Life at the Gables

A first time for everything!!

2012-01-25T17:32:00.001Z

Picture from Google images

I learnt the strangest thing at lunchtime today.

After doing a bit of shopping, my friend Elaine and I went for a coffee in one of the local supermarkets. I found the area that dispensed the drinks and hopelessly looked around for the mugs/cups. I could find the paper cups, teapots and drinks machines but nothing to put a cup of coffee in. After several minutes of trying not to look like a complete idiot I asked the girl behind the till where the cups were.

She told me that I had to pay for the coffee first and then she would give me a cup so I could go to the machine and get my Latte!!

I stood looking at her for a few seconds as if she were from Mars before asking her to repeat herself. Her friend obviously thought I was a bit simple as she repeated the same thing only this time 'she talked really s l o w l y'! I nearly laughed out loud but paid for the empty mugs before heading off to the Latte machine.

The thing is there was nothing to stop my friend taking the receipt and the empty mugs and going back for a refill.

That is the first time I have bought a coffee and gotten an empty mug!!!

I think we'll go to Starbucks next time :0)

Call the Midwife

2012-01-23T17:04:00.001Z

Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth This has to be the best thing on TV at the moment. It's a definite eye-opener for those of us who have no idea what the East end of London was like in the 1950s.

Drama set in London's East End during the 1950s, based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth. A newly qualified midwife begins her career alongside an order of nursing nuns.

With characters ranging from mother-of-24, Spanish Conchita, to teenage Molly, whose abusive husband puts her on the game, it cannot fail to tick the "laughter" and "tears" boxes, but it's also more explicit and down-to-earth than many might expect.

The BBC has just commissioned another 8 episodes for series two so you'd have to say it's been a success so far after only two episodes.

Hooky News

2012-01-23T16:41:00.000Z

Just a little something I'm working on........

Birthday boy

2012-01-17T16:43:00.000Z

15 today!!

How? What? When did that happen?

Don't tell him I blogged his picture. He's taken a dislike to having his picture taken, let alone one being blogged!!

On his travels

2012-01-16T17:33:00.000Z

I wonder where John was last week?

No not New York but Paris, France.

The New York Statue of Liberty was made in France in 1884 and given to the people of America in 1886.
This statue stand near the Grenelle Bridge on the Île des Cygnes, an island in the river Seine and looks towards the Atlantic Ocean and hence towards its "larger sister" in New York Harbour.

Just a little bit of trivia for today!!

Dee-lish-uss

2012-01-15T19:21:00.000Z

My sister-in-law Barbara gave me this recipe last year and I made it for the first time today and it is Yum-diddly-umpsious.

Chocolate Ginger Cake

150g butter (plus extra for greasing)

150g soft dark brown sugar

150g black treacle (I didn't have treacle so used Golden Syrup instead)

225g plain flour, sifted

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

190ml milk

1 large egg beaten

100g plain chocolate chopped (I used silver spoon milk chocolate chips)

1. Heat the oven to 150 degrees C (130 degrees fan oven) (gas mark 2). Lightly grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment.

2. Put the butter, sugar and treacle into a large pan and stir over a low heat until melted. Cool for a few minutes.
3. Quickly beat in the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda, followed by the milk, egg and chocolate until smooth. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Don't be tempted to open the oven for at least 30 minutes as the cake will sink in the middle. Leave in the tin and stand on a wire rack until cold. You can eat it straight away but, if you can resist temptation it benefits from keeping for three days wrapped in greaseproof paper and stored in an airtight tin.

I served mine with low fat creme fraiche and strawberries.

Weekly crafting

2012-01-14T18:56:00.000Z

I don't seem to have done a lot this week with being back to work but I have started a new felt project and done a few rows on my ripple blanket.

This project is set to be a year long one as the things I'm making are going to take longer than I thought!

Loving the colours in this.

I thought I'd do a Lucy at Attic 24 and take a picture of me holding my blanket so you can see how big it is but it's harder than you think to get a good shot.

These aren't crafty I know but they are such a beautiful colour I just had to buy them.

More ripple goodness ready for me to add a few extra rows too tonight.

I hope you're all having a good weekend.

January Monthly Make

2012-01-07T10:19:00.000Z

I recently joined the Monthly Make group over on The Felt Fairy's blog where like minded crafty ladies (or men!!) make one new thing every month.

This month I've made Felt Owls. I had loads of felt left over from making hearts last year and wanted a way to use up all the scraps. I Googled "Felt owl template" and found a lovely blog called Juicy Bits which had an easy to make template.

Hey presto - I now have 6 felt owls.

I've already found next months make. I just need to get all the bits together so I can get started.

If you pop over to Flickr you can see some more of the wonderful crafty projects made so far.

Ripple up-date

2012-01-06T19:34:00.000Z

I have to admit to not doing as much of this as I'd have liked over the holidays but then that's due to my own laziness and not the lack of opportunity. I've not been entirely lazy though as I have done this months crafty make already - I just need to figure out how to get in onto Flickr.

This is it about 1/4 of the way through. The flash doesn't really do the colours justice so I'll try and take another picture in daylight.

Resolutions of 2011

2012-01-03T14:01:00.002Z

I only had two resolutions last year....

1. Not to buy anymore books. I managed to read my way through last year by re-reading books I already had, borrowing from the library, reading books I had been given as presents and borrowing books from my Mum.

2. Not to kill my one and only plant. I only have one plant in the house as I tend to kill them off, either with neglect or over watering. Last year I manged to not only get my Orchid to survive but to get it to grow. It had 5 flowers on it when I bought it in a local supermarket and when they died off I thought that was it. It though, had other ideas and decided to grow an extra 16 flowers for me which are still blooming now on my kitchen window sill.

I have also had two new Orchids bgought for me as presents so I'm hoping that 2012 will produce lots more lovely blooms.

Quiet time

2012-01-03T11:59:00.000Z

It's been a very quiet time here at The Gables. There was just the three of us for Christmas and New Year and although I have met up with friends for coffee it still seems to have been very quiet. I like visitors at Christmas but the problem is space. We just don't seem to have enough of it. I think that's something I may have to look into for next year.

Despite the weather which has been wet and windy we have managed to get out and about (with and without the teenager).

We took Moss for a walk up one of the local hills.

Here's the village.

And John moving a tree out of the way of the footpath. It's been so windy recently that trees of all sizes have been blown over.

We found the shelters that the local primary school kids have been building with the Moray Rangers.

