As Seen - plumbers at work

I've had the plumbers in today. For some time now the overflow pipes from the tanks in the loft have been filling up an old dustbin rather fast so I have been wasting a lot of water. I had tried to adjust the ball valves myself but not very successfully.
they put new ones on for me and now hopefully I will not be wasting such a precious commodity.

while I was waiting for them to arrive I did some scrapping (one page I can't share yet) but here is the second one which is a challenge for the crop I go to. It is done using a pagemap sketch

and we had to include a bit of pink or red in it. (I had forgotten that but luckily the butterflies have red in them, phew!


today I am grateful for the plumbers
and receiving very good news from a Friend

As seen - a good read

Today was my trip to the hairdressers, I have it coloured once a month. While I am waiting for the colour to take I enjoy a good read of these magazines.

I get so many great ideas from them, colour combos, designs that will equate in digital scrapbooking, or even hybrid.
Today's gleanings

I finished my book today too and was a little bit disappointed in the conclusion that really seemed to leave it up in the air. But it was still a good read none the less.

Today I am grateful for a hairdressers just across the road
a nice home cooked fish and chip dinner

As seen - Me Reading !!!!

Well a very unusual occurrence happened today, I found a book I couldn't put down. The Gingerbread Woman by Jennifer Johnston. I haven't finished it yet because I had to put it down to do a bit of housework and I also wanted to get the weekly challenge from UKScrappers done, but I know that I will be going back to reading it later in bed probably.
So my photo for today is THE BOOK

I had picked it up at the sale one Thursday and dumped it on the side, and promptly forgot it, it had got buried under junk mail which was beginning to form a mountain on my hall table. I thought it was time to remove the mountain from inside to the outside and put it all in the recycling box, and there at the bottom of the pile was THE BOOK I don't remember picking it up, I don't remember reading the blurb but I must have thought it looked interesting and worth trying.
The blurb, when I read it this morning
On a rainy afternoon on Killiney Hill a young man walking without his overcoat, happens upon a woman gazing out over Dublin bay, standing perilously close to the edge. From their testy encounter develops a remarkable friendship which will enable each to face afresh their very different, damaged pasts, and to look towards the future

I have finished the weekly challenge but it is too dark to photograph it tonight so I'll share this tomorrow.

Today I am grateful for the book
and for Skype when I can not only talk to my daughter way up north but also see my grandsons and they can see me

As seen - Mittens & Me

I should have gone to church this morning, I was dressed and ready to go but I was trying to sort out something financial and forgot the time. I could have rushed up there and arrived after the service had started, but I didn't.
As I was dressed smartly I decided to have a photo shoot, I thought I might do a new book of me, a book about what it is like being in my 70s or maybe not?
They are the only photos I have taken today so I chosen one of them

I have been scrapping today, it is so nice to have the room to do it, and to know where to find what I want to use.

Not sure I am completely happy with it but unlike digital scrapping I can't now alter it.

today I am grateful to having space to scrap
A nice meal (cooked by myself)

As seen - in the driving seat

Today has been a day of the unexpected.
I was going to take the bus to ASDA but just missed it so walked, as usual the walk lifts my up, it was pleasantly warm, birds were singing, squirrels scampering, the pussy willow was in bud at the very top of the tree

spring was definitely in the air. I'm glad I walked

I forgot to take my camera card down to ASDA yesterday so I had to do that first. It usually takes an hour to process them but as they were quiet they said 30 mins so decided to stay in ASDA while they were being done instead of going into town and coming back via ASDA to pick them up later.
In town all I wanted to do was have a look in the Range to see if they had any decent patterned papers, no luck there but I did get myself a new border punch and a finger knife.
I was just paying for them when Neil phoned and invited me to go to Cirencester with them. I love impromptu trips like this.
I didn't actually buy anything except lunch but it was lovely to mooch around the town, as they have some lovely shops there. More photo opportunity with Rufus too, he decided he was going to drive us home and Daddy would have to sit in his child seat.
So my picture for today is Rufus in the driving seat 'switching' on the engine and changing the gears

Here is the layout I did yesterday.


today I am grateful for how God provides for even the little things (ie 30mins for photos He knew I wouldn't be coming back there today)
Impromptu outings with my family

As Seen - Crocus

Spring was in the air today, much milder than of a few days ago and the sun was shining. So nice to walk down the back lane to ASDA on a day like today. It lifts my spirit to see the birds and squirrels.
I was going to get some photos printed but when I arrived at ASDA I couldn't find the card I had put them on I'd left it on my desk, still never mind I'll do it tomorrow.
When I alighted from the bus coming home I saw a swathe of crocuses such a pretty sight so I've chosen one of them as my photo for today.

