Theatre in the Forest - A Winter's Tale

We got to The Theatre In The Forest last night to see The Winter's Tale, and we were not disappointed, we all agreed this play was even better than last years. The weather stayed dry despite a wet day the day before. We had a great evening and were very well entertained.

We took our picnic, tickets and information, and we were dropped off ....

... well into the depths of the forest, to this clearing, for picnics and a theatre.

We purchased our programme, from one of the actors. One of the lovely things is that the actors greet you in the car park, and front of house.

People chose where they wanted to sit and started on their picnics.

The scene was set, and looked good fun.

The play started, plenty of humour, and clever improvisation with props. The actors themselves playing several parts each, all singing, acting and playing instruments for the music. There were several brilliant puppets used to great effect too.
The costumes were brilliant, and everyone had Converse to match their outfits!

There was even a bear! (sorry about the photo, but if you blinked you missed it all together!).

Do you remember the story in the national press about a bear being found in a forest in Suffolk on 1st April? Well this lot were responsible for that!

The main prop, this versatile little hut / caravan thing on wheels was reversed depending on which kingdom we were in at the time!

Half time and we had a nice hot chocolate as we were beginning to feel a bit chilly. (sorry this photos rather dark.) Then back to our seats with our picnic blankets to watch the second half ...

... until well after dark, when our carriage returned to take us home!

I hope we get to Suffolk next August to see the next play. Well worth a visit if you are in these parts during August. Well all that remains is for me to scrap this event as well as last years.

Theatre in the Forest- Romeo & Juliette

Last year was the first time we heard of the Red Rose Chain Film and Theatre Company. We were interested to hear more about the plays held in the open air during August in the Rendlesham Forest. We ordered tickets and headed for The Theatre in the Forest to see Romeo and Juliette. We had a lovely evening watching a very professional modern production of this old play. We thought was brilliant and planned to g again this year. Here ate a few pictures of last years event:

On 08.08.08 we headed off to the forest, this picture shows everyone finding a place to sit and have their picnics, before the play began.





The play has started.




































....continuing on into the evening...














...finishing after dark.








Tonight we return for another play, the less well known 'The Winter's Tale'.... watch this space for my review tomorrow!

Patchwork Pieces

Saw a lovely card on the Paper Maze Blog which reminded me of a card I made my friend Janet a last year when she left work (above). For Jan's card I used Doodlebug Designs papers and QuicKutz dies. I decided to try making another one more like Vanessa's (below) with scraps from my Basic Grey (BG) 'Off Beat' papers.

1. I started by cutting the card to measure 13.5 cm x 21 cm, this was folded to make a landscape card 13.5 cm x 10.5 cm.

2. Take the patterned paper scraps and cut a strip 3.5 cm wide.

3. Take the strip and cut a small square by cutting piece 3.5 cm long.

4. Repeat steps 2. and 3. twelve times with different patterned papers.

5. Ink the edges of each patterned square, and the blank card.

6. Draw the faux stitching around the outside of each square.

7. Stick the patterned squares to the base card. Add the bird sticker from the BG 'Off Beat' elements sticker sheet. Raise the bird by sticking with 3D foam pads.


8. Using Stampin' Up punches cut a circle from patterned paper, and a scalloped circle from plain white card. Ink the edges of both and add more 'stitches'. Stick the scalloped circle to the card. On the patterned circle add a greeting with BG rubons. Add the greetings circle over the scalloped circle with 3D foam pads.

Mamma Mia!

A Layout to record our fantastic night out - the opening night of Mamma Mia in Hollywood at the Pantages Theatre on 7th April this year.

I was unsure about what papers to use again as the colours of the photos and tickets were such a mixture and a bit dark. Played around with lots of ideas but Emily suggested red. So out came the Basic Grey (BG) 'Off Beat' collection and the rest is history as they say!

I used 'Alternative' for the background, the red is 'Peculiar', the stripe is 'Easy Going' and the blue is 'Light Hearted'. I also used the BG Element Stickers fore tiny tags. For the title I needed something with four M's and three A's, not easy in the absence of any of my die cutting devices! These BG rubon letters were just the thing! I started off with a Pagemap from April '09. The ribbon was in mys stash.

Chinese Theatre

Here is a double scrapbook page I have worked on this week. knew I wanted to use Basic Grey Ambrosia papers right from the start, but when I went to my stash I found I did not have two sheets the same and one of the patterned pieces was a bit smaller than I intended to use. However I worked my way around it and took photos at each step of the way, so thought I would share how I got to the finished result with you all.




1. I had a Basic Grey (BG) page map I really liked stored for a DLO (double Lay Out), this was perfect for the number and orientation of photos I intended to use. However I did not have enough sheets of BG Ambrosia 'Clementine' for a DLO, so I got two sheets of plain white 12" x 12" paper (the type you find inside the protective sleeves in a scrapbooking album. I used these as a base, then cut the one sheet of 'Clementine' into four strips 12" x 3".


2. I inked the edges of all four strips with black chalk ink and stuck to the top and bottom of both sheet of white card.







