Don’t panic Mr Mannering!!!

Don’t panic Mr Mannering!!!

Hi there!
Thanks for popping in.
I need a break and a chat before I go potty.
(pottier – pottiest)
It was all going so well today, with the TV prep.
I was on a roll. 
Groovi prep – tick
Stamp prep – tick
Then the 5 hours of Gel plate & Stencils….
Hour 1 – tick
Hour 2 – tick
Hour 3 – no tick
4 hours later, and it will have to do, 
or I will be here all blimming night.
So before I get despondent,
let me tell you about the other day…
Dave and I were in the car, driving to work.
Usual conversation….
Dave: I’m thinking about getting a new car.”
Barb: “Same sort?”
Dave: “Yeah. Not new, but newerrr.”
Barb: “Right time of year for it really.”
Dave: “Changing the subject, You know that big house on the corner? They’re building a new oak frame garage.”
Barb: “Same as ours?”
Dave: “No. One storey, much smaller, but the same builders.”
Barb: “I’d like a new porch in the springtime, if we can swing it.”
Dave: “Wow!! Fair enough.”
Barb: ? 
Dave: “A big one?”
Barb: “No. Not too big.”
Dave: “I was driving behind one the other day. A new one. 
Very nice.”
Barb: What ??? 
A PORCH, not a Porsche!
I wish !!!
Oh how we laughed….
Anyway, I’d best crack on.
But before I do, it’s time to announce the winner of this week’s beautiful artwork and £20 gift voucher…..
This time it’s the wonderful art from Julie Owens…
once again showcasing Jayne’s lovely artwork.

It is beautifully executed on wood and mount on card.

And the winner is….drumroll…..

Craftyani

Well done 
Card and Gift Voucher go to you.
(Tell me your address in an email xx)

If you haven’t voted in the International Craft Awards,
here is the link.
We have been nominated for 14 awards!!!!
That’s crazy!! But very, very exciting too.

http://www.crafts-beautiful.com/awards/

And did you know, that if you vote there, you go into a draw and may win a Spa break for 2 at Champneys!
Sounds lovely. 
Love & Hugs,
Barb
xxx

118 thoughts on “Don’t panic Mr Mannering!!!

  1. Evening Barbara it I'll all come together it always does your amazing and so are all the clarity products rest now with Dave looking forward to the weekend shows crafting hugs
    Congratulations craftyani it's an amazing piece of art work enjoy spending your voucher xxx

    1. Evening dear family of blog friends thinking of you all heartfelt hugs to all who need them it's been a better day for me Ive just rested today Drs rang to book me in for some for some different blood tests got to have them in November all I would like is one good day or even half a day I'm just going to rest till I start to feel better in myself love cuddles to you all .dont forget your cushions zebadee springs I will bring some lemon drizzle cake to the campfire 🔥 See you all there xxx

    2. Hi Sheila,
      I'm pleased you've had a better day today. I think rest is important for you and your body. Take care my friend, looking forward to the lemon drizzle! Love and hugs Alison xx

    3. Hello Sheila dear, you are the one in need of heartfelt hugs at the moment my friend. I so wish I had a magic wand to give you what you need. Sending lots of gentle cuddles to you. Love and Hugs xxx

    4. Morning Sheila hopefully you've managed a wee bit of a good sleep
      remember extra soft cushions for you as your usually first to fall
      off the wagon here's a hug ti go with yir cup o tea…xx

  2. Oh Barbara this is brilliant – really made me laugh. Will have to catch-up the Sunday shows as I've a workshop and am looking forward to seeing the smaller Gelli plates. Hugs to you and Dave. Good luck with the shows xx

  3. Never mind the Porsche, a Land Rover is much more fun. As for the porch, go for the biggest one you can fit in. Could you get it built before the winter sets in? According to the scare mongering, we are headed for lots of heavy snow, so we need to batten down the hatches, fill our cupboards and freezers. The Land Rover would be more use than a Porsche then. Congratulations to Craftani – a beautiful piece of work to win. xxx Maggie

  4. Hi Barb,
    I'm sure everything will turn out fine – it always does. I had a real chuckle about the porch or should that be Porsche! I bet Dave really thought his luck was in! I'm really looking forward to the shows and seeing the little gel plates in action. Congratulations to Craftyani – enjoy your prizes. Love and hugs Alison xx

    1. Hi to all my bloggy friends,
      I hope that today has been as good as possible for you all. It's been a housework day, trying to get tidied up before we go away next week. Just the ironing to do now – ugh!off to bed now with stinking headache, hopefully it will have gone by the morning. Love and hugs to you all, Alison xxx

    2. Hope your headache eases soon. I have an empty house tonight as Hubbie away on a training course and son away to stay with daughter in Edinburgh as he has a uni open day tomorrow. Lots of peace and quiet.

