Daily Deliberations

Beautiful spring day

2011-03-26T15:04:00.003Z

It's so nice to be able to get out in this wonderful spring weather. The forecast says it's not going to last so I thought I'd better make the most of it. I went for a lovely walk around my garden this afternoon and took some photos of the wonderful flowers that have bloomed over the past few days.

Photo of the Day

This is a beautiful Lenten Rose, it's such a pretty colour. My garden is very "green" for most of the year and I'm always saying that I will plant more colourful plants but never quite get round to it. At this time of year there is lots of colour. This Lenten Rose, a lovely white Lenten Rose, wonderful bright yellow daffodils, red tulips, pink hyacinths. It really is lovely to see them all. I will record more flowers and plants over the weeks so I have a record of what exactly I do have in my garden.

Card of the Day

I made this card a while ago. I love this stamp and I really like this card, but I'm not sure who I can give it to. I wouldn't want to offend anyone! I'm really missing colouring in.

That's another story..

2011-03-24T06:45:00.004Z

Yesterday I had my cast removed. The best thing about that was being able to wash my hands properly for the first time in three weeks, ahhhh, heaven. The funniest thing was finding glitter on my palm! Now, as a crafter I'm used to being covered in glitter, but I've not been able to craft so how did that get there.?

Well, that's another story...

A couple of weeks ago my beautiful daughters were asked to model for some promotional photos for our hairdresser. They loved it. I had a wonderful afternoon watching them have their hair and make up done. They seem so natural in front of the camera, not at all self-conscious. I'm not sure how impressed their father was with the finished product, but I thought they looked amazing. Anyway, the point of the story is the amount of glitter they were covered in. It was everywhere - including inside my plaster cast! I'm still not sure how it got there but as all crafters know, glitter does get everywhere!

So, the cast has gone and I had expected to have been back at work today. However, the doc says there's still lots of healing to do and I have to have another week off work. I don't mind, in fact I love being at home. I don't do boredom, so that's not an issue and even though I can't use my hand much, I can still find things to do. One of the things I've been doing is watching the craft programmes on the TV. I know the object of the programmes is to sell the products they show, but I've loved seeing the demonstrations. That has been frustrating in a way as I can't craft, but I did manage to make one of the cards they showed.

Card of the Day
This is the card I made. I'm very pleased with it as I made it completely with my left hand! I would have like to have put a butterfly on it as the lady on the TV did, but I couldn't cut one out so I had to use a flower instead. It's made from a kit that was included in a magazine I bought so I didn't have to do any cutting. I'm very pleased with the card and it will be my Mother-in-law's Mother's Day card.

Insomnia

2011-03-22T02:32:00.002Z

So, here I am at 2.35am. Unable to sleep - again. I know what the problem is, I'm not doing much at the moment so I'm not getting tired. But I am tired, I just can't sleep. How does that work? Well, at least I'm making the most of my insomnia by bringing my blog up to date.

I made a card today, the first I've made for about a month. It's a Mother's Day card for my mother-in-law. Unfortunately, I'm not able to use my camera at the moment due to my dicky thumb so I can't show you it yet. I'm very pleased with it, I saw a demonstration on a craft show and thought "I can do that", and I did. I couldn't cut out butterflies (due to my dicky thumb!) so I improvised and used a flower instead.

I will miss the craft shows when I go back to work, most of them are on TV in the mornings and I work in the mornings. Oh well, I'm sure I'll manage. I'm hoping (I think) to go back to work on Thursday after having this plaster off on Wenesday. It will be strange going back again. A couple of years ago I had ot do jury service and had a couple of weeks off when everyone else was in school and I never really got into the term. I suppose there will only be two or three weeks until the Easter holidays so it won't be too bad.

The weather is starting to become very spring-like. It's lovely to see some sun at last, it seems to have been a very long winter. The daffodils in my garden are looking lovely and I noticed that the lilac is starting to shoot again. I was happy to see that my Clematis Elizabeth is starting to shoot again after I cut her back quite severely last year. The weight of the plant had pulled some wires off the wall so I had to be drastic to stop the wires being damaged. I don't expect any flowers this year and the flowers grow on the previous years shoots. Oh well, something to look forward to next year. She grows outside my front door and has the most wonderful scent.

Card Of The Day
I made this card a while ago. The image is the lovely Elizabeth. I used two images and used a weaving technique to make the card. I really like it, I like the weaving and I love the bloom. I'm not sure if this picture shows the weaving very well.

Shoe laces without thumbs.

2011-03-15T13:58:00.002Z

There's an advert on TV at the moment, I can't remember what it advertises, but it's about what cats would get up to if they had thumbs! No idea what it advertises, but it makes me giggle when I see it. I know how they feel at the moment as I am without the use of a thumb. However, I managed to tie my shoe laces today without they help of my right thumb. It's surprising how you quickly learn how to use other fingers.

I love this card, it's very apt in my life at the moment. I can imagine my chickens all roosting in the evening, getting their knitting out and discussing the events of the day. It also reminds me of my two beautiful girls who have both taken up knitting. It's the funniest sight watching my eighteen and twenty year olds surrounded by wool and needles. The difference nowadays is that they don't buy patterns! They go on the Internet and find patterns - seems odd to me, but that's the way of the world now. My youngest even found instructions on how to knit (or was its crochet?) a coral reef and on the radio the other day they were saying it's possible to get instructions on knitting the royal wedding. My goodness, whatever next!

Sorry the card looks a little squint, it's not in real live, honest.

Three reasons I'm blogging today

2011-03-12T14:14:00.005Z

Three reasons I'm blogging today.

First, I've just had an operation on my hand and I can't do much else.

Second, we've got a new laptop (new to us anyway) and I wanted to add some of my favourite blogs onto it.

Third, I enjoy it.

As I can type with my left hand (and I'm getting better at using the mouse with it too), this is something I can do to keep busy. Is that reason four?

I haven't blogged or blog-hopped for some time and I'd forgotten how much fun it can be. I love this blog and this one. There are so many good bloggers around. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them! I'm a lazy blogger as you can see by how often I do it.

I read this on Pioneer Woman's blog and thought there were some pretty good tips for new/bad bloggers so maybe I'll try to follow some of the ideas. I don't have a sister, but I got a new Sister-in-law a few years ago and I love her like a sister so I'll pretend I'm talking to her when I'm blogging.

Today I'll talk about the hand. I've had arthritis in my hands for quite a few years, getting progressively worse and it finally reached the stage that the doctors decided to operate. A few days ago I went into hospital for a Trapeziectomy. A small bone was removed from the base of my thumb and a ligament was used to strengthen the joint. I will have my hand in plaster for about three weeks. As it's my right hand all sorts of things are difficult. I won't go into details, I'm sure you can imagine! Anyway, I'm twelve days into recovery and my hand is feeling better daily. I do have to remember not to use it though as it soon reminds my if I do too much. I will need the other hand doing later but then I'll be a new woman. Can't wait to get back to crafting.

Here's a card I made a while ago, it says Thank You for dropping by.

It's cold!

2010-12-01T22:40:00.002Z

This weather is soooooo cold. Strange for the time of year. I suppose as it's freezing and we have had a little bit of snow it must be time for Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas. I started blogging my preparations for Christmas and remembering Christmas's past over on My Christmas Journal blog. May see you over there dear reader.

What a day!

2010-10-11T21:17:00.003+01:00

Hmm, nothing is ever simple when you have children is it? I say children, mine are eighteen and twenty. Youngest DD is "studying" for A2s at the moment, if only she would study, I suppose at that age life gets in the way of school doesn't it? Maybe all kids should leave school at 15 or 16 and go back to it when they've grown up a bit.

My hands and hip are painful today because I did gardening over the weekend. Never mind, it's worth it to see a pretty garden. It will be pretty when I've finished! Heehee. I went to visit a friend the other day and she has a really pretty garden. She used to live along the street from me and she had a lovely garden then, she's moved now and has a smaller garden but still pretty. My garden doesn't have much colour in it, apart from green. I really must buy some plants which are going to give me more colour. A while ago I did a layout with 100 photos on it and used all photos of my garden. I must have some colourful stuff in there to have that many photos, but it's looking so bland at the moment. Earlier this year I threw some seeds all over the beds in the hope that lots of pretty things would grow, unfortunately I think the chickens must have eaten then as nothing grew. I'll try again next year.

What a palavar!

2010-10-10T15:28:00.004+01:00

I haven't logged onto my blog for ages - bad blogger, and I remember my password. After lots of fiddling I finally managed to get in but now I don't know if I'm logged in with my old or a new password. Probably have the same trouble when I next log in.

Anyway....

I've had a lovely weekend gardening. Better put some photos up I suppose.

Here's my garden looking quite nice in the October sunshine. I like this part of my garden, it always looks nice. I need to cut some of the plants back though, they're growing over the lawn. If the weather stays nice I will do this next weekend.

This is the other side of the garden and it's a bit more shaded. I had a huge Pyrocantha removed last year and now this area covered in thistles. So I'll need to get those out too. I'm not so keen on this bit of the garden, I need to sort it out I think.

This is the orchard. Haha, there are four fruit trees in here so I call it the orchard. It's also where the chickens live. They're not very happy at the moment as they have to stay in their runs. They usually have the run of the orchard, but they've destroyed all the grass as you can see. I've spent the last two weekends re-seeding so I can't let the girls out or they'll eat the seed. This part here was seeded last weekend and the grass is starting to grow so I'm optimistic about it looking nice again soon.

Hello again

2010-04-18T13:23:00.003+01:00

Oh my goodness, I've left it ages again.

Well, I haven't blogged since January so lots must have happened since then.

Firstly, I did finish all the pages for my magnetic calendar and I'm really pleased with them. It was a lovely project to do and something which continues for such a long time. Usually when I make a layout it goes in an album (or gets tucked away to put in an album) and I don't look at it in ages. At least with the calendar I see it numerous times a day and it changes regularly.

A friend gave me a lovely iron easel stand as a present a while ago and I've started to put layouts in there for a while until I decide which album to put them in. I love the stand and it means that some of my work gets displayed for a while and can be appreciated.

I've made loads of cards from my scraps too, I now have a basket full. My scraps box still seems as full though, odd that! The other day I bought a magazine with a kit attached and as I was on holiday I put together quite a few cards from that too. I will post them here later.

Hubby and I are spending the weekend with my in-laws and although we're having a lovely time I keep thinking of what I could be doing at home. Gardening or crafting, gardening or crafting, hmmm, at least I don't have to make that decision. It looks as though lunch is going to be late, we were supposed to eat at 1.30, but we're still waiting for my sister-in-law and her family to arrive. Getting a bit hungry now!

(some time later)
Home again now. It's nice to be home, but I felt sorry for mother-in-law when we all left at the same time. I never appreciated how it felt to have children leave after a visit until eldest Darling Daughter went to uni two years ago. I really miss her and I hate it when she leaves after a visit home. I asked M-i-L if she still misses her children and she said she does, desperately! Her youngest is 37, so it obviously gets no better.

This was the first time we left youngest DD on her own. She's 17 and was fine about being left, I found it hard though. We got home to find the house still standing and her enjoying her freedom. Another first for me.

Well, back to work tomorrow after two weeks off. It's been a nice break and it didn't seem to go too quickly. That's not to say I'm ready to go back to work though. I enjoy my job, but I'm definitely a home bird. I never get bored at home, I can always find something crafty to do. There's loads to be done in the garden and next weekend is the UKScrappers cybercrop so I won't be out in the garden then.

I think that's enough rambling for one day. I hope not to leave it too long next time. So, dear reader, enjoy the lovely weather and I'll "see" you again soon.

WOYWW

2010-01-27T17:29:00.003Z

So, here we are again. I seem to have missed out on last weeks WOYWW, I don't know how that happened.
Anyway, as you see the desk is still in it's new position. I've put bits of card (I have lots!) under the legs and it seems to have stopped the wobble.
I had intended to be crafty this evening and do the September page of my magnetic calendar, however I realised I have a governors meeting at school so I won't be able to do it. Never mind.
I have been crafty this week though. I made a pact to make some cards using my scraps of card and paper (I've mentioned I have lots) and I've made seven already. That's one a day, so by the end of the year I should be swimming in them and have very little left in my scraps box. That's the plan, I wonder how long that will last!
Anyway, dear reader, I'd better go and get ready for the meeting otherwise I'll be late.

