Well it's been a funny start to the week, this virus just won't go, it doesn't want to leave me it's filled my ears so I can't hear (or spell apparently as I used the word 'here' initially grrrrrrrrr), my head so I can't breath, my nose so I need to have shares in balsam tissues at the rate I'm going through them because believe you and me their profits will be rocketing, I ask you when will you leave me be dear virus, when? So I've spoke to Doctor and he wants to see me so we'll watch this space. In the meantime my energy levels mean tea drinking and sitting at my craft desk, often not creating, just sitting but I have managed to stick a few bits of paper to one another in some format to create the odd layout. The lack of energy is seriously affecting me now though so today I'll be mainly resting.
Given that I'm stuck in, you're going to end up with endless supplies of written drivel from yours truly (the above being a prime example) with the odd layout thrown in for good measure to keep it interesting.
So this layout is straight from a UKS cyber crop that I did late last year, and it has to be said is one of my favourite layouts that I've done in a cyber crop, I loved the design of the class, so much so that I repeated the layout several more times (so you can guess that you'll be seeing those layouts soon).
The layout documents the last sport's day that my son had at primary school. As one of the house captains he was set the task of encouraging the younger ones and helping get the equipment back to the starting line, I think he actually did more exercise and running than anyone else that day, running back and forth with skipping ropes, egg and spoons, hoola hoops on and on it went and he did it so utterly willingly! My favourite shot was him bent down encouraging the nursery children (far left on the layout), it showed me just how much he's grown, he seems so old now heading off to secondary school every morning. He is growing into such a fabulous young person though and I know I'm his Mum so I'm biased but honestly he makes my heart flutter every morning when I think of how amazing he is!
Thanks for popping by, if you have the time I love to read your comments, makes me feel less lonely!!!
Well here I am hurtling towards the end of January already, in fact hubby mentioned last Friday that it was only 11 month's until Christmas - I hear you groan LOL! But seriously, that is a whole month of my life almost over again, where does the time fly? Really where does it go?
It has been a funny few weeks, changes with my brother and his girlfriend venturing off to pastures new (Ireland), my sister revising, and essay writing which has meant very little talk time with her. Haven't seen much of my niece, I've been poorly for above a week, we've had huge amounts of snowfall and I've started a course of tablets from the hospital which are proving trying to say the least. One of the side effects is mood swings, not great for someone that suffers with mood swings anyway, so hubby is having to keep a close eye on me at the moment.
This morning was stressful, with the loss of a school tie, with only the one, we could really have done without the mad dash around the house at 7am, but it eventually turned up thankfully.
On the plus side I've managed a fair amount of layouts this month, it's so lovely to just plod my way through layout after layout, I seem to revisit the memory with the photo so it's a win win on my part.
I haven't photographed them yet but let's just say that the one per day is still a possibility as at today's count I'm at 28 layouts this month (I kid you not). All made significantly better utilising the fabulous kit I won on the UK Scrappers cyber crop!
Anyway as I haven't photographed any of those yet, you'll have to put up with one I've photographed previously but not shared.
Anyway I'll share the Millennium Stone that we came across on our travels on holiday last year, just by the side of a busy road. Underneath the stone is one thousand stones decorated by local school children, and yes I have now discovered that I don't know how to spell the word Millennium, I could have sworn it was just one 'n' - sod - hey ho, it's done now and put away in an album!
Good Morning one and all, if you find yourself here to see my first review in the Artful Readers challenge and don't fancy my normal Rocking ramblings then please scroll down - I've marked the start of my review in bold further down. In the meantime morning to all my lovely rockers and rockettes out there - how was your week, let me know because it's
Wow what a week it's been as we lurch through January, I always find it the strangest of months if I'm honest but let's see what we've got to be grateful for this week.
First up is hubby and his idea of going for a walk to the next village, we live just less than 1 mile from the next village but the roads to it contain very little pavements and are mainly national speed limit roads, so we always venture by car on a safety basis. A couple of years ago me and hubby went out for a meal there and walked back via a public footpath, but it was dark and we got sort of lost and so have never ventured that way since. Until this last weekend, when we found ourselves in a winter wonderland but really fancying a walk out. So when he suggested it and in keeping with one of my words of the year - spontaneous (the other word being reclaim), both me and said 12 year old said yes, expecting to only get part way there before having to return. Little did we realise what a fabulous walk we would have. Now don't get me wrong in parts the track is also a bridleway and the horses have churned up the ground so in wet weather you would need some seriously decent waterproof boots to get through, but in a frozen landscape we found the ground solid even if a little uneven!
