Rufus and the telephone

My son has an extension to his hand, it has been there for a good many years, now his son is expecting to have his own extension and at 5 months that is a little bit young don't you think.


Yesterday I went into town specifically to get Scrapbook Trends as it should have been in the shop on Thursday, but it wasn't there. As Smiths is the only place now that I can get it as Borders is no longer in Swindon I felt rather frustrated. This morning I phoned Smiths to see if it had arrived and yes it was in, so into town again. After purchasing it I debated with myself whether to go into Costas and have a coffee and something to eat, or go straight to Asda and have a coffee in Starbucks, decided Costa was the better option.
Isn't it great when a botheration turns into a lovely surprise. I had finished my coffee, read my magazine and was about to go when I saw some young friends so stopped for a chat and then Neil Gemma and Rufus arrive so I had a lovely afternoon. Have now done my shopping in Asda and home again

Today I thank the Lord for changing a botheration to a blessing
for a Magazine with lots of ideas in
and the fact that I always have my camera with me so got some lovely photos

My Grandson No. 2 and a freebie Digi scrapbook kit

I know that it is Friday and not Thursday but I thought you may like to have another freebie Digi Kit. Baby of Mine

This one I put together from papers I created today for a layout of my 4 month old grandson Rufus. As I was rather pleased with the elements of this kit I thought I would share some of them.
Here is the layout that I am rather chuffed with using a far from ideal photo but still, once I had cropped it I was pleased with. It's great that even naff photos can be cropped for little bits that are perfect for a project.
Well enough waffling here is the layout


Today I am so thankful for the mobile phone and my camera
For the fact that my daughter in law knew where to find me although I didn't know she was in town and that she left Rufus with me for a while.
Neil my son arrived some 20 mins later and took lots of photos

Costa's Coffee House

A trip into town always has to include a drink in a coffee shop somewhere. We have several quite nice places to go, but I discovered recently that Costa's do Gingerbread Latte all year round. So it looks as though Costa has won my vote.
The ambiance of the one in the centre of town is cosy and stylish they do a good range of cakes and what is more they have a newspaper rack so even if I don't have anything to read I can always borrow one of their papers.



Today I am thankful for friendly staff and easy chair and a magazine to read

Memory jerker

Isn't it great how something from your past is suddenly brought to the forefront of your memory.
I was reading Dolly blog and today she has put up a layout of her husband and friends playing on the wii, the look of participation and concentration reminded me of my husband.
Years ago before any interaction tv games we used to watch the wrestling on TV and I found as much pleasure in watching him interact and wrestle along with the guys, as I did in watching the wrestling itself. When John became aware that I was looking at him and not the television he would try and stop but really found it almost impossible as he got drawn into the wrestling ring each time. I do wish I had a physical photo of the look on his face and not just a mental picture, it would make such a good layout.

I am so thankful that we can have a store of memories that can be sparked by simple things seen or heard or smelt even

Challenges challenges

I love scrapping challenges and today I have completed two but I just don't seem to be able to get out of the Digi vein and do a page with paper and glue and touchy feeling thing. Still I am pleased with what I have done.

this first one is for the 52 in 10 Challenge that Dolly has set. I am loving this challenge for although it is another book of me it is for my special year. This week the prompt was Music, to scrap the music we enjoy. Oh dear I'm not a music lover. what a perfect title then for my layout


This second one was for the Weekly challenge on UKScrappers. the criteria being to use a photo/photos of something that isn't a person. to use a sketch of our own choosing, I used a pencilline one. to add bling (sparkly) and ribbon and finally to do some journalling.



I am rather chuffed with this one as I created all the pattered papers and the butterflies and ribbon from the photo itself using the blurred out background

The first verse of the poem I did as I was walking along the back lane to Asda, thanks largely to the little dictaphone I treated myself to this month.

So to sum up the things that I am thankful for today
the beauty I see around me
my computer and ability to create on it
and my little dictaphone

Where has my inspiration gone.

Oh dear I have been so lacking in inspiration that I haven't been able to create anything since last Wednesday, so to kick start my creativity again I have done a scraplift. I rather liked this layout of Crafty Kacy's on UKScrappers.

So here is my version




This quote from God word the bible really got me thinking
'Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus' 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I am so thankful to the group of ladies that meet once a month in our church. We are called Footsteps and every time we meet I seem to find new inspiration from God to continue in my Christian walk.

Browsing the shops

I felt so restless this morning that in the end I decided to go into town and mooch around the shops. Guess what I spent money, well it was a bargain a skirt for half price can't be bad now can it.

