Friday 30 April 2010

Are they talking about ME?!!!….

Since my last post I have had a couple of reminders of the progress of time…not a subject that worries me unduly…I am not one of those in constant search of the fountain of youth!! My philosophy has always been to try & make the best of what I’ve been given, & that a persons worth is not in how smooth their skin is or how small a dress size they wear, but more about their attitude to life & their generosity of spirit.

But…like most people I have grown used to the idea that ‘getting old’ is still some way off for me…in my head I’m still ‘twenty something’..just with a bit more life experience under my belt!! Even as I approached the big Four-0, I felt no panic…maybe because I was busy being Mum to a four year old & an eighteen month old at the time & didn’t have the luxury of time to think too deeply about it! But…as the even bigger Five-0 looms, things are happening to remind me that time will take it’s toll, whether I like it or not!!

I picked up my newly glazed frames from the opticians on Wednesday…Oh boy! It is so great to see the world clearly again!! I commented to the dispenser that in five years I’ve gone from not needing glasses at all, to having to wear varifocal lenses all the time, & do you know what she told me? “That’s how it goes with Age Related Macular Degeneration”…was she talking about me? I guess she was!!

Earlier this week my leg flared up…the old Cellulitis from my fall in Turkey almost a year ago! So off I went to the GP, who prescribed some different ointment & powerful antibiotics, which seem to have kicked in almost straight away, but…while I was there, she commented on my little finger…or to be precise, the knuckle. Now, when I had my frozen shoulder in ‘08, I was told that there was Arthritis present & it would seem that I can expect it to make itself known in my hands as well now…OMG…is it really all downhill from here on in?!

So maybe I need to adjust my perspective to feeling more ‘Thirty something’ in my head & get used to the idea that the future is closer than I thought!!! But I’m not down…I have my boys to keep me young…God Bless ‘em & life is good!

On a more upbeat note…my weigh in on Tuesday went well…2lb off & I’ve been on track this week too, so as long as the Bank Holiday weekend doesn’t scupper me, I’ll be OK for next Tuesday as well!!

27Apr2010 011

 
I must end on a THANK YOU to my good friend Anna…a package arrived this week, containing some Chinese Lantern roots, which she had dug up & sent for my garden. They have been planted in a terracotta trough & I will update you with their progress…when I lived at home, my Mum always had these in the garden & used to cut & dry the papery lanterns for her flower arrangements…so they will bring back very happy times!…Thanks again Anna for the time & trouble!! It’s very much appreciated! 

 

Don’t forget, if you’re at a loose end tomorrow, that Dixie Pieces have an all day crop for National Scrapbooking Day…it’s going to be great fun!

Have a great weekend, for those of you in the UK a slightly extended one!..& as usual Thanks for dropping by! xx

Monday 26 April 2010

Yay! For Sunshine & ‘My Favourite City’…

it’s probably very British of me to start off commenting on the weather, but this weekend was just gorgeous! Well, most of it anyway…we did get rain on Sunday, but I was at work for most of that & when I was outside, the air smelled of warm earth after rain…just lovely!!

So…to catch up, I had my visits to the dentist & optician on Thursday morning…I am now a fair few £££’s lighter (if only the LB’s were so easy to part with!!) BUT…I will be able to see properly & smile without worry again on 6th May when my new lenses are fitted into my current frames (the style has been discontinued & I couldn’t see anything I liked as much!) & I have four fillings replaced in my front teeth!!

On Friday evening we went along to our favourite pub where Lee & I soaked up the sunshine while the boys played war games with other children in the play area & neighbouring field…why do boys always have to shoot? It must be genetic…I never used to give my boys toy guns, but then they made their own out of Lego!! 17Apr2010 006
They did just play on the frame too..Alex is sad because it has a sign saying that it’s for children ‘13 years & younger’…so he won’t be able to use it after his next birthday!

Nathan lived up to his nickname of ‘Monkey’ & climbed & swung with the best of them!!17Apr2010 016

 

 

 

There were children of all ages using the play equipment & one little boy, who was about four years old, took a shine to Alex & followed him around like a little shadow!  While Nathan is great with little ones, Alex doesn’t have much patience & kept asking this little boy, ever so politely, to stop following him, but to no avail & until we heard the boys parents calling him to go, he was never more than three feet from wherever Alex was!! So funny to watch!!