    3. Hi Alison is this your pile of ironing on the doormat by any chance?!! Haha I hope your headache has gone this morning. What time are you picking the ironing up? Sending hugs xxx

  5. Haha like it porch. Porsche you will be fine Sunday will be there routing for you Katie shouting Barbara is best have already got the very small hexagon plus set in very small looking for ideas so great to see Hochanda back on freeview not same on iPad so don't worry all will be alright on night we have faith sending hugs xx

  6. Oh, Barbara, that is so funny. I'm certain a Porsche would look wonderful outside your front door!!! I'm sorry you had such a chew for your 3rd hour, particularly as I know we'll all love it! I for just one, can't wait to see what you have in store for us. Love and Hugs xxx

  7. That was so funny. I'm sure all will go well, you just need to walk away for a break. You always get it right in the end. Be great to have Hochanda back on freeview, safe journey for both you and Dave. Congratulations to Craftyali too.xxx

  8. Hello all of my lovely friends. I've had a good day preparing a stamping project for class next Tuesday, and this evening had a great one to one with a friend who has been investing in the Groovi, but needed some guidance. So a great refresher for me.
    I hope you've all had as good a day as is possible. Sorry Brenda, but the Nutella cheesecake just screamed out to be made, especially when no cooking is involved!!! See you all at the campfire. Love and Hugs xxx

  9. Hi Barbara
    You have had me in stitches. Lovely hubby and I have conversations like yours. I do wish he would wear hid hearing aid!!! I am looking forward to the shows which will be wonderful as always.
    A big hug from Chris X

  10. Hi to all my blog by friends, hope you have had a good day, sorry you haven't felt too well Sheila. Hope when you rest a bit more you will feel better, maybe you have been pushing yourself too hard. I hope things get better for you soon. It took us over 7 hours to get home from the north today. Didn't do my back much good sat down for that long. Been doing some stretching exercises and sat here with my Tens machine on watching A Tribute to Terry Wogan. Very sad that he's gone, such a lovely and funny man. Love and hugs to you all, Pam xxx

    1. Oh Pam what a nightmare journey, your poor back. I hope it's more comfortable after a night in your own bed. I'm going to iPlayer Terry such a lovely man, children in need won't be the same without him. Sending hugs xxx

  11. That really made me laugh – wonder what colour porch you want? Sorry your last prep hour went a bit awry, but I'm sure it will be alright on the night. Will have to remember how to reset my TV freeview tomorrow so that I can record your shows on Sunday. Safe travels to Peterborough x

  12. That's so funny Barbara, puts me in mind of the fork handles!!!! Sorry your prep went downhill. Hopefully things will look better in the morning. I find that leaving something I've been struggling with lets my head work away on it, then 'ping' suddenly I know what it needs, what I need to do. Can take my head quite some time though!!! But I'm sure not so long for you.

    Bit like that for me too today, but obviously I don't have your deadlines or such important stuff as you do. I did manage a wee bit craft and watched 2 shows of Paul's on catch up at the same time. Must have got some Mindfulness from it as I didn't even notice it had been raining!!! But I did notice the beautiful rainbow it left when I went through to the kitchen. Then I got sucked back into the laptop saga, was going fine (think I'll have to just accept the slight pixelation of type and lineart stuff). Microsoft, well that's when it all went downhill! Could see them far enough! So now my head is buzzing, and not in a good way!!!

    But yay, Hochanda back on freeview, hopefully all night 🙂 Off to wash my dishes, then see if a wee bit craft in bed, with craft on the telly can calm my head down

    Love Brenda xx
    congratulations to the winner

    1. Hi Brenda, sympathy over your laptop saga. Nothing more guarantted to give me a headache within 5 min than dealing with technology involving spaghetti leads and software installations. As for fiddling with screen resolutions and the like …. Don't get me started! Cure for me is taking out the frustration on the piano thumping Beethoven badly! Or at least his music.

    2. Thanks Lynne and Sheila. Ha, ha Lynne. xx
      I think my problem is hp have made no driver for windows 10 for my machine, but it was fine post upgrade, so makes no sense that it's happening post clean install. Pictures seem to look fine, as far as I can tell just now.

    3. I think it has been a day for computer issues. I was at my admin job this morning and when I switched on the laptop it was installing updates. It continues to do this for an hour so I was unable to to get on with what I needed to do as what I was doing couldn't be done on the Mac. Really frustrating.
      I hope that you find a way to resolve your computer issues soon.