 It's a little shorter than I usually wear but I quite like it with boots on. I did try a top as well but wasn't so keen on me as off, but this pink top that I am wearing today goes well with the skirt so can save the pennies for another time.

Here is my layout for today, part of my 70th year celebrations

Today I am thankful that I can afford to spend a little bit on myself occasionally without feeling guilty. I am also thankful that the snow didn't settle for long because it wasn't pretty snow this time.

Change your Hairdresser

Change your hairdresser, my advice as a grandmother to my 17 year old self
I found this photo of me taken circa 1958 with my hair in a very tight perm. Oh dear how I hated that perm when it was first done, it needed several washes and quite a few weeks for it to settle down to anything like acceptable. I was such a timid person and afraid of offending the hairdresser so couldn't tell her how much I loathed that style, she was of the old school and didn't know how to style for my generation and I desperately wanted to change and go elsewhere, what a dilemma.

This week's prompt for Dolly's 52in10 challenge was to scrap some advice that you would love to give your younger self. I was really struggling with that as I know that any advice I gave would have probably been accepted and worked on and then the person I am today would not be the same. When I found this photo I knew it was the perfect answer to my quandary. So here is the layout.

I found this quote and thought it very appropriate



I am thankful for the ability that God has given me to be creative, artistic; whether with paper and pen or here on the computer I can take a blank canvas and fill it with my designs my thoughts my own creations

On a roll

Well the creative juices have certainly been flowing lately and I have been churning out digital layout after digital layout. I really need to get back to doing them with paper and glue but somehow the thrill of starting with a perfectly blank canvas and creating everything for start to finish has such an appeal for me at the moment.
I do like something to get my imagination working though and so sketches and seeing other peoples work often gets me going.
This layout has been done from a sketch on Twisted Sketches, this week sketch 32 was to add stamping but I added a further twist to the sketch by putting the photos where they had indicated embellishments and making the area for the photos, patterned paper. Really quite pleased with the result. This is another one using the many photos I have of my eldest grandson Daniel, these photos being taken by my son-in-law.

On Top of the world & Sweet Dreams

Do I feel on top of the world, well the title wasn't really meant for me it is a layout I have just done.

Inspired by Iris's layout on Pencil Line sketch 169

None the less I do feel good. I managed to tidy up a bit yesterday and although I have still more to do, which I will try and get some of it done on Monday, today I have scrapped and am pleased with the outcome

Just done this layout which has taken no time at all compared with the previous one. This was a colour combo challenge and I used the colour swatch to make the title



Today I am thankful for inspiration

Snuggly Warm

I have done a layout using the photos I took of Rufus all snuggly warm in his snowsuit and hat. We were on the bus going into town and the rhythm of the bus sent him to sleep.




Today has been warmer and the snow is turning to water the icy condition are disappearing and life is getting back to normal.

Freebie Kit Wedding Day

It's Thursday so here is a freebie kit. Hope you like it and please if you download it leave me a comment and if you use it please credit me with the creation of the kit. Thank you. Hope you enjoy it

You can download the kit here

52 in 10 Looking Forward

Thanks to Dolly we are doing a year long project on ourselves I know I have done something similar before but as this is my 70th year I just knew I wanted to do this one. Last week we looked back over the last decade you will find that layout here. This week we are encouraged to look forward to what this year may hold our hopes and desires. As I never make new year resolutions, I doubt I would be able to keep them if I did, I have gone for things that I hope will be wonderful events such as the birth of my third grandson in March and the celebration of my birthday at the end of the year.



Dolly has a lovely quote for today one I want to share with those of you who read my blog.




What am I thankful for today, well I had a lovely afternoon with my grandson, I took him into town on the bus and he was as good as gold for me. When I had some lunch I feed him too. I managed to get some bits and pieces I wanted in town and it was good to get out in the fresh air.

Portraits

Today I woke not sure if I wanted to venture out into the cold. I felt that I would be better off going to church and worshipping with my friends but trudging up the hill in this snow? I hummed and harred got showered and dressed still not sure and then I got a phone call from my son asking me if I would like to take my grandson to church Well of course I would I have been longing to do so.
You know the Lord always get me going one way or the other and I am so glad I did make it up the hill. Rufus was so good, smiling for all who would come and talk to him and even went to sleep during the preaching so that I could listen and take it in. He woke the moment the speaker finished and again was cooed over.

