ROCKING YOUR WORLD 2ND OF 2017

Good morning lovely people, tis Friday (already I hear you cry) and I find myself yet again sat in front of the computer working out where the week has gone and what has been making the silver linings sparkle this week. 

It is time for 

So first up is the completion of my journal for Christmas 2016, its a bit of a strange one, as the thoughts looking back were that at times it was actually hard work (Christmas not the journal), but I think I've managed to hit it with a 'rocking' head on, which means it is actually very positive and upbeat and in the fullness of time it will become the Christmas that happened rather than just the one  I wrote about, if you know what I mean. 

The album, is once again pushing the bolts a little - it isn't splayed out for decorative purposes - it's that full! 

It contains the days out and the trips - the Harry Potter decorations, the new trees, the day, the lull between Christmas and New Year, it includes the cards that I got that had extra messages from loved ones, so that's probably why it is creaking a little. 

I've decided next year I'm going to try a different format, for no other reason than I've done two years with the same sized album and so the pages almost felt repetitive in the process.  

Next up has to be the enthusiasm of said 16 year old, mocks started this week and he was given the topics for his final art piece on Friday last week.  He'd already decided on the theme before he got home on Friday night, I love the variety of all the options, I think its a shame that they've homed in on very famous artists and that there appears to be an over emphasis on the fashion designers and creating fashion pieces, bearing in mind that they've never actually been taught how to put clothing together.  

Needless to say it won't be an item of clothing that he is making and it is still very early in his thought process.  Although he has clear ideas on what he doesn't want to do, as he has reflected on a couple of pieces from previous years. 

This photo was him maxing the internet connection to find some artists that fall within his remit. Hubby was confused where the "mind mapping the art" statement came from - I obviously added it to the photo!  

Then I have replenished my birthday card stocks.  I did lots and lots and lots of art last year around the Sheffield Herd and didn't do anything with them, I also did a batch of quirky paintings based on weird looking art dolls, you'll be pleased to know that they have been converted into birthday cards.  I started out using a wet glue which wasn't fun, so I charged up my new cordless glue gun (bought courtesy of hubby for Christmas) and blitzed my way through (using up a large quantity of glue sticks in the process - whoops)

Although I'm not sure who'll want a Zombie Nurse Art doll card or a Zombie elephant come to that!  I might have to do a label for the back, so people understand their origin! 

I also finally managed to put a counterfeit kit together, I think it was rebelling against all the red and green layouts I'd been doing over Christmas, plus the colour scheme is so me! 

The week has fair tripped along, bumping into my niece with her friend in the local shopping centre last Friday night was lovely.  Buying a few new magazines was a good start to the weekend, enjoyed spending time reading them this week. 

The weekend disappeared all too quickly, but I enjoyed watching Romeo and Juliet over the weekend in preparation for said 16 year old's English exam.  It's ages since I've seen that version - I'd forgotten how quirky it was and how young Leonardo DiCaprio was in it! 

Work has been busy busy - mind you juggling jobs will do that to you.  I've got some significant pieces of work coming up and intend on spending a little time on each of my jobs today, getting my head around what I need to make progress (or better still making progress). 

I also had a catch up with my cousin on the phone, initially last Friday - we put the world to rights for about 2 hours! 

And then again in the week when she had a concern/issue, thankfully it was quickly resolved, but I was glad to be around for her when she needed me.  

I'm going to make a concerted effort to have more communication this year, whether it be written (yes letter writing is coming back), mail art - my favourite, re-establishing links I've lost (I've already managed one of those in January when a friend from years ago managed to track me down - I can't begin to tell you how fantastic it has been to touch base again)!  Or just calling people (the two hour phone call last Friday)

I'm also giddy as I know the lovely Donna is sending me some mail art (squeal), we collaborated on a journal a couple of years ago and had such fun! 

And I've made a start on my Wanderlust 2017 class - made a start - by watching the videos not by creating I'm hoping to sort week 1's today if I'm honest - I'm struggling to find images to use and have to track down a journal! 

I'm looking forward to the second class but hoping it isn't as long as I am somewhat impatient.

I hope you have had a fabulous week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together, pop back and link up so we can come and visit - ooh I had an extra Rockette last week - Michelle joined me, Kate and Lisca - which made me very happy - hope all you ladies are well! 

ESCAPE - COUNTERFEIT LAYOUT 9

Good morning, now the Potter's house at Harry Potter world, a full sized prop to enjoy on a beautiful blue skies day! 

