Celtic House

RIP RESURRECTED CIRCLE JOURNAL

2012-02-19T10:59:00.000Z

Morning all, just thought I'd put a quick post of Beth's page that I did on before it's time to post the next one LOL.

I enjoyed this journal probably because it was a good size which gave me lots of page to play with, I fought with tissue paper which wasn't so great and then with tracing paper but finally managed to beat it into submission to create this double page layout.

The left hand page up close

And the right hand page

Close ups I wrote the lyrics over the faces with a red sharpie and allowed some of the paint to go over the page, to blend it all in

Used the LP font that I had on the PC and managed to use some grey scrapbook paper which I didn't think I ever would - just shows you - if you can't use it one way you can use it another!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY

2012-02-17T00:05:00.000Z

Good morning all - how do I find you this fair morning - tis Friday once again - a time to settle back and use the grey matter to identify the positives and grateful moments that you had in the week, it doesn't matter how small or insignificant they may seem if they made you happy then they are true moments to include in a Rocking post. The list doesn't have to be long - so without further ado

Half term week - time off - always an amazing blessing, to enjoy family time (which we have) or to down tools from work for a while (which I have) or to have a major clean of said 11 year old's room (which we did) it's definitely something to be grateful for.

Half term week has also brought a mighty large birthday celebration for DH - this year we both celebrate big birthdays mine is my 40th in September and DH was his 50th on Valentine's day. We've had a few days celebrating, nothing major, just our style if I'm honest, days out at Castleton, visiting two different caves at Castleton, bowling on his birthday and a trip to the cinema to see Man on a Ledge - all was good. February is a difficult month to celebrate a birthday I've found, so might have some more celebrations on his half birthday in August LOL - it might have warmed up a bit by then.

Valentine's Day brought me gifts and flowers even though I said the flowers were more than enough - he wasn't having any of it and he bought me a small bag of my favourite Thornton chocolate, and two beautiful heart decorations from Next - I was thoroughly spoilt and it was his birthday - go figure!

Drinking hot chocolate outside in Bakewell, wrapped up in warm coats and blankets this is the offending beastie!

and this is how nice they were!

Finding quaint courtyards in Bakewell - how pretty does this look!

Next up Speedwell Cavern at Castleton an underground boat ride through an old Lead mine with Dominic as our guide, it was great apart from having to duck down quite frequently for fear of banging our heads - they must have been significantly shorter back then is all I can say!

The Peak Cavern was also fabulous, we saw how rope was traditionally made as well as getting to explore the mine, although the Lumbago walk (I kid you not) was a killer on the back - quite literally!

Finding a lovely cafe, there is nothing nicer than finding somewhere nice to stop and grab a drink or a bite to eat and that's exactly what we did in Castleton - the Three Roofs was gorgeous inside and really busy, waited on tables, tea served in a proper tea pot, great sandwich selection and chips for said 11 year old - what more can I say!

Finding a jewelllers that not only stocks some pretty awesome pieces of jewellery but also makes them! In particular one stone took our fancy and it looks like we might have found a joint birthday present for us both - just need to save now.

Half term science experiments, as said 11 years old's school are this year going to be doing a Science SAT exam hubby and said 11 year old decided to do some practical experiments, these are the coca cola cleaning money experiment, the coloured sugar experiment and the wobbly egg experiment which have all adorned my kitchen worktops all week. In particular the wobbly egg is verging on gruesome, a raw egg sat in a glass of vinegar for 7 days leads to a wobbly egg that you can manipulate with your hand - urgh - is all I can think that and the fact it's been foaming all week - not nice but it's kept said 11 year old amused.

Then there was the bath bomb experiment, I got a bath bomb kit for Christmas and thought because it's all science looking that said 11 year old might like to make some. Here he is hard at work. The first one was perfect, the second not quite so much, in fact I was on the phone to my Mum when hubby and said 11 year old were trying to get the second one to work, it kept foaming up out of the top of the mould - only later did we discover that he'd added more citric acid to the mix when trying to get it to form into clumps rather than starch - honestly!!!!

Another grateful watching a good film at the cinema that we could all watch - Man on a Ledge turned out to be far better than I expected and provided they don't see fit to do Man on a Ledge 2 (how many ledges can a man stand on LOL) I can honestly say it was a good watch!

So there you go my rather lengthy list of gratefuls this week. How was your week, I hope it was good, if you want to join in, throw yourself a blog post together and pop back here to link with Mr Linky so we can come and visit. If you don't have a blog you can always just leave a comment telling me what made your week this week!

I hope you all have a truly blessed week ahead

Now before Mr Linky a little crafting, the huge lion at the Sotheby's sale at Chatsworth's Beyond Limits exhibition last year, made from tyres - one of our favourites.

Up close, punched tags, on foam pads with assorted stars on

hand stamped stars coloured in and the stamped title.

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY

2012-02-10T00:05:00.000Z

Morning all - tis Friday again, a time to reflect on the last 7 days to find the silver linings, the things that made you smile, the things/people/places that quite simply brightened your day it's

Unlike the last couple of weeks, this one has been pulled together all at once, so it may not go on as long as usual (or then again it might - you might still need a cuppa!). First up on my list has to be the Propellor Theatre who performed The Winter's Tale at the Sheffield Lyceum last week, they are quite simply amazing to see, an all male cast they can turn a Shakespearean play into something so definitively watchable! We saw them last year perform Comedy of Errors and Richard III and they are touring again with The Winter's Tale and Henry V, unfortunately they didn't bring Henry with them, so we only had chance to see the one play but it was well worth it!

The Winter's Tale isn't one of the plays that I know particularly well and have certainly never seen it performed live, it was a play of thirds, the first third was the tragedy, the second was the comedy and the final was the romance. Let's put it this way we had men pretending to be a flock of sheep, a man who got quite literally robbed of all his possessions including his clothes, a rendition of Beyonce's "should have put a ring on it" - we laughed, smiled and giggled our way through the show. So if you get chance to see them - I can thoroughly recommend!

Then there's the gym, managed a couple of sessions this week (although snow on Sunday scuppered plans there) and I even went when hubby was unwell on Saturday - look at me aren't I good LOL. I am actually enjoying it immensely I've found that provided we are going frequently we just go, do, then come back, it's when we used to go and it took half a day that I got frustrated with it!

Snow on Saturday and Sunday was lovely and not too much which meant the roads got cleared fairly quickly so 'normality' resumed on that one without too much hassle. We still have piles of the stuff around us where it's still not melted mind and I'm sure hubby mentioned something about it arriving again on Friday - gulp!

6 Nations Rugby - put the flags out, now I quite enjoy watching a good rugby match (particularly in the warmth of my own home) but 6 Nations means one thing - scrapbook time - I did loads of crafting over the weekend, because hubby was watching 6 Nations - now this I can cope with!!

Mid week ironing - yes I know that's a strange one to be grateful for, but it's because I hate weekend ironing, it kind of signals the end of the weekend, so when we do it midweek it leaves the weekend free - woo hoo - now that I can cope with!

Royal Mail for getting the next circle journal to me and getting mine to Jas, now that's always something to be grateful for!

Finally counterfeit kit challenge blog, they have some great links to some pretty awesome tutorials, freebies, downloads etc and to be honest I'm feeling that I need something a bit 'different' on the embellishment front, a trawl through some of their ideas and the brain is firing in all directions just a shame I have to head out to work!

Finally after the major hiccups with the Asda delivery last week (they didn't bring any of the chilled items - milk included!) Thursday brought order number 3 and it was for want of a better word perfect arriving at 5.01pm on a 5pm to 7pm slot!

So there you have it a list of things that have lightened and brightened my week this week, if you fancy joining in, pop yourself a blog post together and link back here (Mr Linky at the bottom) so that we can all come and visit and see the positives in your week. Don't believe you've had any positives? Have a think - go on dig deep, you know you can - now is that you smiling - there you go told you you had some positives you just sometimes forget to appreciate them - which is what the Rocking Your World Friday post is all about!

Now can't go without sharing some crafting with you and given the quantity of scrapbooking I've done recently - a scrapbook page would seem appropriate! A photo from Masham's art festival, outside they had all sorts of weird and wonderful contraptions, this particular one being the Dream Launcher, I used the photo of the description in my page, something I know a few of you have spotted recently as occasionally I use something like this as a title.

I discovered that the days out that said 11 year old was wearing his orange fleece have led to a whole heap of orangey related pages! I need to find him a fleece in a different colour - I'd love it if it were pink - but the words "no chance" come to mind, which is a shame given how much pink paper I actually own!

Up close the hand stamped journalling and some brads to set off the page.

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - LISTEN

2012-02-08T08:10:00.000Z

Now this one didn't turn out quite how I intended, you know the one when you see it in your head but by the time it hits the page it's sort of morphed and despite fighting with it it still doesn't want to change. Well that's this page, but I find in these that it's best to let the page do the talking, so I included the journaling inside the title letters and just let the page come together on it's own accord.

We're on Wednesday already people, just got to get to Friday and then a whole week off, still no further forward on the present buying for people but thank you for your ideas - off for a look at a couple of them.

Hope you're all having a great Wednesday!

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - SPARK

2012-02-06T18:33:00.000Z

Oh this one was fun, sometimes you have an image that you've wanted to use forever and get to a point when you never think it will happen and then suddenly - like a spark you know it does exactly what you want it to do. I thoroughly enjoyed the word, the journaling and the spark it created - simply fantastic!

Well here I am blogging on a Monday night - what on earth is that all about? We've got in, eaten, tidied, the ironing pile is screaming at me but I screamed back and now it's sulking. Strange day at work but home at a reasonable hour, so I've got the evening stretching out in front of me now, so scrapbook layouts here I come. I seem to have done absolutely shed loads of pages recently which I'm loving, will have to have another photographing session of them so I can start getting them on my blog. Feeling in the need to do some sort of mini/maxi book but not sure what at the moment.

Hubbies birthday next week and it's a big one which has led me to walk the path of what on earth to buy him, his usual list is mountains of DVD's as he's addicted to films at the moment, occasionally a book will crop up that I know he'll love but he doesn't get the time that he used to, to read these days so he's slower at going through books etc.

But what do I buy him - honestly?

Then it's my Mum's birthday and my brother's girlfriends 21st - any ideas for these would be great, my Mum's crafty but better at buying stuff than using it and she's currently in pot until the 22 February. Fi likes all things creative and she's a great artist, she got Zombie Felties for Christmas and she's loved making things from that since she got it, I'd thought about Steampunk Softies but not sure. Are there any other great crafty books out there that you know of? Need to get any online orders done pronto mind!

Hope you're all having a great start to the week.

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - FIRST

2012-02-05T13:57:00.000Z

This is one of my favourites from my 52 word journal, using a picture of a ruined Abbey as the backdrop to the words. The journalled words have been done between the title, which I've discovered is one of my favourite ways to add the journaling to these pages. The title was drawn free hand in paint straight onto the page. The bit you cannot tell from the picture is all the glittery pens I've used to create the page.

Strangely enough we've woken to a similar wintry landscape this morning but without the ruined abbey!!

Having a laid back and leisurely day up to now (well if you ignor the snow clearing we did first thing). Six nations on again this afternoon so more scrapbooking, I've actually spent an hour clearing my table - I've now got some space to work in. How's everyone else's Sunday?

A BIG THANK YOU TO MICHELLE AND HER COLOUR WHEEL

2012-02-04T07:00:00.001Z

A few weeks ago I was reading Michelle's blog and she was talking about a colour wheel. I giggled at the post because I too didn't have particularly fond memories of using one and I certainly don't have one in my possession now, however a few days after reading her post I was faced with a set of photos that I couldn't scrap. Not because I didn't want to but because every time I thought I'd found 'the' paper I'd place the photos on top for overall effect and pull faces. The photos had been taken on a harsh wintry day, with a harsh colour back drop and a wintry sky. I tried everything paper wise and just couldn't get a 'feel' for the page at all.

Then I remembered Michelle mentioning a colour wheel, so a quick google search and I found lots of image examples. The photos had a washed out blue in them and therefore the contrasting colour was orange, but I'd tried every orange paper I'd got and I didn't like what I saw, so my next option was to try the colours either side of blue (because I'd tried blue and that didn't work either), one side of blue sits the colour green and the other side sits purple. Purple? I thought - I never scrapbook purple because on the whole I don't have a whole heap of purple papers but then I thought what if purple is the colour. So after a little rummaging I came back with some basic grey papers and was relieved - no delighted to find that the purple worked really well - who'd have thought!

So here is the pages in question a double page layout using predominantly purple!

Isn't it amazing how a colour choice really is needed to make a page work! this is the right hand page up close.

this is the left hand page up close.

Up close the hand stamped journalling and the hand stitching.

I hand cut the paper for these tags and was quite happy with the effect once completed.

The pages in question cover a day at The Coldstones Cut, which is an art installation next to a working quarry, it's mighty odd but strangely works with it's surrounding landscape in a way that other art installations probably wouldn't and we went because it was quirky and I can vouch it was definitely quirky!!!!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY

2012-02-03T00:05:00.000Z

Ooh I'm going to try and manage a rocking your world post as I go again this week, it's so much easier to clock the moments as they happen as it were.

Here I sit on Friday evening (that be Friday last week) feeling really rather grateful to Asda, the joys of online shopping. I hate food shopping with an absolute passion, I find it such a bind wandering up and down aisles looking for food, so this week, with the inspiration of my sister I decided to do an online order and at quarter to seven tonight it arrived at the door, within 15 minutes tea was on and shopping was put away - now that's my kind of shopping love it! I'm also grateful that the Asda delivery van didn't hit my car as it reversed down our road and the handbrake saw fit not to work!

Saturday brought the first blue skies day in a while and although cold outside it was lovely to be able to go and blow off the cobwebs. Said 11 year old was feeling somewhat better so we put the hiking boots in the back of the car and set off for a quick jaunt up the M1 to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, unfortunately they are between main exhibits with the Jaume Plensa exhibition now ended and the new one not yet started, but we weren't there for the sculptures but for the fresh air. We enjoyed walking down to the lake and along the new lakeside path (a first for us). This is a photo of a sculpture that we've seen before but I never noticed the shoes sticking out from it!

We did manage to find a couple of new pieces we'd not seen before these strange chairs all lined up looked pretty good in the winter sun.

And this cave like piece made from polyurethane resin had a translucent quality that meant the light could shine through it's surface lighting it up in a dark lavender colour.

We walked for quite a while and thoroughly enjoyed the water falls, the nature around us and the time to spend some quality time together, bliss. We were also treated to this view as we walked back up the main hillside

We ventured back up to the main building and grabbed a drink and something to eat and sat outside, there's something magical about that place I tell you. It just makes you feel so alive and so very positive.

Then we found a great little exhibition by a Scottish artist called Donna Wilson called Endangered Species, our favourites were the knitted characters that we found although there were also 3 dimensional pictures and watercolour prints.

and then the final highlight of the day - playing with light - you forget what fun you can have sometimes. This silhouette of said 11 year old after he'd taken his woollen hat off LOL!

Sunday arrived and said 11 year old was still not a hundred percent so we avoided the gym and went for another walk around Elsecar where I got this shot - perfect for a scrapbook page don't you think? So big grateful for photo opportunities - now that I can cope with!

Monday arrived and an early start ready for our Spa day, this was a red letter day bought by hubby last year for our wedding anniversary and we hadn't got around to booking it, when we realised it was restricted on time we flew into action, compared diaries and saw fit to have a day together on our own. We had to drop said 11 year old at my Mum's to take him to school as our rasul appointment was for nine am and we had to be there 15 minutes before the appointment, gulp quarter to nine? Really? Bearing in mind it's a 45 minute journey at any normal time let alone a Monday morning. So massive grateful to my Mum doing this as a favour to us because she's currently in pot and bandage - the result of having her thumb joint removed (ouch) and replaced with a piece that they fused between two bones (double ouch) and the shortening of the ligament in the arm as a result (triple ouch)!

We arrived in good time to find the car park heaving, we hadn't realised but Thoresby Hall is a Warner hotel which is exclusive to adults, we found our way to the reception who then pointed us in the direction of the Spa reception and that's where our day began. We were greeted by the staff, provided with complementary drink vouchers for a cuppa when we were ready and off we toddled to get changed into swimwear, luxurious bath robes, and towel, a new pair of slippers so we could enjoy the day.

Alison showed us to the relaxation lounge whilst the rasul spa warmed through and then she showed us through. We were to shower, then use salt on our skin to exfoliate, shower again and then apply mud to each other, three different types for different parts of the body and then the rasul filled with steam and we sat in there chatting and giggling at applying the mud, after a while the shower heads started and rained down water to clear off the mud and then we needed another shower to get rid of any left over mud. We had sole use of the rasul throughout and it was bliss. We felt thoroughly relaxed and chilled afterwards and then had the use of the spa facilities for the rest of the day. Iced water was on tap in the relaxation lounge together with fresh fruit, there was a pool, a steam room, a couple of dry saunas, foot spas, a hammam (our favourite) and an ice cave (another favourite - straight from the hammam into the ice cave - crazy stuff). Alison was concerned that we'd not got any lunch booked so she asked if we would like her to book us a table, which we said yes to and she said we were OK to go down in our robes (which is what everyone else did, sat there in a restaurant, wet hair, not a stitch of make up in a bathrobe has to be one of the most surreal of experiences).

We had a great day, chatted, laughed, giggled, talked, had quiet time just the two of us and the best part of it all, I came away relaxed from the delights of the day - and completely shattered, how can doing nothing be so damn tiring?

Would we do it again - absolutely when can we go?

So there we have my positives for the week, Tuesday and Thursday were both hellishly long days at work so nothing much to comment on there.

I hope you've had a great week and that you've managed to find some positives amongst your week, if you join in don't forget to come back and link to Mr Linky, believe me having a list of gratefuls on a Friday is always a positive start to the weekend!

A bit of crafting for you before I go, I'm not great at 'white space' as this layout proves, but there is some glossy accents going on this very simplistic but quite effective layout!

Up close you can just about make out the glossy accents.

ONE OF A KIND AND A THANK YOU TO SUSIE!

2012-02-02T08:08:00.000Z

One of my favourite pages that I've done in quite some time

This one was using a template from January's edition of Scrap 365 the original artist being Wendy McKee. It was a really fun layout to do because it meant I could use a favourite paper of Once Upon a Time fame but in a slightly different way to show off it's true gorgeousness - I find splitting pages like this into smaller fragments really brings the eye to appreciate the detail.

Now this isn't a normal style layout for me, but just before Christmas Susie sent me a gift that contained lots of little goodies - all sorts of gorgeousness. Within the parcel was a tag she had filled with lace and ribbons which on the evening I was making this page I decided to put in my ribbons and lace bag and so the tag sat there waving at me, the next minute, I'm cutting out some matching tags (matching in size) then I dry embossed the tag Susie sent, added a little bit of the Once Upon a Time paper to the top and it became an accent for the page! I added to it lots of little metal tags that I've had forever (I'm still stash busting where I can even if I do keep buying more LOL), some buttons, some statements from a scrapbook paper and before I knew it it had all come together.

A close up on the dry embossed tag sent by Susie! So it just goes to show that from a gifted item can come great layouts - thank you Susie!

Hope you're all having a great Thursday!

PICTURE FRAME WITH A DIFFERENCE

2012-02-01T08:35:00.000Z

Before Christmas I motivated my sister into doing something with her staircase, and through some interesting conversations and a little bit of Pinteresting we came up with a master plan. Part of the master plan was for some black and white pictures that she wanted to adorn the same - something she's aspired to for quite some years. She already had some frames in hand to use but hadn't made much progress so I took them from her in the hope that inspiration would strike. On the whole I used photos and just altered some charity shop frames with black paint to meet the criteria, however, this one was one I worked on before it became a production line and unlike the other frames which I gave to her before Christmas this one actually became a full blown Christmas present with wrapping paper and bows!

The photo is of my brother at the front of the photo and my sister at the back, enjoying the snow when they were young, we all remember the snow day that we had, enjoying the weather, drinking hot chocolate, the picture of me is not quite so flattering I was in my teens, wearing a donkey jacket (the coat I got from the social because my Dad was unemployed at the time), a woollen headband thing and some white furry earmuffs - like I said not so flattering!

The frame was a box frame and a particularly good quality (I found that a lot of box frames aren't good quality and the 'box' effect is often achieved with things like polystyrene! - this wasn't one of them, the boxing achieved with proper wood).

I used some simple scrapbook papers at the back, double matted the photo, used a velum quotation, added a bit of bling and some embellishments and was extremely pleased with how it turned out and I can confirm that it is now hanging pride of place on her stairwell!

It's easy to forget sometimes that the simplest of ideas can create the most powerful of pieces, hope you're having a good day! Happy 1st February (where did January go - only another 10 more months and we can put the decorations up again LMAO).

GIFTS

2012-01-29T10:01:00.000Z

I thought I'd share a gift I sent to a friend of mine before Christmas to document her daughter's Christmas. I used an Ikea frame which actually has 'plastic' glass rather than normal glass if you know what I mean. I used some Me to You Bear papers that I'd got in a stack and just played. The back of the frame is a book type cover made using chipboard and brown gummed tape as the base and then pages inside that on a concertina fold.

Slightly better shot of the book without the glaring lights

The inside pages were just a mix of the papers, torn or cut to a rectangular shape and then inked. The books I've done in the past for her have been predominantly pink but this one uses a selection of different colours, the papers providing the colour inspiration.

