T Stands For - The Guided Tour

 Hi everyone, we've had a busy week and the sort of good news is that my blood sugar levels have dropped..but only because I have been put back onto the tablet I dropped when I went onto the double dose of the new one - which seems a bit of a backward step - it will be reviewed again in a few weeks!

My son's 40th went well..eventually, and I am getting good night's sleep once more!

I thought you might like to see where my son and DIL have bought a Manoir in the Perigord region...

This room is my favourite as it gets the sun - it still needs the ceiling fixing and a lick of paint and there are some things that may be changed!

Most of the Manoir is in need of fixing but hopefully some rooms will be in a better state on our next visit and I will take more indoor photos.

There are lots of outbuildings - Elizabeth would love to get in here I think.

Most of these items were found in the house and outbuildings - including this wine press...

...and lots of bottles including some with wine in - no, they are not going to try it!

The cattle shed is fascinating - these will have some work done on them and stay as feature. 

More outbuildings.....

..a well...

..and the front....

Our bedroom was the one above our car.

The view from our bedroom window looked like an old painting...

..and was better with the window open.

The view was different every morning

The roof will hopefully be done this year.

There is a lot of land around the property too.

The building down the hill is theirs too

It really is in a lovely spot, it's a pity that my son and DIL have to spend most of their time there working.

We plan to go and help out this year - looking forward to it!

My TSFT pic this time is from a place we stopped at on the way back up to Northern France.

We had a pasta dish and our drink as usual was water - the yellow is hubby's napkin behind the jug.

We are joining the T gang for T stands For Tuesday over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog 'The Altered Book Lover.

Off now for a rest and little bit of TV watching.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

Winter Wonderland

Christmas is coming....can you believe how quickly this year has gone?

Try It On Tuesday has a new theme starting today - 'Winter Wonderland'.

The Design Team have been busy creating their own 'Winter Woodlands' - take a look here.

I stamped a Stampers Anonymous Christmas tree alongside a Lavinia bunny, then added lots of Stickles and some tiny 'diamond' gems. The sentiment is by Lindsay Mason.

As usual the TIOT theme runs for two weeks.

We're looking forward to seeing your entries and hope that you will join us.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

Another quick collage!

 Hi everyone, I've been a bit busy so here's a very quick page for Bleubeard and Elizabeth's Art Journal Journey theme 'Collage fodder, Food and Drink or Both'

The main image came from a promotion leaflet for a region of France.

The words mean "Look thoughtfully at the green Venice'

I used some green papers and added some birds and plants that might be seen

Thanks for looking, Chris 

In the sun

 Hi everyone, what a lovely sunny day we've had here!

My page for Bleubeard and Elizabeth's theme hopefully will please them both today. Their theme at Art Journal Journey is Collage Fodder, Food and Drink or both.

I made this page yesterday when the weather, and my mood, were gloomy.

I used lots of random neutrally coloured papers - because they were piling up on a corner of my desk.

I added images cut from magazines, chocolate wrappers and on the right a wrapper that I begged from a restaurant in Angers - one came with our meal but was creased and a little bit food stained - I asked for a clean one (as hubby cringed) and they were only too happy to oblige.

The meal by the way was delicious and one of the few we had in France that came with vegetables.

The fish is a Paper Artsy one.

At the top left is a ticket from the chateau hubby and I visited one day on our own. Just by chance on one of the pieces of paper has the word Froment on it which is French for Wheat.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Brambles (or Blackberries if you wish)

 Hi everyone, it's been a strange old week so far, with some highlights! 

My sugar levels continue to be VERY erratic (Appointment with nurse next week)

We started to watch the new episode of one of our favourite shows - 'The Good Doctor' - only to find that it had been repeated from last week!

Two stones in a favourite ring just disintegrated - not worth repairing so...' bye bye ring'!

Hubby has a poorly eye - suggested treatment hold a hot wet cloth over it several times a day!

I've had a nightmare of a time trying to please the whole family while booking (on youngest's behalf) the venue (and menu) for a celebratory meal

I went to see The Lion King as part of my youngest's 40th Birthday celebrations (birthday next week)and my 75th (next month). It was a good production and we both really enjoyed it.

A trip out with friends to a craft show was a great treat too - it was good to catch up.

Now, onto those Brambles. As a child Blackberries were always known as Brambles because we always picked them from the nearby hedgerows. Hubby and I are lucky enough to be able to find some on some of our walks too (you have to know where to look) but now of course they can be cultivated to produce much bigger berries and are found widely in supermarkets 

While at the craft show I had hoped to find some of Alison Bomber's berry stamps(Paper Artsy) - well, I could only find the Brambles of the ones I wanted so here is my Bramble page

The background is mica powders mixed on an acrylic block and splodged onto the page. I added some crackle and pattern from Crafty Individuals stamps.

The rest of the stamps I used are all from Alison's set, which I coloured with Daniel Smith watercolour paints and added highlights with a white pen.

I am joining in at Art Journal Journey and Elizabeth's choice from her theme 'Collage Fodder, Food and Drink or both'

I have lots of Blackberries in my freezer so maybe a few for a treat later?

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands For......the very best...

 Hi everyone, I had a few hiccups with commenting last week but think I did eventually get around to everyone.

As you know we went to stay with my eldest and my DIL at their Manoir near Tourtoirac. My DIL had described it as 'Armageddon Chic' before we went, however, although they still have a lot to do, it was absolutely wonderful(I will show you pics soon)

One of our outings was to Hautefort Chateau. Now, we visit gardens a lot, but this garden was in my top 3 best gardens.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

I would have loved to have seen these gardens in the Summer

We also found how the hedges were kept so neat.

Measured and cut with stakes and twine guidelines to get both height and width even.

The Chateau was beautiful too.

For my drink photo this week it is of hubby and our fancy coffees at Starbucks on a recent shopping trip

I didn't know that you can get low sugar versions of their syrups so I am sharing this at T Stands For Tuesday at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog The Altered Book Lover.

Thanks for looking, Chris