I've been using my counterfeit kit to document this amazing day, if you fancy joining in then check out their blog 

http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

ENJOY TODAY - COUNTERFEIT LAYOUT 7

Now it amazed me when we went to Harry Potter world of all the props that must have taken days, weeks, months and possibly years to create that we didn't get chance to enjoy on the film.  The 'puking pastille' model was one of those items and so we had great fun making sure we captured a photo whilst we were at Harry Potter World. 

This is another counterfeit layout from this months kit, check out their blog below! 

http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

It really was an amazing day!

LOVE THIS MOMENT - COUNTERFEIT KIT LAYOUT 5

I didn't have enough papers left to add to this layout and I had a pack of new stamps, so I set too creating a fun background using distress inks, to document this photo!

Yet another layout using my counterfeit kit 

http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

COUNTERFEIT KIT - OOH IT'S BEEN A WHILE

Good morning lovely people, well it has definitely been a while since I joined in with a counterfeit kit, some of the kits didn't speak to me so I opted out as it were, other month's just raced passed.  But this month with the arrival of over 400 photos - I was determined to get plenty scrapbooked and the counterfeit kit is always an amazing way to get lots of layouts done.  So without further ado this is my kit for the month

So as always I start with the papers, I just kept adding to the pile out of my stash!

Then I found lots of embellishment items to add to the kit

Hit the scraps box 'just in case'

And then used the link on the counterfeit blog for the frames before adding sentiments inside and printing off!

So I'm all set for this month!

COUNTERFEIT KIT BLOG HOP - CHALLENGE #1 - LAYOUT 30

Good morning lovely people my turn on the Counterfeit Kit blog hop for March.

You should have arrived here from Laura over on Beads and buttons click here to go back if you need

If you get lost along the way - then you can always head back to the Counterfeit Kit blog here

I took up the first challenge this month and unusually for me I've stuck to just the one - that challenge was to do with borders.  In amongst my kit was a very 'regimented' paper made of hexagons I decided that if I put the inner section out I had a pre-made border, which I could add to with a different middle paper - I had a lot of fun and it will make me rethink some of my papers in future.  Additions of washi tape, a few strips of paper and some punched hearts.

The photo documents skimming of stones - which became more 'lobbing of rocks' if I'm honest.  But they both had great fun!

Right next up on the blog hop is the lovely Sherrie who can be found here 

And this is the total blog hop list in all it's glory

CKCB      http://www.counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com

Lisa           http://lisahausmann.blogspot.de

Clair       http://obstinatepursuit.blogspot.com

Gemma                http://thesteelenook.blogspot.co.uk

Margie      http://scrappinmargie.blogspot.com

Tina        http://tinasscrapcorner.blogspot.com

Laura        http://beadsbuttonsandbirds.blogspot.co.uk

Virginia http://celtichouse.blogspot.co.uk

Sherrie                 http://sherriesmuddlepuddle.blogspot.ca

Jemma http://just-jimjams.blogspot.co.uk

COUNTERFEIT KIT 19 20 21 AND 22

Morning all well another few layouts out of my kit this morning and first up a layout to make you smile, this is my niece who has developed a great hair flick, we were on our way down to the beach when hubby managed to capture it on camera!  It made me smile when I downloaded it later as I had no idea that he'd caught it on camera!

A blend of floral paper, plain cardstock and some wooden elements with a tiny sticker title!

Next up a layout documenting some unsuccessful geo-caching and the height of said 14 year old!

Snowdrops at Yorkshire Sculpture Park an absolute delight to see, a mix of papers and washi tape and some blue alphas

This one documenting the beach in February, I tried to lift the grey colours in the photo and use that blue hint in the sea as it were and blended orange as it's contrasting colour!

Hope you're having a happy scrapping day!

CKCB LAYOUTS 9 10 and 11

Morning all it's a gorgeous morning here in Yorkshire - blue skies the works.

So the next three layouts to share with this morning and yes after I took the photo I noted I'd missed the stitching on the bottom left of this - you'll be pleased to know I have resolved that.

I loved this perfectly frosty leaf on the floor at Center Parcs it reminds me of that lovely walk and that cool crisp morning when me and hubby were wandering around the park before it woke up - bliss!

This is one of those 'almost done' papers you know the ones.  So I just added some diamonds and chipboard shapes, the photo and Eternity title and some hand stitching to create the layout.  View over the Dales on a trip out!