I left the back of the book simple with a paint technique on the same.

From the top you can see the frame edge and the 'book' element of it and the concertina pages contained therein. I had much fun creating the book and I know Karen enjoyed receiving it and took loads of photos to document the Christmas festivities!

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY a 12 x 12 layout and the word DIRECTION

2012-01-27T00:05:00.000Z

Aha - I'm going to try and do this as the week progresses, so be warned it might turn into a long one, in which case, grab yourself a virtual cuppa and a biscuit before you commence (actually on second thoughts it might be better to grab a real one LOL).

So here is my

My rocking your world moments how they happened this week

Last Friday was another hypnoslim appointment which was excellent, we got mind gym (which I've not put on my MP3 player yet), a good chat, identifying areas of issue, hypnotism and coming away feeling happier and better in myself prepared for the next week. I must admit having time to think and relax in a good atmosphere really does make the world of difference. The morning had started on a chocolate biscuit fiasco (which I won't bore you with but involved me, a chocolate biscuit and an 11 year old - it wasn't a happy discussion - hadn't realised there were claimed rights over food in this house but at that point apparently there were. You'll be pleased to know this has subsequently changed!).

Debenhams for having my make up in when I needed it. Because I've got such problem skin I really daren't leave the house without it for fear of frightening people. However, the unhelpful assistant insisting that the starter kit was what I needed means I came home for a search on line only to find a much cheaper shop that I'll be using in future, so thanks to them for pushing me into finding a better supplier who'll deliver to my door.

Saturday morning - and said 11 year old claiming he was watching "Wall in the Hole" - he did make me giggle apparently it should have been "Hole in the Wall" but he just couldn't swap it around, even though he knew he'd got it the wrong way around.

The gym on Saturday was great, me and said 11 year old and my sister, our programs are all around the same length of time so we went did the session, came home, showered etc and felt much better for it.

Sorting my scrapbook pages out into albums, there were loads and loads and loads (I hadn't realised I'd done so many!) But there is something deeply satisfying about putting them into albums, the downside was that I ran out of space in my albums so a trip to Hobbycraft to find they do a pack of 10 plastics for £2.99 bargain! I bought three packs and have now extended a couple of albums to get the most out of them, rather than buy another album at the price of £18 grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Actually rummaging through I found a part made album that DH started for me an age ago, think it needs a bit of extra chipboard and some papercoverage but I'm sure I can manage this LOL. Will keep you informed as to whether I succeed and then the other 20 plastics can go in that and keep me going for now.

Which leads onto my next grateful new stock at Hobbycraft - just after Christmas they really didn't have much in that I fancied, so imagine my dismay/shock/excitement when I found the Papermania Portabello Road range - I mean Union Jacks and vintage - really in one pack, blues and reds and whites and stamps and ribbons and embossing folders - I was supposed to be buying plastics but you'll be amazed at what else fell into my basket.

I was unsure of whether to get the embossing folder from the Portabello Road range, but really felt that a simple embossed Union Jack would be perfect for masculine cards which I find a nightmare to create at the best of time. Saturday night led to me making a few trial cards to see what the embossing folder was like and can I say I'm rather impressed with it. Now how many other colours can I incorporate when using it because I don't want to use up all my reds and blues! Probably my biggest problem is that I have a whole side of the family who are Irish - not convinced they'll want a Union Jack card - do you?

The Red Letter Day is booked for Monday, keep your fingers and toes crossed that the weather behaves, it looks like we're going to have to sort someone to look after said 11 year old in the morning too as we're supposed to be there for 9am and it's going to be over an hours drive in Monday morning traffic.

Last Saturday evening we had an evening out by going off to the cinema - so my next grateful is Tom Cruise - why oh why he would want to go climbing on the outside of the world's tallest building really is beyond me - but I have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed MI4 Ghost Protocol - an excellent watch.

A lie in on a Sunday morning, not too late not too early just right, means for a happy person.

Next up on my list of grateful is that sometimes you happen across an artist that blows your mind, Sunday afternoon was just one of those moments. The artist in question was found via a book hubby was reading and I have to say that the work of Kris Kuksi as a Mixed Media Artist are quite simply breathtaking, approaching such a variety of subjects to create amazing three dimensional work totalling bewildering. Want to see what I'm going on about - click his name above - but be warned you might be on their some time when you start to see the detail contained therein. let's put it this way it made me want to find lots and lots of broken toys, little solders, plastic toy guns, toy ladders etc - go see his site to understand why - ooh wait up finish reading this first and then go find!

Well all good plans - yes you guessed it - it's Thursday - haven't touched this since the weekend grrrrr - right what else let me think - my order from Cardinal Colours has arrived safe and sound. I ordered a DCWV paper pack (these are my most favourite scrapbook paper company, I love the packs, I love the colours and I love the quality of the paper) this stack called Immortal Love click the link to go see the papers - they are gorgeous!!!!! I found out about this because Sian whose part of a circle journal I'm in mentioned them and I wanted them when I saw them, I also got some double sided tape and some flowers from Cardinal Colours too!!

Finally Colmans Bake in a Bag sauces, I'm not one to buy sauces as I tend to do everything from scratch but we discovered these by accident late last year, they are sachet's of powder that create sauces and come with a roasting bag in the top part and basically you throw all the ingredients in the bag, tie the top with the little tie that comes with it and throw it in the oven. Leave it for the dedicated time and before you know it you've got tea cooked without much effort added to which because it's cooked in the roasting bag you don't have an oven proof dish to clean because it's all cooked in the bag. They're not badly priced and lead to a tasty tea, we've tried quite a few up to now all successful, Thursday nights is in the oven as we speak cajun chicken with the rice, peppers, tomatoes and onions included in the bag with the powder and water. No idea what this one will be like but don't even have to worry about a side dish this time as the rice is contained in the bag!

Thursday has also brought a poorly 11 year old to the side of my bed, I knew he'd been ailing all week but come Thursday morning he was completely made up with cold and looked dreadful bless him. So it's been a duvet day for him and unusually for me my laptop was at work, so I couldn't work from home, I was tempted to head into work once hubby was home about quart to four, but given the amount of TOIL I've got and that said 11 year old is still not well I decided against it - after all it's going to still be there when I get back isn't it. Why is this on my list of gratefuls you may ask - because it allowed me to put things into perspective - said 11 year old was far more important than emptying my in tray today and I've enjoyed waiting on him hand and foot, providing packets of tissues and food as he's grazed through the day! Maybe me rebalancing work and home life is starting to come back into balance for the last 12 months it has been pretty much work all the way.

Right that's my list for this week, I'll put Mr Linky at the bottom if you're joining in. Don't forget the essence of Rocking your World posts, is to pull out the silver linings in your day/week, even when it might seem at first glance that you've had a bad or difficult week, if you dig deep you find those little things that have made the week that bit more bearable. Once you've identified them pop yourself a blog post together and then link back here so we can come and visit. It doesn't have to be a lengthy post (but it can if you fancy), it could even just be a bullet pointed list, but if it reminds you of what you've enjoyed then it's worth while!

As always sharing some crafting with you, this is not actually one of my favourite layouts, I don't know why I think it's because I struggled with the background paper, but it's done now. This one shows DH on the Gladiator Challenge at Center Parcs, he managed both the rope ladder on the left and the other climbing part that he's on in the picture with relative ease!

Up close you can see I cut out some scrabble letters from a page I had (can't remember which stack of papers this comes from) mounted on black and then put it on the page on raised foam pads. Likewise the words off to the left were from one of those pages with lots of words all over it which I cut out, mounted and stuck to a tag.

I'm also nearing the end of Darcy's 52 word challenge too this one is the word direction and was completed not long after I suffered with a fairly awful bought of vertigo - the word was extremely apt at the time. I used a stamped arrow as the journal blocks.

Mr Linky for my amazing Rockettes (and Rockers if we ever get one LOL).

A MID WEEK POST - DON'T FAINT!

2012-01-25T08:20:00.000Z

The weeks are whizzing by which means I'm getting frustrated that the only post I seem to be doing at the moment is the Rocking post, don't get me wrong I love my Rocking posts but I want to do posts in between them. Wednesday morning always seems to be the time I get to do a quick post, but then spend so much time catching up on blog posts that often I don't get chance - is this just me?

Anyway I did a mass of photos of layouts at the weekend so I've plenty in my folder to share, this morning I'm going to share this layout called Fab! why - because that was about the only word I could make up with the letters I'd got left LOL! A picture of my niece post paddleboarding at Center Parcs last year asking how to take the life jacket off and Scott the instructor basically fastening it on like a straight jacket - perfect photo opportunity wouldn't you agree! I've used a combination of papers and embellishments, most of which I've had forever! I love the colour combination, I used a butterfly stamp to compliment the butterfly paper as well.

Up close you can see the stitching on the layout, this is definitely one of my signature elements on a page, I still have a huge stash of embroidery thread and so can usually find a co-ordinating colour!

I finally managed to use the chipboard flourish on this layout behind the flowers (although it does keep trying to unpeel itself from the page grrrrr). I used buttons in the middle of the flowers to compliment the colour scheme.

More stitching at the top of the page, most of the stitching I do is free hand, however, occasionally I'll hit a page with a stitching template!

I hope you're all having a great week! If you happen by don't forget to say hi - has your January gone in the blink of an eye or is it just mine? Also what's your favourite embellishment on a page?

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - AGAIN ALREADY WHAT'S HAPPENING

2012-01-20T00:05:00.000Z

I'm sorry but when I looked down at the PC and realised it was almost Friday again I did wonder where my life was disappearing too because I swear it was only a day or so ago that I started posting for my Rocking Your World Post last week - most crazy.

Anyway it's Rocking Your World time, time to reflect on your week and pick out the positives in amongst the norm. Sometimes we feel that there aren't any - which means you have to have a 'dig deep' post where you really have to work the grey matter and find those silver linings, other weeks we could write a book on all our positives!

So without further ado this is my

First up this week is the gym and in particular Neil who I saw last night, after putting DH through his paces it was my turn. I'd not had a great start to my gym experience because the individual that set my program didn't listen, I think she saw my size and decided what I needed to do, there was no pushing myself it was all quite gentle. Then I told her I had a bad back and despite this she saw fit to put me on the rower and get me laid on the floor doing floor exercises - I mean honestly! I ended up talking to the gym manager on an unrelated matter and before I knew it she was rescheduling my appointment with Neil and now I understand why. First he wanted to know what the back problem was and how it ends up causing me issues and then he identified what I could do and what I couldn't do. He'd already had a quick glimpse at my program and removed the floor exercises and the rower, and so last night was about putting other things back in. I left the gym shattered but extremely happy with my program - he really did know his stuff! I'll keep you informed as to my progress!

Second up have been the weather warming up ever so slightly - I'm not being funny but in the building that I work in being so cold and the fact the TV room at home is last on the central heating system so takes an age to warm up, I've struggled for a few days this week. So I'm glad it's not quite at the sub zero temperatures we've been having.

Grateful for my son's homework - yes you heard me right, at the grand old age of 11 his teacher has chosen graffiti as a school topic and he's loving it! It meant a jaunt into Sheffield on the tram, identifying graffiti as we went and then hopping back on the tram and getting off to take photos of some of the graffiti we saw. Said 11 year old learned that most graffiti is done in dangerous places (bridges, under bridges, near train tracks) and we had a lengthy discussion as to whether it was art or not. He's decided tagging is predominantly about marking territory and damaging property whereas true graffiti is an art form but one often done illegally because there are so few places for graffiti artists to work! All in all it led to some intelligent discussions and also a jaunt out and some fresh air - so a win win on this one.

Grateful for hubby looking through our finances last weekend so we could formulate a plan for this year (if we pull it off I'll be most impressed but I won't hold my breath). Which in turn led us to book a holiday for Easter time which is something to look forward to for all of us - so that's definitely a positive. Holidaying in this country again so lots of exploring to do.

Fingers crossed for our booking for our red letter day - DH bought me a spa day for two last April to celebrate our anniversary, thought we'd got 12 months to use it up but spotted that it's up on the 14 February, so into mass panic trying to sort a day where said 11 year old is sorted and we get to go and use the voucher - keep your fingers and toes crossed that they've actually got the day available that we've picked, then keep everything crossed that the weather's kind to us!

And finally for my blogging friends and Rockettes, we've had a few new faces amongst us in the last couple of weeks and it's an absolute pleasure to see how we can come together as a group to celebrate the positives! Don't stress if you don't get to it on Friday, just do it when you get chance - you know it makes sense as it keeps you feeling positive for the week ahead.

Right I think that's the main ones this week, it's been a mad one, too much work, not enough home time, added in a weird Tuesday and I'm surprised I survived to this point - but I have and I'm absolutely grateful for that one.

Right now onto a bit of crafting and then Mr Linky

The two most gorgeous beings in my life - honestly - two peas in a pod, enjoying paddleboarding at Center Parcs last year! Thoroughly enjoyed doing this layout of the two of them.

Hope you're all having a great Friday!

MORNING ALL HOW'S LIFE AND A TUESDAY NIGHT DILEMMA

2012-01-18T08:23:00.000Z

Good morning to you all - how are you this morning, we've woken to cloud and rain which means it's warmer than it's been thankfully.

Apparently Monday was the most depressing day of the year - my hubby's retort was therefore "When is the happiest?" - do they even bother to work that one out or do they just like doom and gloom. Presumably the happiest will be mid summer which is July time (in this country), it'll be near pay day which is usually around the end of the month, perhaps it's around the time the children break up from school - so I'm thinking maybe the 26th July would be the happiest - what do you think? Or has someone worked this out and will the news be spreading this positive picture nearer the time (I'm thinking not - news likes to be miserable I've noticed - unless your Russell Howard).

Wednesday morning already - time whizzing by again - think it's because work is so busy and manic at the moment. I was quite honestly last night in the worst mood, Tuesdays are always long days and trying to switch off from work is almost impossible which means I'm still zoned into work all evening. Now both hubby and said 11 year old like asking questions - usually the type I can't answer and in a normal evening I would try and provide a rational answer, but not on a tuesday - you'd have thought they'd have learnt from this - but no they kept asking and verbally pushing until I had to point out that I wasn't functioning mentally - I hadn't realised it prior to that but I wasn't I just couldn't process the questions and asking me more than once didn't mean that the answers were going to come any faster or easier - as they learnt. So I went quiet (always a bit dangerous with me - as I am the noise of this household), plonked myself on the sofa, popped on Stargazing Live and went to sleep - why? Well because it was probably less dangerous than me allowing the mood to fester. Am I the only one that this sort of thing happens to? I honestly didn't mean to be down or grumpy but after a day of questions the last thing I need is an evening of them if you know what I mean.

Woke up a couple of hours later, said 11 year old in bed, hubby watching TV and all had righted itself. Now how on earth do I make sure this isn't a weekly occurrence? I don't mean to be 'moody' but when I'm in work zone how do I pull myself back out and go into a different zone? And before you say it I'm not sure sleep is the answer either!

Anyhow that's Wednesday's dilemma question for you to consider, how's your week going? Have you done a lot, been anywhere interesting? Met up with friends, chatted on the phone? Are you enjoying January or longing for bright crisp spring days?

A few of you may have picked up on my hypnoslimmer pledge at the beginning of the year, a quick update to say it's going quite well. I'm still getting used to it but have made some progress already. Now if you're wondering why didn't I join Weight Watchers or Slimming World (like I've done previously), it's because I decided I needed a whole new approach to sorting out my weight which didn't revolve around food and hypnoslimmer seemed to fit the bill. Plus all previous efforts on those systems sees a weight loss followed by a weight gain and some and I really can't afford to put on any more weight. I'll keep you informed of my progress as time proceeds if you're interested.

Right I must have a layout lurking that I've not shared previously - this a double page layout from when we went to Bolton Castle and met Bilbo the owl.

He was absolutely gorgeous and extremely funny - because he'd been born in captivity and raised by hand he still had the quirks of a baby owl - calling out for food with this gutteral sound - really quite hysterical to listen to.

As you can see he liked to get close to the group of people who had gathered to watch him, taking up residence next to said 11 year old quite happily most of the time. Not that said 11 year old was particularly happy at him flying so close to him LOL!

Up close simply embellishments are often the most effective, a hand punched heart, a few glittery type accents raised up on foam pads.

I hope you have a great day - if you pop by don't forget to say hello (if you get chance I know we're all so very busy).

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY AND DARCY'S 52 WORDS - CRAYON

2012-01-13T00:05:00.002Z

Morning all - what's been Rocking Your World this Week - have you had a light hearted fun week full of positives or are you going to have to dig deep for your Rocking moments - mines a mix!!! So without further ado it's

First up is my hubby who came to my rescue last Friday when my car decided not to work (again). It decided that regardless of what my foot was doing with the brakes - it actually wanted to apply them constantly for me - which meant there was a strong smell of burning rubber and quite a lot of smoke LMAO!!!! And before you ask it's not a sports car - it just wanted to pretend to be one for the day! £110 later and she was sorted - let's hope she can manage the journey I was trying to make last Friday this Friday!

Next up is hypnoslim, I'm still learning about this and I'm not sure if it will do what I want it to do but I'm soooooooooooo bored with dieting and not enjoying my food and limiting the types of things I eat and being on a diet one minute and off the next - I had my first meeting last Friday which was really good and I came out feeling really positive, second meeting today - let's see if we can make some progress - I'll let you know how I get on!

Right on with a photo of a Rocking moment when dropping said 11 year old off at breakfast club on Monday I was treated to this beautiful sky - isn't it gorgeous! It made me feel fairly giddy even if I was on my way to work!

Visiting old work mates, this was a sort of happy accident but I really enjoyed meeting up with two old work colleagues earlier this week, it's been 8 years since I saw them last - that's never right is it!

Jigsaws - yes you heard me - jigsaws have rocked my world, my sister bought said 11 year old a jigsaw for Christmas, as a child I loved jigsaws, I had two favourite Disney ones when I was little that had shaped pieces in them, I used to do the jigsaw and then take it apart and do it upside down, one day my Mum saw fit to glue them to a piece of cardboard to hang them as pictures in my room - never did get over how devastating that was. Anyhow, after we finished said 11 year old's first jigsaw, we picked up a Sheffield one from Waterstones with about 300 pieces and that promptly got finished too. So I thought, let's go the whole way and buy a 1000 piece jigsaw, so we're on with that now, (it was a bit weird because after we bought it from Hobbycraft we discovered elements of this cartoon jigsaw that are a bit naughty, like the naked couple on the cartoon and the misbehaving rabbits (I kid you not) because it's such an intricate design we never noticed when we bought it), but it's proving fun and interesting and we're all joining in with doing a little bit more on it each night. Biggest problem is that I might have accidently sucked up one of the pieces into the dyson but only time will tell - we have to finish the jigsaw before I empty the Dyson - I'll keep you posted.

Hubby and said 11 year old helping tidy Thursday evening, house looks liveable just in time for the weekend.

The gym, I hate getting ready to go but I really enjoy it once I get into it as it were, no idea if its helping - although I am less breathless at the top of the stairs than I was a couple of weeks ago - so we'll see.

Teen gym for said 11 year old, he is really enjoying being in the gym at the same time as us which is great, let's hope this continues!

Right I think that sums up some lovely rocking moments I've had this week - how's about you? If you fancy joining in do yourself a blog post and come and link at the bottom so we can come and visit, feel free to take the Rocking Your World Button on the side of my blog if you fancy. I promise that life takes on a lot more positive a note when you start acknowledging the positives in life - don't believe me? Give it a try!

Finally, here I am again with another layout from Darcy's words, this one was the word crayon - not something I possess but I do possess lots and lots and lots of paints so that's what the page got, I enjoyed the vibrancy of the layout.

Mr Linky for you

ARGHHHHHHHH & DARCY'S 52 WORDS - AUTHOR

2012-01-11T19:27:00.000Z

Evening all - well the weeks are just racing by now, work is back into full swing, which I don't mind but it means I'm wrecked when I get home, rebel against the idea of sitting in front of a VDU (because I've done that all day), then I miss my blog buddies grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH - the word vicious circle come to mind LOL!

Anyhow - enough moaning I'm here now with a picture from Darcy's 52 word book (yes I'm still on with it but determined to complete it - I am I really am!!!!!!)

However on the plus side - rebelling against the VDU has meant that I've been sat at my craft table more - not necessarily doing a lot (hubby keeps putting decent TV/DVD's on and I get easily distracted) I'm also managing to get to the gym so as a family we are proving a little more active than we were last year - hurray!!!! However, tonight I was getting slower and slower and slower on the exercise bike - I'd kind of given up by then because I was absolutely shattered (been up since 6 today, travelled 160 miles, worked, caught up with work when I got home, collected son from school been to gym, showered, tea cooking at the mo) wow busy day wasn't it - how was yours? Hopefully slightly less busy than mine because mine in hindsight was a bit well crazy!

I didn't know if the word Author that Darcy chose was going to cause me trouble, but in all honesty it didn't I really went for the journaling, writing and writing and writing some more, with different pens and different colours, adding stamping and colouring and really going for it using an image that I didn't think would be possible to use. Simply magical

How's everyone's New Year Challenges coming along? Are you enjoying them? Bitten off more than you can chew? Behind but enjoying regardless? Hope they are proving fruitful on your creativity.

