Okay, it's been a while so there's lots to cover...here goes!! Well, no sooner had we unpacked from Harrogate, we were packing up again to go to Glasgow for the weekend...or so it felt! It's a good thing I have a very understanding Mum and Dad - they moved in to ours again while we were off galavanting (as the lovely Sandra puts it!) and looked after the kids. It hadn't been the easiest week - Harry had been off Playgroup with a cold and Molly is teething. Added to that it was the school Valentine's Disco (where the DJ didn't turn up) and the start of half term holidays on Friday...packing for us leaving first thing Saturday morning took all week!
We stayed at the Malmaison, which in Glasgow is a converted Greek Orthodox church - beautiful and full of character. We were meeting our friends Graham and Sharon there and then going off to see Strictly Come Dancing Live...I was SO excited!
The set was really impressive and the actual judges from the show were there too! This may be lost on some of you but we watched the whole series and really got into it...I don't really do reality TV shows but I love Strictly (and American Idol!) so it was a real treat to see some of my favourite dancers live. (And the dresses were so much more sparkly than on TV!)
Here's Sharon and I scoring one of the dances - we got scorecards with our programmes!!! Giddy we were...
After, it was on to Frattelli Sarti's for some gorgeous Italian food - they have this little piazza outside...if it hadn't been so cold we would have eaten here - how lovely?!?
Then it was into the newly opened Blytheswood Square Hotel for cocktails...in the Salon no less!
It was all very decadent and a bit posh - lovely to see though!
Sharon and I posing in the reception gallery...
We woke up on Valentine's morning to beautiful breakfast hampers...
Who knew breakfast could be so pretty?
Unfortunately, I woke up with Harry's cold too...it had been threatening for a few days but it was definitely there - just in time for Valentine's! But it didn't stop us going for a wander around the shops and we stopped off at Fifi and Ally's for some much needed caffiene...
...and a slice of Red Velvet cake.
On the way home we had to go by Ikea and get the boys their new beds. The place was mobbed and we were glad to get what we needed and get out! It was a lovely weekend but getting home was fantastic...
Onto the little things that have been making me happy...
Yummy Sunshine Cakes that Mum made (and the kids and I demolished on Monday!)
Reaching the dizzying new heights of having 21 Followers on my blog! Thanks to each and every one of you!
Valentines cards...
...and Valentines gifts.
The calming smell of Lavender...I should have this all through the house!
Spring bulbs starting to flower
An empty ironing bin! This utopia was reached last week...it's full again now but the picture gives me hope!
The last of the Fat Rascal's Paul bought in Harrogate - delicious.
And finally, Olbas Oil - the only reason I have been getting any sleep the past few nights!
Still taking part in Kate's 365 Challenge...and still working on February's pages! Filling out the tags each day but the layout is a work in progress...I should probably start March soon if I stand a chance of keeping up! Here's how it looked last week...
Decided to hand paint on some detailing over the stamps I used...
Still need to add some more embellishments and ribbon to mark the weekends.
While I was working on this last week, Ellie wanted to make a Valentine's card. I had given her a copy of February's Craft Stamper (I bought a 2nd copy by mistake!) and she was keen to use the free stamp on the cover. She did really well - here she is hard at work...
...and here's the result!
Pretty good, huh? After finishing it she said "He'd better appreciate this after all this effort...!" You tell him Ellie!
Woke up on Monday morning feeling like a train had run over my head but my day was brightened when I discovered I had won a prize!
Elsie had a Valentine's Giveaway to win some cute prizes...all you had to do was say what you thought was lovely...
...so I did...
...and I won!
Out of 1531 comments! So happy...love Elsie's blog - always original and unique. It makes me smile every day. The lovely Virginia also cheered me up by naming me one of her 5 people with a beautiful heart...she had received a blog award and that was one of the things she had to do to accept - so thank-you Virginia!
Will leave you with this Journal page - the first one I have done since the AFTH course. Made it in the car driving down to Glasgow. Spent most of the journey cutting pictures out of magazines then did this in the last 20 minutes! It's only a wee one, but it's a start! xx
OOh I'm so busy this morning - promise to come back and write war and peace in a bit! LOL
ReplyDeleteLooks like you guys had fun at Strictly - never got into the dancing myself... great journal page and well done to Ellie on her card...and your candy win (I won some yesterday too)... I also have a cold which is now going into its 3rd week and I am wishing it would just go away... catch up soon???...xoxo
ReplyDeleteOoh - I just heard Justin on The Wizards of Waverley Place has signed up for Scrapbooking classes (not with us he didn't...lol..) - spoooky!!!!
Hello I'm back again, what a fantastic post, how busy are you! And it's half term week, never done Strictly properly but the few snippets I've seen I've always enjoyed - you looked like you had a fab time galvanting around the country how lucky are you to have such fabulous parents to look after kiddlywinks. The hotel looks devine - I love Glasgow enjoyed a walk around it's main graveyard once, also found the oldest house and the Dali Print hung in St Mungo's Museum! I'd have wanted to bring the breakfast baskets home (minus the breakfast of course) all those compartments are screaming for minibooks! The reception area in the hotel looks extremely decadent I'd have wanted to bring that home too LMAO!
ReplyDeleteLucky you on the blog candy, you'll have to share once you've done something with it!
The smell of lavender is awesome, couple of drops of that in a bath full of hot water is a sheer delight! The cakes look gorgeous, you'll have to tell your Mum that I found some Scottish tablet in the local sweetie shop at the weekend and bought 100g (about 7 x1 inch pieces) and it cost me a £1 - I can't imagine how much the tin you brought to AFTH would have cost - tell her thankyou!
I also have an empty ironing bin after a mammoth session with the iron this afternoon - but it won't last as I've got the washer on again! Loving your 365 day challenge - I keep wondering if I could catch up LMAO - think it's a bit late now don't you?
Tell Ellie the card is beautiful and I hope it was appreciated! Loving the journal page absolutely gorgeous as always, I've a few to share but haven't got around to photographing them (yet) - will try to resolve later.
Hope you, Paul and family are OK - just going to shout said 9 year old in, he's out and it's sleeting/raining and he's going to get drenched ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS See I promised you war and peace mind you Jude your blog entry was super long so you should expect a lengthy reply!
Well Virginia has said it all don't you think!!
ReplyDeleteBut no, I HAVE to comment... your darling Ellie has made a gorgeous card, must get THAT talent from her Mum! And, by the way, Andy tried to buy Strictly tickets for us as a surprise Christmas present but they'd sold out! So I'm a teeny bit jealous but mostly glad that you had such a fab time!
Loving your art calendar... I'm keeping up to date so far, and enjoying the challenge too. Now I don't want to make you jealous here, but I must go and get ready for my visit to Harrogate tomorrow.... hu huh - I'm off for a play date at AFTH!! Gotta take a few 'photo's and collagey things for Claudine's workshop so gonna gather them together as its an early 9 o clock start... Byeeee!!
Hi Jude
ReplyDeleteMe again promise not to write war and peace. The idea is to copy the photo and the questions, pop it on your blog, write the answers and nominate five more people, it's just a bit of fun!
Hugs
Virginia
PS Booked for the Premier Inn again the other day - got mighty excited tee hee!
Congrats on the Elsie win! I saw the name Jude on her blog as the winner and I thought to myself, hmmm, I wonder if that's THE Jude that I know! And it is!! Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a fantastic weekend! I'm off to Glasgow with some friends at the end of the month, so looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteReally loving your blog xx