And finally this morning a perspective shot - it makes said 14 year old look huge - well he has certainly outstripped both me and hubby - but not to this degree LOL!  I used my wavy boards that I got at Christmas as part of a Secret Santa swap from Karen, used a chalkboard sticker and a little bit of heart stitching - which is mighty subtle and journalled using - that fabulous white pen!

Hope you have a happy scrapping day.

COUNTERFEIT KIT - FINALLY

Good morning, well it would appear that I haven't got off to a roaring start with my counterfeit kit this month - absolutely incorrect!  I put the kit together on the first it's just trying to find decent light levels to photograph layouts that I'm struggling with!

Finally downloaded the photo of the kit and yes before you say it - it is a big kit, but the joy of doing this challenge is that I get to combine lots of different manufacturers (rather than staying safe with just one), I get to use up lots of paper that I might not always use and because it's all colour coordinated I can just crack on.

I also grabbed lots of little bits to add to the kit, these are out of a box full of 'extras' that I've created or made, plus a few doilies and some washi tape!

Another view of that kit

I will start sharing layouts now I've finally got a few photographed, I didn't get off to the roaring start of January if I'm honest and I'd only managed a scattering of layouts by Friday, thankfully Six Nations Rugby meant an afternoon at the craft table on Saturday afternoon and I pulled together 23 layouts, which I completed yesterday evening.  The kit is almost empty!

GOOD MORNING - MORE COUNTERFEIT KIT LAYOUTS 19 20 and 21

Good morning, I hope I find you well this morning, I wake to yet another snowy scene this morning here in Yorkshire, but the office is open, so I'll be venturing in a short while.

Anyway I digress slightly here I am sharing yet more counterfeit kit layouts.

First up is a layout of my sister at my birthday meal last year, we gathered all the glasses from the table around her for the photo to make it look like she was having a complete party!  In my UK Scrappers Secret Santa at Christmas, Karen (my Secret Santa as I subsequently discovered), included some wavy boards, which were designed to be painted/inked/covered in paper and used on layouts, however I've found they are also great to draw around and cut papers - so my new obsession is wavy board elements on my layouts as you can see on this layout.  It broke up the pretty pink paper which was one of those 'almost done' sheets.

Next up the first of two pages which looks as though it's not finished - it is it's just that I don't have permission to share the photos to appear on the two white blocks as they include a lot of school friends.  However, rest assured that they are now complete and ready for my scrapbook album. They also make a double page spread, so I could include plenty of photos around the day!

I had fun including hand stitching on lots of these layouts that I've done over the last few days.  The photo in this one shows the final colour station on the colour assault course.  We thought we were out of the 'zone' of paint, but can confirm that boots, coats and clothing would disagree on that front.

So have I exhausted my layouts for this month, well the kit, even with top up is pretty empty now, but I've still got some layouts to share, including some on the blog hop on Saturday morning!

COUNTERFEIT KIT LAYOUTS 4, 5 & 6

Good morning, well more layouts created from my kit, I love this kit, it's always fun once I've put it together to see what I can create from it!

More pink layouts which is definitely outside the norm of what I create, this was one of those, lots of squares of paper left over how do they fit on a page.  The photo documents a day trip on my birthday last year.  I used a chipboard letter as the 'title' as it were.

Next up double page spread that I created, quite simple, pink paper, washi tape either side, butterfly stickers and a turquoise fine liner.

The photos document an art installation at Chatsworth last year during the Beyond Limits exhibition.

And here it is as a double page spread.

Hope you are having a happy scrapping time with your kit.

COUNTERFEIT KIT - LAYOUTS 1, 2 AND 3

Good evening, well I set too with my kit the other day as I was still off from work and had great fun creating - 16 layouts in the afternoon.  I know I know crazy stuff, I haven't finished with the kit yet, but I thought I'd show the first three layouts.

First layout, I had fun just playing with the papers and adding some washi tape too.  I also matted the title onto a chipboard bingo card.  The photo is of said 14 year old and niece having a rest (another rest) when we went out for a day trip to Chatsworth last year!

Next up one of the many pink layouts that I created, I don't usually get chance to do pink layouts given that my main person to scrapbook is said 14 year old, however I had great fun with this, added some corkboard arrows and a yellow sticker element that I've had forever!  The photo me and my sister 'sampling' the alcoholic beverages at Chatsworth Country Fayre last year - we had no idea the photo was being taken LOL!

And yet another photo of these two having a rest!  I enjoyed using up some flag stickers I had and kept the layout really simple!

