APPARENTLY NORMALITY ABOUT TO RESUME...I'M NOT READY

Good Morning you beautiful people, it's Monday the 3rd September, shall I say that again 3rd of September, we are into the 9th month of the year, in 10 days time I'm not going to be managing very well as I reach the big 4 - 0h dear do I really?  I'm trying to psyche myself up for it but it's not working (if I'm honest).

And it's two days before said 11 year old commences secondary school, with two bus journeys to get to said school (and a change in the bus station).  Life as we know it is going to change forever (gulp).

So I thought before I head out back to work this morning after an almost two weeks break (and I'm sooooooooo not ready for going back to work).  That I would pop a quick post together so that I remember that I like crafting and that I have wonderfully bloggy friends and to not make this day a day of work work and a bit more work (but it's likely to be just that).

So without further ado this is a double page layout I created from some photos taken last Summer.  Our local town has been extremely run down for many years, it never really recovered after the local major  shopping centre opened if I'm honest, but a couple of years ago the council paid a company to convert some of the derelict areas and shops into giant pieces of artwork, and me and said 11 year old had a wander around town with a camera to have a proper look at them.  When I got home I used 3" squares to create these two pages, 3" squares to create pages like this are great if you have ever bought those 6 x 6 packs, because you can convert them into full 12 x 12 layouts without having the cost of the bigger packs!

Up close you can see the pictures, I used a mask to make the papers slightly more uniform, I also used some stitching templates to create arrows on the layouts a few scraps of ribbon and some hand written journalling and they were all complete

 A couple of wordy statements taken from very very old scrapbook pages and it was completed

So if you're stuck for an idea today and have some time and a stack of 6 x 6 papers, why not drag them out and have a go, I stuck them to the page fillers you get inside scrapbook albums.  Have fun!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - DARCY'S 3RD WEEK ACKNOWLEDGE AND LIFE

Good Morning Rockers and Rockettes alike and welcome to Rocking Your World Friday 

 Wow what a week it's been,  I mean seriously hard work but I'm sure I can dig deep and come up with some gratefuls somewhere 

erm 

erm

mmmm

this shouldn't take this long should it 

erm, right brain in gear are you ready, eyes down starter for ten no conferring

hubby - just for knowing me - in all honesty how he puts up with me sometimes I don't know - mentally I've been off line at home all week, when things get tough at work it's how I cope - so he gets the vacant blank look to deal with at home (and no before you ask that's not how I normally look)

said 10 year - because he has made me smile this week, he decided to have a conversation the other week about typewriters as though they were an elusive item - to which I reported to him that mine was in the loft - therefore hubby had to take a trip up there and find said item - and 10 year old was happy for about 2 minutes - I told him before he played with it that it had had it but that I kept if for sentimental reasons (my Dad bought it me for my 10th birthday) but he persevered.  Then I said to him that we'd have to ask my Mum if she ever got them in the Charity Shop that she manages.  You've guessed it she'd got two that she couldn't sell - apparently nobody wants them.  So along we went and he tried out both models making the choice and assisting his mother (yes me) in parting with £3.  But it has kept him happy, he is going through full sheets of computer paper like its going out of fashion and the sheets only contain one sentence - but they've been fun.  Think I'll include them on an art journal page somewhere - just not quite sure in what context.

Talking of said 10 year - another happy moment was yesterday - well happy is probably the wrong word, he said to me in the car coming home from school - "what's the blackbird song Mum?"

So I sit in the car trying to recall the words to Sing a Song of Sixpence (badly) and I start saying it - but he frowns at me - so I think he definitely wants me to sing it - so I warble my way through the worlds worst rendition of the song.  Get to the end of it and he says "what is it for 2 magpies Mum?"

So I go through the saying "one for sorrow two for joy etc" - and he says "so 2 is for joy?"

Then the penny drops and I say "You didn't mean the blackbird song did you you meant the magpie saying" 

to which he grins and says "yes"

We both set off laughing - "you ratbag" I said - "You had me singing a nursery rhyme in the car like it was normal, true laughter is such a gift for which I am grateful.

Full family tidy ups meaning the job takes less than an hour before the house is back into tidy mode.

Work colleagues giving me time management tools to try and keep my sanity chip in place, not guaranteed that it will work but it has certainly made me feel valued as a person.

My garden space, I moan about it because of its tiny size and the face its north facing so gets very little in the way of sun but it was lovely to spend time in it last weekend tidying it up, now all I need is a flamethrower for the front garden and I'll be happy.

Darcy's 52 week word challenge (I'm on a catch up) but it's been bliss to work through up to now - she's given the words and the a definition and then some thought provoking points to consider - click the button on the top right if you want to find out more, plus and this is the best part - the group currently taking part are simply awesome - seriously fabulous individuals, that have had me giggling, laughing and smiling all week! 

