And then there were four

Hywel has settled well into Uni life as far as I can tell. It won't be full swing until next week (lectures at nine on a Monday tee hee) but he seems to be filling his time and finding his feet. As we have MSN and Facebook to chat on, we are keeping up with what is going on every day. He went to a presentation yesterday with a buffet lunch so he made sure he ate as much as he could so he wouldn't have to make tea. I'm so proud.

Phil took a family photo which he popped in a frame for H to take with him
I'll have to scrap it as I think it is quite nice of all of us - Phil is giving his full cheese.

It is Salt challenge day today and Julie suggested a challenge about speech. I did take it and turn it into a reflection about all our behaviour - not just what we say. Do have a look at Julie's comments and everyone's take on the challenge as they are truly inspiring
I had to use these photos. This is me and Anna age 4. Anna is Swedish and was sent three times by her mother over to stay with us to learn English. I have to be honest and say most of the time we were more like photo A than photo B! I used a Skissedilla sketch - apt as it is Scandanavian like Anna. I used Cosmo Cricket papers and masked and misted a square to layer the photos on. So that the papers didn't get lost in each other I added navy blue cardstock. The photo corners are a QK die and the circles and squares are Nestabilities. Also used - Fiskars border punch; Cosmo Cricket letters and a Prima brad.

Its a two challenge day for me tomorrow. So far only one is done and I am off to watch Carys skating with the Guides soon. (I'm taking some work with me as it is too far to drive and come back. But its not really the place for card making). here's hoping I'm inpsired when I return:)

Counting down to goodbye

Hywel goes off this Sunday.
I am hugely excited for him. I LOVED being a Student - school was pants compared to that. It was so fantastic to have some freedom - to make decisions and mistakes - and to learn, both inside and outside lectures. It will be brilliant I am sure. And I think my pangs are more about the next stage of his - and my life - than of missing him. Which I will, but it is more like a first day of school feeling I think. We have just made sure that we all have MSN accounts so that I can nag him about washing himself and his clothes we can have web cam access to each other.
The only thing left for me to worry about is that his bank stuff still hasn't arrived. This is partly due to him only being 18 at the very end of August so he couldn't have the bits before (bless) and that we had misread the amount needed to activate the account. Apparently all is in the post but we just have one day left for it to arrive in a hassle free way. He has money in another account so won't starve or anything
Big sigh.

Onto other things. It is Harvest at one of my churches this weekend and the set reading is about the Rich Man and Lazarus - the rather gory tale of how you need to make what you do for others in this life count as there are no second chances afterwards. Although I struggle with the some of that theologically I do think that we need to take the underlying message very seriously. We mostly have gifts that we give to the local Women's Aid - so it is packets and tins not marrows and apples. It makes for a slightly less beautiful presentation but we know that everything is needed and used.

And now for some crafting...
I'll start up to date and then play catch up.
This week on Daring Cardmakers the theme is Oops I forgot - as Keryn was a little tardy in letting us know the challenge and wanted to say sorry. Great idea I think!
These Fancy Pants papers were still on my desk after creating a layout (see below). I cut the letters with Sizzix Playground dies and the label is Nestability 4. Papermania brads and flowers; Sarahs cards bling; EK Success punch; Sharpie pen

Then I had a few moments to catch up with last weeks dare - Come Fly with Me
Can you tell that I don't tidy up straight away? These are Basic grey papers that were still out after a layout as well. Intentionally as I have a lot of chipboard pieces to use on cards, but still. Very simple - Nestie layered circle; Papermania stamp; ribbon from A Trip Down Memory Lane; Fiskars Punch; a few gems.

And going back even later in terms of catch up - last week's Salt was missed due to ill health. I must confess that I didn't really use the verse to look forward as I was supposed to - rather I looked back in order to look forward.
Spot the Fancy Pants papers! I printed Tanis' hearts and verse out on them and added them to the layout. I went for orange and pink, inspired by my lovely dress. There are also Bella Blvd papers. The Paperartsy stamps say "I'm no saint". I was about 3 1/2 here. This was my cutest stage in life I think! (I certainly can't get away with that hemline now) Be prepared for more nostalgia photos soon...

