Playing catch up.... again

Well I haven't been in here for over a week though I have been scrapping a lot.
Yesterday I went into town with my daughter in law, Gemma she wanted to get Rufus weighed and afterwards we went for a lunch, walked down the hill and through Queens park back into town. Rufus now weighs 19lb 9oz so he is doing very well.

I haven't many photos of Benjamin so am probably scrapping the same ones over again but I did want to make a 12x12 album of him.



The monthly challenge on UKScrappers this month is
Imagine you were given a whole extra day to do exactly what you wanted with no worries about family, household chores, money or work. How would you spend your day? Would you revisit an old holiday destination, go back to a special moment in time, or to a place that holds special memories ... or would you do something totally new to you.
most of the ones that have been done have gone back in time to a holiday that was special and I am no exception although I have also incorporated a holiday I hope will come at the end of this year to celebrate my 70th birthday.

I have kept this one large as the journalling is the most important part (if you click on it you will be able to see it all)

Last Saturday I had not been in long from my crop morning at Abbey Meads Scrappers, when Gemma called in, she said they were about to go out for a late lunch early dinner at the Cold Harbour in Blunsdon and would I like to come, would I just, it is so nice to have an unexpected invite like that so quickly switching off the computer and grabbing my bag, camera and coat I was ready.
I took quite a lot of photos of Rufus while we were waiting to be served and here is the resulting layout, done for this week's challenge on UKScrappers the main criteria of the challenge was to have the title as a question, and once again I have the perfect photos taken just recently. I am amazed at how often that happens


over the last few days I have been fiddling with a scraplift, a challenge in Scrapbook Magazine this month, I did manage to do it digitally but it looked too crowded so I pulled it apart and just used some of the elements to create this page

Scrapping scrapping and more scrapping

Scrapping (that is not fighting I might add)is the art of making memories out of our photos and using design and artistic abilities to make the pages stand out and attract attention to the events recorded.
Well that is the intention, whether that is what happens when I put a page together only others can really say. I enjoy doing them, usually feel deflated when a page is finished, so to get my fix of satisfaction I have to start another page almost immediately and feel very let down if I don't have any mojo (that's inspiration by the way).
so here are the pages I have been working on for the last few days

UKScrappers challenge for this week was to scrap with Green, pink and white. use either blossom or apples (the team setting the challenge are called Scrap Apples) because Monday was May Day the day when Maypole dancing on the village green takes place we were to use intertwining ribbons and we were to follow a given sketch.
Here is my digital version of the challenge using photos taken last month that I really wanted to scrap.


I loved the sketch so when I was looking through some of my unfinished pages (of which I seemed to have quite a few) I found one started 2 years ago. It needed updating quite a bit as I have learnt a lot of new techniques in that time and was the perfect page to use the sketch again.


Another updated layout that I started 3 years ago


And finally a page finished today that I started at the beginning of the week, this time one using real paper and buttons and bits and bobs


today I am thankful for the rain staying away
for the company of my two cats
and for a lovely mixed grill meal tonight

52 in 10 playing catch up

I have done it, I have caught up, I was getting so far behind because I just didn't know how to do the home improvements one. You see I haven't done anything to this property since I moved in, oh, except have a conservatory built but that was planned before I moved.
In the end I went for photos of the before and after, the before as I saw the bungalow for the first time and agree with Neil that it was ideal for me. The after just before I moved in and before I could make it untidy. lol


My Dream cottage, what fun this was to do seeking out photos through google and of course writing the poem,


Prompt 17 was work but I am retired how do I do this, somehow it all came together with a photo I knew I had from when I was working, my boss was trying out a polaroid camera and snapped me as I came in to ask him something

Freebie

I have just uploaded a freebie kit, if anyone is interested Spring

Today I am thankful for God's creation in nature
for photo manipulation programme and the ability to use it.

