...Hello UK

Here I am back at home. We flew through the night and got into Heathrow this morning ... and after travelling for 26 hours we are both really tired. 

We are trying to stay awake as long as we can though to get back on track with the time change ... but at 9pm this Saturday evening it is getting harder by the second.

So not many photos in this short post but this is a story I  just had to share with you. 

Just after I had finished writing my post in the airport lounge I decided to go and check on the time of our flight.

I left Griff finishing off his drink and I walked over to the display board.  I was very shocked to read that our flight had been delayed ... on the board it had flight 806 delayed 24.

 I rushed back to where Griff was and told him and his response was "You're joking'

"No" I said "come and check it with me" ..... and as we went back over to the board he wanted to go the washroom first.

While he was gone I saw two official looking men walking towards me and so I asked politely where I could get more information on a flight that had been delayed for 24 hours.    "24 HOURS ...." one of them said in a surprised voice ... "where are you going?  " Heathrow" I told him and he asked me to go with him to the Air Canada information desk and he would find out.

In the meantime Griff had come to join me and we asked questions of one of the men who was an airport policeman and he was very helpful and friendly.  H explained that the other guy ... who had gone to find out what was going on ... was the airport director.

Well eventually he came back all smiles and told us "Yes ma-am your flight has been delayed ..... by 30 minutes to 00.15 .... the 24 is the gate number" 

Guess who felt such an idiot ????

But we all ended up laughing at what was a very easy mistake to make... well I think it was anyway and it was because I was tired.... and that's the excuse I am sticking too.

Hugs xx

Bye bye Canada ...

I am squeezing in this post while I am at Halifax Airport, Canada waiting  to fly home to London Heathrow and  the next one will be from home.

It has been another hot day and neither Griff nor I are looking forward to the long journey home.

This is the boring bit waiting to board and take off.,,, and Griff hates flying at the best of times.

We are hoping to get some sleep on the flight because we have a long drive at the other end before we get back home.

This is our last view of Prince Edward Island as the ferry sailed away from the shore, and we take with us some very fond memories of our holiday with Naomi and Troy.

The sail across the Northumberland Strait took 70 minutes and the sea was so calm and sparkly.

We stopped at a town called Truro and had a walk around the park and these were some little friends that we made.

They came rushing up to us when we entered the park .... probably thought that we had food for them ... but sorry guys no such luck.

Now this is a photograph I could not resist sharing with you.

This is  Griff checking out his teeth in Naomis' magnifying mirror last night while we were all getting ready to go out for our farewell meal.

Caught unawares and I just happened to have a camera in my hand..... what more can I say except that it makes a real change from him photographing me doing something stupid.

And oh I have enjoyed adding this to this blog post.   Bless his little cotton socks ....

Hugs xx

Last Day ...

Yesterday was a bit if a disaster. Griff has proved to be rather tasty to the local bugs and he has been bitten several times whilst we have been here.


Both his left  hand and a foot have swollen up quite considerably.

Having been to the pharmacy we were advised to go to the "Walk In" medical centre ... and  we spent two and a half hours waiting to see the doctor.

I am happy to say though that he has responded well to the antibiotics he was prescribed and the swelling has gone down a lot overnight.

So today we have been out and about again enjoying our last day on Prince Edward Island.

This was the wooden train in Georgetown and we also visited the Kings Playhouse.... were Griff did his party piece on an empty stage and I filmed him ... so which one of us is the most stupid .... don't answer that !!  

We stopped by the river in beautiful Montague for a delicious salad lunch and wandered around this pretty place for an hour and more.

After a lovely afternoon we motored on to St Peters
and walked over the boardwalk across the river to the little gift shops.

Once back at Naomis we all got ready to go out for a last meal together at the local seafood restaurant.

Griff and Naomi had to select lobsters that they wanted to eat ... and then had to wait for it to be prepared.


The meal was lovely ....

... and this is Naomi tucking in to her lobster.

They were both supplied with plastic bibs and Troy and I said it was like sitting at a table with two 2 year olds  in bibs.

But it was a good night out and we all enjoyed our selves.

And tomorrow we set off for home again and have long day of travelling in front of us.

In the morning w e will be getting the ferry from Wood Island across to Nova Scotia and then our flight will leave Halifax at 23.45

Both of us are hoping so get some sleep on the flight because when we get back to London at 09.30 on Saturday morning we still have to drive back to the North West of England.

So probably no post tomorrow but once I get settled back at home we will be back to normal again and crating will resume as normal.

We have had an amazing time here with Naomi and Troy and been made to feel so welcome. Both of us are very grateful for the opportunity they have given us to visit this lovely part of Canada.

Hugs xx

Confederation Bridge

This is the bridge that crosses the Northumberland Strait from Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick and it is 11.5 kilometres long.

To get onto the island is free but to get off it you have to leave by either the ferry from Wood Island or via the Confederation Bridge which has a toll.

This is quite a modern bridge and we were surprised to find out that it was only completed in 1997.