ROCKING YOUR WORLD AND THE PAGE 'RELEASE'

2012-01-06T00:05:00.000Z

Morning all how are you this morning? It's Friday already 'Rocking Your World' time and the first Rocking post of 2012. Time to take stock, look back reflect and give thanks for the week behind us - if you don't think you've had a good week - try and dig deep to find the silver lining as I find very infrequently is there a whole week without a silver lining - so have a think - possibly a phone call that made you smile? A comment? Sharing time with someone you love? Curling up with a good book? Whatever it may be no matter how small or insignificant think about that moment and smile, hold that thought that positive right in the front of your mind so you can appreciate life for what it delivers you and if it's been a tough week then these silver linings need to be noted!

My week has been OK if I'm honest, nothing sparkling (literally now the decorations are down and away), but a thorough tidy and clean through means the house is resuming normality.

New Year at my sisters is always fun so that's a grateful, listening to her and said 11 year old singing on Singstar is something not to be missed - they both thoroughly enjoyed themselves!

Lazy mornings in bed as we neared the end of our Christmas break (I can appreciate and grateful for these even more now that I'm back at work - I miss having a lay in - I miss not having to wake with an alarm!)

The gym - yes don't frown at the screen, I am grateful that I've managed two gym sessions this week with a third due today and said 11 year old has managed his first session in the gym, he seemed to enjoy it and is looking forward to having a program set. I'm looking forward to having mine re-done if I'm honest!

Being back off the wine (2nd attempt at a teetotal year LOL - going well so far) has meant better sleep at night - such bliss if I'm honest being able to enjoy my sleep - hadn't realised how much I'd missed proper sleep!

Lovely blogs and lovely blog posts talking about challenges and things that others are joining in with and challenges people have set themselves!

One pot meals and slow cookers, there is nothing nicer after a long day at work than walking into a house full of the aromas of a home cooked meal. So here's to more one pot family friendly meals (said 11 year old is trying new things - lasagne - gasp, shock horror, chicken in white wine (using up the wine from Christmas LOL), beef bourguignon (more wine being used up LOL).

Hubby spending time messing around with aerials and splitters and all sorts of other electrical things means we now have a free view box and TV piped into our bedroom - now don't frown because sometimes to be able to head up to bed and watch half an hour of 'normal' TV before we settle down to sleep has proved quite nice if I'm honest.

And my final grateful this week has to be the fact I'm here, that I'm alive, that I have a great family great friends both those I know in person and those I know through my blog! Thank you for being part of my life!

So there we go my first list of gratefuls in 2012, if you fancy joining in then please post a blog post on your blog and then head back here to link up so we can come and visit you, if you don't have a blog or don't have time to post a blog, leave a comment (I lurve comments) about what's Rocked your world this week!!!!

Now following on from my question earlier in the week - here is the page I did for Darcy's 52 words - the word being 'Release' I was unsure of whether to share or not given that the photo is slightly risque! But given that you all felt quite happy for my post here it is! You'll have to forgive the image but it was found in a Sunday paper so can't be all bad. The word for this page was Release, it was quite a simple page to do, I've found it intriguing how my art journal pages really suit simple colour schemes, in this case black white and grey, more finger painting on my part, giant journaling, tattooed ladies and hand drawn title all fun.

And finally Mr Linky for Rocking Your World Posts

HAPPY NEW YEAR - A QUESTION AND DARCY'S 52 WORDS - INVOKE

2012-01-03T20:30:00.000Z

Good Evening one and all and a very big welcome to you to my blog in 2012, I can't believe I've not posted yet in this year, I'm not sure why? I'm not sure what I've been waiting for, but after a little flurry of activity reading blogs tonight I thought I'd happen along and say hello to you all.

The decorations are down, the first day back at work is complete, the house is tidy and here we are once again with a clean sheet spread out in front of us. As always in the new year, I think of things I want to achieve, I start planning (and plotting I'm like that) I sit back and admire what everyone is doing, all the challenges they are involved in, all the plans they have and think - I should do that, but then think I need to maintain a balance. So that's what I'm going to try and do.

Now the word balance is a curious one, I spend a lot of my time trying to work out what it exactly means, I'm the striver, the instigator, the noisy one in this household, said 11 year old and hubby often listen to me go off on a tangent and before they know it I'm moving the idea forward and we're on our way to sorting it, but often this means a singular, focused task and this year I need a little bit more balance. So I'm going to try balancing - it's probably going to turn into juggling and I'll probably drop the ball but balance is what I'm going to try and achieve.

So this weeks balance looks a little like this

Go to the gym - 3 times
Eat healthier (that's a whole other blog which if I get my finger out will come to fruition on a more regular, positive and spontaneous basis).
Spend time with family
Have more family walks
Manage my crafting
Blog a little
Work enough to achieve but not enough to kill me off
Improve my outlook by looking after my mind and soul a bit more (not sure how this is going to be achieved but it's a work in progress).

So there you go, a glimpse into my world at the moment, I'll let you know how I get on.

I'm still trailing behind on Darcy's 52 words but I intend on finishing this challenge regardless of how long it takes me. A bit like my Journal your Christmas which I've done in 2 sittings and is almost with the exception of yesterday and today up to date (I kid you not).

Now this is the word Invoke and quite honestly isn't one of my favourites in my book, but it's done and completed I think it's the fighting colours, or maybe the images, or the stamping - ah can't quite put my finger on it! But it did get me journaling the word!

Finally my question is - dare I share the word 'release' with you, I like the page but the picture is a little more risque than normal and I don't want to offend.

Let me know what you think?

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY - DARCY'S 52 WORDS - DESIRE

2011-12-30T00:05:00.000Z

Good morning my amazing blog friends how do I find you this morning? How's the weather - stop pulling faces ours is just as bad!!!

Yes it's time to reflect, give thanks, raise our heart a little and find the silver linings in our week! It's time to find out what has been Rocking My World this week

Despite the strangeness in the run up to Christmas, Christmas day proved to be just lovely, we weren't up too early (although said 11 year old was up from 4.30am onwards), we finally dragged ourselves out of bed about half seven.

We enjoyed a slow opening of presents, with many exclamations of happiness from said 11 year - the biggest of which was for his electric guitar and amp - I kid you not!!!! We've had many new renditions of his new 'songs' since - don't know what the neighbours with their new born baby are going to be saying in the new year.

The usual hustle and bustle sorting out food on Christmas day but we were cooking for 10 and I always get to a point where things are just that bit mad - I usually start looking slightly frazzled by this point.

This year, present opening was after main course because when it's before main course it causes chaos with the timings (they were mildly better this year). We had lots of talking, chats and giggles and everyone left thoroughly full and laden down with the exchanged presents that had been opened. So my first biggest grateful is that despite the strangest build up to Christmas, Christmas day itself was about as 'normal' as we could get which was blissful!

Boxing day at my Mum's with home made food - my Mum is such a great cook! My hubby started to wind her up mid evening - trying to get her to dial a taxi with a wine bottle opener, then a mobile phone which she didn't want and finally with a hot dog sausage - much giggling as you can imagine.

27th of December was a blissful day when we all showered and then chilled and relaxed for the day, I scrapbooked, the boys played on the Wii, watched TV, played with new toys etc. Absolutely fantastic fun and a thoroughly enjoyable day.

I also loved my Winter Walk this year which was just around the nearby Mill dam, with my sister, my hubby and said 11 year old, it was blowing a gale but we enjoyed the fresh air and blowing the cobwebs off!

Thursday has brought our first session at the gym - yes this is on my list of gratefuls - I didn't think it would actually happen if I'm honest - it didn't quite go according to plan, but we've taken the first step!!! I'll keep you updated on how this proceeds!

My other grateful has to be finding the The Happiness Project - click the link find out more! - I found this via a link on UK Scrappers and it was a gift from the universe to me at a time when I was looking for just this sort of website. You see 2012 to me is a crucial year, I need and want and will be making changes, I've pretty much ignored the help my body needs and have treated it to over sized portions, wine drinking in recent months and lack of exercise. But rather than making the usual resolution of "I must lose weight" I've come to realise in recent months that it's more than that, I have seen so many people join a slimming club and achieve great success to only then see them revert back to 'old ways' and put the weight and a bit more back on - it's a pattern I've followed for most of my adult life, so I don't want the approach to be just eating healthy and exercising - it's no good looking after just the body if the mind and soul need to be dealt with and looked after too! So on Wednesday when I was trying to find ways to adjust and help my mind and soul I found the Happiness Project - someone who has a good life, with a good family but wanted to be happier and wanted to know how to become happier - this notion, this idea is right up my street - I have a good life, I adore my hubby and our 11 year old son, we aren't overly wealthy but neither are we on the bread line, I have a busy hectic crazy job - which I love - my life is good and I know it - I have a good family and although I don't have many friends the ones I have are amazing - in fact most that I have are my blogging friends - many of whom I've never met in person - doesn't mean that I don't know them!!! But I want more I want to be happier - so the Happiness Project is going to help me to achieve this!!!! So finding this little gem is one of my gratefuls!

Finding out my Secret Santa which was fabulous because I got to thank her properly!!!

So there we have it my list of gratefuls this week - joining in - link with Mr Linky at the bottom - no blog? no problem - just leave a comment including your gratefuls and I'll post to my blog!!!

Now as always some crafting!

Yes sometimes images just speak to me and this was one of them. This page documents how much I still adore and love my hubby after 21 years together our desire for one another has never diminished and I feel it's part of the foundation stone of our relationship, now don't ask me why I saw fit to use the colour pink on this one, I've no idea but I did lots and lots of pink finger painting LOL, added the journaling with little stamps and also some gorgeous Art from the Heart stamps that I've had forever and still love like a new stamp, they always lift a page completely but then Dyan has such an eye for gorgeous detail it doesn't surprise me that I drag out her stamps over and over again!

So there we go the last Rocking post of 2011 - 2012 looks set to be a brand new year that we can make our own if we so choose!!! May you have a beautiful and blessed New Year and I'll see you for my first post in 2012!

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - UNIQUE and boxing day

2011-12-27T10:36:00.000Z

Well this was a great word for me to work on in my journal, the world Unique, I had a great image that I'd struggled to use previously but then this word comes along and before I know it I've got the journaling done, in amongst the tribal like verging on tattoo like paint on the individual! It was a dark layout to do but I like the texture and feel of the image once I'd finished it!

Yesterday was boxing day which means it was my Mum's turn to do the cooking and my Mum is a great cook, not great just amazing, she just doesn't get the time like she used to. She served up homemade quiches, homemade coleslaw, and real homemade chips which said 11 year old demolished and then she made him some more, I've always sworn that I will never ever ever own a chip pan or fryer because I'm big enough without adding to my hefty bulk believe you and me, but I can appreciate good food and mighty fine company!

My sister, my brother, his girlfriend, my Mum, me, hubby and said 11 year old all clustered around in my Mum's kitchen chatting and laughing and giggling and well it was just blissful - so Mummy thank you for an amazing Boxing Day where I didn't have to cook.

Today well - today I will be mainly doing whatever I want to do, posting on my blog, making scrapbook layouts, trying to finish my 52 word challenge before Darcy's new challenge. Catching up on Christmas TV I've missed, eating chocolates and planning - ooooh yes time to start the New Year plan - it's formulating in my brain as we speak - I don't know what it's formulating but it's definitely formulating.

Now final question - which challenges are you doing next year? I fancy some challenges as come the 6th January 'd' day arrives - that's right focus the moment I have to padlock the fridge and starting to lose some of this mahoosiveness - I know I know - you'll be saying - why bother - but honestly 2012 has to be the year of getting fitter because - gulp 2012 will be my 40th year - gulp gulp (did I say that out loud?) so I'm looking for things that can mentally keep me busy, I've spotted the stashbusting in 2012 thread on UK Scrappers which I think I'm up for and I've got my eyes on Darcy's new postcard challenge, I'm considering whether I could possibly manage the 365 day diary - but in the past two years I've started it twice and not managed to complete it - not sure if it's because it's not arty enough for me? Not sure?

So what other things, challenges, classes are you doing that I could join in with?

Hope you're having a great day.

THANK YOU SECRET SANTA

2011-12-26T11:45:00.000Z

As part of the festivities Carmen organised a Secret Santa swap between a few of us bloggers and like a good girl I saved mine for Christmas day, I was really giddy about opening this present because I had no idea of who it was from let alone what it was - well I wasn't disappointed it was utterly gorgeous, there was a note on the outside with little clues to the contents but I couldn't have guessed for what loveliness was inside

So the goodies looked a little like this once opened

How gorgeous is this lovely lot!

So we had truffles which were yum

Then a gorgeous Celtic knotwork stamp - I love this!!!

Then this gorgeous Jack Skellington keyring

Some ink for my artwork and scrapping and stamping

Then this little beauty - how utterly gorgeous is this, a handmade fabric covered box with lid with what looks like hand felted knotwork on the outside - completely gorgeous and so much work on the same and unlike some people who don't 'get' knotwork and the way it works every under and over is absolutely perfect so Secret Santa thank you! But wait - I'm not finished nope look at this little beauty

A mini book or more like a maxi book - I love maxi books they feel so substantial when you pick them up a Halloween inspired book, I loved the outside and initially didn't know how to get in but discovered the door was in situ over a strong magnet which opened the book up into this

Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow - utterly amazed I was utterly amazed, I admire things like this on blogs all the time but this is just out of this world!

Each bat hanging upside down (as they should) inside the book, each one pulling out with unfolding wings - this us just amazing!

So a massive thank you to my Secret Santa for making me a very happy girl on Christmas day and thank you to Carmen for organising this and keeping us all in check - can't wait til the next one!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY AND DARCY'S 52 WORDS - TRIBAL

2011-12-23T00:05:00.000Z

Well I'll be - it's Friday again - how did that happen? But it is - so tis the time to say what's made me smile and made me happy and made me just a little bit lighter in my heart! Fancy joining in - do yourself a post, link to Mr Linky at the bottom of this post and we can come and visit, no blog? No problem - just put a comment telling us what rocked your world this week!

So things that have made me smile this week, shopping trip with said 11 year old was might fine earlier in the week, just a little bit of time with little man was great.

Being off work - that's definitely rocked my world, just time away from the madness to take time out and just let my mind quieten has been really enjoyable, even if it's been a bit odd.

Catching up with my journal your Christmas, even if I'm behind again now has to be a positive.

Chats with my sister in amongst the cleaning the other day also proved a positive this week.

But my favourite day has to be have been Thursday, first day that hubby has been off work and we all ventured to Chatsworth, said 11 year old said he didn't want to go, he was grumpy and tired, but after a little mental tussle I said tough and we went anyway.

First up we stopped at the carriage restaurant when we got there and had a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich, well said 11 year old soon brightened up - quite honestly beaming from ear to ear - said it was the best bacon sandwich that he'd had - ever! Fact! So that put him in a good mood.

This is one of the giant canvases around the restaurant and I love how the stars have cast fabulous shadows on the same.

Then the ceiling with gorgeous lighting and more stars!

We had a two for one voucher so managed to save £13 on the entry ticket and headed down to the house in time to hear a talk by one of the guides on the history of Chatsworth, it made for a great intro into the house and told us quite a few things that we didn't know, like after they'd done three sides of the building they discovered that the house was several feet wider at one end than at the other and so they had to have a curved frontage in order to deal with the issue!

The house inside was spectacular with Christmas ornaments depicting favourite Christmas carols, each room playing the Carol in question. From While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks By Night

Including the humorous take on the song!

To this gorgeous setting in the Chapel, the silhouette could be found in the shop as a star book called the First Noel all silhouetted pictures!

Up close

The area where we put Christmas messages was already full of previous visitors wishes - but we added our thoughts just the same!

This is always our favourite room at Chatsworth, but was even more special all dressed up!

The dining room - honestly do you think - actually they could seat 20 to this table and we manage 10 at our house, think they should have managed a few more chairs LOL!

I liked this silhouette on the way round, hubby says it would make a great stencil and I thoroughly agree!

The statue gallery was all lit with strange colours bringing the statues to life!

Outside we had chance to enjoy the gardens in the slightly balmy weather if I'm honest, 11 degrees this close to Christmas in the middle of Derbyshire did seem a little extreme!

The harsh winter sun making for some very atmospheric landscapes today!

It was also nice because the gardens were quiet, usually we visit during the summer or during the Beyond Limits exhibition when the gardens are full of people and picnics etc, but today it was much quieter!

The far end of Chatsworth has finally come out of it's scaffolding cover and we got to see the gold windows - real gold leaf apparently - not paint!

There's only one side now to be de-scaffolded and then she should be back to her former glory, next summer!

Hubby took this shot of me and said 11 year old - I love it - little man had just asked for a hug and we were having a great chat, hadn't realised Craig was photographing us!

We stayed til late, had to find the Farm Shop on the way back so said 11 year old could have some bacon, then hubby decided on the scenic route via Bakewell, got to Bakewell turned round and before we knew it we were back on the normal route, ne'er mind, we got back safe and sound despite the traffic which was mighty heavy through Woodseats at that time of night!

So there you have it, family time is probably one of my main positives this week, albeit that it's been a bit sporadic.

Discovering a present that had been sent by a certain mischievous person via stealth this week also had me giggling - Carmen is a very naughty girl but I will get her back tee hee, yes she had me utterly confused in amongst my present wrapping, I couldn't fathom out who I'd bought the items from and then thought I'd started ordering off my own list (it wouldn't have surprised me given the kind of month I'm having) but no it was Carmen being naughty - thank you hun you certainly surprised me and made me smile!

Cards from far and wide arriving this week have been lovely, the ones with the added bit of detail really have made it for me this week and Jo's handmade card is utterly gorgeous my favourite so far this Christmas.

Right well in a couple of days it'll all be over and done with, we'll be kicking the turkey around the garden and wondering what all the hassle was about, we'll make promises about not leaving things as late next year and cutting down on the money, not doing the headless mental shopping routine, or saying blow it we'll have an Indian take away like Carmen, but before all those thoughts cross your mind it's time to settle and try and enjoy the season. After learning about the Jesse tree I'm seriously considering a memory tree, you know a place to remember all those that aren't here any more, using symbols as reminders of them, similar to a Jesse tree, it might be a new family tradition. So in amongst the Christmas festivities or the bah humbug moments try and remember what it's actually all about and enjoy the time you have with your family and friends, cherish the moments for these are the memories we will look back on, I hope and pray that your Christmas is filled with happiness, that you get chance to spend time with people you love and that you have time to just be yourself and be happy. Sending you all my love and happiness this Christmas remembering those who are no longer with us and those who have less than we have and hoping to share around a little Christmas spirit.

Now it wouldn't be a Rocking post without some crafting so you get one of my favourite pages from my Darcy book it didn't start out that way... but well perseverance

This page was done on holiday - following a trip to Warwick Castle - the word was Tribal and although painted by hand with no visual prompt (I'm no artist) I really didn't like it and it sat in my book for quite a while before I looked at it in a different light

This is the page duly changed, images added, clocks, bigger title and journaling in between - now this I love!

Just goes to show when you get something that you don't like you just need to persevere and keep adding the layers until you finally feel that it's just right!

Mr Linky for my beautiful Rockettes

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - BARGAIN

2011-12-22T09:00:00.000Z

Darcy's words - the word Bargain, not one of my favourite - but done whilst we were on holiday and the essence of the word - the calligraphy set we bought whilst away which I used to complete the entire page, quoting chunks of Shakespeare which is what the whole week was about

This is not one of my favourite pages if I'm honest, but with limited supplies and documenting a moment in time it is part of my year this year!

Yesterday was a strange one, went to my sisters for a cuppa and stayed to help her clean, we managed a couple of rooms by the time I came away at midday. Took hubby to his Christmas do, then sorted a few calendar pages at home ready for the new year (not very exciting but essential method of keeping track of what everyone is doing throughout the year).

Then picked hubby up from his 'do' and played Harry Potter Lego on the Wii with said 11 year old - honestly I'm utterly useless I spent half the time asking which character I was, said 11 year old kept screaming the button letters that I needed to press which made no sense and because he was faster he was managing to get through the game without my intervention if I'm honest, so I passed the controllers to hubby and headed for a shower! Made a nice tea (which surprised me given I wasn't in a cooking mood) and then chilled in front of the TV (again) with a glass of wine (again) and fell asleep (again) - this is becoming a habit!

Today? Well who knows although we are considering Chatsworth for the day - maybe that's where my Christmas festive spirit is hiding I'll let you know tomorrow if it is LOL!

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - DISCOVER

2011-12-21T08:54:00.000Z

Darcy's 52 words challenged us to the word discover and this is my layout, I love the image and had fun using spray inks - yes this one was done in summer outside, now the other day I commented that I struggle with spray inks because they are messy and then proceeded to say I paint with my fingers, to which much confusion has since reigned - spray inks are awesome because they are quick - I grant you that, but they also like to spray everything around them, even with paper and card around the outside of said item I've found that not only the page gets treated to an ink job but also the paper and card surrounding it and then my laminate floor! So this is why I claim they are a bit on the messy side, I love them but I love my flooring too - so when I use spray ink it's usually outside on the grass which doesn't mind when it's turned blue and red and yellow and orange and purple because I can simply mow it the following week and it disappears the same cannot be said for laminate floors LOL! I use my fingers to paint because I get to blend the paints on the page much easier and I like the overall effect, now yes this is a messy method, but the only mess is on my fingers which with a quick blast of water and some soap are magically back to their original state (unless I use prussian blue in which case they are dyed forever). As well as the spray inks I stamped butterflies and wrote scrawly journaling pages to bring it all together

Hope you don't mind the image too much but it totally spoke to me - she looks completely liberated covered in black paint don't you think?

