I'll be back

Its all gone a bit quiet here hasn't it?
I have realised that I am suffering from end-of-term-itis.
It took me a good 15 years to work out that the Christian year doesn't really run on three terms like schools do. It is basically one long one from September to July. There are some breaks but I used to think there was a real lull after Christmas and Easter.
Nope.
I'm not complaining.
BUT
this year in particular has left me rather weary and done in.
So much so that my creativity has gone - pffft.
(Yes that is the noise it made).
Which is a sign that I need to stop.
So for a short while I am.
I'm going to cross stitch and maybe even knit.
But I won't be blogging or card making or scrap booking.
Instead I will be hanging out with my family and recharging.
Spending time being still with God.

The reading about Martha and Mary popped up last Sunday. Where Jesus comes to tea and Martha fusses while Mary sits and when Martha says
"Muuuu-uuum, tell her to help me"
well actually its "Jesus tell her to help me" but it sounds just like the former,
Jesus says - no, she is fine right here doing just this one thing
Normally I am hard on the story because I am fundamentally lazy and so really think it is a good thing to rush about multi tasking. And no matter how much I tell myself it isn't true I tend to judge my worth by how much I have fitted into one day.
But I think that God is telling me to just do one thing right now. Sit with him and rest.
So I will.

See you soon!

mmmm washing!

I love the smell of washing on a line. Although I don't like cripsy towels. Somehow I have managed to forget about washing for a few days again. Which means that mountains of unmentionables greet me as we are now almost all adult size in terms of clothing. Don't mind the washing or folding. Hate the putting away which is stupid really as it doesn't take long. And actually my dear boys could do their own as they are busy doing nothing at the moment. I keep thinking of all the things to train Hywel in before Uni and how to load a washing machine is one of them! This perambulation comes because in the 10 minutes before I make my tea* I should be hanging up more washing and checking for dry things but chose to blog instead. Cos I be lazy.
*Friday is usually "Pie Night" but as Phil has a wedding rehearsal it is an "Ownsy Tea" - I'll be having noodles and tomato sauce, two kids will have tomato soup and I guess the other two people will have beans and cheese on toast even though one had that for lunch already.

So ... it is Daring Cardmakers day. Really thought I wouldn't make it as I've had quite a heavy week. A lovely chap in the Church died a few days ago and although there is truly much rejoicing as his suffering is over and he died peacefully with his family around him - I shall miss his big personality. Reg wasn't Welsh by birth but certainly was my equal in terms of love of music and being able to cry at anything! So I wanted a card for the family that summed up both joy and sorrow which must have been on my mind subconciously as I though about what to do for the dare set by Rein of Silhouette.
Isn't that a fabulous word?
I used a stamp bought from Imagine That stamped onto white cardstock and embossed with black powder then smooshed purple, orange and mustard inks onto it. I cut down a cream card and added layers of Prima paper on top, finished with black pearls (also from Imagine That) and a Papertrey Ink sentiment.

The papers were still out from having made this layoutI still can't really do justice to Prima papers but I'm quite pleased with this. The frames I bought from Poundland having seen the shopping tip on Its All Fiddle Fart which is a most inspirational blog. The frames have magnets but I removed everything but the frame which is very light indeed. I also used pearls and flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. Here is a close up of a faux Prima branch
Right must do that washing!

My brain hurts

From next January the process begins of moving from being 2 sets of two Churches that Phil and I take care of, to being one group of 5 churches. The congregations are all graciously moving the time of the morning service so that we can take more services but even so there is only so much of us to go round and 5 is not an even number. So we are in the middle of sorting an equitable system - which really isn't that easy! So I'm taking a break to catch up with my poorly and deserted blog.

I have finally finished my Weymouth 2009 holiday album - yay! but won't share the last layouts yet as I can't spare enough time so I will just show my latest Salt contribution. It was my turn to pick a theme so I chose a reading that came up in the Lectionary recently - Galatians 3:23-29. Normally it is the part about all being one in Christ that grabs the attention but on this time round it was this part that struck me most
But how to show that in a layout? I made my model twirl in the garden wearing a tablecloth!
The true colour is nearer the large layout than the close up pics!
I used the June Gottacraft kit and embellishment kit along with Mustard distress ink; yellow thread; buttons from stash and a Martha Stewart punch. Here is my reflection on the words from Scripture
Right, back to the spreadsheet...

I'm on a loop

Here is the card I made for Daring Cardmakers this week. As it is the first Friday of the month (eek!) it is a birthstone theme and this time it is Ruby! I found a strip of Swiss Dot Bazzill that I foded in two and rounded the corners. Then raided my scraps for little bits of red paper. Then went through my large papers for more. Red is so hard to co-ordinate but I've just about managed! Some Kraft cardstock and cream glitter card helped the different reds to work.
Also used - new Cuttlebug large dot embossing folder; Scenic Route; October Afternoon and Papermania papers; Bo Bunny scallop stickers; Papertrey ribbon; Nestability dies; adornit letter stickers; Stamping Up punch; Auntie Sarah's bloomer resprayed with red and gold Tattered Angels spray; Nikki Sivils button; liberal amounts of Vintage Photo distress ink.

It was only while photographing this card along with birthday cards that I realised that the card I made for Carys on Monday night was almost exactly the same
How dull and repetitive am I (even though accidentally). This one used
Papertrey stamps; Fancy pants papers; Paperartsy card blank; Nestability dies; Prima fabric brad; bloomer; Sharpie pen; lots of glamour dust; Stamping Up turquoise ink (which I would call bright blue myself)

You can see more variety in the gorgeous cards I was sent for my birthday
from Ruth (Tiptop)from Alison
from Heather
from Allison
from Gill
from Kathy for Carys
from Kathy for me
from Emma at Imagine That
from Jacqueline
from Jill and Helen
from Julesfrom Lynda
HOw lucky am I! thanks everyone.
BTW I haven't been contacted by my Nikki Sivils winner so if I haven't heard anything by next Thursday I will re-pick a winner

Its good to share

even birthdays! when it is with someone as beautiful as she is. And she is, inside and out.Although it is always nice to have a day all about "me", ever since she came along (and if you have followed my blog for a long time you will know she is exactly what I asked for - a girl with red curly hair to be born on my birthday) and has been old enough to realise we share a birthday she has always made sure I am included. So any happy birthday given to Carys she would say "and mummy too".
There did used to be one downside... children's parties.
Those of you who have children will know what I mean. Those who don't - NEVER volunteer to run one in my opinion!
But we are jsut about beyond that now and instead Carys and I took the train
and goofed around. Shopped a little in Oxford Street and then went to see
(note Carys is already in a different top). Sister Act was so, so fab with the campest of endings.
It finished jsut after 10 and it was sooooo hot on the way home as well as a slightly late night for a school night. But Carys had a trip to the Globe the next day so all fine.

Thanks for all the birthday greetings and cards. I'm hoping to have some time to photograph them tomorrow to show what creative friends I have! In the meantime it is July already (eek) which means it is Get Funky Challenge Day. The theme is

Something New

which is apposite as I have been playing with something new - a new Funky Hand CD called Colour Me Happy which will be launched ever so soon and trust me - you will love it! I went for a New Home card
The sofa is based on a design from a Nikki Sivils paper which I paper pieced together and added the cushion. Everything has a black sharpie border to give extra definition to all that pattern and I also added a little white card to break the patterns a little.
Other things used - Paperartsy frame die for the card base; Nestabilities square frames; Papertrey scallop die and Adornit letter stickers.