This is a memorial at the base of the bridge to the Quartermasters and has the names of people engraved into bricks that have given service to the island crossing.

People sometimes come over by ferry and leave by the bridge or the other way round but we will be leaving on Friday the same way we came via the ferry from Wood Island.

Hugs xx

Province House

It has been a really hot day here in Canada and once again we have been exploring this pretty island.

This is Province House and it was free to wander around.  It is the birth place of  the  Confederation  and it was well explained in a short  video that we sat and watched.

At the Arts centre there was a superb performance by a group of young performers and we sat in the shade and watched.

And once that was done it was time for coffee and some lunch.... and to sit for awhile and relax in the sunshine as we watched the world go by.

A young man booking tours offered to take this photo of the two of us with a bronze statue of one on the Confederation Founders.

All too soon it was time to make our way back and we had a homemade Seafood Chowder to look forward to.

One of Naomis friends ... Patricia had offered to make us her own special recipe and bring it round for us to try.

I am not a seafood lover but I was willing to give it a try and I have to admit that it was delicious. Naomi made hot biscuits to go with it and a delicious Blueberry cheesecake to finish of Mmmm Mmmmm!!

I will definitely need that diet when I get back home ... and that is coming round at an alarming rate.

Hugs xx

The Bottle Houses

We have had full day out touring Prince Edward Island and seen some very pretty towns on the way.

We set off early in the morning and went over to the West side, and stopped for some ice cream in a pretty  place called Summerside.... and I promptly dripped chocolate ice cream down the front of a new white T-shirt.

Fortunately I had a shirt on over the top so at least I didn't look  a mess for the rest of the day.  Griff says he is going to buy me a babies bib in future ...

The main attraction we wanted to see was the  "Bottle Houses"  at Cap Egmont.

They were created from all coloured bottles that many of the towns people  helped to collect.


Thousands have been ..used to make a house, a chapel and a tavern.

They are quite amazing and big enough to walk around the inside of.

This is the inside of the chapel and there have been real weddings performed in here.


It was really peaceful and cool to sit in here for a little while and relax.

The six gabled house  is beautiful and set in lovely gardens that you can walk around.


And the perfume was delightful too.


Still more to do yet on this summer vacation... and more photos to add as we explore some more.

And this is  my handsome "Film Crew" doing what he does so well and that's filming.

And the look says ... "Are you  taking photos of me taking photos ??????"   and the answer was "Yep !!"

Hugs xx

Canada Day ...

Canada celebrates it's birthday on the 1st of July each year and this small town is no exception.

We have been down to the park area for the party and to join in the fun.

The town was named Souris  (pronounced Surrey)  by the French and it means mouse.

This character is the Souris Mouse and he went around  welcoming everybody to the park.

There was lots of stalls and entertainment as well as a talent show for the local youth .... and the sun was so hot all day long.

Now this is a couple of strange men that we found at the park all dressed up for Canada Day..... Naomis' Troy and my "Film Crew" having a laugh.

Griff bought a Canada T-shirt and has flags draped around his neck ... and Troy has red glasses with flashing lights along each side.

But we had fun and tonight there is more to come.  Music on the beach ... which is just outside Naomis'  front door.... and we are having a BBQ with all of their friends.

Great vacation so far and very kind weather too.

Hugs xx

Charlottetown

We have really enjoyed our stay here in Canada and the people are so friendly.

One of the things we were invited to do was dine with Troys parents ...Yvonne and Bob at their beautiful home.

We had a lovely visit and it was so strange to be sat in a Canadian home with lovely Canadian people .... chatting about .... Coronation St.

It is a much loved programme over here although they are several months behind us in the UK.

And this is the lady that gave us a wonderful meal and made us feel so welcome in her home.

Thank you Bob and Yvonne

Hugs xx

Craft Shopping ...

Today we decided to make a trip into Charlottetown  and of course the main reason was to go to the big craft shop here called "Michaels"

We spent a long time wandering around and Ooohed and Aaahed over lots of things.

Naomi wanted  the Grand Calibur and that was the first thing crossed off the list.

There it is in the photo with some of the other "Goodies" we bought.... and of course we had to play later in the evening.

One of Naomis friends had paid us a visit and needed a card for her daughters wedding this Saturday and so this is what we came up with as  a joint effort.

Patricia is coming to collect the card today and we are hoping that she will like it as much as we do.

Hugs xx

Anne of Green Gables

What a lovely trip out we had today and the weather was lovely for us .... all day.

The roads out here are amazing and so straight.,, and for mile after mile we could have been the only car on the road.  Griff has really enjoyed the driving and I have sat back and enjoyed the view.

We drove through the countryside and  many pretty towns on our route.  St Peters was one of the beautiful places we passed.

Eventually we arrived in Cavendish, and found the heritage site for   Anne of Green Gables.

I read the book many years ago and had forgotten just how enchanting the story was.

But coming over on the plane it was one of the films available to watch.... and so awakened my curiosity again about the place itself.  And it was one of the areas to be visited while we are here.