Yesterday saw us venturing out for a wander around the retail park, I got pumps for said 11 year old and was told by the retail assistant that they don't go above the size of foot that he has now (5 and a half) so basically if he needs pumps for indoor PE (which I'm now reliably told he does despite being told at the beginning of the school year that they didn't need pumps this year) that his feet aren't allowed to grow between now and July - what are the chances of that? Also managed to bag him a pair of Clark's shoes for the bargain price of £9 which given the last time I bought the same pair for him in a smaller size they were £30.

Wandered around a few other shops, said 11 year old drove himself slightly nuts in Game which resulted in the purchase of yet another Wii game, I wandered around the magazine section of WHSmiths and was disappointed at the selection of magazines. Wandered into Morrisons for some ready roll icing and some caster sugar as said 11 year old had decided he wanted to bake - well actually he'd decided he wanted to ice which meant baking grrrrrr.

We thoroughly enjoyed our couple of hours out that weren't too fraught or stressful and headed home late morning to enjoy the rest of our day. This meant baking, I thought (in my infinite wisdom) that biscuits were the way to go before said 11 year old informed me he doesn't like rubbing in the butter because it's messy, so before we knew it I was making the biscuits this is despite the fact I'm having a baking ban following the successful conclusion on not making gingerbread this year! So shortbread biscuits were made and then liberally covered (in some instances entirely covered) in ready roll icing!

Then the final hurdle we braved the supermarket for our Christmas shop, now I'm technically a Christmas person but I'll be honest the words Bah and Humbug very almost escaped my mouth last night, I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not in the mood for buying loads and loads and loads of food for a single day but that's what we did, we were then 'helped' by a local scout who was helping pack on the tills who then managed to give a running commentary on our purchases, he was the only highlight of the shopping expedition, I'm getting to the point where maybe in future years we won't want to be going to these extremes but not sure when that will be. Oh so if you've seen my Christmas spirit can you send it this way because it's been missing for the duration of December and I really could do with it back before the big day!

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - COMPROMISE and breaking a tradition

2011-12-20T09:44:00.000Z

Another page with reference to Darcy's 52 words - the word Compromise - not something I'm actually very good at - I don't like to compromise as I feel it 'waters down' the real thing so that's what I documented about, another extended image with paint - much fun, and tattooing ladies again - I love images like this that actually talk to me! The image speaks the "I don't care - this is who I am" attitude which I love

Not that I'd be brave or daft enough to do what the delightful lady is doing - yes smoking is bad for your health LOL!

I'm in one of those moods today - you know the daft, silly stupid moods - well that seems to be where I'm at! I had a chat with my sister yesterday who braved Meadowhall with my Mum and wondered why it was so busy LMAO!

I however am going to brave the nearby retail park today - better get myself in gear otherwise it will be heaving before we get anywhere close.

Felt a bit low yesterday - no one specific thing just an accumulation - this Christmas has been a hard one on so many levels, so I spent the day catching up with my Journal Your Christmas - yes 19 posts in one day I did in my book - which now resembles a book rather than a load of cut paper! Maybe getting back into that will mean I get back into the 'spirit' of things.

DH last full day at work today, tomorrow he's got his Christmas do!

And finally we've decided to break with tradition and it feels quite 'freeing' - that's not the word I'm after but you get my drift - in the last few years we've done a gingerbread challenge for Christmas day and created a huge gingerbread centre piece for everyone to admire, it takes a huge amount of money to make (all butter gingerbread ain't cheap), a day of cooking, a half day of putting together and that's without the sweets to decorate and after lots of deliberating we decided that - well we decided we weren't going to do it - we'll find some other fun activity for the break between main course and dessert and say sod it! So that's where we are at, I don't have a full day of baking to look forward to - result! Means I can actually breath and enjoy the day with my hubby and son!

Right off shopping - no idea what for just want to get out of the four walls LOL!

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - SMILE and MONDAY MORNING

2011-12-19T08:58:00.000Z

Another page from Darcy's 52 words - this was a hard one because life was complex at that point in time so I wrote about where I was at, I loved extending the image and tattooing the lady, I'm not good at heritage scrapbook layouts and often blame the muted tones and colours, but I love the sepia tones of this double page!

My book has lots of depth to it and documents moments in time for me so I'll always remember where I'm at, it's one of my favourite reasons to art journal because I can deal with the tough stuff, scrapbooking is always about happy occasions for me, very rarely will I document tough stuff, occasionally in the past when I've lost a loved one I do a reflective page but predominantly is documenting happy times in this household, my art journal is good for whatever emotion I'm going through but it comes into it's own when I'm worried, or stressed, when things seem to be getting to me and I'm struggling, sometimes I use the page as a way to rant with no intention of ever re-reading what I've put so I don't put it in order (it would seem like utter drivel if you read it 'normally') but sometimes I just jot notes down on my page to remind me of the time and the emotion I was feeling.

I haven't really touched my art journaling for a while, there are loads of examples in magazines of art journaling these days but the trend is more often than not very brightly coloured using lots of spray inks which I always find utterly messy, my favourite medium for my pages is good old fashioned acrylic paints and more often than not I use my fingers to paint with - not brushes. My art journaling has become more of a picture based diary and I have utterly loved the words that Darcy has provided, she's also given a heads up as to what to write about but I've simply used the word as a prompt. It's probably the first long term commitment that I've made on my art journaling side, I've started the 365 day diary twice and lost it - maybe because I don't really 'get it' I started Shimelle's document a day per month a couple of years ago but the last couple of entries are far from enthusiastic, but this one has stuck with me, I've got behind, I've caught up, I've got behind again, there's been no pressure to do the pages by a certain date or point and that is what I've loved about it. So a big thank you to Darcy for providing such a great challenge that I've thoroughly enjoyed and now as we look towards 2012 she's doing a postcard challenge, now this one should be interesting - dare I join in again?

So here we are at Monday morning DH toddled off to work, so I got up for a shower then faced a rather untidy house again, we'd managed to use every piece of crockery in the drawer, dishwasher full of pots, tumbler going full blast and a basket full of ironing not exactly the happiest start to a Monday morning. But I'm going to get it all sorted so the rest of the day is mine (just having a little blogger break - as you do).

Said 11 year old has discovered the joys of Wii fit again so has just jogged through the dining room in his pyjamas of course! Rest of the day? Well not sure yet, got some more wrapping to do and may pop to my sisters. What's your Monday looking like?

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - WILDERNESS

2011-12-18T13:44:00.000Z

Another page in Darcy's words this one was hard to pull together but persevering with paint and merging the images in meant I was eventually happy with the finished page

Today has been a strange one up to now, stopping in bed til gone nine then a mad dash to the shops to sort MIL a pre-lit Christmas tree out because hers is from the 1960s and DH is worrying it won't be flame retardant, then Morrisons to buy icing sugar and marzipan for the cakes, back home and a quick breakfast and now plans for the rest of the day, we've been playing with the Christmas food list, which is always interesting because we spend so long sorting that out and spending on that that we have no money left to buy food for the rest of Christmas - crazy stuff.

Still umming and ahhing over the gingerbread challenge grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr another painful task if I'm honest which I swore we wouldn't do again but I keep thinking maybe we will?

Finally said 11 year old and his funny comments

The first this morning when he got in the car

"Dad have you used that stuff that kills ice?"

also known as de-icer to you and I

and on leaving our estate and following a tractor pulling a trailer full of hay which kept falling on the car DH said "It's snowing" to which said 11 year old said

"No Dad it's haying"

Bless I love these funnies much fun!

Hope your weekend is fun too

ROCKING YOUR WORLD AND DARCY'S 52 WORDS - COMMUNITY

2011-12-16T08:19:00.000Z

Crikey I hadn't clocked that it was Friday this morning - honestly - I've been really good recently and remembering to prepare my Rocking post in advance but not this morning it's going to be done on a wing and a prayer! So here goes

First up has to be the KS2 presentation at school and church this week, said 11 year old played Moses (the story was the Jesse tree before you get confused) and we thoroughly enjoyed both evenings, he was a tad stressed about it despite it being a non speaking role but I know from when I was that age you get to a point where you don't want to be doing things like that any more and I think he's approaching that time now.

Then there is the Panto at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre on Sunday - the Dame stole the show as always he - sorry she - is amazing - thoroughly enjoyed it, laughed and giggled our way through the whole show, some of the innuendos by passing the kids whilst entertaining the adults! It's always a fabulous show and I suppose it's becoming a part of our Christmas tradition.

Hubby preparing a gorgeous tea on Monday was lovely, particularly given that I'd had a difficult day at work, coming home to a home cooked tea is always lovely - so thank you sweetie it was gorgeous!

Wentworth's Christmas Craft Fayre and Farmers market last night was great, particularly the hot mulled cider and as I wasn't driving managed a nice cup full of that, said 11 year old managed a buffalo burger for his tea, we bought some tasty sausages and some baklava's, we looked at some gorgeous hand made quilts and bunting, admired the sweeties in the sweetie shop, wandered around the garden centre and had a thoroughly enjoyable evening despite how cold my feet were (why oh why didn't I wear my hiking boots - will I never learn). We met up with some of my family whilst there and had a bit of a chat at the same time.

And finally hubby stopping in bed a bit longer this morning meant we had a little lie in beyond the usual 6am - which if I'm honest given how tired I am was much needed!

Today is said 11 year old's last day and thankfully we haven't woken to snow, it should also technically be my last day but if you believe that you'll believe anything - I am actually hoping to get enough done to be able to down tools and get into the Christmas spirit of things, I need to have a thorough clean and tidy this weekend and I can't remember the last time I did any crafting - so that's another plan for this weekend of what I want to do. There is nothing on our Christmas calendar this weekend so we should be free to just get on with things! I daren't even visit Toni's blog this morning because i'm fairly sure the countdown to Christmas has just reached single figures the word gulp comes to mind - anybody out there actually ready?

So there you are another Rocking post for another week completed. What's been Rocking your world this week, it might only be one thing, one tiny comment, one phone call, one moment but if it made your heart lighter and made you smile then you have something to be grateful for! Mr Linky at the bottom for anyone joining in to come along and point us in the direction of their post so we can come and visit but firstly a bit of crafting.

Now you'll have to forgive me because I've been releasing these pages one at a time and although the post above is positive my choice of picture for the word community completed in the summary isn't that positive - but I can't give you the posts in the wrong order must be the Virgoan in me - sorry!

Another post on Darcy's 52 words - you can see when this one was done - the word that week was Community and I found it was a time to reflect on the week as a whole, I painted in a make shift Union Jack and included the journaling along the red and white - as I've said before it reflects the time I was living in at that point!

It also allowed me to question what the word community actually means.

Mr Linky below for you

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - PLEDGE

2011-12-15T07:31:00.000Z

Here we go with another art journal page with Darcy's 52 words, this is one of my favourites from the whole book if I'm honest - one of my tattooed ladies haven't done one for an absolute age, I had to extend the image considerably and I used the mirror to include my journaling!

So what weather have you woken up to this morning? DH set off mighty early to get to work and returned just after six having lost the back end of the car on a roundabout, thankfully he recovered the car but felt it was better to come home and see what it does rather than attempt to carry on. It appears to be going now as we haven't woken to a wintry wonderland (too much) this morning, but the weather for tomorrow looks decidedly different - we'll have to see what that brings.

Last night was part two of the Jesse tree story, this time held in church and it was brilliant, thoroughly enjoyed the story despite a few technical difficulties and this time we had a few song sheets so could join in if we wanted. Another late night for said 11 year old but with only two days to go hopefully it won't make too much of a difference, plus lets be honest they aren't exactly doing a lot at school at the moment.

Hope you are all having a beautiful and blessed day and hoping that you are starting to feel a little more festive, apparently my lack of festiveness is not an isolated case, quite a few of us are feeling it at the moment and finding the season rather stressful and fraught. So how do we regain the spirit of the season?

DARCY'S 52 WORDS - ALLIANCE

2011-12-14T08:29:00.000Z

This is the first post of quite a few where I'll be catching up with Darcy's 52 words, not that sounds like I'm behind, which technically I am but not as much as it would appear, I did do quite a few pages in the summer which I have yet to share with you - this one is the word Alliance and was around the time of the start of the RIP Resurrected circle journal which is what I documented about - having a group of us together again with a commonality of rock music is fabulous!

I thought it summed things up just great using a music note punch I've got and very rarely get the use of!

This week is proving a little on the tedious side, things are mad at work which is good and bad at the same time, good because it keeps me on my toes and the days fly by, bad because I have sooooooooooooooooo much work to do that it's scaring me, today will be day two of probably one of the worst payrolls I've run this year with the exception of April's which tops the lot by a long shot. Despite best efforts yesterday I didn't come anywhere close to completing it - so I'm faced with that challenge this morning - boo hiss!

Last night saw said 11 year old's KS2 presentation (known as a nativity to everyone else), we thoroughly enjoyed the evening which was held in the school hall, the children were awesome, the costumes fantastic and a few solo parts were sung - some very brave young children out there! Tonight we get a repeat performance but this time in church which will give it that extra special edge because I don't think there is anything nicer than a church full of people during the evening listening to something as precious as a child's nativity. We were faced again with the 'don't take photos' statement which drives me nuts, fair enough not taking photos with flash during the performance, but not being able to take photos generally has basically taken away our right to record our children's lives - needless to say we stole a picture of him on his own at the end in his regalia but it really does sadden me that in this day and age we are deprived of recording moments in history.

Some of my favourite carols were sung from Silent Night to We Three Kings, all the old favourites were included and it made it an incredibly special evening, the only downside that following the 12 hour day at work on Monday and the late finish of the nativity meant a late night for us all, so this morning I am absolutely shattered, could really do with a lie in at some point!!!

How's everyone else, from my last post it would appear that I'm not the only one struggling to get 'into' the festive spirit of things at the moment, I don't know what it is about this year that is making it feel so very different from previous years, perhaps I'm too busy at work? Or maybe not done enough 'Christmassy' things to be feeling it - whatever it is I wish it would go away so I can get into the right frame of mind, and I'm sooooooooooo behind on my journal your Christmas it's scary!

Oooh this isn't the happiest of posts is it - I do apologise - I think I must be tired!

So I'll leave you with something to smile about - you'll have to forgive the marks on the photo it's an old picture but that is me playing Mary back in about 1976/1977 and if I'm correct that crib was the same one used last night - I kid you not!

TEACHER GIFTS

2011-12-12T12:00:00.001Z

Well as we fast approach the last week of school these are the teaching assistant gifts created this year - altered clipboards, I found loads of inspiration on the internet, found some 'blanks' at a large national stationery supplier and set too with papers selected by said 11 year old!

Forgot to photograph this one post ribbons but you get the idea, the letters at the bottom cut with my Big Shot, to try and make it more durable the bottom section of each clipboard has been mod podged

I included a ribbon at the bottom of this one

These papers were out of one of those massive stacks that have chunks of co-ordinating papers

This one proved interesting to try and fit a rather long name on it!

I was pleased with these once done, they are all wrapped up upstairs ready for distribution next week!

Well here we are only days away from Christmas and I'm still not feeling particularly festive, we did however, manage a Panto on Sunday - oh yes we did! Which was very good apart from the child behind kicking the chair constantly through the performance, strangely enough I would have stopped said 11 year old if it had been him when he was that age but the Mum seemed oblivious bless - the joys of being oblivious it must be nice!

The best part of the panto has to be the Dame - he is absolutely hysterical and one of the main sponsors of the panto this year were Sheffield's Supertram so the part when he came on stage dressed as the tram was pure comic genius so very funny! But it still didn't manage to get me into the festive spirit - mmm how do you get into the Christmas mood?

Now the giggle tonight, well me and hubby trying to order Domino pizzas from Pizza hut - most confusing - we didn't realise until it was too late - but it did make us giggle (quite a lot). I know pizza shouldn't be something you have for Sunday lunch, but in all honesty we couldn't be bothered with cooking once we got home, it was enough to sort showers out without the thought of cooking.

So your challenge today is to tell me what gets you into the right frame of mind for Christmas? Is there a particular point where you are 'there' or perhaps an activity you do? A bit of quiet reflection? Anything you like?

Hope you have all had a good weekend.

RIP RESURRECTED CIRCLE JOURNAL - STEVE TYLER

2011-12-10T14:00:00.000Z

Well this is my next entry into this circle journal, now this one proved challenging because my printer decided to die just when I needed it, now I've resurrected it for now but it seems to be still be acting about (much to my disgust but that's another story), not wanting to let anyone down, including myself (I'm a stickler for deadlines) so I pressed ahead, well I say I it is actually 'we' because for this one I needed some expect cutting from dear hubby, I knew what I wanted but with the deadline fast approaching it was a tall order - "why" you may ask - well because my inspiration for this layout came from the Nine Lives album, and this is what we created

Close up the background page was stamped and painted, then the letters cut out and applied and yes there are blue letters behind the black letters

Saying Live For Ten

Behind the right hand page I've created a pocket and used a photo that was thankfully included in the book in case of printer errors!

And on the back some interesting facts to add to the album

then the lanyard at the back

And the back of the lanyard

I actually thoroughly enjoyed creating this even though it was hard without the use of a critical item, what it shows is that we can be versatile even when faced with non working printers. The next circle journal arrived yesterday but with a posting date of the 1 February 2012 I have plenty of time to resolve the printer issues before then!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY

2011-12-09T00:05:00.000Z

Morning all - completely useless at posts at the moment - so sorry - life has been a little bit strange, weird and tough at the moment which means I look like I'm MIA when in fact I'm just head down getting on with things - not a great reason for being missing so I'm going to try and post more - I promise!

But now we've got the usual Friday post

So what's been Rocking my world this week - well this might be top heavy on photos because last Friday after posting my Rocking post we toddled off to Center Parcs for a long festive weekend - but before we went we managed a quick jaunt into our local church for the Christmas tree festival - this years theme being Christmas films - don't you love this Grinch?

And this one

This was the whole tree, decorated by the local Junior School and one of my favourites!

Liked this one too

Then the infants tree

and outside we found this delight, we photographed this the night before when we popped along for the opening but the church was full unfortunately so we went back to see the trees the following morning.

Center Parcs provided sights of gorgeous birds

We had fun on the squash court

enjoyed the festive lights in Foresters

And managed a card making session at night - not because we wanted too but because Melanie has decided to run a stall at Sheffield University next week as part of a potential additional award she can get and she's opted for Christmas cards, you have to bear in mind how rubbish I am at making cards, it was definitely a joint effort - next time Melanie can we have more notice!

Then on with the rest of the weekend - gorgeous Christmas lights

I would have this tree at home if I could

the 'fake' reindeers that all the kids went mad for - not our kids as they are now technically too old to ummm and ahhhhhhhh over such things (just so you know they had real reindeers too)

Me and him - love him sooooooooooo much he's been an utter rock for me recently when I've been in mental meltdown - him and my sister - both utter rocks and I love them so much!

Blurry lights

This is the whizzy woman with her light filled hula hoop that made great photos - because I can't take photos of fireworks!

The patronuses dotted around the park - these would appear to be Professor Snapes

Other gratefuls - Amy for coming and collecting Melanie from Center Parcs (because if she hadn't Melanie wouldn't have been able to come because Uni beckoned on Monday) even though Amy managed to get lost with it being pitch black when she came to collect her!

My Mum for being her usual funny self whilst we were away - love you Mum

My niece for her witty teenage humour in the making - you are utterly amazing!

My son for just being himself - love you hunny

Grateful to Shimelle for sending through the Journal Your Christmas posts - despite massive printer issues I'm still plodding with this one - bit behind but let's see what I can do at the weekend.

Grateful for Royal mail getting the next circle journal to me safely

Grateful for beautiful Secret Santa recipients for sending me giddy messages of thanks - Susie it was an absolutely pleasure (and yes before you ask she knows I was her secret Santa)

Grateful to Carmen for being there and offering support and organising the Secret Santa - you are utterly amazing and I've thoroughly enjoyed gearing up for this!

Grateful to bloggy friends and non bloggy friends for their words of thanks for Christmas card - words like that make me smile!

So there we have it my gratefuls for this week - what's yours - fancy joining in pop a post on your blog and link back, no blog - no problem just leave me a comment to publish telling me what rocked your week! If you happen by don't forget to say hello - but before Mr Linky we have to have a little crafting - crikey we're definitely thin on the ground on this front at the moment - I must craft I really must craft!

this photo looks like me and my sister on phones but we were actually at Bolsover Castle listening to the audio guides - honest!

Up close hand stitching and simple embellishments with stamps

The lettering with faux stitching around (don't faint yes that isn't real stitching Carmen)

there we go - all done for this week - it's been a blast, linky, leave a comment, have a read, have fun, think about the silver linings in your week - dig deep if you have to there will be something that will have made you smile and lightened your heart!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY

2011-12-02T00:05:00.002Z

Well this has been another trying week, predominantly from a mental basis, you know how it is when life is hard but there is nothing you can do about it - well that sums up this week. But it is Rocking Your World time so let's think about the positives.