Alex ropesWhile I appreciate being able to sit & relax while the boys play, I did think that it only seems like yesterday that when we went anywhere with a playground, one of us had to supervise them & how soon it will be that they’ll be ordering a pint for themselves & won’t even want to be there with us!!!

Alex asked me the other day how long it is until he can learn to drive & that is scary…only three & a half years!!!


My friend Amanda finally got home from her skiing holiday after being stranded due to the volcanic ash, so after work on Sunday we resumed our cinema habit!! We chose to see ‘The Blind Side’ with Sandra Bullock….one word describes it…Amazing! blind_side Such a wonderful story & I had not realised it was actually biographical. At the end, while the credits roll, they show photo’s of the actual family & it made the whole story even more touching. I’m so glad we caught it before it came to the end of it’s run.

Now for some scrappiness…the current ‘These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things’ challenge is My Favourite City. This was a no brainer for me… I was lucky enough to visit Venice in 1993, a lifelong ambition! Before I went it had always held a fascination for me & I remember being told at school that it is constantly sinking & felt then that I just HAD to get there before it disappeared! It took a couple of decades, but it was so worth the wait!
26Apr2010 003 I would love to take the boys on a visit, to enjoy the whole experience, but maybe another year or two, when I can be sure they won’t end up falling (or being pushed!) into a canal if I turn my back!

And on another scrappy note, Saturday May 1st is National Scrapbooking Day in the US & Dixie Pieces are holding a one day ‘My Day – My Way!’ on-line crop between 7am & 7pm (PST). There will be a challenge posted on the hour every hour, with fun & games in between. The challenges are being placed, not by the DT but by volunteer participants!! I have taken the noon slot & there are still some slots open, so get over there & check it out!! The deadline for challenges is 11:59pm on Monday 10th May & every challenge completed wins entries into the grand prize draw…& boy!… is there ever a totally AWESOME prize package on offer!!  Dixie Pieces events are always such great fun, so…do come on over & join in!!

Finally, I am pleased to report that I have managed to stick to my eating plan for the entire week…with no slips or deviations, in spite of baking chocolate chip cookies for Lee & the boys on Saturday!! I didn’t even so much as lick my fingers!!!  It’s weigh in tomorrow morning, so I am keeping everything crossed that I will have good news to share…& that my sidebar tracker can start moving in the right direction again!!

Thanks for dropping by & Happy Monday!!

Wednesday 21 April 2010

A mixed bag of a day…

21Apr2010 005 Yesterday, the boys went back to school…Yay!!… & my normal routine was re-established! They would probably not agree with my Yay!…but really, they were starting to get bored & after all, it’s only six weeks till half term!!!

They were pleased to be able to leave off their ties, as summer term allows the wearing of polo shirts, although Alex still has to wear his blazer unless the whole school is given permission to go without,  on warmer days! Actually, Alex likes to wear his collar & tie…even if he struggles with tying a good knot, I think he likes looking smart, whereas Nathan doesn’t even do up his polo shirt buttons…they’re like chalk & cheese!!

21Apr2010 007 So, after depositing them at their respective schools, I set off to my Slimming World group. Bearing in mind that I haven’t been to group for four weeks…the last two of which have been completely off plan, I was not surprised, but still mortified, to discover that I had GAINED 5LBS!!!!!!! Why does it take so much hard work to lose that amount of weight, but it sneaks back on with no discernable effort at all?!!

I left group fired up with motivation & a commitment to make the coming six weeks really matter…Chicago in 46 days & counting!…and headed off to Tesco to do the weekly food shop!

20Apr2010 031Now, those of you who visit regularly will know that in an attempt to reduce my caffeine intake, I have taken up drinking green tea with lemon & Manuka honey. Green Tea was on my shopping list & as I perused the selection of teas I spotted this rather striking box… & on reading the packet I discovered it was a herbal tea containing fennel, linden leaves & galangal root, the blend of which is believed to curb the appetite!! My being an easy target for all those marketing executives tricks meant that it was immediately added to my trolley! 20Apr2010 034


I have to report that I have no idea if it does actually curb the appetite, but it is DELICIOUS!! The Fennel gives it a wonderful taste of liquorice & it’s rich in antioxidants & totally caffeine free!!

