Another year over...

My last Friday sky! I'm actually sad about that one. You can take all the rest but I never worried/stressed over my Friday skies...just wish it had been a bit more impressive! Was a bit bored waiting for midnight to come around so I had a play with my camera on manual settings - wow I'm brave...!

I found a setting that took a photo quicker...I've forgotten the actual proper words...!...which, in theory, would work great with Mr 'I may be cute but do not expect me to pose for more than half a second'. Lesson one - try it in better lighting...

Then he went on a rampage and flaked out so I tried again. I think it worked a bit better with a longer exposure (aha! exposure!) lighting wise but I wouldn't like to attempt that under normal energy circumstances.

I think 2011 might be a year for more camera experimentation. Like, maybe, working out what the letters/numbers mean...hmm!

I wish you all a wonderful 2011 full of good health and happiness xxx

New years eve eve

This guy was in a bit of a sulk and didn't want his photo taken - ah well, he still looks scrummy side on ^-^

I've been pretty bored so I've been taking random photos of the decs before they're taken down this week. It's really hard to photograph a tree - how have I never noticed this before?!

You can probably tell what I was trying to get here. But somehow I like it anyway. Hmm.

Same with this. Bit out of focus. Glass needs a wipe. Yet somehow it works. For some reason this reminds me of looking out a car window...odd...

Hope you're well and warm

xxx

fog fog fog

Worse than the other day and stuck around pretty much all day.
Those pesky neighbours still haven't moved their cars...
It was quite a bit warmer today. Not what you'd call hot, but practically balmy compared to what we've had. Better enjoy it while we can, it's supposed to be getting cold again soon...super.
xx

Fieldfares are back

They last flocked here in January with the cold cold weather and now they're back.
I like it, it's like the year has gone full circle.
Very poetic.
xx

Foggy old day

Wish I could have taken a trip up to the loft to get a pic of the fog - it seemed worse than what you can see here.
Now if only I can get the neighbours to move their cars...

Big fat brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

wow it was cold today! This photo was taken at 10am. It's usually started warming up by then, which technically it had but still - ouch!
This is my green photo. Everything looked like it was covered in diamonds.

Here's the dude again. Someone wasn't impressed with the cold...or, more likely, the fact that his bathroom's in the garden. I had to go out with him in the end...hmm...

Was supposed to be going round nan and granddads tonight but just feel awful so figured it was safer to stay home. Sad I miss the family but better for my health. Grr.

Hope you're staying warm!

xx

Merry Christmas!

I hope you're all having a lovely day xxx
I was booted out of the kitchen (not sure why...!) so I decided to take some pics of the table..
I kind of love how this turned out, reflections and bokeh. Yum.
With this one too - pretty.

The token bauble shot, never tried it myself before though - might try it again with a different bauble/pose/outfit!

This dude has a bunch of poses when he sleeps. We have old chinese guy, diver, face-plant, yoda, the 'how-in-the-heck-can-that-be-remotely-comfortable?', the draft excluder and this one that I've labelled - the Elvis. Can you see the lip curl with the fang poking out? Uh-huh-huhh...

I got some lovely presents. Yummy DVDs, clothes, and this necklace -

I spotted it when we were on holiday earlier in the year. On a day when I didn't feel up to going out they went back and bought it for me - aren't they wonderful!? So beautiful! So lucky!

Hope you all had a wonderful, magical time.

xxx

Are you ready?

Ahh, Christmas Eve. The last day of the magic. It never quite feels the same after the presents are open and the turkey is eaten. Well, not to me anyway...
My Paperchase order finally arrived - *just* in time to add the decs before the Big Man arrived.

Mum also suddenly declared that we needed a Christmas cake. It's a sponge instead of fruit but it's still yummy and I love the decs. I always think Santa looks like he's doing a runner instead of skating...

I think this little guy is starting get a bit fed up with the cold weather. Just imagine how fed up he's going to be tomorrow when we have the family around - not the centre of attention?! Oh dear...

xxxx

I left the house!!!!

My lovely dad finished his job a day early and he took me shopping to Poole. I needed to get Mums present (how bad is it that I didn't have anything yet?!). Also may have had an urge for scented candles and a festive Starbucks...mmm...
Decs in the center aren't as good as they were when I was little but a darn sight better than the year of the neon palm trees. Yeah, I'm not sure what that was all about either.
Mmm toffee nut latte...shame it was too cold to have a take out cup. Wonder if I'll be well enough before the red cup goes away...hmm...

On the way home we drove through Poole park. The pond (lake?) in the middle was all frozen over. Wish I'd had a better camera than my phone on me - the duck 'skating' was quite a sight ^-^

The...lake?...I really need to find out what these things are...was also frozen over - there was a huddle of seagulls sitting in the middle and a bunch of cormorants on the posts (too far away to get a photo) but the swans seemed perfectly happy just hanging out in the little de-frosted area.

And here's a field on the way home. Just because I was so excited to be outside I decided to photograph it all! (I may have gone a little manic...in a very exhausted way...)