And a shot of me and The Ever Growing Teenager!! That apparently is him smiling!!

I know I shouldn't moan about things being quiet as it will soon be time to go back to work/school and for us at work this year that means moving to a brand new school. I'm really looking forward to the move but not the packing and un-packing of the office!

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T00:01:00.001Z

Thank you all for the comments you have left this year. Every one is very much appreciated

I wish you all a very Happy New Year and a wonderful 2012.

A Monthly Make 2012

2011-12-31T15:56:00.000Z

I've just signed up for this year long project, hosted by Annie at The Felt Fairy

The plan is to make one thing every month. I can Knit, it crochet it, paint it, felt it, sew it, carve it, embellish it, play dough it, scrapbook it, stick it..... whatever I want.

I already have an idea for January so fingers crossed they turn out OK.

If you'd like to join in pop over and see Annie. I'm sure she'd be delighted to see you.

A year of crafting

2011-12-31T15:35:00.000Z

I didn't think I'd done that much crafting this year but it seems I did.

:: January :: A Thomas the Tank Engine cushion for my nephew.

:: February :: A felt heart for Samuel's girlfriend.

:: March :: More felt hearts. This time for Mother's Day.

:: April :: I started sewing my 101 Granny Squares together. This is still an on-going project!!

:: May :: A Birthday card for my sister.

:: June :: A scrapbook reminder to self that the diet starts now!! Unfortunately I'll need to bring this reminder out again next week after over-indulging in the last few weeks!!

:: July :: With fresh raspberries picked at the local farm it was jam making time.

:: August :: It seems I wasn't crafty at all in August so I thought I'd show you my favourite picture of the month. Samuel outside Notre dame Cathedral, Paris, France.

:: September :: A bird badge for my sister to wear at a weekend scrapbooking retreat.

:: October :: A card for my friend at work who turned the Big 40.

:: November :: Time to crochet some Christmas tree decorations.

:: December :: I'm still plodding away at my first ripple blanket. It's going to be a lot bigger than I thought but I'll get there in the end.

So there you have it. My crafty 2011. I'm just about to sign up for something new and crafty in 2012 so watch this space.

Relaxing

2011-12-30T17:28:00.000Z

So what has everyone been up to since Santa came?

We've been eating waaaaay too much of John's delicious cooking.
We've been walking the dog.
We've had the gas boiler man out to change a fan and ended up having 3 visits as their computer system went wonky and lost all our info!!
I've been trying to get Orange to fix my mobile phone which is only a month old. No luck so far.
We've finally got the approval for Samuel's brace to be fitted. 4 Jan 12 will be a trip to Aberdeen.
I've been adding the finishing touches to my December Daily. Still have a few to go.
John has cleaned the oven (good lad).
I've been adding a few more rows to my ripple blanket.
We've de-frosted the freezer and now don't need to shop for the next few months!!
and

I've made my Kindle a cosy cover. I was going to buy one but thought I'd like a go at making my own.
Made with Heritage wool

and lined with lime green fabric (of course)

and finished with a button from Paperchase which my Mum sent me months and months ago.

My Kindle by the way, although being the "Dark Side" of reading is brilliant. I downloaded two books on Christmas day for the grand total of £3.68.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:51:00.000Z

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas filled with love and happiness.

December Daily

2011-12-10T14:25:00.000Z

I'm managing to stay on track with producing the daily pages, just not so organised at posting pictures every day.

Here's what I've I manged so far. Apologies for the really bad scans. It's not so easy to scan once you've already bound your journal!!!

Days 1 - 4

Days 5 - 8

I still have some sort of embellishment to put on the journalling pages but can't decide what to do yet. Any suggestions?

Power Cut

2011-12-08T22:58:00.000Z

What do you do when the power goes off.

1. Rummage through shed for camping lamp.
2. Rummage through teenager's room for board game.
3. Set up said game in living room near to gas fire and aforementioned lamp.
4. Make tea the old fashioned way. A pan of boiling water on gas hob.
5. Drink tea, play game of choice and watch the teenager doesn't cheat.

It was a lovely way to spend an evening. Teenager's comments were..."It was really nice to spend time with you!!!" Mum's comments were."I'm always in the living room at night it's just you never notice because you're always on your X-Box!!"

The Monopoly (Star Wars version) is still set up in preparation for finishing the game tomorrow. I hate to say it but Samuel is very good at it and seems to have all the properties and still have money left. Where am I going wrong?

December Daily

2011-12-04T18:52:00.000Z

Instead of falling behind on Journal Your Christmas with Shimelle (like I did last time) I thought I'd have a go at December Daily by Ali Edwards. My sister Ruth sent me all the templates to get me going but being a bit dim when it comes to classes I wasn't sure what to do with any of them. I've since had a quick talk through with Ruth and am now following her lead when it comes to sticking paper to card.

I need to get my scanner up and running to show any pages I've done but here's the journal I made to put all the templates in.

The papers for inside are Basic Grey - Eskimo Kisses and when I've checked it out I'll let you know what the red paper is. I bought it at my local Papercrafts because I liked the Reindeer but can't remember who makes it!!

Bloomin' Eck

2011-12-04T14:48:00.000Z

My Clematis is still blooming despite the bad weather.

Still here

2011-11-30T20:19:00.000Z

I'm still here. I've just been very busy this past week with sporting events, new windows, crochet, making goodies out of felt and catching up with my reading.

I'm half way through The Wives of Henry Oades and it's OK so far. I'll may leave judgement until the end!!

In the late 19th century, Henry and Margaret Oades emigrate from England to New Zealand. There, Margaret and her children are abducted by Maori and eventually given up for dead. Grief stricken, Henry sails to California, where, many years later, he marries a young widow, Nancy Foreland. When Margaret and her surviving children show up on their doorstep, Henry and Nancy take them in, and all attempt to adapt. Berkeley townspeople rise up against the apparent debauched arrangement. Henry is charged with bigamy, a crime punishable by hanging. As their legal troubles mount, Margaret and Nancy find themselves allying in ways neither could have predicted.

Ripple Goodness

2011-11-21T16:35:00.000Z

Although I've been crocheting for almost 2 years now I still couldn't bring myself to start a Ripple blanket. It looked far too complicated and way beyond my experience. All the blankets and cushions I'd seen over on Flickr and at Attic 24 looked amazing and I was desperate to have a go so the other weekend I cast on my 219 stitches and took the plunge.