So it will be finding it’s way into my trolley again next week methinks!!

17Apr2010 003 I also had another ‘find’ in Tesco..I was hunting around the cut flower department in search of something pretty for the kitchen table…the daffodils on offer were looking a bit shabby & the tulips too expensive…when I chanced upon a bucket containing various bunches at reduced prices & I got these gorgeous white roses, carnations & berries for only £2.00! Still with the 7 day guarantee, so I was happy!! 

After collecting the boys from school I turned my thought to our evening meal…I decided to boil a couple of eggs to go with a salad for myself, & popped them into a pan of water & turned on the gas. Then I turned my attention to the preparation of what I could serve up for Lee & the boys! Once I’d done all the prep I could, I made myself a (herbal) tea & retired to my PC for a little blog hopping.

21Apr2010 008You know what’s coming next……

After a while I noticed a strange smell, which quickly became recognisable as the smell of BURNING!!! I was down those stairs in a flash…just in the nick of time…the pan had boiled completely dry & the eggs were on the verge of exploding!!! I deposited the pan outside to cool & set about opening every window & door to rid the house of the awful smell!! I have never done anything like this before…truly a blonde moment…or do I qualify for senior moments yet?!!  Either way it was scary!! What is even more annoying is that I think I may have ruined the milk pan…one of a set of Tefal ‘copper bottom’ pans that I have had for over 25 years!! It now has a large bump on the bottom where I think the copper had started to ‘bubble’!!  Lee didn’t make a big deal out of it, but boy, did I feel stupid!! Oh & I settled for ham with my salad!!

Today has been better… I pushed myself to 36 lengths of the pool this morning…I have stuck to my eating plan…& tonight’s meal is already in the slow cooker as I write, without any mishaps!!

Tomorrow I have a dentist appointment first thing & an eye test booked for mid morning, so in between I’m going to have a mooch around the street market in the town centre…I may even take my camera!

Wishing you all a good week…can’t believe we’re already midway through!! Thanks for dropping by! x    

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Taking time out to smile!….

Recently I received an email from my good friend Dawn…that was purporting to be an invitation to a ‘Pampered Chef’ party. Now, I’ve been to one of those before & they sell some beautiful things, so I scrolled down to find out when & where it was…to be met by these…

Christian Brian









 

 

 


LennyWill


 

 

 

 

 



 

Now…after I’d stopped grinning like a Cheshire cat, I have to admit to feeling a little disappointed that there wasn’t actually a party after all!! How sad is that!!!! I think Brian gets my vote…but they ALL made my day!! I saved all four to my photo’s file & thought I just had to share them!! Enjoy!!

Saturday 17 April 2010

Just For Debs…

Well…a little later than planned…it was such a beautiful evening when I got back from the Crafty Stash crop that Lee suggested a trip to the pub & supper out…too good an offer to miss!!! So I hope I’m not too late for Debs to benefit from the heads up on what photo’s to choose for the crop kit LO’s!!!

The sneak peek had revealed a lot of purple…a colour I don’t gravitate towards, so I originally thought I’d use B&W photo’s for both LO’s, but then I remembered a photo of Nathan, taken when he was off school feeling poorly, & as his duvet is Royal Blue, decided to keep it as colour.

17Apr2010 037I liked the first class kit LO, as it was predominantly B&W with purple accents. As usual I didn’t stick entirely to the class LO design, omitting some things, adding others & changing the title, but Debs…you get the gist!!

The second LO had a LOT of purple…with bit of green thrown in…
17Apr2010 044  …again I deviated from the LO design but used most of the components, & substituted a few others!

There was quite a lot of class kit bits left over… so my challenge going forward will be to use up those (mainly purple!) bits in future LO’s of my own design…hmmmm!!!! Don’t hold your breath!!!!

Anyhow…another enjoyable Saturday at the Crafty Stash crop, I hope you have as good a day tomorrow Debs!!

I’m off to bed now, so thanks for dropping by…& those of you that are managing to fully take part in Shimelle’s on-line crop party this weekend…I hope you’re all having a fab time…can’t wait to check out the challenge entries in the forum. 

