Wednesday, November 21, 2007

I'VE BEEN TAGGED

Oops I have been tagged but I haven't been in here for so long, I just didn't realise that I had
Sorry Sandie and Hilary (who wanted to tag me but Sandie got in first)

Here are the rules

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs

Well Sandie I can copy you in two of the facts

1. I have no middle name either, my parents both loathed their middle one Mums was Maud & Dads was Harry
2. I once tried water skiing and failed too don't think I ever got out of the water.
3. I love to suck condensed milk off a mustard spoon
4. I find myself talking out loud as I am shopping and I am on my own. (Am I going senile lol)
5. I have lots of cat ornaments and soft toys and I have given each one a name, the two soft ones that sit on my bed during the day I often talk to as if they were real Buggly was given to me by my son and Bling I pick up at the sale.
6. I would love to try parascending but not sure that I have the nerve to do it
7.I have a fear of people who speak in a foreign tongue and I can't understand what they are saying

Right now to find 7 people to tag
Hilary
Charli
Mary (Aka ScaryMary)
Kat
Toni Leeann
Toni (Aka Misteejay)
Barbara

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Scrapaholics Monday Evening class

I am so seriously behind with my blog but I just want to say about last night at Scrapaholics

I had such a great time last night and although I only got one layout done, Sandie and I had laugh all the way through it, and that was such a pick me up for me. So Sandie I want to say a very big thank you.

here is the layout I did, a just for fun one, done using some of the Oct kit from Scrapaholics and the photos I took the other night as I was making my drink

The photos came about because as I went to make my drink the other night I had just the undercounter lights one and the reflection through the printed side of the glass mug was so clear I thought it would make a great picture so grabbed my camera and took several shots, I then made my hot chocolate and took two more photos one of the side of the mug with the Latte mug just behind it and the other of the marshmallows floating on the top. I am so chuffed with the effect of these will probably use them again.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Catch up time

I am so seriously behind with my blog. Haven't put anything in here for nearly a month. So what have I been doing.

Well I went up to Skipton to see my Daughter and her lovely family and came back with so many photo I am not sure how I am going to use them all.
It was their 3 wedding anniversary while I was up there and I had my darling grandson to myself for the evening while they went out for a meal. It was great to be able to feed him.
They arrived back just as he was begining to want a second feed so that was fine.
Here is the layout I did of the three of them when they returned from the meal.
Daniel is facinated by the pendulum on the clock and will stare mesmerised by it for ages.
On UKScrappers we are in the middle of a Cybercrop where we all try to do as many of the classes and challenges as we can. Guess who features in most of my LO. ....Yes that right Daniel

I have many more photo to scrap but its finding enough time to do them all still I have all the long winter days in which to indulge my favourite hobby.












Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Isle of Wight in September

I took a Barnes Coach tour to the I o W with a friend and we had a fantastic week. The weather could not have been better, especially when you consider the summer we have had.

Our room overlooked the sea and we saw the sun rise on the horizon each morning. The first morning I looked out at about 6.30 to a rather misty effect and thought we were in for a rather dull day, I turned round to make a cup of tea and suddenly my friend was shouting my name and telling me to come and look. Well I have never seen the sun rise like this before, it was balanced on the horizon and was as red as could be, a good time to get the camera out, I only wished I had caught the moment when it was half way there, but I needn't have worried every morning it was the same and we never tired of it.

We had trips out in the coach Tues, Thurs & Friday which was very pleasant we didn't have to think where to go or which way or worry about traffic. Tuesday was market day in Newport so that was our first port of call, I managed to get a hat that fitted me, that's a rare occurrence so I had to buy it. We ate ice cream and generally enjoyed the day.

On the Wednesday my brother and sister in law, who were also on holiday on the island took us both to Ryde, then the I 0 W lavender place and finally to Butterfly World. I found that so fascinating and have wanted to go to such a place for a long while as it is a brilliant photo opportunity
Thursday saw us at Alum Bay, our driver had told us that there was a chairlift down the cliff face to the beach and that it was scary and he wouldn't go on it again. Well that was a challenge I was not going to ignore and it was a thrilling and exhilarating experience. No one else would come with me so I took my own photo of myself and then turned the camera at the scenery.
Friday we went to Godshill and Sandown, not so impressed with either of these two places, Godshill is too commercialised and Sandown didn't seem as nice as Shanklin where we were staying.

All in all we felt privileged to have had such wonderful weather and such a gorgeous view from our bedroom window
.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Scrapaholics

We had a super scrapping day yesterday it was our 1st birthday and we decided to have an all day crop. You can see from this photo just how many of us made it to this special day's event.
We were amply supplied with lovely papers and cardstock and embelishments by Scrapajacks who brought so much of the stock with them we were spoilt for choice and I spent quite a bit of money too.