Then the dental pain started and I had to put it down as I couldn't concentrate.

There are always some consolations to laying awake all night as it did get me thinking how the stitches would work out and low and behold I've managed to do it.

It's taking me a while to get into it as I keep having to stop to count how many stitches I have and I have also learnt (the hard way) that if I crochet while watching something good on TV I end up having to undo it and start again!!!!!

My very own Kandinsky

2011-11-19T13:46:00.000Z

Samuel has been busy in Art at school over the last few months and their artist of choice was Wassily Kandinsky. I L♥VE it . It is destined to be framed and hung in the hall. It even has lots of my favourite lime green in it (even if it doesn't show very well in this photo).

If I'm honest I've never heard of him but then I can't draw and have no interest in Art. This is one from the man himself.

Wassily Kandinsky (Russia/France, 1866-1944) renowned both for his abstract and non-objective work was also perhaps equally renowned for his political activism. The combination of both earned him the significant role as member of the avant-garde artists of the time. Deeply involved in the Bauhaus Movement, his work influenced the world both culturally and artistically catapulting the Modernist style to the forefront.

Almost back to normal

2011-11-15T18:52:00.000Z

I'm please to say that due to wonders of modern medicine I no longer look like a Cabbage patch Kid!!

Thank you

2011-11-13T14:39:00.000Z

Thanks to everyone for their get well wishes. I'm feeling much better today now I have stopped taking the co-codamol which made me feel worse than the sore mouth!!

I thought I'd treat myself to an afternoon of crochet seeing as yesterday was a write-off.

Poorly me

2011-11-12T21:24:00.000Z

I had a sore tooth on Thursday night so got an emergency appointment with the dentist on Friday morning.

He said my tooth was OK but as it was still causing me problems 4 years after having root canal treatment, he would send off a referral for me to have it removed. He took and x-ray and charged me £20 for the privilege.

I went back to work and took some painkillers.

I bought extra strong painkillers after work and took some of those.

I was in agony all night, couldn't sleep at all, felt sick and went through the packet of pills in record time.

I phoned the out of hours dentist this morning. He hadn't replied after 2 hours so I took myself off to the A & E department (ER) at the local hospital.

I saw a lovely lady doctor who checked me over and told me I have a dental abscess. She gave me anti-biotics and more painkillers.

I'm now only just up after spending the afternoon laid up in bed.. I'm very thankful today for Samuel who has looked after me all afternoon especially after I've discovered that I can't take co-codamol without feeling really sick.

What a boy ♥♥♥

Hooky decorations

2011-11-12T16:00:00.000Z

So, do you want to see what I made with all those circles?

OK here you go.................... They are Christmas Tree decorations. I thought I'd have a bright and funky tree this year with some hand crafted decorations. I saw some hooky decorations that Lucy at Attic 24 did a few years ago and adapted it from there.

I'm now looking forward to decorating my tree as I also found some bright coloured baubles in Tesco in almost the same colours as I crocheted. Great minds think alike!!

What will it be?

2011-11-09T18:57:00.000Z

A few bright hooky circles are the start of my next project. I'm into brightening up my home at the moment and these are just the start. Stay tuned!!

Never too old

2011-11-07T16:34:00.000Z

for Sparklers!!

A Woolly Week

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000Z

It's been a woolly old week this week.

:: I've finished one blanket....

:: and have been trying to sew odd squares together to make another one.....

:: and making another three of these for friends and family.

I wonder what's next on the wool agenda?

Last weekend

2011-11-03T19:09:00.001Z

Amy at Over at Our Place likes to read posts about what people get up to at the weekend so with that in mind I snapped a few piccies while out with my boys (all 3 of them). I meant to blog this earlier in the week but got carried away with wool!!!

:: The "Boys". You can just see Moss on the left.

:: Loving the colours at the moment.

:: Ferns turning from green to brown.

:: Leaves a beautiful orange colour.

:: A view of the village.

:: And of the River Spey.

:: Some late Heather.

:: And a tired teenager!!!

Love it ♥

Coming along nicely

2011-10-27T17:40:00.001+01:00

My scrapping has stopped as I've been busy with wool this last week and I'm pleased to say it's

"Coming along nicely".

Lots of little piles...............

turn into one bigger one.

Just the edging to do now.

Today

2011-10-21T13:47:00.000+01:00

A few moments from today before giving myself an afternoon of crafting.

:: 1. The dreaded ironing. No need for a photo of that as we all know that picture.

:: 2. A walk with Moss. The weather today has been a positively tropical 16 degrees C, which after yesterday's 4 degrees was very welcome.
As we hadn't been for a few days I took Moss for a walk around the pond on the local Estate.

The sun was shining

The colours were beautiful.

There was dappled light through the trees.

The sky was blue

One side of the pond was sunny

While on the other side the clouds gathered.

and the sun glistened off the water.

and now it's grey and raining so perfect for an afternoon of ME time.

Flowery cushion

2011-10-20T15:27:00.000+01:00

My "Cauliflower" is at last finished and I'm really pleased with it. I used the pattern that Luci over at Attic 24 blogged about a few weeks ago. I have to say that doing the petals while watching a good programme on TV will only lead to un-picking and having to start again and that the back does curl up a lot but after some gentle persuasion while ironing it will lie flat!!

:: The front ::

:: The Back ::

Happy Mail

2011-10-20T13:09:00.001+01:00

The other day my sister, Ruth posted about all the Happy Mail she was sending out. Well today mine arrived and it's lovely. It's some fabby Joy Crafts, Paris themed scrapping papers (very kindly donated by her BF) to go in my France album. She was a bit worried about it being pink as it's not a colour that features heavily in my layouts with having two males in the house (3 including the dog). But never fear, I've got a solution..................I'll just scrap a photo of me in Paris and can go mad on the pink papers :0)

The rest of this mornings mail was also Happy and now means I can get on a scrap some more France photos.

Self Portraits

2011-10-18T12:52:00.000+01:00

My sister, Ruth has just posted here recent Self Portrait so I thought I'd show mine from last week after being out on the deck of a ferry on a VERY windy afternoon...............

Hhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! :0)

A new book

2011-10-17T19:02:00.000+01:00

Give a boy (who doesn't read) a good book and look what happens....

In Waterstones book shop..................

On the ferry............

and in Marks & Spencers coffee shop!!

The Book?