Nite Nite

Thursday 15 April 2010

Too many Calories & {Another} ‘Tena Lady’ moment!!!

Pat2

I am very lucky that since the day I
met Lee’s Mum, Pat, we have got along well.  When she comes to visit, she just fits right in & we never have to stand on ceremony.  Lee’s brother still lives in Hereford & so has full use of Pat’s babysitting services (although their son is the same age as Nathan, so not a baby!) so when she visits us she makes sure that we get some child free time!

Yesterday we were doubly spoiled as she stayed with the boys in the morning, so that Lee & I got to go to the gym TOGETHER!…A first!!! We swam & sauna’d, although my usual 30 lengths seemed inadequate alongside Lee’s 60+…he is such a strong & fast swimmer…but it was so nice to relax & chat in the sauna!

Then, in the evening we went out again! Just to a favourite local restaurant. We had planned on going further afield, but in the end stayed local as Alex’s teatime BM reading was quite high & we wanted to be able to get back quickly if needed. 15Apr2010 001

I tried very hard to choose carefully from the menu, but with Lee it is so difficult & I’m afraid I did get a little carried away!!!!!

While we were perusing the menu, we nibbled on three sticks of bread (not EACH I hasten to add, we shared three!)…cheesy, ciabatta & seeded, dipped into balsamic vinegar & olive oil, garlic butter & chillies in oil!!!

15Apr2010 003

 

Then we shared two starters….

…these delicious potato skins filled with cheese & red onion marmalade…15Apr2010 006

 

…& some garlic breaded mushrooms with sour cream & barbecue dips!

For main course Lee ordered a steak with fries & all the trimmings, while I did manage to select a healthier option….

15Apr2010 008



…of char grilled chicken with salad with white & wild rice, & a piri piri sauce.

15Apr2010 010

 


But then came the crux of the evening!!! The dessert menu!!! What is a self confessed sugar addict & chocolate junkie to do when presented with such a document?!!!

dessert

…well who am I to argue with my husbands choice of hot chocolate fudge brownie sundae?!!!

I have to report that it was utterly delicious & I scraped every last bit from the bottom of the glass!

I am most definitely NOT on the wagon at the present time, but WILL be resuming better self control in the very near future!! I’m a little embarrassed that my weight loss total in the sidebar has been static for rather too long a while!!

So after that feast, we settled back with our coffee’s…15Apr2010 016


Lee’s an espresso & mine a black Americano…little & large all over again!!! But I did decline a Tia Maria chaser!!!

 

What then….well, we paid the bill & made our way out to the car park…..

…as the door closed behind us…well there is no delicate way to say this…Lee broke wind!!  He had obviously thought that the car park was deserted, but had failed to notice that there was a young chap sheltering under the roof overhang, smoking a cigarette.
tenamomentThe look on that poor young mans face just started me laughing & I barely made it to the car without an ‘accident’….tears rolled down my face & I could hardly breathe!!!

What my good friend Karen would call a ‘Tena Lady’ moment…my second in a week & boy do they make me feel good. It surely must be true that laughter is the best medicine, I was giggling all the way home & dissolved again relating the tale to Pat…but I slept so well last night! Mind you maybe the fact that I’d consumed about a gazillion calories may have helped!

Pat is going home tomorrow, so I’m hoping to have some scrapping time in the afternoon & time to choose & print photo’s for Saturdays Crafty Stash crop…the sneak peek looks lovely…very purple, but lots of texture!

Thank you once again for stopping by…I hope none of you in the UK have been too badly affected by volcanic ash!! Hope you ALL have a great weekend! :)

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Totally Mental?!…

OK…it’s that time again! The deadline for ‘These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things’ latest challenge is this evening & as usual, I have only just completed my LO at the eleventh hour!! But hey…I’ve only actually ever missed ONE deadline completely, so in my book, I’m doing OK!!!!

