Sand sculpture and a wedding

We had some errands to run in Calpe on Friday, one of them being to choose a wedding present.  Must say, it was one of those more pleasurable trips when everything seems to work.  We found parking outside the various shops we wanted and whilst Chris sat in a cafe I had the chance to whip into Casa, where I found certain items on 50% discount, so I was able to buy a few Christmas stocking items - the nearest I got to Christmas in July!  All shopping completed and all items ticked off the list.

We saw this on the beach, now that's what I call a sand castle!

how brilliant is that, along with the horse, the guy must have a full time job keeping it damp

Yesterday saw us in Villajoysa, just outside Benidorm

We were the official videographers for a beach wedding. Lovely setting and of course beautiful sunshine.

We actually stayed longer than scheduled, but we are so pleased we did, as we filmed many candid shots that would have been otherwise missed.  So important to go that extra mile and its lovely to capture the atmosphere etc that the happy couple may have missed.  We each had a video camera and so were able to film from different angles and mingle in different areas with the guests after the ceremony .

All in all an excellent result, now comes the processing of the files 

Its all about networking isn't it? I identified the wedding planner and he was really pleased to receive our business cards to incorporate into their packages, also the florist asked for a card for her forthcoming wedding, so with luck we shall be back there again :-) 

off to find somewhere cool to do some hand quilting

take care xcx

A lousy day

Don't you just hate it when your best laid plans just fly out of the window?

Well that's what happened yesterday

Rebecca had stayed over so I could attend her latest PET TAC scan, she had been very brave at first insisting she could go on her own, but sometimes Mum's know best and beg to differ!

I am soooo glad I went

She was given a very large bottle of jollop and a cup and instructed to drink a cup full every 5 minutes, unfortunately it had been flavoured with orange, to which, like me, she is allergic to.  So that went back and a fairly bland water type substance was substituted.

She finished the bottle which took about 40 minutes and was called in. I waited and waited, the room emptied and still I waited.  When she finally came out her right arm was sporting a huge bandage at the elbow, plus another taped pad on her left hand.

She did grin and ask how many kittens I had had whilst waiting

Apparently during the procedure of inserting the contrast into the vein something went wrong and it was panic stations as she was on the scan bed in terrible pain, they then had to insert a second dose into her left hand and the scan was completed.

The worst of it was they just wrapped a cool pack around with bandage and said go home and keep it cool!

Now with me, something like that doesn't sit very well, so after breaking her fast we headed off the the ER

It was heaving!

3 hours later we were seen, by this time the arm was so swollen and it had spread, a full examination then the consultant disappearing off to get the low down from Radiology only to tell us nothing could be done! ice packs, a review if the symptoms changed - oh and it would spread right up to the shoulder and take between 1-2 Weeks to go down!!! what!!!!! As if the poor girl hasn't been through enough

That was it, a blunder? perhaps, maybe who knows! so after 6 hours

We had to coordinate Chris and Antoni to meet up so they could rescue us and also drive Rebecca's car home

Our plans of a nice girlie lunch by the sea, a catch up on some projects we are interested in and a home colouring session to redo Rebecca's purple highlights all disappeared, whoosh gone, we were just two very tired, hungry, tee'd off girls with a da ja vu feeling 

We had both done our best at keeping each other cheerful and were so glad of each other's company

but not a good day!

At least today, so far! has been better, although the swelling has reached her shoulder and wrist, no other symptoms have appeared, so onwards and upwards with the frozen peas, I did joke and told her there are better ways of getting out of the washing up!

take care and enjoy your weekend

xcx

Any ideas welcome

We are apparently in a red danger zone now - very scary - and a little while ago we noticed the Cumbre del Sol is on fire.  This is where all the communication towers are as well as the urbanisation.  Even more scary!

The fire planes and helicopters are out using their buckets, fingers crossed they get under control very quickly.

On a different note, lovely ladies, I wanted to ask for your help please........

