I will Survive!

This was another layout I had prepared for the Mojo Holders Blog.
My version shows Catherine dressed to dance to 'I will survive' for the Disco Inferno Show last summer.



I used Basic Grey papers with felt flowers and Thickers for the title.
The layout we were scrap lifting was created by Kari Ann Sweeny and here is her layout:

1980 and 2009 The Pantiles

Continuing to scan the slides and found these of The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells. They were processed in April 1980 (so could have been winter 1979/80) compared to those I took in September 2009. Looks very quiet in the 1980's ones, but a bit early in the year for eating outside, not that I ever remember seeing this then. Anyone know any different?

the first five photos are 1980, please compare with earlier blog post for 2009 visit. Last three photos from 2009.
Well worth a day out!

School's Out For Summer

The first weekend of the school summer holidays - year 12 was over and Catherine and her friends went for a picnic in Greenwich park. This is a photo I scrapped for the Mojo Holder Blog which sadly appears to have folded. The planned guest designer was to be Christiane Muller and here is her LO. followed by my version.

The title is made up of Making Memories and American Crafts Runaway White stickers.

The papers are Fancy Pants, Kraft Kutz - dotted girl and stickers sheet.

I had great fun with these lovely card stock butterflies from Bazzill Basics (see Cardinal Colours for an excellent range of Bazzill and other card stock).

Here are all the bits I used to create them.

First I dabbed the butterflies in the centres with some yellow chalk ink.

Next I added some red chalk ink to the edges of the bottom wings.

















Then green ink to the edges of the top wings.

Also some blue.

Lastly I ties a length of organza ribbon round each butterfly, some green and some blue.

17 Years Later

September 2009. Barbara (Great Auntie), Lynn (Great Auntie), Marion (Nana) and Heather (Mummy), with Hannah, Oliver and Lucy at eight months in their garden.

We went to see the babies again today. We had been looking at a picture from when my three were babies, and decided as we had all the relevant adults present we would take a photo with the new triples set up just like the original, 17 years ago.

This was taken in July 1992. Barbara (Auntie), Lynn (Mummy), Marion (Auntie) and Heather (Cousin), with Andrew Catherine and Emily at four months in Shenstone Park.

Oliver

This is a layout I did at Jill's crop, with a photo of baby Oliver taken back in March when he was two months old.

It is a scrap lift from this one by the talented Gabrielle Pocllaco.
For my version I used Bazzill Basics for the backing as well as the photo mat. Some old papers - Urban Lily's Everyday Lily collection, linen stripe and linen dot, from Crafty Pastimes. I also used some Basic Grey Urban Prairie.

I have used a selection of rubons, crystals brads and stickers. The letters for the title are chipboard painted with acrylic paint and decorated with Perfect Pearls. I used several different punches too.

For Ma and Pa!

It is both my mother and father's birthday next month, so I decided to set about making them each a birthday card last night. The above card is for Mum and the three dimensional image is from Paper Nation. It has been double mounted using two sheets of textured card from a DCWV block (Provo Craft) called 'The Far East'.

Due to scanning slides recently I have been reminded of my father's love of fishing over the years. I have been sharing these images with Dad, so these three dimensional papers from the Margaret Sherry Collection, (available from Heritage), seemed to fit the bill.

I used more of the DCWV papers and lots of chalk inks (as usual!).

Here is the finished concertina card, using the all three of the images.

Margaret Sherry's 3 D sheet.

Chocolates from Germany

Just thought I would share this image with you all. Andrew exchange student is staying with us from Germany. She gave me this lovely box of chocolates, I managed a quick snap before the six of us set too and ate them all!!

Special Family Bond

Last night I started work on the October kit for scrapaholix.

When I saw all the black and white I thought I would add colour as a contrast, but here is the finished LO and no colour added, it worked without. The only tiny bit of colour is in my daughters nail polish and Oliver's babygrow, and the two just happen to match perfectly!




The journalling reads "Special Family Bond. 6th March 2009. Catherine's first cuddle with baby Oliver. Not only are Catherine and Oliver cousins, they are also both triplets!"

This kit contains (all 12"x12") plain white cardstock, Black Cordinations, Daisy Bucket 'Little Black Dress' papers, a length of white organza ribbon with black spots, two balck and two white blossoms, black and white felt, sand paper and a pin! I used a Page Map from August 2009

The technique is paper piercing. I pierced a circle and patterns onto my layout, then with black embroidery thread joined up the holes. I added two black and white brads from my own stash. The title lettering was done using three different alphabets from my own stash, velvet lettering for 'special' and felt lettering for 'Bond', both from Making Memories. The word 'Family' uses
letter stickers from Doodlebug Designs.

For the journalling I wrote on white cardstock. I cut this into strips and inked the edges with chalk ink. The crystal brackets at top and bottom of the photograph are by 'Say It With Crystals' from Prima Marketing.

There are lots of papers left over so I will be back with more!

Book Swapping

I recently learnt about Read It Swap It (a site where you can swap the books you don't want, for the books that you do), from my friend Karen She put up a photograph on her 365 photos blog which drew my attention to the site. Like Karen I love reading, and buy a lot of books. My children and parents are also great book worms. Between us we have more books than I would care to count!!

Most books we buy get read by several family members and friends. What do you do with them after everyone you know has finished with them? Usually we keep them, thinking we will read them again, but we rarely do. Recently I have tried to sell books on Amazon, but it often it costs more to post than you actually get for the book! Many books we have finished with I pass on to charity shops. I would never throw a book away. I will always find someone who would enjoy it, or just store it at home!!