First up has to be Pinterest, when I was feeling low at the beginning of the week and nothing seemed to make a lot of sense I saw a statement on there that made me realise that for the time being this is how I have to live my life the statement went along the lines of

WORRYING ABOUT TOMORROW
DRAINS THE STRENGTH OUT OF TODAY

So for now, I've stopped trying to over think anything and I'm going to try and take back this festive season as mine, because I love this time of year, the build up to the big day, the time with my family, creating new memories and journaling my Christmas.

So next up has to be my Journal Your Christmas, this is the least prepared I've ever been for this project but I'm going to go with the flow up to now I finally have some papers, now unusually for me these are A4 but I didn't like the 12 x 12 packs to cut down, so I'm now a little confused on the size of my project, I'll let you know where I head with this one.

Next up has to be Amazon for coming through in the face of adversity, for a few years I've considered buying a Lego advent calendar for my 11 year old Lego addict but they always seem hellishly expensive, this year however I decided regardless of cost I was going to treat him and a certain on line retailer who shall remain nameless but whom I won't be using again (it's obviously not Amazon) saw fit to advertise a 10% discount in early November making the new 2011 Star Wars Advent Calendar a sensible price, however, as the weeks progressed and nothing arrived I started to worry before getting the inevitable e-mail telling me it was out of stock and they couldn't get further supplies, I was gutted, by this time Amazon too had run out but had lots of sellers on there selling it for twice the original price. So I almost gave up, but then decided that as he hadn't had one before it wouldn't matter if it was a different one that had been out for a couple of years so I promptly ordered one from Amazon and in a matter of days - this arrived!

So I wrapped it up and he opened it as a present last night and Thursday morning he set too on day one of the calendar

Which resulted in this first character a bank robber!

Goodness knows what else he's going to find in the packs as time progresses but his smile this morning was worth the effort!

The next grateful is hubby who asked whilst part way through cooking tea one evening this week, if I wanted some soup, it was a strange question and he'd very obviously had a thorough conversation in his own head that he'd not mentioned to me, anyway he just fancied making some soup, so we have some delicious homemade leek and potato soup courtesy of DH! Now it might not look that appetising but take it from me its yum!

Next up has to be finally getting hold of my book people order, I've waited FOREVER for this, first of all it was sent and delivered - just not to here and despite wandering around the neighbourhood asking people who lived at similar addresses (we're a 'close' but there is also an 'avenue') if they'd received it we were turned away empty handed. So we contacted them and they despatched again and when I checked on line on Wednesday they'd apparently tried to deliver it on Monday - oooh no they hadn't (ooh yes they had - just not to our address - can't you tell we're in panto season). I was in when they tried to deliver, there was no note through the door, I was losing all hope of ever seeing it. Anyway Thursday afternoon and I made contact with Parcelforce and the lady was very helpful and said it had been taken to the nearest Post Office, so off I went with my Internet print out and my ID and look

my parcel, all mine, full with things I really really really really wanted - woohoo - so a big grateful for Parcelforce for sorting this issue out and doing a logical thing ie taking the item to the local Post Office who'd have thought!

Speaking of parcels, look at what arrived today, utterly gobsmacked I was when I opened it up, it's my Secret Santa gift organised by Carmen who is utterly amazing for thinking of something so awesome. Thank you Carmen, can't give too much away about the reciprocal parcel after all it's a secret! My thoughts are also with Carmen and her family at the moment - thinking of you hun!

Then we have this little beauty that I picked up at the Craft Box earlier in the week, a little bit of reading material for my weekend away!

So there you go these are my gratefuls for this week, I keep digging deep to find the silver linings that are occurring at the moment.

So what have you got going on in your life, are things ticking along or are things up and down at the moment, if you're not having the best of times don't forget to reflect and find those little things that have brought a smile to your face or lifted your heart. If you fancy joining in don't forget to leave a link and a comment at the bottom with Mr Linky so we can come and visit.

Family Funny - My Turn this Week
Yes I know it's usually said 11 year old, very occasionally it's DH but rarely do I make those kind of errors! But given that I've been so poorly it's not surprising. Last week I had a read of Toni's blog posting about a 150 item list of long term things to achieve, I was astounded at some of the ideas - visit all 50 states (I'm assuming it started as a US list for someone which has been used by others), holding a tarantula - not my idea of something I'd want to achieve but one item did catch my eye - Climb the stairs in the Leaning Tower of Pisa, now I know that's what it said but my brain registered Eiffel Tower, I don't know why but this is how the conversation went

"Look at that, climb the stairs in the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I didn't know they have stairs I thought there was only a lift to the top"
"What?" says DH looking somewhat perplexed
"How would a lift work in that?"
"I thought there was only a lift I never thought you could get to the top with stairs, that might be something I could do" (bear in mind my lift phobia)
"but a lift would scrape all the way to the top" DH said laughing his head off
"what?"
"It can't hang straight so it would scrape all the way up, if it worked at all"
By now I was losing it, then I realised my error, we did have a serious giggle about this one.

Finally a bit of crafting to share this is a monument near Sledmere that we discovered by accident at the beginning of the year when a road was closed and we were forced along a diversion! Now I don't mind diversions when you mind something as awesome as this!

Close ups, hearts punched and inked

And hand stitched hearts with a contrasting thread run through them.

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY - it's been a strange one

2011-11-25T00:05:00.001Z

Yes officially it's Friday what is going on - where are these works going too? It's all a little crazy today is pay date and this means the last pay day before Christmas ARGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

Anyway I digress (as usual) this is

the place where we put a list of gratefuls, where we look back over the last 7 days and note the moments that lifted our spirits and raised ourselves up amongst the norm. This week has been a hard one to put together and I'm actually quite low, but these are the times when digging deep really does help and puts things into more perspective.

So first up has to be the moment over the weekend (last weekend obviously) when we were out in the car and I felt like someone had painted me a picture to really appreciate. The colours in the trees and the depth of the landscape in front of me, together with a fine mist led to a beautiful painted picture of the countryside around me, it almost made me feel like I could paint it - dull grey sky, pale trees on the horizon, then some darker trees in the middle, then the darkest almost silhouetted trees before a blaze of autumnal colours, it's a sight that gave me thanks for being out and about that day and for witnessing the beauty of nature.

Family Funny
Then there is hubby for having a great sense of humour when making Christmas cakes last weekend, I shouldn't tell you really I shouldn't but we did giggle, making two was maybe a bad idea, the first one looks great - only problem is he forgot the glace cherries, half the almonds and half the flour - but apart from that it's fine - decided he's going to drown it in alcohol! He almost considered adding the missing ingredients whilst it was in the oven - honestly - he did make me smile - this is a rocking moment, when hubby is fighting with a Nigella recipe and telling me what's missing - laughed til we cried.

Argos for having a sensibly priced desk, we tried a heritage place - £345 for a nest of tables - I think not! Argos bargain desk for £90 and hubby put it together in just over an hour, now in situ so I'm back in the TV room, still little crafting going on but hey you can't have everything!

Said 11 year old (almost put little man but at 11 that seems a little unfair) bringing home buns from school which were lovely, this is the day after his first attempt at a CBBC recipe making cookies - now he made these on his own whilst I was supervising desk assembly and hubby was doing desk assembly and he did them to the letter, the only issue - they made more than 50 biscuits what kind of recipe is that? Honestly 50 biscuits between three of us, with one of us not being a sweet fan and we wonder why I have weight issues!

Ant and Dec on I'm a Celebrity - the only reason we watch this program is for those two they are just so funny!

Said 11 year old for keeping his bedroom tidy so that the pre-Christmas clean up didn't take us more than an hour which is awesome stuff.

Our charity shop at work providing sensibly priced frames, my sister Melanie has been meaning to sort some frames all year and managed one up to now so I'm attempting to sort the remaining ones that are in the bag, so she can put them up on her stairs. She's always fancied a black and white staircase and finally she's getting around to it.

So there we have it, that took some digging deep but there you go this weeks list of gratefuls. If you fancy joining in - put your link on Mr Linky at the bottom so we can come and visit.

Right crafting a layout from our break in York at Easter and yes that is a swimming pool, it was probably the only positive about the place, that and it's close proximity to York

Sometimes it's the tiny embellishments that make a layout, this was some peel offs - now stop don't run away I know I'm not a fan either but occasionally you can make them look ok on a layout

Right here is Mr Linky hope you all have a beautiful and blessed weekend.

MORNING ALL - HOW ARE YOU DOING?

2011-11-23T08:15:00.000Z

Well I'm still here, payroll was awful - 8 hours fighting with 70 employees to get it to work properly - not firing on all cylinders proved taxing as you can imagine, but I beat it into submission. Yesterday I collapsed into a heap again, the day before proving a little too much and I had one of those restless days - you know the ones that you could get loads done if only you engaged your brain but brain was fighting any type of engagement so I went with the flow and accepted that that was how it was going to be, felt a bit low by time hubby came home mind and fell asleep on the sofa early on - but I was wrecked Monday wreaked absolutely havoc on me. But I am still upright and nearly almost level for that we'll do a happy dance - well actually you can do the happy dance for me because if I did it I might fall over.

Today I'm going to head in for a couple of hours and make sure everyone has lots and lots to do and then come home - the plan is 11 o'clock leaving time - this was the same on Friday when I left at 12.45pm - so any guesses as to what time it will be today? I promise I'm going to aim towards 11 o'clock - honestly!

Anyway we are hurtling towards Christmas I keep going on Toni's blog and she's got a Christmas countdown at the top which makes me gulp every time I see it. I'm in mental "must sort house" mode we've done a few rooms (this will be the royal we as to be honest most of it has been done with me saying what to move and where and DH obliging bless him - he really is a star and knows how bad I am at this time of year). What I'm actually attempting to do is to give me a clear December - no stop laughing that's my aim, if I do loads now then December should be fine and dandy shouldn't it? Shouldn't it? Problem is I started out with a 141 point to do list which still stands at 70+ so still loads to do, think I might have set the bar too high?

Anyway how's your Christmas planning coming along? Any Secret Santa's out there in mental melt down - I e-mailed Carmen yesterday with the crazy question when is enough enough? When will I know it's right - bless her she came back telling me to calm down and everything would be OK - struggling to agree with her mind - but I'm now gathering a little pile of goodies on the spare bed upstairs.

OK so enough of my waffling - here is some crafting to show you what I've been doing - I don't think I can call it recent, with being poorly crafting really has been the very last thing on my mind (literally the last thing).

Here is a layout of DH and said 11 year old making pizza during the summer, said 11 year old was doing a cookery course at school and came home talking dough and DH went into mini strop because he's never made bread and before you know it there on with home made pizzas - there was flour everywhere! I went for blank space on this one for a change and I'm really pleased with it - however said 11 year old kept saying it needed something at the top - bless!

Close up I attached the buttons with embroidery thread and you can just see the little bit of stitching on the left hand side.

Have a beautiful day every one - hugs

A BIT OF CRAFTING AND SOME CARDS I DIDN'T MIND

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000Z

Good Morning my beautiful blog friends grab a virtual cuppa and pull up a seat to share some crafting with you.

This will be my first day attempting to go to work - think about me because I've got payroll to run for over 70 people - let's hope I get it right, might not be up to work on Tuesday though - we'll see!

Anyway, I've been aware that I've not been as active on my blog recently so thought I'd try and make an effort to get a few more blog posts on here now I'm upright and level again (nearly almost).

So I thought I'd share a double page spread that I did from earlier in the year detailing parts of Scarborough and my gorgeous hubby and said 11 year old!

I love blending blues and greens together and using up older papers - I'm loving that but haven't done a 12 x 12 layout for an absolute age so must get back particularly bearing in mind that I've had two photo deliveries recently. I seem to be on with Christmas based items at the moment, really busy sorting things out for that so have had very little personal scrapping time!

Up close you've got this edge which I've managed to get upside down for my blog post - but let's not stress LOL

And my stamped title using a favourite Papermania alphabet, matted and raised on sticky pads

A while ago I did some cards that I was actually quite pleased with and because I've got bored of seeing them in my blog folder thought I'd include them on this post.

Now I never ever profess to be a card maker so it's always nice to be able to show off ones that I don't mind, this is one of the card and the matching envelope

I used offcuts of paper, punchinella, peel offs (because I was using them up), embossing folders and little stamps and as you can see this set of cards turned out into little easel cards which I was mighty pleased with.

So there you go a little crafting for you I hope you enjoy

ROCK IN PEACE RESURRECTED JOURNAL - THE FIRST ENTRY

2011-11-19T07:00:00.000Z

Morning all, as some of you might be aware I'm involved in the second rock in peace CJ which is known as Rock In Peace Resurrected, it started last month and I was the first to receive Sian's beautiful circle journal. Her theme was lyrics so I trawled through lots of music to find some of my favourites to include. Now one of my 'issues' with mini books is that I like maxi books not mini - I love lots of space to create and Sian's journal was quite small so this proved quite a challenge, however I came up with a way of creating more space.

My first page documents lyrics from a Staind album, the page ended up quite 'art journally' but that doesn't surprise me given the type of work I've been creating recently

Close up you can see the font, paint and clear embossing that I've done.

The opposite page is words from Stone Sour's Through Glass with an acetate sheet in between to create a 'class effect' I've used a crackled glass edge to the acetate as well.

Up close

Then I've created a 'hidden' page behind the Stone Sour page

I've included the lyrics from a Metallica track, explanations included in the book - I won't spoil the reason as you should all see the book before it's returned to Sian!

And finally, a Linkin Park page, using a Chester stencil that I've used on my own but this one has been made smaller and then using two different types of Linkin Park type fonts that I found.

I was actually really pleased with my entries into the book once I'd finished and that usually takes some doing!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY

2011-11-18T00:05:00.001Z

Morning all I'm preparing this on thursday evening as hubby sits here trying to get some items for me for Christmas by click clicking his way through the world LOL

So what's been Rocking Your World this week?

Firstly mine has become more level - hurray! I'm loving the world the right way up so that's top of the list, although I'm not fully back to 'normal' (whatever that is), being able to get in the car without being a danger to the world at large (well no more than usual) has been lovely.

Next up is hubby and son for putting up with me over the last few weeks, I'm getting more bolshy so must be getting better! Also for both of them tackling the TV room this last week without much input from me, they've both been fabulous and just got on with the task in hand, the room is almost done just a few things to resolve but it's feeling more homely at the moment which is great.

Then there is my sister for the phone calls and the chats and the visits, they've all been awesome and I feel very privileged to have had some quality time with her recently.

Then there's Royal Mail for delivering my click click shopping that I've been doing recently, it's been nice to receive some of the items that have been coming through the post and feel like I can tick the items off my lists.

I know my list is short this week, but in all honesty being cooped up in four walls hasn't meant much 'difference' when its come to my week, just a slow time back to normal - however, I am grateful for all of the above and for all of the lovely wishes I've received from you recently - you are all amazing and remind me that I am truly blessed.

A little crafting for you lovely people this layout documents us finally finding the skyspace at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, there are only a few dotted around the world, you go inside and sit on the concrete seats and look up, there is a closed in roof with just a square section that is open to the elements and through this square then you can see the sky which on a whispy white partially cloudy day gave us an ever changing skyscape that we loved! I added little tag punches for the title and hand sewing to create some dimension, simply magical

Up close you can see the title and the handstitching, I used a running stitch and then threaded a co-ordinating fabric through at the same time.

So there you go another post completed, I hope you all have a truly blessed weekend.

Mr Linky for you all

A craft post - because I can

2011-11-12T08:39:00.000Z

Yes I know don't faint, this is a mid-week blog post (well it's not a Friday post), this be a Saturday post and it's craft related, what more could you ask for.

I find myself up and about early, DH has gone into work boo hoo - hiss, but said 11 year old is here to keep me company, not quite as whoozy as I've been so hoping to do some things today, I'm in the middle of finishing off a mini book at the moment, which I've had great fun making. Despite the house been upside down (because we're decorating - that'll be the royal "we" because I can't really do much other than tea mash, but hubby knows I've set my heart of getting it sorted before December hits and he's not going off plan - love you Sweetie. I've also had my sister volunteer to help, how lovely is that, so I'm feeling upbeat and positive at the moment. So thought I'd share this positive feeling with you with a craft post.

This is a mini book I recently made, it started out as a child's board book, I think it was a 'princess' type book, I took the book apart initially, got hubby to sand it for me (can't stand sand paper honestly - run away run away), then set too with the paint, I love the painted surface, just a mix of gorgeous paint colours and these colours are very me, I'm not technically a 'blue' person on a grand scale, wouldn't paint a room blue for instance, but this vivid blue colour is very 'jewel' like so it speaks volumes to me.

The original book had little cut out windows and so I've tried to place the photos carefully so I can see glimpses of what is to come.

I added a strip of art paper that I'd used paint, punchinella and spray inks on which I then ripped into strips, to bring the page together I used a selection of star stamps (which are my favourite, not regimental stamps, the quirky ones that have some depth to them) and colours some of them in, fastened with the bind it all and a selection of ribbons this is what the book looks like!

Inside the book more pictures from a day out at YSP

So it goes to show, that with a few paints, a cheap charity shop buy and some stamps, you can create a unique little mini book that provides a lasting memory of a family day out!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY

2011-11-11T00:05:00.001Z

Wow can you believe it's Friday again - how the weeks are flying by - so what time of the week is it - well obviously its

Well it's been another trying week health wise but I know others have had far harder things to contend with, so my first grateful is appreciating that at the moment my health is suffering a little and I need to accept this and let my body start to adjust itself back into a better state, I'm demanding that it 'get better now' but that's not happening so it looks like a slow recovery back to normality.

My hubby and son again top the list this week, tolerating my complete inability to do so many things but not moaning, or complaining and I've noted that they can be even being a tad grumpy if I try and do too much so thank you boys you are both amazing!

Grateful for the invention of medicines to try and counteract the state of my inner ear at the moment, when my Mum was treated for Meniere's disease back in the 70's there was absolutely no treatment whatsoever, so the fact that medicine has advanced and is now able to offer some relief is amazing in itself.

My blog friends - I love each and every one of you, you have kept me smiling, been concerned, kept me in the loop, used me to lean on and let me lean back, you are all utterly amazing and I'm grateful to have each and every one of you in my life even if on the most part I haven't met you - you are utterly wonderful

I'm grateful for a comfy bed to collapse into and big thick duvets

I'm grateful for breakfast club being able to take said 11 year old into school so hubby can try and get a full day in whilst I've been so poorly

I'm grateful for my Mum and my sister and my brother and for Fi and my niece all of whom have been concerned for me and how poorly I've been.

I'm grateful for my Mum having a bonfire celebration last weekend to allow me to get out of the house and catch up, even if it meant having to get in the car and feeling mighty off when I got there, it was worth it and my balance settled down during the evening.

I'm grateful for my hubby emptying the TV room on his own on Thursday night ready to decorate and not been put off our original plan even though I'm not well enough to help - he really is awesome.

I'm grateful for my sister ringing for a chat this afternoon (Thursday) on her way back from Uni.

I'm grateful for great teachers who are trying to help said 11 year old move things forward in his last year at primary school and having expectations that match ours - let him be the very best he can be for himself with us helping to support him along the way.

I'm grateful that the tablets are keeping the screen that I'm typing on level and steady (it wasn't last Thursday).

A long list of strange gratefuls but that's what this week has been like.

I hope your week has been good, I know for some it has been unbelievably difficult and I'm thinking of you at the moment, come back to this, in your own time and when you are ready.

So it's been weeks since I posted some crafting so I'll provide double helpings today,

first up is a photo from the a trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park earlier in the year, that hubby took of me that I didn't hate (makes a change) I quite enjoyed using the bright vibrant colours, I also used some 'close up' photos to create the three embellishments on the right.

The journaling was stamped using some mini rubber stamps, that I love, I have about 5 sets of these mini-peg beauties that I use in both my art journaling and scrapbooking

I used some chipboard letters that I had in bright green for the title

this layout documents a fabulous McKee exhibition we saw when we were in Scarborough, formally a cartoonist he turned his hand to art and creates these amazing pieces of artwork. This one I believe was called Goth weekend and is obviously based in Whitby with the ruined Abbey in the background - it struck the right cord with us. I used the colours in the photo to create the page.

Tim Holtz lettering for the title, a little bit of of hand stitching, punched edges and some velvet ribbon.

Journalling done using those tiny peg letters again!

so there you go another Rocking post for another week, if you are joining in please leave a comment and add to Mr Linky, if you aren't joining in this week don't forget to take a moment to think for yourself and find something to be grateful for, irrelevant of how small that has made you grateful this week and hopefully this will lift your mood and ready you for the week ahead. May you all have a beautiful and blessed weekend and week ahead.

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY with Mr Linky added

2011-11-04T00:05:00.002Z

Well this is nice, sitting finally to type up a blog post, because I've been poorly, not a little bit poorly but really quite poorly. Had a lovely week away last week but came down with labyrinthitus which has little to do with David Bowie and a lot more to do with balance and room spin, full 360 degree spin, and throwing up - not grand, so you might think I'll be postponing my post this week - how wrong can you get

Because it is

So what can I drag out of the deep recesses of my week

Well there have been positive comments from lots of lovely people in blog land - so thank you to all of you on that front.

I'm grateful for the NHS - although there was little that they could do I did see a Doctor who gave me some anti-vertigo tablets which have helped, so I'm extremely grateful for having a health service available, there are so many in the world that don't have this.