I'm done....

2010-01-13T16:56:00.002Z

....well almost. I'm not sure if the desk will stay here. I like it here but I can't seem to stop it wobbling. I'll have to do some crafting on it and see how it goes. I do like being able to get my machines on the small desk though.

This is where all my "stuff is stored, well that's not strictly true. It's where some of my stuff is stored, the rest of it is in the floor to ceiling cupboard on the other side of the room. It's easy to forget about all that stuff as I can close the door and I can't see it.

Then I decided to sort out my 12 x 12 card. I don't have a really good place to store it. I'd love one of those racks that they have in craft shops. I try to keep it all colour coded but it always ends up in a muddle.

This is just the pink card! How can there be so many different shades of one colour?

And look at all this yellow. I'm not even sure I like yellow that much. I daren't photograph the green because I really don't like green and it's embarrassing how much I've got. Better not tell Alison (she's my friend who does like green).

So, until I can get myself one of those shop shelf units, this is where the paper and card is stored. Please don't be fooled into thinking that this is all I have, this is one of three files.

So, dear reader. I feel I've made good use of my snow day. I'm off to cook a nice warming casserole for dinner now.

WOYWW

2010-01-13T12:20:00.003Z

Here we are again, and it's snowing. If I remember, it was snowing last Wednesday. I've got a day off today, not because the school is closed, but because I decided it was too dangerous to go out. I had thought I may go in a bit late but the snow just keeps on and on. I think it's worse than last week.
As you see, my chickens don't seem too happy about the snow. I gave them some melon for breakfast and I'm going to make them some porridge in a little while. The worse problem in this weather is making sure their water doesn't freeze. It's no problem when I'm at home but if I'm at work I can't do much about it.

So, my workdesk! See the large jar of sweeties there? It did have wine gums in, but now it's got Chocolate Eclairs. I really must stop eating them.
I've been sorting out my craft room for a week now. It was tidy, but then I decided that I would rearrange the furniture today. I think I explained about the sofa situation last week so I won't go into that again. Suffice to say that I have to make room for the futon so a huge turn around had to happen. I've moved my desk in front of the fireplace, but it's wobbly so I may have to re-think this. If I get on, you may see the finished space later.

Happy New Year

2010-01-10T09:58:00.002Z

Sorry my greetings are a bit late. I can't believe we're already ten days into 2010.

Here's my layout for January, I hope you can see it. Thank you Julia (http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/) for this LO, I love it. You may remember that I did a Magnetic Calendar In A Day workshop with Julia and Ally, the 2 Scrap Ladies (http://2scrapladies.blogspot.com/) and this is the first month obviously - doh! I did make a Christmas countdown layout which I used on my Christmas blog (http://jayschristmasjournal.blogspot.com/) so I was able to use the frame for that, but this is the first month of the workshop layouts.

Well, I missed WOYWW (What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, again you can see it over on Julia's blog) last week, I had no excuse really as school was closed due to the snow so I spent the day at home. This was the view from my bedroom window on Wednesday, so not quite WOYW, but WOOMBW (go on Julia, work it out, Heehee).

It was lovely having an unexpected day off as I had loads to do in the house. I had visitors for Christmas then went to Ireland for New Year so the house was a mess, especially my craft room. It had been used as a bit of a dumping ground when the house was full of guests, so I'm having to do a big clean up. Not only that, but we're buying a new sofa (sometime soon!!!!!) and the futon sofa bed has to go back in my craft room.

I will tell you the tale of the sofa, if you know this already please feel free to skip to the end :-). We bought our three piece suite seventeen years ago and it's been really hard wearing when the children were young and has lasted us well. Until about four years ago when the springs in the sofa started to give. At first it wasn't too bad, but it gradually got worse until it was really difficult to get up ones you got into the dip that had been a comfy sofa. After a couple of years I couldn't stand it anymore so I decided the sofa would go and we would use the futon until we bought a replacement. I thought that it would be so uncomfortable that it would spur us into action, but no! Anyway darling husband and I decided that our Christmas present this year would be a new sofa, so things seem to be moving. Before we used the futon as a sofa it was in my craft room and visitors (or DH and I) would bed down in there whenever we had a houseful of guests. Well, as any crafter knows, My crafting goodies have taken over the space previously occupied by the futon - and more! I'm now going to have to rearrange and scale down so that the futon can go back in.

Well, that's my job for today, so I'd better go and get dressed and get on. So dear reader, until next time, take care and stay safe in the snow.

WOYWW

2009-12-09T22:06:00.003Z

Look at this, I haven't blogged here since last Wednesday. I've been blogging over on my Christmas Journal blog, here http://jayschristmasjournal.blogspot.com/.

I've nothing on my desk to show you today, I've been busy wrapping Christmas presents and filling stockings so no crafting I'm afraid. Here are the stockings I've been filling for my darling daughters. I'm filling eight stockings this year, one of them is for me of course.

Most of the presents are wrapped now, thank goodness. What a job that is. I'm still only up to "D"s writing my cards. That would be "D" in the address book. It's not looking good for them getting there on time is it?

WOYWW

2009-12-02T22:30:00.002Z

So late! I've had a productive evening cutting out Christmas shapes on my Cuttlebug for someone at work and I've only just been able to add my WOYWW.
My desk today was the kitchen table 'cos there's not enough room on the desk to make this.

Do you know what it is yet?

It's a star for the school nativity play, yes we do still do that at our school. My teacher wanted me to make a 3D star but I couldn't work out how to make the cardboard bend, so it's 2D and it will have to do. If anyone can do better they are more than welcome to try.

I have just had the best present. My Little Girl had just come in and brought me a bunch of flowers. I was really touched. I will take a photo and show you tomorrow.

Until then, dear reader, take care. Oh, if you want to read day 2 of my Christmas journal you can see it here: http://jayschristmasjournal.blogspot.com/

Follow on from 17 again blog train

2009-12-01T21:57:00.003Z

Lilly at 17

I asked my 17 year old daughter to answer the questions I used yesterday on the blog train. Here are her answers:
QUESTIONS:My hair colour is....brown
My hair style is....long and wavy
My favourite brand of makeup is....Bourjois
My "fashionable" item is......what fashion item, I dress like a grandad
My favourite outfit is.....my Haight and Ashbury dress
My favourite colour is.....green
I drive a.....BSM training vehicle
On a Saturday I go....to rehearsals or friends houses
On a Saturday night I go.....to work
On a Sunday I go.....to work
Monday-Friday I go.....to college
My best friend(s) is/are.....Bethany Hutchinson and Flo Taylor-Jones
My favourite place to go out is......anywhere with a view
My favourite subject at school is.....drama
When I grow up I want to be......Early Years teacher with Special Needs and drama therapy
My favourite drink is.....fanta
My favourite food is.....seafood
My favourite shop is......M Butterfly
I want to marry....someone who doesn't take life too seriously :-)
My favourite actor/actress is....Johnny Depp
My favourite band is....Beatles
My favourite TV programme is....Come Dine With Me
The one thing I want to do but can't is.....be insanely clever without trying
My most used mode of transport is a....bus, I live on Wilts and Dorset
If I had all the money in the world I would....
I wish I could visit....my family in LA more often
My favourite sport is......that was a good joke!
This fall I .......had the best couple of months
At Halloween I dressed up as .....a dead hippy
I recently saw ...New Moon and thought it was ........crap
I am reading .....another good joke
The big newspaper story this year is......Obama
The most dangerous thing I've ever done....
The furthest away from home I've ever been is......LA

Some interesting answers there. Maybe we should all ask our 17 year olds those questions, we may get to know them a little better. I wonder if she would have answered the second to last question if she hadn't known I would read her answers!

I have blogged my Christmas Journal, it's here if you'd like to look: http://jayschristmasjournal.blogspot.com/

17 again Blog train

2009-11-30T16:00:00.003Z

Over on Shimelle.com a whole bunch of us have been following a blog workshop. As this is now finished some of us are doing a Blog Train. 17 (actually 19) of us are going back in time to when we were 17 - an awful long time for some of us, well me anyway. If you enjoy reading about my 17th year, click on the link at the bottom which will take you to Kate's blog. She will then link you to the nest person on the train and so on, you can follow us all if you like. So, dear reader onto 1970, enjoy.....

QUESTIONS: What was happening in my life age 17

My hair colour is.... Mousy brown

My hair style is.... Long, straight with a centre parting

My favourite brand of makeup is.... Don't wear any

My "fashionable" item is...... My flowery dress usually worn with a band around my head

My favourite outfit is..... Anything with flowers - Flower Power man!

My favourite colour is..... Brown

I drive a..... My mum's car when she lets me

On a Saturday I go.... Into town and drink hot chocolate in Wimpy Bar

On a Saturday night I go..... No where in particular

On a Sunday I go..... I stay in bed

Monday-Friday I go..... Work - as a cadet nurse at St Georges Hospital in Lincoln

My best friend(s) is/are..... Rosemary, Gillian (or Illianga Ickerpa as she was known)
My favourite place to go out is...... Cinema, pub
My favourite subject at school is..... You've gotta be joking. I hated school and left at 16 as soon as they let me
When I grow up I want to be...... A nurse
My favourite drink is..... Wimpy's hot chocolate
My favourite food is..... Kali and spanish (rainbow crystals and liquorice)
My favourite shop is...... I don't have one
I want to marry.... Roy Scott, we are engaged - hells bells!
My favourite actor/actress is.... I don't have one
My favourite band is.... The Kinks
My favourite TV programme is.... Don't watch much TV, I suppose Top of the Pops if any
The one thing I want to do but can't is..... I'm 17, I can do anything I want
My most used mode of transport is a.... Car/train

If I had all the money in the world I would.... I've no idea
I wish I could visit.... Egypt
My favourite sport is...... Sport! What's that? I'm 17
This fall I ....... turn 18
At Halloween I dressed up as ..... England doesn't do Halloween
I recently saw ...(movie) and thought it was ........ I haven't seen a film in ages
I am reading ..... Haahaa, I gave up reading when I gave up school
The big newspaper story this year is…. John Lennon marries Yoko Ono and The Beatles split
The most dangerous thing I've ever done.... I went on the back of a boyfriends scooter, scarey
The furthest away from home I've ever been is...... Bournemouth

So, off you go now to 2001 where you will meet Kate, here.

http://libertycottage.blogspot.com/

WOYWW

2009-11-25T15:02:00.003Z

Well, here we are again. Wednesday's come round really quickly don't they? I made this card last night for my Little Girl's best friend's birthday. I had the idea of cutting out her name from the front of the card and I was quite pleased with how it turned out. Thank goodness it was Beth's birthday, not Florence's! I'm not showing you my whole desk because it doesn't look much different from previous weeks. Julia's desk, which can be seen here if you're not visiting me via her blog, http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/, is lovely and tidy. Mine, on the other hand, is not. To be honest, I can hardly get in my craft room at all, it is such a mess. I think I'm going to put all the Christmas stuff away 'cos I'm not inspired to making anymore cards. Alan Titchmarsh, on the tele, has just said it's 31 days to Christmas. Lovely! So, it looks as though some people will be getting bought cards this year. I'm going to a card making marathon run by the 2 Scrap Ladies on Sunday (see here http://www.2scrapladies.blogspot.com/), so some will be made there.

I've not been feeling brilliant for the last couple of days, you know the feeling, just a low grade 'ickyness, nothing specific. I've felt nauseous, dizzy, shaky and a bit wheezy. Well, this morning on the way to work I realised my vision was going a bit fuzzy. It was a bit worrying as I was driving along the A303 at the time. Thank goodness I didn't have far to go until I go to work. The headmistress gave me one of her migraine tablets and sat me down until my eyes had come back to normal, then I was sent home. I popped into the chemist to buy some of the tablets and the lady told me they may make my sleepy! I got home and lay down on the sofa and that was it for about three hours. One minute I was watching Homes Under The Hammer and the next David Dickinson was Bargain Hunting. I'd love to know who bought the run down old house and what they did with it. Well, the sleep was obviously what I needed because I feel much better now.