This time the challenge was ‘My Favourite TV Show’ so I thought about it & made a list of all my favourites over the years…Friends…Dr Who…Frasier…or maybe go a little further back…The Goodies…Dallas…Fawlty Towers…The Young Ones. The list just kept getting longer & then I thought I’d just go with a current favourite…a toss-up between ‘Larkrise to Candleford’, which has just finished & The Mentalist, which has just started a new series! I went with the latter, just because it is actually on at the moment!!
13Apr2010 006 
97063_D0218b.jpg So, what is it about this show that keeps me tuning in every week? Well, mainly this guy!!!

Simon Baker, an Aussie hunk who plays the title role of Patrick Jane. What is it about Australian men that makes them such great eye candy?  Mel Gibson was another who only had to smile to make me go weak at the knees!!!

But that aside, I love the whole mix of characters & how the plots & subplots are interwoven through each episode & series. This weeks plotline had so many twists & turns I didn’t dare leave the sofa in case I missed something crucial to the plot…perfect TV!!!

So there you have it! I’m off now to pop a chicken in the oven & peel some spuds!  Mum-in-Law arrived this afternoon & we’re having a family roast tonight, followed by apple crumble, which I may or may not be able to resist!!
Ah well, at least it’s fruit based!!!

Thanks for stopping by & hope to ‘see’ you again soon!

Monday 12 April 2010

Let’s play catch up!…

Where has the past week gone? I must admit that quite a lot has gone on, but it seems to have gone in a flash!!!

978_large Since my last post, we have been to see ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ in 3D…what a fabulous film…along the lines of Shrek, inasmuch as it has humour to appeal to both adults & kids & we all enjoyed it equally.

I have to admit, though, to munching my way through a bag of popcorn, with a (very) little help from Alex! Why is it that when the lights go down I have a ‘Pavlov’s Dog’ kind of automatic impulse to just keep eating the stuff!! I’m sure I don’t even taste it…but the bag was 3/4 empty when the film finished, so I did eat it!!!

Two whole days of the week were spent in Alex’s room! We had decided to replace his high bed with a standard single bed & apart from dismantling the former & assembling the latter, the whole process of rearranging the room was down to yours truly! Which was probably just as well as it was rather like a giant jigsaw puzzle! We also put his Nanny’s old TV in one corner, along with a DVD player….we decided against the X-Box too, as we’d never see him!!

12Apr2010 009 On Saturday, Karen & I set out to Alexandra Palace, for the ‘Big Stamp & Scrapbooking Show’. It’s a year since I last went & two since Karen has, so we were as excited as a couple of school kids!

It was very busy, with two huge queues waiting for the doors to open & it seemed as if everyone had the same idea as we did….to head for the ‘Every item £1 & 12 items for £10’ stand!! But we did manage to take full advantage & get some really useful items!! 12Apr2010 007
Karen & I have very similar tastes in PP, but create totally different LO’s with it…so we Ooohed & Aaaahed & hyperventilated together…we discovered a new range by Melody Ross…a name that was new to us, but the papers & embellies were just gorgeous! I think we will be looking out for more when we get to Chicago!!

12Apr2010 021With Chicago in mind, I had planned to shop for basics only at Ally Pally & did indeed stock up on adhesives & cardstock, but I did succumb to some lovely new PP’s, tiny alpha’s, some K&Co embellies at silly prices, and….these gorgeous wooden buttons.

12Apr2010 023
I was also very pleased to get a Martha Stewart ‘Around the Page’ border punch at a very good show price. I have wanted one since before Christmas but kept balking at the price…I know I will get a lot of use out of it…oh yes I will Karen!!!

12Apr2010 022
We were very sensible & split some purchases…a pack of doilies & even a sheet of PP… we fell in love with some glass headed pins with little pennants, but who would use 15?  So we took an executive decision to split them three ways & texted Hilary to let her know she’d just bought a third share, sight unseen!!!

All in all a very satisfying & enjoyable day out! Now I just need some scrapping time to allow me to get to using some of those lovely new purchases!!

I’m off now to finish making up the guest room for Mum-In-Laws arrival tomorrow…and maybe…just maybe…I might get some scrapping in before bedtime tonight!!!

