A simple layout

Where have those four weeks gone? It only seems 10 minutes ago I was reading the first email with the 'pre class layout' design and now here I am four weeks down the line posting one of the last layouts  of the using your stash up class. Still, there are lots more ideas and loads of stash still to use up... I've done a few 'now and then' pages lately. This is of our youngest, Will- I love the look on his face in both of these photos.

 The footie is on tv and it looks like they are getting soaked as it has been pouring all evening,but at least our side have scored thank goodness..and now I'm off to watch George Gently and make some tags for the next class I'm doing .

Tee hee

Every so often there is one of those photos that doesn't need a lot said- I just came in from clearing the kitchen up and felt I had to take this-  he is always complaining about my crocheting being 'all over the place - and taking over the house '....... 

More using that stash and a bit of a change

I can't tell you how relieved I am that I have still got something that resembles a blog....
The other night I decided to have a change- after lots of browsing and lots of ahem rude words trying to do the letters for the header in Photoshop, I tried everything known to man to get the middle bit that slides up and down to be blue. After realising that it must be the actual template I decided to try a different template to make it blue - BIG MISTAKE....my old template was done with an old blogger design. After trying every single one of the designs of layouts,every single one was too big and the middle bit was not only the same colour but was also too big. I really thought I was going to have to set up a new one and start all over again.
Anyway, after getting very hot and very tired at 1 in the morning I finally found the settings for the old blogger and managed to restore the old size.Sadly the middle bit is still white, but it's staying like it is for now!
So - on to scrappy things. I did a couple of layouts for the BPS class last night. I decided to scrap some of the photos from Deb's surprise party.

I'm sad that the class is finishing but once again have really enjoyed it.So much so that I've signed up for Nic Howard's class all about colour which starts at the end of October..

One of May Flaum's ideas was to actually have your stamps out somewhere so you don't go rifling through drawers when you want to do some stamping. I don't know about anyone else but I have quite a collection of stamps and would need a seriously big unit to keep them all out..I made a start the other night andit is a good idea but I think I might just have to either get rid of a lot of stamps or get a much bigger unit! Where do any of my blog friends keep their stamps?,and where does anyone keep their acrylic stamps ?

I'd be interested to know.

Lord of the dance ...

For my birthday this year, my eldest son bought me tickets to see Michael Flatley's new show in November. I'm one who loves to go to concerts,and I suddenly thought to myself that it's getting nearer the time for it soon so I thought I'd do a layout in anticipation...can't wait.

and then I decided to scrap a picture that has been sitting in the 'not sure about this one' pile,I had some Girls Paperie bits left and I was feeling in a 'pink' mood!

Then, on to a layout for May Flaum's class- this is a week three page- blimey I can't believe three weeks have gone by already...I'm home alone this afternoon,so I might just get on with a bit of hooky stuff. I started a new ripple a couple of nights ago.....

Using up more of that stash

I've been sitting finishing a couple of pages I started over the weekend for the May Flaum class I'm doing.
One of the ideas was to keep it simple and use stamps- I think I've kept it pretty simple. I've gone a bit grungey - I have this Tim Holtz criss sross stamp that  I used to use a lot and a couple of grungey heart and star stamps- I actually enjoyed using them again.

This is one of the most recent photos of the boys on one of the rare occasions when they are all here together....

This photo hasn't come out too well as I've taken it tonight.It's a couple of photos of me ,one when I was twenty five -and one at the age I am now .(!)......I used a lot of odds on this one -yep using that stash up!

On to very nice things, a lovely lady - S- sorry, but I can't find your actual name anywhere - has given me a little award for a friendly blog. How nice is that? Thank You ,

and like the lady who gave her the award ,there are no instructions on this one or lists and rules, but I would like to pass it on to two of the many lovely people I have made friends with here in blogland ...go check their friendly blogs out..
                                                                            Sian
                                                                             and
                                                                         Karen

Many years ago....

So the other night I asked himself to go up into our loft and see if he could find our wedding photos - big mistake - our loft is positively wilting under the pressure of all the christmas decorations, old baby cribs, pictures, ornaments,photo albums (that have somehow disappreared off the  face of the earth),garden stuff.....after about half an hour of looking he declared they were nowhere to be seen and it was not worth me going to see if I could find them because you couldn't get any further than a certain point and he'd looked everywhere.

So when I went over to my Dad's today I found the album he had and brought it home together with a couple of baby albums of the boys. All the men in the house were away on a trip to West Bromwich Albion to watch Spurs . I had a nice half hour or so reminiscing and oohing and ahhing at some of the baby photos of the boys. I don't know if It will work with such old photos but I really fancy getting some printed and then maybe doing some sort of album with them..anyway here are a couple to have a giggle at ......oh how slim and fresh faced we were..

the last one was taken by father in law I love the expression on my face ....and did anyone watch this last night ? ....I loved the new couples, can't wait for it to start now.I think Ann Widdicombe is going to give Craig a run for his money..have a good Sunday all,I'm off now to try and do a bit more of the BPS class.