So, dear reader, I'm going to check out some more WOYWW desks

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2009-11-22T21:53:00.002Z

Well almost. I spent the afternoon in my craft room. It wasn't terribly relaxing as I was making an advent box for my niece. You can see it here http://jayschristmasjournal.blogspot.com/. Last year I made about ten of these boxes, all made with 24 match boxes, so a bit of maths, ten boxes made from 24 matchboxes each containing at least 50 matches, what's that then? About 12,000 matches! On top of that I made the advent boxes with my after school craft club, so that was another ten, making about 24,000 matches. How to dispose of the matches was interesting. I didn't want to just put them in the bin in case they went on fire. Someone suggested cutting all the ends off and giving them to someone to make models from, I'd still be there cutting I think. In the end I put them on the compost, I was worried if they ignited they would set fire to the shed, but a friend told me that a little moisture would stop them going on fire. I waited for a wet day and tipped them all in. It seemed to work, the shed is still there and when I turned out the compost later in the year they had all disappeared so I suppose that was probably the best solution.
So, dear reader, that was my Sunday. Back to work tomorrow, however my big girl is coming home for the night so I'm looking forward to that. I think I can count of one hand the amount of nights she's spent at home since she went to uni and I don't like it. I miss her so much.

Woohoo.

2009-11-21T15:56:00.003Z

The last three weeks have not been in vain, Shimelle will be pleased to hear. I've just set up another blog! I am going to do Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas workshop again this year, I started it last year and only got up to about day 17.

Having just completed Shimelle's Blogging For Scrapbookers workshop I decided that this year I would blog my Christmas. The photo above shows a bookcase with my mini albums and circle journals on, I don't think I need any more at the moment otherwise Santa will have to bring me a bigger bookcase.

Looking back in my archives, I did blog some of my JYC pages from last year. I had to smile when I read that I would try to, not only scrapbook, but also blog my Christmas from 1st December to 6th January. Heehee, I managed to get to day 13 on my blog.

Well, better luck this year. So, dear reader, if you would care to take a look at my Chistmas Journal, it's here:

http://jayschristmasjournal.blogspot.com/

WOYWW

2009-11-18T17:40:00.004Z

Wednesday again, are we there already?

As you can see, not a lot of crafting has been going on this week. On my desk is a pile of prompts from Shimelle' Blogging For Scrapbookers course. It's almost finished now, the next thing will be Journal Your Christmas, but more of that later. I've also got some sheets on the desk from the Makaton course I've been doing for the last couple of days, and yes, I did get the certificate. There are also (should that be are or is?) some minutes for a meeting I have to go to next week. I'd better put them somewhere safe before they got lost under the debris.

Today Shimelle asked us to look back on blog posts from previous years to see what we were doing and if much has changed.

I hadn't been blogging long in November last year so I couldn't go any further back than one year. Last year I was doing yet another (in fact two) of Shimelle's courses. I did the Scrap your Day journal which entailed taking photos on the 25th of each month for a year. Surprise, surprise, my album is still not finished. It looks as though we started in April and I made it through to November! I then started the Journal Your Christmas journal. Guess what, I didn't finish that either. I see a theme here!

Because I was doing SYD journal I'm lucky enough to be able to find some photos to add here. Well, the photos taken on 25th November don't look much different from any photos I would take today. I'm still old and wrinkly, I'm still overweight, heehee I'm even still wearing the same cardigan and coat. The car has changed, twice. I'm still working in the same classroom as I was last year, but I don't spend as much time on the computer. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not.

It was clearly colder last year than it is this, here I am taking my hot water bed. I don't think I'll be doing that tonight. It's chilly, but not cold enough for a hot water bottle.

And look at my garden! We haven't had frost like this this year yet. Other than the frost, the garden looks the same. I have some new chicken up in the orchard though. (I laughingly call the top of the garden my orchard - well, I have got four fruit trees)

I've enjoyed comparing last November to this. I wonder if I can remember to do this more often.

So, the next thing, as I mentioned earlier is my Journal Your Christmas album. I'm not sure if to just do it on here rather than make another mini album. My shelf of albums is full and I suppose this is the way to go isn't it? The only thing is I won't be able to add scrapbook pages, unless I learn how to do digital!!!!!

So, dear reader, enough for today. You must be bored to tears by now, heehee.

Cybercrop failure

2009-11-15T20:09:00.006Z

This weekend was cybercrop weekend on UKScrappers, I was really excited and signed up for it as soon as it was announced. However, it was not to be.

A couple of weeks ago my in-laws came to visit and my father-in-law asked if they could come for the weekend of, yes you've guessed, the 13th, 14th, 15th November!! AARRGGHH! He said mother-in-law and I could "do something nice together". Now I love my in-laws dearly, they're the best, but not on cybercrop weekend. I couldn't refuse them and I thought it would be nice for mother-in-law and I to go out somewhere. They arrived at about the time the cybercrop started, so crafting on Friday was evening was out.

Yesterday it was decided we'd go into town, the weather was awful! It was pouring with rain and blowing a gail, lovely day to visit a town with no indoor mall. Lunch was lovely, and we were able to meet up with Little Girl and her boyfriend, but then we were to hit the shops. Mother and father-in-law decided they wanted to go off in their own separate ways, apparently they always do this, so that left me wandering round on my own for two hours. Why wasn't I at home crafting! AARRGGHH! I discovered there was a Christmas craft fair on so I spent about half an hour slowly walking round there, it wasn't very big! So that was Saturday out too.

I did manage to do one layout for the cybercrop after they left today. It's the one at the top of this post. The class was called Time To Go Home and it was, as you can see, a countdown to Christmas. You may remember dear reader that a couple of weeks ago I did a calendar workshop run by Julia and Ally at http://www.2scrapladies.blogspot.com/. Scrap Lady Ally had made a lay out for December to countdown to Christmas. As I only had time to do one layout from the cybercrop before the deadline, this one seemed perfect and it would finish off my calendar. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out and I used a prize I won at the workshop to make it, so -perfect.

I also did a couple more layouts this evening, they're of my little niece who lives in Los Angeles. I miss her so it was lovely to work with these photos.

Now I need to go over to Shimelle's place to catch up on the Blogging For Scrapbookers course. I'm days behind now.

See you later, dear reader.

Quick blog

2009-11-12T23:14:00.003Z

I've just found out I'm going to be an Auntie again.
I've got six nieces and four nephews now, I wonder what the new one will be. We haven't got any Daly males yet, so that would be really good.
Goodnight dear reader, just had to tell you the news.

WOYWW

2009-11-11T18:17:00.005Z

Woohoo! What is on my workdesk this Wednesday?

Isn't she lovely?

On Saturday I went to my local crop and a lovely lady who comes all the way from The Valleys in deepest Wales to crop with us had brought her with her saying she wanted to give her away *gasp*. Well, I couldn't let her become homeless so I had to bring her home with me.
The lovely lady from The Valleys said she'd mistreated my darling by leaving her on the floor of her craft room (guess where she lives now!) She seems very happy on the floor of my craft room and she is even happier when she's on my desk helping me to be creative.
We played for a while then we made some cards together. One was a birthday card for a little girl (which I forgot to photograph) and this one which I think will make a nice Valentines card.
Thank you lovely lady from The Valleys, I'm very happy.

The dress

2009-11-10T22:19:00.004Z

My little girl has been invited to a party on Saturday night. When I say my little girl, I mean my 17 year old little girl. You know what they're like at that age, they know everything and more. Well, she decided she wanted to go to the party, which is fancy dress by the way, as the 101 Dalmatians - all 101 of them!

Now, she had this idea that she would make a dress, like the one in the picture. She went off to the material shop and bought some Dalmatian print fury fabric, hmmm! Not the best choice maybe. She didn't really think this through as we have a very old sewing machine that doesn't work and she didn't think to buy a pattern.

I thought the project was doomed from the start, but darling daughter wasn't so pessimistic. She found something on the Internet which had a picture of pattern pieces for said dress and I found her with the material spread out on the kitchen floor with pencil marks all over it. Well, she went ahead and cut out the dress pieces and over the last two evenings she has painstakingly sewn, the dress, by hand.

It's not perfect, and we've had a giggle over some of the stitching, but it's done. And I think it looks pretty good. By the way, her friend Beth had made her costume too. Shes a bird.

So, what do I know?

Christmas is coming!

2009-11-09T21:53:00.003Z

Preparations are underway. I have to be organised this year. My brother and sister-in-law are coming over from America for Christmas.
Last year we went to stay with them in Los Angeles. Christmas there was surprisingly similar to here, apart from the weather. Well, I say that, but it rained on Christmas day so what's new! The picture is of my sister-in-law's tree, it was lovely. It was about seven feet high and decorated beautifully. All the presents were wrapped beautifully too. Everything was in boxes and wrapped with lovely paper and huge bows. Not like mine, just wrapped up really!
My tree is usually about four feet high, I do always have a real tree and I do decorate it in co-ordinating bits and bobs. I like lots of candles and stuff around the place, I have little villages and nativity scenes and the like so the house does look nice - I don't know why I'm worrying really. SIL does go to town on Christmas though so I suppose the pressure's on.
I made my cake a couple of weeks ago, I follow my Mum's tip and I leave the fruit to seep in brandy for days I think I've told you that before. It means the cake is lovely and alcoholic - hic! The puddings are made and I've made three jars of mincemeat ready for the pies.
I've got a few of the presents too, not many but at least it's a start.
When I write it down it sounds as though I've got quite a lot done. That makes me feel better.

I doubt we'll have weather like this when the Americans come over. This photo was taken on Boxing Day when we went up to the mountains. It was a lovely day but blooming cold, Brigid wasn't very impressed with the cold, but loved the snow.

Well, dear reader. That's all for today. I'll update you with my preparations as we go along.

Odd socks and new blogs

2009-11-08T20:45:00.004Z

Where do all the socks go? All washed, dried and ready to go back upstairs to their owners, but as you see most of the socks don't have friends. Three of the four pairs that have friends belong to me and none of the odd socks belong to me so my socks are friendly!

My Big Girl used to wear odd socks and it used to drive my OCD crazy. I had to hold on to all the socks until their friends came through the wash and I could pair them up. Big Girl went to uni a year ago and now Little Girl has started sending odd socks through the system. I think it's more that the friends get separated in the mayhem that is LGs room rather than her wearing odd socks, but it's starting to drive me mad again.

Anyway, what do you think of the new blog? I've been playing today and found some lovely backgrounds on this site http://www.backgroundfairy.com/. I tried another site, but it wasn't as straight forward as The Background Fairy.

I wanted to practice without changing my blog until I was happy so I hit on the idea of starting a new blog that I could practice on. It meant I could add and delete as much as I wanted without losing anything.

The only problem I have now is that my title is not in the centre of the header and I can't work out how to move it. I'm sure someone on the Blogging for Scrapbookers forum will have a solution.

So dear reader, that's all for today. See you tomorrow.

Oh my goodness.

2009-11-07T18:12:00.001Z

What on earth happened to the last post? It didn't look like that when I wrote it or on the preview. I'm sorry.

Day 5 bloggging for Scrapbookers

2009-11-07T17:16:00.008Z

First, an update on the slipper post from yesterday. I counted the slippers and there's 14 pairs. Look at these beauties, I had a couple of hours to spend in Salisbury yesterday while waiting for my darling daugher and...well...I just had to buy them, they wouldn't let me past the stand until I'd picked them up. Once in my hands, resistance was futile. Heyho!

I'm blogging prompt number 5 today as I didn't have time yesterday.
Mobile verses camera:

I recently went to a wedding and I started taking photos with the camera but realised they were far too dark so I swapped over to my mobile phone camera. See the difference?

My aweful windows make taking photos on my workdesk difficult as they create too much shadow.

All done for today.