Here is me and said 12 year old on the bridge across the stream.
The next village and arty shot by hubby
Another shot of the steam
And the tiny church (it isn't, but is a standing joke that the church is huge when you compare it to the population of the village).
Said 12 year old was somewhat grumpy about the walk, I think in the main because he didn't know how long it would be, however, the promise of a bowl of chips in the pub was enough to convince him to carry on - he didn't manage one of these bowls but two! You can see that he's already ailing in the photo - he looks shattered and washed out!
I'm also grateful for Mr Robin - calling to us from the trees and hubby managing to capture a shot of him!
And said 12 year old out in the snow, he seems to be growing up so fast these days!
Next up is dedicated workers - this is what we saw on the way back from the village shop!
Other gratefuls this week are
An understanding boss when it came to a snow day and being poorly!
Central heating - how I love thee
Facebook for allowing contact with people even when they live far away!
Digital cameras and instagram - I love both and between me and hubby we've managed some pretty awesome winter piccies that will be appearing on a scrapbook page very soon.
Finally Darcy's reading challenge which has seen me complete the first book in the challenge and create a piece of artwork that involved paint and my new gelli plate which I love!
Right a quick 12 x 12 layout that I did as part of the UKS Cybercrop nearing the end of last year, I fought with this one the idea was great in my head, just didn't quite come to fruition, but it's done so I photographed it! I'll put Mr Linky right at the bottom of the post, so it's easier to spot and add to rather than trying to find it mid-week.
Hope you've had a grand week, if you want to know a little more about Rocking Your World posts, then have a read under the button on the right hand side.
ARTFUL READERS - 1ST REVIEW - CONFESSIONS OF A SUBMISSIVE
OK I have to admit it I was dubious about adding this book to the pile of 11 that had come relatively easily, I even considered a different book in opposition to this one, but that one wasn't a fictional read and I actually wanted a neat set of fictional books to attack this year. I also have to admit that fiction is what I sometimes struggle with so to say I've managed to land myself with a book I could quite happily have bounced off the wall and dropped into the bin soooooooooooo many times is the understatement of the year. Which book you're asking - 'confessions of a submissive'.
I subjected myself to the 50 shades books last year, I didn't believe the hype but was intrigued as to why everyone had suddenly felt compelled to read these books. I struggled through the first one (50 shades that is) and could understand why many abandoned at that point, but being a true Virgoan had to read the 'set' so I did and whilst I felt overall that they were OK I felt that the story was rushed and not true to life so when I saw a 'real 50 shades' book (which is how this book was advertised) I thought why not... little did I know. I don't know how I can explain why I was so cross with it, but I think it's because, if that is the true life of a submissive then I don't understand why anyone would subject themselves to it, all I saw was a story of consenting violence which in parts seemed to verge on actual bodily harm. I found I wanted to put the book down more than I wanted to pick it up, but didn't want to be beaten into submission by this book - forgive the pun. So I battled on.
The book centres around the writer who openly expresses herself and her life as a submissive with her vanilla life sprinkled in for good measure. She explains the non-emotional attachment relationships she has and then moves onto one where an emotional attachment is achieved but becomes so complex and contrived that it's difficult to see it ever achieving a long term status. You're left wondering whether such extremes in her private life could eventually leave her permanently marked (I'm of the view that given the nature of some of these interludes she probably already has been and again I mean literally). But what irritated me the most is whilst on one hand she's stating that she loves what she does, she spends most of her time crying to the point of sobbing and covering herself in her own mucus from all the crying - really that floats your boat? I just don't get it and there are occasions when the description in the story quite frankly would have led me to acts of rebellion towards her dominant partner! I kid you not... so all I can tell you is if this is a real life 50 shades and the real life of a submissive you're all right you can keep it! Now don't get me wrong I appreciate that everyone enjoys books for different reasons, for me I like to live in the story and be totally absorbed in it in order that the story becomes real, I think that's why I struggled so much with it, I didn't want to be part of this story.
Be warned if you do attempt this book then the language is extremely graphic and not for the faint hearted.
Will it become a permanent fixture on the bookcase - nope afraid not. Am I glad I finished it - yes? The sense of achievement of managing this challenge in 2013 is something I'm looking forward to, I'm just hoping the next book is a book I can rave about - now which one do I go for?
Finally the art, crikey this was hard to decide on? Do I do a mail art postcard (I thought about it but could not for the life of me think of anyone who might actually want to receive it). Do I do an art journal page or something else. In the end I opted for the comfort of my art journal, the pages I've created have been done in my A5 journal and go across a double page.
