Silent Sunday

What is Silent Sunday?

Sticky Paw Prize Draw Winner

Drum Roll please...

...finally we are about to reveal the name of the 'Sticky Draw Prize Draw Giveaway'! 

I know it's taken some time and I apologise for that. 

I really didn't intend to keep you all on tenderhooks for this length of time but we've finally managed to make a little video clip of McMuffy completing her task of choosing the winning name. 

I have to admit we had to complete quite a few 'takes' (speaking the film business lingo luvey) to get this rather substandard clip. In fact, I think it took about eight attempts and I was beginning to run low on fresh chicken plus fearing that Muffin would either 'pop' or have a serious weight issue at the end of it all. 

I also thought that she may have been working the system somewhat, so that we had to keep filming ^..^ securing yet another tasty chicken treat!

Here are some of the events that occurred whilst filming....my phone decided to ring...the builders deafening drill drowned out all other sound...and on three occasions McMuffy walked around the name instead of over them, so it was quite a challenge to say the least but thankfully we got there in the end.

I should have taken heed of that saying "never work with animals"

Anyway...without further ado here is the clip revealing the winner's name

Congratulations MacMillanMarie 

I'll be in touch later to check your postal details. 

(I must apologise that I couldn't read your name out correctly because unfortunately I wasn't wearing my glasses on this particular shooting) 

With numerous clips not used I also feel guilty about the names that were picked on those out-takes, so I thought I'd send a little something to them. 

So Di from Pixie's Crafty Workshop and Acorn to Oak 

Congratulations and I'll contact you soon.

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to enter the giveaway draw. 

I'm sorry if you are not a winner and wish I could send you all a little gift but I'm afraid that that would break the bank. 

Maybe you'll be lucky with my next giveaway. 

Have a fabulous day and I hope to see you again soon 

xoxo

Wordless Wednesday...morning walk

wordless

The Jenny Evolution

Sticky Paw Prize Draw...coming soon (GYBP)

Apologies for anyone waiting with baited breath and bitten finger nails for the giveaway prize draw announcement, but I'm afraid it will have to take place tomorrow. 

Our star and Diva 'Miss McMuffy' is insisting on being bathed and groomed before she makes her public appearance and we just didn't get around to that today. 

Plus the light is fading fast, so inevitably the film crew are refusing to film saying it's too dark and nothing to do with the fact that there's footy on the TV. 

I did intend to pick the winner today, but it has been jam packed with the usual full on weekend activities, plus visitors. 

So hang on in there peeps...we'll be announcing soon...I promise. 

Hopefully tomorrow.

In the meantime, because so many people taking part in the Grow Your Blog Party are crafty, creative individuals...I thought you might like to see some very cute critters. 

Their foliage is made up of little fir cones, branches and twigs. 

I think they're so cleverly created and adore them.

They are currently living in the inglenook close to the fire...but not too close obviously being made of wood! 

If you'd like to read a little more about owls especially about the ‘Tawny Frogmouth Owls' who came to visit us for Christmas when we lived in Melbourne then click HERE.  

So hopefully I'll be able to announce the winner for the 'stick paw prize draw' tomorrow (you'll understand why it's called that when you see the draw) 

so keep those fingers crossed just a little longer.

  

Good Luck everyone

xoxo

WOYWW...basically nothing but a Giveaway!

Hello WOYWWer's

Do you remember my desk from last time? 

Well look what happened...

So you can see why I have nothing to show for this weeks 'What's On Your Workdesk'. 

I haven't even got the desk!

But I know a fantastic place where you can see lots of desks and creativity. 

Thanks to Julia over at Stamping Ground hosting WOYWW. 

Click here if you'd like to be transported there.

But before I forget you may like to have your name entered into my 'Giveaway' draw which ends on 15th February. 

All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment on my Grow Your Own Blog Party post (or better still press the follow button...that's not a requirement but I'd love to see you there). 

It's that simple and if I can persuade McMuffy to do her party piece once again, then she'll paw the winner's name ^..^

To see how she did the last draw click here 

Have a wonderful week everyone with lots of creativity.

I really hope I'll be able to show some artwork soon.

Wordless Wednesday Moooooo....rning!

wordless

The Jenny Evolution

Whoopsi-Daisy!

