Lazy Monday

What are bank holidays for except to do your own thing. Today I am being very lazy, still in my PJs and scrapping away.

Before I could really start scrapping I had to find a mouse. One of my cats, Sammy, brought it in last evening I managed to make her drop it but although I did grab the poor little thing it jumped out of my hand and scarpered. I really didn't know last night where it was and half expected to wake this morning to entrails. But I didn't and Sammy was very anxious to get into my bedroom so I assumed it was in there. Didn't much fancy having a dead mouse rotting away in the place so what to do? in the end I let Sammy show me where it was, under my chest of drawers apparently, so carefully moving some bits it ran out and Sammy pounced. Again I got it away from her and managed to release it this time into the garden where of course I took a couple of photos of it

I have done the weekly challenge on UKScrappers another layout of one of my grandsons, this time Rufus as he was 7 months old yesterday. Where have these past 7 months gone doesn't seem any time since he was born, yet he has grown so much and is a lovely lad, rather like his father at the same age, but very unique in a lot of ways. His best aptitude is his ready smile. Because I was away nearly three weeks I thought it would take him a while to remember me and smile but it took no time at all.

the Criteria for the challenge was to use the sketch provided, use things beginning with the letter 'B' do some distressing as a technique and Journalling



I enjoyed the challenge so much I have done another one





Today I am thankful for a lazy bank holiday
for catching and releasing the mouse alive and kicking, hopefully to enjoy a full life
having such a wealth of photos of my Grandsons

52 in 10 My Home

I have caught up on 52 in 10, just in time ready for tomorrow's prompt

Digital Mini Book

Mini book? me? I can't do mini books, never know how to decorate them, too small, too fiddly.
But wait I have found a way. I can do lots of little pages digitally then cut them out and make into a mini book woo hoo so, following a class on making a mini book out of little pay packet envelopes here is my Nana Brag book of my newest Grandson.







and here is how it makes up into a mini book




Today I am thankful for a brilliant Good Friday Service
The Lord who loves me in spite of all my faults
being able to digi scrap

52 in 10 prompt 12 Who would you most like to meet

I did warn Dolly that she may feature in my layout for this prompt. I have followed her blog for sometime and much admire her way of writing. I also enjoy seeing her layouts so who better to meet than Karen and of course Nigel and the fur babies.



Today I am thankful for a love of scrapbooking
sitting at my computer in a comfortable chair (unlike my daughters chair)
with a cat on my lap

52 in 10 prompt 11 Faults, flaws and Foibles

I am catching up now and am pleased with this page. I made it messy and untidy on purpose to go along with my general untidiness which this layout shows lol



as the words of the poem are a little difficult to read I am putting them here too

Faults, flaws and foibles

Of these I have a few

But as I live alone these things

Will never worry you

I am very untidy

My home is never straight

But one thing I can’t abide

Is arriving late

The flaw in my make up

Is I’m a pessimist

I have to work so very hard

To see the positive

On the whole I manage

To make my life worthwhile

So my faults, flaws and foibles

I hope will bring a smile

52 in 10 prompt 10 A True Friend

Now that I am back home and can concentrate a bit better I am going to try and catch up on this project.

I am so enjoying this challenge but don't like being behind so hopefully I will get another one done today

New Freebie

It is ages since I last put a freebie in my blog but here is one I have just completed
Midnight Sun

hope you like it

Three week's to catch up on

I have been up to Skipton to my Daughter's for the birth of her second child, another boy who they have called Benjamin or Ben for short. As you can imagine I have lots of photos to scrap with and did do some while up there, so be prepared for a picture show.



Had to make sure that I did one at least of my eldest grandson Daniel





another one of Daniel



Benjamin with his Paternal Grandfather. What a shame John is no longer alive he would have loved to have held his grandchildren



I have been singing 'Hush little baby don't say a word' to Ben to quieten him down when Helen has been occupied with Daniel so that is the reason for the title, though I do think he is the cutest baby, but I am biased









Didn't realise I had done so many but I enjoyed making a start on Grandson No. 3's album.

Now I wonder what I am thankful for today lol A new grandchild and Grandson No.1 of course.
a safe journey home
the doctor telling me that I don't have DVT but either an infected cyst or phlebitis which can be cleared up with antibiotics. but I have torn an Achilles tendon which I must rest as much as possible so that it doesn't get any worse and I don't have to have an op.

