…..And what have we been up to????

Evening All!

Well,  its been so long since these itching little digits of mine have graced the bloggery, that I almost forgot how to start.  Yes Folks!….its actually me….I have returned after what seems like weeks…………In fact it is weeks….almost five to be exact, so once again I find myself catching up with all of the news from Douglass Towers.  There’s rather a lot to report, so you’d better get the kettle on and a pile of bickies, ‘cos this is gonna take some time.  I have workshops, new goodies, a fallen tree, cars and plenty of news…………….and yes!… I did say a fallen tree.  Luckily I was there to cushion its fall, but more of that later.

So the Spring Workshop Tour came to an end in Perth after over a month of crafty Pebeo‘d fun, with a host of new faces willing to put themselves through a whole day of techniques and abuse at the hands of our hero.  These where based on Pebeo products, and we all had an absolute blast over the day long sessions.  We have had so much feedback about Pebeo, that The Boss is thinking of a one off date in June, highlighting the versatility of the range with loads of ideas and techniques using only Pebeo, so keep an eye open for details once she has sorted a date.  Even I might join in on that one.  The Perth date included a new larger room at the hotel which was needed due to the amount of bookings we took.  Sheena usually keeps to around 20ish for a workshop, but we were completely overwhelmed this time around and had to add a second date to The Ravensworth, and the larger room at The Queens Hotel in Perth, which meant that we could add extra places.

Here we are in Perth, ably assisted by Wor Gill, and with enough room to swing a couple of hundred cats……if we wanted to that is!

I think that we now have a fantastic set of venues for the workshops, with each one having its own ‘thing’, so with that in mind, I think we will try to put together a Christmas Workshop Tour for November and December……Santa and all!

Now then, as most of you will recall, The Boss has been having a bit of bother with her trusty ( or Not ) Craftmobile.  Room was definitely at a premium, as she is carrying ever more stuff down to C&C.  It was beginning to be like a game of Tetris, trying to make everything fit into the boot and back seats. Well fear not, ‘cos she has now taken delivery of her new Craftmobile Par Exellance, in the form of a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso.  Bit of a mouthful, mind, but a cracking set of wheels capable of fitting in everything including the kitchen sink…….and the bath if we needed to.  Got to say that we had fantastic service and help from both Amy and Anne at our Local Robins and Day garage, who have now threatened to decorate half of the showroom in Sheena’s stamps and techniques.  The practicalities are there for all to see as she went from this……

…See the problem with space for boxes and all her crafty goodies???…..

….to this……

Very comfy and fantastic on fuel….love it!… I may even move out of me cell and into this if I can find somewhere to store the ‘Gruel Surprise’.

On the subject of cars, I have to report that The Springermobile is now all legal and up and running.  A bit battered and well used, it’ll do just nicely to transport them wherever they want to go.  So not only have the girls taken over the house and everything in it, they now have their own transport for those trips into the muddy woods and fields.  I bet its not them who have to clean it out though…..Oh No!

…And as if by magic, there is one of the Monster Springers getting ready for another adventure in the woods.

I am as I type, trying to knock up a ‘Springermobile’ sticker using Sheena’s Cameo machine, which will adorn said vehicle as soon as I can finish it, so yet more noteriety?? for the little bu-gers!

This was them this morning……..at just after 7am……Thats right folks……SEVEN A.M.

and here……

If I could harness a fraction of the energy these two kick out, I’d be sending the gas and electric suppliers packing thats for sure…..

Little Darlins!!

Ginny has just discovered the wonders of one of those keep fit balls…..Well we arn’t using them!!!, so she has now gone from the small tennis balls to this mega one…

This was her last week, when I attempted to tire her out…………….However after a couple of hours, she came in the house and proceeded to start with her tennis balls, and finally decided that it was time for a kip at around 9 o’clock at night…….I was ready for bed at around three in the afternoon after throwing that thing around all morning.

And now on to The Tree…..Ah yes!, The Tree.

To cut a long story very short, we have had a tree in the front garden for over 40 years.  It grew and it grew until everyone wanted it taken out.  So, relenting, we decided that it would happen three saturdays ago…..You know the one…..it was sunny and warm, so you can easily narrow it down to one of only three this year.  Anyway, we got started and one by one, the branches were removed, then it came to the trunk.  OK, so this is where it happened……John, the neighbour with the chainsaw, was cutting through one of the large trunks at the base of the tree.  The immortal words  ” If you hear a crack, get out of the way fast” are still ringing in my ears, because …

A.  I did hear a crack….and

B.  I didn’t

So there I was pinned under this 200 foot tree…..well ok, I exagerated a bit, after performing a quite respectable Starsky and Hutch roll to try and get out of the way.

One of our other neighbours was out in the garden with his wife.

” It’s down”, he told her

” Where’s Russell ? ” she asked….

“He’s under it” went the reply

At least Sheena saw the funny side……Having a crack at ‘ He’s a Lumberjack and he’s OK”, as I lay prone under the tree.

Anyway, I eventually got my own back, ‘cos this is what is left of the killer tree…

The bit with the criss cross on it is the actual trunk that fell in my direction, and could have been seriously damaged if I hadn’t dampened its fall it in time…..What a shame !!

Anyway, that is one of my lack of bloggery excuses and i’m sticking to it.

Now I have just looked back at this little post, and can see that your tea might be getting a tad cold by the time you reach the end, and the sarnies may have just started to curl at the ends in a vain attempt at becoming tomorrows sausage roll, so I think that I will make my return into a two parter…….hightening the drama and anticipation somewhat.

So what I will do, is have myself and my ever so tender backside ( Having landed on that area under that tree ) a break, and return with part two tomorrow just in time for the weekend.

….or else I might be here until midnight.

It’s good to be back in the bloggy saddle, though, so hang on tight’ cos there is a lot more heading your way, including shows a week on Saturday ( the 25th )

Adieu for the noo, and see you tomorrow.

Missing in action Gopher (The)