***HAPPY HALLOWEEN***

I've been looking forward to this day for a while now. It seems like I have been preparing for it for months and all of a sudden it crept up on me! So this is what has been happening in my little corner of the world.

First, let me set the scene....

The morning is crisp cold with a mist lingering round about. The cemetary gates are firmly locked with a warning sign.... Private - KEEP OUT!

In the distance, the mist looks thicker and it appears that there may be a hooded figure walking towards the gate.... no....it's a figure of my imagination!

Meanwhile back at the house....could that be haunted house?

I prepare myself for 'a haunting we will go'! My butler is on hand to give me the help I need! Boris - the new addition to the household, poses with me after helping me up from the cellar to collect my broomstick.

He's such a gentleman!!

He only has eyes for me!

Dontcha just think he looks suave? Then it's off out for the evening. This house was certainly what I call SPOOKTACULAR. It was fantastically dressed for Halloween. As you can see here, I felt right at home!

There was ghoulash on the menu with lots of gravey and cockroach crisps for a side. The purrfect meal. This cackling witch could tell what was going to happen next. Can you?

The smoke was getting thicker - and it wasn't fog...judging from the ashtray, I do believe this chap had a nasty ending.

Moving on through the house, I met with quite a few 'uglies' ...

...and this little pretty. Isn't she cute?

All of a sudden and without a drop of rain, a very loud clap of thunder sounded and a fork of lightening appeared from out of nowhere. It was very strange but very appropriate for the scene.
There it was...a really enjoyable evening and I managed to take some great photos but above all, it wouldn't have been so much fun without our Boris! He was ready and waiting for me on my return with a glass of warm fruit punch.

Gotta fly peeps ....my broomstick is parked on a yellow line!

So it's goodbye from me and it's goodbye from him... until next year anyway.

Halloween Wreath

Here is the Halloween wreath that I told you about yesterday. The idea was in Paper Crafts mag last year. It all began with a trip to the local cemetary!! Yep. You heard right! LOL.

I took lots of photos of different designed tombstones, then I changed them from colour to black and white, softening them a little in Serif and then put them onto black card with a little white paint brushed around the edges.


Take one wreath - I used a cane one. I painted it black, tied black tuille around it and added some webbing.

Next, I painted some wooden clothes pegs.
Attached some black elastic with a spider on the end and added a couple more spiders.

Finally, I attached the photos of the tombstones with the pegs.

VOILA! One Halloween wreath to hang on your door to welcome guests.

Have fun with your Halloween preparations.
Toots for now.

Oh Brother!

It's been a while since I saw my older brother and while he was staying at a caravan site last week with my sil, we went to visit them.

I baked a yummy cake and we sat chatting about our gardening experiences and I got some great tips from an experienced gardener. He used to keep pigs, chickens, quails and other creatures of the farming kind.

I'm enjoying the weather at present. The sun, the rain - that softens the earth on my allotment to make it easier to dig. Even the cold I don't mind. It's the wind and rain together I don't like.

I was looking forward to a day with my friends on Wednesday. One of them has gone to Australia to visit her son, so our Halloween party will not be going ahead until she returns - all being well. Anyway, Boris will still be useful. He hasn't been made redundant!

I'll be posting a Halloween wreath that I made last year, so keep checking in to see it.

Toots for now, keep warm and thank you for stopping by to read my blog.

I've Got A Secret!

I've got a secret - an LG Secret cell phone.It was time for an upgrade after almost 2 years with the same phone. However, I am always reluctant to change something that has taken me sooo long to adjust to!

Woah! The touch screen is soo sensitive - even for my gentle touch. It's taking such a long time to get used to it. There are some features that I haven't gotten used to as yet and with a 5mp camera - it's bigger than my first ever digital camera! You can see the review here.

LG Secret KF750/KF755 review » Unwired View

Now I'm not sneering at a free upgrade which probably costs several hundred pounds...but I'm actually too scared to get it out of my bag to make a call when I'm out and about for fear of being mugged!!

What happened to the pay-as-you-go phone that you could just make a call home with or text.

The phones today have too many options and choice. It takes me 5 minutes to find my inbox just to read a text!