I'm going to try and visit as many of the artful readers as I can, I hope your first book has been a great read and I'm looking forward to getting to know you all a little better as the year progresses! Until next month!
Morning all, well we find ourselves having attempted to get up and dressed for school and work, still suffering significantly so we're still at home. The weather is miserable and grey and hubby is having to take a half days leave because I've got a hospital appointment that I simply can't miss, so I'm going to have to drag myself out whether I like it or not. He's on his way home now, so I'm going to make him a cuppa and go and get my things ready.
Anyway another crafty post as always, I think I need to take a few photos as my blog folder is looking a little thin on the ground!
Hope your day is proving fruitful!
This is a double page layout from a holiday last summer staying in a folly, we got some great shots of the place when we were there and I wanted to document how unusual it was!
Up close, you can see the daisy paper, the daisy flowers created from die cuts and buttons, the bunting along the edge.
And the journalling running along the top edge where the photos are, I even managed a bit of stitching on this one!
It is and apparently it's not going to start to thaw until next week, in all honesty it looks exceptionally pretty, the gorgeous trees all covered in snow simply magical, little paths turn into almost Narnia type environments. To say it has turned into a snow day I was sort of hoping on some serious crafting but we find ourselves again struggling with colds, coughs and sniffles. We managed a quick walk to the shop under the guise of buying some butter before we returned and now I find myself on Tuesday morning with both me and said 12 year old quite poorly. He's laid on sofa watching films and I'm trying to finish this draft post from yesterday so I'll keep it short and sweet.
So first up a layout from last year's visit to Penrith that I created.
And then a photo from our winter's walk over the weekend - see how bleak it looks, it almost felt like we were at the edge of the world!
Yes well we are well and truly into January, that lull period between the Christmas decorations down and pay day! Shorter days and long nights and add to that snow. So what are your gratefuls this week?
Mine?
Long evenings and no wine = scrapbook layouts and me considering the possibility of a 365 day - 365 layout challenge - yes I am still considering this - I am that mad!
Snow = pretty landscapes, I know most people hate it and I'm none too keen when I have to go somewhere but I have to admit clear roads, but pretty snowy trees today made me smile - so very very pretty! Not sure it'll be the same tomorrow the snow started at 3 this afternoon (thursday) and it's now gone 7pm and still snowing! Roads not looking so clear now!
Chats with my Mum (even if they were mainly work related), we had a weird talking relationship in 2012, spells of talking lots (mainly work) to no contact for weeks on end. I'm trying to re-evaluate things and put things back as they were and give her a bit of support when I can, this in turns means lots more conversations.
Booking holidays we've managed a couple of week breaks booked up to now - not sure how we will pay for them LOL - but they are booked!
Reading (although I want to throw the book out of the window as it's irritating me), but the book reading challenge Darcy has set which means I'm persevering despite my grumpiness with it!
Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals book is still a big hit this week, we seem to be getting into a better eating pattern with said 12 year old and that's definitely a positive!
Hubby for helping me re-bleach my hair back to dizzy blonde rather than dull blonde which is what it had become!
A warm house, at this moment in time with the crazy mad weather outside it makes me happy to shut all the curtains, pop the heating on and snuggle up on the sofa!
On line friends - always a joy!
Options hot chocolate - yum!
Positive comments on my last few posts and some fabulous Rocking comments - thank you one and all!
Well my dears they are thin on the ground this week and I've had to dig deep - but that's what these posts are all about - some weeks filled with positives and others well like the above!
Right a little bit of crafting - a double page layout documenting a lovely evening when we stopped at Greystoke last year. A beautiful summers evening, said 12 year making up his own olympics, boots off and a bottle of wine - nothing finer!
Up close you can see the hand stitching and using up some brads
and an oversized embellishment that I had created!
If you fancy popping yourself a post together and noting your gratefuls, pop back, link up and we'll come and visit.
Oh I made it to the middle of the week - woo hoo - busy busy day at work (nothing new) waved my lil bro and his missus off to pastures new across the pond to Ireland (boo hoo and sob a bit and then have a little weep in corner) it feels a bit surreal at the moment and I don't think it's hit me properly I'm sure it will.
I've got a shepherd's pie cooking in the oven and the cabbage on the hob so before I toddle off for tea - thought I'd say hello and pop a couple of layouts on! Both layouts are technically pretty much the same, I love it when I get a layout I like and it leads to multiples layouts because they are so easy to put together when you've got a tried and technical formula!
As you can see I used lots of hand stitching on both layouts and used up some old papers which is always a positive!
