SUSIE I FOUND IT actually BECKY ON UKS DID PLUS A LAYOUT LOL

Morning all, well it's a beautiful blue skies morning here in Yorkshire, not sure how long it will last, on Friday I posted a layout that used a Shimelle sketch, using bordered papers and Susie asked if I could locate the post for her as she fancied giving it a go.  Despite spending some time searching I couldn't find it for the life of me, so I put a plea out on UK Scrappers and Becky replied giving me the link, so a big thank you to Becky!!!!

The link is here http://www.shimelle.com/paper/1301/scrapbooking-sketch-of-the-week/  it's a fabulous sketch and really useful for all those gorgeous bordered papers, in fact Susie, you might have set me off on another task doing some more of these because I really did like the layout.

Talking of which here's another one to share (unfortunately not using that sketch LOL)

Quite a subtle one for me, I liked using up some of my older embellishments, I've had these metal tags forever, they were the Papermania box of tags, I removed the string tag, added a couple of metal brads and a 'happy' sticker that I'd mounted on co-ordinating green.

 And another at the bottom of the page, it's a great way of using up old stickers and things that you've had in your stash supply forever!

OOH BUT SOME TIME TO CRAFT...

Sometimes you go to amazing lengths to bring about some dedicated crafting time, just to see it disappear for whatever reason I do hope this doesn't turn out to be the case later but at the moment I'm not going to hold my breath!

This layout documents said 10 year olds recent take on a crisp butty - literally 2 slices of bread and a packet of crisps put together, it made me giggle so I documented it with a photo (of course) this is one of those typical layouts that I get so far and go - it's not done - and then I need my signature element adding - the handstitching that I've become quite well known for! 

Close ups of the red and white handstitching and the faux metal made with silver mirror card and black acrylic paint.

Hope you like and hope you are having a beautiful Sunday ours is proving busy - despite it being a day off!

SORRY I'M LATE FOR ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY!!!!

The excuse?  I was having a lie in - rusty halo syndrome from last night meant I felt the need to sleep and drink more tea first!  In answer to your question the wine was good as I was in the mood for a drink long story but maybe not for Rocking Your World so I won't bore you...

Anyway

So top of list is hubby for rescuing me a few times to do with work this week - he is a star, he's also off today in his work gear sorting blinds out for the utility as we speak - how awesome is he!!!!! He came home early yesterday and took today off so long weekend ahead of us, which is bliss!

My sweetheart son, he is such a soft soul and such an amazing person he's attempted (yet again) to interact with the kids locally but they are just so awful and cruel and he came back in yesterday in floods of tears honestly at times like this we do seriously consider upping sticks and finding somewhere else, but we like the house and the area just not the pretentious children and he is an only child so tell me how do we sort this?  I'm at a loss, this is the first time he's been out playing on his bike etc during the school holidays - his choice, which means he's not getting as much exercise as he was last year, his partner in crime has moved home and it's so reminiscent of my childhood when my childhood friend moved home and I didn't regain that camaraderie until I was into my teens when we moved house and I found some new friends, but if we're not moving how is he ever going to be able to make more friends  I've gone off at a tangent haven't I but genuinely if you have any advice that might help my sanity chip and help him can you let me know because I have this same issue ever single summer holiday and it's starting to wear thin - and before you ask I'm not the most sociable of people or should I say I'm not good at opening my house up but I'm willing to try anything if it helps!

Anyway other Rocking parts of my week, a pot of coffee out on the patio last weekend with hubby - sheer and utter bliss!

Shimelle's cybercrop has also been a great part of my week, particularly as she gave us 'ample' time to achieve the layouts I was on with another one last night!

The local craft shop having a few 'grab bags' available again

Said ten year old has said that 'not being at work' should be Rocking my World, what he doesn't know is all the extra hours I've been doing ongoing to get on top of the issues at work - bless!  Think he is probably talking about today!

OOH and finally CARMEN'S BACK - WOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - SPOTTED HER FIRST POST LAST NIGHT - WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, WE HAD THE FANFARE EARLIER IN THE WEEK AND THE JELLY AND ICE CREAM AND YOU DIDN'T TURN UP - WE'VE LEFT THE BUNTING OUT BUT MIGHT HAVE TO HEAD TO THE SHOPS FOR BREAD FOR FRESH BUTTIES?  WE MISSED YOU!!!!!!!!!!

So that's it, I haven't dug deep this week, these are the things that have 'sprung' to mind, so they are genuine Rocking moments, as I've always said they don't have to be extensive, or amazing, or inspiring or different, they just have to be moments in your week that have made your world happier and brighter and these are mine for this week.

If you fancy joining in, then do a blog post and bring your link here, leave a comment and away we go and if you are sat saying there are no positives in your week think a little harder there may be something that has made life a little easier, or brought a smile to your face - a phone call?  a comment?  There you go - that's a Rocking moment and it's what makes us Rockers (I will get a Rocker joining in one of these weeks I will) and Rockettes say thank you for being here, thank you for being surrounded by people who love us and accept and appreciate us just for who we are and make our lives complete!

Can't leave you without layouts - praise Shimelle on this one because the bag is looking mighty empty at the moment!

This is my take on the aqua, red and white challenge - I looked at this and thought?  Really?  When I hit the colour red I almost always team it with navy I would never in a million years have teamed it with white and aqua before this challenge and yet I absolutely adore this layout and therefore another Rocking moment for taking me out of my (unknown til now) comfort zone!