52 in 10

Well I think I am making up for not blogging for over a week and doing two today. I just wanted to keep 52 in 10 separate from the rest.
Prompt 9 was about friendship and although I found this one hard to do I wanted to get it down on paper and out of my system and it has helped.


today I am thankful for a warm place to live
two cats who love me even if it is cupboard love
and my computer that keeps me in touch with folk

Lots of layouts and some fun with friends

Well I haven't blogged for over a week. Not sure why I didn't come on here earlier in the week but the week has now gone.

Last Friday saw my team and I at a scrapbooking retreat, just us in this lovely cottage near Malvern. Hidelow House Tithe Barn

lovely setting and a lovely hot tub too. It was a little cramped so if we decide to go there again we will ask for the bigger place at least we will have more time to save.

I successfully did two paper and glue layouts while there
This one is from the Mystery Kit made up by Weety, thanks Weety it was a lovely kit the only thing I added was one button and a couple of the smaller flowers and the alpha for the title


this one was a challenge not to have any card stock showing and use a sketch


since I have come home I have not felt too good, just so tired and worn out. but I have to be fit for next week, going up to my daughter's for the birth of her second child.

I have managed to digi scrap though of course. It doesn't take too much effort to sit at the computer and produce a page I am pleased with.

this one for a ready steady scrap challenge which was to use brads, chipboard & acetate, all easily reproduced in digital time. I had to use blue somewhere and also to dry emboss, now that is not so easy but I managed it.

these next two were scraplifted from the new Spring issue of Scrapbook Trends

All ready for the off

I am off on a scrapbook retreat weekend with my team on UKScrappers. I have to travel by train as I don't drive and no one comes from my area but I don't have too bad a journey, and as I love to digi scrap I thought I wouldn't take too much paper and embellishments etc. well that is what I thought, but .... my case is full and that is all stash except the few essentials like clean undies and PJs. So I guess I will be doing scrapping with paper and glue as well as digi.

The only thing left to pack is my laptop but that has to be a last minute thing as I am still using it.
This evening I felt I just had to do some scrapping on it as I hadn't done any for 24 hours!! too long lol



Today I am thankful that the sale went well
that we were given a large donation for it which should bring Jeremiah out of debt
and that I am off tomorrow for a fun weekend

52 in 10

We are at week 8 already doesn't seem all that long since we started this.
This week we are encouraged to do a page or journal about someone how has inspired us and for me it was my Dad.
so without further ado her is my page on my Hero my Dad


the journalling reads
The person who had the biggest influence on my life was my father, yet for the first 5 years of my life I hardly saw him. I was born during the second world war and dad was in the army. I loved him from the moment I first really met him and my earliest memory is of him doing conjuring tricks.
He always had time for me and infinite patience, and would spend hours explaining thing to me until I understood. He helped me with my maths homework making it interesting, not boring as it seemed at school.
We were very alike and enjoyed the same hobbies.
My children also adored their grandpop and loved visiting him. He knew how to be with children and how to talk to them

So today I am so very thankful that I had such a loving and kind father
and that I married a man who was equally kind and loving
and hopefully have instilled that in our children to pass on to theirs

Wednesday already ?

Goodness me it's Wednesday already and I haven't blogged since Sunday. I have been scrapping though even if it is to the detriment of the house work.

Monday I did try and do some work around the bungalow, but kept being drawn back to the computer I wonder why? lol. Monday evening was our crop at Abbey Meads, and wow I managed to do a layout using paper and glue, in fact I didn't even take my laptop to the crop that in itself is a minor miracle. I wanted to do a page for Rufus about his beautiful blue eyes.

He had been crying so his eyes are shining even more than usual but they are so beautiful and so very blue.

Tuesday I had Rufus a good part of the day, and he was well behaved for me, think he must be on a growth spurt as he wanted feeding quite a lot.

I also finished the weekly challenge on UK Scrappers, the criteria being use a sketch use bright bold papers, stitching and ribbon or fabric. No problem there using fabric digitally but bold bright papers is really not my thing. Still I am quite pleased with the result even if it took a while to get it right.
this is the sketch

and my layout from it.


Yesterday and Monday I was thankful for Scrapping with friends
and managing to do a paper and glue layout
Rufus being good for me.