I was thinking of entering the photographs into either Silent Sunday or Wordless Wednesday, but then if I saw photos like these I'd certainly want to know more details. 

So with that in mind, I thought I'd write a completely separate post explaining what happened to my hand. 

Here are the photos...

I want to state clearly here and now that...I WAS NOT DRUNK! 

It happened on Saturday night when we were out with friends. 

Yes, some alcohol was consumed but not excessively it has to be said. 

I was contemplating being creative when retelling my story as to how it actually happened...Hmm...
...I was galloping on horseback along the beach when I fell off my trusty steed...
or it happened when snowboarding (taking into account snowboarder Jenny Jones winning Great Britain's first medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics ~ congrats)...
or mountain biking at speed through the rough terrain of the local woods! 

But the truth is...(no laughing please) I fell into a taxi. Yes into a taxi.

It's a little difficult to explain what happened exactly, but basically I slipped off the curb (sidewalk for my American visitors) whilst saying goodbye to someone and fell between the curb and the taxi (cab). My arm went into the taxi, whilst my body stayed outside, with my ribs hitting the door sill. 
If my ribs heal within 6 weeks...then I've only cracked them, but if it takes 12 weeks, then they are broken. 

Each painful cough, sneeze or lady burp (a silent internal belch) gives me a sharp reminder that six weeks is a very looooooong time. 

Plus no driving...so cabin fever may well be a complication. 

I've been complaining lately about how time flies and making statements like "where does the time go?" but let me tell you, I watched the clock for most of Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning. Every minute seemed to be an hour and by 4.30am I could stand it no longer, I just had to get up (with difficulty). 

No chance of a much needed Sunday morning lie-in I'm afraid.  

I would like to add my apologies at this point for not visiting everyone recently, or if you've taken the time to leave a comment on any of my previous posts (that I adore seeing by the way) thank you and I hope to catch up with you soon. 

But remarkably I did manage to bake a cake (one-handed) so I was really please and the builders even more so.

Well if I'm honest my kitchen aid did most of the work. 

Here's the recipe for Lemon Drizzle Cake

With having to master lots of new one handed skills since the weekend, it's made me think about all the people who may be having similar trials and tribulations mastering new skills, whether it's the use of a prosthetic limb or loosing their eyesight, we should all be thankful for what we have whilst we have it...it's not until you lose something that you realise just how important it can be. 

Time for more painkillers I think.

Don't forget to pop over to my Grow Your Blog Party post and leave a comment to have a chance to win my giveaway prize. It's that easy. 

Good Luck! 

Have a great week everyone...and just remember be careful out there! 

xoxo

Banished to the bedroom!

Basically I'm banished to the bedroom today and not even my own bedroom at that...it's the guest bedroom. 

We've moved in here whilst our own room is being painted etc, so it feels a little like being away on a mini-break or holiday. 

The reason for my banishment today is that the builders and painters have taken over virtually every room downstairs. I've escaped to the hairdressers yesterday and the garden centre before that to save my sanity...but I wanted to stay home today.

There are gaping holes in the walls where windows and doors used to be, dust in every conceivable place even though dust covers have been draped everywhere and I spent quite a considerable time last night hoovering, dusting and steam cleaning the floors. It all looks a little sad and ghostly, but then I just have look at the completed work that has been done already and I think it'll all be worthwhile. 

At least I'm not having to live in a caravan whilst all the work is being done like so many other people have had to do.  

Every morning starts before dawn and Muffy and I decided this morning to escape the mayhem. We wandered around the park and came back suitably refreshed and revived but it was still before 8am! 

We haven't seen the sun here for quite a few days, so as it made an appearance this morning it seemed that everyone wanted to make the most of it. 

The birds were singing beautifully trying to out do one anothers song, crocus and daffodils have managed to push through to make an entrance, although I think they may be held back from flowering for a week or two as it is still a little chilly.

But the snowdrops are putting on a good show.

(I liked my shadow in this photo so I didn't edit it out...it shows how low the sun is at this time of year)

At one stage I counted 14 small dogs all grouped together in the centre of the park having fun, running and stretching their legs, barking and playing ball. 