    4. Oh no There's a Moose Loose aboot Brenda's Hoose
      only you my friend whould find out yi can chase it out
      wi peppermint oil always knew you widnae hurt a flea.
      Morning hen here's yir cuddle..XX

    5. Hi Brenda I hope your computer has sorted itself out, what a blooming nucence! I'm glad I can just hand mine to Julian, if he can sort out major systems failures mine should be a doddle, although he still can't fathom out why my phone thinks it's his phone! Sending hugs xxx

    6. Thanks everyone xx
      A baby one did get inside last year, wondered what Daisy was charging mental up the hall for. Poor wee mite was sat stunned in the middle of the floor, Daisy sat next to it waiting on it to move so she could chase it again!!! Aye ma Daisy clearly wouldn't have a chance fending for herself. Fortunately, for the wee mouse and for me!!! I ended up catching it in my hands, and put it out the back door, knowing fine well it would run back round the corner and back in wherever they are getting in!!! Don't know if it's the same family back or another one looking for somewhere for the winter, but hole blocked up now so it can't get inside the house. I rarely hear anything, it's Daisy's actions at night that lets me know. Poor soul if it's not a bee in the chimney behind the fire (that was last week), it's a moose under the floor, and all she can do is sit and watch, follow whatever noise she's hearing that I can't. Must be so frustrating for her, I'm providing her with the ultimate in toys, teasing her with them, and not letting her have access to them!!!

  13. 😂😂😂 love it. Hope you get your new porch. Sure your shows will be brilliant, as always. Really looking forward to them. Thsnks you for caring so much. X

  14. Go for both! I loved my little blue model – I'll let you decide to which one I'm referring! Very interested in the Wee Gel Press plates and how you use them as I've some different sizes and shapes I've relegated to a shelf in the study! Groovi house to go on my wish list as I've succumbed to a pair of shoes today, having dithered all week. ;~}

    1. Hi Sheila – do hope today has been a better one for you. I'm looking forward to the demos with the plates. Have to wait for the footwear, however – they're being sent up from London. Wishing you a good weekend. ;~}

  15. That really made me laugh though I bet you would be good at putting one of them together too, being so creative. I'm sure having a break is the answer, when you go back to finishing the prep it will be done in no time. Congratulations to Craftyanni for winning that gorgeous piece of artwork. x

  16. Hi Barb, thanks a lot for tips to sort out my shocking brayering technique. Stencil brushes arrived this a.m. ( ye gods, Elves at Clarity Towers are an amazingly efficient and helpful bunch!) looking forward to trying them out tomorrow using a sheet of acetate as I've no blending mat …yet!! Good luck with rest of prep and shows, xxx

  17. Best wishes to Craftyanni – nearly my name, but not quite. Of course I have voted for the crafter that keeps me from going mad. Absolute manic day at work – sorry, Barbara, I do'nt think yours touches mine – at least you are doing something you enjoy and whatsmore – truly excellent at! I have had Trident Protesters outside and inside court all day, yes all day. Dressed to give Jo public the creeps, in masks and goggles. If you want to protest – Show your faces. So sorry for the outburst but I really think I will have nightmares tonight, what with them and rats in the loft.
    I bid you goodnight, God bless and thank you for the kind comments yesterday. I love this blog and all that goes with it.
    Anne (Reading)- I need a Barbara fix!

    1. Oh Anne, you must have thought you'd walked into a horror film. I'm currently trying to evict a field mouse/mice from under the floor, rats I couldn't handle. Do you know about peppermint oil to get rid of them, it works for rats too. Amazon have large bottles for a good price. 5 drops on pieces of cotton wool where they come in, once they've left for the day, otherwise you'll trap them inside. Do it every 2-3 days. If like me you can't find where they are getting in, I'm putting bits all round the house. The other option that you could do is to use a tealight burner with peppermint oil, the smell will go up the way and chase them out. I think I'm going to have to buy a couple as I chased them out one end of the house and they've found way in at the other end! Hope you have a good weekend xx

      That's brilliant Sheila, so funny ������ Much better than counting sheep, or in my case listening to bbc news. Mind you might have the opposite effect and keep us all awake�� xx

    2. Oh Anne what a day! You do get them don't you. Enjoy your weekend now it's here. Any more thoughts on this retirement lark? Good luck with the mouse, we had one a few years ago, caught it in a humaine trap then drove it several miles away to release it. Sending hugs xxx

  18. humble apologies – Just read the blog again and now I know why everyone laughed. Not a porche – too many penalty points with Barbara driving!
    Anne (Reading)

  19. Congratulations Craftyani!

    Glad you got sorted Barbara and am still smiling at the porche !! Looking forward to the return of Hochanda on freeview tomorrow! I've got baby niece (and her parents plus baby's great grandmother (my mum!)) for dinner on Sunday so will have to tape the shows but that's good as I can keep them and keep replaying! xx