Lovely Sunday

Well I have had a nice day, started out with taking Rufus to church, he was as good as gold for me. I am sure he is getting much better lately too, he is certainly sleeping better at night which is great for his parents.
Then this afternoon we all went to Ikea and had a lovely long mooch around the store, I haven't been there for a long long while, I bought two 4 draw cabinets with a 13"x13" inside measurements. As I was measuring them a lady came up behind me and said is it 12"? I knew immediately she was a scrapbooker and we started to talk. Isn't it great how our craft can unit complete stranger like that.
Unfortunately I can't take a photo of the cabinets yet as they are still in my son's car, do hope I don't have to nag him to bring them over.

So today I am so thankful for today's events
for a lovely grandson who was such a joy to have
and for getting the cabinets that I so need in my craftroom.

My New Clothes

Well I couldn't resist and went back for the top I had tried on the other day. I know that it is a little bit big but with a black roll neck jumper underneath it will look great. That makes three new tops bought recently and as I have the habit of photographing myself in the fitting rooms of stores I thought I would do a layout of these new tops.
I love the current fashion for long tops over leggings, not sure that I am the right age for the leggings but I do have a long slim black skirt and the tops go brilliantly over that.
Unusually for me I have only created the background paper and the scalloped mat in this layout all the rest are freebies from Scrapbook Flair all I have done is change the colours to go with the theme, which is another colour combo from Color Combo Galore.
The ribbon at the bottom of the scallop is the colour scheme.


Today I am thankful that I got the top I really liked
that I was served by a very helpful young man in O2.
that I now have a purple phone which incidentally takes reasonably good photos

Scrapping versus housework,-- no contest

I should have been doing housework, my bungalow does need it, there are bits and pieces everywhere. Oh dear, sigh, I did try to do some honest I did, but inspiration struck and mojo was in full swing, and the creative juices just wouldn't let up so had to come back to the computer and go with the flow.
After all housework will still be there tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and every other morrow ad infinitum
The first page I did I have been playing with the evening before so was partly done. This one I have used lots of new designs that you will be seeing in a freebie soon. It was done for the colour combination challenge here which is to use the four colours fern green, mountain dew, grass green and royal purple

the title is Parchment font but I have added to it the swirl underneath, this is part of the fancy bit around the U 

This second one is a scraplift from Anna Aspnes on Designer Digital but I have used all my own things
each square is a photo that I have manipulated in different ways.

the font seemed to fit this perfectly and is called Anything you want

Today I am thankful for inspiration from very talented people
that no one is going to complain that the bungalow hasn't been tidied
and for Serif Page Plus that allows me to scrap all I want digitally.

Traditions

Hi folk I am still enjoying Dolly's 52 in 10 and decided to do a double page for this week's prompt which is Traditions
I started by doing a tradition my husband and I started when we move to Swindon and discovered the Cottage of Content in Cirencester. We would celebrate my birthday there and as it fall so near to Christmas we had to book well in advance. Each year after we had finished our meal John would book the place for the following year.
I did enjoy doing that page but realised I have been harping back, so much recently, to what I had while John was still alive and I wanted to do something that was a current tradition hence page 2.




Today I rectified my two forgetteries and collected my camera from my Son's and the book from Costa
so I am thankful that neither item was lost
I have also discovered a great site for getting free digi kits all because they have put two of my freebies on the site.

My Forgetter

My Forgetter is definitely getting better. Yesterday I took Rufus out for the day, no thankfully, I didn't leave him behind anywhere, but I did leave my library book, that I had waited months for, behind in Costa coffee shop. When I got back to my Son's place I phone them and yes it was there so I will go back today to pick it up.
Then I was coming back to my bungalow having had a lovely meal and evening with my family and realised that, although I had my camera case it was empty, I had left my camera on their settee so will have to pick that up today sometime too.
I don't know who penned this poem, it sound rather  like a Pam Ayres one, but it's definitely describing me.

My forgetter's getting better,

But my rememberer is broke

To you that may seem funny

But, to me, that is no joke

For when I'm "here" I'm wondering

If I really should be "there"

And, when I try to think it through,

I haven't got a prayer!

Often times I walk into a room,

Say "what am I here for?"

I wrack my brain, but all in vain!

A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away

Where it is safe, but, Gee!

The person it is safest from

Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,

Say "Hi" and have a chat,

Then, when the person walks away

I ask myself, "who was that?"

Yes, my forgetter's getting better

While my rememberer is broke,

And it's driving me plumb crazy

And that isn't any joke.