I sprayed up the background with an aqua colour wash and stencil and played away (helped along by the photo of said 10 year old and his red coat!)  A close up shows some of the detail!

So there you go another Rocking post

Mr Linky below if you're joining us, if you don't have time or a blog but fancy leaving a comment I love to know whose been toddling along here!

May you have a truly beautiful and blessed weekend! 

GOOD MORNING - THURSDAY ALREADY

Morning all, been up since just gone six, managed to tumble some clothing but the ironing pile is still as big - drat - might have to get the ironing board out shortly!  Anyway I've been catching up on all the beautiful blogs I follow, I've watched art journal videos with Dyan, seen cards, caught up with peoples lives and it's been a blissful hour so thank you one and all!  Plus Dyan's video has made me feel all creative so I'll be off hunting out some craft items later!  Said 10 year old is still fast asleep in bed and I've managed to have two cups of tea as well as set the dishwasher going - life is good!

How did work go?  It was long I was there hours and I felt like I achieved nothing (usual superwoman thing - what do you mean I didn't manage to cross off at least half of my to do list whilst I was in work) etc.

Anyway wanted to share another Shimelle layout that I've don, the challenge was to refrain from the normal embellishments and use paper to embellish a page, I've used some papers out of my Hippy Chick stack the back ground of which is a plain orange stripe and then used other papers from the collection to create the elements on the page, one page I'd already part used in another layout and so I used elements of that along the top of the photo of my and my hubby as well as in the corners, then I used another piece that had strips of other elements to punch out the hearts, create the wave along the bottom and add to the top and bottom of the Hogwards Castle photo, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and it is a technique I've used before, the great thing with creating embellishments from paper is that you can get them to completely 'match' the papers you are using if you are using them from a stack of papers!

Close up detail of the punched border and the hearts - as you can see the papers completely compliment each other!

So there you go another Shimelle layout I'm hoping to get chance to do some more later on but we'll see what today brings (at the moment its bringing an oversized ironing pile - hey ho - off to do battle with it!)  Catch ya later!

WEEK DISAPPEARING, BEHIND ON BLOGS AND A CLASS OR TWO FROM SHIMELLE

Morning all, plan for this week was to keep up with blogs and craft to retain sanity chip - not happening on all counts, so I need a mass blog read catch up and some down time to do more crafting, however, I did decide to do a few layouts following Shimelle's cybercrop over the weekend, which gave us a whole week to create the layouts, which I love, I've often wanted to do the cybercrops on UKScrappers but my crafting fits into my family life and a whole weekend creating is not something I can 'afford' so I often sit on the sidelines looking at the fabulous creations as they happen.

The first challenge Shimelle set was to create a layout using a 'sketch' that she had produced (actually she'd produced the basic page layout she shared before adding photos, title, journaling etc) so this is my interpretation of said layout! Now this isn't my normal 'colour' scheme because you just don't get the opportunity to mix purple and yellow very often - but it went with the picture so as you can see I was 'digging' deep into the paper pile to do the photo justice which meant using up some very very old papers - so a plus on many counts, first joining in a cybercrop, the second actually creating a layout and the third using up old paper!  What could be better!

Right off to mow the back garden and try and entice said 10 year old to get himself in the shower, something he promised hours ago!  Then off to work this afternoon - the statement - DON'T ASK!  Comes to mind and where is said 10 year old being abandoned today - well DH has come to the rescue - guess whose going to be top of the Rocking list this week!  Ah well must dash - promise to have a read of your beautiful blogs later (might be much later like tomorrow but you never know). 

THANK YOU AND A LITTLE CRAFTING

Just wanted to say thank you to you all for your kind words they are very much appreciated at the moment, given how difficult this week is proving to be add into that the news that the funeral will be Friday night into church and Saturday morning actual funeral you can imagine that this is not getting much easier.  Whilst not wanting to dwell on yesterday's post what it does remind me of is how amazing you all are, I didn't want to put anything too lengthy on my facebook page as there are many of us going through this grieving process.  I did want to document it here as it felt like a more 'permanent' home, so thank you for listening even though it wasn't a cheery post, my blog friends you are simply awesome! 

Talking of facebook - my brother's status yesterday brought a smile and a tear and before it gets lost into the depths of facebook I thought I'd put it here as well - he's always been fabulous with words

"thinks somewhere a very feisty old lady is being met by a very giddy Jesus in a party hat.  Goodnight Grandma, another beautiful star learns to shine in the nightsky" - like I said beautiful words

Anyway at times like this you start to appreciate how fabulous crafting is - basically because when life is hard it's something to 'throw yourself into' completely to allow your brain some download time.  I'm not coping particularly well and have spent two days moving paper around my desk at work - (worrying when you consider that I should be running payroll LOL!)

Anyway some recent crafting came from a link on someone's blog (apologies cannot recall whose) indicating that Shimelle does a sketch every Wednesday - well not one to shirk a sketch I discover one that required 4 squares on the sketch and it meant I could drag out all those value packs of 6" x 6" (I never understand why I buy them - think they are value for money then realise I can't really use them on a 12 x 12 layout) and generate some great layouts - this one

which I loved doing and loved it so much I did this one (excuse hubbies warped sense of humour LOL)

and then this one which I love the colour combinations on - I did the journaling around the edge on the latter two because it worked! 

So I'm off to do some more crafting tonight in the hope it's not just paper rearrangement!