Holes by Louis Sacher

At the beginning of the story, Stanley Yelnats IV, a timid, fat boy supposedly affected by a family "curse", has been wrongly accused of stealing the baseball player Clyde Livingston’s shoes from a charity auction, and sentenced to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention facility where boys of similar age are forced to dig holes to “build their character”. There, Stanley learns that the warden of Camp Green Lake is searching for the buried treasure of Wild West outlaw "Kissin’ Kate Barlow, in connection with whom Stanley finds a lipstick tube inscribed with the initials "KB".

My perseverance has paid off as he's now onto the second book, "Small Steps".

A wet Monday evening

2011-10-11T15:55:00.002+01:00

What do you do on a wet Monday evening in October? You go to see Blood Brothers of course. Last night we went to the theatre to see Willy Russell's Blood Brothers and it was absolutely brilliant, hilariously funny and tragic at the same time and a definite must for all theatre buffs. As they say "If you haven't seen it, then go. If you have, then go and see it again".
The lead role - Mrs Johnston - was played by Niki Evans who I had never heard of but apparently got to the semi-finals of the X-Factor in 2007. (That was one of the years I didn't watch). She was amazing as was the guy who played Micky, Sean Jones.

Read the review

Blood Brothers is a musical written by Willy Russell. The story is a contemporary nature vs. nurture plot, revolving around fraternal twins who were separated at birth. The twins' different backgrounds take them to opposite ends of the social spectrum, one becoming an Oxbridge-graduated councillor and the other unemployed and in prison. They both fall in love with the same girl, causing a tear in their friendship and leading to a tragic conclusion.
The musical debuted in 1983, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. The current West End revival is one of the longest-running musical productions in history, opening in 1988 West End and still running as of 2011.

Crochet update

2011-10-07T17:35:00.000+01:00

My "Cauliflower" seems to be taking shape. No longer just cream and green - now with added red. I still have to finish the "Other side" then hopefully it won't be too long before the big Ta Dah!!

There are one or two mistakes in it but I'd gone quite a way past those before I realised and I wasn't going to "frog" it so they will have to stay. At least there won't be another one anywhere in the world exactly the same as mine :0)

Still blooming

2011-10-05T18:53:00.000+01:00

With the temperatures ranging from 14 to 28 degrees C in the last week my Clematis doesn't know whether it's coming or going. I thought it had finished flowering but it seems IT had other plans. I now have half a dozen buds waiting to open.

My honeysuckle is also still blooming and has been since about May.

and my Geraniums just don't want to give up yet.

Weekend catch up

2011-10-05T17:14:00.000+01:00

With one thing and another I didn't get near the PC this weekend so here's the posts I was going to blog but never got around to.
1. Rock Buns the old fashioned way. I bought this book Feeding the Nation last year and have made a few things out of it so far (I can recommend the liver and bacon casserole :0) ) so after having Rock Buns at the MacMillan Coffee Morning at school, last Friday I thought I make my own. The recipe was so easy to do and the buns tasted delicious. Even John tried them!!

2. What Moss really thought of having a bath!!

Shimelle's sketch of the week

2011-10-05T16:59:00.000+01:00

I didn't know if I liked the idea of three small photos so I printed out a larger photo and cut it into three. I used Crate Paper Restoration papers I got in a kit from Sarah's cards, cut up the flowery piece and used American crafts alphas. As the paper is so bright I kept the layout quite simple.

Works for me!!

Shimelle's Starting Point

2011-09-29T17:49:00.000+01:00

This weeks starting point was pretty basic and I wasn't sure where to go with it or which photo to use.

Looking through my "To scrap" photos I found the one of the Bayeux Tapestry that shows King Harold getting shot in the eye at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
While we were in Bayeux, in the summer, there was no way I was going home without seeing the famous tapestry. For a crafter with a love of sewing it was an amazing piece of craft work, talent and history. For a teenage boy and a 46 year old man it was.......................OK!!
I had no idea that it was actually made in England in approx 1070 and that it is 70 metres long!!

Obviously my picture is a scan of a postcard as no photos allowed.

I used more scraps (with no names) along with some lovely yellow Crate Paper and stickers. The tag, clock and flower are all from previous Scrapagogo kits

Happy 16th Anniversary

2011-09-29T00:02:00.001+01:00

Another year gone. I honestly can't believe that it's 16 years since we got married.

29 September 1995

What are you reading?

2011-09-28T20:07:00.000+01:00

Before I begin I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who told me to stick with The Distant Hours by Kate Morton. It was a fabulous read (well the second half was anyway) and as per usual the detective in me got it completely wrong!!

So now I'm reading Heartstone. The latest installment from C J Sansom. If this is as good as the last four books I'll have it finished in no time!!!

Summer, 1545. England is at war. Henry VIII's invasion of France has gone badly wrong, and a massive French fleet is preparing to sail across the Channel. As the English fleet gathers at Portsmouth, the country raises the largest militia army it has ever seen. The King has debased the currency to pay for the war, and England is in the grip of soaring inflation and economic crisis. Meanwhile Matthew Shardlake is given an intriguing legal case by an old servant of Queen Catherine Parr. Asked to investigate claims of "monstrous wrongs" committed against a young ward of the court, which have already involved one mysterious death, Shardlake and his assistant Barak journey to Portsmouth. Once arrived, Shardlake and Barak find themselves in a city preparing to become a war zone; and Shardlake takes the opportunity to also investigate the mysterious past of Ellen Fettipace, a young woman incarcerated in the Bedlam. The emerging mysteries around the young ward, and the events that destroyed Ellen's family nineteen years before, involve Shardlake in reunions both with an old friend and an old enemy close to the throne. Events will converge on board one of the King’s great warships, primed for battle in Portsmouth harbour . . .

Another layout

2011-09-26T20:17:00.000+01:00

Another layout for the France album. Again using up scraps and one of my handmade embellishments from last week.
I liked the LO when I was sticking it down but now don't like the green strip so much. Never mind. Lesson learned.....if in doubt walk away and come back and look at it later!!

Shimelle's sketch of the week

2011-09-26T20:13:00.000+01:00

I used up my Sassafrasslass papers and alphas for this layout as I thought they were quite bright and perfect for a fun day out at the theme park.

What was he thinking?

2011-09-20T20:51:00.001+01:00

OK so I'm not really sure what Moss was up to while waiting for his dinner tonight!! He always 'dances' around while his dinner is being made but tonight he ran into the porch turned round on the spot and sat down with the curtain on his head!! He then stayed like that long enough for me to take his picture while Samuel got his dinner.

