Argh, why didn't I

post sooner as I have so much to say.
In fairness life has been a bit mad since I last blogged.
I had a really good time on Saturday at the crop with my friend Sue. We had good table room and a goody bag and loads of papers. And loads of lovely cakes which you can see in the corner of this picture of Sue concentrating!.
The church hall is a good place - except for it being upstairs (we are getting a platform lift soon which will make life easier) - roomy and light.

I just did one class (classes were on the stage) which was very enjoyable. I had to finish it at home. I'm not showing the whole thing yet as it is a present for my God-daughter and her mum reads the blog.
It is a chipboard fold out book which is so sweet inside - come back in early October for the rest!
I also almost finished two layouts which were completed at home.
This one went a bit wrong but was saved by Sue's suggestion. It is still tempting to rip it up and start again. All papers from the August self addressed kit, plus some prima flowers (which may have been added because my sandwich squished on the journalling I had printed out. The sandwich I ended up bringing home again. I did eat cake though)
I like the hand cut arrow and the KI candy letters though!

This one I am much more pleased with
all papers are Piggy Tales - Gretel I think.
Green elements are painted with a Ranger Dabber. I traced round a piece of scalloped circle Bazzill and used the Whale of A Punch flower just a little. "Doll" is made with painted Thickers by American Crafts and I have finally used one of the wonderful Fancy Pants chipboard bits I won in a rak by the uber talented Tracie Hudson.

I had put together several page kits and although I only did two I think this is the way to go for me at crops.

When I got home I was introduced to our two new house (well garden unless they break in) mates.
Duracell
and Windle Poons.
Our rescue hens! Phil and Carys went on another Chicken rescue on Saturday and brought these two lovelies home with them.
Windle is actually a very sad sight - I have used a head shot not to upset you. Her wing has barely a feather on it and she is a little bald on top. Both hens combs are long and floppy as you can see - a result of living in a confined space. They have settled in well and Mrs Miggins is actually co habiting with them already without too much fuss . Phil had separated them to protect the new girls from too much pecking order business but Mrs M kept breaking in to where they were segregated. She obviously misses the company since Spot died!

I will post more pictures as they blossom.

Today I have finished a class page and taught at Imagine That. But showing that page will have to wait as it is time for family meeting and movie night - Happy Feet which we have never seen!

That Friday Feeling

Mine is a bit different to most people. For many it is a "yahoo, almost weekend" feeling. For me, it is a creative deadline. I have to have an hours worth of worship that is uplifting, encouraging, teaching and challenging for all ages ready for 10:30 on Sunday morning. Sometimes by now I am almost ready. This week I am not - lots of meetings, some pastoral problems (some caused by me, ack!) and life in general have squeezed it all into today.
I am looking forward to cropping tomorrow but also have to have time to work out what to take for that. And I know I will be shattered afterwards so really need to have service - and powerpoint slides and service sheet done today.
Actually I am quite excited about it all too because somehow Phil has got left off the preaching plan for his churches this week so we are going to do a dialogue. The readings are "interesting" (God threatens to get rid of the Hebrews due to their worship of the golden calf mixed in with Jesus story of the lost sheep and lost coin) so I have some thinking to do on that!

But there is also always an air of excitement on Friday as it is Dare day! The newly married Rhi set this one - and I can see why after spotting her card - bet she has to make a few of them!
This week I dare you to use a Word as the main focal point to your card. It can be a name, a greeting or just a word that inspires you. You can use other text but only one word as a main embellishment. So dig out your dictionaries, die cutters, alphabet stamps, rubons or download a funky font and show us what you can do!

My card is simple (like me!)
I actually made two of these cards as I cut the word out twice using my Robo. I used double sided Love, Elsie paper (Betty) and the advantage is that you can turn "o"'s over. Although I could have just mirrored some of the letters I suppose. Still I need a lot of these cards as I am forever late with birthday cards. I send out about 120 a year to people linked to the churches and some weeks I am a bit late checking whose birthday is coming up. (Oh dear)
Anyway tis a white A6 card. yes you heard right, NOT a square one!
All the paper is Betty apart from the little bit of white card that makes the faux buckle (QK die). All inked and outlined as usual.
Then a little trick that I swiped from Emma at Imagine That. For the Kids classes at the moment they are making an awesome photo journal using the Bind it all and Roxie papers by Love, Elsie. It is just so gorgeous you wouldn't believe it. One of the things that makes it's pure awesomeness is the way that some of the details have been picked out with glossy accents. So I shamelessly copied it (and am going to have to make one of those books too methinks) Anyway it just lifts the papers even more. If you click on my card you should see the accented bits in greater detail.