A niche in the market??

I was trying to get a photo of my granny stripe blanket as I know a couple of peeps out there like to see how it's doing,... I tried taking it myself .......fail...

So I called himself from the other room and asked him to take one of me and it ......now it seems to me that every blanket that I make a certain fluffy bundle likes to make it his or get on it straight away - maybe I could market some doggie blankets...my friend whose dog I made the pink one for loves it, she burrows into it apparently!- The dog ,not my friend ......I'd barely sat down on the sofa and got it over me before he was there !

Other news today, I received a lovely package from overseas from Rinda - a short while ago she hosted a give away on her blog and I was lucky enough to win......she sent a card and a lovely mini book she had made and I am looking forward to filling it up... What have I learnt today, maybe I could market a few doggie blankets, and I love blogland and the friends I've made from it .

Springing a surprise ....

It's just gone 7 o'clock p.m, it's Monday evening,it's warm, it's dark. We are all huddled in her dining room, quiet as mice...the cupcakes in the middle of the table, the nibbles and sparkly  beside the glasses,that her son and daughter and friends have been busy preparing for them...we wait, and wait,'they're here' comes the voice from the girl hunched up under the kitchen window and she scuttles on her hands and knees to be with us and hurriedly closes the door.
We hear the key go in the front door and no one breathes.
'Well that was a nice drink' the keys hit the table - any minute now......then the light goes on and the door opens...Oh I wish I'd have captured that moment when they saw us..
The surprise was for Deb and the surveyor for their 30th Anniversary.It was organised by their son and daughter and they did a good job. Mum and Dad had NO idea and it was lovely to spend the evening with them.....what really really made me smile was when Deb and I hugged and said hello, her frst words were ' I do hope you've bought my kit from the class at the weekend !'

I've got permission to share,so here are some of my pics of the evening....
Hope work isn't too busy today Deb... after those summer hols..:-))) xxxx

Layout for May Flaum's class

Here's my second layout from the class I'm doing over at BPS.
I decided to use a couple of photos from when we went out with our eldest son and his girlfriend for my birthday.I can't believe it's now a year since he left home to live with her, how quickly that year has gone.

I used my favourite flourish stamp and cut a flower and hearts out of some old scraps of paper as embellishments.
On another note, I went over to see my Dad today and he wasn't in the local paper with his car- boo- but maybe he might be next week, he doesn't seem to think so but you never know.. and I was amazed at how lovely his Hibiscus plants still are. They really put mine to shame- I've only got about three blooms on mine .....

Woo Hoo - it worked

Well, it's a start ! Thanks Karen :-))

Cupcakes,Photoshop and Scrapping

Yesterday was the monthly Eclectic Keepsakes crop in Colchester.The class was designed by Ann Freeman  two layouts and a mini notebook project.

As usual the lovely Karen made some yummy cupcakes and I was very  touched that she had made some extra lemon ones specially ' cos I can't eat chocolate -....

Another very positive for the day was a lesson learnt in how to manipulate layers in Photoshop,Karen kindly spent some of her time showing some of us how to do some Photoshop layering. I found it so useful as now I have actually seen how it works I can have a bit of a play - watch this space, you never know !!!

Lesson learnt today .....

Is that I'm not the only one who is going to miss him after tonight  when he's back at Uni .....beer,cider and tomato ketchup ...an absolute must ....

......he'll not be happy at me posting this !

Isn't it great that all my hours spent crocheting are so appreciated ??lol

Getting ready to use that stash

Tomorrow sees the start of a new class I've signed up for over at BPS. It's going to be run by May Flaum, another lady whose style I really like.
The last class I did over there was hers- Camp Scrap and it really motivated me to get crafting. Working full time,sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day and I need to have a kickstart and some inspiration.
I've just looked out of the window and it's pitch black out there and only 8.15p.m - a timely reminder that Autumn is on it's way - time to really get into craft mode!
Getting back to the class that starts tomorrow. May has given us a bonus pre class layout - although the  idea is to use hers as inspiration I've scraplifted it totally as I liked it so much!
I used the old Core-dinations cardstock ( no idea if that's right but you get my drift). I inked it this time rather than sanding it. It's a photo of me and Dad that I've had for a while and wanted to scrap. We've always been close and have become even closer since we lost Mum.

I've got a day off tomorrow, taking the dog to the vets as he has been a bit poorly lately on and off - so just want to check it out,then we're off taking youngest son back to Uni for his second year.

Oh,and it seems I didn't win the lovely patchwork bedspread - boo. AND Shimelle's LSNED started today - how am I going to fit it all in ??