He's definitely a weird dog....but then he fits into this family very well indeed :0)

Hand made embellishments

2011-09-19T20:16:00.001+01:00

I came across a lovely blog this weekend, Curiouser and Curiouser where Kirsty was having a Blog Hop with embellishments she'd made and sent out to the hoppers. I thought they were great and so I spent a very nice afternoon yesterday making some of my own.

I really like them and don't know why I didn't do them before!!

Shimelle's Starting Point

2011-09-19T20:10:00.000+01:00

This weeks starting point was this - in all it's stripy glory. Unfortunately for me it was just a little bit on the fussy side (I do like a plain background if I can) so in keeping with the rest of my album and with Shimelle's tutorial on continuity I used white cardstock.

I'm still using up my scraps as a lot of the sketches recently have needed different lengths of paper rather than a whole sheet. I've finally finished my Serendipity papers from a few years back and I used a cork embellishment for the first time. I was sent them in my Scrapagogo kit one year on my birthday.

It's back

2011-09-18T20:05:00.000+01:00

Yes Downton Abbey is back on our screens tonight at 9pm and this time STV are showing it at the same time as all the other ITV channels. Do you think they got it wrong last time when they showed Taggart instead?

As we return to Downton, Lady Mary receives some shocking news and there's a surprise visitor for someone below stairs...

Shimelle's sketch of the week

2011-09-17T18:01:00.000+01:00

It wasn't until I looked at this weeks sketch that I realised I hadn't done last weeks!! Today that problem was solved. Seeing as I can't do too much ironing or housework due to a "sore arm" I thought I'd do some scrapping instead.

Here's what I came up with. This weeks sketch....................

My layout. The papers are My Minds Eye, Sassafrasslass and a few left overs, alphas are American Crafts, Thickers and the leaves are from a Woodware punch. I think the journalling tag is October Afternoon but don't quote me on that one :0)

Last weeks sketch...............

and my layout. I have no idea what most of the papers are except the orange background which is Creative Memories. The tag, key and orange alphas all came out of Scrapagogo kits a few years ago. The butterflies are made with a Creative Memories punch.

Now I need to get cracking on Shimelle's Saturday Starting Point which I'll do later while the X-Factor is on!!!

Tennis Elbow

2011-09-16T17:19:00.001+01:00

It seems, after months of moaning that I can't use my right arm properly as it hurts to lift things, I have Tennis Elbow (to which Samuel said "But you don't play tennis!!").
A trip to the doc, plus a trip to the chemist for boxes of Ibuprofen and a tennis elbow brace was then followed by a Physio appointment at the local hospital where I saw a very nice Physiotherapist called Angie. I answered lots of questions, got poked and prodded, had a few minutes of ultrasound and left with an exercise and massage routine and a suggestion to buy a packet of frozen peas!!
What more could a girl want on a Friday afternoon?

Shimelle's Starting Point

2011-09-14T16:34:00.000+01:00

This week the starting point was four squares of patterned paper and one strip.

This is what I made. Samuel on the "Electro Spin" at Parc du Bocasse, France.

Scenic route papers and I think it's Sassafrasslass alphas and paper embellishments. The 'Smile' is a plastic piece I've had for years and always thought was yellow until I took it out of the packet and realised it's clear and you can put whatever colour in it you want!!!! Duh!!!

What are you reading?

2011-09-13T19:46:00.000+01:00

I'm about a third of the way through The Distant Hours by Kate Morton and I'm still waiting for the story to get going. Miss Morton likes to pad out her books with 100 words when 10 would do. My sister said to keep reading so read I will but I sure hope something is going to happen soon.

Edie Burchill and her mother have never been close, but when a long lost letter arrives with the return address of Milderhurst Castle, Kent, printed on its envelope, Edie begins to suspect that her mother's emotional distance masks an old secret. Evacuated from London as a thirteen year old girl, Edie's mother is chosen by the mysterious Juniper Blythe, and taken to live at Millderhurst Castle with the Blythe family. Fifty years later, Edie too is drawn to Milderhurst and the eccentric Sisters Blythe. Old ladies now, the three still live together, the twins nursing Juniper, whose abandonment by her fiance in 1941 plunged her into madness. Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother's past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst Castle, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in the distant hours has been waiting a long time for someone to find it...

The Trout Pout

2011-09-11T19:57:00.002+01:00

I guess John must have had a good days fishing as he sent me this picture.

It made me laugh :0) Botox anyone?

ETA - This fella was catch and release so was put back in the water to live and pout another day :0)

Another felt bird

2011-09-11T14:42:00.000+01:00

My sister Ruth is off to a crop sometime in the next month or two and needs a name badge for the occasion. As I'm her "Favourite Sister" she asked if I would make one like the yellow one I made for Scrapagogo a few years ago.
Who am I to say no?

Here's what I came up with. Ruth if you're reading look away now as your bird will be winging its way to you tomorrow :0)

This is my bird....

and here is the newest addition to the birdie badge family....

Very patriotic don't you think?

Ten Things - September

2011-09-10T14:09:00.000+01:00

I completely missed August's Ten Things as I hadn't long been back from holiday so this month I thought I'd share a little of my trip with you.

:: Bayeux Cathedral

:: Bayeux War Cemetery - all these boys died on D Day - 6 June 1944

:: Monet's Lily pond - Giverny

:: Downtown Vernon

:: Strawberry tart from my favourite shop in Vernon. Patisserie Rose.

:: Evreux Cathedral

:: Memorial on Omaha beach, Normandy

:: My boy outside Notre Dame, Paris

:: The above mentioned Notre Dame

:: and finally my favourite.....The locals of Vernon all sat facing away from the river Seine!!

For more Ten Things on the Tenth visit Shimelle's blog at Pretty paper, True Stories

Shimelle's Starting Point

2011-09-07T16:44:00.000+01:00

Over at Pretty Paper, True Stories Shimelle has started another challenge. This time it's out on a Saturday and we get given the basics of a layout and are then left to complete it however we wish.

Here's what I came up with this week (so far).

This is the starting point..........

and this is my layout.....

HOW?

2011-09-07T16:25:00.000+01:00

Did the last 4 1/2 years go by so quickly?

Today was my nephews first day at school and I have to say he has the pose down to fine art already :0)

Shimelle's sketch of the week

2011-09-05T19:14:00.000+01:00

I quite liked this sketch as there wasn't too much fuss about it.