I'm utterly utterly grateful for my amazing hubby, he's gone in late to work, left early to drop off and collect said 11 year old, took Monday off because he was worried about me. He's shopped and cooked and just got on with day to day things without me, he's made me tea, he's been there when I've been really sick (one of my ultimate pet hates I absolutely detest throwing up and he knows this), he's got me cold flannels for my head, he's left me to sleep, he's ironed, he's got presents for children's parties and taken said 11 year old to said party and collected him after without a murmur of a whinge. He even put up with my moans on Wednesday when I indicated that the house was 'messy' and let me give orders whilst he and said 11 year old scurried around tidying around to make the house a tidier place to be (I didn't make them do a major clean but in all honesty I was getting a better but feeling low with the state of things, so I staggered around and asked for their help for half and hour and it was soon done).

He's made me laugh this week (which at times I didn't think possible), he's offered me hugs (when I could manage them) and provided ample tissues when I was feeling very sorry for myself - quite literally nothing has been too much trouble - he is quite honestly amazing and yes I am ultimately grateful for him!

Said 11 year old also gets a mention, he doesn't like to see Mum ill but he did make me giggle when his only line this week seemed to be "Are you OK Mum?" "Yes" "Have you been sick?" - literally the only two questions I got asked on a regular basis all week.

My sister for catching up with me and making me feel human this week, it was so lovely to have a natter even though I was still suffering room spin at the time.

Virgin Media - yes can you believe they are on my list of gratefuls, I'm not a TV person (enjoy my crafting too much but it's been none existent this week as you can imagine) I discovered TV on demand - not something that I'd looked at in quite some time and found Terry Pratchett's Going Postal, one of my all time favourite authors whose books sit pride of place in our library, I struggled with A Colour Of Magic (not sure if I was paying enough attention LOL) but Going Postal was brilliant, an absolute joy to watch.

Jamie Oliver and his Great British meals even though he seemed to think that Yorkshire consisted of Leeds and Leeds alone made me giggle at the end with the preview of next weeks show when he gets so excited about a dish he's making he manages to split his trousers - made me giggle with hubby on Tuesday night - a much needed laugh.

Oooh here was me being smart - finding that I was feeling better Wednesday only to be struck down thursday again, so the post never got finished, not feeling too great today so you'll have to put up with Wednesday's info above for this week - sorry Rockettes I'll try and be back on form for next week.

In the meantime Mr Linky because we missed him

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY!!!! THIS HAS BEEN DONE IN ADVANCE - WARNINGS IF IT DOESN'T REFLECT REALITY LOL!

2011-10-28T00:05:00.001+01:00

So here we are at the end of yet another week and this one sees October drawing to a close, where has the month gone, come to that where has the year gone, another month and we'll be dragging out the Christmas decs! Oohhh yes we will... but before then we've got Rocking Your World Friday

Now this is a post that is being done in advance - sooooo let's see how close I get to reality shall we (Actually I'm reading this on Thursday via a Wifi connection - shall I re-do or just edit the bits that appear to have missed the mark slightly - me thinks a slightly edited version will do you for now).

Well it's been beautiful autumnal weather all week hasn't it, blue skies, crisp mornings, beautiful colours on the trees we couldn't have asked for better... (Actually it's not been bad, bit breezy on a couple of days out, bit wet occasionally, a massive lightening storm on Tuesday evening, but all in all we've managed to dodge the raindrops not such a bad week at all).

We've enjoyed family time away to relax and take stock, to brush off the cobwebs and be ready for the rest of the year, we've had some fabulous days outs venturing to Richmond (actually we've not done this one yet, it is scheduled for Friday but we'll see - we were going on Wednesday until we found out the castle was shut - what wrong with places do they not know it's half term?) and to the Forbidden Corner (well that's a story all on it's own, the one where the child triggered the water and Mummy was stood on the stone that had the water jets on - yes you can stop laughing - did I get wet? Nope I got absolutely totally and utterly drenched and had to walk around for hours more in extremely wet cold trousers - I can laugh about it now but at the time it wasn't the most pleasant of feelings).

We've enjoyed the woodburning fire and toasting marshmallows. (Again a bit of a lie to be honest, the only marshmallows toasted dripped all over my magazine, then my hand, then the floor - it wasn't a pretty sight I can tell you - since then the boys have been merely making the worlds biggest fire and we've abandoned the marshmallows).

We've enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the area we are in, we've enjoyed a time to be with each other. Actually this one is spot on although the word tranquility with the number of crows outside the window in a morning and the owls at 4am - probably doesn't quite fit! However, we have enjoyed having time together as a family.

We've had quiet evenings and lazy mornings, we haven't run around everything in the hope we can get it all covered, but spent time just enjoying time with each other and the world around us. What planet was I on, not run around doing everything - that would mean spending time just chilling with hyperactive hubby and an 11 year old on my hands that hasn't happened, we've done Cold Stones Cut, Fountains Abbey (twice), the Forbidden Corner, Middleham Castle (because it was there as and we were sailing past), we've done Jervaux Abbey, Brimham Rocks, The Chocolate Factory, The Tea Pottery, The Arts Festival, Theakston's Brewery, and it's only Thursday morning!

We've done a bit of art of an evening (no we haven't we've done a glass of wine, a coughing fit and sleep) and played board games (actually card games but it's close enough). The boys took the nerf guns so there have been a few fun evenings where they've been playing with that. Twaddle 11 year old and hubby have been building fires or 11 year old has been hanging teddies over the top bannister - it looks quite gruesome really - however, this morning he's trying to make them harnesses with an egg box and some string. Overall it's been a calm week, where we've been able to recharge our batteries. Twaddle I'm knackered looking forward to going home for a rest.

And now as we head into November, we've got a house to get sorted (I kid you not), that TV room has to be done and fairly pronto when we get back, so it'll be all hands on deck to see what we can achieve! Any volunteers? It's a big room and there is a lot to do!

A bit of crafting

and close up - me finally finding a way to use those Twiddley Bits!

I hope your week has been just as 'Rocking' as ours, if you are joining in leave a comment with your link to your blog so we can come and visit (no Mr Linky this week at the mo)

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY (best grab a cuppa this is a long one)

2011-10-21T00:05:00.007+01:00

Good morning fellow bloggers, how are you this fair morning and how fair my Rockettes?

It's a cold and chilly morning and today brings the need to stay in for a delivery grrrrr, packing grrrrrrrrrrrr but this leads to time away from tomorrow hurray!!!!!!!

So what kind of week have you had because it's

This week has been a strange mixed one? Work - well enough said about that. Cough stilll here - apparently according to the Doctor, it's no better but no worse - so antibiotics again for yours truly me thinks! I am grateful for the Doctor seeing me though, and making sure things weren't taking a turn for the worse - so that's a grateful even if a weird one.

Evening craft sessions, I'm on with a few things this week, managed a few 12 x 12 layouts, managed to finish a mini book, managed the start of the altered clipboards. Clipboards purchased from Staples at a cost of £2.99 each, they are 'normal' sized and are just a hard board backing. Up to now I've covered them in paper and inked or painted the edges. Said 11 year old has selected which one for which teacher, now I need to tart them up a bit with ribbon and names on them, think I'm going to go for die-cut name on these, although did give said 11 year old the opportunity of a stamped name. Might do a couple of post it note holders to add to the 'gift' to finish it off - but not sure yet and haven't ever made those so they should prove interesting! I'll take photos once completed. I'm using up paper from the many many paper stacks I have lurking around, using papers that I couldn't quite honestly ever see me using!

I know I mentioned an age ago - my niece making myself and said 11 year old some awesome birthday cards, but then I forgot to share them - so here they are.

Said 11 year olds

Mine - aren't they gorgeous!

Games night at home, we managed a second one of these on Wednesday evening and despite a few tears (said 11 year old isn't a great loser he sooooooooooooooooo reminds me of someone I knew when I was little LOL). He dragged down the giant Monopoly board and we set a time limit of an hour, I managed to wipe the board with both him and my hubby and said 11 year old got more and more frustrated until we explained that the game was really 'won' by the dice because it all depended on where everyone landed, what they bought and what number they threw that gave the game to the eventual winner - not sure he's convinced but I don't want to abandon games night. It might be difficult for him to get but I'm all for children (and adults sometimes) learning to 'lose' at things like games, it brings out the competitive edge and as most of life turns into some sort of competitiveness at some point I don't think there is any harm in learning the jubilation of a 'win' or the disappointment of a 'lose'. So we'll keep going and see if he starts to enjoy the games night irrelevant of the 'win' or 'lose' scenario!

Next up is Carmen's Secret Santa, now I'm giggling because I have a feeling that by the time we are done, it might not be as 'secret' as we hoped, the reason behind this, well quite a few of us that have signed up have well known 'styles' so I'm wondering how many of us are going to work out who has 'sent' to us! LOL but if it gets me in the Christmas spirit during November and provides a gift for an amazing person then that can only be a good thing!

Right me thinks that might have to do you this week but I'm liking that as a list overall aren't you?

Crafting wise, well I've still not got around to photographing anything recently so still dragging things out of the blog folder that have been there 'forever' a photo from our foreign holiday about three years ago!

Close ups - the title, was using a small tag punch, inked at the edges, stamped in the middle, eyelet at the centre, raised on form dots with some ribbons through.

and of course the hand stitching, one of my all time favourites, as most of you know!

So there you go and the question What's Rocking Your World this week?

Mr Linky below, I'll prepare a post in advance for next week but there will be no linky on that one, so don't forget to leave your comments and I'll try and publish them as I go next week!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY (best grab a cuppa this is a long one)

2011-10-14T00:05:00.000+01:00

Good Morning Rockers and Rockettes - how fair thee this morn? For tis Friday which means...

Well I'm sat here on Thursday night and well I'm still not well, the cough has now gone into a full blown head cold with ruttly chesty cough to boot, so now I'm fully poorly rather than just ridiculous cough, problem is with one day of antibiotics to go this doesn't bode well for being clear of all the grim crap now does it - but I'm also sat with a glass of wine - nope I'll rephrase that - with an empty glass - hold up...

glug glug glug

Yeah full again!!!!

So this week, well I could be miserable and tell you how I've coughed and sneezed my way from beginning to end, how I should be a stockmarket holder of shares in Halls Mentholyptus but that's not what Rocking Your World posts are all about - so you get this version...

You may recall said gift for an old school friend to celebrate her daughter's 1st birthday - basically I got to play with pink paper, well I know when I shared it that it had been received and that she liked it which made me smile, last Friday afternoon, I headed back from picking up said 11 year old to find our next door neighbour wandering down our drive with a big bunch of flowers... "they're pretty" my brain said to me... why is she walking towards me with them... I'm so confused...

"I took these in for you..." she declares

I was utterly utterly bewildered - who on earth had sent me a bunch of beautiful Interflora flowers?

Yes you guessed it Karen had sent me a bunch of the most exquisite flowers, I was gobsmacked I'd sent her a birthday gift for her daughter and she sends me a bunch of flowers to say thank you - I was utterly completely and utterly overwhelmed and I've told her that she has to promise not to do anything as mad, crazy and utterly unexpected again because - well - because I loved making a gift for her to document her daughter's birthday and I loved that she liked it even more... but I have to say that the flowers were utterly utterly beautiful so here they are (forgive the things in the background - focus on the flowers!!!!)

So a big ... no ...a huge thank you to Karen for managing to render me speechless last week!

Saturday brought a day trip to Magna and an RSC production of Hamlet, neither my brother, my sister or my brother's girlfriend Fi had ever been to Magna so they took great delight in wandering about, I must admit it is a fairly awesome place to go to when you've not been before, just the enormity of the steel works is something to stop you in your tracks! We had great fun venturing into the air, water, fire and earth section. Fi and John particularly enjoyed trying out the JCB's in 'Earth' - something apparently my brother has been wanting to do since he was little and given his ability if he ever decides to venture in that direction he's got the knack when it comes to managing the trials and tribulations of a JCB bucket which I have to say when I tried it proved very blinking difficult!!!!

The play - well what can we say - it was quite simply fantastic, the cast were great, keen to wander around the audience, even if just to scare the crowd which the guy who played Hamlet did. However, the star of the show, the complete and utter star was the lady who played Ophelia, her ability to portray the madness that set in following her Father's murder was truly amazing! We all enjoyed it and with a running time of just over an hour we weren't all suffering with bad backs at the end (which is a good job because the seating wasn't great).

Wednesday evening brought another show for us - this time Othello at the Crucible, the Crucible theatre (the one where they do World Snooker) is fabulous because of the view you get no matter where you are is pretty awesome and it is practically in the round. The show was fabulous, I didn't know the story and I was completely enthralled from beginning to end, the actors and actresses were amazing but the two key female parts being Desdemona and Amelia were completely and utterly amazing and there was a part in the play when I almost broke down in tears because of the amazing acting, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Add to that Iago who was fabulous with a broad Yorkshire accent we really did have an amazing night out.

So the big shout out this week in amongst the pile of tissues, the antibiotics and the Halls mentholyptus has to be the live theatre that we get to enjoy in this country, we really do have an amazingly broad spectrum of plays that we can gain access too and it is an utter joy to attend such amazing theatre, so that is my biggest grateful.

Although I have others -

my mojo has returned when it comes to my Darcy's 52 words (which is a good job because I got stuck on tribal).
my crafting has meant a couple of completed mini books
a beautiful chatty thread with my new circle journal - really getting to know the other participants
Charlotte at the hairdressers - not only for performing her usual magic but also for pushing me with regards to my make up back in the summer when I was losing the will to live with the state of my skin - she (like my Doctor) had said I should give Bare Minerals a try and eventually I did, it cost (don't get me wrong it cost) but I have felt more confident with my appearance since I started using them and my skin seems to be accepting the change and is happier for it (if one can have happier skin then mine's it).
my blog friends for just being amazing, I'm still amazed at Carmen and her middle name (I told my brother this morning and he thought it was awesome!!!!) Jo and Susie for being their usual selves, Michelle for her beautiful journal journeys - I will be joining you hun, keep going because it's a blessing to read your posts, Janet for her gorgeous creations and joining in when she can, Toni for her gorgeous cards - I still sit in awe when I see them, for the gorgeous poetry I get to read, the comments I get to enjoy, for friends I haven't seen in an age, for inspiration and for mostly being just you - and you know who you are - a big thank you!!!!

So there you go it's probably turned into an epic post but in the blink of an eye I've typed it - almost finished the small glass of wine - how's the tree coming Susie and Carmen?

I always share a bit of crafting so here is this weeks photo a general layout from York, using photos of the Minster, from the Top of Cliffords tower, from our general exploring and the Hand of God picture, as well as the cast cats on patios and up the side of buildings!

I promise to get some more crafting done soon, just going to collapse in a heap first. Added to which I've had dear hubby at home poorly this week and my niece off poorly it seems we are all struggling a little bit at the moment, but let's be happy for the fact we are surrounded by people we love, don't wait to tell them how much we love them tell them right now - go on tell them right now, it'll give you a positive feeling and maybe lift your spirits and when all is said and done, having loved ones around us always makes life so much better.

Mr Linky for those links, but don't forget to leave a comment because these disappear after a week because I'm tight LMAO!!!

PPS Michelle - I hope the breakfast was beautiful - sometimes to abandon the modern technology and look at which is right in front of you, puts your feet back on the ground and makes you appreciate every single moment you have with people you love - keep it going girl - it's worth it and you know it is - and yes this is a late add on, but your thoughts around your 'breakfast' have kept my subconscious mind occupied all day!!!

MORNING ALL AND ANOTHER CHRISTMAS ALTERABLE

2011-10-12T08:25:00.000+01:00

Good morning fellow bloggers, how are you this Wednesday morning? Me you ask, I'm full of cold with a chest infection so I'm doing great - day off???? No don't be silly too much work to do. Rest of family you ask??? Hubby fast on in bed poorly - we're having a great week not!!!!! Actually we are OK overall just suffering a bit, we'll be OK in a couple of days, just needing a bit of time to get us sorted.

Anyway, thought I'd stop by and do a quick post because I can show off another of my alterables - now technically speaking I should put what it looked like first on my blog - but that will be the link picture on blogger dashboard and it might frighten you away - so I've put the finished results first!!! Two of them so hopefully you can see the dimension

This was a charity shop buy, a small extremely well made shadow box frame - quick scroll down to see what it looked like originally. Originally yellow pine with a silk gerbera inside - honestly not the most inspiring of looks, so I dismantled it and sanded the frame (well DH sanded the frame because I don't do sandpaper), then I painted it with black acrylic paints, stamped some paper artsy houses onto cream cardstock and pink cardstock, did a bit of paper piecing stamped the words home is where the heart is on the same cream cardstock, roughly cut out and penned around (twice for good measure), used some black soot ink through some heart punchinella. Then I used some pink paper at the back onto the original mount, layered up the houses with some foam squares, stuck down the saying and reassembled and I have to say I am rather pleased with it!

I have another one exactly the same that I'm working on at the moment, but I fancy doing something different with that, just not sure what (yet?). Thank you for popping by and hope you are having a grand day!

MY FIRST CHRISTMAS ALTERABLE AND THAT VOODOO VIXEN BOOK

2011-10-09T06:00:00.000+01:00

Good Morning Fellow Bloggers

How are you this morning? I hope I find you well and settled for a nice chat, grab a chair and virtual cuppa tea or coffee whichevers your preference, we've got hot chocolate if you're finding it a bit on the chilly side!

Anyway I had so many lovely comments on my blog for the pink baby book I made using Voodoo Vixen's (Annette) I thought I'll go and see if I can hunt them down - thankfully Annette has been amazingly helpful and put all her mini book tutorial links on the right hand side of her blog - how cool is that - so I found it straight away!

So this is the link to Annette's book for all of you who want to have a go at this amazing book!

http://scraphappenshere.blogspot.com/2009/06/instructions-for-organiser.html

Now just to show you how versatile this book is - this link takes you all the posts I've done on this book!

The Pink Baby Version Shown RecentlyThe Voodoo Vixen Minibooks I've Made Using these Same instructions!

Now a couple of you will remember a few weeks ago that I decided that the 'two boxes' of alterables was a little extreme so I've set myself the dual challenge of whittling it down to one box and to creating Christmas gifts with it along the way.

The first item has now been completed, some time ago hubby made me a 'book box' which I painted up in red ready for the gorgeous book I was making to go inside and then I saw fit, to make the book too deep so he had to make me another one which means the original has been languishing in the bottom of my alterables box ever since. Perhaps because it was already painted it made it an ideal starting point.

Then I found out a lovely pack of 'free papers' I got with a magazine recently - that were Christmas themed, added a few sheets or bargain papers from my recent purchases. I then grabbed some cardstock out from my stack of green cardstock, I actually picked the card that I thought I would find hardest to use in a layout, because I knew it would be covered in papers so the background card wasn't such a major issue provided it co-ordinated with the papers and away I went. Then set too creating a mini book and box to give to said 11 year old's male teacher this Christmas because I know it will be his child's first Christmas and I thought it would be nice for this young family to document this down, I'll pop in some double sided tape for them to use in the book and hope they manage to fill it with some great photographic memories of the day!

So without further ado - the outer box

the inside

The book

the inside of the book (quite a few pages so I'll put these together)

The back of the book

Back in it's box

And finally a matching card and envelope

I'll be sharing more of these that I can (can't share the 'family' ones (if they get made LOL) on here until after the event - but teacher gifts are not a problem) I've already completed an altered picture - so I'll come along and share this soon!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY !!!!

2011-10-07T00:05:00.000+01:00

Yes it's here officially Friday again - what is happening to these weeks!

So without further ado gratefuls for this week

A day off today (don't tell anyone otherwise they might try and steal it!)

The weather finally cooling down, I don't like hot weather unless I've got a glass of G&T in one hand and a swimming pool beside me then I'll tolerate it! But that hot in September/October it just felt wrong if I'm honest, so I for one am glad it's cooled down and now we get autumn temperatures to match the colours in the garden and on the trees!

Chatsworth's Beyond Limits exhibition - love it - completely - this year there was a mix of old favourites (where we've seen the sculptors work before), new artists that we've not seen before and new ones that were just plain weird if I'm honest!

Don't believe me? Now hubby wasn't sure - but I liked this - it made me smile!

but we weren't so keen on this - it reminded me of someone who hadn't quite grasped the concept of painting by numbers?

then there was this which was OK - personally wouldn't buy it myself

then this wasn't part of the exhibition but is some work that has been carried out by an artist who has woven willow - I loved it - all the leaves were falling into it and becoming part of the sculpture!

then this was in the sensory garden - isn't she gorgeous!

then there is this - not a favourite at all - just a bit strange!

then there was one of hubbies favourites, he liked the precision and the different materials - particularly the granite that had been polished!

then we had this - can you guess what it is - go on guess now - you know you want to!

Well done yes it is a frog with a fly - so glad you got that - what do you mean you didn't? Neither did we!!!

A couple of Damien Hirst pieces for good measure, Legend and Myth (unicorn and Pegasus) - liked the white side - personally not fussed about the other side of them!

We like these pieces - this one is "Raging Desire" however I prefer the 'white' versions of this that we saw last year and the year before!

And finally one of our favourites on the day the giant feet!!!!!

and the way to use up old tyres - I kid you not!

It's hard to think that this is technically an auction? Obviously some people have too much money and potentially too big a garden!!!!

Right next up has to be the start of my new circle journal which has apparently landed safely which makes me happy! It was mighty stressful reaching the deadline (left everything far too late) but it went in the post safely on time on Monday! Our CJ message board is mighty lively and we are all getting to know each other a bit better which is brilliant!