Here is the third weeks word - acknowledge and yes it is that red in real life!

For those of you who happen to wander here for scrapbooking purposes this one should give you a giggle

OK so you're thinking why are you supposed to be giggling - because in my infinite wisdom I did quite a lot of stitching on this one, go on look at it, the yellow thread was a brand new skein of embroidery thread and this layout - wait for it - used it all up - yes that is right a whole skein on one layout and yes before you ask it does weigh an absolute ton, close ups to show the threads - yes I am that mad - there are more wholes in this layout than a colander!

another close up 

So that should suffice the Rockettes, the art journallers and the scrapbookers amongst you!

Ooh hold up 

• listening - Burning in the Skies - Linkin Park
• eating - actually eaten the usual raspberry and blueberry porridge with banana
• drinking - it's empty - sod - was drinking tea it was nice hence it being empty
• wearing -black work trousers and blue wrap top
• feeling -what will today at work bring and why oh why can the weather man not get the weather right!
• weather -Hurrumph - drizzling despite the full line of washing wave in the air - wonder if it's blustery enough for it to dodge the raindrops?
• wanting - to help my sister who is having the worst of worse times at work at the minute and I feel so helpless, let's just say work place bullying is downright nasty, but I'm a big believer in karma and what goes around... just hoping little sister can keep her head above water whilst we work out a way forward!
• needing - a punchbag to get rid of my frustration
• thinking - if it doesn't stop raining I'm going to get grumpy
• enjoying - listening to music 
• wondering -whether I can get the washing dried off before I leave for work in 20 minutes now I've had to bring it in?  Probably not!

Right if you got to here give yourself a pat on the back - you've survived the weekly ramblings of what's Rocking Your World Friday and you need to be congratulated on that and if you are as mad as me (and hopefully they'll be lots of you) then write a post about what's Rocking Your World this week and then come back and link so we can come and visit you too and please pretty pretty please, leave a comment and your link in there as well because Mr Linky disappears after a week and we won't know where to find you if we want to look back and visit you in the future!   

CHRISTMAS PAPERS DON'T HAVE TO BE JUST FOR CHRISTMAS

One of my pledges this year (I didn't make resolutions) is to blog regularly - so here I am - did you miss me? Did you? What do you mean no - LOL!

Anyway a very quick Wednesday post before my poor eyes give out completely - they've spent 8 hours looking at one of these flickering VDU screens so have to be quick! 

I spent quite some time doing this layout, using some very old basic grey papers I'd got which were technically called Dasher (if my memory serves me) primarily because they were Christmas papers - but I love Christmas papers that turn out to be just that little bit versatile!  On this layout I literally sat cutting the larger flowers out which was most fun, glossy accents and journaling along the leaves, some stitching (well you have to don't you) and a hand cut frame - hard work but worth the effort because I'm really pleased with the finished results!  Managed to use a few brads up in the layout too so using up old supplies

stamped the title, used glitter pens to colour in and then glossy accents to finish 

then the stitching led to some more stamping

 and finally the handcut flower highlighted with glossy accents and a brad!

 Hope everyone is having a good evening, I've read a few blogs tonight where life is throwing the odd curve ball at people and so just to let you know that you're in my thoughts! If you happen to pop by say hello!

 

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF AN ART JOURNAL AND SHOPPING

Well I sat down last night to a little art therapy, I've officially started my 'year in the life of an art journal' which started from this blog I'd scribbled and scrawled the other night through the "WHAT?" question so it was about really going for it last night.  

 

As you can see scrawly writing on the left hand side, just having a little rant, although the original prompt said to cover it up I've made it scribbly and scrawly enough to struggle to see what I've written, only I really know what I'm waffling on about so I added a little water to make it look a little more 'lived in' and pretty much left it as it was

but boy did I go to town on the right hand page

 

I started with a little paint, and then had a rummage in my desk box - this is basically where I throw all the things I haven't used on layouts so it's full of all sorts of things, from ribbon and buttons to sparkly stars and eyelets.  In amongst this I found some 'free gifts' from a home magazine I got before Christmas, they were silver stars and pretty uninspiring but then I realised that the other side was shiny - so out came the few alcohol inks I've got and away I went making a mess - I mean having fun!

I tried sticking them down with glossy accents but they kept coming unstuck - so nothing for it but to get our the paper piercer and some embroidery thread - much more like it!

