As seen - shadow

A lazy morning finishing off a page I started yesterday. I didn't even get dressed until lunch time, when I thought it would be better to go to ASDA properly dressed, I might have got some funny looks if I went in my pjs

I picked some foliage for the harvest window which I am doing tomorrow and as I rounded the corner the sun caught them and made a beautiful shadow on the white hoarding, my picture for the day




This page is another one for my holiday album, it is filling up very nicely now



I am now all ready for the annual Learn Something New Every day a on line class by Shimelle if you have never done it and would like a challenge through the month of September then why not pop over to her blog and sign up
I made my album for it today and put in 6x6" sleeves and papers so that all I have to do each day is print out a photo and do some journalling with a title hopefully I will be able to accomplish this without too much difficulty.



today I am thankful for the sunshine
for having a lazy day
for getting my book ready

Scavenger hunt

I have struggled to get the last item on my list, I can't find a swing or a hammock hanging from a tree, I was beginning to think I would have to cheat and use this one of me taken 9 years ago.

Then, as I was pondering this dilemma I remembered we could substitute one item for a heart shaped stone, I looked down and there behold I found one, and moments later another sort of one. No time to photograph it in situ, would be late for the sale. so I picked them up and brought them home.


I've still got a few weeks to see if I can get the swing, would be great if I could.

Isn't it great, when you really don't want to cook, to have a takeaway shop on your doorstep. So my photo for today is my meal from the chippie Chicken Chow Mien with prawn crackers Yummy



oh and sneaking in there is a mars bar, well a little of what you fancy does you good doesn't it?

today I am grateful for having a chippie so conveniently near.

What a difference a day makes

Yesterday was wall to wall sunshine today has been almost wall to wall rain, so I haven't been out instead I stayed in my craftroom and scrapped, made mushroom and sweetcorn soup for lunch, tried to watch time team on TV but fell asleep didn't really wake properly till 5 pm. Still a nice easy day before the energetic day which Thursdays always are, is not a bad thing



here is the page I produced today, inspired by one of Shimelle's it's another one for my holiday album



I had a little play with the photos and made them look really old then I used a decal ruler to tear the edges before inking them.

Tuesday Tuesday

The day after the bank holiday and guess what the weather is doing, that's it wall to wall sunshine. Think we ought to change the day for a bank holiday and have it on Tuesday instead. This so often happens

I phoned Gemma (my Daughter in Law) on impulse this morning, and she had a free afternoon so I went over to them. I haven't been since our holiday and I was beginning to wonder if it would be OK. Why do I worry so, I had a lovely afternoon.

Rufus was his usual cheeky self and I got a few photos not brilliant because he never stays still for long but they still show him as he is.

"Garden Nana get camera"

I was taken outside to find spiders they were all climbing over the concrete block wall





"Rue's camera" duly found and now Rufus tries to photograph the spider



Later in the Wendy house, what I don't have a photo of is myself inside this place, Rufus insisted I should go in but it wasn't easy to do so.



Then it was time to have his hair cut, someone came to the house to do it and after some persuasion and Mummy mints (you can usually get him to do something if mints are a reward) he sat still and let the lady cut it.
Again I tried to get some decent photos of the new haircut but I'm afraid these were the best of the bunch.





Later at the park,



and what can't be seen is me sitting on the other one of these at Rufus's insistence.

I stayed for dinner and then Neil dropped me home.

I have more or less finished the layout I have been struggling with for a couple of days but can't photograph it tonight so will have to show that tomorrow.

Today I am grateful to my DIL for dispelling my fears
and for a fun day with a cheeky lad.

As seen - silhouette in the morning

Pulling back the curtain this morning at 6.30 I noticed that the light seemed quite unusual so I grabbed my camera and went out into the garden, I wasn't mistaken and although this photo has exaggerated the colour a bit I am really pleased with the silhouette effect.


My get up and go has got up and gone. My mojo has deserted me too so I am glad I managed to get a good photo first thing this morning because it has been raining most of the day and I haven't budged from my home.
All I have done, and that was on impulse, is clear all the plants barring two from my kitchen window sill. They had got too big and one of them was touching the ceiling, they are now outside under the car port, not sure if they will survive the winter or not but I may try and get some polythene over them for a bit of protection.
I didn't think to take a before photo but I am sure I have one somewhere. Now the only things 'cluttering up' the window sill are my kitchen cats

As Seen - Sari lesson

Today was the Swindon Mela in Town Gardens, I have been once before and it was very colourful and I enjoyed it even though I just looked around and didn't take part in anything. I was in two minds whether to go or not but thought I might regret it if I didn't. Trouble is is rained and rain quite hard so a lot of the colour was bedraggled and the only thing I really enjoyed was watching people trying to put on a Sari. At least I now know how to do it which has often puzzled me.