As we walked through the Haunted Wood a lady offered to take a photo of the two of us.... and here it is.

It has been a really good day and we have lots planned for the rest of our stay.

Hugs xx

Prince Edward Island

My Canadian adventure has started and this is the first post from  our holiday on Prince Edward Island.


Our flight from Heathrow  was delayed by two hours and so it was quite a long wait to finally get going.  But once in the air we settled down for our 6 hour flight.... and we spent our first night in Halifax.

We rented a car and once we finally collected it we went to our hotel.   The next day we set off on our trip over to the Island and we took the ferry from Pictou   for the sailing across to the Island.


As we got to the ferry point they were staring to load it up  and we drove straight on. We were the last car to get on so consequently we were the last to get off.  But as we drove towards the terminal we saw some crazy people standing at the side of the road waving a huge Canadian  flag.  


It was Naomi and her family waiting for us and the meeting was such fun. Griff  was driving and as I got  out of the car Naomi had the biggest hug for me. It was lovely to meet them all Naomi Troy and Michael and the welcome was so warm.

We had the next day to settle down and then it was off to start exploring this lovely island.and the sun shine was lovely. 


Naomi took us to East Point and from there we discovered lots more.


This picture was taken on the  Singing Sands and we had such a laugh trying to make them "sing"

Of course my "Film Crew" was on hand to film all the silly aspects.  But we certainly made those sands sing....

It was lovely to explore and we went to the top of the lighthouse and the view was amazing.

We had coffee in a little cafe there and took some more photos and this is Naomi expecting some rain....

There is so much more to do and I will add more photos as I take them.

Hugs xx

Big'N Juicy...

I posted a while ago about  Water Colouring with Distress Inks  and I said that the "Big'N Juicy" inks could also give a good effect.  They are good value for your hard earned cash as there are about five different colurs in each pad.

But what ever you do  DO NOT  store them upside down .... or on their side ...  as all the colours will run into each other and you will just have one horrible mess.

Store them right side up and level ...

Because of the amoung of pigment in these pads you would need to take care,  and personally I feel that they are a little too vibrant to get a good skin look.

For this floral image I have used the inks to get the soft look in the petals  and I am quite happy with the result.... and I have used the Hydrangea ink pad. 

This beautiful Poppy stamp is from Clarity Stamp and who says poppies have to be red....

This is another style of flower and and is from  Inkylicous  and this has been coloured using the Waterfall  ink pad.

If you press the closed lid firmly down onto the inked pads then you will get some of the ink transferred to the inside of the lid and this can then be used as your palette.

Alternatively use a white tile so that you can see the true colours.

Hugs xx

Not cheap ... but useful

A useful addition for any cardmaker and one that can save you lots of time and frustration if you hate to cut out shapes ..... like me!

I really can't be bothered with all that fiddly stuff and so  I bought myself  a  Die Cutter   a long time ago.

The first machine I ever bought  was the Big Shot from Sizzix, and it has been a little work horse for me from day one.

It can do everything that I need it to do from cutting out shapes to taking some of the embossing folders.

But as the years have gone on and I have started to use more and more Spellbinders  I decided to invest in the Grand Calibur.

Not because there was anything wrong with the Big Shot but purely because of the cutting area.

The Big Shot will only has an A5 area where as the Calibur has an A4 which means that I use the larger Grand dies and the Impressabilites all from Spellbinders.

But whichever one you decide to go for ... and there are lots on the market all with varying price tags ... just make sure that it will do what you want it to do because they are a considered purchase for you to add to your list.

Hugs xx

Scoring Board

To me this is an essential piece of quipement and one I use every day whenever I have a card or a project that needs to be folded carefully.

This is the Ultimate Pro from   Crafters Companion  and is one of the best things I have ever invested in.

With this I can score card and papers and the sizes I need are all marked on the  board.   I can make boxes and envelopes to suit my cards and several different styles of card including K-cards, aperture cards, exploding boxes, drawer cards and many many more.

The inside is where I can store my trimmer and bone folders ... which come with the board ... and there are adjustable pegs that will enable you to tie perfect ribbon bows everytime.        It even has it's own paper trimmer stored inside too.

It comes complete with a booklet that gives you all the measuring ...  ready done ... for several box and envelope sizes and detailed instructions on how to use the board so that you can get the best results.

Hugs xx

Paper Trimmer

I find a   Paper Trimmer   very useful in my cardmaking as it enables me to get a neat edge to my project.

You can get them with straight edges as well as fancy ones to vary the look on your cards.

This was my choice and I got it for half  price in the local craft shop sale ... so was I pleased or what????

It is  both a  Rotary trimmer and a  Guillotine combined and the trimmer has different cutters that can be changed at the twist ot the knob.

The cutters can also be used freestyle too.

It is from  Purple Cows  and the two pieces seperate to be used individually.

The 12" cutting platform means I can use larger papers and card for everything that I want to do.

Hugs xx