Florida 2

Well I really have left you to your own devices over the past week, I hope you have taken advantage of the break from my ramblings to do a lot of crafting/knitting/sewing/painting/whatever floats your boat. Me? I have actually done very little, the weather has been disappointingly cool so my dreams of long lazy days by the pool with a good book have been scuppered. In fact it poured with rain one day, (I vowed to myself at one stage on this particular day that if one more person told me that they needed the rain, I was going to slap them, dampness and irritation beginning to show...... ) I have seen nothing but rain for the past six months, wouldn't you think it could have held off until I left. But no, temperatures remain stubbornly below normal - meanwhile, back in rainy old Britain, they are enjoying a heat wave - it was hotter in my hometown yesterday than here. 

What I have enjoyed is renewing my love of Florida's bird life. This cardinal comes for his breakfast every morning......

and some tiny little goldfinches too.......

and my new best friend and constant companion is my hosts adorable nine month old Havanese puppy, Lola......

I wanted to show you this gorgeous gift I got from Carol, one of the friends I met in Orlando, I have been online friends with her for years, and she is a very faithful visitor to my blog, never failing to leave me a lovely comment, just look at the gorgeous parcel of goodies she bought for me. Thank you so much Carol, I'll be posting the projects I make with them when I get back home xxx

and of course, when the weather is irritatingly cool, and to stop myself from slapping innocent strangers, what was I to do? Go shopping of course.....
I LOVE these new stacks from DCWV, the one on the top left is real burlap which is backed with paper, the blue one is a stack called gauze, and the front one is a stack of different earthy colours of corrugated card....... 

Here's a close up of the gauze, I don't know how they did it, but it really is a gauzy mesh that has been adhered to the cardstock. 

Some more stencils jumped into my cart when I wasn't paying attention, all by Heidi Swapp, my haul also included some 12 x 12 stencils that I forgot to photograph....

and a few Tim Holtz bits and pieces - well, they were on sale....

My biggest purchase by far is the Scan N Cut by Brother, which I have been playing around with a little. I'll be doing a couple of posts later this week on that. 
In the meantime, the weather forecast is looking good for today, tomorrow and Wednesday. The day I fly home is going to be the hottest day of the year so far......predictable don't you think. But suntan cream at the ready, book under my arm, if you need me I'll be by the pool.....