Slow, medium, fast

Finally had some time and energy to craft yesterday - hurray! I had a very work filled weekend so a day off was much needed. I finally managed to finish a layout I had been working on when I fell ill last week so it counts as the slowest ever to be finished!

It is based on an old Sketchy Thursday sketch which I swivelled around a bit
The papers are all Girls Paperie. The brown scallop ( was orange) is from Bazzill. I used brown corduroy distress ink and a Prima stamp. Adornit and MM letters and some Card Candy. When I showed it to Phil, before he read the journalling he said "did you mention 'a long face' ?" . Yes hun I am that predictable. He didn't know what a BFF was and feels that he is no wiser for knowing.

The next one took a few hours to work out and to get the lettering right. It is for a class at Imagine That. I don't think it will take so long to do as a class (I always end up making the class run on rather...)
which is all about texture. I was actually sensible enough to go and cut the letters at the shop, as I don't have the same alphabet at home. I could tell you all about the layout but you will have to come to a class instead. And yes, that is me!

Finally after watching the Princess Bride for the first time (how have I missed it before?Even my jaded teens loved it) I was inspired to do just one more quick layout. It took an hour (please don't say "and I can tell" because I will cry)
It came about because I had to tip some papers out of a box in order to take the Gnome layout to the shop to finish it off and there was a beautiful hambly screen print. Something I had bought 3 years ago and felt too precious to use and so was neglected. So I bravely did. I backed it on black as I knew it would need something behind it in the holiday album. The papers and chipboard are all Basic Grey Origins and the letter stickers are Jenni Bowlin and Doodlebug. The top title came about based on the letters I had left and the bottom one is just true. no real journalling (faints) but there isn't any more to be said really.

So now I am going to attempt to catch up on a few things before I get really behind again. And prepare for harvest this Sunday. I don't know quite what we are doing but we will be singing "We plough the fields and scatter" and "Come ye thankful people come" as I have discovered that folk don't think it is really harvest unless you do. And never, ever, ever replace the original tune for the funky one out of Godspell for "We plough the fields". Trust me on that...

Its been quite a week

and it's left me quite weak!

First there was this
(Yes there is a different t shirt between pics 1 and 3)

Things I noted
1: Ticket touts are grubby. Not just morally, literally. (And I had a ticket, thanks)
2: Wembley Stadium is uber organised. Toilets lovely and clean. So well co-ordinated with the police and London Transport
3: Muse are the best
4: No, they really are
5: They played for 2 hours and 15 minutes with about 5 minutes non playing tops
6: And the lights were awesome (that thing that looks like a car park at the front was all light uppy and everything)
7: I am middle class and polite. I clapped for all the support bands (I am arrows: cute and shy but the sound balance wasn't great; White Lies: lovely if you weren't around in the 80's but otherwise rather familiar; Biffy Clyro "its like being shouted at by a Dulux Dog" said Phil. I had told them they were a bit folky having listened to their single God and Satan. More "Oi" than folk. And Far. Too.Loud) and tutted at those who only turned up for the main event. The people behind me didn't stand so i didn't so that their view was notobscured. Apart from Knights of Cydonia. Everyone has to stand up for that. OK only me in my row...
8: I wished I had bought tickets for both nights
9: I realised that I felt all motherly about the three boys two rows down who knew all the words. Then realised I am old enough to be their mother.
10: I don't know all the words but I can sing really high like Matt Bellamy.
11: But that doesn't sound so good when you are slurring the bits you don't know
12: And you are a girl
13: Based on 9, better make that woman.
14: Elderly man who looked asleep in the row behind - how could you!
15: Can you tell that I have never been to a stadium show before?

So that was Saturday. Got home at 1:30. Up early for an elders meeting before worship on Sunday. Mmmm. Fabulous service in that everyone was involved and we realised that we may have come to the time when we need to move our service into the larger hall because there are too many of us for the place we now are.