I found hidden in my stash this panel, I have put a border on and intend to make the binding by making the backing larger and turning it over on the front.

The question is how to quilt it!

As I have done very little machine quilting, I thought I could follow the straight lines and perhaps hand quilt the outlines, then straight stitch in the border ditch, but what else??.

So what do you think, any other ideas?

I would love to hear from you

thank you

take care xcx 

Busy busy

We have a busy couple of weeks ahead of us, including a beach wedding where we are the official videographers. We met with the clients at the venue and can see it will be stunning with the blue sea, sandy beach and the ceremony under the palm trees and lots of opportunity of 'arty' shots.

Another wedding reception, this time of our friends son, they had already done the official paper trail in the UK and a blessing with reception for family over here, so this second one is a more relaxed affair for family and friends.

Then its our village fiesta, so three nights of music till gone 3am, Lots of hussle and bustle and traditions, plus we have a gig for a private bbq pool party which will be fun.

In between all that will be hospital visits for various scans and tests which stem from a regular Well woman check, so its all go, its also very hot, so having to keep cool!

We have now finished the hard landscaping for the old cactus garden, but its all on hold now as everything is starting to wind down for August and its just too hot to do anything unless its really early in the morning.

We can now plan the planting and decide on the colour of the rock infill, we are thinking volcanic for some of them which is a red/brown colour just to add some contrast from white!  During all this work our garden fork went missing, we looked but just couldnt find it, then tad dah...........

It had been completely enveloped by the wild bind weed whilst it was languishing against the back wall, the bind weed is a pain as it seems to be oblivious to the drought conditions and just keeps on tangling everything up, mind you it does have such vibrant dark purple/blue flowers which do look very pretty.

Enjoy your day what ever you are doing,   

 take care xcx

Wall art

I have been collecting the card tubes from the toilet and kitchen rolls, as you do! with a view to making some wall art. So I set too, first I flattened the card tube and pressed the edges down using a bone, (or ruler) then marked 1/2" lines along the tube

then cut them up

I had saved a printed page that at the time had come out too dark but it was ideal for this project.  I glued each strip onto the paper and let it dry.

Carefully cutting around the shapes using a craft knife.  I then played around creating a pleasing pattern, before gluing each piece into place.

I found an old frame, sanded it down and painted it, mounting the design onto thick card and this was the final result

Ok it won't make the Tate but I was pleased.

I thought it could be a fun thing to do with children or grandies, you could use any paper for the bases or even paint/spray the card without the inserts. I had a play with different shapes, curling pieces around a piece of dowel, rather like quilling.

Possibilities are endless, 

Enjoy your weekend

take care

Room with a view

We have been waiting for our new window blind to arrive and be fitted for the inner courtyard for a few weeks now, it has been one hic up after another, mainly because the staff of the local branch have been so unpleasant and tried to deliver the wrong colour, getting even more nasty when I refused the blind. The man was so nasty I have to admit it reduced me to tears, but, I stood my ground.

The blind arrived yesterday, but luckily I was not here, again he was very nasty, let his assistants fit the blind, demanded his money and left.  Unfortunately he omitted to fully install the mechanism and new handle, but I have to say I am pleased with the blind.  It enables us to enjoy the courtyard without the wind whistling around us and totally creates another room and one with a view.

 I made the decision to contact the head office and explain the situation as I had no wish what so ever to communication with this obnoxious man.  I am so pleased that I did as the manager rang me quite horrified at our treatment, confirmed he would personally bring and fit the remaining mechanism and by all accounts it appears there is discrepancy in my payment paperwork and paperwork sent to head office!! I believe he will be investigating just what has been going on

Anyway in the mean time we can enjoy our new room and have fun dressing it with new plants and garden ornaments. It is a nice place to sit early in the morning with a cuppa, or to take a break whilst doing chores and of course without the wind, to be able to take craft things out there without everything being blown away.  Even Chris took advantage of the space today by taking some of the dolls house items out there and repairing some of damaged lights.

take care