Day 4 - Blogging For Scrapbookers

2009-11-05T22:45:00.002Z

Today's prompt was to blog about something mundane, everyday, uninteresting (to me). I thought of talking about my hatred of coat hangers, or my annoyance at people who park too close to, or even on the line in the supermarket car park, but I thought we might get a prompt about things that irritate us sometime during this course of prompts, so I'll leave that for now.
I thought I'd tell you about my love of slippers. I mentioned them yesterday in my favourites list, but I'll tell you a bit more about them today.
This photo shows only a few of my slippers, I have at least double this amount - no - more even. I've lost count really. I did think about going upstairs and digging them all out to take a more up to date photo but Mr D is in bed and he would think I'd gone loopy if I started getting them all out. Mr D doesn't understand my obsession with slippers, he's got one pair that he's had since Noah was a lad.
I've always worn slippers, ever since I can remember. Some people never wear them, Mr D's parents don't, odd I think! I like my feet to be cosy and warm, I hate cold feet. If my feet are cold then I can't get warm. As soon as I come into the house I change into my slippers, it's not because I don't want outdoor shoes in the house, I know some people who won't let you in with your shoes on. No, I'm not precious about those sorts of things.
I buy slippers all the time and from all sorts of places, even the supermarket sells slippers now and I always go and stroke them before buying the groceries - oh my goodness, do you know, I didn't even realise I did that until I just wrote it down! I even bought some special Christmas slippers last year, I'll have to get them out again soon as they were put away after New Year.
A while ago we had a crazy footwear day at school and I wore my slippers. Heehee, how fantastic that day was. I went around with a smile on my face the whole day.
Well, dear reader. Maybe you understand a little bit more about me today than you did yesterday, maybe you think I'm a little odder than you did yesterday. I've enjoyed telling you about my wonderful slipper friends, now I'm going up to get ready for bed. I will be putting on one of my cosy pairs of bed socks, but that's another story.

Day 3 - Blogging for Scrapbookers

2009-11-04T22:57:00.002Z

Lists! I'm not really one for lists. I make lists, but then I loose them. I always have a shopping list on the go, but I normally get to the supermarket to find the shopping list has been left at home. Ah well!
Today's prompt is to list five favourites:
1. It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that my number one favourite would have to be my slippers. I love them, they are so cosy and warm and friendly. I hate having bare feet, I think it's probably because I hate standing on "bits", maybe I just need to vacuum more often!
2. Books - I used to read loads, but when I had my children I found I couldn't settle to reading a book. I could read easy things like magazines, but I couldn't concentrate enough to read a proper book. I've only recently started reading again but I only read autobiographies. My favourite, without a doubt was John Barrowman's book "Anything Goes". Reading it was like having him tell me his story.
3. Flowers - This is a difficult one as I like every flower in my garden when it is at its best. At the moment my favourite is my Mahonia which is just coming into bloom and looks lovely against the backdrop of the lovely red stems of the dogwood. In January when the snowdrops start to brave the weather, they are my favourites, shortly followed a few weeks later by the gorgeous yellow blooms of my daffodils. For three weeks in May my lilac is my favourite, it's fragrance fills the whole garden and makes up for the other 49 weeks when it is fairly bland. Following this, the aquilligia are just amazing, their delicate flowers bobbing about in the breeze never fail to put a smile on my face. For weeks the rudbeccia are just beautiful and stand out so proudly. This year I threw some California Poppy seeds on the garden, the flowers were lovely but didn't last very long - except one plant. It hangs over the terrace and has bloomed for weeks and weeks. I'm sure it won't last much longer as the weather gets wetter and colder, but for the time being it reminds me daily of my much missed family who live in California .
4. It's got to be chocolate! Well, I suppose it would be on most people's list. Cadbury's Dairy Milk is my favourite, but I would eat any chocolate! A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I thought I wouldn't be able to eat chocolate anymore. Of course that wasn't the case, but I think I enjoy chocolate more now than before.
5. My favourite comedian, this has to be Billy Connolly. He makes me laugh out loud even if I'm watching him on television on my own. I've laughed at him for probably forty years now and never get tired of him.
So, dear reader. There is my list of "five" favourites. I suppose I cheated with #3, can I get away with that! :-)

WOYWW

2009-11-04T18:18:00.002Z

Guess what I've been up to? The Christmas paper is there from a decorated container I made yesterday. I run an after school craft club and we're going to decorated some tins next week. I have twenty in my group and it's been really difficult getting enough containers. Of course I told them that they would each need to bring a container, but only a handful of them have done. Typical.

There's also a birthday card on there, for a friend who's birthday is coming up soon. I won't say when 'cos she'll work out it's for her! The two new punches I bought last week are still there, I've used them quite a lot already, love 'em both.

I haven't been home long so I haven't got round to reading Shimelle's prompt for today so there's a chance I'll be back later with a Blogging For Scrapbookers post.

I've just put two big potatoes in the oven, my darling husband and I are having salmon and jackets for dinner. What's the betting he's home early today!

See you later, dear reader.

Day 2 - Blogging for Scarapbookers

2009-11-03T17:21:00.003Z

I'm just home from work and found that the prompt for today is perfect for my post.

Someone I know died yesterday. I hadn't known her very long and I wouldn't say I knew her very well, but the nature of our acquaintance meant that I felt quite close to her. It was such a shock, one minute I saw her sitting on the wall, smiling as she always did and within a couple of hours she had died. It was a very sad day today and I imagine the next few weeks could prove even sadder as she had young children. I will miss her as will everyone who knew her. She was very well liked.

The photo is one I took last Autumn at school, isn't it lovely? On days like this I need something to make me smile and see the beauty in the world.

Day one of Blogging for Scrapbookers

2009-11-02T20:35:00.002Z

So, here we go with day one of Shimelle's Blogging for Scrapbookers course. http://www.shimelle.com/
As I was at work today I couldn't get the prompts until this evening. I'm completely confused by the first part of the course where we are supposed to learn how to use Google Reader and tabs. I didn't realise Google Reader was already on my computer and lots of info was already there. For instance, all the blogs I follow are there. I've no idea how that has happened. I think I understand about the tabs thing, so that's one good thing. I know I'm almost computer illiterate, but this is ridiculous, the first day and I'm already confused.

Prompt 1
To post a photo and post about our intentions for the next three weeks, what we would like to achieve and why.

The picture I took today was of the prompts I printed off for today.
So, why did I decide to do this course. I'm not really sure, but I hope I can learn something. I've done a couple of Shimelle's courses in the past and I've enjoyed them, but I've never done anything like this before. As I said, I'm not very computer literate, so I'm hoping to learn a bit of the technical side of blogging. In fact it hasn't gone too well so far. When I started this blog it was supposed to be updated daily, hence the name. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at that and sometimes go ages without writing anything. I'd like to use my blog as a diary of sorts, but also as a place to display some of my scrapbook pages. I'm hoping Shimelle's prompts will give me a push in the right direction.

So, I think that's all for today. See you tomorrow dear reader.

Another lovely day and a photo

2009-11-01T23:15:00.004Z

Here is a photo of the 2 Scrap Ladies - http://www.2scrapladies.blogspot.com/, who did the wonderful workshop I went to yesterday. Don't they look dapper in their posh new shirts?

This is a photo of us trying to decide on which layout to do first. I've got lots of photos but I was unable to resize them today so I'll show them to you later.

My darling Clare came home for lunch today, it was so nice to see her. I miss her so much now she's at university, but I'm extremely proud of her. John cooked a lovely lunch and bought a little cake from Tesco which we had for tea. The only sad part was that Lilly was working so was unable to have lunch with us. That's the problem when the children grow up.

I'm really looking forward to Shimelle's Blogging for Scrapbookers course starting tomorrow. (http://www.shimelle.com/), unfortunately I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I'll have to wait until I get home to see what we have to do.

Well, I'm off to bed now as I've got to get up at 6.15 in the morning. See you all later.

The Best Day

2009-10-31T21:35:00.003Z

I have had the best day ever. The calendar workshop I went to today was fantastic. The 2 Scrap Ladies (http://www.2scrapladies.blogspot.com/) had worked really hard to make it such a brilliant day for us.

The calendar we made has a 12 x12 layout for each month of the year and Julia's husband had made lovely magnetic frames for us to display our layouts month after month. Julia and Ally had each put together a 12 layout pack which we could choose from for our calendar. The nice thing was that we didn't have to just choose Julia's or Ally's pack, but we could choose month by month which layout we wanted to pick. I think I ended up with six months from each ladies pack. The layouts were all so lovely, the most difficult thing was choosing which one to do. I haven't had chance to photograph the layouts I did yet, but I'll do that tomorrow and let you see them. Thankfully, we were given the opportunity to buy the packs that we didn't do today, so I have another full calendar to make.

Added to that, we were given a Trick ot Treat basket full of sweeties, we had a game of bingo (in which I won another lovely pack of 12 x 12 paper), lunch was provided and was cooked and served by Miss Dunnit's boyfriend's mum, she was brilliant and kept us supplied with drinks and eats all day.

Ah! back to the birthday presents from yesterday. My "big" present from my darling man was a wooden garden bench, just what I wanted. I've no idea where he hid it, he wouldn't tell me. Maybe he's planning on using the place to hide more big presents! I don't think I'll put it out in the garden until next spring, it won't be nice enough to sit out I wouldn't think anyway. My little girl (well, not so little, she's 17!) gave me a lovely watch, it's really funky with an Elma Elephant pattered strap - it hasn't got elephants on it, but it's a coloured patchwork design. It's lovely.
Right, I'm off to do a bit of blog hopping before bed. See you later.

Photos, hopefully!

2009-10-30T16:02:00.002Z

I tried to put these pictures on here yesterday but I was having computer trouble. Here I go again!
Here are some cards I made using my stamps, copic pens and some techniques I learned from my friends Julia (http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/) and Ally (http://serendipitypapercuts.blogspot.com/), they are both brilliant crafters.

These cards were made using images from WWW.digistampboutique.co.uk.

Today is my birthday and I'm all alone! "Awe", I here you cry. It would have been nice to have had some company but my inlaws are calling by later to take my out to dinner so that will be nice. Both daughters are off doing their own thing, you know what teenagers are like! My eldest is coming over on Sunday to have lunch with us, she's at uni in Bristol so I don't see her as much as I'd like. Goodness knows when I'll see my youngest. She stayed at a friends last night, going to a party tonight, staying at her boyfriends tomorrow, so I may see her briefly on Sunday when she comes home to get changed for work.
My darling husband gave me a leaf blower/hoover for my birthday so I've been out and cleared the leaves. I'm not sure it's any easier than using the leaf rake, but it shreds them down so I can put them straight on the compost. He said he's got me something else but it was too big to hide in the house so he's going to give it to me later (hmmm!), no idea what that might be, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out - if you're interested.
I went to my local craft shop today where I managed to spend *quite* a lot. Well, it is my birthday, and I am alone! I bought myself a new cutter, there's nothing wrong with the two cutters I have already, but I'm going to an all day workshop tomorrow (http://2scrapladies.blogspot.com/2009/08/big-huge-enormous-announcement.html) and I really need a 12" cutter, my existing one doesn't fit into my tote as the handle is too long. Well, if I needed an excuse to buy a new cutter, that's all I could come up with. I also bought two border punches and some snowflake nestabilities (I think they're shapeabilities in fact) which I'm just about to try out.
So, I think that's all my ramblings for today. Hopefully I'll have enough energy when I get home tomorrow to tell you about the workshop. Until then, take care.

Oh dear.

2009-10-29T22:29:00.002Z

Well, today I tried to post a picture of some Christmas cards I've made but my computer was playing up and I got frustrated with it. I've just tried to put a slide show of some craft stuff on here and I can't do it. Not having a good blogging day really. Never mind, I'll try again tomorrow. Goodnight all.

WOYWW

2009-10-28T11:20:00.003Z

I remembered! I usually think about WOYWW on about Friday, I must be getting better. Don't hold your breath though, I am on holiday this week.