Then Monday I got the lurgy. And for three days have been prostrate on my couch too feak and weeble to do much - barely vertical. I get a virus every now and then that scrambles my brain; steals my energy and makes me feel car sick all the time. I'm recovering now but am taking it easy and because I have ooodles of proper job stuff to do I can't participate in crafty stuff just now. And still don't have the energy really.

Yesterday was also made exciting by our shower pipe bursting and turning the bathroom into a wet room. I now know what to do when that happens (turn the other taps on to reduce the flow and then turn off the stop cock which is in the garage) but yesterday I did my best Chicken Licken impression.

My problem is that I am now addicted to Coach Trip...
Hope to be back and crafting next week :)

Ho, ho hum

It was my turn to choose the Dare for Daring Cardmakers this week. And I have what I will now call "Darer's Hump". I don't know whether it happens in other Design Teams but we at DCM have all noticed that making a card is really, really tough when you have chosen the dare. Anyway I chose the theme of "Masks" as I thought there were several ways to go. I always planned to use the sort of masks that you use with glimmer mists. I should have remembered that I have trouble using these on cards...
This is a mahoosive (for me) A5 card. I decided to use a Tim Holtz Grungeboard flower as a mask. This is version two as my hand slipped when picking up the first version and the flower swooshed into the still wet mist. Hmmm. I used Pashmina, Olive and Blue glimmer mists. It is sparkly and pretty. But when I had cut the flower out and framed it I realised just how big it was. So then I misted some of the background using a Glimmer Mist mask as the idea I had had wouldn't fit on such a big card. And then I had the bright idea of making my own ruffle ribbon. I folded over some thick sheer ribbon and fixed it with red tape. Then I put two rows of red extra sticky tape onto the Prima patterned paper and ruffled it up.
Which is nice. But very high up. So when that was stuck to the background card I needed to add 4 foam pads under the focal image. I didn't know this to start with so added a photo corner from Basic Grey paper to cover the place where the Prima paper tore. Sigh.

The other DT members have done a fab job using all sorts of masking so do go and see how it should be done.

Here finally are my samples for the latest Funky Hand download All I want for Christmas.
It is quite fitting that I am showcasing them now as I finished my Christmas Day Service last night. Just need to get Boxing Day down and I am just about ready for my MA course!
I took one of the images from the backing paper and in a Word document made it bigger and printed it out. Also used: Purple Onion stamps and Craftwork Cards Card Candy


I coloured one of the digital images three times with Copic Glitter pens. Also used: Paperartsy frame die; Papertrey Ink ricrac die and Purple Onion Stamp.

Anice's patterns always look cool on Kraft. Also used several Nestabilities dies and a Sizzix winter accessories one. Also a Martha Stewart punch and those PO stamps again.

This is my favourite one! I used my Sizzix Playground alphabet and a swirl and circle punch to make the bauble.

This Sunday is the story of the lost coin and the lost sheep. Fabulous! I'm not at the Church with a digital projector this Sunday so can't use this wonderful film that Phil has found. Someone has a lot of patience. The Lost Coin

And tomorrow I am going to see MUSE!!!!!!!!!
I am so nervous about getting home again (I have a thing about missing ferries, planes and trains that is really quite bad!) but I am determined not to let my foibles spoil what will be an amazing evening.
I'll be jumping around like a mad thing to this one ' speshly.

Yawn

Not so much tired after doing yesterday's 9:30 service - that was fine actually. I'm rather pleased that I was able to use illustrations from both Fame and Trainspotting (without the swearing obv.) about how we need to Choose Life God's way (Deutoronomy 30) but that can be difficult (i.e. you have to pay "in sweat") (Luke 14).
Oh bother
I've just remembered that I was also going to quote the Robert Frost poem about the Road Less Travelled. Bit late now.

