Regrets I have a few

One regret happened today. Let me set the scene

It's Thursday, that means the sale at the church, always a busy time and I'm usually very tired afterwards and all I want to do is go home, have some lunch, and have a snooze in my chair.

OK today has to be different, we still have the sale, it is still busy, but I have to go into town straight afterwards, I need ink for my printer see yesterday's post

I get into town with this one thing to get and once I got it I would have lunch in one of the cafes I was hungry by this time and really wanting something a bit more than just a snack.
As I walked through I discovered that they have a farmers market there every Thursday, some yummy food for sale but I don't want to try any because I want a proper meal. So I hurry by just glancing at the stalls. I do have a proper meal and then catch the bus back home.
When I come to thinking about what I did today I realised far too late I'VE TAKEN NOT A SINGLE PHOTO which is a shame because it would have been perfect for my 'As Seen' especially the colourful cauliflowers on the vegetable stall


Source photo

and here is my page



Today I am thankful that I do not feel tired
That I got my ink and my printer is working fine
That I have managed to get two kits made up with photos ready for Saturday's crop

My lesson for today

I'm on a scrapping crop on Saturday and soon will be going to a weekend retreat two in fact two weeks running so have to get lots of kits and bit up together. The first retreat I have to travel by train so really do need to be well organised as obviously I can't carry too much stash with me.
I've made one kit up complete with a photo and was trying to print off some more photos but all I was getting was red prints. My printer says that the cyan is low, but not that it is out, and of course that is the one cartridge I don't have. Very frustrating.
I will have to nip into town after the sale tomorrow and get one. Just hope that is the reason and that nothing has gone wrong with the printer.

Last year one of my entries for LSN was that I have way too much stash, and yes I still have way to much stash. But without a photo I just can't use any of it

My lesson today just has to be I'm stuck without being able to print my own photos. I know that I could get them done at the shop but they only print 6x4 or 7x5 and as I very seldom use those sizes and if I do I never use the whole of the photo which makes it imperative that I get my printer working properly.

Hopefully normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

today I am grateful for having a printer and a computer to play withuse for having lots and lots and lots of lovely stash
for a comfortable home and three cats to keep me company
for books to read for plenty of variety of food to eat
for nice clothes to wear
for two eyes that see two ears that hear two legs that get me around and two arms and hands that enable me to create nice thing.
I have so much to be thankful for that the niggles are as nothing.


Goodness that has put everything back into perspective
I pray that you may find the blessing in your life today
see you tomorrow

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I did do a page for today, I thought if the lesson is have spare inks then I need to do a page without a photo so here it is

LSN Day 11 Layout

here is my page for day 11 of Learn something new,



We are learning what sort of photos we take and how we take them. I do tend to either take close up of flowers and plant life of try to get pictures of myself. I think living on my own (except for the cats, but they can't take my photo) I have no one else to take my picture. The most difficult thing about it is not knowing how the photo is composed until it is taken so lots of pictures later I may have one I can call half decent. Still as you can see from the above layout I have fun in the trying.

This morning, after I had finished the page, I had a little play with one of the photos and here is what I came up with



softening my face to lessen the wrinkles and harsh skin tones and blurring the background brings me into sharper focus so that the backdrop is less obtrusive.

Scavenger Hunt

Looking through my old Christmas cards, (I'm trying to find ones with a non porous shiny backs) I came across this one sent by a scrapping friend and just had to add it to my list of finds


I've now found my final item the hammock lol

A mish mash of things

Today I had my hair done, dyed, cut and blow dried. I love going the hairdressers, I love the company and the chatter and best of all, while I am waiting for my colour to take, I love reading Good housekeeping and Good homes because there is always some interesting colour combo or design or just some quirky thing that catches my eye. Today was no exception and for my 'As Seen' I just had to go with these two finds



Which reminds me I didn't do my 'As seen' yesterday. I actually didn't go out yesterday and therefore didn't take many photos but I did find a tutorial that I tried out, (more than one in fact) but I rather like these little paperclip embellishments and I adapted them and put my own twist on them.




Coming back to today, after the hairdressers I caught the bus into town and another one out to Hobby Craft, and had a very pleasant afternoon browsing and buying.

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I did the weekly challenge yesterday, well I tweaked it this morning before going out. This is the lovely photo that my dear Son in Law sent me of my two grandsons actually sitting down together with a 'nice' smile on their faces and allowing their Daddy to take their picture.



I also managed to do a layout yesterday for day 10 of Learn Something new, but I really struggled with this one. I don't want any gaps in my album so had to come up with something.