So, here we have the usually bottle/glass of coke getting nice and flat. My lovely big Asda cup for my coffee. My wonderful Cuttlebug, and what you can just about see on the very right of the picture are the Winter Borders embossing folders that my friend Ally gave me yesterday. I've been trying them out and I must say, they are wonderful. I expect I will be using them quite a lot. You can also see one of the Christmas cards I've made using images from www.digistampboutique.co.uk and my copic pens. I will try and take a picture of the cards I have made up to now and post them later.

I'm just about to make my Christmas cake. I've had the fruit soaking in brandy for a few days, so it's nice and plump with the alcohol it's absorbed. I made the puddings yesterday, so I'm getting there.

Right, I must get on. I'll be back later I expect.

That's better.

2009-10-27T16:58:00.002Z

I'm not sure what happened to my blog but when I came back to it today it had changed! Eeeek! Anyway, I've done a bit more work on it and I think I'm getting there, I like the blue and pink. Maybe it will be different again tomorrow!
I've found some nice blog templates but I don't know how to get any of them. Maybe I will learn that during Shimelle's course.

More work on the blog.

2009-10-26T22:56:00.003Z

So. we're getting somewhere now with altering the blog. I've managed quite a few things, but I can't do the "adding a background image" I keep trying but nothing seems to happen. I did remember to save my original layout today though, so all is not lost like it was yesterday. However, the picture I've got at the top doesn't seem to fit the space properly so that may have to be altered.
I'm out tomorrow evening so unless I can do some more work here during the day, it will be Wednesday when I get back on here. Then it will be WOYWW day, maybe I will remember this week.
Till then, goodnight.

Blogging for Scrappers.

2009-10-25T23:44:00.002Z

Well, I've been fiddling with the instructions from Shimelle for setting up a blog. As I've already got one (!), I thought I'd change it a bit. I'm not sure quite what I've done, I seem to have a picture in the title bit, but nothing much else. I did forget to save the original layout of the blog before starting to fiddle - that was the one thing Shimelle said to remember to do, so I've failed at the first hurdle!

I'm off to bed now, so I'll do some more tomorrow.

Look at these.

2009-10-25T19:03:00.002Z

Yesterday, my good friend Ally recommended this website to me - www.digistampboutique.com , and there are some lovely digital images on there. These are just some that I couldn't resist. I've just spent a wonderful afternoon colouring them in and I'm looking forward to turning them into Christmas cards.

I've got quite a few of my cards done now and when I've cleared the kitchen table I will display them all and take a photo.

I have started to soak the fruit for my Christmas cake and the mixture for the puddings is festering in a bowl to be steamed tomorrow. Hmm, I'm feeling quite organised. LOL

I can't see me getting much else done during this half term holiday, but what better way to spend a few days off than preparing for Christmas.

Lilly and I are going to Reading tomorrow. Lilly wants to buy her friend a birthday present. I may even start looking for some Christmas presents.

Right, I'm off to slob in front of the TV now. I'll watch Top Gear then X-Factor then Doc Martin. Heaven! Maybe I'll have a bar of chocolate too.

Bye, see you again soon.

A New Workshop

2009-10-23T17:16:00.003+01:00

Yes, I couldn't resist Shimelle's new workshop, Blogging for Scrapbookers. I'm such a bad blogger and I've no idea how to organise this space so I hope to learn something. Anyway, I'm going to give it a go.

I'm wondering if to finish the Journal Your Christmas workshop that I started last year. I think I got to about the 17th or so. Maybe I will get further this year. I was away last Christmas so it was an ideal opportunity to scrapbook something different, pity I didn't!

Well, I didn't get round to posting my WOYWW pictures, so they're late again, as they are quite often, told you I was a bad blogger.

However, I have been busy. I've stamped lots of Christmas images and this week I've been colouring in. I love colouring in! I don't know if you can see the angel on the top of the Christmas tree, it's a little bear, but it looks like a man with a big black moustache! I think I may have had too much ink on the stamp. I coloured one of the trees green but I think I prefer the white one.

I'll have to get some inspiration for putting the cards together now! I'll post pictures of the finished cards here when I find that inspiration.

WOYWW

2009-10-07T18:47:00.002+01:00

Here's my desk today. I'm working on a layout for a teacher I worked with last year. She got married in August and I said I would do a framed layout for her wedding present. I'm having a lovely time working on it. When it's done I'll put it on here.

Not very chatty today as I'm not in the best of moods, but doing to layout is making me feel better.

WOYWW/T

2009-10-01T17:46:00.008+01:00

Sorry this wasn't a WOYWW, I lost the photo while trying to upload it to my computer. Anyway, it's found now so I'm a day late!

I don't know if you can see the small squares on my desk, I cut up a photo into 36 inch squares (inchies) to do a LO at the crop on Saturday. I was ever so careful while cutting them out to keep then in the correct place.

Well, I suppose you can guess what happened, they all got knocked out of place - I've no idea how. It took me about an hour and a half last night to get them back in the right place. They are now all numbered!

This is the picture I used for my inchies. It's a clematis seed head, isn't it beautiful? And here is the clematis in bloom. I'm so lucky having such lovely plants in my garden.

I'm so lucky having such beautiful plants in my garden.

WOYWW

2009-09-02T18:48:00.004+01:00

Oh my goodness, would you just look at that mess. The tidiest bit is the part that I actually scrap on.

'scuse me while I put a lasagne in the oven......... OK, done. I almost forgot I was supposed to be cooking tea!

Well, last week I didn't photograph my desk, I went to a wedding instead. Here's a picture of the bride and her friend. Can you believe they're both teachers? They're soooo young.

And here's a picture of himself and me, looking dapper I'm sure you'll agree.

WOYWW

2009-08-19T13:18:00.002+01:00

An unusual item on my desk today. I've been called up for jury service and I've got to fill in and return this form within seven days of receiving it. There's a warning on page one of the form saying that I can be fined £1000 if I don't return it in time or if I give wrong information. That's a really scary thought, if they're that tough before I even get there, What are my two weeks as a juror going to be like? I have loads of "what if" questions so I'm going to get myself worked up into a right old frenzy by October.

Anyway, the form is filled in and in the envelope now, so I'll be off to the post office just as soon as I've finished this post.

You may be able to see on the left of the desk is a small piece of paper. This is a sketch of a LO I intend to do after posting the form off to Her Majesty's Court Service. It's a sketch of a multi photo lay out I'm going to do at the next crop. I need to find a way of doing a lay out with 84 photos on - hmmm! Thinking cap on.

Right, off to the post office now.

WOYWW

2009-08-12T23:33:00.004+01:00

This morning I had my breakfast at my desk. I checked my emails, facebook and played a couple of games while I ate my cereal and drank my coffee. After this I went out into the garden. I have decided I want to do two hours gardening whenever the weather is good enough during the summer holidays. This was day three of this regime and I must say the garden looks better for it already.

After my two hours gardening I had a shower then went to the garden centre to buy a new wheel barrow. I've had my wheel barrow for about eight years now, but it's had a flat tire for about the last six of those! I've tried to get John to blow up the tire, but alas, it's still flat. Anyway I now have a new barrow. It's not a traditional wheel barrow, it's more of a big bucket with a handle and wheels. I'm hoping the weather will be good tomorrow so I can try it out.

I digress. Back to my desk. Yet again, no crafting going on. However there are a few things that will always feature on my desk.

I always have the radio remote control close by because I do like to listen to radio two when I'm working (or playing).

My pad and pen are never far away, you never know when you might need to jot down something. It may even be a sketch for a layout - well you never know!

And usually there's a glass of coke. I like my coke flat and at room temperature, so a glass can sit here for quite a few hours (and if I'm honest, I have been known to put a cover over the top and leave it overnight).

So there's my desk for this WOYWW.

2009-08-06T11:37:00.002+01:00

I just wanted to show this lovely present that I received recently. It's a wrought iron frame which I now display my LOs.

As you see it's perfect for an ever changing display.

WOYWW

2009-08-05T20:33:00.003+01:00

Hmm, not a very good photo of my desk today. Here are a few LOs I did at the weekend at the crop, and as you see, they still have to be put away. My intention was to tidy up today and put these layouts in albums, however, my new phone arrived and that was that. The layouts are still waiting to be put away!

Why do phone manuals have to be so big but tell you absolutely nothing about using your phone? Is it just me? I know my darling daughters never open the instruction books for anything technical, but I can't be the only lady of a certain age who wants to know how to use her phone. I spoke to someone yesterday who'd had her phone for seven years, she didn't want to have to work out how to use a new one. Well, if the phone company will give me a brand new phone every year I will gladly take it. I just wish it didn't take me eleven and a half months to learn how to use it. So, I started by putting what I thought was the SIM card into the SIM card slot to find it was a memory card. Well, basically I spent the rest of the day searching the wonderful world wide web trying to find out why the phone wasn't working. Daring husband came home at 7.30 and had it sorted in a second. So, yes, I suppose it is just me. I shouldn't be allowed near anything vaguely technical. However, my new phone is gorgeous.

WOYWW

2009-07-29T23:27:00.002+01:00

No photo today, because I'm away from home. I did, in fact, do a little crafting in that I coloured in some images I'd stamped before I came away, but as I'm not at home I can't get any pictures on the computer - so, not photo.

I'm in London looking after my nieces, that is to say Lilly is looking after her cousins. She's getting paid for it but as she's only sixteen and they are 4 and 2 years old I really need to be here to oversee. It's been hard work, not least because Anna and Lilly have had a 24 hour stomach flu bug. So as well as looking after the babies, I've been looking after a very sick daughter.

Because Lilly had all the symptoms of swine flu I contacted the pandemic help line and filled in their on line questionnaire. I was very surprised when they said she "probably" had swine flu and should start a course of Tamiflu. After spending a few minutes panicking because I'm away from home and looking after someone else's children I pulled myself together and managed to arrange a local collection of the drugs. Well, the outcome was somewhat better than expected, when 24 hours later her temperature had come down, she'd stopped vomiting and was feeling bright enough to go clothes shopping - thank goodness.

I'm still amazed at how easily she was prescribed Tamiflu without seeing a doctor for a proper diagnosis. I was very honest when filling out the questionnaire as, as an ex-nurse and a responsible mother I don't want to give my baby drugs she doesn't need, but it would be so easy for anyone to fill in that questionnaire with the correct answers and get a prescription. I think that's quite irresponsible of the NHS to have that system. Rant over.

WOYWW

2009-07-22T16:28:00.002+01:00

This is a sad sight. A desk with nothing going on. :-(

Today at my desk.

2009-07-12T17:07:00.003+01:00

Two momentous things happened today in my craft room. First I tidied my desk! Isn't it nice to have somewhere to work?

The second thing to happen was that I made some Christmas cards - before the 12th December! I bought a lovely little stamp from the craft fair I went to last weekend. It was lovely to use and I can imagine it will be well used by the 12th December.. Here are two of the cards I made. I did six, but they're all very similar and my photo of them all was not very good.

I then put together some more cards using images I've been working on for a couple of weeks.

So, all in all, I'm made 15 cards today. I'm very proud of myself.

Now I'm going to cook dinner.

WOYWW - What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday

2009-07-09T17:47:00.003+01:00

Eek! I forgot to post yesterday. This is what was on my desk yesterday. I printed out these images using some new stamps I bought at the craft show in Newbury on Sunday. They're lovely and were a joy to colour in. My desk has in fact moved on a little, but the images have not yet made it onto cards. I will show you them when I've finished.

"what is your leap off point? Is it an image, a photo or the paper?"

2009-07-03T17:49:00.004+01:00

Hmm, my good friend Julia asked this question here http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

It's definitely the photo that sets me off on my scrapbooking. My photos have to be the main point of interest, I don't like layouts where I have to "look" for the photo. What's the point of that? Don't get me wrong, I love embellishments of all kinds. I have loads and loads and loads of buttons, ribbons, buckles, brads, etc, but they stay neatly in their storage boxes. I may be a boring scrapper, but I'm the one looking at my pages, so I may as well do what I like.

This is layout I did recently. When you have a daughter a beautiful as this, why hide her in a mountain of "stuff"?

Thank you Julia for asking the question, but I suppose you already knew what my answer would be.

WOYWW

2009-07-01T17:29:00.004+01:00

Some construction going on today.