In the box I also found some test pieces of alcohol inking from a scrapbook class, so they were torn up (lovingly of course) and stuck down!  Then eyelets and some offcuts of ribbon from my Christmas day top that I bought before Christmas - does anyone use those silly bits of ribbon on tops - whilst they are still on the tops or have manufacturers actually colluded with scrappers and art journallers alike and agreed to put ribbon on for us to cut off and embellish pages?

Then I found out some alphabet stickers - you know the ones lurking in the back of the cupboard, and stuck any 'W' 'H' 'A' 'T' that I had on the sheet, any letters that were too offensive (ie - shiny silver) I altered with alcohol inks!  Forget how fast they dry!  Then it was done and I'm really pleased with it!  I then added some eyelets to the front of the book, I've decided that each prompt I'm going to add either something to the front of the book or the back of the book that goes with that prompt - that way the covers reflect the book inside!

And yes I've got the backs of eyelets and messy backs of stitches to contend with on the next page - they already look awesome mmmmmmmmmmmmm - definitely liking this anything goes messy style - what do you think?

Just have to share a little purchase from last night, now yes I know I should have been buying blinds for the bathroom but I couldn't resist how gorgeous are these?

Apparently vanity cases - I think not - ripe for altering!!!!!!!!!!!!!The insides are just as delish!

And what about the clasps!

I mean I just couldn't resist them could I?  Would you have been able to refrain from buying them?  Particularly when I tell you the smaller one was £3.99 and the larger one £5.99 - now what do I do with them?  No honestly what would you do with them?  I don't want them to land in my cupboard of thinks to alter I want to do something with them?

Answers on a postcard or better still comment on my blog!

 

Hope everyone is having a happy Friday, I'm off now to try and buy a few bathroom fitments, we're going to attempt to methodically go through the house this year decorating and making general improvements.  Now what I'd dearly love to do is rip out the bathroom and start again - but money doesn't grow on trees so it's a case of tart it up a bit.  So we've been pricing up some new bits and I've bought new towels etc, then said 9 year old this morning decides to lean with some force on current towel rail - needless to say he was mortified when it came off the wall - screws and all!  So whether we want to or not - new bathroom fitments it is LOL!  Ooh and I've got something else I need to show you, personally think we were barking when we bought them but I wonder what you all think - I'll try and include photo in next blog post - now that's got you thinking hasn't it!

LAYOUTS AND A FUN EVENING

Well I'm having a tidy up in my blog folder so thought I'd put the remainder of the images in there which will hopefully prompt me to take some more photos later! I've got a few new things to show including some more journal pages, a few more Christmas gifts, possibly a tutorial on the box frame book (if I've taken enough images), Christmas cards and a couple of layouts.

I did a scrapbook class recently at my local Scrapbook shop and it was a double page layout, I'd forgotten how much fun double pages were so when I came home I managed to sort a few pages out. The first documents my son's main birthday present, a Lego ferry with opening bow doors and a loading ramp it's part of the Lego Creator set and took a whole week of evenings to build - usually once made as per the book it is quickly deconstructed to be used for some imaginary vehicle but I did warn him he wasn't to do that with this one as it had taken such an age to build!!!! and we'd all ended up getting involved in making it!

Using up older papers the papermania ones I've had forever, in fact they were the first set I bought and I've still got some, combined it with some K & Company papers (which I lurve) including the text parts of the pages.

Close up of the second page, notice tongue hanging out whilst construction in progress - he's so like his Mother!

Another double page, wasn't as happy with this one, but it documents the moment. We went to Weston Park museum in the summer nad there's a computer where you can 'build' your own creature which is then let go into a 'world' to see if it can survive. My little lad loved making it but it lasted all of one minute when released - something to do with a flying animal not being able to swim! The photos weren't great but we had so much fun I had them printed anyway!

Close ups, I used a new set of alphabet stamps for the title but it didn't stand out, so re-printed on little chips of card and stuck them over the top which made it far better!

Other page closer

Finally, sometimes when I get a new 'toy' I go all out, I bought some stitching templates recently and decided to use on this layout, I sat punching holes galore in the page, turning it round and punching more as I went until I'd filled a whole side! It took me hours to stitch and used more than one skein of embroidery thread - teach me for being so clever LOL! Anyway another picture taken on the same day as the trip to Weston Park of the new Sheffield Ferris Wheel or Sheffield Eye or that big circular thing in the middle of town! (even though it was constantly referred to as the London Eye by said child).

So that's it for now, all my images blogged, need to grab the camera and photo some more! Had a great evening last night, sat art journaling with my other half and my son until 11pm (where did the time go). My hubby decided to start his own art journal and not to be outdone by his wife he's started on an A2 pad! Wow imagine the size of the images if you did a double page spread - now there's a thought - goodness knows where we're going to keep it!