Next up is the Secret Santa swap courtesy of our hostess Carmen - press button on the right to find out more if you are a current friend and follower of Carmen! It should be a good giggle!

Rugby on catch up on demand - always good fun and means scrapping time for yours truly!

Making a start on Christmas crafting - I'm liking this - suits me down to the ground as it were! I'll start to share where I can!

My houseplant is still living and flowering so that's pretty awesome!

Barbecue at my Mums on Saturday evening twas lovely too!!!

Fi getting a job - she did she did she did - big woop woop woop out to her - so pleased! Currently a 6 month contract fingers and toes crossed that they keep her on permanently!!!!

My hubby and son for just being themselves and for enjoying a great board game night with me on Wednesday evening much fun was had by all!

Right I think that's a fairly good Rocking list this week (despite the fact I've still got this ridiculous cough!)

Crafting well a couple of what feel like 'old layouts' now I've had them in my blog folder forever (that I'm hoping I've not shared with you previously!) This one from a few years ago when we last went abroad!

with close up of miniature stamping, ribbons and torn paper

Then this one from a typical Menorcan village (I liked the drainage system on the side of the building)

close up showing off the 'altered title' - the card said something like Special day originally and the glossy accents!

and finally

the close ups of the title, layered onto cardstock and treated as a tag with onto foam pads with a bit of ribbon through for good measure!

If you've got here - well done pat on the back etc I love receiving comments - it stops me feeling lonely so say hello if you've got a mo! If my beautiful Rockettes are joining in add your linky and a comment so we can come and visit!

I hope you've all had a beautiful and blessed week and that the weekend is full of joy and laughter!

She Likes It!!!!

2011-10-06T09:51:00.000+01:00

It's always lovely to know that a present has been received (and Royal Mail haven't let you down), it's even nicer when the recipient likes it! Last year an old school friend had a little girl that her and her hubby had tried for for a very long time and I made her a small gift to remember all the fantastic messages she received on facebook which she said she loved!

This year her little girl turned one and I knew she was having a bit of a family gathering so I put a little mini book together for her and sent it off recently. Now that it's been received I'm going to pop it on here, it's based on the Voodoo Vixen book that I've made so often - honestly Annette this book is such a delight to make - simply beautiful and it can take so many pictures which is great particularly for a family gathering or a family day out! In fact I've realised today that I've got a stack of Yorkshire Sculpture Park pictures sat on my desk and this book would be perfect - so expect another version of this very soon!

With my friend having a little girl I got to play with Pink for a change - something I rarely get round to using, I've used a new embossing folder on the front with the hearts, I think it's my favourite embossing folder (by far) and reminds me of a favourite Magenta stamp!

The inside has pockets on the right and a spiral bound book on the left!

This book is genius (again Annette - the statement "I'm not worthy" comes to mind) because of the way it pulls out to show all the pockets in a row!

In each pocket there are large pull out tags

Here they are separate I also provided some tiny journal prompts and some double sided tape for my friend Karen to use as she filled it up with pictures!

Then the book folds up to reveal more pages underneath!

I got some 'card topper' sheets in the recent bargain bag purchases which is where the pink teddies have come from, there were also a couple of decoupage sheets that I was unsure of - but I think the teddy looks quite sweet

I stamped on the words to the middle of the heart then the pocket pages look like this

this is such a fun book to make which I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope you enjoy!

ROCK IN PEACE RESURRECTED CIRCLE JOURNAL FINALLY LEAVES THE BUILDING...

2011-10-03T20:55:00.000+01:00

So I finally got the circle journal completed yesterday, in all honesty I don't know why I left it until the last minute but I did, i made decent headway on Friday but then lulled myself into a false sense of security, busy Saturday morning, then a BBQ at my Mum's on Saturday night and a day out on Sunday meant for a very fraught and slightly stressful Sunday evening, but I rose to the challenge (as did said hubby) and I got there (just) with an early start Monday there was no chance of me managing a bit more today, it had to be done! Anyway it's finally on the way to Jasmine, so I thought I'd share the covers and my layout - I've gone for the theme of Linkin Park - I fancied a circle journal inspired by them, thought it would be a great piece of artwork to look through in years to come!

The cover verges on steampunk (no idea why) and is very textured!

The bank not so varied in colours but I still liked it!

Inside are pages that fold out, I used some of the song lyrics and a sheet of the oldest paper I think I have! It came from the 12 x 12 magazine back in its hey-day that had 'free' papers in the middle and I'll be honest I never thought I'd use it - ever!

then the inside page - inspired by one of my favourite tracks of there's complete with a Chester stencil! I used the inspiration from the album cover Hybrid Theory but couldn't bring myself to add butterfly wings to Chester LOL!

Finally the back of my entry has photos of the band on double mounted, I thoroughly enjoyed doing the layout and can't wait to start on this circle journal journey!

It's been a fraught start to the journal, but it was such good fun last night going to the wire, because I wasn't the only one! A bit of camaraderie in the team ranks was great and I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Thanks for stopping by!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY

2011-09-30T08:08:00.000+01:00

Good Morning to my beautiful Rockettes and Rockers, how fair thee this fine morn'?

Tis Friday which means

Yes it's here again - I cannot believe how quickly these weeks are flying by, blink and you miss them and then it's time for the list of gratefuls once more. I enjoy Rocking Your World posts because they make me stop and think and I know for some of us (me included) some weeks are much harder to find those emotionally charged positives that make us smile and we all have to dig deep to find them. Now for some it's easy they simply write them down as they go, or even prepare a post as the week unfolds, unfortunately I'm not one of them, so mine come from the old grey matter chugging along!

First up on my list this week is the fun birthday party said 11 year old had last weekend, a party at Lock N Load - a laser quest place with a difference, they all thoroughly enjoyed the party as did the adults who joined in my hubby Craig thoroughly enjoyed being on said 11 year olds team and being quite stealth at the game, my brother John, my sister Melanie, my niece Nirvana and my brother's girlfriend Fi together with all said 11 year olds friends from school. I got stopped by one of the lads at school yesterday who told me I really should have joined in - maybe I should?

Anyway it went down a storm and I think they are all now totally addicted to this! So much so we've had nerf wars in the house all week and with my brother John providing a pressie to said 11 year old that consists of a nerf water pistol I can see where the Christmas list will be going!

Sorry sorry - I know some of you are hiding from that C word but it is less than a hundred days people - come on get with the programme!

Rugby - if only that it's providing some crafting evenings (although not many as I'm still suffering with this stupid hacking cough which is driving me insane). Rugby on catch up is apparently even better as he managed 3 matches in one evening using the 3 button to skip forward ten minutes to see if the score had changed on matches he wanted to watch but didn't need to see beginning to end!

A day off, sshhhh yes I'm having a day off don't tell anyone or they might try and steal it off me, I'm planning on trying to get into the Doctors this morning to cough at him til he helps - now theres exciting - bet your days off aren't as exciting as mine!

Celebrating with little bro last night his birfenday - we took gifts over to him - Manga Shakespeare book - Hamlet and tickets to see Hamlet at Magna with a day pass for Magna thrown in for good measure (this is on top of his main present when I provided much needed cash for Sonisphere earlier in the year). It's always fabulous to catch up but birthdays are extra special - I have to say that his main gift from Fi was out of this world - honestly totally and utterly gorgeous, I'll have to see if I can get a photo, John's favourite film is the Fountain and Fi created a tree of life in a bowl, all lit up - honestly blew us all away - she is one talented lady who has a second interview today for a job - can you keep your fingers and toes crossed because she really really wants and deserves this!

My house plant - yes my house plant is Rocking my World - why - well because I normally kill them - not intentionally I might add it just happens gradually over time and then they have to go in the green wheelie bin that takes them to plant heaven or a compost heap whichever is the closer, anyway my Mum for Mother's Day bought me (yes I know that's the wrong way round but she can't buy for her Mum any more so she wanted to celebrate motherhood generally) a potted plant with flowers - I think it's an Azalea - anyway the flowers came and went and I kept doing what that little label thing said which was soak in a load of water every few days - well guess what it's flowering again - I mean I've followed these sort of instructions before but they've never led to a total revival of the plant back into a flowering state - I'm so chuffed and when I got up this morning the flowers had started to open - it's so sweet - so I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing in the hope that it will keep going a little longer!

Making a start on my 'alterables' box, I'm sure I'm not the only one that ventures in second hand charity shops and declares - I could use that to make something to only proceed home and put it in a box somewhere with every intention of doing something with it, only to find two years later it's still sat there. Well last Saturday I decided that this had to stop and the two boxes of alterables had to become one box, so I set too with great enthusiam changing a red painted 'book box' that my hubby had made ages ago and then I'd promptly made a book to go inside it that was way too big! I've started doing something with a board book I'd started painting - although this one is stop starting more often than I'd care to mention and the third item is a shadow box which has gone from a rather unpleasant yellowy pine to a black frame - problem is I've still no idea what to do with it - but the old grey matter is working on this at the moment!

Now I know I should be grateful for the weather but it is a little too balmy for me - don't get me wrong I'm loving the blue sky days where I get to appreciate and enjoy the autumn colour I'm just none too certain about the 26 degree bit!

Right peeps I think that's my list exhausted, so now it's your turn to think about those moments this week that made you happy and smile, go on share them with us - you know you want to! I'll put Mr Linky at the bottom of the post I'll chuck a bit of crafting first, this first one is a photo of Cliffords Tower in York that we visited, so strange to find this in the middle of York if I'm honest, but we enjoyed the look around and the views from the top even though they made my legs wobble - I just don't do heights!

And this one from the Science Show at York Railway Museum, in which said 11 year old took part in the experiments hence the title and the main demonstrator saw fit to fire a barbie doll out of an air cannon - now if you ask me this is all barbie is good for! This actually turned out to be a strange layout because I could get it to pull together despite the fact it all 'matched and toned with ease - then I did the hand stitching aroudn the whole lot and I was happy - Crazy isn't it that the simplest of things can create such a difference!

Now here's Mr Linky for you don't forget to leave a comment too it's always lovely to see whose been by even if you don't join in - plus it stops me getting lonely - I kid you not!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY AND A HUGE THANK YOU CARMEN!!!!

2011-09-23T08:02:00.000+01:00

Well good morning Rockettes (and Rockers) how do I find you this fair morning? Have you a long list of amazing things you've done this week or are you rummaging through your brain to find some true positives? Well let's see how my week has rolled

Saturday was fun (well 99% fun) because we went for a wander around the cow's Christmas dinner (also known as the Maize Maze), we were fearful that we wouldn't get the opportunity to go this year as they only have torchlit evenings in September on Saturday nights and we were running out of Saturdays, we've been previously in the summer but always find lots of wasps and on hot days it really does get extremely warm in the Maize, anyway last weekend we ventured and had great fun wandering around this years maize which was a windmill. The only downside to the evening was that I got stung by a wasp - yes I know we went at night to ensure we didn't meet these little critters, I can't remember being stung although apparently I was as a child, it wasn't a pleasant experience and thankfully my sister had some long nails and was able to remove the sting, the wasp didn't survive the experience and I didn't have a major reaction just a nagging ache in my back for a couple of hours, it hasn't created a phobia (I don't think) and can honestly say although unpleasant the pain wasn't excessive just uncomfortable.

Anyway after that we continued around the maze and then wandered out for a warm drink and a burger sat on some bales of hay whilst the kids careered around a circuit on pedal powered go karts in the pitch black! Due to the sting we gathered a bottle (or two) of wine on the way back purely for medicinal purposes obviously!

Another grateful has to be Takeshi's Castle (bit like a Japanese version of It's a Knockout for those of you are uninitiated), we caught an episode the other night where the contestants were all dressed up in some crazy outfits, from giant lobsters to totem poles - now this is not my usual type of humour but said 11 year old was quite positively squirming with laughter on the sofa whilst watching it, you know the one where you are laughing so much you have no alternative but to move around and eventually know you are going to get stitch, well his laughter had me grinning from ear to ear throughout the programme - it makes my heart sing!

Dear Hubby for going and getting me cough medicine at some unearthly hour (actually it was about 8pm but it meant he had to head to the health centre rather than a local pharmacy) the other night and brought me back something which seemed to contain a lot of alcohol and tasted nice, didn't particularly stop the cough LOL - thank you sweetie, still coughing an awful lot this morning, I've found that have a constant sweet like lockets in my mouth prevents me coughing but doesn't do an awful lot for my weight watching!

Last nights visit to the potential secondary school for said 11 year old was good as well, the school has and hasn't changed since I was there, it's relatively small for a secondary (much to the annoyance of the local council) because it's a Catholic school with just under 700 pupils but in all honesty I think that's just the right size, the school specialises in arts now and you can tell because the visual displays around school are simply breathtaking!

And my final Rocking moment has to be picking up a parcel from Royal Mail yesterday and finding this little beauty inside! Carmen it's absolutely gorgeous thank you so much!

You really can't appreciate how rich the colours are (my photo doesn't do it justice) and the textures, I took another photo at an angle so you can see some of the rich metallics

It is simply stunning and will take pride on my craft shelves when I tidy them this weekend!

So there you go, my list for this week, how was yours - if it doesn't feel 'that great' have another think, maybe a phone call or online message made you smile, perhaps you've seen someone this week that's made you happy, maybe a small gesture? Have a good think and rummage around and I'm sure you'll find something, then you can join in and let us know so we can come and visit and annoy you I'll put Mr Linky at the bottom of the post but don't forget to comment as well so I can find you in the future should I need to.

Little bit of crafting for you lovely people, a layout from our day out at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, walking amongst the Sculptures, simply amazing! I quite liked the subtle look of this layout and you'll notice strangely enough no stitching (not sure how this one fell through the gap on that front).

Right Mr Linky for you now hope you have a beautiful day and an amazing and blessed weekend

A-Z OF ME

2011-09-22T08:34:00.000+01:00

Got this from Carmen and Susie

A. - Age 39 and not looking forward to 40

B - Bed Size - Double Gothic bed - wedding present from the manufacturer

C - Chore that you hate - Ironing this has to be ironing (I don't like getting the washing dried in the winter months either)

D - Animals - None at the moment had far too many when I was little

E - Essential Start to Day - Has to be tea - at least two cups before I can function

F - Favourite Colour - black, black and a bit more black

G - Gold or Silver - I wear both but probably more gold than silver

H - Height - 5 foot 6 inches - reached the dizzying heights of 5 foot 7 inches when I was younger apparently

I - Instruments - none did attempt to learn the Melodica when I was younger

J - Job Title - Finance Manager, Mum, Wife, Homemaker, Taxi driver, Cook, and names my hubby calls me that I can't repeat on here LMAO!

K - Kids - 1 boy aged 11 and going to see his potential secondary school this evening gulp!

L - Live - Born and bred Yorkshire lass

M - Must Haves - Kisses and hugs, stash, music and time to spend with my family

N - Nicknames - my Dad hated my name being shortened but after he passed away some people called me Ginnie which is sometimes shortened again to Gin, other half called me Gina when we first started going out but I grew tired of that. I used to decide on whether new work colleagues would know me as Ginnie or Virginia on the first day of work depending on my mood, I now go by my official title because it can't get misunderstood on the phone whereas Ginnie is often mistaken for Jenny!

O - Overnight stays in hospital - to have said 11 year old and to stay with said 11 year old when he was less than a year old due to a severe asthma attack which meant he needed an overnight nebulizer

P - Pet Peeves - Inconsiderate drivers who think I'm psychic pretentious children whose parents think they are angelic but when left to their own devices are merely materialistic bullies!

Q - Quote from a Move - Eat your cereal with a fork do your homework in the dark - Pump up the Volume

R - Rhubarb or custsard - both preferably separated by a crumble topping!

S - Save or spend - it should be save save, save but it's usually spend spend spend

T - Tea or coffee - depends on the time of day

U - Under - yes I remembered to put some on what a strange questions

V - Vegetables you hate - parsnips disguised as roast potatoes, carrots unless they are in a cake format, brussel sprouts unless they are the lesser vegetable in bubble and squeak

W - What makes you run late - I don't try to run late because some in the family do as a matter of course which drives me insane!

X - X Rays you've had - loads and loads, used to dislocate my shoulder frequently in PE and presume when I fell off the washing machine at less than 2 and cracked my head open that they potentially did one then!

Y - Yummy Food you Make - Low Fat Christmas pudding fed with lashings of alcohol before Christmas

Z - Zoo animal - not a lover of zoos generally but appreciate the need for them, provided they are light and airy I can just about cope so my preference is meerkats like Susie!

Ooh that was fun!

ROCK IN PEACE CJ - MY CONTRIBUTIONS!

2011-09-21T18:17:00.000+01:00

Evening all just about to commence the Rock in Peace Resurrected Circle Journal on UK Scrappers - haven't made the book yet but plan on doing so shortly!

Thought I'd share the layouts that I did on the first one, I've shared the completed book that came back to me with everyone's gorgeous work in it, so thought I'd share what I did for others, don't think I managed to photograph them all but a good few of them - before you ask there group wasn't huge, it's just that I did extras for Carmen's CJ because hers had gone missing in the initial post out (long story) and also when I got Marie's journal I was the last one but it wasn't full and being a true Virgoan I have to do things like finishing things - so Marie got an extra dose of my creativity in her journal (I hope she didn't mind)

They are in no particular order

Mmm wonder what layouts I'll be doing for the next CJ!!!!!

MORNING ALL - HOW YOU DOING

2011-09-21T08:35:00.000+01:00

Wow Wednesday already and its 8.25am which means this is going to be the fastest blog post in history. Just wanted to say hello and say I'm still here (wherever that is) still rambling on my weight loss blog (about the lack of weight loss LMAO) and not getting a lot of crafting done at the mo, some laid out on my table, just not managing it quite as much as I'd like. Thoroughly enjoyed making the Zombie, just not had chance to supersize him or make another one yet - but I will - picked some more felt up so will be planning on my Zombie Feltie delights when I get chance, on with a book for a friend but haven't got far enough with that, still working on it!

Anyway just thought I'd stop and say hi - how are you - big waves to Susie - I know Wednesdays are a hard day for you - so just to let you know thinking of you hope today is OK.

Waves to Carmen wherever she is at the moment (think today is BT day - I would not like to be that engineer I tell you)

Waves to Joanna - how was the weekend - did you have fun?

Waves to Toni and her beautiful card making

Waves to Kat - for her gorgeous layouts

Waves to Anne - thank you for your gorgeous comments on my Zombie he was much fun to make

Waves to Sandra - because I MISS YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!

Waves to Dyan - because your awesome - made hubby watch the 10pm showing on QVC for the hour - it was my birthday treat - he thought I was mad, Melanie watched some of it but had to turn over because she kept thinking she really needed to buy it - all of it LOL!

Waves to Melanie - now she's a fresher - how's the weight watching going?

Waves to Fi - because I can!

Waves to Gill from the Craft Box - miss you - hope all is well!

Waves to Leslie and Anne-Marie - miss you two - did you have a good time with the caravans this year!

Waves to Jude - miss you muchly missus get that blog updated!

Waves to anyone else who happens along here - just for the fun of it!

Now crafting this is a double page layout I did documenting the gorgeous West Door (think it was West) of York Minster, with the gorgeous carvings depicting biblical scenes - totally awesome, my favourite (the largest on the page) is the hand of God - simply beautiful. Used papers from the brilliant paper packs bought recently apologies for the peripherals around the edge of the layout didn't get chance to photo shop!

If you happen by don't forget to say hi - hope Wednesday is happy and positive and utterly gorgeous for you all!

ZOMBIE FELTIE BUT WHAT'S HIS NAME?

2011-09-17T10:36:00.000+01:00

Good morning to you all and how do I find you this morning? Saturday already and we've had to drop one of the cars off for MOT this morning so an early start for us, DH got Rugby on and said 11 year old is playing Harry Potter on the Wii we've got a hundred and one things that we need to do and haven't got off the starting blocks yet. Hey ho, anyway last night was spent making my first Zombie Feltie from my new book.

Now the book is fabulous, the instructions clear but the Felties are supposed to be tiny and I mean tiny and well I don't do small I like to supersize everything - can't help it, plus struggling with my shoulder, elbow and hands at the minute so needed something a bit bigger to work on that I wouldn't get irritated at when making.

So what do you think? He was great fun to make, the original version of this requires bugle beads and other beading and although it's created a 3 dimension to the Zombie I'm not sure if I couldn't have achieved a similar look with embroidery thread? Still think he should be bigger - might make a supersized Zombie!

Now question is what name to give him? Any ideas anyone?

ROCKING YOUR WORLD & CHEERLEADING MOTIVATION FOR SUSIE

2011-09-16T08:38:00.000+01:00

Good morning Rockettes (I'm sure there are some Rockers out there too but they are mighty quiet)

Tis Friday I tell you which means

With two birthday celebrations this week it's been a lovely week - I was utterly spoilt on my birthday and had a fabulous day out with hubby! So first up is to a day off work to enjoy my birthday. This is how spoilt I was on the day in question - beautiful flowers from my Mum who is away on holiday at the moment

with a little card

then gifts from my hubby and son - first up books

then big shot plates that I was in need of - managed to crack both of mine recently (don't ask) got to give a huge pat on the back to said 11 year old for keeping this one quiet, every time I popped into the shop would I ask him to check to see if they had them in and every time he would say no - why - because his Dad had already bought them!