These projects have been ongoing for a few days now. John took the laptop away with him last week and I had nothing to keep me awake while watching TV so I stamped some images and coloured them in with my lovely new pens. Over the week I've been assembling various card with the images. I've still a few to do, hence the images on my desk. However, here are a few I've already put together.

I don't know why the image is lop sided on this one, it's not on the card!

Looking forward to checking out everyone else's desk.

2009-06-22T17:25:00.002+01:00

Here are two cards I made over the weekend, in fact I made two of each, but they're just different colours so I don't think you need to see them, do you?

This is a really easy one. I stamped and embossed the words directly onto the card. I then stamped, embossed and coloured in the shoe stamp. I cut out the image, rounded the corners and inked the edges. I then attached this to the card. Another really easy card. I cut out a plaque in the same colour as the card, used stick ons for the greeting. I then cut out the other plaque in a contrasting colour and mounted them onto the card.

Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.

2009-06-19T16:24:00.003+01:00

So there was nothing on my desk on Wednesday for WOYWW, but I made a couple of cards on Thursday.
This one is for my darling daughter to give to her darling Pappy on Sunday.

And this is a birthday card I made just for the sake of it. It's very plain but I can never decide what to put on men's cards. The card is the same blue as the HB plaque, I don't know why it's come out grey!

WOYWW

2009-06-17T19:30:00.003+01:00

This should probably be WNOYWW - the N being "not". You may see a small pile of card there, but they are not newly made. They are in fact Easter cards that I haven't yet put away!

So, unfortunately, not much crafting being done today. I've been to work, to the garden centre (to buy Mother-in-law's birthday present), to Salisbury to take daughter to the theatre, to Slimming World (don't ask!) and back home ten minutes ago.

I thought I'd do this now as I've got to go back to Salisbury in two hours to pick up daughter from the theatre, I can't imagine finding any crafting time today.

I promise to try harder next time.

WOYWW

2009-06-10T16:51:00.003+01:00

This is what is on my desk today - Wednesday.
First I stamped and embossed images of this pretty stamp.
I then used my yummy new Promarker pens to colour the images in. I cut out one of the images, then I cut the butterfly from one of the other images. I then used foam pads to attach it on top of the butterfly on the first image. It doesn't show too well on the photo, sorry.

I cut out a pink circle using my Nestability cutter and glued the butterfly to this. I then stamped the Happy Birthday circle to my card and attached the butterfly in the centre.

Here is my finished card.

No, I haven't photographed the rest of my desk as it's pretty much the same as it was when I photographed it previously, apart from my working mat, which I did clear to make the card.

WOYWW

2009-06-08T16:55:00.004+01:00

Wow! Can you believe it? I actually manage to get the What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday button. Now I just have to do something on Wednesday so my desk looks like a work space rather than the dumping ground it is at the moment.

Look at it, it actually looks tidier than it is. If you look carefully you can see the stack of cards I made last week (Wednesday included).

I must tidy before I start working this week.

2009-06-06T20:22:00.002+01:00

Today I went to the first Dunnit Crop for a couple of months, as it was John's birthday last month and we had all his family over I thought I'd better not crop.
A lovely day was had by all I think, I cetainly enjoyed myself and managed to get quite a few layouts done. When I say "layouts", I'm not sure if they are technically layouts. I took DD2 to a photoshoot a few weeks ago and I'm scrapping the photos. The album is really a glorified photo album and I'm not sure if the pages are too simple to be called layouts. The photos have to be the focus of the page as far as I'm concerned, and this applies to my scrapbooking technique in general. All my pages are simple for this reason. I really should start putting my work on here for all (well, for all I know lots of people may be looking!) to see. Maybe one day.

2009-05-22T17:00:00.002+01:00

Photo later of the layout I did last night at the crop.
First, I'm trying to plaster a bit of wall that was behind a cupboard. The cupboard has been removed in anticipation of the boiler man coming next week to replace our very old one. So, there's a big hole behind where the cupboard was and I need the wall to be smooth. My problem is that the plaster keeps running down and falling out of the hole (the hole being about 30x40cm - what do I know, I'm an imperial sort of gal! It's a big hole anyway). I wish I could lay the wall down so I could stop the plaster running out.

2009-05-21T17:00:00.002+01:00

I'm going crafting this evening with two friends. Now, to say I'm not prepared would be an understatement. I'm still printing off notes for an album I'm doing and I've yet to persuade my printer that I really do need the photos for this evening and that could take some doing.
I'm hoping I will get something done this evening and I will show you my creations tomorrow.

2009-05-20T22:46:00.002+01:00

It's ages since I've blogged, it's about time I got down to it again. I'may not have blogged for ages, but that doesn't mean I've not done anything.
I'm stil working on my Everyone Has A Story album and I've also started a new album of the photoshoot pictures. I will get them up here soon.
So for now, goodnight.

Making cards

2009-02-22T11:39:00.004Z

I've been busy making cards so I thought I'd show you some of them.

This one is for my friend Rachel who's birthday it was on Friday.

These next three were inspired by a card I saw on Deb's blog, here. http://debscards.blogspot.com/
I hope Deb doesn't mind me putting a link to her blog on here.

Lilac Hen
I love this stamp, she's so like a couple of friends of mine. In fact one of them has just had a birthday, I wish I'd done this card for her.

Lemon Chick
This little chick is so sweet. I can see me using her loads. This is the first time I've used this stamp.

Princess Drama

I love these Stamps Happen stamps I've got a couple of them. They make great cards.

It's back

2009-02-19T22:24:00.001Z

So maybe I was just to eager or something, but it's back now.
time for bed.
Night night.

What's happened to my blog?

2009-02-19T22:22:00.003Z

Hmm, not sure what's happened but my blog is blank - just like my mind I hear you cry. Well if it's still blank you won't be reading this and if you are, why can't I see it?

I hate cleaning the oven!

2009-02-18T17:06:00.004Z

I couldn't see if my bread was rising when I peered through the oven door so I thought it must be time to clean the oven.

The first cleaner I tried was almost empty so I sprayed what was left in the bottle into the oven and went and had coffee with my dear friend Julia.

When I got home I found that hadn't worked. I discovered a tube of something in the back of the cupboard and tried that, it was so old it was solid in the tube. After applying some paste I also found in the back of the cupboard and finding that didn't work either I took a trip to Tesco to get some new cleaner. This one was bound to work, it said so on the bottle. Hmm! Well, not so. I ended up scraping most of the gunk off the door so I can now see through the window the next time I bake bread.

Anyway, onto a lighter note. I'm on holiday this week so I've been making some cards. I made these Easter cards.

This one was made with a lovely Penny Black stamp which I stamped then coloured and cut all the bunnies out and made this nice picture. I love those bunnies. I'm not sure if you can see the embossed greeting on this card, but don't you just love those cute little chicks?
I must give my friend Julia credit for these two cards. I card lifted them from a workshop we did recently.

Why I prefer multiple photo lay outs

2009-02-12T18:21:00.002Z

I've just been over to read my friend Julia's blog (you'll find it here http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/, I'd have a look if I were you). She says she prefers scrapping single photo lay outs and it got me thinking. I think prefer lots of photos on my lay outs and the reason is, if you look at the pictures below, my albums are really tarted up photo albums and I like to show off as many photos as I can. I don't use loads of embellishments, although I have drawers and boxes full of them! I prefer my lay outs to be simple and I like the photos to be seen.
These are all layouts I did for the recent cybercrop on UKScrappers, and as you will see, lots of photos have been used. I can't imagine how fat my albums would be if I did a page for each photo.
This is showing my brother getting a tattoo in High Voltage the tattoo parlour featured on the TV programme LA Ink.
This one is about my hobby. Surprise, surprise, scrapping!

And this last one shows us enjoying lunch on the patio and relaxing by the pool in LA on New Years Day 2009.

Oh My Goodness

2009-02-11T21:45:00.002Z

This award was sent to me by my wonderful friend Julia, (http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/). She always says such nice things about people, including me, but she's the real inspiration.
So who else inspires me?
http://dollysdreamings.typepad.com/dollys_dreamings/ The wonderful Karen. I love her amusing tales about her cats.
http://scraphappenshere.blogspot.com/ Did you see her minibooks?
http://awalkwithtwinkletoes.blogspot.com/ Wonderful work and so brave.
http://www.seabreezes.typepad.com/ This lady does the most wonderful work.
I don't get as much time as I'd like to blop (is that the word?) but these are the people who I look at when I've got time.
Thank you Julia.

It's snowing!

2009-02-02T16:08:00.002Z

Wow, what about this weather? I love the snow, but I didn't like going out in it this morning. Our school was one of the few open in the area (head feels sorry for the parents who work!), but I did get sent home early as I live a few miles away. The journey wasn't too bad, but the worst bit was trying to park when I got to school, I usually park in the road opposite, but I couldn't make it up the hill, I just kept sliding down - scarey. I've just had a text to say we're closed tomorrow so guess what I'll be doing. Lilly went for her bus this morning but it didn't come, I didn't want her to get into Salisbury them not be able to get home again so she had the day off. Apparently one of the classes only had three pupils who made it in. I don't expect she'll be doing the journey tomorrow.

Look at this.

2009-02-01T08:57:00.004Z

I've been wanting to write directly onto a photo for some time now. I bought a book called We Dare You. It's full of fantastic work by some American scrapbookers. If you've not seen it, I would recommend it, it's fabulous. Anyway, there's one artist in there called Meghan Heath Dymock and she does the most amazing work. On some of her Lay Outs she writes on her photos, which I thought was incredibly brave. I was only brave enough to write on the picture itself, not on my face like Meghan would have but I'm pleased with how it's turned out. So what's the big deal? If it looked rubbish I could always print out the photo again, couldn't I?
What do you think?

My New Years Resolution

2009-01-28T16:58:00.003Z

Ah, that! Well I promised myself that I would start writing a journal. I've been looking for a book to use, honest. Before Christmas I saw a lovely "Day Book" in a shop in town but of course they didn't have it when I went back to buy it. However, I did find this lovely book in Boots, just right for my jottings. OK so I'm a bit late starting, but I have started. The odd thing is, I've never kept a diary or journal and suddenly at my great age I feel the need to get it all down. I blame it on Shimelle! A few weeks ago I went to a workshop hosted by Shimelle and when she said to hand journal on our LOs, I did! I've been scrapbooking for about three or four years and almost all my LOs have printed journalling or no journalling at all on. Well done Shimelle for converting me.
Maybe I will share some of my ramblings with you at some stage!

I'm going crafting

2009-01-23T18:31:00.002Z

I'm going to a workshop this evening, the first for ages. I can't even remember when I did a workshop last, I'm thinking it was a Christmas card one, so a good few weeks have passed I think.
It's the weekend, thank goodness. Another busy week at work and I'm pleased to have a couple of days off. Having said that it's not going to be restful. Tomorrow the family and I are going to Bristol to see the Ukulele Orchestra of GB. I'm looking forward to it but, as usual, I'm anxious about the journey. Sunday is our turn to money count at church. We've got that off to a fine art and takes almost no time at all - thanks to John's brilliance with numbers and spreadsheets and stuff.
I'm hoping to do some crafting on Sunday. I've bought the Mystery Kit for the cybercrop (coming up in a couple of weeks time on UKScrappers). I really do want to get on with it, I've got an idea of what to do it's just getting round to giving myself time to craft (and braving the freezing temperature of my craft room).
Well, I'm off now. See you later.

20th January 09 - Watching The Inauguration

2009-01-20T18:29:00.002Z

So, it's an interesting time. I wonder how much of a change Barack Obama will make to the USA, to the world. I've just watched the inauguration ceremony and I've had goose bumps. I don't remember ever seeing an inauguration ceremony before, never mind actually enjoying watching. I wish him all the luck he is going to need and hope he fulfills all the hopes and dreams of so many people.

What a weekend

2009-01-11T21:13:00.002Z

Another weekend without crafting!

I had to do h****w**k yesterday. I knew it was a bad idea, and that was confirmed when I tripped over the hairdryer flex and fell over. I don't think I've broken my big toe, but it's very bruised, swollen and really painful. That will teach me, won't it.

