Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh.......

Oh yes, have I got a little treat for you...!!!!

Here is the naffest tree in the world in all it's entirety..!! In fact, it is so naff I frikkin love it.!!!!

Even though they are nearly as big as the tree itself I just had to hang my glamour girls from it, lol

You know you all want one, lmao..

Here's today's daily outfit.

I had a vintage dress of which I loved the material but hated the style, so I cut it up and added a gingham top and matching head band. Certainly calls for some understated wedges.!!

 Ooops couldn't resist a bit of a soulie spin, lol

I have had a few questions about the dresses I make.

No I don't have a pattern, I cut up old things that I love and juggle patterns together out of them.

The fabrics I use are either vintage, old dresses, even curtains, lol...or just from the local material shop.

Hope that helps.

Some pages from The Ledger

Enjoy xx

Yes...it's been a while...

...since I blogged..!! 

Sorry about that, not sure how I managed to go so long...

Apart from the fact I have a frikkin fantastic excuse...the best yet..!!!

I have been busy working on top secret stuff..!!! 

He he...told you it was a good excuse, didn't I..???

All will be revealed in good time, and you will love it..promise.

Well Christmas has officially arrived at AFTH headquarters. As many of you know I was a bit of a Mother |Christmas. I say was, cos the last two years I am just not feeling it really. So I have decided to bring my Christmas from home into work.

Pretty parcel packer Ali was round mine, bright and early, and we tackled the loft, hunting for all the deccies and trying not to get too distracted with all the things up there.!! I am not sure how my loft appears to be getting fuller since the kids left home. I think they secretly sneak in while I am not there and deposit stuff..!! Don't laugh, I once came home to find two mattresses up there that weren't there in the morning.!!!

Anyhow, I digress, so we hauled it all down, dusted it all off and whizzed it up to work. Now you may be wondering what Our Ben had to say about all this.!! Well.!!!!!!! as long as we get to Dec 1st before mentioning Christmas then anything goes. And 1st of December it is. Yayy.

Here are some of my favourite decorations that I have made over the years. These are painted lightbulbs.!!!

And these are glass baubles I painted.

This was painted in 2002 and it was my first ever attempt at drawing my own design. I was so proud of it.

I think it looks fabuloso..

Because it is now officially Christmas in the Headquarters, Our Ben is continuing with his tradition of wearing a crappy Christmas jumper every day for work. So we may be adding Jumper of the day to my daily outfit. As you can see he is overwhelmed with Christmas spirit.!! lmao.

In case you were wondering what he was clutching, here is a close up.

Ha ha it's his new cd for the shop, mellow sounds from Mr Buble. I think he might stick it for a couple of days and then tell me where to stick it.!!

Onto other news, my middle kids class have all now finished their canvas's and they are absolutely gorgeous. Take a lookie for yourselves.

I have had a very busy weekend playing with fabric and my machines, running up new outfits. This is from one of my fave fabrics, if you look closely you will see that it is covered in red roses and white skulls. Yummy.

This was my favourite fabric..

I actually made myself 4 dresses, to which I shall pat myself on the back for, lol. Even though I am absolutely stacked out with work, I really needed to take some time out for myself, so I did.!!

And, of course, it's Dec 1st, which means........

Oh yes...Tim's tags and Our Ben's daily deal...

It's that time of year again - Tim Holtz's 12 tags of Christmas!

Check out Tim's blog (http://timholtz.typepad.com/) for the first 12 days of Christmas where he reveals a new tag every day. This is his fifth year of doing the 12 tags and you can check out each years tags by clicking on the left hand side of his blog.

Each day of Tim's 12 tags we will be offering products Tim has used on his tags at a special price until they are gone. Each deal will be released on our Facebook page each day HERE, so if you're not a fan of our page please check us out!

All offers are subject to availability and no back orders will be taken.

Get in there !!!

And in case you are worrying about the lack of decorations at Reaveley Towers, I have a back up plan...

Those who know me well will know I have an inbuilt aversion to anything, shiny, tinselly, naffy.!! and will go to any lengths to avoid such offending items. But I seem to have mellowed in my old age, as I have decided that it is probably not PC to discriminate against such items, equality to all and all that malarky. 

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

I've only gone and bought myself the naffest tree I could find. Three whole feet of artificially pink tinsel. With...wait for it...inbuit lights...which, unfortunately only seem to go down one side, lol. But what can you expect for a fiver. Mind you imagine my disgust when I went into Asda today to find it reduced to £3.75..!! How ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude.!!! So I consoled myself by buying some equally naff sparkly lime green baubles. Yes you heard me correctly the first time.!!

I, Dyan, of Reaveley Towers, must confess, I have now become a Christmas, naffaholic. Hopefully it will only be temporary seasonal madness and I will appear relatively unscathed out the other end. Time will tell, lmao.

Enjoy xx`

News from Art from the Heart Towers...

Well.....29 years ago today I gave birth to this bouncing 10lb 9oz baby boy. Where on earth did the frikkin time go..??? Surely I am not old enough to be his mother.!!!!

29 years gone...just like that..unbelievable really...

Many of you will know Our Ben, he is my shop manager, mail order manager, web designer, newsletter chief, purse string holder, maker of sensible decisions, man of little words, reigner in of my antics and the mainstay of my business. Without him there would be non business, as I would probably be quite happy living up a tree making collages with mud and leaves.!!!

But no he makes me focus, he makes me turn up for work, he makes me behave appropriately (well almost), he makes me make business decisions, he pushes me, he calms me when I am on rapid cycle, he puts up with me when my ADD is bad and most of all he understands me...!!!

He is not only my first born son, but he is my business partner...and for all these things I love him to death. I know you shouldn't love one child more than another, BUT, I can safely say he is my favourite eldest child, lol.
Tom is my favourite youngest boy. Jay my favourite eldest girl and Emmi my favourite youngest child...!!!!

Here is wearing some of his pressies from the lovely Katie. A new hideous Christmas woolly for his growing collection and a rather snazzy personalised apron.

It actually says Master of Sunday roasts and not Taster..!!! lmao

As you can see he is overwhelmed with emotion that I pooped round for a hug..!!!

Other things that have happened this week include the lovely Liz bestowing upon me this gorgeous Royal teapot. What can I say..!!!

Here's some piccies from the technique journal workshop.

Here#'s the lovely Jeanine showing off a finished spread from an earlier class.

On Saturday the lovely Tina travelled all the way from Wiltshire and popped into the shop to see us. Of course we had to have our photo taken didn't we..??

I've taught two lots of journaling classes this week, one Friday and one today, both packed to the rafters which was great to see. I taught the same thing on both days. We were embracing our dark side, by using
only the really dark coloured inks with a ghosting technique over the top.

I then made them practise doodling with a white pen, freehand and through stencils, to make the pages pop. These are all works in progress and will be finished at a later date. Thanks to all who came, we had a ball. Special commendations go to the following.

Friday class....The lovely Chrissie for her totally unintentional double entendres, and thankfully my Mary is not a light up one, but you never know..!!

And Sunday's goes to Paula for her cautionary tale which included miniature pot bellied pigs, hospital appointments, and rear fastening gowns.!!!! I am still giggling away at the thought. xx

You don't pay any extra for the constant stream of entertainment at any of the journaling classes, but unfortunately, due to over excessive demand, Tena ladies are no longer provided and you will need to supply your own..!!!

Enjoy xx