Not done today's yet but I have plenty of photos to make something with

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Today I am thankful for a lovely afternoon, for the weather still being pleasant and for being able to afford to indulge my hobby when I want to.

10 on the 10th

Hi Blog friends I have at last got round to doing my 10 on the 10th a challenge set my Shimelle which started some time ago. I haven't done this for a while but here goes I will try to list 10 things I've learnt from watching tutorials on UTube

1. From Glitter Girl I have learnt to balance my page with a triangle design
2. To make sure that if I put an embellishment in one place to at least copy the colour in other places
3. How to use Distress inks to better advantage (still learning more in that line)
4. How to make my own glimmer mist using the perfect pearls which I have had for some considerable time.
5. Making a cluster of embellishments off the page and only adding it when nearly complete (again from Glitter Girl)
6. To use sewing on my pages more and to better use
7. Using alcohol ink on more than just bits of metal
8. how to make my own washi tape
9. how to make stick pin flags
10. how to make better use paper clips

The first picture is a good example of triangular placements. and also 3 spots of orange
No. 5 this little cluster was put together then added to the page and the washi tape place afterwards
No 6 I did zigzag stitching on the machine then went over it with orange embroidery thread using the existing holes
Just had a little play with the alcohol inks made my own felt pad and used a spare piece of photo paper
for the washi tape I stamped on gold tissue paper cut it into strips and sprayed repositional glue on the back
the stick pins are made with quilting pins and a little bit of paper tape, I've have done some using ribbons in the same way
the paperclips I made from an example on The Counterfeit Kit challenge blog

Learn Something New

Today we are thinking of how we learn from others. Listening to what they say, sharing our concern and love. I've learn so much over the years how a group of people from different backgrounds can be family. Today looking around the church before the service started, listening to the buzz of conversation. I just felt the love that was there. I took this photo




I wish I had taken a more panoramic view as this was only half of the building. By the time we started all the seats were full

So here is my page for LSN today.



Lord I want to thank you for the love that we share. For how you have placed us in family given us folk who care for us and will pray for us when things are hard and rejoice with us when things are going well.

A Day to Play - LSNED

I originally made the title of this post A Day to Scrap but that made it sound as if I hadn't enjoyed it at all which is far from the truth.
I started this morning by doing yesterday's LSNED layout and I went with my new breakfast discovery.



Then I found today's prompt and I've been having fun with distress inks and perfect pearl. I have had the perfect pearl for ages and never used it till today.

I've enjoyed watching the videos with techniques on how to use them, not sure how much I have remembered but it has been a fun day of learning, even if my attempts leave much to be desired.

After a break and a bit of fresh air (I had to go up to the church to get the multimedia ready for tomorrow), I did the monthly challenge from UKScrappers using my Counterfeit kit for this month. The criteria Work Rest and/or Play. I had these photos of Rudi that I was longing to make a page with so Rest it is



and on the tag is some of the distress play for today
By the way the first use of some of those threads I put in my kit was to make Bakers Twine to wrap round the tag (so sorry no sewing yet) ;D



My last page for today is my LSN playing with distress inks

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On my way home from my errand I caught up with a lady I often see walking her dog and we stopped to chat. Suddenly she said with a giggle I've come out in odd shoes and so she had. Bless her she let me take a photo of them and this, of course, just has to be my 'As seen' for today



I've just realised I forgot to put my picture for yesterday. It is from a quilting magazine, the idea being to quilt different things between two pieces of material and I feel I want to try that sometime.



Today I am grateful for learning new techniques
for the sunshine
for my day of play

Counterfeit Kit challenge - My September kit

Goodness I don't think I have ever struggled to counterfeit a kit so much as I did this one.
It is a kit from Birds of a Feather it looks good but a bit small to see exactly what the papers are like.
So this month I've really done my own thing and put together Glorious Autumn



and added lots of embellishments



and a few more bits

We will see where I go with this kit, certainly enough there for more than a month.

LSNED

First of all here is my page for thankfulness



The title sticker is a downloadable freebie from Scrapdolly
and the cats stamp is a giveaway from Rinda Thank you Rinda I love this stamp so perfect for my cat layouts

Today we are supposed to be thinking about our in between times, time when we are travelling, going from one place to another. I have found this so difficult to sort out so instead I am going with two things that have been a little different today.
For my breakfast every morning I like to vary it, sometimes having cereal and sometimes bacon and egg, or mushrooms on crumpets. Today I went a little bit different and discovered another breakfast that I will surely do again.
Take an English muffin slice in half and lightly toast
Dry fry a lean rasher of bacon and two mushrooms (this is just for one person)
when they are practically cooked add a tablespoon of tinned chopped tomatoes (don't mix)and heat through, spread the tomato onto the muffin halves put the mushrooms on top and the bacon to one side.



this was absolutely delicious and just thinking about it now is making my mouth water.