Today Clare went back to uni. She has an exam later this month so she decided to go back early to study. I expect she'll be "socialising" too! I will miss her, it's been lovely having her home.

I should have a LO or two to show you after tomorrow. Julia, Janine and I are getting together to work on our "Everyone Has A Story" album. We made a pact to get together once a month to work on our albums, but I've not had chance to think about mine recently.

Behind again!

2009-01-08T23:03:00.002Z

So you see, I'm behind again. Behind with my blogging, behind with my Journal Your Christmas album!
Christmas has come and gone and I'm only up to page 13 of my album. In my defence, I have been away on holiday (and it was much warmer than it is here). Come to think about it, I'm behind with telling you about my last trip to LA! HeyHo, one day I will catch up.

JYC - Days 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13

2008-12-18T22:38:00.005Z

Here's the next installment of my Journal Your Christmas album. I'm finally catching up a bit.

Day 9 - Wrapping Paper

How much paper do we use at Christmas?

Some years I buy "good" wrapping paper - this year I bought the cheap stuff!!! Well I've had to wrap some things up two or three times as I've put my fingers through it. So that wasn't worth it.

It does seem to be a waste of paper, wrapping everything and then throwing it away on Christmas day.

I always wrap the girls presents in different coloured paper, red for Lilly and blue for Clare. For years they didn't realise this so if they did find presents they didn't know who's they were.

Day 10 - ListsWhy can't I do my Christmas shopping in July when no-one else is doing theirs?

I always leave everything til the last minute then I'm flying around on late night shopping try to match present up with people.

Lists, lists, list.........

I'm not organised enough to make lists for Christmas (or birthdays) but I always receive wish lists from family. This does make it easier when I'm battling with all the other late night shoppers.

At least I don't need to worry about buying food and nibbles this year as we won't be here. I hope poor Angela is not stressing too much.

Day 11 - The Tree

I love a real tree. We always have one, this year however, we don't for the reason I've given before.

I love the smell of a real tree, and they look so pretty too. I always decorate the tree in red, green and gold. Some of the decorations I bought in Germany and they are very pretty.

Last year Peter and Angela gave me a fibre-optic palm tree (it set fire to the socket so we can't have it lit now), it stands inside the front door and reminds me of Los Angeles.

Day 12 - A Very different Christmas
This year our Christmas is going to be quite different I expect. The weather will be warmer. In Los Angeles it will be around 20c, here is will be just above freezing.

I'm not sure what to expect to eat. I think turkey is eaten at Thanksgiving, so it will be too soon after to have it again. I'm not asking, as I sort of want it to be a surprise.

Lilly is keen to go in the pool on Christmas day. I will probably go in with her.

I think most of Angela's family are coming over so that will be quite strange. Apart from Mary, Gene, Sarah, Cameron and Brigid we don't know any of the others.

It will be a very different Christmas.

Day 13 Traditions

You may notice the date tag says day 9. This was originally page 9, but I've altered the order of my journal a bit and didn't take a new picture of the LO!

I don't remember any special traditions when I was young. We always had turkey for Christmas dinner and it still doesn't feel right to have anything else to eat.

Our presents were left at the end of our bed in a pillowcase. We would clammer into Mum and Dad's bed to open our presents.

When Clare and Lilly were young I liked to have Christmas dinner on Christmas eve evening. This meant on Christmas day the girls could eat as much chocolate as they liked and not ruin their appetite. It also meant that I could fill the table with nice things to eat and relax. In recent years we've gone back to having Christmas dinner on Christmas day, but I prefer it the old way.

Days 6, 7 and 8

2008-12-14T15:05:00.002Z

As you can see I'm way behind on this! I'm going to put these three days here then go and do some more entries.

Day 6 - Good and bad Christmas's

Mostly Christmas is really nice. A quiet time - just John, me and the girls.

Mum used to spend Christmas with us. One year she had a chest infection and spent most of Christmas in bed. We had to see the doctor twice while she was ill.

That Christmas Clare got her own computer, John spent a lot of the time on the computer too and the cat was ill!!

Lilly kept me sane that Christmas and I have to say it was one of the worst. One day I was sitting on the sofa looking out at the garden, it was a lovely bright day and my neighbours Silver Birch tree looked so pretty in the sunshine. I will try and take a picture of it when we have a sunny day so I can add it here.

Day 7 - Christmas Dinner

This weekend I hosted the family Christmas present swap. It was a last minute thing so I didn't have to worry too much about getting it right!

Today I cooked Christmas dinner. It's the only time I could do it really. With Clare away and Lilly a vegetarian there would be little point in cooking roast turkey with all the trimmings and Christmas pudding to follow for just John and me.

As we had visitors and opportunity was presented. John, Lilly, Martin, Pat, Tim, Cressetta, And and Helen were my guests. We had a lovely time.

Day 8 - A Discovery

I've made a discovery while writing this journal. I've made two really.

First I have dicovered that I don't really like the build up to Christmas. I used to enjoy it but now I find it all too much hassle.

Before I went back to work I would make my Christmas cake and pudding in Septmeber when the girls went back to school. Now I don't usually have time. My cards used to be ready to post early in December, they're not even written yet and it's already well into Decembrer.

There's not the excitment about Christmas anymore. Maybe I'm just a grump old woman!

My second discovery is how much I'm enjoying journalling my life. Thank you Shimelle.

JYC - Day 3 & 4 (and maybe 5!)

2008-12-05T22:38:00.008Z

Due to "life" I've been unable to put my entries on my blog for a couple of days. I've got a busy weekend ahead so I thought I'd better get on and let you see day three and four of my journal. so here they are.

Day 3 - Christmas Cards

I usually have my cards written and ready to post by the beginning of December. This year I am behind and haven't even written the yet!
I'm thinking of not sending so many cards this year and I may send a donation to a charity instead.
We get cards from people we haven't seen for years and it just seems such a waste of resources.
I will still be thinking of all those people whether I sent cards or not.

Day 4 - Perfect Christmas

Our Christmas 2008 is going to be very different as we will be in Los Angeles.I've never had a warm Christmas really. We spent some Christmas's in Cyprus but I think L.A. may be warmer.The best thing about this Christmas will be spending time with my brother and "new" sister-in-law. I miss them very much and I am looking forward to seeing them very much.

I hope John, Clare and Lilly enjoy the holiday. I'm sure Lilly will, but my biggest wish for this Christmas is that Clare and John enjoy it too.

Day 5 - Advent CalendarOn the 1st December I was surprised by a friend when she gave me this Advent Calendar. It's lovely and each drawer had a small chocolate inside. When the drawers are turned round there will be a picture of a tree revealed.

I don't remember having Advent Calendars when I was small. As I grew up we had a paper calendar with a Nativity scene on and it was much late that I had a calendar with chocolates in!

The girls always have an Advent Calendar and this year I've made them. They have small presents as well as chocolate.

JYC - Day 2 - The Weather

2008-12-02T22:08:00.003Z

As I didn't have time to show you my cover, manifesto and day 1 photos yesterday, here they are:

The Front Cover

I'm not sure I'm very happy with this cover, it has a few smudges and the letters are wonky so it may be changed. For now it will stay though.

My Manifesto

Day 1 - The Decorations

We don't normally put our decorations up until later in December, but this year they're up already due to having family over at the weekend.

I always give Clare and Elizabeth advent calendars and this year is no exception. I've made them this year and put small gifts as well as chocolate in them.

I have two advent parcels from swaps I did on UKScrappers so I'm excited abut that.

The weather today was very cold and icy, more like January or February than December.

Day 2 - The Weather

The Weather is uasually cold and wet at this time of year. I remember snow at Christams when I was young, but not for many years.

This year it is colder than usual - maybe we will have snow this Christmas.

BUT.....

Not for us! We're going to LA for Christmas to visit Peter and Angela, so a lovely warm Christmas. This will be strange for us, but we have our Californian tree up already to get us in the mood.

Journal Your Christmas - Day 1 - My Manifesto

2008-12-01T08:07:00.002Z

So here we are, day 1 of Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class.

My Manifesto
This is simple. I am going to try. That's it really. I'm going to try to blog every day from now until the 6th January, but as you will know if you've looked at my blog in the past, I'm not very good at keeping up! I'm also going to try and journal my Christmas in craft. My book is ready so I've no excuse exept time. I am going to try to find a few minutes each day for this.
The reason I want to do this class is that I know nothing of the Christmas's of my parents or their parents and I think it would be interesting for my children, grandchildren and maybe even great grandchildren to be able to look back at Christmas as the beginning of the 21st century and see what it was like. I hope someone will be interested.
So, I will see you tomorrow and I hope to be able to post a picture of my crafting journal too.
Have fun everyone.

My Christmas Journal

2008-11-30T23:29:00.002Z

I had hoped to have a picture of the front cover of my journal to post, but the ink doesn't seem to be drying on it. I don't want to put it on the scanner with wet ink!
I'm looking forward to journalling my first page tomorrow. I have to go into town after work so I hope I have time to do it.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's journals.
See you tomorrow.

I'm journalling Christmas

2008-11-27T21:15:00.003Z

I've signed up for Shimelles Journal Your Christmas class. Have you?www.shimelle.com/classes/389/journal-your-christmas
Here it is if you'd like to join us.

I'm really looking forward to 1st December to get started on this. It's another way of letting future generations see how we celebrated Christmas in the 21st century. Lok forward to seeing you there.

It's been so long.

2008-11-25T17:30:00.001Z

I can't believe I've left this blog for so long, I really must get finished with my holiday journal, I've got so much more to share with you!

Days 20 & 21

2008-09-07T14:52:00.007+01:00

Day 20
Tuesday 14th August 07

San Francisco

We travelled to San Francisco today. It was another long journey. We travelled on the Interstate 5, which took us most of the way to San Francisco from LA. On the way we passed a field of cows, there must have been thousands of them and not a blade of grass in sight. The smell was awful. No wonder Angela likes to see our small fields of happy cows!
Shirine, Geoff and the girls travelled separately and we met up with them at the Hotel Whitcomb where we were staying. The hotel is very nice.San Francisco is a very interesting city. This evening we travelled by cable car to China town where we had a very unimpressive meal. Travelling by cable car was great fun but we almost lost Angela when we got off and she didn’t!

Day 21
Wednesday 15th August 07

A lovely day in San Francisco

We started the day with breakfast in Sam’s Diner, just over the road form the hotel. Strangely, hotels in America don’t have any tea or coffee making facilities in the rooms! I was desperate for a cup of tea by the time we got to Sam’s.
We took the streetcar to Fisherman’s Wharf, where we had a lovely walk. It was then time for brunch at The Eagle Café on Pier 39 (the cafe is described as “Historic waterfront café and bar since 1928”, this made us laugh as we live so close to Stonehenge which was built about 5000 years ago!).After our second breakfast of the day we took the ferry to Alcatraz, what an interesting place. We met an ex-inmate – Darwin Coon – who’d written a book about his life of crime and time in prison, including Alcatraz. It was very interesting to talk to him. Lilly wanted to know how the inmates who had attempted to escape had managed to get hair for the dummies they made. Darwin told us that the barber was one of the escapees so there was any amount of hair to be had.
When we returned to the mainland we spend some time looking around the shops and the front at Fisherman’s Wharf.
We visited Ripley’s Believe it Or Not Museum, which was good fun. We went to see the sea lions that live by the Wharf, a bit smelly but very sweet. Then we had supper before going back to the hotel. On the way home on the street car there was a young girl having an argument with her boyfriend over the phone, she kept us all amused all the way back to the hotel. Most of the passengers felt sorry for the poor chap!

Long time - no see.

2008-09-06T23:03:00.004+01:00

It's been a while since I shared a journal entry with you, so here goes.

Day 17
Saturday 11th August 07

Venice Beach

We went to Venice (Muscle) Beach today. We played in the sea, walked along the boardwalk and had a very nice meal.
Didn’t see much “muscle” action! But there were lots of street traders and entertainers.

As we didn't see any "muscle" on the beach I found this on the Internet!