I managed to do three layouts there which is pretty good for me. The first one of my two cats Rudi & Tabatha. For this one I use a Pencil Line sketch 48


This next one is of my husband as a toddler in his mother's arms. I couldn't think of a title for this and Jools came up with this one Safe in my mother's arms. I would love to have used the whole of that but it was a bit too big so I used the shortened version.


The last one I used the sketch drawn by Sandie Sorry that I don't seemed to have done this excelent sketch justice but I will try again to do a better one. If you want to see Sandie's original layout here it is



thanks also to Sandie for the patterned paper, by this time the shop was closed and the paper I had brought with me just was not working right

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Finding a Hat for Ethel

Hi thought I would just muse around here for a while. I have done a layout for the midweek Mojo challenge using only what they put in their recipe

1) 2 different ribbons

2) Doodles

3) 4 flowers

4) white cardstock

5) Black cardstock

6) Bling (shiny stuff)

7) 2 photos of me

8) Scalloped edge on something

So this is what I have come up with I chose to do a digital layout cos that is what I am happiest with

these hats came into the Jeremiah Sale today and I couldn't resist trying them on and of course taking a photo of me in them. At the end of the morning needless to say they had not sold but I was talking to a customer with the beige one in my hand and she said this which really tickled me.
"That hat has character it would be just right for my scarecrow, she is a lady scarecrow and her name is Ethel."
I'm not making this up that is truely what she said.
Well say no more that had to be scrapped didn't it. lol

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Sunday Lunch

I love going out to Sunday Lunch, that is one day of the week that I really don't like eating on my own.
When my John was a live and the children were at home that was always a family time, we ate around the dining table on Sundays, sometimes much to the children's annoyance if they wanted to watch something on television, but I loved it. A time to catch up on what everyone was doing, to share and to really enjoy a meal.
Usually one or twice a month several of us ladies who are all widows get together to have a meal, and today was one of those occasions. We went to the carvery at the Devere hotel in Swindon, we have been there several times and always have a superb meal. Plenty of chatting and sharing as well as eating. Thank you ladies for making Sunday Lunch time an enjoyable experience again.
Well what have I been doing since I came home? scrapping of course. I have now done two pages for my Swindon Album, the first I did yesterday is just the front page, today's contribution is about the greenery in the town centre.

One of the challenges I do every month is the book of me challenge and this month we had to ask a family member to describe us and make a layout using that description. I asked both my son & daughter to do that in just a few words, and was near to tears when I received the lists, especially the one from my son.
Here is the resulting page

Friday, August 31, 2007

!! Thank Friday its Crunchie !!

I have had a crunchie bar twice this week and remembered this old advert. I also wanted to say "Its Friday its 5 to 5 and its CRACKERJACK".(only it isn't 5-5). How many of you remember that I wonder.

Right enough meanderings; I went into town again today with my camera and I think I now have enough photos to make an album worth doing. Its amazing what you can find when you open your eyes then open them again. How many Swindonites have seen yellow strip light in Swindon town? Well here is a photo of them. I had never notice this before.
I rather like this photo too I call it orbital guard of honour not sure about that name though so if anyone can think of a better one please let me know.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Wednesday Wanderings

Hi folks, I have been wandering around Swindon today taking photos. I have always said that Swindon is not very interesting, so I thought that I would find somethings in the town centre that were worthy of snapping. I ended up taking 27 photos and with others that I have taken over the last 2 years I think I may well have enough to create a really nice scrapbook album.
We have an all day birthday crop on 8th September and I hope to make a good start on that album then, in the meantime I will try to put together kits with photos so that I will be prepared.

Here is just a taster of the photos I have taken today

I was also very naughty and spent lots of money on more stash (as if I didn't have enough) I bought two really nice vintage albums made by PaperMania one 12x12 the other 8x8 and have transferred all my heritage layout into them. Which of course gives me lots more room in the others so I will need to do several more pages which in turn means using up some of the stash I have accumulated.

Here is my Stash Buy for today



Monday, August 27, 2007

Lazy Bank Holiday

I have had a really lazy day today, just fiddling about on the computer, chatting to friends on UKS and doing two scrapbook pages. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and feel satisfied with what I have done.

I was going out for a bit of fresh air but never got that far, I got so engrossed in what I was doing that time just slipped away from me.

These two layouts were both from challenges on UKS the first was the weekly challenge set by Charli's Angels team and the second one is this week's Pencil Line Sketch 47

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Challenge

I am throwing out a challenge to all scrappers who read my blog.

How about scrapping those scary/funny/silly photos that you take of yourself, or that others have taken when you least expect it and you don't look your best.

Here is one that I did the other day for one of the classes in the Summer Cybercrop on UKS

So come on scrappers, instead of pressing the delete button on your camera, download them and get scrapping. I would love to see what you come up with.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Search for My Mojo

My mojo went awol again today, have looked everywhere for it but it just wasn't coming out to play.
Have sat here for ages with not an idea, but thought that I had better get just one page done, so here it is, not my best but will pass muster at a push.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

A Well designed window.

