Friday was ...

... an amazing day.  My first experience of a cruise ship. P&O's cruise ship Aurora.  I went, with my bro, sis-in-law and niece to visit my youngest nephew while he was in port before departing to the Caribbean for Christmas.  He'd just docked on return from a Baltic cruise so had a few hours off.  We delivered his Christmas presents and he gave us a tour of the ship.  Lunch was had on the ship and the food was wonderful.  The ship is amazing.  It's not the biggest of P&Os fleet, by any means but it's classic and looked extra good all dressed for Christmas.  We had to be off the ship by 3pm but it was quite an experience and a few hours I shall remember for a long time.  He took us backstage to show us the dressing rooms and the general backstage area full of props and costumes.  Even got to stand on the stage looking into the auditorium. He then took us round the rest of the ship. We'd happily have stowed away but we'd had to hand our passports in before we boarded so they'd have noticed we'd not returned for them *ROFL*   Lots of photos ......

Theatre

Atrium

A dining room

Cinema

Lounge

Another dining room

Yes, that does say World Cruise 2017.  It's his next one when this one is done - not jealous!

One of the 3 swimming pools.  This one is covered but has a sliding roof.

Another pool

Crow's nest bar - above the bridge.  Entrance to the bridge is where the railings are.

Library

Costas, but like none I've ever seen before - lol!

Nephew and his girlfriend who has joined him for the duration of the Christmas cruise

Crafty stuff ....
The Tuesday following the All Counties Craft Challenge weekend in Godalming I did another workshop with Helen of Craft Bunnies.  She was leading us through the making of a calendar using an Ikea photo frame.  I loved it.  I'm thinking I may make some more but, then again - lol!  Once again, with Helen, it was all Stampin' Up products used - apart from the frame and the book rings.

At this point, my crafting for the year is nearly at an end.  Just one more crafty day left in November  to note and it's all done until 2017 although I think I've missed one of Clair's.  I'll have to check ....

Greta is having a 'playday' this week but not sure there'll be much done by way of crafting.  More like chatting and laughing ending up with a meal.
There's still plenty of other 'stuff' before I'm done with 2016 though *grin*

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Lovely day ...

... yesterday.  Took myself to the theatre.  Sunny Afternoon, the Kinks story.  You've got to have been a fan and like/d them, both now and back in the day.  Theatre Royal hasn't put on a panto for a few years now, instead they've put on alternative 'family' shows.  Have to say I think they've failed this year.  Enjoyable as it was it's not really a show I'd like to take younsters to and for one reason only ... the language.  Quite a few profanities used and, although it's to keep things real, it's not language I'd like our little ones to hear because of us.  They hear enough without parents or grandparents seeming to condone it's use.  Old fashioned idea???  Probably but there is no need of it, to my mind.  Having said that, the show is excellent.  The language relevant, to keep it real, and the lads taking the parts are excellent in their roles.  Certainly a trip down Memory Lane for me.

Night had fallen when I left the theatre (I did a matinee) so thought I'd take a look at Brighton's Christmas lights, such as they are.  Quite pretty, especially Bond Street and around the Clock Tower ...

The area I spent the majority of my working life in, inlcuding the building (blue lights) where I had my very first full time job.  It was a bank then.  Now it's a Wetherspoons pub/restaurant

Mid November - a very special weekend, craftwise.  The 2nd full weekend of crafting hosted by John Bloodworth for his All Counties Challenge in aid of MIND.  This weekend was different to the April/May one in that we had to choose our workshops from a selection.  John was dedicating his time to teaching the Scan & Cut (his forté) but to support him and for those of us that don't own a machine there was Leonie Pujol (using her own range), Paula Pascual (Tonic Studios), Jenny Meyes (Hobby Art), Sarah Milsop (Beads Direct) and Dean Wilson (DIY).  John's report of the weekend is here

Kim & I chose Leonie, Paula and Jenny as our choices for the weekend.  The results .

Leonie's - backgrounds with sparkle pens and some mixed media

Paula's - crepe paper flower, tissue flowers and wreath, card - all using Tonic products

Jenny's - using Hobby Art stamps,  Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens and other 'stuff' - loved those pens 

...

.Great weekend and learnt a lot.  Waiting for the next one to be announced now *wink*

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Lovely afternoon ...

... today.  Youngest grandchildren's school Christmas concert.  First year that 2 have been in the same production - and the last as there will only be the youngest left at this school next year.  It was a singing concert, rather than an acted performance.  Youngest managed to sing a bit and that's a novelty as he normally doesn't sing, or take part, much at all *lol!*  Photos taken, to be reviewed, but not holding breath that they're any good.  Light was bad for photos and they were too far away really.  We'll see.

Holiday to Norfolk in October.  Photos edited, rubbish ones deleted, suspect ones kept along with the good.  A photo book is going to be done!  A lovely week.

We spent our anniversary afternoon on a Broads Tour.  After that there was a decidedly animal theme to the week.  We visited Africa Alive safari park, just outside Lowestoft.  A change of continent and we went to Thrigby Hall Animal Park ... Asian animals.  We had a day in Great Yarmouth.  Totally dead and not impressed but while there we went to the Sealife Centre and then had a stroll around Merrivale Model Village.  That was a quaint, old fashioned attraction but pretty good.  Weather was very changeable, sunny, warm and shirt sleeve order one day to wet, miserable and wintry cold another.  Photos?  When the photo book is done *grin* .... except -

- 2016 finishes with 3 'super moons' - one in October, the best in November (the closest it's been to earth in many a year) and the last in December.  The October one was the night of our anniversary.  I played with the OH's camera.  October 2016's Hunter super moon .....

In November I did quite a number of workshops.
The weekend before a "very special weekend" there was another Christmas card workshop with Helen of Crafty Bunnies.  Cally and I made a day of it and visited Hobbycraft before lunch and then, after lunch, on to Helen's.  A lovely day and not a bad selection of cards made *grin*

Again, with Helen, all products used were Stampin' Up ones ... papers, stamps, inks and cardstock - everything.

The day before the "very special weekend" I did Linda's last workshop of the year.  I think what we did that day has to be my most favourite card of the year.  An 8x8 card, the snowman is a retired (I think 'cos can't find it anywhere) Penny Black, coloured with Promarkers/copics (can't remember now) after he'd been masked and the background put in. The sky was done with distress inks and ink duster brushes.  Love the soft effect these brushes give, and with no risk of those lines that you can get with the blender foam.  Finished with fluffy stuff and glitter glue for the berries   I love, love, love this card!  It's stunning and the photos just don't do it any justice at all.  I'm planning on finding a nice frame ...

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