Right, back to battling with the golden calf... Have a good weekend, whether it is filled with work, rest or play.

God's Promises

Salt day today!
Another brief post from me because I have a stinker of a headache and a meeting to go to soon.
Gillian chose the challenge this fortnight...

God's Promises.

So many times we are guilty of breaking promises,or have been on the other end of a broken promise,but what a wonderful blessing to know that when God makes a promise it's steadfast.

We'd love to see what Promise from God you choose to use as your basis for your challenge
Its a terrible photo but I haven't the energy for another one yet. I think sticking a layout on the wall is better than the floor though. Ah well.

It is 81/2 x 11 using an SEI paper, painted round the edge using a Ranger Dabber . The blue paper I bought from Scraptitude, ditto the two pieces of Hambly. The journalling tag was painted with Ranger daubers on the back (makes it easier to stick it down as you can't see the tape!)

God's and Promise is alcohol inked photo paper (cos I had some left over from printing the photo). The white letter stickers are ... old (will find the company later honest) and I covered God's in white stickles which are now rather pink...everything was sanded and I added a few bits of ribbon, flowers and buttons too. I just love this photo of a bird just snapped at my local big fishing lake, some how it speaks to me of the Spirit of God hovering over the waters and also flying free through through the world as Jesus promised.
It lifts my heart to see the wonderful work that the Salt team does - I hope it gives you something to think about or be inspired by too.

I'm still here

just busy working and when I am not what I am doing I can't show you yet. Salt day tomorrow but I'm busy until late afternoon and then in the evening too so may have to do a huge post on Friday. I did combine being at a meeting with sketching out some layouts though. (helps me concentrate honest!)

So this doesn't look too bare I will add a holiday snap! It was of course at this point that the camera batteries died...

Bind Them Together

Well by now Wayne and Tracie will be spliced. Aw! I hope they had a wonderful day. And Rh is back from her honeymoon. And I know she had a wonderful day cos I have seen the photies!
It also means I can show what I have been doing with my Bind It All. There were mistakes with both but I won't tell you what they are!
I made little books for them with the words of the wedding vows printed on acetate and my reflections on them underneath (you can turn the acetate over to see more clearly). Matt and Rhi's was made using the July SA kit and Wayne and Tracie's using Basic Grey Perhaps.
Here are some sample pages to give the idea




I'm thinking up loads more things to use the Bind It All for now. I can see lots of notebooks for family and church fair on the way!

I had a fun afternoon at Imagine That helping Emma and the crew with classes for the next quarter. There are some great ideas and loads of talented people there ready to create samples and teach classes. I also got to drool over what is on order!

We had some friends over to watch footie (well I watched Justin Timberlake on Youtube doing Saturday Night Live - there are some very, very, funny things - especially his duet with Kermit and the Christmas Box song (which should NOT be played with children around)) plus pizza and Bowling on the Wii. Finishing up with Casualty being back - hurray! I don't know why I love it as I am really squeamish but we all enjoy playing guess the accident.

Busy day tomorrow with one service, a meeting, a rehearsal and a concert! I hope your Sunday is good with a chance to pause for rest and reflection at least at some point!

Ho Ho HO no!

Actually I have bought a few Christmas card making bits and bobs already - but I am not really ready to think Christmas wise. So I have struggled with this weeks Dare!
We put together various suggestions in one recipe. Christmas + purple + paper tearing + a hole. I thought we were joking but we weren't! I think this is one of the hardest ones I have done. Funny isn't it?! However everyone else has come up with STUNNING cards and I am sure you will too if you join in!

Anyway here are my "efforts"
It is NOT a square card - so maybe that was my problem! I used papers from Pink Petticoat - the images are from there too. I've not used the site before but the designs are lovely. The baubles I printed out, outlined with Sakura Glaze and added Stickles. There is also some inking, brads and more stickles. I can't put my finger quite on what is wrong with it - maybe the papers don't quite tone together? Is it too busy? Any ideas? I probably will end up outlining everything!

I tried a second one - not much better
this card is teeny tiny, a freebie that came with the stickers used, from a magazine ages ago. Then I sued two more Pink Petticoat papers - they are lilac rather than blue but lilac is a hard colour to photograph.

Here is another card I made this week - that I am much more comfortable with!
When someone has an "0" birthday at Church we sign a big card. We suddenly realised that there was a special birthday this week so I rustled up this one. Cream square card, Basic Grey Perhaps 6x6 papers, gold brads and outlining. Stamped greeting from SA kit for August embossed in detail gold. Chipboard from a previous SA kit and that a bit of white card given the Krylon pen treatment.
The card was made with scraps from something that I have sent to Tracie and Wayne for their wedding - I will show you that tomorrow when they are wed! Many blessings on your life together!