Here's my version. Another France photo from the summer but that's a good thing as it means I've now got three LOs in my France album!! It was all made with leftover paper and embellishments gathered over the last few years. As usual I have no idea what make anything is!!

Book Signing

2011-09-04T18:56:00.000+01:00

Today instead of going to a local crop I took Samuel to Waterstones to see his hero Chris Ryan.....SAS hero, actor and author of too many books to mention. He was there to sign copies of his new book Killing for the Company. We had pre-ordered the book a few weeks back after my sister had seen the advert in the shop window.
Samuel loves the teenage books he writes and can't wait for the next Agent 21 book to come out. For those of you who know Samuel, you will know that he isn't the best reader in town but will read into the wee samll hours if something takes his fancy.
In true teenage fashion though, Samuel didn't say a lot to the guy and left me to do most of the talking!! It's a shame you don't get longer to chat but when there's a queue you can't take up too much of his time. He did however say it was no trouble for Samuel to have his photo taken with him.

He comes across as a really nice guy with a soft North East accent. Hard to believe he would have been in a sniper unit while he was in the Army and may have had to shoot someone!!! This is the second time he's popped into Elgin on his way from Inverness to somewhere else and if he comes again we'll definitely be going back.

Well done Auntie Ruth for spotting the sign. You have turned your nephew into a reader and made him think it was his idea!!! :0)

A furry tail

2011-09-04T12:48:00.001+01:00

Storytelling Sunday - brought to you by Sian at High in the Sky

When I was a child I longed for, of all things a ‘Fox Fur’. I thought they were the most wonderful things ever and loved to see the ladies of the 40s and 50s on the TV with furs draped around their necks. They all looked so sophisticated. My Nana listened to me talking about how much I longed for one and one Sunday when she came for dinner she brought me one. I don’t know where she got it from but when she saw it she must have thought of me. There at last in our house, in all it's furry glory was a Fox fur.

Now you would think that I would have been over the moon to finally have one of my very own but no. I disliked it the minute she gave it to me. I had to pretend it was wonderful and thanked her for getting it for me but I wouldn’t try it on and it lay over the headboard of my bed for a while and then disappeared. I have no idea where it went, it just wasn’t there anymore.

Skip forward 35 years (or more) to Ste Marie du Mont in Normandy, July 2011 where we found an old antique shop that sold items from WWII. While Samuel and John were checking out the guns etc I was looking at all the old clothing from the period. While mooching in a small back room I found a fur. Not a Fox fur but a Stoaty/Weazly type, with two heads. I had to try it and now all those years later there is a picture of me wearing a fur. I have to admit to only wearing it for the photo and then it went straight back on the shelf. I still don’t like them but it brought back very fond memories of Nana.

Find more stories over at High in the Sky.

Shimelle's sketch of the week

2011-08-28T20:52:00.000+01:00

Tanked!!

Samuel and John peering underneath a tank on Utah Beach, Normandy, France. One of the many tanks we saw on our travels.

Crochet Cauliflower?

2011-08-28T12:45:00.000+01:00

Or something else entirely? We'll have to wait and see :0)

An evening walk

2011-08-24T17:19:00.000+01:00

Last night as the rain didn't put in an appearance I took Moss for a stroll down the lane to the pond at the back of the village.
The roadworks were quiet for the night.

The farmer was busy harvesting.

And the sky was a gorgeous pink colour.

See what you miss staying in!!

Self Portrait

2011-08-22T20:15:00.000+01:00

My sister Ruth has just posted her "Dreaded Self Portrait" so in an attempt to make her feel better I thought I'd show you mine (so to speak) from the other weekend when we were clay shooting. If you look closely in the ear defender you can see my arm and camera. Note the wrinkles, lack of make up and the sore nose from too many tissues!!

Where is your self portrait?

Shimelle's weekly sketch

2011-08-21T16:27:00.000+01:00

It's a few weeks since I played along with this challenge but I thought I'd give it a go in an attempt to get back into scrapping after 5 weeks off!!

Some of the views of Vernon, France where we spent our summer holidays. It's a very pretty town on the Seine which is a mix of the very old and the new. It has a very relaxed atmosphere and I could quite easily see myself living there.

I'm in love..................

2011-08-20T16:58:00.000+01:00

With these boots.

I've been trying for the last two winters to find flat boots that will fit my slim calves. All the boots that are made at the moment are made for, shall we say, the more fuller legged lady!!! Which means for those of us with little pipe cleaner leggies the boots fit in the feet but flap about on the leg and look way too big.

While flicking through a catalogue the other day I happened upon these beauties and was over the moon to find that you could buy them in 3 (yes 3) leg widths. (The fashion houses of France were fed up listening to little old me moaning for the last few years that they finally gave in).

My only problem now is:
1. Brown?

2. Black?

3. Both?

I think I know the answer already :0)

Shooting Clays

2011-08-14T18:19:00.002+01:00

It's the end of a very busy week and the last day before I head off back to work after six weeks off for the summer holidays. As the weather was lovely and sunny we took a trip out to a friends clay pigeon shooting range so Samuel could try out his new gun. After shooting with Uncle A and his Dad earlier in the week he's got the shooting bug back.
The range is only a few miles away and set in a lovely wooded area.

I had to hold the gun while Samuel got his ear duffs and cartridges sorted out. Safety first of course which is why the gun is broken (open).

Here's the boy inspecting his new purchase. He's swapped his old, smaller gun for the new 12 bore (with a little financial help from the bank of Mum and Dad).

Moss of course knew something was up as soon as he heard his first Pheasant!! He sat patiently waiting for one to fall from the sky. He was so disappointed to find out it was clays and not the real thing. John was in charge of sending the clays.

Moss got fed up waiting for a bird to drop and took himself off for a swim.

John and Samuel set up at the shooting stand.........

while Moss waited....again!!

Samuel did really well on each of the stands.

even managing to have a go at 2 clays at once.

All too soon it was time to go home. Off went one man and his dog.......

while I (the family pack horse according to Samuel) brought up the rear!!! Cheers. Thanks for that son.

Samuel did really well and I'm very proud of him. I can't believe how well he's doing. He manages to get about 70% of the clays and doesn't seem to noticed the kick of the gun.....unlike his mother who hit the first clay but then knowing what was coming closed her eyes on the second!!!

I'm back from my travels.........................