I love design and I think the best window display of all the shops in Swindon is Monsoon
Today the colours of their window really caught my eye, so striking and vivid.
Back in December last year these two window made me stop in my tracks and get my camera out. I also went in and said how much I loved their display. I believe it is good to give praise where it is due even if unexpected.
I think I must keep my eye on this shop and see what else they can do to attract their customers. I only wish I could afford to shop there.

Lunch With A Friend

Yesterday, Tuesday, my friend Carol phoned me in the morning saying would you like to go out for lunch, I never miss an opportunity to be with friends if I can help it, so of course I jumped at the idea. She picked me up about 12.30, and we decided to go to the new B&Q first as Carol is moving soon and wanted ideas for her new property. We had great fun deciding on all the things she would do when she moves.

I saw some really lovely patterns in wallpaper and was about to get my pad out and sketch some of them, when Carol said take a sample, I didn't know that you could but apparently it's OK , so I ended up with lots of samples of some super patterns.

These are my interpretation of two of them
While we were looking at the bathroom setting I fell in love with this wash basin and cabinet, wish my bathroom was big enough to take it, I think I would have ordered it there and then even though I don't know the price.

We finally finished up at around 4.00pm having lunch. I had thoroughly enjoyed our impromptu outing.

Scrapaholics

Monday evening was Scrapaholics time. I had been challenged to do three layouts, tall order for me as I tend to talk more than scrap. Nothing went smoothly at all, the first layout, quite a simple one, I cut the paper the wrong way round to start with and that just through me out as I then couldn't get it right. I thought I had it all sussed as I had planned it out on a rough piece of paper first all I had to do was lightly glue that to the back of the patterned paper and I would be well away, but I forgot to reverse everything didn't I.

Never mind I did managed to get that layout done during the evening and started on the second one, but it didn't look right so in the end I only managed 1½ pages at the club, I finished the second one when I got home. So at midnight I thought I had better head for bed........ no way could I settle until I had at least laid out the 3rd page. Sandie had done me a really lovely sketch for it and I had it all buzzing around in my head. It was 1.30 am before I hit the hay.

Of all three pages I think I prefer the last one Finding you, the sketch for this was done by my friend Sandie but others seem to prefer the 2nd Elegance this sketch is Pencil Line 46. Cherish is my own sketch which Sandie ended up doing as well. We both did the same three sketches but check out her blog, they are all three so very different, that's the beauty of sketches.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

IT'S A GOOD JOB RAIN WON'T HURT YOU

Yes I got soaked today!
Didn't venture out at all yesterday so thought I ought to get some fresh air and also to do the little bit of shopping I needed. So got on my bike and cycled down to ASDA; was only just sort of spitting then.
First stop Borders to see what magazines were in and I found a treasury there not 1 not 2 but 3 scrapbooking magazines that I hadn't got. So up into Starbucks for a leisurely mocha, muffin and an easy chair. Super one of my delights. I only managed to read one mag and two or three pages for another before I decided that I really must get my weekend shopping and head home.
That was when the heavens decided to open and gave no sign of stopping so it was a rather wet journey home and its a good job I don't have to use main roads as I could hardly see my glasses were so wet.
But there is always a silver lining I now have three magazines with lots of inspiration in them.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

A GRAND DAY OUT

I had a great day out yesterday. Friends from Derbyshire were down this way visiting the sister of one of them, so they got in touch and we met up in Winchester, which was only 1½ hrs train journey away for here.

I hadn't seen them since our holiday in April so we had a lot to catch up on. They met me from the station and we headed in to town, first stop coffee in God Begot House (wish I had thought to take a photo).

We then headed for the cathedral, there was a railing around the area with a gate in it half open, so we went through, walking across the grass, no sign to say we mustn't. When we got to the other side we could not find a gate open to exit but we noticed that most people were walking around this area. Someone came up to us and said had we entered by the gate at the other end, "yes" we replied "was it open?" "yes" " you will have to go back that way and will you please close if after you we are keeping it shut because a tree may fall on someone".

Cautiously we made our way back looking at the trees to see that we were not in any danger.

Eventually we arrived at the entrance to the cathedral and went in. There was to be a guided tour at 1.00 pm so we had a quick look around and waited for the tour. The guide was very interesting obviously really enjoyed the building herself and pointed out things we would not have seen on our own.



Here are some of the photos I took in there.




















The font is made of Black Tournia Marble and depict St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) giving money to a poor father to save his daughters from a life of druggery.

These two stained glass window show King George V and King George VI with Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
A place for me to put the pictures of layouts I have done that I am pleased with, to put in the poems I write and to add snippets of things that have caught my eye