Anyway not so much tired from that as from our "dear" dog being wide awake at 2 am again and me deciding I ought to put her outside Just In Case. (Being a retired greyhound means that housetraining is a bit hit and mess. Yes I spelt it like that deliberately). And then had to get up at snooze o'clock to ensure Emrys was up and awake and ready for his orientation day at college. OK it was only 7 am but my body works best on a midnight until 8 sleep pattern. We have realised that 7:15 will do in future. And I sent him to the right bus stop this time.
So it is only just past 9 in the evening and I feel ready for bed already!

But I want to stay up and watch "Grandma's House" which is the sort of comedy I usually don't find funny but in this case I do. So I thought I would share some of my recent crafting while I wait...
Yesterday I realised that I needed to send a birthday card to a girl at church and was about to send one when I thought "hang on, she is Ghanaian" and thought that as I was colouring in an image myself I could try painting her with dark skin not peachy as I usually do. So here are two more version of the teacup girl I used for the Dare card last friday.
I used Distress Inks to colour with. I'm not great at colouring but I enjoy giving it a try. The papers on the left are October Afternoon and those on the right are mostly Daisy D's. The stamp is Papertrey Ink.

Here are a couple of holiday layouts
You can't really see my expression as the weather was terrible when I took the photo of the layout and it is a tad dark - but I look just like my dad! I'm standing under the tallest tree in England - I think there is a taller one in Scotland. Wales doesn't have one because we are all small. More of the same papers plus some glimmer mist; scraps ; OA stickers and some Wild Orchid and Ribbon Girl ribbons

And yet another photo of the family playing Poohsticks. Yes, it still happens, even at their great age. This was based on an old Sketchy Thursdays sketch
Look at all that stitching. Go me. I used October Afternoon Thrift Shop papers and the letters are Thickers; Making Memories, Adornit and Doodlebug
Must rub out the pencil marks...
I'm obviously VERY tired as I have just remembered that what I WAS going to showcase today were my samples for Anice's new Funky Hand All I Want for Christmas Download. I'll do that in the next couple of days but swing by the website and see everyone's amazing cards and gifts using the papers.
Snooooooooze

Today I know what day it is...

Yes, my diary was at Church.
Slightly scary in that the room had been moved around a bit and it was hidden down the side of a wooden folder but hey - I know what is happening in my life now.
Which is mostly lots of work and then MUSE!!!! next Saturday. (that is how it is written in the diary)

So I know it is Friday and it is Daring Cardmakers day. It is the first friday of the month so it is time for the birthstone of the month which this time is Sapphire.
I thought it was time I used this stamp which I bought at the beginning of the summer from the Craft Barn. Its a Stamping bella one.
It was going to be a flat image only someone stuffed up the colouring round the outside so she needed to be cut out. (Coloured with prisma pencils). I added Sarah's Cards sticky gems. I added little punched flowers too. All the papers are from Basic Grey JuneBug. Extra layers are added with navy and mid blue cardstock. Bright - but also sapphire blue I reckon. Have a look at the wonderful interpretations by the other Darers this week.
Its back to Card Club at church tomorrow and I have lots of ideas - hopefully I'll find time to put them into practice so better get on with the sermon now

I'm a little at sea

I have lost my diary.
I'm not quite sure how considering it is pink with robots on it (not very professional looking I know but I like a certain size of Smith's academic diary and the plain one was the same turquoise colour for the third year in a row so I went for option B)
my one hope is that I left it at Church on Sunday. Why haven't I been back to look? Because it is the church where a new heating system is going in and I didn't want to get in the way. BUT I have a site meeting today. PLEASE let it be where I think it is. because I know there are lots of meetings that I have coming up, but not what dates they are on. This is totally scary.
Phil has a PDA which means he has a version saved to his desk top. I might think of having one of those AND a paper diary. If I find my diary.
Next year I will have a super big one I think!