10 days to catch up on

Oh dear oh dear I haven't blogged for so long, not sure where to start.
I have been scrapping a lot because we had a Cyber Crop on UKScrappers over the last weekend so perhaps I will start by putting some of my pages up. Well the ones I am pleased with anyway. lol

My grandsons are always a good start and I really enjoy scrapping them. First off Rufus as I am able to get millions (a little exaggeration) of photos of him



Next one is Benjamin at 1 month old, Helen has only sent me these three of him so am champing at the bit for more.



and not to leave my No.1 grandson out here is the latest photo of him.



As I have said I have a great number of photos of Rufus here is just a few of the latest layouts



and here is the last layout I have done this time another digital one

Crazy Cat Lady

I collect cats........
Now there's an opening line, mind you I have only got two real live cats, but there isn't a room in my bungalow that doesn't have a cat of some kind in it. Oh I forgot the loft is probably bereft of cats will have to rectify that now won't I?
All my cats have names, if I can remember them, lol, and only yesterday my dear daughter in law gave me another one for my collection, a cat teapot and cup set; she had seen it I think in a car boot sale and knew how much I would appreciate it.
Now to think of an appropriate name.... mmmmm ...... perhaps TEAFAL yes perfect.

The criteria for this week's challenge on UKScrappers was to scrap something British well what could be more British than a nice cup of Yorkshire tea, so without further to do I took a photo of my lovely gift and produced this layout



I have decided to do this layout as a hybrid to fit into my little treasures album. So I printed off the patterned paper along with the journalling and the 'franking stamps', onto thin card and the photos onto photo paper, the fluted circles I managed to cut from some cardstock (I have a little fluted punch) and together with some cat embellishments I produced this



I am thankful that the weather is really spring like now.
that I have had a good afternoon with my grandson
that I can now relax and scrap the evening away.

Scrapping Sunday

Today I have sat and scrapped away to my hearts content. It has been a weekend of Cyber Cropping over at Shimelle's and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. So without further to do here are the rest of the layouts I have digitally produced.

Happiness is..... was the criteria for this one



My neighbourhood



Using my own handwriting on a digital page. This was fun to learn how to do thanks to a great tutorial from Shimelle



Today I am thankful for learning new skills
and a lovely lamb steak I had for dinner today

A Grand day out

I have had a grand day today. I decided that the weather was just too nice to stay in so I took myself to Queens park in the middle of town. So easy to get to and with camera in hand I enjoyed myself no end. I even managed to get a decent photo of myself by putting the camera on a rock and sitting down on a lower rock which was just in front of the little lake with a willow tree for a backdrop.
I took lots of close up photos of the plants arrayed in their spring clothes, the Canada geese and the fountain playing in the middle of the lake.

I have also been doing some scrapping challenges Shimelle has a cyber crop this weekend and have managed three of the layouts all digi of course.





Today I am thankful for sunshine
a camera I love to use
and managing to get a decent photo of myself

Well I haven't updated my blog for quite a few days, so thought it was time I came in here.

SUNDAY:
Lazy day, didn't even go to church but I just had a day to play. I started another paper and glue 12x12 layout but was really struggling with it, so left it, until I got more inspiration.
Couldn't watch any TV as I was still waiting for the Freesat to be fitted.

MONDAY
This morning I had hardly got out of bed before my two cats had made themselves at home on it luckily I had pulled the duvet over but not straightened it at all, still it was worth a photo or two as it is seldom that they are both asleep in the same place. This week's challenge on UKScrappers criteria was 'white space' colour combination that included white red and black among other choices, use the word time somehow and use circles. Immediately I thought of the photos I had just taken and the title of Time sharing came to mind. How quickly this layout came together was amazing



My daughter in law phoned and asked if I could help with Rufus as she had pulled a muscle in her shoulder, we met up at ASDA and had a coffee in Starbucks before tackling the shopping. Then of course we had to have a look at the children's clothing section and I ended up buying an outfit for all three grandsons.
Later at Neil and Gemma's new house I looked after Rufus while Gemma put a few more things in some sense of order. The trouble with moving is getting straight again afterwards and no sooner had she cleared the under stairs area than Neil came home with more stuff from the old place and filled the space up again.