This afternoon I decided to go into town, I did need some paper clips, the coloured ones and that was my excuse for going, as if I needed an excuse.
I just missed the bus at my usual stop so decided to walk up the hill and catch the bus at the top, (a bit of exercise is good for one) this meant I caught a different bus than usual and get off at a stop nearer to the shops. Walking through I arrive at Paperchase, one of my favourite browsing/shopping shops. They have a new line of yummy stationery called Time Flies, somehow I managed to spend money as well as time in there today.



I bought a few other bits and pieces elsewhere, then onto my favourite haberdashery shop for ribbon & buttons



a very pleasant afternoon indeed

today I am grateful for the lovely Indian summer we are having
for finding nice things to buy
and finishing the day with a takeaway curry (yummy) and no cooking

LSNED - Thankfulness

Our lesson today was to find what we can say thank you for, to be grateful for, and remember to look for the silver lining every day.
I do make an entry most days of what I am grateful for but only as a postscript today I think I'll try and list them see if I can get 10

1.  A young mother who helps us clear away after the sale, she is fit and fast and I'm not sure how we are going to cope when she is not around to do this for us.
2. For being part of a team that runs smoothly most of the time, each person has found his or her niche 
3. For my next door neighbour who always brings my recycle boxes back after they have been emptied
4. Another neighbour who gave me beans from his garden, delicious
5. My health if not my strength 
6. My chair that calls me and nestle me especially on a Thursday afternoon
7.  Although I miss the apples from my tree since I moved here, I am grateful that I don't have to be constantly picking up windfalls at this time of the year
8. Micro waves which speed up the cooking and also heat up my tea/coffee which I have allowed to get cold..... again 
9. A son who texts me to say he loves me
10. 3 cats to keep me company

the bottom right hand picture is another think I am grateful for I picked up a brand new pair of dressy sandals at the sale today I think I'll keep them for next summer now.

I haven't done my layout for today yet, hopefully will get it done tonight, but probably photograph it tomorrow now.

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Today's 'As seen'



we seemed to have had a great number of shoes brought in today.

Day 5 Learn something New - Time

It is now nearly 10 pm and I've just finished my page for today's lesson. We are thinking about time.
We have two options 'the passage of time' and the second 'am I spontaneous or a planner. In my ponderings I thought about the second option and thought that I am pretty flexible and if someone suggests something I will respond with a positive even if that is not what I've planned for the day. The only exception to this is a Thursday, because it is the sale at the church and that is an immovable object.
My main trouble is not my flexibility but my procrastination I do waste time, sometimes a whole day by not having any plans.

For my page, though I have gone with option one mainly because it was easier to create a page with photos.



Now that I am retired and I live alone except for the cats I'm beginning to realise that it isn't wrong to take time to relax, to enjoy a slower pace.

Today's 'As Seen'

No I am not self harming I had to put frontline on the cats today and the smallest one, Muffin, gave me the most trouble I don't only have this scratch but two on my body.

Today I am grateful for freedom to just be me

LSNED Day 4 layout

Well did you guess what I meant in yesterday's post, yes of course you did
and here to prove it is my page


I also did a little embellishment cluster from the idea Shimelle suggested I've wanted to do something like this for a while.

Rufus's birthday

It's Rufus's birthday today, he is now three, a family gathering for his birthday tea.
I arrive and they are out but won't be long as just gone to the shop for some tea time treats. Arriving back I follow Gemma in but Rufus holds back and ask Nanny to ask me if I have bought him a present, as soon as I said I had he beamed and said Hiya Nana, but until he knew that a present was in the offing he wouldn't come near me.

His main present from his Mummy & Daddy is a trampoline and my 'As seen' for today just had to be this lovely photo of Rufus & Neil enjoying it.



I'll post more from today another time as it is late and I can't think too clearly as I'm tired

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"What better place to find your lesson for today than in the closest environment - the four walls that surround you?"
Well it wasn't 4 wall but a circular wall of netting. Even at my age I can still try something new.

