Morning lovely people, well Yorkshire greets us - freezing cold this morning and yet again I find it is Monday and am unsure of who stole the weekend! Good weekend overall considering where we were this time last week. Had a lovely day yesterday, little bit of a catch up with family, got some Christmas items at a fayre and managed to make the Christmas pudding on stir it up Sunday!
First up a layout I did from the Beyond Limits sculptures at Chatsworth this one reminded us of a Jaume Plensa due to the lettering on the item, also managed to squeeze in the photo of me and hubby on the steps at Chatsworth, we had a fabulous evening when we went exploring!
Next up my niece's 16th birthday - we went to Mablethorpe - she said she wanted to 'frolic' on the beach - hence the title - she has always loved the beach and being by the sea so it was a fabulous day out. I loved this photo - taken by hubby from the promenade but there were quite a few 'obstacles' appearing in the same (people getting in the way that were completely unrelated to our party), thankfully with scrapbooking, you can use a few design elements to eliminate these out of the photos as it were to bring the eye back to the essential people on the photo!
And the last one shows a sequence of photos caught with these two messing about in the kitchen playing 'sword fighting' with a carrot stick and vegetable peeler, they (and I) were in hysterics, love these two to the moon and back.
So I hope Monday treats you well - have a great day!
Morning all, well Monday greets me overcast and grey, we've got said 15 year old hobbling this morning, think he might have sprained his ankle at the colour run yesterday, so I've used a crepe bandage on it to keep him going, fingers crossed it will be OK today at school. I've warned him no rugby!
So this mornings mix is fairly eclectic, first up some gelli print papers created earlier in the summer for my summer of colour challenge, chopped into squares and then added to accordingly. The photo is me and said 15 year old at Bodnant Gardens earlier in the summer!
Next up photo I took of hubby photographing the moon, think it was supposed to be a blue moon at the time, although on the photo it looks tiny!
Then last years Beyond Limits Sculptures, the things I ask said 15 year old to do to make for an interesting photo, although a year on he isn't always quite so obliging!
Country Fayre last year, just documenting the day! Niece, sister, said 15 year old and hubby!
So that's your lot for today, you might be wondering if the end of the blog folder contents are in sight, the answer to this is yes, but you'll be pleased to know I managed another 25 layouts over the weekend.
Morning all, tis Friday - means only one thing in this house
Well it was the week that included my 43rd birthday and said 14 year old officially became said 15 year old - where does the time go!
So what better way to kick off our birthday weekend with a trip to Chatsworth to preview the Beyond Limits Sculptures, to be honest we had actually seen most of them when we went a few weeks earlier for the evening, but there were no 'write ups' relating to the same and some hadn't arrived at all or were still cordoned off, so you can imagine our delight to rediscover one we were undecided about and to find a few new ones.
This one I loved - probably the bright blue colour against all that greenery!
And the sunset and rust combination was pretty spectacular as well!
It really was a beautiful evening
Some I didn't 'get' like this bronze sculpture - yes it was made of bronze!
We also enjoyed time to stop off and enjoy the gardens
Even the dead seed heads were brilliant as said 15 year old needed photos of growth and decay.
This was one of our favourite sculptures, bronze tree with bunches of apples hanging from it
We even managed a family selfie!
Saturday we woke to grey rain clouds and it really didn't look like it would break if I'm honest, but thankfully the afternoon provided a break in the rain clouds. We jumped in the car and dashed a few junctions up the motorway so we could go and see the poppies at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, I don't think I've ever seen it so busy, however the display was worth it!
Expect to see these photos on a layout shortly!
Next up Sunday was my birthday and despite hesitating over a Minnie Mouse or a Frozen cake (not because I like either but I have scrapbook papers to match), I finally settled on Dave!
And for the afternoon I was surrounded by family, we had a grand afternoon, although I would appear to have my eyes closed on this one!
Monday found us with said 14 year old becoming said 15 year old (where did that year go). Despite having to go to school, he was most impressed with his gifts and we ventured out for a meal and had a different cake when we got home, here he is preparing to make a wish!
The rest of the week has tripped along at a merry old pace as usual, work has been busy but not crazy and I love all the people I work with, which is such a blessing!
I hope you too have had a great week, if you fancy joining in, pop a post together, come back and link up and we shall come and visit.
Good morning, well the week fair trips along at a merry old pace and before I know it I'll be facing the task of my 'Rocking' post tomorrow, but today I'm continuing to share layouts in order to empty the blog folder.
First up me, said 15 year old, niece and sister at Harewood House earlier in the year, we were having a wander in the gardens and this was the long walk back up!
Then me and said 15 year old at Chatsworth for their Lumiere evening, we had a great night, it's a shame they aren't doing it again this year as it was a lot of fun and we got some great photos!
This was Christmas Day last year, hubby sorting out the turkey and said 15 year old dressed in his Minion all in one checking things out on the computer, as we always have a lot of family over in the afternoon the day is always a busy one but I enjoy each element in its own right. This quiet time after presents, prepping food time with hubby and son is utter bliss!
My favourite sculpture at Chatsworth last year for their Beyond Limits exhibition the 'hive' was bronze cast and looked amazing against the different coloured grass!
One of my favourite sculptures at Yorkshire Sculpture Park and it always looks different depending on the time of year due to the tree cover.
And that's your lot for today, you'll be pleased to know the folder is emptying - unfortunately I don't appear to be refilling at quite the same pace!