This afternoon I have been scrapping again. I had downloaded a lot of my daughter and son-in-law's photos when I was with them in December and hadn't looked at them until now I found a lovely photo of them both and of course lots of my No.1 grandson Daniel.
Still trying to find which one of him to scrap next but I did one each of Helen and Andy

Basil the Snowman

On Thursday's we have a sale at the church to support our friend Jeremiah. He has adopted street orphans in Kenya where he lives. I don't suppose the boys have ever seen snow so we decided to build a snowman and take some photos to show them.

Snow Delight

Oh how I love the snow, well I do for taking photos and for scrapping them, but it does become a nuisance after a few days.

I should have gone into town to get my eyes tested today, just a routine check up so not too worried so I phoned them to say I would like to cancel the appointment. I am not the only one who has done that either the receptionist said that she had received many a call changing appointments until the weather was better for travelling.

So here I am still in my PJs and dressing gown, digi scrapping again. Oh what fun I have had creating all my own elements for each page I do, so much more creative than if I did paper and glue pages as I get to create from a blank canvas.

Here is my winter walk creation, I am pleased with it hope you like it too.



I have been reading Dolly's blog and I love how she puts a 'what I am thankful for' each day so I thought I would like to do the same.

Today I am thankful for good neighbours. Tony went around the street to all the folk who may have difficulty getting around and said that they were going shopping and did we need anything. How kind of him.

Snow so no school

What happens when it snow and the schools are closed, the playgrounds end up as the only place that has pristine snow at mid day

Freebie Kit

It's Thursday so here is another freebie kit for you to download and use as long as you credit me with the creation of it.It is called Snowy Days here is what the kit looks like hope you enjoy it and I would love to hear from you if you do download it.

here is an LO I did using part of the kit but I have altered colours slightly.

Snow Garden Layout

I just couldn't wait to scrap some of the photos I took today so here is a quick simple LO

It is a simple one but quick!!!!! it has taken me ages to get this right first of all I created the background patterned paper which took a time to get right. then I couldn't decided how to arrange the photos or whether it needed a mat for them. Got there in the end.
For anyone who may be interested the font is Plymouth Rock

What a white white world

Wow I woke to lots of snow, so grabbing my camera and dressing up warm I go out into the lane.

How different everything looks when there is a snow covering everywhere. Even the main road looks like a fairy tale somehow

I love this photo of a fence, probably wouldn't look much without the snow on it

this is one of my favourite shots taken at the start of my walk

Winter Wonderland

I have had fun with this layout, again I have made a strip from a little bit of the photo giving it a frosty edge
the fir trees and the snowy hill are a copy of something I saw in one of the magazines rather like the effect, looks like padded material.

Textures of Winter

I took lots of photos of the icy conditions on New Year's day and have put them together in a collage of types



the borders are made up of bits of the photos.
the bottom set of photos is close ups of the top set.

52 in 10 week 1

For the first week of Dolly's challenge we are encouraged to look back over the last decade with lots of hand written journalling so it had to be a paper and glue one
I found 5 photos spanning the decade that summarise my life during that time taken in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2009



Journalling in my own hand writing was not easy to get in all I wanted to say so I had to shorten it a bit but think it covers all the important bits. Oh how our lives change in that time. Makes me wonder what or where I will be in 10 years from now. I don't think I want to know really as by then I will be in my 80th year, that is if I am still here.

52 in 10 Intro page

I have done a digital layout for the introduction page of Dolly's 52 in 10 challenge. I do hope that I will be able to do a mix of digital and paper layouts through this very special year but for now I am contented to create my masterpieces on the computer.

New Year's Walk 1st January 2010

Goodness me where did 2009 go to so fast. It doesn't seem a year ago that it had only just began.
I am going to try and take photos everyday, I don't do too badly at that but there are days that I just don't manage any.
Today being bright though cold was the perfect start to photo walking through this year.
I took lots of photos and will be doing layouts of some of them but until I do here are three of the best photos.

Hi it's me Bungly

Hi friends it's me Bungly, not sure why I haven't a blog of my own, Mary says its because she has so many, but that doesn't seem a very good reason to me. Still here I am at my weigh in.... not sure why I need a weigh in but Mary says I do.

Ha ha I don't weigh anything.

Mm Mary says I need to be weighed on the kitchen scales. The indignity of it, still I insisted that they be taken into the bathroom the proper place to be weighed.

6 oz what ever that is? I heard it said that oz is short for Australia but that doesn't make any sense either and there is no 'o' or 'z' in Australia.

Bagpuss got quite upset and wanted to get in on the act.  Ha Ha! Bagpuss weighs more than me.