Day 18
Sunday 12th August 07

Being Lazy

We had a lovely lazy day by the pool today.
Angela has a lovely cactus on the patio. The flowers last one day only and look absolutely stunning when they’re out.

Day 19
Monday 13th August 07

Hollywood

We went to Hollywood today. We had a lovely sandwich for lunch in a very nice sandwich bar.
Geoff, Shirine and the girls joined us later, bringing Lilly with them. They’d been to Rodeo Drive. We wanted to visit the Chinese Theatre, but it was closed as there was to be a premier that evening.
Saw the Hollywood sign and the “stars”, then we had an ice cream in a Disney themed cafe.

Day 15 & 16

2008-08-24T09:30:00.000+01:00

Day 15
Thursday 9th August 07

The Clemi

Yay! They’re here. Shirine, Geoff, Hannah and Naomi arrived this evening. We went to meet them at LAX. The plane landed at 7.40, but it was about 9.30 when they got out of the airport. And by the time they got the car it was 11pm.
When we arrived home we had supper on the patio. It’s lovely to have them here.
Sarah invited us out for coffee this morning. She meets a friend each week and the little ones play together. Brigid, Darien and their friend Tomas kept us amused as usual.
It’s been a lovely day.

Day 16
Friday 10th August 07

Farmer’s Market

We had lunch at Sissler’s today,
This evening we met the Edelmaiers for supper at the farmer’s market in Covina.
Clare, Lilly and Angela bought “Fancy Nancy” hats, they looked lovely. Brigid had her “Fancy Nancy” hat on too.

Day 13 & 14

2008-08-23T09:30:00.000+01:00

Day 13
Tuesday 7th August 07

Love Doves

Angela went to work but had to come home early as she wasn’t well. Peter went to collect her, poor girl. Poor Angela spent most of the day in bed, so we relaxed then, later, went to Target.
Angela has some Love Doves nesting in her hanging baskets. They’re so sweet, the parents don’t care that we’re milling about underneath the nest. When we arrived here there were babies in the nest, they’ve now flown and the parents have swapped baskets and are sitting on new eggs. They don’t even mind us taking photos of them.

Day 14
Wednesday 8th August 07

Shopping

Sarah brought Brigid and Darien round for a swim, they really are very sweet little girls.
Later, Peter and I went shopping to Michaels while the girls went to the cinema. We had a 40% discount voucher from the newspaper so I bought a cropper-hopper. With the discount it cost me $25 (about £13), bargain. I couldn’t decide which one to buy so Peter was taking them all out of the boxes and trundling around the store with them!
We went out to dinner at The Outback with Denise and Eric, delicious food.
Geoff, Shirine and the girls arrive tomorrow, I’m looking forward to seeing them.

Days 11 and 12

2008-08-22T09:30:00.000+01:00

Day 11
Sunday 5th August 07

Lazy Day

We were pretty exhausted today after the journey home, so relaxed – guess where! Yes, by the pool. It really is lovely by the pool.
Sarah, Cameron and Brigid came over. It’s always nice to see them.

Day 12
Monday 6th August 07

Shopping

Angela had to go to work today so Peter took the girls and me shopping. We went to Scrappin’ Good Times, the Scrapbook store in San Dimas. I don’t think it was as well stocked as it was on my last visit, two years ago, but I had my crafting fix anyway.
Denise and Eric came round for supper and I cooked curry.

We wondered if it was hot enough to fry an egg so we had a go. It didn't fry, it just went crinkly.

Day 10

2008-08-21T09:30:00.000+01:00

So, I was supposed to put day 10 with day 9 yesterday, but forgot! So, here's day 10.

Day 10
Saturday 4th August 07

Going Home

We travelled back to Covina today. It was even hotter than it was on the journey to Las Vegas. The thermometer at Baker showed 113 degrees!!!

Before leaving Las Vegas we had a dip in the hotel pool, then we took a ride to see the wedding chapels, they really are very pretty. Angela’s parents were married in Vegas. I wonder if it was at one of these chapels!
In one of the chapels a film crew were there filming, they invited us in to have a look and the actress was bound and gagged, we weren’t sure what sort of film they were making!

It was nice to be “home. After the long hot journey it was very pleasant to cool off in the pool.

Day 9 and 10

2008-08-20T18:30:00.000+01:00

Day 9

Friday 3rd August 07

Las Vegas

We had a fantastic day today, the temperature was 102 degrees! HOT
Clare and Angela went on the New York New York roller coaster before we walked along the Strip and visited some of the posh hotel – The Belagio, The Paris and Caesar’s Palace.

The New York New York

The BelagioThe Paris
Caesars Palace
We stopped to watch group of Hawaiian dancers in a shopping centre and Lilly was asked to dance with one of them, Tomasi.

Lilly and TomasiWe had dinner at The Paris hotel where we had a delicious eat as much as you can buffet in one of the pretty street cafés.
After dinner we went back to our hotel, the girls went up to the room and Peter, Angela and I had a fantastic time gambling in the casino. We played the 1c machines and were given free cocktails all evening. We spent around 10 – 15 dollars each, which of course we lost, but we had a fabulous couple of hours. I lost about 20 dollars over the couple of days here, but it’s been such fun.
We go back to LA tomorrow, it should be a bit cooler there.

More holiday journal

2008-08-20T14:13:00.003+01:00

Day 7
Wednesday 1st August 07

On the Lake

We’ve extended our stay here for another day, it’s so lovely. I think Lilly would spend the rest of the holiday here, by we’re of to Las Vegas tomorrow.
We spent another lovely day on the boat. We had a picnic lunch and swam in the lake
IT WAS COLD!

The girls both had a go at driving the boat and really enjoyed it, despite the water-skiers giving Lilly heart attacks.

This evening we took the boat to the village and had supper there. I had fantastic ribs and Lilly had the most enormous dish of seafood pasta.
We will be sorry to leave tomorrow, but we’ve got Las Vegas to look forward to.

Day 8
Thursday 2nd August 07

On To Las Vegas

We left the cabin early this morning to travel to Las Vegas.
The journey was long, but the scenery was interesting and we came across some interesting little places on the way.
We stopped at Peggy Sue’s diner for breakfast. It’s a fantastic place and the owner’s dad showed us around. There are pictures and memorabilia of all the 1950’s stars all over the place.

We also stopped of at the world’s largest thermometer which showed the temperature to be 104 degrees!

We arrived in Las Vegas and after booking into our lovely rooms at the New York New York hotel we had a look around.
Las Vegas is an interesting place, completely different after dark.
We have walked so far along The Strip that our feet ache!

Tuesday

2008-08-19T13:21:00.004+01:00

I've completed my latest CJ entry, talk about last minute, it's due for posting today! Here it is, the theme was My desert Island and my Three Essential Items. Well the only island I need is my home and the three things that I would hate to be without are my family, my craft room and my garden. Not very original I supposes, but my idea of hell would be to be on a desert island away from home and the people and things I love.

Left hand page:

Right hand page:
And another entry from my LA holiday journal.

Day 5
Monday 30th July 07

The Cabin

We’ve borrowed a cabin by Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino mountains for a couple of days.
It was an interesting drive up here, but it was worth it. The lake is beautiful and the cabin in spectacular. There is a boat here but we can’t find the key to start it. This evening the girls, Peter and Angela jumped off the back of the boat and went for a swim, I took photos!
Before leaving this morning I had my nails done and a pedicure at San Dimas Nails.

The Cabin:Lilly and Peter having fun on the boat:

Day 6
Tuesday 31st July 07

On The Boat

This morning the owner of the cabin sent a driver up to us with a key for the boat so we were able to go out today. We pootled around the lake looking at the lovely houses, then moored and had a picnic lunch, it was fabulous.
After lunch we found a little village which we had a look around. The shops had very expensive items in, obviously the people that own these cabins are very rich!
We were going to go out for an evening trip but it got too dark so we didn’t.
We had a barbecue on the veranda and had a lovely evening.

Trying again! My daughter is 18 today.

2008-08-18T18:14:00.003+01:00

It's Clare's 18th birthday today, where have the years gone? We had a lovely family weekend with 12 guests on Saturday and 18 on Sunday. It was hard work, but well worth the effort and Clare enjoyed herself which was the main thing.

Today we went into Salisbury for lunch, we went to Wagamama's. It was a lovely lunch.

Here's a photo of her with dad and me. You may know from a previous post (Sunday 10th August) that Clare's had an operation on her shoulder recently which is why her arm is in a sling. My sister-in-law made this cake for her. Clare insisted she wanted a dragon cake! My SIL is a very talented cake maker - and does take orders! I'm not sure the photo shows the expression on the dragon's face, he looks very sweet and friendly.

So, now for the next installment of my LA holiday journal.

Day 3
Saturday 28th July 07

A Girlie Day

We were going to visit a small castle in Covina today but Angela wasn’t feeling good so we stayed at home. Peter went diving so us four girls sat in the pool and chatted.
This afternoon Angela felt a little better so we went to the Mall.
Denise, Eric, Sarah, Cameron and Brigid came over this evening for a BBQ.
Lilly and I are getting a bit burned so we’re going to stay covered up tomorrow.

Here's Brigid playing by the pool.

Day 4

Sunday 29th July 07

Rodeo Drive

We had breakfast at the diner this morning and I had a very impressive cup of tea!

After breakfast we went for a walk along Rodeo Drive. We went into quite a lot of the shops and most of the assistants were very nice, especially when the heard we were from England!
Here the girls are enjoying a break from shopping.

We ate at the Mongolian restaurant this evening. It’s an eat as much a you like/can place and the girls enjoy choosing their own ingredients for their dish.

My daughter is eighteen today!

2008-08-18T09:08:00.001+01:00

Why isn't this working. I'm going to strat again!

Holiday Journal

2008-08-15T08:56:00.005+01:00

I've just been working on my holiday journal - from last years holiday. It's brought back wonderful memories. My daughters and I spent five weeks in LA, Las Vegas and San Francisco visiting my brother and his family during the school holidays. A year ago today we were in San Francisco and went to Alcatraz for the day.

I thought it might be an idea to blog my entries from my journal and show you some of our photos.

Day 1
Thursday 26th July 07

The Flight

We stayed at Jane and John’s overnight before getting the flight from Heathrow at 11.15 this morning.The flight was OK as far as 11 hour flights go!Peter and Angela were at the airport to meet us. It was a long drive back to Covina in the rush hour traffic.When we arrived here we all sat with our feet in the pool – heaven!We went to a lovely Mexican restaurant, Casa Moreno, for dinner. It’s Peter’s favourite restaurant, they serve fab food. When we got back home the girls cashed out and Peter, Angela and I went for a dip in the pool to cool off.I’m exhausted now as I’ve been up for 24 hours - ZZZzzzzzzzzz

This is a photo of the view flying over Greenland taken from the back of the plane. What a fantastic view.

Day 2
Friday 27th July 07

Relaxing

We had a lovely relaxing day by the pool today. We went out to get supplies from the supermarket and went to the sports shop to buy some crocs, which Peter insisted on paying for!!
This evening we went to Covina’s Farmer’s Market and had dinner there. It was lovely, we met Sarah and Brigid there.
Today Sarah brought Brigid and Darien over to play. Brigid is 2 ½ and Darien is a little younger. We all had a fantastic time playing with the new pool toys.
Brigid and Darien are fab kids, they have a lovely time I think. I’m looking forward to seeing them again soon.

Clare and Lilly relaxing by the pool

Another day - another blog

2008-08-12T20:36:00.005+01:00

I've been busy crafting since I got my room back together and I'm really enjoying it. I've done my June (yes, I know!) entry of my Scrap Your Day journals. I'm doing a garden one as well as my normal one so I'm way behind. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get my July pages done.

Anyway here are the June pages of my garden journal.

And here are the June pages of my SYD journal.

Sorry the photos are not very good. I don't know why my camera wouldn''t focus properly.

I've also done two double lay outs for a journal I'm doing for my daughter to take to uni with her. Most of it is going to be about her school days and friends she made there so I can't really put many of them on here. however here's one I did of all her school photos. It really shows how she's grown up.

I think that's all I've got for today, I'm tired so I think I may have an early night.