Life's good when you can run full pelt with friends off the lead! ^..^

It was a doggy social whirl there, so no wonder McMuffy is curled up now snoozing and whimpering in her sleep...she's obviously still at the pooch party by the sound of it. 

Here's my favourite photo of the week...well for now it is.

The gorse bursting into flower.

For anyone who isn't familiar with gorse...it is a large evergreen shrub covered in needle-like leaves and has a distinctive coconut perfumed yellow flower. 

It makes such an impact on the landscape. 

But the flowers aren't the only thing that feel spring maybe just around the corner...the crows were swooping and calling overhead with their beaks full of twigs and nesting material. 

All natures positive signs and greatly appreciated even though it hasn't been a harsh cold winter. 

Meanwhile back at the ranch...there's cuppas to be brewed and fires to keep alight.
Yesterday someone decided that it was okay to pop their lunch bag (plastic) onto the fire WRONG! 

Fire alarms ringing, smoke billowing and general choking commenced.
I tell you there's never a dull moment. 

I even had to paint my nails to hide the ground in soot after cleaning everywhere! 

It was ingrained into my skin and my face cleansing wipe last that night looked like I'd been down a coal mine! 

I've got so many blog posts backing up in my mind that I'd like to share with you so I might have to post daily if there's not too many major incidents to keep me away. 

Enjoy your week and I'll hopefully see you again soon. 

Toodleloo for now

xoxo

Silent Sunday

What is Silent Sunday?

Yay it's the weekend...

Can anyone tell me why we are having our windows replaced in the middle of winter? 

Okay so just call us crazy!
The decision obviously must have been a good idea at some stage. Maybe it came when we were in the middle of our bathroom renovations and we weren't thinking straight. 

Well, whenever the decision was taken it's irrelevant now because it's actually happening.

 I'm not sure that the guys who are doing the work are entirely happy about the decision either. 

Here's a photo that I took early yesterday to record this momentous event.

Yes it was all perfect weather (not)...a hoolie blowing, the rain lashing down and barely any daylight, hence the joiner wearing his little miners lamp. The plant (Fatsia japonica) in the photo is out of focus because it was dancing around in the gale and the fact that I was shivering even in the few seconds that I was outside also may have been a contributing factor to the bad quality of this shot.   

I suppose I can't be angry with the guys for the damage to my new shooting bulbs because they were concentrating on getting the window in as fast as they could, but I was sad because I'd spent hours on my hands and knees planting them only a few months back. 

I'm just hoping that they recover and continue to sprout. 

Maybe a little sunlight might help...we'll have to wait and see. 

I'm not so sure I like the boot imprint as a feature.

So I decided to have a few hours escaping the madness to visit the garden centre. 

I wanted to buy a bird table anyway so it was a good excuse...I had to go. 

It was so wonderful to wander around looking at so many lovely things...books, furniture, ornaments, art, bird and wildlife products plus tropical fish and that was all before I even got to the plant section.

It's strange that sometimes things just leap into my trolley and I'm not aware of it until I reach the checkout! It happens all the time especially in the supermarket...I mean where does all that chocolate come from? 

(but I do know where it'll end up hehe) 

Look at these beautiful primroses...well they just had to come home with me. 

I have a few bird boxes already dotted around the garden but I hadn't one for the little Wren...so I obviously had to sort that error out promply didn't I?

 As soon as I arrived home my son went out into the garden armed with a ladder, hammer and the nest box to find a suitable site. 

Isn't this cute?

Even after only about an hour of it going into the garden I noticed flutterings around the new box and that was even before the 'For Let' sign went up! 

But the pièce de résistance is the bird table....what do you think?

Even the sun popped out for the photo!

It was so funny to see my regular bird visitors doing a fly-by to check it out. 

They'd fly towards the table and then swiftly via off at speed and an incredible angle. They got nearer and nearer until one little blue tit took a deep breath and landed. 

He was well rewarded with lots of tasty treats and then it was everyone for themselves. 

I'm about to purchase a new camera so I'm hoping that I'll be able to capture some of the visitors soon. 

Well it's Saturday night so I must away and have fun 

I hope to see you again soon. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone 

Kung Hei Fat Choi  ~ Happy Chinese New Year