ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY 44TH OF 2015

Well despite best efforts to get this to post whilst I was away it wasn't having any of it. So I'm priming a post for the Friday after as it were. Let's see what has been 

for the last couple of weeks.  Well last week we escaped for a week in a cottage near Durham.  We had a very very busy week but it was lovely.  

First day when we were away we went to Gibside, a National Trust property well known for it's gardens. 

I loved this on the way in

There were some fabulous colours to enjoy

We even managed a selfie

Some beautiful flowers

And the ruined house itself.  

The view the following morning was breathtaking with the mist sitting in the base of the valley. 

We ventured to Woodhorn Museum which was one of my 'must sees' for the week, to see Cascade, part of the touring Poppies, we've already been lucky enough to see Wave at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, but I also wanted to see Cascade.  We weren't disappointed the Poppies looked amazing and we were able to get quite close to the display.  The display is actually taller than the original cascading window on which it is based.  It's only there until early November when it transfers to Liverpool. 

 We got chatting to a security guard at Woodhorn, who mentioned the sea sculpture at Newbiggin by the Sea, which was only a couple of miles from Woodhorn, so we went for a look.  The sculpture is part of the sea defence.

And they are quite a way out - you can just about make out the white stilts below and whilst the couple look 'normal' in size, they were three or four times larger than normal humans.

They produced a 'normal' sized version called Land Couple which can be seen on the main parade in the little town.

Then we ventured to Northumberlandia (another must see), can you see the lady laid down, isn't she amazing.  We had a fabulous time walking along the paths, the site is next to the biggest open cast mine in the country, which produces enough coal to provide 35% of our electricity, which is a worrying prospect when you think about how few mines there are left in the country now and how reliant we obviously still are on fossil fuels.

Then to finish the day off, we dashed over to Belsay Castle and Gardens, it really is an amazing site and the main reason to visit is the fabulous quarry garden.

The castle is lovely too but I didn't venture up to the top of the tower (although hubby did).

We also photographed some crazy plants - apparently this is American poke weed or something like that, it looks like purple corn on the cob, but is very poisonous to humans, we also got to smell the Candyfloss tree - which smells - well amazing!

Autumn colours - October is my favourite colour!

A day trip to Beamish as well.

Hubby got to tick off the Temple of Mithras from his bucket list, although he was a tad disappointed with it.

We got to see Vindolanda - which is a fabulous site to look around with some amazing finds in display in their museum.

The selection of found Roman leather footwear for a starter

We ventured to see George Stephenson's birthplace, which although looks like a house is actually just a room as that is where his family lived.

We also popped to Prudhoe Castle (although we discovered we'd been there before).

We ventured to Cherryburn another National Trust place and got to see the Salmon jumping up the river at Hexham.

So we had a fabulous week overall.  

We have been missing said 15 year old, we came home and have been busy on the house but are planning on Friday being a work free day - all day long.  

Said 15 year old will be back on Sunday - I cannot wait - it will be almost 3 weeks since we've seen him.

I hope you've had a brilliant week took, if you fancy joining in then pop a post together, come back and link up and we shall come and visit. 

TRAMS

Morning all, well thursday greets us - Thursday?  Really?

Back to the Simple Stories - A Charmed Life - layouts, I was sharing these about a week ago - well I've still not done with the bundle kit that I bought from Jen (seriously good value with what I've managed to squeeze out of this set up to now).

Fairly simple, strip of paper, some of the alpha stickers, creating a 'large' polaroid like frame, punching three hearts out of a corresponding green, a bit of glossy accents.  Hand stitch around some elements, adding a chipboard arrow and some hand journalling.

The photo is when we were on holiday at Beamish Open Air museum enjoying the circular tram route - great fun!

Jen always has a great supply of the Simple Stories range - so you can always check out Wear Crafts website if you want to see what's available.

Hope you have a happy scrapping day!

WEAR CRAFTS - SIMPLE STORIES - EVERY DAY MOMENTS MAKE THE BEST MEMORIES

Good morning, still sharing some Simple Stories layouts from the gorgeous bundle kit I got from Wear Crafts it was such fun to play with.

This layout using a strip of paper with the world's biggest title but I didn't want to break it up - so decided to use it as whole.  I added some strip of blue polka dot either side of the main strip.  Matted the photo, added some elements and hand journalling and finally to make the title pop I added some hand stitching through the word day and the heart! 

Had so much fun with this layout! 

The photo documents said 14 year old at Beamish Museum (having raced along at 3.20 - knowing they close at 3.30pm) and being successful in his pursuit of a portion of coal fired range cooked chips!  It's the little things! 

A TUESDAY MORNING POST - now a Wednesday morning post!

Well the computer is trying to download its anti-virus software which means its on go slow - a little like me this morning. Yesterday was my first day back in work and crikey wasn't it a strange day!  Honestly I don't want a repeat of it today but with two full on meetings its likely to be another difficult one.  However, I set my stall out this week to actually manage more than just my Rocking post, I didn't mind what post just as long as my rocking post wasn't the only post I managed.  So here you have it a Tuesday morning delight - bet you're glad you happened along here.,  Can you tell the sarcasm in my post LOL?

So what have I got to share this morning - actually what have I got to share - hold on let me have a look
- well as you'll have gathered I had to abandon ship yesterday and re-commence this morning - the anti-virus software basically ground everything to a halt - grrrrrr.  But I'm back here and now it's Wednesday Morning - so lets have a Wednesday morning layout or two ! This one is a double layout I don't think I've shared previously from the Masonic Lodge in Beamish!

  Another Angel shot but at a jaunty angle!

 And apparently the way to feed a squirrel is using a peanut on the end of a skewer!