I think this is such a pretty one with the purple veins on the white petal, and look how deep a yellow the stamens are.

Today I have been making up a kit to use in march (can't share it yet). I've also done a page using some photos I have already got. I can't get a good photo tonight so I'll share this one tomorrow.

I was so busy scrapping that I nearly forgot to have a meal. A nice piece of salmon with new potatoes and peas, delicious.

I am grateful for a sense of peace on my walk
for being able to scrap with paper & bits (have a clear desk)
for a lovely meal that doesn't take much cooking

As Seen -- Open for business

The new Farm Foods store opened for business at 7.00 am this morning. We have eagerly awaiting this.

We have watched them dig up the trees that were around the perimeter of the old Pub,(see this post) knock down the pub, dig out the foundation and start to build the walls.

As soon as we had finished the sale at the church we went over to inspect and see what the prices were like. Pricing is good if you like frozen food. I was disappointed that they didn't do fresh vegetables, think I was mixing them up with a Farm Shop. So yes I will probably use them if I need any frozen food on a Thursday but in general I'll still shop at ASDA

As seen - room to scrap

It has been wet and windy and cold today, I was going to do some food shopping but as there was nothing that I was desperate for I stayed in and did some more tidying and, wait for it ........paper scrapping so my photo for today just had to be my scrapping table all clear and ready to go. (well this was after I had scrapped actually so even better clear before and clear after how about that.

photo shows my new glass cutting mat and it is brilliant. cleaned well when I used my distress ink on a bit of tape and also sticky stuff is easy to remove, but best of all the knife really does glide when using it for it true purpose.

Here is my paper layout the first for quite a while. It is for a challenge on UKScrappers set by Shimelle, a sort of speed scrapping in 20 easy moves, but we can do it in our own time.


today I am grateful that I didn't have to go out in the wild and windy weather.
and also that I am pleased with how things are progressing and of course being able to paper scrap and find all the bits I required.

As seen - my boy

I did a bit of sorting again this morning then decided I really ought to get out and get some fresh air. So caught the bus into town and went up to see my son in his office.

then back down to the town centre and into the craft shop where I treated myself to a glass cutting mat (I had been told they are very good when using a craft knife especially for intricate cutting) and two more micro mists. I'm getting quite a collection of inks, sprays and paints all messy play stuff.
Not had an opportunity yet to use them as I still need to finally push to clear the last of the bits that are still hanging around. I did find some way of storing my alphas, for the time being anyway, two of the 12x12 Really Useful boxes, one for black, white and plain chipboard the other for colours and the trays that sit on top I've used for the loose chipboard letters the one that were in odd shaped boxes that caused trouble when I had them all in a drawer.

So I am grateful that I am beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel now.
and not feeling too tired after my trip into town.

A Different perspective

A friend sent this to me today and it was perfect.

as you know if you have been reading my blog, I am in the process of tidying and sorting my craft areas and it has got to the stage where I can't see any progress because of the progress, if that makes sense. I was trying to sort my alpha yesterday and took them into the lounge also a ball of fibre which was in a terrible tangle. In the lounge also is my cutting board and cutter so the lounge is a bomb site. The nice clear desks are no longer clear because they have stash that I have still to find a sensible place to store and the conservatory floor is an obstacle race track (worse than before)
So I need a different perspective THIS IS THE MESS BEFORE THE END.

I'll be back later with a photo for today and perhaps progress that can be seen.

As seen - empty boxes

I really really wanted to be showing a photo or two of my nice tidy orderly craft room and conservatory but it is still a work in progress. But this photo will give some indication of how far I have got

all these boxes are now empty and all their contents placed in a sensible place where hopefully I will be able to find them when required.
I still have more to do but I'm definitely beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Next big job will be to sort out all my alphas and find a much better way of storing them than just bunging them all higglety picklety in a drawer.