TUESDAY
Finished the layout I had been fiddling with since Sunday and although not brilliant I am quite pleased with it.



Phone call from the engineer who was to fit my freesat saying he would be with me between 12 and 2 how nice to have such a short waiting span which meant I could go out in the morning and enjoy the sunshine.
A lovely walk down the back lane, taking photos of fresh growth in the hedgerow, ending up at Starbucks again (addicted or not?).
Home to a cry for help from my neighbour, she wanted to put together an scrapbook album of some of the photos of her Dad who had just died and the funeral was the following day (today). I managed to do 9 quick layouts that will need journalling etc at a later date but she was pleased with them. Don't think I have ever done layouts so quickly.

WEDNESDAY
I needed to go into town for some bits like double sided tape and glue dots etc because we have a Cyber Crop coming up and I don't want to run out. Of course I spent more money but only on essentials like scissors, really sharp 7" ones and printer ink because I must be getting near the end of this cartridge.
Got home to find a card through the door the postie had tried to deliver a parcel, my Mystery Kit, and couldn't I would have to collect it, so annoying as the sorting office closes at 2.00 pm, about half hour later my neighbour knocked on the back door the parcel was given to her instead of being taken back so that will save me a trip. Tis a lovely kit so now need to put on my thinking cap and come up with an idea.

Today I am thankful for No rain although it has threatened
lovely neighbours
super duper kit

Out all day

Yes I have been out all day, didn't expect to be thought it would only be this morning at the crop, but my son phoned me up while I was there and asked me if I would like to go over and help them, as they are in the throws of moving house.
He picked me up from the crop and I have spent most of the afternoon playing with my grandson.
I only managed one layout at the crop this morning because I spent so much time fiddling around to see what I wanted to do with it. Never mind it is the first paper and glue one I have done for ages and the first one for my newest grandson's album.



and this one is for the first page I just wanted to do a pure white layout because it seemed perfect for a very new arrival.



Today the weather has been absolutely gorgeous warm and sunny. When I arrived at my Son's Rufus was asleep outside in his recliner high chair so sweet I had to take a photo or two.

Today I am thankful for meeting up with my cropping friends
having time with my family
the lovely weather of course

A real cool dude

We do take some funny photos of our children sometimes. This one I think most parents have in their collection somewhere, so when Rufus's photo appeared on facebook wearing his mum's sunglasses I couldn't resist the temptation of doing a layout of it. Poor kid his expression seems to say Mum do I really have to wear these silly things.



Today I am so thankful for the warm sunshine
for a good mooch around town
and of course a little stash buying (just ribbon and bling)

52 in 10 -Treasures in my home

What a lot of little thing I have in my home that bring back pleasant memories or are very pleasing to look at or touch.
I have been making an album of the things that are 'My little Treasures' nothing of much monetary value but oh what a wealth of memories, delights and sentiments they all hold. This one I have also done for this week's 52in10 challenge.

The journalling says it all
The treasures around my house are many, nothing of value but precious to me.
John and I found these strange wood carvings in a little curiosity shop in Falmouth. We both fell in love with them and decided that they would be our souvenir of this holiday. A holiday that was really a convalescent one for John after his second hip operation



I have also done done it as a paper and elements layout 6x6 for my little treasure album. It is a hybrid version as I printed out some of the bits because I wanted to keep it very similar to my digital one.


Today I am thankful that the parcel I was expecting came in good time
I was able to attend the funeral of the father of people who come to the sale on a Thursday.
The weather showing signs of spring at last.

Scrapping is fun House work is not

I should be doing the housework but somehow when I reached my craft room the cleaner stopped working and I ended up on the computer. Tut tut, still never mind as someone just pointed out to me the housework will still be there tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

I have so many lovely photo of my grandsons and of course my new grandson will need to have his fair share of layouts so here is his 'Brand New' one



Today I am thankful for warmer weather
Time to sit and rest
Three lovely Grandsons and all the photos I have of them

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