3. Taking one sheet of 'Entice' cut in half to make two pieces 12" x 6", ink as before and stick between the orange pieces. Take the 'Tangy' paper (again I only had a small amount left, but at least it was 12" long). Using the Stamin' Up scalloped punch make two strips 12" x 1/2".




4. Stick the 'Tangy' strips to the bottom of the 'Entice' panel.

5. I wanted to cut the big circle from 'Chutney' but only had a piece 12" x 10" but noticed the top of the circle would be covered by the journalling strip so cut a circle using a dinner plate approx. 11" in diameter, with the top bit missing! This was also inked with black and stuck into place on the LHS (Left Hand Side) of the LO (Lay Out).

6. The journalling strip was cut from a piece of 'Citrus' cut 6" wide and torn off at about 9". This was inked and stuck down to the LHS as shown.




7. Now for the photos, I used four pictures 6" x 4". They were all inked. The first was stuck down 2 1/2" from the top and 5 3/4" in from the right on the LHS of the LO. Then the second was butted up close to the right of the first, it overlaps the right side of the page.



8. The second photo was cut along the edge of the first page with a craft knife and ruler, so that it would continue onto the RHS of the LO. Line the photo up so it continues across the two pages.





9. Working on the RHS of the LO, add the last two photos, butting the third against the second and so on.







10. Now for the title and a little trick I have worked out for using letter stickers to ensure they end up in the right place first time without ruining your papers! It also ensures the spacing is correct to fit in the place you want to use them. I use a piece of acetate cut to the shape I want the letters to be placed in, here I wanted them in a straight line, but this works well for a circle or any other shape. Choose the letter stickers and place them on the very edge of the acetate, with just a tiny amount of the bottom of the letters on the acetate. arrange the letters for the word or whole title depending on you chosen arrangement. Here I just needed one word at a time.

11. Now transfer the acetate and word to the LO and place in desired position, when happy stick the top of the letters down.
Then slip the acetate out of the way and stick down the bottom of the letters. The other word which was actually the first word was added later in he same way, curling the first letters of each word around one another.

12. For the flowers I used a template from the Technique Tuesday - Fundamentals of Flowers tiles set. I cut flowers from scraps of Citrus', 'Rind' and 'Zest'. These were all inked and curled with scissors. On the LHS I used half a flower in two colours, and attached to the left of the 'Citrus' Journalling panel. On the RHS the whole of two flowers was used at the bottom of the LO. The centres of both flowers was created using gold seals purchased in Jilly's (Cardinal Colours) sale. All that remains is to add the Journalling on the 'Citrus' panel next to the first photograph.


My finished LO shows four photographs of Grauman's Chinese Theatre - A movie theatre on Hollywood's walk of fame. Opened in 1929. It has since been home to may premieres, parties and Academy Awards. Four million visitors come annually to see the stars' hand and footprints in the concrete blocks in the forecourt. The theatre is 90' high with magnificent coral pillars topped with iron masks. A 30' dragon carved from stone stands between the pillars.

Mr Toad

Week 121 for the Mojo Holder Blog and the guest designer is Micayla Metcalf. Please read more about Micayla on her own blog and also on the Mojo Holder blog. My layout shows our friend Steve outside church just after the wedding of his eldest daughter Helen back in 2004. From this day he acquired the nickname ‘Mr Toad’ we have never seen him dressed up like this in all the many years we have known each other! (In fact only one other time since this day, more recently, for his younger daughter’s wedding last year).

This photo shows the street where they live in the quaint fishing village of Beer, in Devon.I used My Mind’s Eye papers, the background is Deena’s Penny Lane, and the other sheet is double sided and I have used both sides – Trés Jolie, Mademoiselle “Mother”. More American Craft Thickers alphabet stickers, this time in a vinyl finish. The tiny letters are Making Memories, brown ledger, tiny alphas. The ‘Once Upon A Time’ was cut on the Cricut, inked and mounted on a scrap of the MME paper. A wide variety of blossoms were attached with Paper Mania pearl brads. I have not worked on the album for some time, so it’s good to get another page completed. Micayla’s origins original layout and the sketch:

New Found Family

This post is for my new found distant cousin Heather (photo below). I have been using Genes Reunited for about 9 months and it has helped me trace my roots well back in time, then a few weeks a go I was contacted by Heather. We worked out quickly that we are both descended from the Ephgrave family. My paternal grandmother Margaret (photo above) was an 'Ephgrave' before she married my grandfather and became a 'Banks'. I also have a photograph of my great grandfather Robert Ephgrave somewhere, which I can add to this post later.

Heather sent me this photo of herself, we now chat on face book, via email and the Genes Reunited site. Heather is also very crafty and makes costumes. She has been busy making up costumes for the Notting Hill Carnival. I hope to show off the lovely things she has made once she gets permission for me to share the photos.

On the subject of family photos, I have been busy rummaging for old and new photo frames suitable for photos of both Alan's and my ancestors. I now have quite a collection and need to work out the best arrangement for hanging the them all. Again I will upload a photo when they are all finished and hung on the walls in my mini gallery!!