Saturday 24 December 2011

Buttons Galore!


So, after seeing this gorgeous Button Christmas Wreath featured on Kat got the Cream's blog and made by Rosie Scott-Massie, I started to feel all crafty.

I went on the hunt for buttons!

I was actually quite surprised at the lack of buttons to be honest. I scoured the charity shops and even dry cleaners to no avail :(

I raided my wardrobes and drawers and located several items that were never going to see the light of day again and I proceeded to reach for the scissors to gleam the little nuggets.

I then remembered that my mum had a large jar of buttons... I got my handa on said jar and handpicked some lovelies.


I felt a Christmas Wreath was a little ambitious as a newbie so thought I'd attempt something a little simpler - a bracelet...

Using some clear elastic thread I set about lining my chosen buttons in the order to thread and voila, bracelet numero uno!


I'm not sure and the jury is out still but I'd say not bad for a first attempt :)

This whole experience has taught me something though... I want my own button jar!!

Monday 19 December 2011

My tropical aquarium

When we were younger I always remembered dad cleaning the tropical fish tank and I loved staring at the Neon Tetras, mesmerised by their colours :)

So I decided to get a tank...

I managed to get hold of a 21 litre hexagonal shaped tank, nice and compact, with everything I could possibly need - stones, filter, heater/thermostat, plants, ornament! good to go!

But I had a book too and I had been reading all about tropical aquariums and the 'water'. Measuring the ammonia, nitrates and nitrites, oh my oh my! :o not to panic Mr Manwaring!! deep breath and carry on :)

So I 'cycled' my tank and all levels were present and correct. And here she is in all her glory...


So I set off to the pet shop ready to purchase some occupants :) and this is what I got...


Two male fancy guppies - Sunshine and Starburst :)


Two Oto's (midget catfish) to do some cleaning;

And my favourite... the Neon Tetras (childhood revisited!)


I could sit starring at them for ages. They are so relaxing and definately all have different characters :)

I have lost a couple of the Neons but this was to be expected as I read afterwards that they are not too hardy :( hey ho

My only regrets... NOT GETTING A BIGGER TANK!!!!!!!!!! grrrr

My furry friend!

Because I like to cuddle my brown bear in the cold... this photo-post is dedicated just to Rigby :)

Here he is in all his glory!


Asleep on his bed...



Asleep on the living room rug (where he shouldn't be!)...


Having a stretch after a strenuous day of sleeping and eating :) ...



You've seen the sweet and innocent, now lets look at his dark side!

Terrorising the Dalek! (note his attenna is wonky!)...


Comparing the Meerkat...


Performing open-heart surgery on his Christmas Bear (a present from last year)...


And then back to the calm and serene... whilst we were snowed in in Haslemere this time last year...


(Right now the monster is snoozing!) :)


Sunday 11 December 2011

Christmas...

So we got the tree yesterday and I made it all pretty...


The question is... do I feel all christmassy yet? and the answer would be... NO!

And it makes me sad :( I want to be. I have dressed the tree, bought and wrapped half the presents, have a fancy work christmas 'do' at a swanky hotel next weekend and only a couple more weeks at work. But nope i'm just not feeling it yet.

It may be that I can't shake this stinking cold or that I am fed-up of not being able to play squash at the moment, or may be the impending question of 'where do you spend christmas day?', i'm not sure but hopefully someone will come up with the answer!

Along with the dubious question of 'where do you spend christmas day?' comes the equally frustrating question of 'what do you want for christmas?'! Upon which you always reply 'Oh, I don't know'. Sometimes you feel like your just buying a present for the sake of it.

We look forward to christmas every year and then when it is looming by a couple of weeks we wish it would just bugger right off! I love the idea of christmas - the tree, the turkey, nice presents, possible snow but it is all the agro that comes with it all that puts me off :(

Hey ho moan over - Merry Christmas to all! :)

Monday 20 June 2011

Hello world!

After some serious thought... and not a lot of it I add, I decided to start writing this blog. In brief I will talk about allsorts (no not the liquorice variety!), basically anything that takes my fancy!

So a little about me. I'm Nicola or Glamourous Princess to some. I live on the south coast in Hampshire with my other half and our chocolate labrador, Rigby - he's the one with the big nose at the top of the page and you will certainly hear about what he gets up to!

I'm quite opinionated and you will learn a lot about what I do and don't like but in brief these include playing squash (I am very competitive you know!), Clio RenaultSport, BTCC, F1, following the Arsenal, angry gardening, eating - everything bar tomatoes! but I'm also a girly girl too - really! handbags and clothes are my thing, especially clothes!!

So, there you go... enjoy :)