Good morning, well I find myself faced with a snow day - yay - which means I can pop a post together now I've finally managed to photograph some more of my counterfeit kit layouts.
The photos on these were quite poor if I'm honest, so it made a lot of sense to trim them to a more sensible size and try and centre the images, it also meant I got more on my layout so win win. I've really enjoyed playing with pink in my layouts this month - strange isn't it sometimes when you use something that you wouldn't normally!
The photo was taken at Chatsworth Country Fayre last year of a Spitfire and Hurricane (I think) that were putting on an air display at the time.
Next up one of the amazing sculpture at Beyond Limits last year. I tried to use grey to blend in with the sculpture colour itself (and look more pink).
Finally a photo taken at Luminere last year, one of the few 'well lit' parts of the walk around that evening. Unbeknownst to hubby at the time of taking this photo, he had managed to gain a travelling companion in the form of a spider on top of his hoody, when he came down from the banking I saw it's silhouette. Now I'm not a fan of spider whatsoever, but couldn't cope with the idea of it there - so I was braved and swooped in and knocked it off, hubby didn't know what was happening - I thought that although the photo was quite poor the story was worth documenting. One of the blessing of scrapbooking, it's the little things you remember as well.
So have I exhausted my kit this month - don't be silly still plenty to share later!
Good morning one and all, it's that time of the week again when I take stock and step back and give thanks for the positives over the last 7 days.
First up a family meal out last Friday, twas lovely we went to a restaurant and ordered some lovely food and lots of buy one get one free cocktails! This photo of my sister and my niece was one of the few that was taken on the night. Hubby also arranged for a birthday cake to be brought out and people sang Happy Birthday - it was slightly surreal but lovely!
I also got my pressies early as it were as my sister was due to work the weekend, so I opened up a gorgeous top and a little weekend handbag from my sister and niece, from my Mum I got a beautiful new bag for every day use, with a pale inside (so I can see what's in there) and lots of pockets. I also got a pack of 12 x 12 My Mind's Eye papers which she was surprised to find I didn't already own! So I was thoroughly spoilt!
Saturday, (when it was my birthday I don't know what it is about birthdays but I don't look forward to being a year older and they seem to not have a set format so they don't always feel like birthdays!) However, we set out with best foot forward taking my Mum and my niece with us to have a wander around sculptures at Chatsworth's Beyond Limits. Here we are and (hubby taking photo) wandering up by the cascades.
First sculpture turned out to be our least liked if I'm honest
We liked this bronze sculpture
We thought this one was strange!
And this one a little odd
The hands seemed a bit low - strange
This one seemed to change shape depending on where you stood!
We've seen one like this before
I like the bees and the rock I think it was called rock swarm
This one was quite small although you can't tell from the photo
Weeping willow which is normally at Chatsworth
And this one - my niece said it looked like a graduation - I did say not to tell my sister as she recently graduated LOL!
These two kept needing a rest.
Strange curly rusty sculpture
We liked this one made from five pieces of marble.
These two historical characters
I liked this one.
This one was called hoop-lah
This one was rather strange
The last sculpture we had to queue up to have a proper look - it was done by a Chinese artist and they'd arranged it on the private lawn area of Chatsworth around the circular pond.
It had steam coming from it to make it look like mist - it was called Lost Utopia based on a Chinese fable where a man found Utopia but then tried to return with friends and could never find it again!
We really liked it however, I'll warn you now - avert your eyes if you are of a prudish disposition!
YOU'VE BEEN WARNED lol
Yes this part of the sculpture (actually there were quite a lot of these type of statues amongst it).
I loved the green and the colour of the stone
And a fab view of the house (up close we don't normally get to see it this close).
So a fab day
I got some lovely gifts from friends, this from Sarah
And this from Sam - which I love - my colours too!
Jo's card arrived (eventually after Royal Mail stopped being silly) and she sent me a fabulous hand made postcard which I love - check out Jo's post hereto have a proper look.
Hubby treated me to some scrapping goodies and a gorgeous cup and saucer neither of which I've had chance to photograph.
Sunday was said 13 year old's birthday - he is now said 14 year old.
He was pleased with his haul of lego, nerf and Xbox games, we went to watch Guardians of the Galaxy which he enjoyed and then had an hour at Lock N Load with his Dad whilst I prepared tea.
And all too quickly Monday arrived and back into the working week, however getting chance to make some layouts was lovely. The warmer weather (even though it's been somewhat cloudy) has been quite nice too.
Autumn has definitely started to make it's presence felt, I've seen so many fallen leaves recently that made me do a double take, I actually fancied picking them up, painting the leaves and trying to reglue them back to the tree if I'm honest, I'm sure I've not quite done with summer yet, however, the Beyond Limits visit at Chatsworth definitely marks the commencement of Autumn and therefore maybe I should just embrace it!
So that's my positives for the week, the weekend was full to the brim, the week was a mix of some positives but they are the smaller ones but overall it's been good. The therapy of looking back taking stock and embracing the positives is something I've done for several years, it's a therapy I love to do, it's a therapy that I think others should do and enjoy and I think the world would be a far better and happier place if more people followed my lead, so don't dwell on the negatives but on the positives - you might be surprised at how good life feels when you do it that way.
If you fancy joining in, then pop a post together pop back and link up, at the moment it's just me and Kate that are joining in weekly, but we always love a new rockette on the block, or an old one returning - you are always welcome here.
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