What is that yellow thing in the sky?

Don't say anything too loudly but I can see the sunshine. And last week we had two days without rain, which, since I moved to Torbay, has to be a record. And when the sun shines I am reminded just how beautiful it is round here. What a blessing and a privilege it is to live and work in Babbacombe and Brixham!

By the way - thanks for all the comments and questions on my last blog post. What a fabulous notion Story Telling Sunday is. I do hope that some people fall in love with the books as I have done. I am a fast and voracious reader and have nearly finished the first book - although if I remember rightly there is another big set piece to come. And still so much I had forgotten!

Well the boys are now safely ensconsed in their little university rooms with their mahoosive computers and Carys is back at college and so the house feels very quiet and still. It did mean that I got the chance to do some crafting on Monday and so can show some of the results.
I really want to blog a bit more often but I'm not making any promises!

Firstly a couple of layouts

 I wanted to write down my thoughts about Christmas and had in mind a pretty simple layout. That was until a little bit of a masking accident which left an unexpectedly large white space (NB to be arty you have to only spray within the masked area you fool). The mask is a Prima one.

So I used rather more paper than I had first expected. These are all leftovers from my Christmas cards and include Basic Grey and (I think) Fancy Pants. I can't remember now all I have are little pieces!) I also added some BG stickers and a Studio Calico chipboard heart

because the bauble I am reflected in was gold I wanted to add some gold accents so added gold (and red and green) liquid pearl dots. I also covered the title lettering (Dienamics alphabet dies) and the hand cut dotty heart with gold Swish ink

the other letters are Cosmo Cricket and numbers from American Crafts

Here is my second layout of the year
WARNING - it is quite bright

Isn't that such an adorable photo? Spider was fascinated by the 3d glasses and was really quite patient about having her photo taken. I wonder what the world looked like to her with them on?

Base cardstock is Heidi Swapp coated paper which I covered in Mustard Seed Distress Ink. The other papers are all from an October Afternoon Midway 6x6 pad. The stickers are OA too. I thought the little paper accents were perfect for this page and I also added some cameras made from a Dienamics die. The letters are various - the large ones are thickers. I had run out of "E" and "D" - can you tell?

Oh it is nice to get a bit more back to normal - although as ever January is a demanding month work wise. All the stuff that was put off in December is done in January - plus the regular stuff and if you are wise you are also starting to prepare for Lent and Easter as well. Its never a dull moment being a Minister in the Church - but it is lovely too to have time for some creative expression as well. It is good for the soul. So if you are a crafting person just think - you are not just playing with paper and glue, you are expressing your spirituality. And if you are a Christian who shudders at the thought of playing with paper and glue - how do you creatively express your spirituality?