Thanks for dropping by & I leave you with this thought…chickensoup

Wednesday 7 April 2010

A bit of Happy Trivia!!…

Ms_Bright_Side_Award I was lucky enough to be given a ‘Ms Brightside’ award this week, by the lovely Heather, which requires that I share 10 things that make me happy & 5 bits of trivia about myself!! So Thank You Heather &  here goes!…

Happy List…

1. Hugs from my boys
2. A rare night out with my Hubby!
3. A clean & tidy house!!!
4. CHOCOLATE!!
5. Time spent with good friends
6. Scrapping time…obviously!
7. SUNSHINE!
8. Perfect fitting trousers!!!…believe me, that’s not easy!!
9. My swim & sauna Wednesday mornings!
& 10. Blog Hopping….

Trivia…

1. I HATE celery!!
2. I have never been skiing
3. I am scared of spiders…ugh!!
4. I can roll my tongue
& 5. Although I am an accomplished knitter, I CANNOT get the hang of crochet!!!!!…believe me I’ve tried!!!

Now, I’m to pass this on to FIVE of my blogging friends, & I choose

1. Anna @ ‘Anna Begins Again’ 
2. Sian @ ‘From High In The Sky’
'3. Mel @ ‘I speak Melsh’
4. Jocelyn @ ‘Simply Me’ 
& 5. Karen @ ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’

So come on girls…let's see your lists too…& don’t forget to pass it on!!

Sunday 4 April 2010

Scrappy Easter!…

4April2010 012 4April2010 010 When the Easter Bunny set out to hide the chocolate at 6am this morning, it was wet, wet, wet!!! So, improvising, she hid the eggs & treats in nooks & crannies around the living room & placed a sign on the door forbidding entry to anyone until after breakfast!!

4April2010 019 This ensured that cereal & toast were eaten with much speed & both boys then set about the scramble to see who could find the most!! This always puzzles me as we have always shared the haul equally between them…but I suppose there is some kudos for finding more!!

4April2010 020

I do wonder if this might be one of the last visits for the Easter Bunny, as Alex is now a teenager, albeit a very young thirteen & I guess the ‘cool factor’ is going to seep in at some point for both boys!! But hey, for the moment they’re still enjoying the make believe! As with Santa I tell them..OK, if he doesn’t exist, then he can’t bring gifts, can he?


4April2010 024Once all the chocolate treats were rounded up, counted to make sure none were missed & divided equally, Alex turned his attention to which X-Box game was going to hold his attention for the remainder of the morning.

Nathan on the other hand immediately started on sampling said chocolate treats! What can I say?  He’s a chip of the old block!!4April2010 025 
  
maltEasterAs for myself, I ate the MaltEaster bunny that has been sitting on my desk for the last three weeks, waiting for just such a moment. I almost ate him on Friday, but got distracted with everything happening for the challenges & prompts over at Shimelle’s ‘Something From {Almost} Nothing’ class, & so enjoyed him all the more today! I did take a sequence of photo’s of this event & am planning to use them on a LO very soon!!

So, what have I been up to for the class?  Well, the final weekend challenge was ‘The Biggest User’….to get as much onto a LO as possible, but still to like the end result!! The earliest entries set the bar high with hundreds of blooms & embellishments, so I did my best & came up with this…ZOO

ZOOclose2

I think I managed about 125 items…it was fun to do & again…it busted my stash!! I also learned how to successfully achieve a technique I had tried before…unsuccessfully!!! To cover a chipboard alpha in paper…the letters for ZOO to be precise & I’m pleased with how they turned out!!

The butterflies were inspired by a LO Karen submitted for last Sunday’s challenge & I cut most of them on my Silhouette, using scraps of PP…along with a few smaller ones made using a punch.

There is a tenuous link between the butterflies & the LO theme, & that is that the bug house was the favourite part of the visit to London zoo for both boys…if not for me!!

Finally, after the three weekend challenge LO’s I managed to catch up with the prompts…#9 was for Chipboard…I have quite a lot, but don’t use much! In the prompt, Shimelle had asked for hearts & something we love, but not a romantic theme…hmmm!

Last week we had a ‘told you so’ moment, when Nathan went out without a coat & I warned him that rain was on the way…it’s happened before & I’ve even done a LO about it too!!  Did he listen?…NO!!! So I used those photo’s & did this…beingright!I used five chipboard hearts, covered in paper (there’ll be no stopping me now!!!) & a chipboard quote circle I’ve had for years!! The shaped PP has also been with me for quite some time!!