    1. Hi Jackie that's such sad news about your friend, I am sorry. Hopefully 3 is the limit. Must be frustrating them listening to a couple arguing when you know all too well life's to short! You are a star. Hope you car is sorted soon and enjoy your goodies when they arrive. Sending hugs xxx

  20. Hi everyone, sorry about the quick getaway yesterday but as I was typing my blog reply I had a messenger message pop up to say that my old work colleague and friend had passed away and, although she was in hospital, that was such a shock! The end of an era. This week has gone from one death to 3 and I really hope that's it for the time being. What with that and trying to help the couple over the road as it looks as though they may be about to split up it's been a pretty odd week. I had to sit between them this morning as they talked about! Don't really want to be involved but too complicated to go into.

    Let's hope the weekend will be quieter. Looking forward to having Miss Truly Scrumptious here on Sunday to give her some cuddles! My car is being taken off for repair on Sat, one of the shock absorbers has gone, luckily not when I was driving it ! I just managed to enter the calendar challenge this month. I needed a treat after this morning so I rung up Clarity Towers and spent my challenge voucher so that was lovely !! I used it on Jayne's plates and stamps and of course spent more than the voucher ¬ ha! ha! Hope everyone is ok x x

    1. Morning Jackie your amazing with all your dealing with at present take care take mu hugs with you pleased you spent your voucher I spent a little extra too it is difficult not too 😂 Xxx

  21. That is so funny about the cars. My son still gets confused with those words. It has given us many a laugh when he has been writing stories.
    I am sure that inspiration will arrive for what you need to do and it will all look amazing. Will need to record the shows on Sunday as I am tutoring on a scout training course all weekend. I am just enjoying the peace and quiet as Hubbie is away on a work course and son has gone to stay with daughter in Edinburgh so he can go to an uni open day tomorrow and not get up too early!! I really can't remember the last time I had no one else sleep at home with me. Going to treasure the quiet.
    Have a good weekend. x

  22. I love those types of conversation. The best bit about them is that every time you see a Porsche – you will both be thinking "porch" – and it will make you smile/laugh all over again!! 😀 Well done Craftyani on your win – enjoy the artwork and the voucher. Looking fwd to Sunday – now go have a cuppa and relax a bit. Xxx

  23. Great story. I remember telling a friend of mine I thought he was very brave when he told me he was taking his very young family on holiday to Goa. He didn't think it was and said he was going in the car. He was actually going to Gower in Wales. Looking forward to the shows x

  24. Hi Barb, that story really had me laughing out loud, hubby must think I am nuts. Well done CraftyAni on winning that lovely artwork and the voucher. Looking forward to the shows Barb. Have a great day all. Bx

  25. Good morning Barbara
    Your blog made me chuckle
    I bet you have done loads of prep in the first place.
    I am looking forward to your shows and I am keeping a tight hold of the purse strings as I went mad at the open day up north. Lol
    Have a fantastic day xx

  26. Hi Barbara
    I hope things look better after a good nights sleep. Oh you did make me laugh, we have conversations like that too! I bet Dave thought all his dreams had come true! Mind you, try fitting the weekly shop into the boot of a Porsche! Emma's god parents saved to buy one as it was a dream of theirs and she was taken for a spin in it before she went back to uni- she wants one even more now!! Hope you have a good day today and can have some me time in amongst the packing and outfit choosing. Congratulations to craftyani what a wonderful treat.
    Love Diane xxx

    1. Hello lovely blog friends I'm all behind ( watch it!!!). We were at a wedding yesterday and got home really late, or rather early this morning! Hope everyone has a lovely day. Sending hugs all round xxx

  27. Congratulations Craftyani – lucky lady! Just been catching up this morning as spent afternoon/evening at hospital with mam, ultimately they kept her in. Chest pain again but confirmed this morning not another heart attack (she's had seven!) now awaiting consultant review to see whether being kept in or not.

    Looking forward to shows on Sunday, trying to 'sit on hands' as had lots of Clarity treats lately, there again – chocolate aside – crafting is my only vice!!! xx

  28. Congratulations to Craftyani. Rick and I are always doing the same too. Speaking of Porsche's as part of my Christmas present last year Rick got me the high speed racing track experience and I drove the Porsche on Tuesday. WOW what a car, didn't want to come of the track and told Rick that that would be my next car 🙂 Missed you today at Happy Stampers but it was lovely to see Paul, Dave and Maria and got to spend my voucher which I bought the new light box. Spent more besides too! Good luck for tomorrow the video is set to record the shows.
    Love and Hugs
    Linda xxx

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