Have a good week  until next Wednesday Cheerio.

WOYWW 382

Good morning all. I am up early this morning woken by the fishing boats going out th chug chug chug of their engines. Don't think it will be a good day for them or us today as we have some long awaited rain forecast. We certainly need it.

Well down to the purpose of this blog, what is on my desk today. Well not a lot.
I am in the process of moving from the temporary desk under the ceiling fans to my winter quarters.

I have been making some seventy, eighty and ninety year old cards, seem to need them these days!

 Above is the winter desk but before I can camp out there I have to tidy all this up first. In summer this seems to become a dumping room. Most of it is wool I purchased on my two trips to the UK.

Thought you may like to see these two photos, taken this morning as the fishing boats were leaving. Not very often I see the moon at 6.30 am.

Ok I am up early this morning but what's the betting I will be late for my sewing class.

That's it for this morning hope you all have a good week off to link up now that is if Julia is awake to allow me to!

Ann

WOYWW 381

Well I am a tad late in posting today, trouble with my car last night, it wouldn't start, had to leave it where it was parked so this morning first thing I was back trying to start it. Success but then drove to the garage for them to check it out and they said it wanted a new battery so all is well again and I have my wheels. I am lost without my car as our transport system consists of a bus that goes along the seafront and up to the village and a very occasional service that takes you to the next town. No trains or metro services.

Oh my gosh another Wednesday it will soon be Christmas!!

Well my work desk is still my temporary one underneath the ceiling fans, but must admit the weather is beginning to cool down and the nights are much more pleasant enabling one to sleep. Maybe next week I will be back in my workroom and sitting at my original work desk. My cat will be pleased as there isn't room for her on this desk.

The desk this week shows my attempts at making some 70th, 80th and 90th birthday cards with the Clarity letters and numbers stamps, much in demand these days, Only a few more months and I will be hitting one of these birthdays ending in zero, but then age has never mattered to me and in my younger days I sometimes had to do a quick calculation to check my age.

I love this time of the year nearly all the tourists have gone and the residents get their little seaside town back to themselves. Many expats can't stand the heat of the summer and go back to UK but they will be returning shortly. Most of our clubs and organisations will be opening up again so plenty to do in the winter months.
I will leave you with some photos I took last Friday morning round about 7.30am of the beautiful sunrises we get this time of the year, The photos were taken about 2 mins apart so you can see it doesn't take long for the sun to rise, if you aren't quick with the camera you miss it.

So goodbye til next week and I will now link up with Julia at Stamping Ground.

WOYWW 380

Well another Wednesday has come round, it will soon be Ch....... oh no hohoho

My desk this week is pretty clear as I have finished the Christmas cards to my own designs from the Hunkydorky kit I was having trouble with last week. By using my own designs I have many more cards than if I had followed their instructions and still have toppers etc left.

So my desk is virtually clear of Christmas, and when I come back from sewing group later today I have to make a start on my best friends birthday card ready for her birthday 28th September. We have been friends for over 60 years first meeting at junior school. Our friendship carried on when I was shipped off to boarding school but we had fun in the holidays. She was a church bellringer and took me along to a practice night and that was where I met my husband needless to say she was my bridesmaid.
She is also godmother to my daughter and was there for me when my husband died in 1999. Even though I moved to Spain email is a fantastic way of keeping in touch. (Make a note must email her this week)

Our hot summer is showing no signs of cooler days and yesterday the temperature was still in the 30's, also we had a terrific wind blowing, it was a wonder there was any sand left on the beach. Thankfully all my plant pots are still standing, but lots of sweeping up to be done. Bouganinvilles are very pretty but they do leave a lot of mess especially when it has been windy.

cat sat in the door

the other cat making a quick getaway just got his tail!

Oh well that is it for another week wonder what next week will bring. Always look forward.
Now to join up with the rest of you hope you all have a good week.

Photography Scavenger Hunt

At the beginning of the summer I came across gallorganico.blogspot.com that was hosting a photography scavenger hunt.
I decided to take part for fun but am not sure how to link up so here are my few photographs I managed to take from the list below.