I have been in pain with my hip today, it has been troubling me for a few days now and walking round the Town Gardens only aggravated it even more, perhaps that had something to do with the disappointment I felt in the Mela.

On a better not the pain has gone and I have a page to share. This is the layout I hinted at yesterday



Tonight I am grateful that my hip is not troubling me so hopefully I will sleep reasonably well.

As Seen - A ring for my son

Sunday will be my son, my baby's 40th birthday, where have those years gone. I wanted to get something really special for him as a keepsake and I know that he likes thumb rings but has trouble keeping them on but this one fits him a treat and he was chuffed to bits with it when I gave it to him today.



He said it was just what he would have chosen for himself I'm so pleased that I found the right thing.
I have been scrapping that photo this evening but it is now too dark to get a decent picture.

Is anyone else getting all excited about the Paralympics. I wasn't really interested in the Olympics, only watched the opening ceremony and finally saw the closing one on Iplayer. But the Paralympics has really fired my enthusiasm I think it is because of the obstacles each competitor has had to overcome before they are able to even think about competitive sport, where as the ordinary sports men & women are just doing something they are good at.

Each one of us can excel in our own field, we don't have to fight to be good at it. We do have to practice, we do have to use our skills, we do have to put time and effort into producing the best that is within us.

Today I want to thank the Lord for directing me to buy the perfect present.

Thursday's As Seen

I'm a little behind, I forgot to take a photo of yesterday's find. I just love being able to pick up some treasures from the sale that we have at the church every Thursday. I don't always find anything I want but this week I did.


Isn't he cute

While on holiday in Florida I bought myself this little purse, it is so much easier to carry around as it weighs practically nothing, but as you can see here I am adding to it all the time. Still it is lighter than any of my other bags even my smallest one.


Today I am glad I can be proud of being British

As seen - Storage

I have succumb to the television adverts well one of them at least the swivel storage. I have so many spice jars I thought it would be so much easier to find the one I wanted each time. But, alas, it is far too tall for my cupboard and I have no room on my kitchen tops to house it, what shall I do with it? Take it back and hope for a refund? No it is perfect for my bottles of stickles, mists, distress stains etc. I may even go and buy another one


Today I am thankful for being able to salvage a situation
and for not giving in to tiredness

Counterfeit Kit challenge 2

The team at Counterfeit Kit challenge have sent out the next challenge which is to do a layout and a card based on the layout. Perfect timing as I need to do a card for my son's 40th birthday on Sunday.
Here is my page inspired by one by Ifa Zainon in September's Scrap 365



and the card for Neil's birthday (it's a good job Neil never looks at my blog :D)



I'll be back later with a photo for today (hopefully)

As Seen - Mothday

I have two Photos for my As Seen, one of them really should have been for Sunday, but I didn't open the present until Monday so it is servicing as both days.
My friend had her family descend on her over a few days last week. Now when I say her family she has 9 children and umpteen grand children so a lot to put up. Her oldest son and his family, 4 young children and 2 young men and of course his wife were over from Mexico. Which meant the rest of the families wanted to see them. The eldest daughter and family of 4 children came down from the tip of Scotland, so I had the teenage daughter to stay at my place. Hence the present of a box of chocolates when they left.



Today I went into town to find a present for my son's 40th birthday which is on Sunday. I had in mind to get him a thumb ring. I had in mind to try Hinds I was successful on both counts.

On the bus going into town I saw and photographed this little fellow


(he was set free from his involuntary imprisonment)

later as I was coming out of a shop I saw this one



I also got myself some new underwear which I did need and avoided buy any autumn clothes, which I don't really need, mainly because I didn't see any I like that suited me.

Today I am grateful for a successful shopping trip

Scavenger Hunt

I still finding or at least tying to find the last few items from my list. I had and idea for the bride and when a white feather boa came into the sale I just knew I had to use it. Today I have dressed my bride, I think I've been watching too many Big Fat Gypsy Weddings though :D


It just leaves the swing or hammock I do have this one which although it isn't hanging from a tree is very similar to the ones that do IYSWIM



I think I may replace the public library that I have shown here for the private one at Bowood house

Bowood

A pictorial summary of our afternoon at Bowood
Play

Gardens

House

Rufus was fascinated by the lion rug and didn't want to leave it when it was time to go.

As Seen - Bowood

I have had a lovely afternoon, Neil phoned and invited me to join him, Gemma and Rufus on a trip to Bowood House & Gardens
Plenty of fun for Rufus in the amazing play area and plenty of photo opportunity for me. Rufus loved the ball pit and wanted me to take photos of him jumping in. I obliged of course

just one of several

My As seen for today just had to be this view of the stag and flowers at the front of the house.



I have loads more photos that I'll probably be putting in a layout, or may be a mini book, soon

Today I am grateful for an impromptu outing for the sunshine and for the fun.