2011-08-11T18:47:00.000+01:00

but so far haven't had time to catch up on my blogging. I'm hoping to get back into it this weekend. I hope you're all happy and well :0) See you soon.

A short break

2011-07-22T00:01:00.003+01:00

I won't be about for the next few weeks as I'm off on my holidays. I hope you all have a lovely summer (winter in Oz) whatever you are doing. ♥

Some finishing off...........

2011-07-19T22:28:00.000+01:00

Thanks to Kirsti and Sonja I have finally gotten around to finishing some projects I started many moons ago. They had this idea to finish off all the classes etc you always mean to finish but never actually do.

Like this one from Scrapagogo 2009. This was Shimelle's class and all I had left to do was add journalling and a cover

or Shimelle's Learn Something New class from December 2009 which I had managed to complete to page 15 but after that had (luckily) only left a wee post-it note on all the other pages. The thing was I had already cut the paper out to finish the pages but never got around to sticking them down!!

Or yet another of Shimelle's classes. You Think You now Me. This one from 2006!! I had two pages to finish and it took me five years to do them!!

and finally a Fries Box template (which amazingly isn't a Shimelle class) I got from UK Scrappers back in 2007. I had the inserts cut out but never glued anything down.

The sad thing is it only took me a few hours to finish them all off so now I wonder why I didn't just do them at the time!! Maybe I should stick to Layouts for a while as at least I seem to be able to finish one a week.

A bit of craftiness

2011-07-14T15:36:00.001+01:00

I've not been blogging much this week as I've been catching up on other things like my blackwork and ongoing crochet project. Also when the sun has been out so have I....in the garden reading.

I found the blackwork kit up in the attic and thought that after my Mum sending me it, over 5 years ago, I should really get on and get it finished.

The crochet is my new project which I am pleased to say is growing quicker than I thought.

I love the school holidays when I can catch up with things I usually only get to do at the weekend in-between housework and ironing. :0)

Shimelles weekly LO challenge

2011-07-08T14:49:00.000+01:00

At first I thought this sketch might make a LO a little on the busy side but it hasn't turned out to be so.

I used some old photos of Samuel from 2009 when he caught his first fish. We're hoping to catch a few more when we go fishing again this weekend.

I used the butterfly punch, my sister gave me as a present last year, for the first time on the LO too and I think they add a little something with out over powering the whole look.

Jam making time

2011-07-06T17:31:00.000+01:00

If it's time to pick raspberries then it must be time to make jam. Yet again I'm using the very simple and easy recipe given to me by my friend Anne when I worked at the doctors.

2 1/2lbs Raspberries
3lbs Granulated sugar
Slowly bring the raspberries to the boil. Once boiling, boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the sugar.

Stir slowly until all the sugar has dissolved.
Bring back to the boil and boil rapidly for 1 minute. (Temperature should be 104 degrees C)

Skim the mixture and spoon into warmed jam jars.

This amount of raspberries and sugar makes approx 6 jars of jam.

Shimelles weekly LO challenge

2011-07-04T19:17:00.000+01:00

Another week, another LO!!

Earning his keep

2011-07-03T20:16:00.000+01:00

At the age of 14 1/2 I thought it was more than time that young Master Lee earned his own money so I sent him down the lane to the local PYO. They have raspberries and strawberries that need to be picked for local shops etc. He's not always needed everyday but if he is he'll earn a few £s towards his holiday spends.

Today I got him to help me pick the raspberries needed for my jam making tomorrow afternoon.

Mr Blue Sky

2011-07-03T01:03:00.000+01:00

At last we've had blue skies and long may they continue.

Shimelles weekly LO challenge

2011-06-27T18:24:00.000+01:00

Shimelle said - It’s a page from almost nothing – a single photo (landscape 4×6), a few strips or scraps of patterned paper and a handful of mismatched die-cuts. Easy on the stash and pretty quick to put together too!

Shimelle was right. It was a few scraps of patterned paper, a few odd letters and some embellishments that have been sitting in a drawer for as long as they can remember!!

Here's me and The Girls on our sponsored walk last Friday.

26 of 52

2011-06-24T21:55:00.000+01:00

Spynie Palace, Lossiemouth, Moray

A peaceful half hour

2011-06-23T19:19:00.000+01:00

At lunch time today I went and sat in the Biblical Gardens opposite the Cathedral. The flowers were blooming, the smell was divine, the sun was shining and apart from a few birds there was silence. A perfect place to sit and read for half an hour. It's a shame you can't tell by this photo just how sunny it was.

Hooked again

2011-06-21T22:20:00.000+01:00

My new crochet project.

SAG Challenge 1

2011-06-20T20:29:00.002+01:00

Over at Simple Aussie Girls they are having their first challenge. Now I will be the first to admit that I (personally) don't really like "Simple" scrapbooking. I've never been one to add loads of stuff to a layout but I do like to add a bit of bling here or a flower there...... BUT..... I actually enjoyed this challenge and I'm really pleased with how my layout turned out.

The sketch, as you can see is very simple but that doesn't mean your layouts have to be.

By adding extra card to the background and matting the main photo it left space for the title and a little flourish and a flower to finish off.
Will I be doing more simple layouts? Probably. Will I add a bit of something here and there? Definitely. :0)

25 of 52

2011-06-18T20:08:00.000+01:00

These ladies came to investigate when Moss and I went for a walk today. Mr Bull in the background however, gave us the cold shoulder!! I love the one at the bottom with the curly hair :0)

Shimelles weekly LO challenge

2011-06-17T17:34:00.000+01:00

This week the idea was to use a BIG image as the central point of the layout. Shimelle says " Larger pictures are great for adding contrast to an album and the pages come together very quickly."

So here it is and she was right. The longest part was covering a Riff Raff chipboard coffee mug. I don't know if you're supposed to cover them as they are a lovely brown chipboard and not a horrible grey but I thought it looked out of place with everything else.

All the papers I used were October Afternoon in varying patterns. A Prima flower and left over paper that just happened to have a cupcake on it.

And for those of you that are wondering what Tiffin is, it's a divine biscuity, chocolatey, fruity slice of yumminess.

