Wednesday 7 September 2011

Bad Blogger, manic catch-up again

Well hello there strangers, have you missed me? I've had a wee bit of a blogging break - what'd'ya mean you hadn't noticed???
ok so what have I been up to? well........
there are loads of things being planned that I can't tell you about yet, but as soon as I can - you'll be the first to know.
And if you're on my Facebook then you'll know that I had a wee jaunt up to the North coast of NE Scotland with the family. I had been booked to teach and demonstrate Promarkers to the Aberdeenshire Craft Group in Banff for several months, so last-minute-Annie here decided to make a weekend of it up in Moray which meant I could finally make a visit to the world-famous House of Sugar!
So we set off on Friday night after Willow had been at Rainbows, and we landed in Hopeman just after 9pm. I'd booked a caravan at the Station Caravan Park there and this is the view we woke up to on Saturday morning...
The beach is gorgeous, Graham was gutted he hadn't taken his r/c cars to play with.
Anyway, we spent Saturday morning in Elgin - it's been quite a few years since I was there and always brings back memories of when I was in the Air Cadets and fell for a Rock Ape at RAF Lossiemouth.
Moving swiftly on.... 



And on Saturday it was time to visit the home of Sugar Nellies... and it was fab - I could've quite merrily stayed there all day. Karen, if you're reading this, you should consider yourself very special - this is the first and only time graham has ever set foot in a craft shop!
Willow and Faith both grabbed a basket each and managed to fill them - Graham censored them, not enough though as they still cost me a fortune. And I think Karen's lugs were dirling from Faith yapping at her.


And it was fab to see some wonderful ladies that I've met before: Karen of course, Tina, Erika and Jenny and some new faces - Christel and her friend (sorry, forgot your name), Jane and of course Kate - and anyone else I've missed (honestly, I have the memory of a goldfish) It's so weird when you're in a craft shop and someone comes up and says "excuse me, are you wiccababe?" :)
So after all that excitement it was back to the caravan to relax, play with our new goodies and have something to eat - and of course go exploring on the beach...




Then on Sunday, we were up and off along the coast to Banff. While I was off teaching the lovely ladies some colouring techniques, Graham took the kids to the Macduff Aquarium. Now I have to tell you a wee story here.... Faith has the same ill-trickit **insert evil** sense of humour as me, so I told her to ask one of the young ladies who work there if Starfish have bums. And of course she did, so the girl in question took Faith by the hand and showed her exactly where starfish bums were and what they looked like without batting an eyelid.
He also took them to the famous Spotty Bag shop and bought a whole load of tat.


I had a super time with the ladies of the Aberdeenshire Craft Group - it's always a joy to teach people who are so keen to learn, and they all produced fantastic results and I just want to thank them for the prettiest thankyou card they gave me, and the carrot cake was YUMMY! Hopefully I'll see you all again soon :)

13 comments:

Anne said...

Sounds like you all had a fab time -- starfish bums == the mind boggles !!!!
Hope to see you soon
Anne xxxxxxxxxx

nnalorac said...

Looks like you all had a great time debbi. Always fancied caravaning at the coast for the Summer, just me and my crafts lol! Ooo what a dreamer!. Good to see you back. Carolxx

Crafty Loops said...

I was wondering where you disappeared off to Missus. Sounds and looks like you all had a fabulous time away. Ohhhhh what have you got up your crafty sleeve eh? Cant wait to find out what you have coming up. Glad to see you back Debbi. Lee xx

Suzi McKenzie said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time:)
Hugs
Suzi
xxx

Only By His Grace said...

Nice to see you back Debbie.
So lovely to see photo's of another part of the world.I would love to wander along the beach there as there are so many stones. Living on the Sunshine Coast of Australia out beaches are golden sand without the rocks. super photo's. It must have been so nice to teach the Promarkers.
Hugs maz

Paula (PEP) said...

I have no idea about Starfish bums - & it's been all of a week since your last post.......? Delightful photos of the sea too & glad you had an amazing time. House of Sugar is somewhere I can only aspire to from the other end of the country. Looking foward to hearing what you have up that sleeve of yours.
Take care & have a rest.
Paula (PEP)

Kath Stewart said...

gorgeous gorgeous pics of your weekend away...it sounds as though you had lots of fun crafty and otherwise...hugs kath xxx

Squirrel x said...

Oh hun, I am sat here green with envy - what a super week you had! Ooh would you just look at that beach, oh to go for a wander barefoot on the sand right now. And a dose of Sugar too, it all sounds perfect. And as for Starfish bums ......... you are wicked, lol!! Hugs Sxx

Sarah Louise said...

Sounds a great weekend Debbi, a good mix of family and craft.

We had fun having you over.

Had to laught at the tat from spotty bag though, lol

Suze Bain said...

Looks like you had a great family weekend away. Did you see the lovely beach huts at Hopeman. Nice to have you back! xx

Sheila said...

Debbi, Looks and sounds like you had a fab time up there is breezy Hopeman. My Mam is in Elgin and I lived there too til 1999 so know the area like the back of my hand. Gorgeous! SO glad you visited Funky Kits too!! I want to move to the house across the road from there!! Great pics, Sheila:)X

Sparkle and Flourish said...

Looks like a great holiday! It has been too long since I visited the House of Sugar!! Luck you!

judy x

Elizabeth said...

Hi Debbi, lovely to see the pics of the Moray Firth area - used to live near Banff for a number of years in the 80s and remember it well. Elgin was one of my favourite haunts but there were no Sugar Nellies there then that I can recall. You made me laugh at the mention of Rock Apes ... when I was in the Signals Corp, a lifetime ago, we could be less than flattering about the Rock Apes :) I'm off to remove your blogaversary candy ... and about time too, I hear you say. Elizabeth x

New Baby 1

My boss at work, and friend Charlotte recently had her first baby so I had a few baby cards to make, on for Charlotte and her husband James,...