Friday, October 23, 2009

Every day when I wake up I thank the Lord I'm

Welsh.

I'm not the best at being Welsh - I can no longer speak my mother tongue (Its on the list for retirement or if I go back and work there) which is rather embarrassing but there is a long and boring reason why.
But I am also proud to be British. Part of the band of tribes that make up our Islands. I am not English and it is often frustrating for us non English people to be called that when what is meant is British. And British means people of different races, faith expressions and ideologies living and working together and always has. (At least since the English managed to take us over and subjugate our mother tongues but us Celts are not known to bear a grudge. Ha, ha).
I watched Question Time last night when the leader of the British National Party was allowed to speak. I could say a lot about it here, but won't. Enough I think to remind everyone that British is something wonderful and bigger than being English or Welsh and that very, very few of us could claim to be racially unmixed (I am pretty pure Welsh but my children aren't!) and that is one of the beauties of being British.

Right off my soap box now! That song by Catatonia you found if you followed the link is one of my favourite things (yes, even though I can't sing along to all of it as I don't know all the Welsh words) and Fave things is what the Daring card challenge is all about today.
"These are a Few of My Favourite Things"

This is a chance to go mad with the papers, embellishments, tools and styles you really love to use.
I'd like you to use at least 5 of your own personal favourite things on your card this week - if you can make it 10 then you can claim our DCM Gold Star - virtual, of course lol.
As it happens I needed to make a card for my Uncle who reaches a special age this week!


SO here are my favourite things
1: Kraft card
2: Square card
3: October Afternoon papers (Farm Fresh in this case)
4: Urban Lily number templates. They came on a patterned paper sheet and I have them cut out in a bag and they are some of the most used pieces of kit I have as they are lovely and big
5: Distress ink (black soot in this case)
6: Embossing folder (argyle)
7: Glue pen and glitter
8: faux stitching
9: random photo corner
10: ribbon (Anitas)
11: buttons (vintage)
12: tied with string/floss
13: foam pads (under the 7)

Oooh I am fickle. Look how many faves I have and I missed out nestabilites, doodling and white gel pens! And gems. And Scenic Route. etc. etc. etc.

Some of those things can be found here
IF drawing a line round the edge counts as doodling. The chipboard pieces are Scenic Route. The papers are Fancy Pants. the chipboard is Basic Grey and the Journalling Spot is from Scrappy Fairy. The lettering is all Doodlebug.
I do wish that I had reversed where the title and photos are as I prefer to read left to right and top to bottom and it doesn't quite work like that! My fave bit is the arrows. They are actually cut out of FP paper and stuck on with foam pads which looks quite cool.

Hywel and Phil are going on the last Uni trip today - to Middlesborough. Which is just down the road from Hartlepool and makes me feel a bit last home sick. I can't go as I am Boys Brigade chaplain and it is Enrolment tonight!
I hope he does go to Teesside as it will be a great excuse for hols up that way! It has just been voted Times Higher Education University of the Year so it does sound pretty good. Last night was the first Sixth form college open evening. Eeeh its a never ending merry go round this parent hood lark!

13 comments:

Ruth said...

I had a really interesting discussion with my 15 year old about BNP - she stayed up to watch first part of Question Time (no, I don't think it was just an excuse!) and we concluded that there is no such thing as 'British' in the way NIck Griffin uses the term.
I (as you know) have always thought of myself as English (Yorkshire) but with the great honour of growing up in Wales: then when I had a melanoma the doctor told me it was because of my 'Celtic colouring' - I'm now very proud to think of myself as Celtic! The Brits have always been a mixture - and all the better for it!
And I love the 70th card - makes me sad that the only crafty stuff I do is cut out things for all age services & fold service sheets in half (but sometimes... long-ways!). x

Kathy said...

I'm proud to be British and I'm proud of how being British means we accept all the different religions, colours, ideologies that are represented in our land.

Nuff said.

Love the card - love those big numbers - I don't think it would be possible to cram all your faves onto one card, Lythan - you really do have so many things you obviously love to use.

Great LO too.

Will you be travelling on the A1 if Hywel chooses Teeside?

Lynda said...

Just love your DT card to bits - those papers are delish and make a great 'man' card. Great layout too and the photo's and titles look good where they are to me.

Love Lynda xxx

Rachel said...

If you go back far enough we are all a huge melting pot, I think we need to accept in this day and age that people shift and move and change and in as much as people comehere British people go there or all over the place. As to taking people's jobs and the like there are some that need to get off their proverbials and get out there and get a job not just moan about people taking them (like they had them in the first place or want to do them now!) Gah like you could go on and on, the land belongs to no one whatever is said at the end of the day its a piece of the earth and part of a planet and part of a system. Being British is something that is about culture and a sense of identity, if you don't feel it exists anymore or is being undermined you only have yourself and your way of thinking to blame. Change is inevitable we move on. Irish English Bloodstock myself although the Celtic colouring got me too from both sides so somewhere in the background of lives of ancesters there is something else....This is always how Britain has been and it is what makes it GREAT.

oooh I did go on - sorry. Great Card and LO though too. Good look with the decisions to be made re Uni - wherever he goes it will be life changing so good luck to him.

Anonymous said...

A wonderful card for a chap...just love everything about it!
And the scrapbook page looks very graphic,not sure if youll know what I mean lol its fab anyway!

Janice said...

Your dare card is great and as a 'non-english' British person from Scotland - more celts - I couldn't agree with you more Lythan. People have very short memories and would do well to consider all the British people who went around the world creating an 'Empire' - is it okay for white British people to do this and yet black people from other countries and continents are treated with fear and suspicion when they are either in fear for their own lives or looking to improve their economic situation? Not in my name! I didn't watch the programme, I knew it would annoy me too much.

Rika said...

Great Art creations here!

CLARE said...

Well done for creating a mans card from your fave stash - I love number templates too. Great LO and a lovely theme.

Anonymous said...

Those papers are just perfect for a masculine card - love the faux stitching. The layout is fabulous too and I think the placement of the photos and title work really well. :)

I had a welsh grandparent and one of my parents was born in england and brought up in wales. I'm proud to be british!

Vanessa.

Desire Fourie said...

Gorgeous 70th B'day card. Your uncle is going to love it. Great mix of different cardstock patterns on it. The layout is just as beautiful.
Hugs
Desire

Carol said...

Gorgeous card and layout Lythan! Hope you are keeping well and thumbs up for your 'rant'....i agree!
Carys is stunning!! her red hair is gorgeous and i think she could be a model......for real! Good Luck at keeping the boys at bay! :)

Hugs
Carol x

Traceyr said...

I'm proud to be called British and agree whole heartedly with your "rant" Lythan. I'm from Irish, Cornish and Jewish stock myself and for good measure my kids also have Mauritian blood. :) We should learn and love our differences.

The 70th card is fabulous and I'm off to investigate the templates - wouldn't mind some of them.

:)

Sharon (glitterangel) said...

As I'm half Irish and half English, so I know where you're coming from! I love your card, you are so good at mixing patterns, something I'm always cautious about doing but you always create such stunning cards.