Wow. 6 weeks and I finally escaped. It was so weird being around people and noise - you forget what it's like. It's always odd being in the wheelchair anyway, but with that added surrealness it just....I dunno...it was just a bit strange I guess!

Anyhoo, hope you're all keeping warm and cozy!

xxx

(oh, and yesterday didn't get an update as I was too tired to do anything other than play old Crash Bandicoot games on the gamecube - how retro. It didn't make for the most interesting photo!)

Lil' bit o'baking

I don't know what it is but I always get the urge to bake something just before Christmas. No matter how yuck I feel, something needs to go in the oven!
There was a nice sounding tree cookie recipe with the Create 10 Dec. class so I thought I'd give it a go. Nice chance to try out my only 2 cutters - star & flamingo. Festive, no?
I had to do them in batches as I didn't have much space, thankfully they didn't spread when they cooked so I could smoosh them up nice and close on the tray.
I had one more batch to go when I decided to try and mix in some lemon curd to see if that worked too (the others are just plain vanilla).
Thing is I figured I'd better cut them out by hand so they look different in case you didn't want a lemon biscuit. Can you tell at which point I decided my desire to sit down out weighed my desire to make pretty looking biscuits?!...

Decorating was a bit hit and miss too. I tried some stars with peppermint icing, and all the rest had plain white icing. They came out alright. Some were a bit toothbreaking but that was only because I rolled them too thin in places! I think I'll try them again with a bit more lemon, and add it before the flour. Yum yum.

In other news - after all that snow yesterday I thought we'd be wading through the stuff for at least a few days. The rain seemed to take care of some of it though. Ah well, hopefully this means we'll be able to see the family come Christmas day!

xxx

Never known anything like it!

Today we had the heaviest snow I've ever known. Not as much as some other parts of the country I'm sure, but for round here it was like a blizzard! Of course it warmed up a bit, turned to rain and has been a bit drip, drip, drippy ever since. I'm just hoping that all the slush doesn't freeze solid over night...
These dudes kept multiplying by the second until a giant seagull (though I'd argue albatross, it was *huge*) decided it wanted to land on the line in the middle of them and they all flew off. Including the little gull.

Had to go out to check the birds water so I snapped a few pics. And dropped the camera in the snow twice. Genius.

It had turned drip drip drippy by this point and it all looked sparkly with the lights behind. Didn't quite capture it on camera though. Of course.

And ta-daa - penultimate monday pic. Finally! I remembered to put make-up on this time but I still looked like death warmed up so bring on the greyscale...

Had to get another snow shot in. I was already frozen and wet by this point so what's another few seconds for a photo?...

Hope everyone's staying safe and warm!

xxx

Finally looking a lot like Christmas

This dude was taking advantage of the one old apple that was left on next doors tree. I did put some fresh water and food out but apparently mouldy old apples are the order of the day - maybe they like a bit of booze?!
The first time I've known a Christmas tree and snow to coincide. Well, you know, at actual Christmas time. Not trying to convince people to put one back up in Feb.

I am soooooooo bored right now. Apart from a brief walk up the road to take a photo I still haven't left the house. Nearly 5 weeks. Cabin fever is starting to set in! To try and entertain myself I set my fancy shmancy cam out of the drawer and set up a couple of photos. I was aiming for some festive bokeh. I think I got it.

I also took one a bit closer up and the bokeh lights were bigger but for some reason it wouldn't upload...hmm...

We have so much ice round here right now so I can't even imagine how bad it must be for the rest of the country. I hope you're all staying safe and warm.

xxx

Well I said there was always last night...

More snow. Here? Well whaddaya know...
Managed to make it down the end of the road to take this shot. I decided I needed a different view as I can't get out. Luckily we live near one end so it wasn't a far walk! Shame about that cone...
This dude had once again gone nutsy with the weather. Bounding along like bambi he was. Cute.

Not long after we got back the sky started to clear and the sunshine broke through...

The trees at the back of the house looked pretty festive too.

And for my friends, as I'm unable to make my cards. As I'm unable to hold a pen...sigh...I took this picture this morning and made a card for you. I hope you like it.

xxx

Huh

Here's the fluff last night - his favourite vantage point checking out what we're up to through the banisters.
A few hours a go it started snowing pretty heavy but as the ground was wet from the thawing frost it didn't really start sticking until it stopped (you know what I mean). Of course about 20minutes after this pic the sun came out and most of it's vanished now.

Of course there's always tonight...

Well hello cold and flu season

I forgot you might be due for a visit.
Sigh.
In other news here's the other present I was curious about. (well, to be honest I'm curious about them all).
It looked like a giant brad or eyelet pack...hmm...
Turns out it was a pack of sparkly chipboard letters by doodlebug in one of my favourite fonts!

I'm not keen on buying a die cutter for fonts in fear of everything I do looking the same. I would make an allowance for this font. Yum.

Here's another slice of Christmas round our house. Cute. I should have set the music up to be something festive. Except I don't own any. Oh well. (it's Kissing You from Romeo and Juliet if you were wondering. My favourite bit to play is that twiddly bit you can see there...)

All together now - #Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, had a very shiney nose...#

xxx