TIFFIN

Ingredients:
4 oz (or 125g or one stick) butter or margarine
1 tablespoon sugar (note that US tablespoons are 20% smaller than the UK so if you are in N America, use more for this and other tablespoon measures below)
2 tablespoons drinking chocolate
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons Raisins or dried Cranberries
8oz (250g) Rich Tea or Digestive biscuits (crackers/cookies in US)
6oz (170g) good quality milk or white chocolate

Method:
Melt the butter and sugar with the syrup in a large pan. Add the raisins/cranberries and drinking chocolate and bring to the boil. Allow to bubble gently for two to three minutes to thicken a little.
Crush the biscuits (crackers) with a rolling pin (putting them in a plastic bag beforehand cuts down on the mess). Don't leave the biscuit pieces too large, however, or the finished slab will tend to break up when cut. Mix the crumbs well into the melted mixture, coating thoroughly. Press into a lined 8 inch by 11 inch (28cm by 20cm) shallow Swiss roll tin and level out, pushing down the mixture well.
Melt the chocolate carefully (avoiding getting it boiling) and spread over the top. Leave to set in a cool place then cut into 15 or 24 pieces with a sharp knife. You can cut it into squares, rectangles or into triangles.

Enjoy :0)

Peace

2011-06-16T06:00:00.003+01:00

After the day we had a work yesterday and the stone chip on the way home I'm hoping for some of this today.....

This little fella was in the post yesterday from my Mum (along with some other crafting goodies). He's now hanging on my kitchen door. I have an idea for Christmas after seeing him hanging there!!

Just my luck...........

2011-06-15T21:44:00.000+01:00

Driving home from work and wham a lorry going past on the other side flicked up a stone and I now have a chip in the windscreen of my 4 week old car that is going to cost £75.00 to fix!!!

What are you reading?

2011-06-13T20:58:00.000+01:00

It's a while since I asked that question and in that time I've read 4 books (which for me is truly amazing!!). I read the first three C J Sansom books back to back and then stopped to read Make, Take, Murder by Joanna Campbell-Slan and now I'm back to Master Shardlake and his goings on in Tudor England.

Revelation, the fourth book in the series is set in 1543 – King Henry VIII is wooing Lady Catherine Parr, whom he wants for his sixth wife but amidst the machinations at court a serial killer is on the loose in London and once again the lawyer Shardlake must bring the killer to justice ….

While the cat's away.........................

2011-06-12T06:30:00.006+01:00

Mum has a blitz!!

I don't know about you but my teenage son seems to live in, what I would describe as, a pigsty. He has a washing basket but stuff still ends up on the floor. All his DVDs/X-Box games all have covers but still end up in a heap and his bed never seems to get made. And as for what is under the bed......I won't even go there!
So while he was out with his pals all yesterday afternoon I got the black bin bags and set to.

It took while but it's now done. All the discs are in their proper place, all books back on shelf, all washing in the laundry basket and bed made.

Wow I'm good :0)

12.6.11 - ETA. Samuel just cleaned the car in repayment for tidying his room!! A fair trade I'd say.

Sunset

2011-06-11T23:00:00.001+01:00

We had a beautiful sunset the other night so I snapped this shot from Samuel's bedroom window.

Shimelle sketch of the week

2011-06-11T20:29:00.001+01:00

I took part in Shimelles Sketch of the week again this week as I seem to have found my scrapping mojo once more. Her photos overlapped to make one big panoramic view but I don't have any pictures like that so I opted for two from the same theme. Samuel's 14th Birthday (I thought it was time to add a layout to his album!!) As you can see he's now allergic to the camera!

I used a sheet a Bazzill card and odds and ends of any papers I had in the drawer. Turns out I have a lot of leftovers so this sketch was perfect.

24 of 52

2011-06-11T05:00:00.002+01:00

Sun glare behind a stone water feature.

10 Things

2011-06-10T17:34:00.000+01:00

In an attempt to keep blogging and to keep crafting I'm joining in with Shimelle's "10 Things".
Ten Things on the tenth of the month. Something brought to you by the participants in Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers starting today. Each participant will share something totally of their own creation – but always ten things. Some will share ten photos, ten crafty ideas, ten sources of inspiration, ten recipes, ten things in a collection… always ten things and always on the tenth of the month.

This month I thought I'd start with 10 things I've made over the last few years. In no particular order:

1. Felt name badge for a Scrapagogo retreat.

2. Blackwork

3. Fabric owls. (Great to do if your sewing machine is working)

4. Knitted egg cosies or Neds as I like to call them.

5. Lavender scented felt mice.

6. Paper wreath.

7. Name plate for my friends little boy.

8. Scrapbook page. A rare sight at the moment.

9. Covered chipboard door hanger.

10. Various cushions. Some crochet, some fabric.

And that's your lot for this month. Not sure what I'll do next time but at least I have a month to decide.

Note to self

2011-06-09T21:00:00.001+01:00

Enough said!!

Shimelles weekly LO challenge

2011-06-07T20:38:00.000+01:00

I've taken part in Shimelle's weekly sketch challenge again this week, even if it is a little last minute. It's amazing what papers you can find in the box when you rummage long enough. I'm not sure what it's called but it's double sided and not too dusty!!

I wish blogging had been around when Samuel was little as now it's really difficult to get a photo of him. As soon as he sees the camera he's off like a shot. This LO is the before and after (if you like) of his dislike of the camera. The left photo was Easter 2010 (aged just 13) when he would happily pose and the right photo is Easter 2011 (aged 14 going on 40!!) when I had to sneak out of a bird hide to get this shot!!

I cut up the bit of paper that had both 13 and 14 on it and used some acetate from a sticker book (I got at a Scrapagogo class) to make stars using the Creative Memories star cutter I got as a present from my sister. I inked all the edges in dark brown chalk inks and fastened them on with some brads.

The star is made from a left over piece of paper which just happened to have these "Reserved" stamps on it already. Oh and I turned the LO on it's side as my photos were portrait.

Two layouts in just over a week. This could a record for me :)

23 of 52

2011-06-07T16:58:00.000+01:00

Aberdeen skyline.

Look what I won

2011-06-06T16:35:00.000+01:00

Who's a lucky girl then? That would be me :0) I left a comment (as always) on my sisters blog about what I wanted to be when I grew up and my name got picked to win a Shimelle class. "When I grow up". I just hope I can finish this as the only other one I bought several years ago still needs finishing!!

Missing in Action

2011-06-06T12:28:00.001+01:00

Last week was a VERY busy week here at The Gables. Mainly with work related things and spending the weekend in Aberdeen but I'm hoping that it will all settle down now and I'll be able to blog more.

I'm still keeping up to date with Project Life and I've even got another LO to do. I've even looked at getting new papers!! I can't remember the last time I bought any.