I shall share the next layouts shortly, hope you are enjoying your kit!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY AND LAYOUT 21 OF THE CKCB CHALLENGE

Good morning, tis Friday - which means it's time to step back, reflect and consider what positive moments we have to be grateful for that have occurred in the last seven days.  The art of gratitude is something I've been celebrating every Friday for several years, in times gone by we've had a handful of people that have joined in and done the same and I've been able to visit your happy moments too.  At the minute we are thin on the ground but I still love doing my post.  Inspired by Kate, my current Rockette who embraces the concept and shares every week I thought I'd try for a few more photos in the post - hope this brightens your day too.

So without further ado here we go, changing the main colour scheme in our bedroom recently I wanted a new lamp in the room and look what I found - I love it!

A lunch time meal out with hubby, I tried to get a photo of the beer and the background but hubby decided that his beer was going to photobomb the picture - hence his name Mischief 1 (Mischief 2 being said 13 year old).  However, it made me giggle so this is the picture I'm sharing.  Sometimes it's the little things, just being in each other company, chatting about life, holding hands - bliss I tell you!

Another happy my creativity from the first prompt with the summer of colour challenge, I was so happy to manage to make lots of little pieces of art, great fun too!  I'm currently fighting with week 2 colours but they will submit they will!

Crikey we seem to have drunk beer all week LOL - we stopped off for a beer and to enjoy the sunshine!

See more beer, actually it's the beer I'm relating to in the picture above, I'm going to blame the weather LOL.  But again this was one of those times when all three of us sat and chatted and enjoyed the summer.

Sharing a bowl of rather tasty chips, well said 13 year old was hungry and it would have been rude not to!

See I do drink other things as well.  This is my new cup brewing a rather tasty orange ice cream tea - which it has to be said was lovely!

Cream tea anyone?  These were ginger and rhubarb scones with jam and clotted cream for me and hubby.  Said 13 year old was less impressed with his chocolate and beetroot cake it has to be said.

You see I did do something else other than eat and drink this week.  This is the muniment room inside Hardwick New Hall.  It contained the documents relating to land and property ownership for the surrounding area if my memory serves me correctly, however, we saw it as potential inspiration for the wand shop in Harry Potter!

Speaking of Mr Potter, Hardwick New Hall was used for the external scenes linked with Malfoy Manor, not that you'd know that from any of the National Trust books that we bought, this scene in particular reminded us of it as they went along the conifer hedging on the way in as it were.  If my memory serves me correctly they altered the top, obviously having to get rid of the ES initials on the building Elizabeth of Shrewsbury wanted to ensure everyone knew it was her house!

You see what I mean about the two of them - they can't help it!  These perspective shots allowed you to appreciate the symmetry of Hardwick New Hall, however they also created a fabulous photo - unless said 13 year old's fingers got in the way!

And then to add to the fact we had finally on about our fifth attempt got to Hardwick New Hall, we discovered literally next door is the ruinous Hardwick Old Hall and being English Heritage members we got to visit that as well!  I loved the shot from the ruined Old Hall to the New Hall, although strangely enough they were built around the same time.

The rest of the week has been a blur and as usual I haven't taken many photos of grateful moments, however there have been a few, hubby and me getting on with jobs in the house of an evening.  I've finally found a home for my material boxes which had lived under the stairs and never got used as a result.  I've also now got a home for my needle felter and I've moved my sewing machine so it's easier to access.

Getting the lawn sorted front and back of house and cleaning the interiors of the cars made for a busy evening too.  I love that you can really make the most of summer evenings.

The biggest job however this week has been sorting out under the stairs.  One of those jobs that you really don't want to do but know it's a necessary.  Well it's done I can now walk in there and know pretty much what is where!

Finally said 13 year old was on a sleepover at school last night (team building for his trip to Lesotho next November) and so me and hubby decided to have a wander and find a nice eatery.  We ended up in Las Iguanas and ordered tapas, I loved the bright interior and the music in the background.

And the tapas was lovely too!

I hope you've all had a fabulous week, with lots of positives.

I'm going to pop on another layout of a counterfeit kit layout (because I can) and then Mr Linky for you to join in with.  It's actually a relief to get this one on paper, I've picked these two photos up so many times and put them back, I actually trimmed them a little to make them work better.  The arch was at Enginuity last year when we visited and the hope was to get a sequence of photos as it was built, but it literally needed three of us to do it, hence the starting photo and the finished photo!

So if you fancy joining us then pop a blog post together listing your positives, come back and link up and we will come and visit.

Mr Linky