I have a book about tracing our ancestors on the way to me, as well as several books both my daughters need for school. All it's coating me is the price of posting to the swapper. The books may be used but perfectly readable. I get one less unwanted book on my shelf and gain one which will be used, by me and my family and friends. It's good fun too!

I only signed up earlier this week, and this weekend get around to uploading details of some books I no longer need. I could not believe the response, and have agreed swaps for seven books, which are all packaged up and ready to post tomorrow morning.





My book case certainly has some space in it now - well until the replacements arrive!!

Learn Something New Everyday

Today or this weekend, I learnt I can swap books once read rather than buy new all the time. I have been able to track down books my children need for their studies, for the price of an old book I no longer wish to keep.

Birmingham University

Writing this on my lap top as travel to Birmingham for the university open day. Emily is interested in their English and creative writing course.

Will update later on they way home - may be.



Much later:

We walked miles, we had to park some way from the campus, then we were sent off to look at various things she was interested in. She wanted to go to a talk about the course it's self at 14.15, so we friend to plan the rest of the day around that.

We tried to take some photos but were on the run most of the day, so they are not brilliant, but a record of our visit.

We were sent off in the direction of the accommodation and some time later arrived (we did take a wrong turn somewhere so walked a lot further than we needed too), then had further walking to get to each of the houses we were allowed to go inside.

The main thing was that it was well worth the visit and Emily wants to add it too her list of choices for her UCAS form.

Alan drove the 300 mile round trip, and we did well until we got back to within a mile of the Dartford Tunnel/bridge, then all slowed right down.

Was trying to tot up the number of Uni's we have looked at with and on behalf of Andrew, Catherine and Emily.

Birmingham
Aberystwth
Royal Holloway
Rowhampton
Brunell
Cambridge
Imperial

We still have more to go including Rose Bruford and Falmouth.

Learn Something New Every Day

I learnt that it's no good worrying about if and where the three kids will go to university, as it won't change the outcome. Just take them to look so they can make informed choices. Then they must get on with the work they need to do to get the entry qualifications. Beyond that, as Doris Day used to sing "What will be will be"!

The Pantiles

Linda had found a shop selling craft materials on the web, and it was based in the Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells. She had never been there and wanted to investigate. I have been to the Pantiles many times but a long time ago. When our friends Frances and Steve lived in Tunbridge Wells we used to go regularly. Funnily enough we drive past very month on our way to Cardinal Crafts Crop. I was happy to take a look and was pleased to discover it has not changed very much. Unfortunately the well was not flowing well enough for us to 'take the water'.





We had a lovely Italian meal and loved the kitchen shop. The craft shop was not quite what we were looking for but Linda was able to get some decoupage papers she wanted. I did get a sheet of decoupage paper by Paper Nations to make a new home card for my parents, and another for three small Christmas cards, as I guess I should make a start on these soon!







I learned that however busy you are it' good to take a break and go out with a friend for a few hours. We had a good day, thanks Linda.

Scrapping the project

Learn Something New Every Day

I'm discovering there is not enough time to do a scrapbook page every day for the LSNED project, but I pleased to say I have kept up to date by printing out the prompts and using them to make notes on as I read them. I am also get the relevant thoughts and photos onto this blog. I have made my covers, and cut the pages for the insides. I have also gathered many of the embellishments I intend to use. I hope to make good use of the ROBO too.

I have learnt not to panic about getting the pages done and therefore rush them and not be happy with the end result.

I had some time off today so the food shopping was done first then the laundry. I have set myself the task of scanning a few negatives or slides every day, so I gradually get through them.

So I learnt this is the best way as it is quite time consuming and I am enjoying discovering a few forgotten images at a time. This way I have time to share a selection of these photos with family and friends through Facebook.

I love this one of my mother playing with me and my sister in the back garden, taken in 1963.

I learnt that having a phone that is also your calendar is brilliant in cutting down on the content of your handbag. However it means you have to end your conversation to look up if you are free on a certain date, then text the person back to say you can or can't make it!

09:09 09/09/09

Learn Something New Every Day

What were you doing at 09:09 this morning? I had just left the A2 and was driving towards my first home visit in Gravesend. There was a lot of discussion on the radio about what would happen, including the world coming to an abrupt end! Nothing special occurred and I continued on my way as usual. I learnt that the world did not come to an end at 09:09 on 09/09/09 (not that I ever believed it would!



My position in the world at 09:09, 09/09/09

I learnt a new short cut back to the office from Gravesend via the new roads created to access Ebbsfleet International Station and stopped for a few minutes to take a look and a photo or two!

Ebbsfleet International

I learnt how I had made my niece's day by sending her the cards I had made for the triplets. I sent them for no special reason, just because I wanted to make them something. I suggested she made them into little booklets to keep useful notes in about each baby. She phoned me this evening to thank me, and it's always a pleasure to stop and chat with her.

Unexpected Family Time

Learn Something New Every Day

I had a message from my sister about picking up some books and things from her house. We had been meaning to get together for a while. I decided that although I only had two hours I would drop Catherine at her dance lesson and drive over to her house. I would only have just over an hour there but I would get to see my sister and my brother (as he is staying at her house at present).

I learnt it was well worth making the effort, as we had a good catch up and there is a lot we need to sort out at the moment as we are helping my parent move back into the area. We planned birthday gifts for our parents too, as they both celebrate their birthdays in October.

I learnt my sister had a box of slides my father had discovered when de-cluttering the house to move, so I have them now and am going to attempt to scan them so we can all have them and view them more easily.

Here are three of the slides, one of each of us from 1971, in our garden at home, showing off one of Dad's model aircraft.

Me

My sister, Sylvie.


My brother, Robert