Tomorrow I'll do the layout and you will see what I mean. (though you have probably guessed)

today I am grateful for a fine day, warm and sunny

Monday Monday

I have had a brilliant day today. I woke early because I had decided enough was enough and my kitchen just had to be done properly. I paced myself doing small amounts then sitting with a cuppa and a little play on the computer. I've turned this



into this



and this



Normally my surfaces are so cluttered I loose heart and just tidy where I need to work

I've also made some pastry and used the left over lamb from yesterday to make a lamb & chutney plait, also a sausage & mushroom flan and some jam tart. (I haven't made pastry for months and months)

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Today we are thinking about our feet, how much we take them for grated until we have something go wrong. When I first did this challenge I had spur heel and know what it's like to not be able to walk without pain. Today I have been free of the pain for several years and hoping that it never comes back.
I thought to start with I might as well take a photo of my feet and realised that I very seldom go barefooted. Mainly because it was instilled in my as a child that it wasn't a wise thing to do indoors as Mum being a dressmaker was always dropping the odd pin and Dad being a builder and decorator had been know to loose a nail or screw and bare feet are very prone to finding these items.
I hadn't thought of the reason at all but the question about feet made me do so, therefore my page today has my summer slippers



It has been a glorious day weather wise too and I went out into the lane to see if there were any autumn colours about, but no everything is still very green. But I did get some good photos of two of my cats and this one is my 'As Seen' for today

Mittens in the bushes chasing birds



Thank you Lord for an uplifting day.

Learn something new - Teachers

Today's prompt is to think of the 'teachers' in our lives, well my school days are so far back into the dark ages that it is only little snippets I remember (see my Story telling Sunday story)
I think my first and probably foremost teacher was my father, he had such patience with me when I was struggling with maths or when I wanted to do what he was doing, he was my role model.
The second person I remember being and influence was my form teacher when I was about 12 or 13. She was another one with patience and always had time for each child individually, she was the one who taught me to find good in every situation though it has taken me years to learn that lesson and still is an ongoing one.
Today my lesson has to be 'When you make the effort, you reap the reward. Who teaches me this? My Father God



My 'As seen' photo the other day was my lovely blue boots

they just had to have a page of their own. I started this yesterday but couldn't get it balanced right, then this afternoon I realised I needed another photo. so I went searching for this boot refresher that I have had for years and years and never use now. I placed it in my boots but it wasn't quite big enough so I hung the boots up perfect finish for my page.



the colourful label at the top is one of those cards that shops stamp 'buy six and get the 7th free' came from Marks and Spencer and is for greetings cards

And my 'As seen' for today? well it just had to be .....



and guess what it's a cat, Bootsie seemed an appropriate name for him,Perhaps I ought to have him out and in use, after all I don't seem to have a cat in the hallway, well real ones yes but no stuffed or ornament ones.

Story Telling Sunday - back to school

It's that time again, It's the first Sunday in the Month, It's also September the start of the school year. So Sian suggested we tell a school related story.
Well I've delved into the dark recesses of my memory and found something from way back in ancient history..... Well my ancient history anyway.

I went to a school that had rather large classes, so for art we were divided up into two groups. My surname name was near the beginning of the alphabet so I was in the class that did painting. The other half of the class did pottery and similar things (well that's how I remember it) I enjoyed it at first but wasn't very good at it and my pictures were never chosen to go on the wall. Oh how I longed to play with the clay. Why wasn't I allowed to do so, I don't know.
One day we had a change around, boy was I excited about that, I could play with that lovely squishy stuff. I first of all made a little pot, it wasn't brilliant but it was a start.
My piece de resistance was a head, A stunning one if I do say so myself, I loved it I carefully shaped it and put all my enthusiasm into it.
The following week when the clay had dried out we painted our pieces. I painted mine green, not sure why now but that is the colour I chose, possibly because it was my favourite colour then, but anyway that is how it was going to be. I also painted the little pot but that wasn't so much fun.
Teacher said that the clay pieces had to be fired to complete the process and by next week we would see how they had turned out. I was really looking forward to getting my head back.
The following week the teacher gave each child his or her piece I got my little pot, but where was my head? No my head never appeared I never got it. I assumed then that only one piece per child was fired. I was so disappointed.

You know I never have got to play with clay again, I wonder if that experience peppered my creativity in that area. Perhaps I ought to try again.

Mind you I have played with Fimo clay, not quite so squishy and far easier to manage as the firing only has to be done at a low temperature in an ordinary oven for 30 minutes.

Learn something new every day

I woke this morning with an idea of how I wanted my introduction page to look. I had to get it done immediately of course.


and as happens most times I took shot upon shot of my face in different mirrors before I was satisfied that I had what I wanted.

In doing this intro page I learnt my first 'something new' but have waiting till later in the afternoon in case something better comes to light but no I think this is the best lesson



Today I have been up at the church to do a window for the harvest service tomorrow. I thought several people were going to do one but there doesn't appear to be another window done except for the main display. Still I enjoyed it and this is my 'As Seen' for today



today I am grateful for the new class
and for being about to do the window at church