So, that’s me up to date, with Shimelle’s class at least, tomorrow brings a new prompt & I need to work on the latest ‘BIA101’ lesson too, but they’ll have to wait a couple of days…we are having a day out tomorrow & I need to get my housework done on Tuesday, so I’ll catch you all again after that!

Thank you so much for dropping by..again!!

Easter Blessings :)

Saturday 3 April 2010

How Much Is Too Much?….

Hot on the heels of my post for Challenge #1 - Scrap Lift (see below!!) …Challenge #2 for this weekend on Shimelle’s ‘Something From {Almost} Nothing’ was to visit ‘How Much is Too Much?’ & choose a challenge to complete. Now, if you’ve never visited this challenge blog, I suggest you get over there post haste!! Anyone with a glut of stash will be inspired!! I went back over several weeks worth of challenges & opted for challenge #128 – ‘10x10x10’ I had to complete a LO & include 10 rub-ons, 10 buttons & 10 stars…it sounded reasonably straightforward, so I selected my photo’s & gathered together the required elements & this is what I came up with…3April2010 006 I’m actually very surprised that it doesn’t look more overcrowded than it does!!

The photo’s are of the boys looking cool in their shades, taken in Turkey in 2008! The PP’s have been in my stash since before that holiday, as well as the Anna Griffin rub-on ribbons, so it felt good to be putting them to use!! I commented in the forum that even with all the LO’s I’ve produced for this class, along with the projects for the BIA course, I’ve still not thought “Oh I must go out & buy xxxx before I run out” That speaks volumes!!

I will, however, be having a day out with my good friend Karen, next Saturday, to Ally Pally, for the ‘Big Stamp & Scrapbooking Show’, & while most of my scrap budget is being saved for our forthcoming trip to Chicago (64 days & counting!!) I will be taking advantage of show prices for Adhesive tape, foam pads & other basics!…I think that’s allowed!!

BTW…If any of you are going along, be sure to wear a carnation in your buttonhole so we’ll know who you are!!!!

Thanks again for dropping by…it’s now nearly 3am, so I’m off to bed!!!

Friday 2 April 2010

Time for a lift!…

We are on the home straight over at Shimelle’s ‘Something From {Almost} Nothing’ & yesterday, alongside prompt 9 - Chipboard, Shimelle posted THREE, yes THREE, challenges…the first of which was to choose a LO from the forum & scrap lift it, as much or as little as you want & in the spirit of the class, bust as much stash as possible!C_Life%20page%202006small

Now the toughest part of this was actually choosing which one to lift! As we’ve gone along there have been so many that I’ve ooohd & aaahd over, but I opted for this one by louizabelle, completed for her Celebrate Life album & for the ribbon prompt.

I loved how the photo was the main part of the LO & how the ribbon was used, the journaling strips & butterflies &…well all of it just worked so well!!!

So, I then had to decide…did I use the same 6x12 format?…In the end I chose to go with my preferred 12x12! Then the colour scheme came about because the only piece of ribbon I had that was long enough was a cerise pink grosgrain that had been in a kit I bought eons ago!!2April2010 016

The photo is of Alex & I, taken in Turkey two years ago. We had literally just arrived at the Lykia World resort & were checking out the facilities. The resort is HUGE! The kids area alone had eight pools, loads of water slides, five different playgrounds with so many different climbing frames, tunnels, swings etc etc. In the photo we were discovering all the hidden delights of the ‘Pirate’ zone which included this very wobbly rope bridge! 

I did indeed manage to bust some stash, but what was most gratifying was using up that little piece of green ric-rac, one of the semi-transparent journaling blocks & the butterflies, which I punched at a crop months ago & had kept…they were in an orange PP, so I painted & inked them to tie in with this LO!  Oh & I got to use my sewing machine for a second time this week!!

The deadline for all three challenges is Monday evening, so I’m off now to start work on #2 & to check & see if the promised prompt 10 – transparencies, has been posted yet. Shimelle had also said that there would be some more surprises to come…so I can’t wait to find out what they might be!

I hope you’re all enjoying your Easter weekend! Thanks for dropping by!