Monday 10 January 2011

I am back! Cosy warm and (almost) well again

You gals are just the best! You have been the sweetest friends through all this, and I can't thank you enough. GROUP HUG, tehehehe !!! So, here is a quick update. The long and short of it is, after 4 weeks of living in an icebox with just a couple of halogen heaters, we now have a new gas boiler installed, since Friday, and I am luxuriating in warmth in all the rooms, woohoo. The Christmas/New Year period is NOT the time for things to go wrong, lol. I am also over the flu and the rotten cold I got straight after, I am just stuck with a very persistent cough, but hey, I am up and about and I even went out shopping one day last week!

And, best of all, my work room is lovely and warm again now, I can sit at the computer ( desk top, I dont have a laptop ) without freezing my bits off, and I even got a little bit of crafting done on the weekend. Wanna see? Lol, tough if you don't, because I am going to show you anyway in a bit. I spent most of my time since Friday looking at all the blog posts I had missed since before Christmas, that was a mammoth task, I can tell ya. I couldn't leave comments on them, I just didn't have the time, but please know that I really thoroughly enjoyed all your beautiful Christmas homes, the gorgeous images you posted over New Year, and all your news. I am almost up to date again now, so should be back to normal as from today.

Crafting, sigh, I really missed my workroom when I couldn't use it, so you can imagine how I felt when I finally got back into it again. On my travels through the blogs, I saw this on my lovely friend Dorthe's blog -


INCHIES!?! Fascinating little things, but I had never really thought about giving them a go. Can I resist a challenge? Lol, not when it sound as fascinating as this one did. One teeny weeny little thing per week sounded immensely doable. A year and 52 inchies later, I should end up with a sweet wall hanging to display somewhere. So I decided to have a go. My very first inchie -


And while I was at it rooting through all the little bits and pieces, I also made a little tag -


What else could I do while the glue bottles were on the desk? Ah yes, I still had to make one more MEMORY/CONCENTRATION game for a little pressie for someone -


The backs of the 2x2 pieces are just stamped


I love this game, we used to play this type of game a lot when the boys were little.


I haven't made a box for it yet, but I am planning to do that today.

I know that we are well past Christmas and all that, but I just have to show you a couple more things. I received the sweetest little package all the way from New Zealand from my dear friend Sarah a few days ago. It had been held up by the rotten weather. It was such a lovely surprise, I had no idea it was being sent. Inside were a couple of Christmas decorations, perfect for our tree in the drawing room, which has been decorated with white and silver ornaments for the last 25 years or so.

This gorgeous little bird became part of the flock already at home on the branches -


And this beautiful snowflake fits in perfectly as well -


A gorgeous white Christmas card -


A doily in the loveliest shade of blue, perfect for the blue bedroom in our cottage in France -


And this fabulous fabric cottage! Isn't it just gorgeous?


That is almost it, but there is one more rather important thing I want to do, and that is to welcome all the new followers who have joined me here over the last few weeks. I hope that my long absence hasn't put you off already, lol. Let me give you a big welcome hug, and I hope you enjoy popping in every now and then.

I am off to think about the box for the Concentration game. Have a great day wherever you are,
toodlepip xxx

19 comments:

Andi's English Attic said...

So glad to read you're up and creating again. Flu can take a long time to get over. Take care and hope you're 100% very soon. xx

Anonymous said...

Welcome back! Thank goodness you are well and warm again.It looks like you made up for lost time! I love the images on the concentration game, the artwork is so pretty. I sent you a little package for New Year the day before I knew you were sick so you should get it soon. Now it can be a 'glad you are well' gift!

Debra said...

Liz, the anonymous comment is from me. Don't know why it showed up like that! Here's another go at it.Debra- manitobastitches

A garden just outside Venice said...

Welcome back sweet lady! I cannot imagine you freezing with only 2 halogen heaters!
xxx

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Liz,
I'm glad that you are back and feeling better. I have missed you.

I love your "inchie," very sweet!

I'm glad that you are keeping warmer, too.

hugs
Sissie

Me and Ma said...

I love the concentration game/matching pairs, we play this a lot, but I am really rubbish at it, the younger children (3 and 5yrs) are the best ! How is that ? :)

Salma said...

welcome back :-)

your inchie looks soooooo cute, i'm looking forward to seeing more of them... ;) i don't have enough patience to produce such tiny things *hehe*

have a wonderful, warm and cosy day!

salma

Titbelsoeur, mixed-media addict said...

Coucou copine ! je découvre tes problèmes ! ça n'a pas dû être drôle !!!
j'en profite pour te souhaiter une excellente année 2011, et te féliciter pour tes réalisations, comme d'hab c'est superbe !
grobizoute

Kris said...

Your inchie is delightful! Welcome to the Every Inchie Monday challenge. I'm looking forward to seeing your inchies very much!

Karen said...

Good morning my friend!
The flu AND a cold? Holy cow I can't think of anything worse. And no heat during all of it - NO WONDER! You poor thing - if you were closer I'd come over and make you some tea and chicken soup. Well .... pretend! Can you smell it? Mmmmmmm...
ANd now that you are on the mend - I know we are in store for lots of your fun treats this year . I am fascinated by your "inchies" project. I need to read up on it - sounds like something fun yet "do able".
Happy New Year!
Big warm hugs - Karen

Julia @ Vintage with Laces said...

Oh Liz, Being sick is bad enough but without central heating it is just awful during this time of the year. I'm glad you're feeling better and your heating is back on.
The inchie challenge sounds like fun. After I had read about it on Dorthe's blog, I had thought about participating but I couldn't convince myself yet, lol.
I love your memory game! The images you chose are very sweet. What a wonderful gift!
Big hugs to you,
Julia

LissyLou said...

Happy New Year lovely lady xx

Dorthe said...

Hi sweetie,
Oh am I glad you are on the Inchies ,too-and you made the most darling ,beautifull one, Liz.
Also your memory game, is so very lovely-the images romantic,and cute--maybe I should make one for my little Mathilde, going to be 4 in february!
I`m also so happy for you, that you have a good warm house again, and feeling almost well.
Love and hugs-Dorthe
You will here from me,soon :)

Paper Bagley said...

Your inchie is stunning...This is my first go around also...so you next week...Tootsie

Marie Lost Bird Studio said...

Hi Liz,
glad you are feeling better and have the heat going again!
Your inchie is delightful.
Have a great evening and stay warm.
Hugs,
Marie

Crafts a la Mode said...

Best wishes for feeling better. Love your blog and all that you do... very interesting and inspiring.

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

I'm so glad you are back in blogland, it just wasn't the same without you. I do love your memory blocks, such beautiful images. I could even think it would be a pleasure to play the game I think of as 'the worst game ever' if it looked like that! Love your little inchie too. I had a go at making one but an inch is soooo teeny tiny! I really didn't think they were quite so small.

Alexandra said...

Da ist man mal ein paar Tage nicht online und hier sind jede Menge neue Sachen zu sehen. Ich weiss ja gar nicht wo ich anfangen soll.
Ich bin jedenfalls froh das es wieder warm ist bei dir, in der Kälte bastelt sich wirklich nicht gut.
Das ist eine tolle Idee mit dem Spiel und deine anderen Sachen sind auch klasse. Das Inchie ist genial geworden liebe Liz.
So jetzt geh ich zum nächsten post.

Halogen heaters said...

I use Halogen heaters... and i like it.
i am just ok with one heater.

I dont know why you needed two or even then you were not ok.