So, please don't expect to hear from me for a while... and if you are thinking of calling me... please spare a thought that I may be out on a bus surrounded by hoodies overlooking my shoulder to see whether this old swinger has a cool cell or not. It may take some time before I answer!!

Thanks so much for stopping by to read my blog.

Best Witches for Halloween!

I was playing around with some photos from Halloween a couple of years ago and came up with these. Which one do you prefer? LOL. I like the black and white one but I'm not sure how I actually produced it! It just happened by 'accident'.
Then this one is a mirage. I like it - it's different. I like different.
Halloween is becoming my next favourite holiday next to Christmas. I seem to have more items for Halloween now. I keep seeing things that would be 'ideal' for that particular occasion.

Boris the butler will definately be the star of the show this year. I can't wait for my friends to meet him! LOL.
Have fun with your Halloween preps.
Toots for now and thank you for stopping by.

Mummy Returns!

I've been scrapping but taking it easy due to waking with a cold this morning - the first this year, so I can't grumble.

Speaking of grumbling... here is a layout of another of my grandsons who, on this occasion, dressed as a 'mummy' for his Halloween disco a few short years ago. Where do the years go?!

This page is in my sound album and when the button is pressed and you open the coffin lid, a door creaks and inside is a photo of Cameron which looks like he is coming off the page!

I wrapped each hand cut card letter with gauze and used an ink pad to stain it. The majority of the stickers are Jolee's Boutique. They are some of my very favourite stickers. Can you tell I like Halloween? LOL.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm off to tuck myself in a warm bed with a glass of hot water - the perfect cure for a cold!

Toots for now.

I want, I want!

I want to be able to know how to put a header on my blog. I want to be able to add blinkies and links to other peep's blogs. I want to add a cluster of photos together which look like one photo! If anyone is happy to help me, I would be most grateful.



Fright Night!


As October is the month of Halloween, I am posting some layouts that I have made. Here is another that was published in the Scrapbook Inspirations magazine in November 2007. Two of my grandsons delighted in dressing as Dracula for our Halloween party and they looked 'frightfully' awesome, dont you think?!

I did say that I would post a picture of something that I have bought for Halloween this year. He is the newest member of the household!

Introducing BORIS! Boris the butler.

Some say he's scarey, others say they want one! He's a lifesize butler that is going to be more than useful just for Halloween. He'll be waiting with a nice drink for me on my return from my visits to my allotment, shopping trips or other whereabouts! Ohh yes, he's going to be the life and soul of the party on 29th October with my 3 girlfriends. They will just scream with delight when they see him! I may just have to be on hand with the smelling salts though - just in case...!

Thank you for reading my blog.

Speaking of spiders!

As Halloween is fast approaching, I used one of my photos to make a magazine cover. A friend has a tarantula spider and I wanted to hold it. Spiders fascinate me and I LOVE their webs. They are so delicate and a work of art.

Warning!


If you don't like spiders, look away now!

The spider was warm and friendly...my friend had fed him days before!! LOL.

I'm getting organised for a Halloween get together with 3 of my life long friends. I want to buy some dry ice but not having any luck right now. Will keep looking. However, I did buy something on Saturday that will be the life and soul of the party!!

I'll post a photo another time when it's up and running! Until then, stay warm.

Toots for now and thanks for reading my blog.

Welcome Autumn!

Despite the coolness of Autumn, it is my favourite season of the year. I am allergic to cold! However, I do enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds. Rain pitter pattering on my window...like now...wind rustling in the trees...like now and keeping cosy in the warm with a hot chocolate... like now and my bed warming with an electric blanket. Oh I LOVE my electric blanket. LOL. I love October too. It brings me to thinking Halloween - which hasn't always been a time for celebrating for me but over the past few years - since my grandchildren are grown, they have had parties and they enjoy dressing up.

Here is a layout that was published in a UK scrapbook magazine this month. I'm dressed as a witch!

I was running low on ink and the photo printed with a lilac hue, so I stayed with the theme and it looks like it was meant to be.

This is a tag book that I made back in 2005 but I still love it and the memories are precious of the fun everyone had at our family Halloween party.

Stay warm. Toots for now...... and thanks so much for stopping by and reading my blog.