Ooooh busy busy busy.....

The days are just whizzing by and i am surrounded by lots of whooshing noises as deadlines seem to be flying past, lol. I am putting the finishing touches to all my new releases for the trade show in January. It is sooooooooooo exciting to be launching as a signature designer for Ranger, and I want everything to be "just so" and so I am busy dotting every I and crossing every T, and then changing my mind and starting all over again, tee hee. Well it's a woman's prerogative, isn't it.??

Been busy in the studio as well, yesterday found me teaching this canvas.Many of you will know I started my crafting life as a folk art painter, and I love nothing more than introducing others to painting. It is so calming and relaxing. I really need to do more of it to preserve what little sanity I have left..!! Oh okay, too late then, lol.

I got a brill surprise yesterday as Our Ben forgot he had said I couldn't get my grubby little mitts on Tim's new fantabulous boxes. Too late, he brought them in to show me them, (the new delivery had just arrived), and I had them unwrapped, before he could say Beejeezus. Ha ha, look at the expression on his face, too late....they are mine, all mine.

I just had to promise not to deface...sorry, customise...them before this weekends preview. Speaking of which...

Don't forget it is our fabulous Preview day on Saturday 10th December, where you can come along and see all the wonderful workshops we have lined up for you in January, February and March. We have taster workshops going all day long, and I think Our Ben is making me part with some of the 100's of samples I have made over the years. Pop HERE for more info

Here's some sneaky peeks...

How are you doing following Tim's Christmas Tags.??Are you managing to keep up.?? Frikkin fabby aren't they.?? I haven't even put my own spin on the first one yet, so busy I am with my other stuff, but I am storing them and will play as soon as I get a breather.

Don't forget everyday Our Ben is adding bargains into his daily deal. See HERE for more

Got a wonderful surprise in the post today, can you recognise the hand writing..??

Yes it's from the one and only Lady in Waiting, Kaz. She is an absolute darling and always seems to know when I need a bit of a lift. Today's treasures included...

That all important sherry vessel

Hmmmmm.!!!

Handy for ones Royal engagements...

I shall have to put these safely in the Tower.!!

Scarf rings, to hold ones bits in place...

And......

THE biggest frikkin earings in the whole wide world.!!!

I also had a visit today from one of my bezzies, The gorgeous Sandy Poppins, who took the Outfit of the day photos. Err seems we forgot to take a photo of the pair of us.! oops.!!

Still I thought I had better pop my teeth in, just in case they may be used for "official" Royal engagements, lol

Chin, chin

                                                                                                                                 

Enjoy xx

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`