Phew I managed a mid-week post - thanks for looking - hope you're having a great day!

QUICK WEDNESDAY MORNING POST

Morning all, well we were up that early this morning I could still hear the owl twit twooing in the aream well he was twitting I'm not sure where the twooing one was.  The dark nights really are not suiting me.  Today I find myself at home - studying - yesterday's studying was awful, I gave up and went to work instead.  Today's studying is hopefully going to be more productive.  I'm aiming for burst of studying and then a break - I might even craft during the break in the hope then when I come back to more studying I feel a bit more refreshed - but we'll see - I know already that an 8 hour block of studying doesn't work - but I also know that I'm chronically behind at the minute.  So let's see what can be achieved.

I'll let you know how it goes, so what have I got in the blog folder this morning - let's see, ah this one from the cottage in Beamish, the living area was upstairs together with the main bedroom and en-suite and downstairs the kitchen and the second bedroom with en-suite.  Strange but lovely at the same time.  Here are hubby and said 12 year old proving that we do relax when we are on holiday.  The colour scheme again isn't the norm, but remember it was another summer of colour theme the cream with raspberry one - something nut?  Or maybe that's just me.  Anyway I liked it and liked the fact I did a layout with a colour scheme again that I wouldn't normally use.  The cream paper has two masks on it with distress inks, and the usual cross stitch the felt letters which are a bit on the loud side came from a pound shop and are made of felt, I shouldn't grumble at their loudness really should I?

Right where' those books?

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY

Hello my lovely people Friday again - look right to see what this is all about in the meantime here is my list for this week!

Digging deep this week my lovely people

1. My assistant at work coming in an extra day to help with my current workload - much appreciated.
2. Said 12 year old for being chatty about his day and telling me the latest 'gossip' - it's lovely that he's still sharing his days with us.
3. Hubby for being him, listening, being calm and collected, cooking food when he knows I just can't be bothered because I've worked stupid hours and am now absolutely shattered.
4. Said 12 year old for making me watch the last Dr Who episode, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
5. Hubby for buying Snow White and the Huntsman, I was trying to scrapbook at the time but got so distracted with the film that I climbed on the sofa and enjoyed the film thoroughly.
6. Hubby for catching the mahoosive and I mean MAHOOSIVE spider on Wednesday night with an upturned now empty jelly glass said 12 year old had left on the coffee table!! 
7. Trifle - the simple things in life, last time I made one the custard was all a bit watery - this time I put enough custard powder in that you could have stood on the surface of it, I subsequently served slices of trifle! 
8. All the mystery gifts arriving at their home on the Collaborart blog, it's been lovely to see all the gifts and the items people have made with their goodies.
9. White wine on Thursday evening after a very difficult day!
10. Hubby getting himself a new laptop last weekend, he was most impressed at having the option, as usual we had a budget and chose not to stick to it - oh well he got what he wanted and it is a good computer! 
11. Booking a pre-Christmas visit to Center Parcs - I think I'm going to need it! 
12. Sister and her pink hair - made me smile - she's not been a 'mad' colour for a while.
13. Caught up with my brother on his birthday
14. Said 12 year old enjoying brother's chocolate birthday cake 
15. Scrapbook layouts 
16. Pancakes on Sunday morning courtesy of hubby 
17. Cleaning out two kitchen cupboards with hubby on Saturday - he's a star! 
18. The car arriving back in one piece and mended, fingers crossed that the insurance company sort out the excess off the third party - I don't fancy having to foot that bill when you bear in mind it really wasn't our fault!
19. Red Dwarf on catch up and both hubby and son now singing the song! 
20. My lovely bloggers for all your fabulous comments
21. The Wednesday Whine group for keeping me sane (literally)

That's it peeps, the cupboard is bare, but ooh 21 items to be grateful for - not bad in a mad and difficult week.  

I'll leave you with a layout and Mr Linky, first up layout, farmer said 12 year old, this was at a pub near to where we stayed when we were at Beamish and the sign was on a hay bail, said 12 year old couldn't resist posing for the piccie and I could resist scrapbooking it! 

Finally Mr Linky, fancy taking that step back that cuppa tea or coffee and thinking back over the last 7 days - pop yourself a post together and link up here, so we can come and celebrate your gratefuls too.

QUICK TUESDAY RAMBLE AND A LAYOUT

Morning all, just a quick hello to the world this morning, two Chapters of learning are calling my name, as is my breakfast and the kettle!  Well woke this morning wondering - what day is it?  No really what day?  I rambled through a few days - Is it the weekend?  Nope - Thursday - Nope!  Friday (fingers crossed) - nope!  Tuesday no it can't be Tuesday it's got to be later in the week than that - it would appear that I've now taken to wishing my life away because yes people I find it to be only Tuesday - boo hiss!

Yesterday was crazy mad, learning at home, drive to work, work crazy hours, come home, clean, make tea, sit at craft desk and move things around grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, sit in front of TV and talk performance management to hubby who look slightly bemused, bit of TV watching then bed mmmmm not the most exciting of days, but I survived

So thought I'd waffle at you (because I'm good at that) and share a layout, this one from Beamish Open Air Museum earlier in the year, we'd just had a fish and chip lunch from their Fish and Chip restaurant - a coal fired fish and chip restaurant, we'd waited 45 minutes to get to the front of the queue (which was good considering the sign outside indicated an hour and a half wait) and they were mighty fine fish and chips!  So needed the boys to pose for the camera so I could capture the moment, in hindsight a picture of the fish and chips might also have been a good idea - but her everything in hindsight!

I enjoyed this layout, using the colours that my hubby and son were dressed in as a prompt led to me using one of my favourite colour combinations.  Hope you're having a good day!