Now a duplicate gift - this pack is one I already have and I'm lost as to whether to hang on to it or return and swap it? But given I still have a huge amount of the original stack still left I might return it this weekend...

Now never one to turn down a bargain (you know me) I've managed to teach hubby well so this little bunch came out of some bargain bags he bought - do you think he did well?

Now personally I haven't a clue what to do with these they are a little too bright and garrish for my liking - anybody got any idea? Shiny green or blue paper with gold Christmas all over? Is there a way of making these look classy?

then a pack of papermania paper

Then things inside the bags everything from paint to dies to pens, to cards to embossing folders to gromlets to paper flowers to - well you get the idea

then the paper - this is what was included in the packs - now can you guess how much this would have cost at full price? Now guess how much at bargain price LOL - let's just say DH did good!

finally my watch - I also got boots but I've not taken a photo of them yet! However I can say they are mighty comfortable!

So as you can tell a pretty awesome birthday - another grateful is lunch with my sister which was brilliant, we had a good natter and a couple of hours chatting in the Meadowhall.

Part of the evening included the lighting of the cake (yes we almost set it on fire) we didn't have 39 candles so I had to cope with 31 candles and yes I managed to blow all of them out in one blow WTG me!

The day after was said 10 year olds birthday who will from this moment be known as said 11 year old. Given how many gifts I'd opened we spent some of my birthday just upping the stakes slightly, we managed to find some smaller gifts to add to his pressies so he felt like he'd opened loads - this however, was his main present as he opened it!

Yes that is Harry Potter Lego - the Hogwarts Express (with the flying Ford Anglia) he was extremely pleased with this!

Said 11 year olds birthday had a birthday tea which should have included his Aunty and cousin and his Uncle and girlfriend but unfortunately his Uncle (my lil bro) was poorly so the birthday tea gathering was a bit smaller but we thoroughly enjoyed it and he got more pressies to open (as did I) which included the world's longest nerf gun - not for me - what's wrong with you - why would I want a nerf gun - honestly - this house is a nerf war zone with hubby and said 11 year old!

My sister bought me some gorgeous gifts that she had obviously thought long and hard about, from the Charlaine Harris book I didn't have, to perfume from Lush, to massage bar that warms when you put it on your poorly shoulder and also manages to smell of Christmas, to a DVD - honestly I was amazed and all the gorgeous gifts and the thought she'd put into them - thanks Melanie you are an angel!

Plus there are the cards my niece did for me and said 11 year old - I'll photograph them to share because they are utterly gorgeous!

So this week has been predominantly thoughtful people and special family time to make me feel positive and happy, one of my other highlights was said 11 year old and his Dad playing nerf around the house, constant laughter - it makes your heart sing!

NOW FOR THE CHEERLEADING BIT (YOU'LL BE PLEASED TO KNOW THERE IS NO VIDEO TO ACCOMPANY THE FOLLOWING MOTIVATIONAL STATEMENT)

Last week I gave Carmen a friendly cajoling on the RIP Circle Journal front (it did me good as well however, I've still not made the book so that's this weekends challenge - should I choose to accept it). Susie commented that she needed the same motivation on the Christmas Card front.

Now Christmas cards are those things that fall into one of the following categories

1 - Avid card maker so September Christmas Card making is your favourite time of year
2 - Scrapbooker/Art Journaller who makes Christmas Cards because you can - not because you want to
3 - Those crafters who stick two fingers up to Christmas Cards and just buy them from the supermarket like normal people.

Now which one are you? I am most definitely number 2 on the list and I have a gut feeling that Susie is too, so the reasons that will be stopping you are along the following lines

It's September why am I making Christmas Cards
I've got some blank cards and a stamp just don't know what to do next
Shall I make similar designs or something different
How many do I have to make... really that many - wow!

Now what we are attempting to avoid is this

It's the 1st December, the Christmas Cards aren't made, the presents aren't bought I've given little thought to the day in question I'm so busy got so much to do - which leads to cut, stick, write send - cut, stick write send, grrrrrrrrrr next year I will be more organised

So Susie this is the plan

Get your card blanks (now I'm tight so I buy A4 card and fold in half and chuck them in envelopes that I buy from the supermarket) but I know people sometimes buy card blanks and envelopes - so make sure you have a supply of them!

Second - what is the accent on your card going to be - now I know you've bought some steampunk stamps so get those out and at the ready

Now design - cards for me work the same as a Scrapbook page and need the following elements - paper, image (stamped image in the case of cards) - Title - that'll be your sentiment bit and the journalling goes on the inside.

So if you want multiple designs go and find 5 different layouts that you like, sometimes you can find A4 layouts for scrapbooking and these work great on rectangular cards, any 12 x 12 sketch works easily on a square card - or bend your brain and use 12 x 12 on a rectangular card and vice versa! Now if you're doing the whole - I need to make them from scratch then drawer a sketch - but the question is sketches always take on a mind of their own when you start using them - so cheat and use a sketch from a website or several as your starting point. Now don't spend too long doing this - if it's taking too long, then go find a favourite scrapbook page and copy it's design

Stamp your images onto some cardstock - matt them onto another cardstock if you fancy.

Follow your sketch and apply some paper in line with the sketch to your card, stick image to card - attach sentiment to card - "Merry Christmas" or "Appreciate this card at Christmas it was 3 months in the making" type thing - mine this year include the statement "Dear Santa" ... "Define Good" - I kid you not!

Right you with me so far - brilliant - one card down a hundred and one to go - then make it a bit of a production line - if you do really have loads and loads to do, then set yourself the task of making so many per day or if you are fancying a mass making session grab a Christmas film to put you in the mental mood and go for it! You'll be surprised once you've started what you'll achieve!

Finally - if you want to actually 'love' your cards and this year I for one can actually say I do - then find some aspect of your crafting that you love and include it in the card - many of my Christmas cards this year have handstitching on them, because it gave them that edge and I could sit and while away the hours enjoying making them rather than growling at cards like I normally do! And for those of you who are thinking - how on earth have I got mine done so quickly - I do mine in January and February because then when it gets to Christmas I just know they are all done and ready and it's a great way to spend the dark winter evenings and it lets me hold onto Christmas that little bit longer!

Now for those of you who are still with me - WOW you are a seriously dedicated blog reader (or slightly nuts like me) so just as a treat and because you've been so good here's some crafting a double page spread with images from the Yorkshire Sculpture park, the large 'flower' on the right hand side was hand cut from a clip art image that I'd supersized, it fell in with the layout and broke up the busy background! Right off to work - you heard me what am I like working on a Friday!

Hopefully you'll be joining us on our list of gratefuls - if so please leave a comment and your link so we can come and listen to your life too - don't forget everyone says that they have little to be happy about but if you think, really think about your week and the people who have been in it, the places you've been, the things you've seen there must be at least one thing that has made you smile!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY...

2011-09-13T09:46:00.000+01:00

I don't usually celebrate it in big style, I don't shout about it, I don't natter on, it comes and then it goes and then we celebrate said 10 year olds tomorrow making him said 11 year old, but this year I'm doing things different so here is me - yay yay yayying that it's my birthday, I'm not at work, I've had loads and loads of pressies from dear hubby and said 10 year old, I've had flowers arrive from my Mum (whose seen fit to leave the country for my birthday - what is she like). I've had scrapbook goodies and boots, a watch that's a bracelet that's a piece of jewellery that's a - you get my drift, I've had Zombie Felties and a Sherrilyn Kenyon book, goodies galore - and it's only quarter to ten. So what am I doing now? What I always do - go out looking for more gifts for said 10 year old because dear hubby has overwhelmed me with gifts this morning that's what!

No crafting to share - just a big smiley me to contend with, off to enjoy the rest of my day - will photograph pressies and come back later!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY

2011-09-09T00:05:00.000+01:00

Good morning Rockers and Rockettes and how are you this fine morning?

Friday already, end of the first week back at school - won't even mention the Christmas countdown that's started clicking in my head or the fact I'm back at work grrr because it's

First up - the weather being kind over the weekend and allowing me to wash and dry clothes in a timely fashion, getting them all ironed and back in the wardrobes and cupboards before Saturday was out!

People at work for leaving me alone on Wednesday - they don't read my blog, but first days back in are never fun and they pretty much left me to my own devices which on their part was smart and on mine meant I eased myself back in.

Weight Watchers - not that I've rejoined or anything, just that I'm back on plan, after the excesses last week I just had to do something sensible and it's been a joy being back on plan, I haven't felt bloated once this week or that I've overeaten, fingers crossed for a positive weekend and a healthy weight loss come Monday, I have another blog documenting this part of my life so won't go on too much - just grateful for being back on plan.

The Royal Shakespeare Company for giving us a flavour of Shakespeare again, we've booked tickets to see Othello at the Crucible in October and I'm all giddy - must read my Manga Othello before we go because it's a story I don't know well!

Dear Hubby for making awesome soup at the weekend, homemade minestrone - honestly it was divine and has kept me on track at lunch pretty much all week - thank you hun - can we have some leek and potato now?

You Tube and Bloggy people - Kathy Rogers is someone I met at craft class an age ago and stumbled across her on the net as well as being an awesome scrapbooker she is always so happy to share a sketch or a video when she comes across them, she must have been mindreading this week because in all honesty I really really really wanted to make a minibook but got slightly frustrated with what I had found on You Tube and then she comes along shows this gorgeous book and shares the link! Thank you Kathy it made for a fun Wednesday evening!

A couple of days off with said ten year old at the beginning of the week (due to school inset days) brought a smile to my face because in all honesty it was lovely, we shopped for school shoes, bought school trousers, had a wander around the shops and played on the Wii together - something very rare because that's usually Craig's job and he rediscovered that spending a bit more time on games unlocks all sorts of treats, he gets bored (or stuck) with games and then goes off them and only later do you find it's because he's got stuck, needless to say we've had a couple of funfilled evenings since he rediscovered the joys of Harry Potter Lego Year 1-4 on the Wii.

Other grateful is the local market, headed into town, every now and again I get cross at supermarket prices and go in search of the odd bargain in town, we came back laden down with fruit and vegetables and fresh chicken which didn't cost the earth - the nectarines and plums I bought have been particularly tasty, tonight I've done an Asda shop - let's see if they are as tasty this week shall we?

Anyway on to a bit of crafting, so this one using some hippy chick papers from DCWV documents the day out at the National Railway Museum

up close I've used the shapes on the paper as an ideal place for the journaling - much fun!

Right that's your lot this week, it's been a little quiet as we are still recovering from our days out last week - I did say we were over doing it - only this week have we been able to confirm that we were - whoops!

If you're joining in put your link here with Mr Linky and don't forget to leave a comment, hope your week has been as Rocking.

CARMEN DON'T YOU DARE (and a bit of crafting)

2011-09-08T08:29:00.000+01:00

Yes you Carmen I'm talking to you don't even think about jacking this one in - I know where you are at, you're doing the 'what kind of book can I make' - it's the second time with this group "so they are expecting an elaborate, magnificent amazingly technical book" "everyone elses will be fabulous" stage and how do I know that - because I'm there with you, I know exactly what you mean, now you've already got your idea in place so all you need to do is a book and at the end of the day it's everyone else that is going to make it amazing - aren't they!

So the first question is shape of book

Square
Rectangular
You could try circular or triangular but only if you want locking up

Go on pick one - OK decided on shape

Fine that's good

Now size?

6"
7"

8"

anything smaller is probably too small, anything bigger is probably too big.

Pages - are you doing flat pages or pages with flaps on or envelopes? Quick choose which one - put them in a hat and jumble them up and pull them out of the bag if you have to - right got that.

Then fastening - are you sending out separate pages to bind when they arrive back or are you going for book rings which are always a good favourite so people can remove pages?

Right now so you've got the shape, the size, the style of pages and the fastenings - go cut it out - go on right now, cut it out all you need is a bit of card stock - that's not difficult - people want blank pages to play with so go and cut them out for them then cut a couple of covers and you're set.

Now get that beautiful imagination running for your pages and I expect an update as to where you are at later. OK OK, so it's only fair that I join you on this one.

So I'll pick (because I haven't started mine at all yet and haven't made any firm decisions so here goes!)

Shape - Rectangular
Size - approximately 6" x 7"
Found a flappy page thingy on You Tube last night so I'm going to make 11 of those
Pages are going to be loose with instructions on them of where I will bind them when they return
Covers will be chipboard not sure if I'll send them with the pages - they will only weigh it down
Topic - favourite band - I want a whole book done on the time, the works, the lives, the tracks of Linkin Park

there decided - that was easy - all I need to do is make it now - I will give you an update on where I'm at tomorrow!

Now I'm sure all of you people out there who don't answer to the name of Carmen are thinking I lost the plot, but Carmen is doing exactly what I was doing which was procrastinating about a circle journal we've signed up to - so I'm keeping her on the straight and narrow (fingers crossed I am anyway)

So for the rest of you - some crafting, this photo taken at Bolsover next to the kitchen area and dear hubby had said 10 year old convinced that the ovens were for the different sized pizzas - laughed til we cried!

PS there is stitching on it - can you see it? Yes the arrows of course! It really is my signature style, if I look at a layout and think "not quite there yet" it tends to be the needle and thread that I opt for to see if that makes it "just right"

Right work time again (already I know what's happening to the world) - speaking of which Rocking Your World posts tomorrow, start thinking about your week up to now - how's it been, who made you smile, what made you laugh? Dig deep if you have to until tomorrow...

A CRAFTING POST I NEED TO DO A CRAFTING POST ARGGGHHHH - HERE IT IS...

2011-09-07T08:25:00.000+01:00

Well first day back at school for said 10 year old and final 'first day' in primary school - gulp - don't get me started no idea how I'm going to cope in 12 months time! He looks all sparkly and clean, new shoes all shiny and the obligatory first day at school picture currently out of reach because it's raining - boo hoo sob - I'll try later on when we get back, it must be the first day of school that he's returned that it is actually raining - perhaps Toni's post about the weather the other day is spot on and I've just not noticed???

Anyway, I had grand plans for the school holidays (because I work less hours or I was supposed to) I was going to art journal and scrapbook my way through them but it didn't really happen, so strangely enough as I go back into working longer hours I may get more scrapping time? How does that work then?

Think I'm almost caught up on blogs, I've visited Toni's gorgeous cards (and mini book that got me all giddy last night because I needed to see a mini book to get me started on mine), I've visited Carmen and her reviews and her crafting posts and her "getting slimmer every day" post, I've caught up with Susie and her life and enjoyed her recent dabbling in the scrapbook arena, I've visited Joanne and her mail art that always makes me feel envious, the list goes on and on but I think I'm back in the zone (give me 24 hours and I'll be back out again).

Anyway enough of my inane ramblings or is that insane ramblings let's get some crafting on here ARGGHHHH!!!!!

This was made following the purchase of certain bargain bags from my local store, using a mix of black market society papers (I think that's what they are called - they feel funny - thin and textured???) and some blue papers to go with the photo of my sister and my niece on a jaunt to Scarborough earlier in the year.

And breath ... I feel so much better now for putting that on I almost feel as if I'd forgotten my crafting.

I am now on with a mini book which I started last night - I picked the world's worst shape (it's like a four sided bracket) to ease me in, so I've been sanding it to soften the edges and realised how rubbish my cutting was, but I don't care I'm persevering whether the mini book likes it or not and the reason for the mini book? No idea just wanted to do one that was all and it's been fun up to now. I'll share when it looks more like a completed mini book whether that be with or without photos!

How's your crafting today and are your kids back at school mine keeps saying he's looking forward to it - most strange for him, mind you it's running up to his birthday on the 14th so I can only expect it's pre-birthday euphoria!

Right need to find some boots, can't brave the world with sandals in that weather now can I? Ooh and dinner money - now I've not missed that!

ROCKING PARTS OF THE WEEK ... part 2

2011-09-06T08:12:00.000+01:00

Yes I know I've been back since Friday and yes I know it's Tuesday (already which 'groan' means work tomorrow) and I know I should have posted earlier but I've struggled to get back on the treadmill of life if I'm honest. Friday was spent travelling, sorting and washing, Saturday was spent washing, ironing and shopping, Sunday - no idea where Sunday went but it disappeared, Monday was spent shoe shopping for school for said 10 year old, a bit of retail therapy and catching up with my sister and niece. So now it's Tuesday and you get glimpses of my Rocking week last week.

Well this was home for the week, Graces Barn at Wilmcote and yes that is me sat at the table reading! Said 10 year old's photo and rather good it is too, this tiny barn was a beautiful home for a week, 4 miles outside of Stratford and within walking distance of Mary Arden's farm it was a great base for us!

We managed lots of proper family time, no computers, mobiles only used for navigation (if they worked at all) and a little TV (said 10 year old started to suffer withdrawal symptoms). We managed all 5 Shakespeare houses costing £50 and giving us 12 months entry to the same, this is Anne Hathaways Cottage, you wouldn't know that five minutes earlier the heavens had opened and we'd got drenched would you? Only bit of rain all week mind!

Then the walk around the garden found us in amongst sculptures - I love this!

and a shot of me and hubby - definitely a couple of 'fat' shots this week of me (not this one thankfully) that I totally hated which has meant a restart of my other blog relating to weight loss!

There were also a few Shakespeare inspired sculptures some I 'got' and some I didn't the one of the woman almost riding the Donkey/Ass was mighty strange, I'm not surprised they planted it out with wildflowers all around it - it might have frightened the kids - honestly you wouldn't believe me if I showed you - there was also the alien-esk one but was pretty cool!

Then we found these 11 baby ducklings with Mummy - how cute are these!

then one of the highlights of the week has to be the day out to Warwick Castle, so completely different to any other Castle probably because the owners also own things like Madam Tussaud's and Alton Towers, what they've managed to do is bring the Castle to life, we had an amazing day and will most definitely be returning! Here is said 10 year old trying to prove that it was simply a button that pulled the Sword out of the stone - needless to say he didn't manage it!

the birds of prey were absolutely amazing and how this guy didn't flinch with that bird coming towards him I'll never know, they fly the birds around the castle and so it's lovely to see them out of the normal fenced off arena which is what you normally get with bird of prey shows. Photo courtesy of said 10 year old. We also did the walk around the Ramparts which is one way - 594 steps if I remember correctly - don't ask how much my legs hurt the following day!

then the day after we hit Kenilworth Castle which following the highly entertaining day at Warwick I wondered if it might be something of a come down to visit, but far from it, an amazing Castle with so much history it made me want to do a bit of historical research!

blessings of amazing sunsets out of the kitchen window

and sunrises completed the week

and a brief scene out of Romeo and Julietto my hubby stood below I started with the words

"Womeo Womeo where far out though Womeo"
I won't tell you what his reply was but it had us giggling
and before you ask that owl you can see in the shot is actually plastic, reading the visitors book it was an addition to put off the noisy crows and seems to have done the trick very well!

We had such complete and utter fun, were blessed with dry days and such a lot to go at in the surrounding area, from the Shakespearean houses to Warwick Castle, we also visited Blenheim Palace and had a trip on the River Avon on a boat cruise which given the scorching day we were having was fabulous but the absolute cherry on the top, the thing that had me giggling like a school girl and so very very giddy - a trip to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to see my very very favourite of Shakespearean plays Macbeth, booked on a wing and a prayer some 4 hours before the show, we couldn't believe we got tickets, the play was amazing and breathtaking and has definitely made me want to return to this beautiful little barn for further escapades to the theatre!

I got my addiction to Shakespeare at School when our English teacher managed to take us on several jaunts to either Stratford or the Barbican in London to see the RSC, we studied The Merchant of Venice in depth at school but my favourite play has always been Macbeth. We also bought some great items from the Theatre shop including two badges for dear hubby "Something Wicked this way Comes" and "Prone to Mischief" and a couple of 'retelling' books for said 10 year old but the ultimate read has to be the Manga Shakespeare - I kid you not - the Shakespearean stories with original Shakespearean language in Manga books - how awesome, before hitting the theatre on the last day dear hubby grabbed the Manga Macbeth book and read it in less than an hour to refamiliarise himself with the story! So if you know any teenages struggling to get to grips with the bard then I can highly recommend Manga Shakespeare for a read.

So there you are my week in a nutshell, not sure what I'll be using for my Rocking post this week because it's been mighty quiet since my return on Friday, got my birthday and said 10 year old's birthday coming up next week so keep being pressed on "what do you want" - why oh why do people find it so difficult I love crafts all things painty and papery - so anything along those lines would be awesome, at the end of the day I don't 'need' anything just seeing family would be awesome and I might ask for the day off.

Anyway I'm now officially waffling so I'm going to disappear for now and see if there are any more blogposts to enjoy, I've been on mass catch up since returning and still haven't got round them all!

ROCKING MY WORLD FRIDAY

2011-09-02T00:05:00.000+01:00

Now I'm not going to be around first thing on Friday be travelling back from our break - but I didn't want you floundering so I'll hazard a guess as to what we will hopefully have been doing

Hopefully we'll have been

Recharging our batteries
Taking lots of photos of fun days out
Enjoying the quiet of the countryside
Exploring
Having lazy mornings in bed
Visiting Shakespeare country
Managing a day trip to Warwick Castle
Reading
Art Journaling
Planning
Plotting
Chilling
Relaxing
Smiling
Laughing
Having fun
Enjoying time together as a family

Hopefully the above will be my list as I return to you, the post on Friday will be late so this will have to do you for starters LOL!

What's been Rocking your world this Friday - no linky I'm afraid leave a comment with your link so we can come and visit.