I am thankful that although I left bits behind I know where they are.
I had a great day with Rufus and he was very good for me
I know that my camera has a lot of new photos of my little grandson on

Today being Monday

Today being Monday, I should really be doing some housework, but instead I am doing the weekly challenge on UKScrappers, will I ever be able to leave it a day or two so that I have something in the middle of the week? I've come to the conclusion I am addicted to challenges and must complete them as soon as they appear. Well at least if the idea catches my imagination and I have the appropriate photos.

This week's criteria is:-

Include 10 of something (can be in the title or embellishments or photos - use your imagination!)

Scrap about change

Use a fancy edge

Use red somewhere

Well a baby from birth to 5 months changes so much therefore my little grandson is the perfect subject for today's challenge
I grabbed all the bits to fit the criteria very quickly and then the fun began. It takes me ages, even with digital, to get the layout looking anything like I want and am pleased with, but it has come together rather well in the end.
Making my own elements always is the best part of any of my digital pages as I love starting from scratch with a blank canvas.


Today I am thankful for the gift of creativity
for the fact that I have so many photos of my grandson
and that I made myself a lovely rice pudding for dessert today.

All day crop and lovely meal

Praise the Lord I am back on internet and everything seems to be running OK

Saturday
I was at an all day crop, we had two classes and I have done two paper and glue layouts, something I haven't done for about two months.
I still have to put a title on one but am quite pleased with it. The other one I think is a bit too busy for me but others have said it is good.

this is the one that needs a title and I thought '2 become 3' might fit the bill


I just think that the photos get a bit lost in this one which is a shame as I love these and are typical of my daughter and her family.

and of course I took my laptop with me to the crop and produced another digital layout


Sunday
A great church service followed by a meal out with the Ladies Club (a group of friends who are all widows) then the afternoon with one of those friends, catching up on all our news. Perfect way to spend valentines day when you have lost your valentine.

So for the weekend I was thankful for:-
the company of good friends
the breaking of the deadlock on doing paper and glue layouts
and that I was back on the internet.

No internet

Oh dear oh dear
I tried to log into the internet this morning and nothing. I phoned my provider and they couldn't help, they would have to send out an engineer, and guess what no engineer available till Monday afternoon. so I am at a loss for a whole weekend. I have managed to get a computer at the library for a while. So am now able to at least update my blog and show the layout I did yesterday. Good thing I have already put it on Flickr


I am going on a retreat with my scrapping friends and went to book my ticket, I am going to have to hang around at a small station for and hour and a half.

today is not my day. Still I have my health and strength so life is not all bad.

What am I thankful for? The Library computers
that I can remember all my passwords
that I have an all day crop tomorrow so won't be deprived of scrapbook company.

Valentine Freebie

It is Thursday and time for another freebie digi kit
this one specially done in time for Valentines day.

if you like what you see and want to download it click here. I would very much appreciate a comment from you if you do download. Thank you

Snippets of this and that

Overheard on the bus today

"Are you going to have your knee replaced?"
 "Yes but I need to have the castle tunnel in both hands done first."
 The mind boggles.

I came out of the shop to a snow storm quite unexpected although it was very cold, but within 5 minutes the sky was a brilliant blue again.





today I am thankful for a good mooch around the shops
finding a long top to wear over black trousers
finding Scrapbook Magazine in Smith's a day early
and a long sit in costa's reading the mag

Worn out

I have had my five month old grandson today and I feel worn out. Help am I going to be able to cope as he gets more active. I think partly the trouble is that he won't sleep unless being pushed in his pram or in his own cot, so I am walking around with him all the time.
He is a lovely little chap but hard work.

I am thankful that I can have him for a few hours

then thankful to give him back at the end of the afternoon

Thankful that I can snuggle up with a blanket in my recliner chair and have a little snooze

Also thankful that there is a Chinese/fish and chip shop just 5 mins from my home.

From whence I came and The nose has it

a year long challenge set by Dolly 
I am so enjoying this challenge, I know that we are only six weeks into it but so far every week the challenge has been great and indeed challenging.
This week we are looking back at our family tree and seeing where our habits, looks and traits come from.
So without further ado here are my two pages.

as the journalling is a little difficult to read because of the slant here it is.
Family is that strange body that makes us who we are that shapes our minds and gives us identity.
Our traits and habits are often found to have been passed down to us through more than one generation