So I am distracting myself with this blog post. I know that it is Thursday and it is Salt challenge day today. This time it is the lovely Hazel's turn to post and she chose the theme of Something New. Which was perfect for quite a few of us. Do read her reflections as they are very thought provoking.
Of course there is one big new beginning on my mind at the moment - Hywel leaving for Uni in a few short weeks. I guess I just have to trust him and trust in god's hand upon his life that all will be well.
When I put the layout in my (second) Salt album I realised that the last layout had a banner on too.No more for a while I promise! I have a big bag of scraps on my table and all the paper is from there. so it includes Crate Paper; Studio Calico (last scraps from the kit I won); Papermania: Scenic Route; Sassafrass: October Afternoon; Bella Blvd. Plus embellishments from Crate Paper; Gottacraft; Nikki Sivils; Maya Road; American Crafts; Jillibean Soup. Also used Fiskars punches; a ribbler; Nestability dies and a script stamp.
Here's the serious bit
Wasn't he good to pose for me? Love the light on the planes of his face.
(The bedroom was decorated for him and Emrys when we moved in. They were 5 and 7. One wanted safari and the other space so the bedroom is sand and navy blue. A tad dated 11 years on but as we would have to pay tax if the room were redocorated while we live here, it is staying).

I recently completed another layout - a double one based on a recent Pencil Lines sketch
I used black and vanilla bazzill and October Afternoon papers

Also some Piggy Tales letters covered in Blonde Moments UTEE. Sassafrass stickers; Crate paper bracket, Chatterbox and Purple Onion stampd stars and those lovely Nikki Sivils buttons. Also some black and blue half pearls bought from imagine that
(Unecessary close up just cos I can).

I know that it isn't Christmas yet, despite the lack of diary but I completed the family pre Christmas service and better crack on with carols now. "O tidings of comfort and joy".

I knew there was something

I had to do this morning. Post my Funky Hand card for this month. The girls know how to confuse me by launching at 9am (its now 9:30). Next month I must do better - I could even go wild and schedule a post. I'm obviously still not really awake as almost every word I have typed so far has intially been spelt incorrectly. Pah.
I blame the dog.
Our dog goes through phases of waking early - around 6. Greyhounds don't usually bark they make a noise like this and it is not my idea of an alarm clock. It does remind me why I don't need any more babies in the house. I need my sleep! I trying to get up earlier every day so I am back to school ready next week. If I am going to continue with the 3 Day Shred I think I might end up having to rise at 7. Urk. But it's worth it :)

Is that enough of an excuse for being late? well it's all ya gonna get.
So it is the first of September today. School and college really kick in a week from today although there are a few forays in before that - especially for Emrys who has a meeting today about his subjects for A level and a team bonding exercise on monday. He can't wait for that AT ALL.
I'm digressing aren't I?

Soooo with it being the first of the month there is a new challenge up at Get Funky! Kathy chose this one

Fabulous Funky Floral Fantasy
Make something featuring dimensional flowers

Here's how to be in with a chance of winning this month's £20.00 voucher to spend in the Funky Hand on-line shop:

1. Add your Fabulous Funky Floral Fantasy. project to your blog,

2. Don't forget to say which Funky Hand product(s) you've used,

3. Link it to the comments page at Get Funky.

And here is my card

I used papers from the latest Colour Me Happy CD which is so full of gorgeous patterns in fabulous colourways. This is the Seaweed Smiler collection. I used some of my new favourite things on this card too.
1: Fiskars border punch
2: Tattered Florals Tim Holtz die
3: Ribbon Girl twine.
The brads are from Papermania and the button was a freebie. There are loads of dimensionals used so this will be a hand delivered card!

It reminds me that I haven't actually shown any close ups of my samples from Colour Me Happy. Here is one that I could have used for this challenge
I covered a Papermania round box with blue paint and punched lots of Retro flowers from the Joyful and triumphant collection. These were outlined with pen and layered up.
And I am pleased with my banner
I only went for "Funky" as I thought to add "Hand" would make it too big. This si the Barbadian Ecstasy collection.

Today I am mostly thinking about carol services. Fa la la la la, fa la la la.
Loyal readers will know that thinking about Christmas before November makes me grumpy, so just tread carefully around me!