Again I haven't left the home because I really do want to get this job completed. But I have done the weekly challenge from UKScrappers this week we have a nice sketch to work from

and we have to take inspiration from a book. this was the perfect sketch and the title came to me immediately but I had to check whether it was a book or just a song title. Brilliant it is a book and what's more a children's book from Shelterbox
so lunchtime I sat down with my computer and produced this


hopefully soon I will be able to do some scrapping with paper and bits

Today I am grateful for BBCi (forgot to watch Call the Midwife yesterday)
and I'm so glad I have a pile of empty boxes.

As Seen - Church

It's Sunday, a day of rest a day to worship with my brothers and sister in the Lord. So what better pictured for today than the church doors.

I have done very little else today except sorted my blooms out. One more little bit of sorting done

On the way home from church I was looking for a photo for a challenge 'BLUE' and couldn't resist this one

As seen - Rain

I decided to take a trip into town today, haven't been out anywhere for ages. Someone said it might rain so I made sure I had my umbrella and I did need it. It was a good opportunity to get some rainy day photos too, though it was amazing how many people had to shelter up as they hadn't brought their umbrellas with them.

When I'm in town I usually go to Costa's as I am not keen on the Starbuck in the Centre and this was going to be my photo for today but I prefer the umbrella one even if it had to be a set up lol

I have sorted another two drawers this afternoon, so slowly but surely I am getting there.

Today I am grateful for the reminder to take my umbrella
for the enjoyment of rainy day photography

I have my very own lolcat today

I was sent an email that I would like to share

BOY'S EXPLANATION OF GOD....ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!

It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista , CA . He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to 'explain God.' I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
(and he had such an assignment, in California , and someone published it, I guess miracles do happen!)


EXPLANATION OF GOD:
'One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.'

'God's second most important job is listening to prayers An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime.. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.'

'God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.'

'Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista .. At least there aren't any who come to our church.'

'Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.'

'His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road any more. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.'

'You can pray any time you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.'

'You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.'

'If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.'

'But...you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back any time he pleases.

And...that's why I believe in God.'

As seen - some sorting done

It doesn't look much but it has taken all day just to sort our some of my embellishments. I have empties some of the containers and made up video boxes of colour coded variety of embellishments that means I can grab a box or two if I am going to a crop and know that I will have the colours I want. I haven't as yet managed to sort out stash I no longer want, very hard thing to do for a hoarder.

I now ache especially my feet as I have been on them all day. So no more sorting for me tonight unless I can do some sitting down.

As seen - catkins in the sunlight

It's Thursday and that means the sale at the church, what a difference from the last two weeks, sunshine and warmth compared to the freezing cold, almost a spring day. So today had to be a spring photo

It was a pleasure to be outside and would have been much better if they hadn't started major road works and parking their enormous lorry right outside the church. Silly me forgot to take a photo.

Still can't take a photo of my nice tidy craft room because I've started on the conservatory and guess what I needed to pile things on the cleared desks so now the photo would just show untidiness again. I've sorted out all my off cuts of card stock they are now in bags of like colours and put away in my drawers so another box freed up. Next job embellishments this is going to be the longest part I think as I have so much and they are all over the place in different containers with no logic to what is where.

Today I am grateful for every little bit that gets done after all a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

As seen - on the buses

I need to food shop today, Asda is only 15 mins walk away, I usually enjoy this walk as it is down a country lane, well feels like a country lane, no vehicles for most of the way. But today I really didn't want to walk, my excuse, it was very windy. True it was windy, but lovely and sunny too. Still I caught the bus there and back.

Shopping only once a week and having three very hungry cats who must have their soft food my trolley was very full and heavy again.

With the combination of tidying the last corner of my craftroom, shopping and dragging a heavy trolley home, when I sat down and finished eating my lunch I fell asleep for nearly 2 hours.

Today I am so grateful that I don't have much to worry about. I have my health, even if I don't have the strength. And when I don't feel like cooking there is a nice takeaway just 5 mins from home.

As seen - eating the computer

I've had another day of tidying my craftroom. Why is it that it always looks worse part way through. I was hoping to have a picture today of my nice tidy clean clear craftroom. But although I have nearly finished I still have to find where to put stuff that I want to keep but haven't yet put away.
So instead my photo for today is Mittens.