1. A "wild heart" - a naturally occurring heart (like the rock above, but it doesn't have to be a rock)
2. A footprint or pawprint
3. A skeleton, bone or x-ray
4. A book or magazine read during 2016
5. A porch or deck
6. A camper (caravan)
7. A family gathering
8. A drawing, art project, artistic photograph, scrapbook page, greeting card, or art journal page created by you.
9. Someone playing with, in, or around water.
10. A bicycle
11. Fresh produce
12. A window
13. The moon
14. A buffet of food
15. A team logo
16. A map showing a trip taken during the time period
17. Twins
18. A supermarket cart, basket or trolley full of groceries 
19. A seasonal cocktail or beverage
20. Someone laughing
21. A photograph of you with a newspaper or calendar page from the time period covered in the Hunt. Note: you may not use a substitute for this item.
Alternatives - if you're having trouble finding any of the above, you may substitute from this list (but you may not substitute for item #21):
alternative 1: a lighthouse
alternative 2: a baby (human or animal)

10. A bicycle 

This bicycle advertises a vet's practice near me.

12. A window

This is a window in Dover Castle Kent.

13. The Moon

Taken from my house in Spain.

15. Team Logo

An organisation I belong to in Spain with the sunflower as the logo.

18. A supermarket trolley full of groceries.

19. Granizado

A fruit iced drink popular in Spain, these are made with fresh strawberries and fresh melon. Delicious.

So these are my entries obviously not complete my report should read 'needs to try better'.

WOYWW

Hello everyone,
Well in returning from the UK I became ill with temperature and cough, so a trip to the doctors revealed I had bronchitis, something I usually suffer from in the winter months. This left me with no energy so no craft work for me hence no work desks for the past few weeks.

I cannot believe the weather we are having at the moment the last few days it has been in the 40's on my terrace. This week we have a picture of a temporary desk as I had to position a table round my fans in order to keep cool. I sympathise with the people of Javea in the Costa Blanca who are suffering from the fires. I know what it is like as we had serious fires here a few years ago and had to evacuate our houses. Very frightening.

My temporary desk contains a Hunkydory kit 'Warm wishes' I purchased over a year ago, I did try some of the kit last year but lost patience with it. Well I am beginning to lose patience with it again as the instructions are virtually none and certainly no first time card maker would understand them. I am not usually a buyer of kits much rather use my own ideas so think I will be using all the bits and pieces in my own way.
You can probably just see in the top left corner some granny squares, these have been made with the wool left over from my grandson's blanket, I am putting it to good use and will crochet them  together to make a blanket for a African/refugee programme.

Someone who was glad to see me return to my desk was my cat QC and soon made herself at home on the computer desk.

As I end this post must just include this that has come through, my grandson ready to start his new school this morning. 11 years old where did the years go?

WOYWW

Good morning all, although I haven't contributed for a few weeks I have been reading your blogs.

Well this is my work desk this morning - I am back from the UK and this has been loaded out of my suitcase. Something I've longed for, a die cutter not new but my friend has treated herself to the new Gemini and along with her two others said I could have this one. She also gave me loads of dies so you can guess what I will be practising in the next few weeks.

My son has now finished his treatment ending with the six weeks of radiotherapy last Friday and here he is ringing the bell at the Christie hospital.

All patients who finish their treatment ring the bell three times. We now have to wait three months for all the swelling to go down before he can have a scan and we will know if it has worked. Andy thanks you all for the good wishes.

It is really great to be home nothing like your own bed and shower. The weather is still very hot around the mid 30's but I believe it has been in the 40's while I have been away. 
This is how pigeons keep cool in the UK. Taken in my friends garden.

Well must get on, back to reality now. Hope you all have a good week.

WOYWW 373

Good morning from a sunny Manchester, yes this morning no work desk as I am in the UK, but a photo of the finished blanket I was crocheting for my grandson.

He loves it and is happy with all the bright colours, his favourite being the purple and turquiose.
It is lovely to be here in the UK and share in his last few days at junior school can't believe he will be going to high school in September - where do the years go. living abroad I have missed out on him growing up so much. I attended his final assembly yesterday titled 'we are year 6 get us out of here'. There were  many tears when they sang the last song.
All the year were presented with certificates and mortar boards, Daniels read 'for being a fabulous showman - an actor in the making. Read into that whatever you want.

Well no work desk this week but don't worry things are in the planning stages and visits to numerous craft shops are on the agenda. Must watch the luggage allowance travelling back though.

Well that's all for this week my grandson and I are off to Kent tomorrow to stay with my daughter for a few days. and his first visit to London as a treat we are taking him on the London eye tomorrow afternoon. Hope the weather is kind to us.

Thank you for all your kind wishes regarding my son, he is now nearly half way through his six week radiotherapy and you can see how it is effecting him. We all have to have a positive attitude although it is hard sometimes.

Ani xx