Summer Fruits layout

Yesterday I made up a kit for Susanne's challenge
fiddled and fiddled with it for ages and could get no where. This morning I printed off the photos of the fruit that I bought yesterday and the page came together so easily after that

Watermelon Kit and red fruit

Today Susanne threw down a challenge, to use the colour combo of a watermelon to make a kit and page. Well I've made the kit

but I was struggling to find the right photos to use with it. That was until I went to ASDA and took this photo


having bought a portion of watermelon and some other red fruit I thought this would be perfect for my 'AS SEEN' for today



I now have enough photos to play with and will attempt to do a page tomorrow.

I do have a page to share that I did yesterday.


Rufus really is a natural born comic and these photos, taken on holiday, is a good example of his humour

I started out for ASDA but my phone (shopping list, diary, etc etc) was out of battery so I came back for a while to recharge it so when I did venture to get to ASDA it was gone 6.00 o'clock therefore as the buses would be few and far between to come home I cycled, exercising some muscles though not the ones I really wanted to. I desperately need to loose weight and get rid of the spare tyre I've acquired.

today I am thankful that we have an abundance of fruit and veg available throughout the year.

As Seen - Stark

Today being Thursday that means the sale at the church. When I arrived this morning most of the boxes were not only out but unpacked. Ann's son and grandson had worked so hard, so there wasn't too much for me to do. After the sale we had a bring and share lunch and Tym (Ann's son) told us about his work in Mexico, building homes for the homeless in one of the poorest parts of the country.
The whole family give so much of their time and energy to this work and it makes such a difference to the families that at long last have a proper roof over their heads.
I wish I had taken a photo of the gathering but of course I was too busy listening to what Tym had to say.

My picture for Thursday is of something I am so disappointed with.
We had to have new windows in the church, the old ones for years have been so delicate that we didn't dare to even clean them properly. They were old well over 100 years old, the opening part no longer safe to even try and open, but they were what gave the building character. Now we have brand new windows, some of them have opening top section but they are stark no character at all, to me they look like windows in an institution.

This is one of the old windows

My silver lining today has to be sharing with this lovely family (some of them were my As See on Sunday)

Just an ordinary day

After such a good day yesterday I was hoping that I would sleep well, but that was a vane/vein/vain hope, which has resulted in me feeling tired all afternoon and not scrapping at all.
I did walk down to ASDA this morning (and I mean walk fast not amble) but that unfortunately just added to the tiredness.
Still I popped into Homebase and found my picture for the day.




In spite of feeling tried I am able to rest when I want to and as I had a cooked meal lunchtime I did not have to think about cooking tonight. It is only 8.40 so still have time to make a start on a page too as I don't feel so tired now.

So today I am grateful for rest when I need it.

A good day.

Today has been a good day, it started late and not so good, I'd had a bad night and felt yuk when I got up. I fiddled with a layout for a while but by lunch time I thought I would go into town.
I didn't want much just needed to get out really so I phoned my son when I got there and arranged to meet up for a coffee. He couldn't make it until 2ish so went seeking for the things I was missing in the scavenger hunt. I managed to get the trail, in an empty shop window I found these and they are also on the floor of the Brunel Centre (shopping arcade)


I was hoping for a bride as we have a registry office just off the main shopping centre, but no wedding party today.
Then I had an idea and needed to shop for supplies from my favourite haberdashery shop. You will have to wait for my Bride though.

Neil and I had a long chat and it was so good and encouraging for me to catch up with all that is going on in his life. He is seeking the Lord in all he does and things are going very well for him.

On the bus coming home I found my AS SEEN for today


This evening I have finished the layout I was fiddling with this morning
This is for a challenge on The Studio Blog to try something new
my new thing was to stamp all around two sides of the cs with different stamps and to colour in some of the hexagons with water soluble pencils.


the photos for this are of my Son's boy Rufus, his mum had put them of Facebook, I know that Gemma reads in bed and Rufus has obviously got in to their bed and picked up her book but I don't know where the glasses have come from.

Today I am grateful for the sunshine, for Neil and especially for God's blessing

UKS Weekly challenge & CFK Sketch challenge

I always think it is good when I can combine challenges as I have done here.
As soon as I saw this sketch I knew I wanted to use it.
The weekly challenge on UKScrappers is another must with me, I just love challenges. This week we were challenged to:

• Scrap your wild (or not so) wild side
• Use stars or flourishes/swirls
• Use an affirmation or positive statement 

here is what I came up with, following the sketch very closely this time too.


This afternoon I heard a vehicle noise in the road and it wasn't a car so went to investigate. I just had to come back for my camera because I knew that this would be my 'AS SEEN' for today



We do have some lovely men who are prepared to do dirty jobs with a smile and the two here are no exception



Today I am grateful for challenges (in more ways than one :D)
and the lads in orange