She makes me laugh. She jumps onto my little table behind my laptop then proceeds to test what it tastes like.

today I am grateful to have nearly finished the first part of my big tidy up.

As seen - at my laptop

I have been torn two ways today. The need to continue with my clearing of all my stash/rubbish and untidy craft room, and the weekly challenge on UKScrappers. So, although I have cleared and cleaned my second desk in fits and starts the rest of the time has been taken up with me sitting at my laptop putting together the layout for this week.
Here is my 'As seen' photo

The layout for the weekly took some doing to get it looking right because the colour scheme had to be black/red I wanted to use the photos of my kittens in the snow but struggled to get it to work. Still here tis

What is so nice is the team who have set the challenge this week have committed to donate 50p to the National Autistic Society, for every layout entered.

Today I am grateful for at least getting my second desk done

As Seen - flat on my stomach

Oops I nearly forgot to take a photo today. I was going to take the outside of the church but we had such a powerful meeting this morning I forgot all about taking pictures. And as I didn't go out or even do much this afternoon, I was stuck for something to depict the day.
As it got darker I pulled the curtains and was about to tuck them behind the radiator as usual when I realised they were cold. Help how did this happen and how do I do anything about it. I phoned Neil and told him I said I thought that the pilot light was right under the fire but didn't have a clue how to get to it. He said he would come over, while waiting for him I cleared the bits off the top of the shelf and removed all my cats from around the fire. then not finding any screws I tried to lift the surround away, in doing so I dislodged the bottom and peering underneath I found the ignition button and the instruction on how to light it. Success I did it but boy was it awkward. Good job I am still agile and can get down, right down, on the floor.

Today I am grateful for a powerful service this morning
for being still agile
and for discovering another 'how to'

As seen - venue for crop

A bitter cold but bright day -8 this morning first thing but I knew that the venue for our crop would be very warm. Unusual for a church but this one is very modern. Really pleased that I got a paper layout done, can't share it yet cos it is for a challenge next month.

Just had a lazy afternoon with the cats for company

As seen - Ice pendant

I woke to a white world today. We had fine snow all night I think but only about 1-2". It was still snowing mid way through the morning, Then the sun came out and it all began to melt. I just had to get out there and take some photos, this one really caught my eye and was a must for my photo for today.

I'm still trying to get my craftroom into a usable state and find all the things I had forgotten I had, but it is going to be a long long job, and what's more it always looks worse before it gets better. I have found some odds and end that I hadn't even known I had. Tucked away in one of the cubbyholes (which have been obscured by all the odds and ends piled up in front of them) I found this and thought it was well worth sharing it.

people are unreasonable, illogical, self centred - but love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. - Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. - Succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable - Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. - Do good anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds. - Think big anyway.
People favour underdogs, but follow top dogs. - fight for some underdogs anyway.
Sharing your testimony with others you may discover that 99% don't want to know. - Share it anyway, for the sake of the remaining 1%
When we do this we are not involved in 'flash' work, we are providing good steady light in a darkened world

Today I am grateful for being able to clear some more of my space. For two kittens who had fun in the snow and gave me enjoyment watching them.

As Seen - stocking up

It's Thursday and that means an early start, I slept so badly I didn't think I would last out the morning let alone go shopping straight from the sale at the church, but as they forecast snow for us tonight and tomorrow I thought it might be a good idea to do the weekly shop today.

Although it was cold and quiet we still took a goodly sum so it was well worth the extra layers to keep warm and still have the tables outside.

As Seen - a tidy desk

I was going to go shopping I might have even popped into town, but when I put my nose outside it nearly froze on my face, well that is a bit of an exaggeration but boy it is very very cold today. So instead I have been trying to tackle the mess in my craftroom. I didn't want to just do a surface job, that is my usual way, no I wanted a deep down clearance and that is going to take a long while. Still I have managed to do one desk. Cleared out all the shelves, got rid of old old old stuff that has been there since Noah was a lad.

and before I started

why oh why did I still have old zip discs that can not be played on any computer that I possess? cases may come in handy though. Why did I still have 5 SM cards that fitted the first digital camera I had umperty ump years ago? Why did I still have an old computer drive from way back, goodness knows but I don't have them any longer. As you can see though I still haven't managed to tackle the other desk and I have had enough for today. After that desk I will have to sort out papers/cardstock/embellishments/ etc etc etc. that is going to be the biggest job and I can see it taking several weeks.

Today I am grateful that I didn't have to go out.
that I have made a start on something that has been bugging me for a long while.

God never would send you the darkness
If He felt you could bear the light
But you would not cling to His guiding hand
If the way were always bright;
And you would not care to walk by faith
Could you always walk by sight
                       anon
 
 

As Seen - sherbet

When I was a young child my mother used to make my brother and I sherbet. I've never forgotten the ingredients 12 tsp of Icing Sugar 1 tsp Citric Acid 1tsp Bicarbonate of soda this has to be mixed together well, put it onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and roll it with a rolling pin. Mum used to make greaseproof paper cones and we used our finger to eat it.
I don't know what trigger this thought but I just had to make some but decided to find something to use as a dabber. A marshmallow that had gone a bit dry on a skewer perfect. I only made about quarter of the mixture as I really didn't think I could manage the whole amount myself
So my picture for today is ....
Sherbet dib dab

I haven't even been out today, I decided I really, really, really must do something about the state of my craft room.

It's going to be a long job as I have made very little headway with it. I could have just cleared the desks but that wouldn't have sorted out my stash and that is the main object of the game. So no more photos until I have done a lot more work.

Today I am grateful to have made a start of the mammoth job.

As seen - a scrapping day

I've had a lazy day, I haven't felt like doing anything much but I have managed to do three layouts from my Work in Progress file.

This one is for the weekly challenge on UKScrappers
criteria for the challenge
a photo of a woman/women in your page
use sewing somewhere
celebrate an achievement


This one for the monthly challenge on UKScrappers which is a colour combination challenge. This is the colour combo we have to copy

here is my take on the challenge, I really struggled getting all these colour to work together properly


This one was so very nearly finished I'm not sure why I didn't do it when I first started.

As seen - Venue

Once a month a group of us girls go out for a Sunday lunch. We are called TLC (The Ladies Club) we are all widows but who wants to be called the widows club?
Today's venue was the Devere.

We have been coming here for quite some years but recently they changed hands and are now run by an Italian firm. They have altered it a lot and it isn't as nice. But they have began to realise that it was far more popular when it was a Sunday carvery and have brought that back in. It is gradually getting better but they still have a way to go. Hopefully it will continue to improve. In the meantime we vary where we go but I still love coming here.

Story telling Sunday - the first time I flew

Do you remember the first time you flew

I do,

I’m 60 and this is my very first time

It’s sublime

Onto the runway and gathering pace

As we race

The nose rises up and we’re off the ground

Thrilling I found

What was it like that very first time,
The excitement as the hour approached
And we felt the power of the engines roar,
Slowly at first then, gathering speed
We fled along the runway.

Up, up and the houses and fields grew smaller
As we climbed higher
Until above the clouds, the sky azure blue and bright,
The earth look like a patchwork picture
With the buildings, glass beads glistening in the sun.

We knew we were flying fast
Time alone told us that
But everything below move so slowly,
A snails pace,
Time was standing still

The clouds thickened,
But so white and fluffy,
Like snow on a sea of blue,
With now and then a glimpse of the land below.
A brilliant, new, beautiful world.

Now it was time to descend
And, as we came under the clouds
They were dark and dreary above us
So strange, two world, two views of the same thing,
One was bright and wonderful, the other dull.

God sees us from above,
What we will be when perfected.
We see the underside
With only a brief glimpse now and then
Of the brightness of our destiny

this story is part of Story telling Sunday over at Sian place if you want to read more. or even take part pop over there.

As seen - in a neighbour's garden

It has snowed, well a sprinkling of snow, and I spied this strange occurrence, why has the snow settled more on the lighter star than on the darker pavements in between?

It really is a stop at home day today, but I needed to get some flowers for church, my turn to do them. As I was thinking this morning about what to get, into my mind came a bowl of tulips, no not possible this time of the year so perhaps daffs will do instead. I could find no daffs in a bowl or pot that were sufficiently open to make a display, but going into Marks (only went in because they were advertising flowers for Valentines day) I found pink pots with beautiful deep pink Tulips that had pink bulbs showing.

The Lord never give you an idea that can't be fulfilled Thank you Father for your amazing Love