Other news...

• Hywel had a A for his Science GSCE. He did three papers and does more this year so we are not quite sure what this means!
• We still don't know his French result.
• Which is why we are going away later next year so he can get his results on the day - and so may miss the beginning of the school term...
• there is a crop at my church - how cool is that! It is run by "the scrapbook girls" in aid of Make a Wish. If you are in the Romford area on the 15th September why not join in - you can book here
• Carys made a lovely headstone for Spot
• 

The post with the missing things

1: I would have shown you a photo of Carys looking smart before school but I took one photo before I noticed she looked like a bag of chisels and then the battery died...
When we got married the Church caretaker was one of the groomsmen ( we were close and thought it would be nice to give him a more important role than he normally had.) Anyway he looked at Phil's brother who was slightly dishevelled in his morning suit and said to him"you look like a bag of chisels" - a phrase we still use as you can see.
Though I did get one photo of all 3 together than I have entitled "the band" cos they look posed
2: I would have told you about the fun I had with Sue Hyde at Barleylands craft village yesterday if it didn't shut Mondays. I have now double checked the website and can't see "closed Monday" anywhere. So I spent my pennies at Imagine That instead and bought some new BG pads amongst other things. Yum!

3; I would show you the card I made for the Little Extra but I gave it to Sue for her birthday on Sunday and told her by mistake so to see it you have to look here
I'll describe what I used so Sue - go to point 4 immediately. Actually you know what it is (sad news) so you can leave here. Bye!




I said BYE!
Hopefully she has gone now
Its the white square one (no surprise there). Sue is such an awesome card maker and made me a beautiful card and coaster book for my birthday so I get really nervous trying to make something worthy. (And just after it is Kathy B's birthday. Terror!) I remembered her favourite colours and my eye was caught by a little sample I did for my embroidery course before I had to give it up due to ill health. I discovered that you can paint onto chiffon so the background is painted using lumiere paints. Then the flower is appliquéd layers of chiffon on top. The paint makes the chiffon cutable (is that a word?) but I also mounted it on acetate to stick it down better. I added a few brads for stability then doodled on some photo corners. I doodled round the edge of the material too - I think it looks like machine stitching (but neater than I can do!)

4: I would tell you what Spot the chicken got up to today but sadly she died yesterday. It wasn't a fox - but Phil noticed she wasn't right and very light - hens hide illness in case they get driven out by the flock. She went into her nesting box in the afternoon and didn't come out again. Which leaves Mrs Miggins on her own - and chickens are not solitary birds. As it happens Phil and Carys are going on a chicken run soon so will now bring two ex battery hens back with them.

Carys says I can call one of them Windell Poons which is one of the best names ever - from Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett. Windell is a wizard who becomes a zombie - and as the hens kind of come back from the dead I think it is suitable. The boys don't know yet so I might be outvoted...

Anyway Lil' C had a good first day - here's hoping it is the first of many!

1st holiday page

And it took forever to do...
I finished it about midnight Friday night and went to show it to Phil. He couldn't read the word "addicted" so I had a major strop. He can now read it so I think I shall leave it as is. Otherwise I shall have to put in little arrows to show how the word goes
I used the same Scenic Route of papers as I did for the Water layout. I just love them! The paper comes with the large arrow and small bottom right ones already on them. I cut out the right hand side one and also brightened the colours slightly with gel and sharpie pens.
Chipbaord is Scenic Route and Lisa Bearnson (QVC) covered in black embossing powder.
Orange circles and the "2" are chipboard painted with a Dabber and covered in UTEE. Lots of outlining and inking.
I've decided not to worry that I do that all the time at the moment! I am trying to find lots of different ways to outline though. Some parts are lifted up with foam pads.

and to save your eyes, here is most of the journalling

The kids had a sleepover in the sitting room on Friday night. I think they are so sweet the way they still enjoy each others company so much!
I have a service this evening to finish getting ready for (yes, this is sermon avoidance!). Then I want to go for a walk as a health/lose weight kick. And if there is time this has to be turned into a silk purse...


I'm listening to ELO as I type. I used to find them naff but after listening to Chris Evans for a while and watching Dr Who the other night (Marc Warren and David Tennant in one episode. Mmm) I have rediscovered them! We also have to watch the last of the Dr Who boxed set tonight. Its been a load of fun!

Work is hard

when you have been on holiday. And I haven't even started school day timings yet - eek!
It is good though. Although as I have two services this Sunday I have to be disciplined about getting things done. And discipline is one of the spiritual gifts that I need to work on...
I have been hospital visiting amongst other things this morning. We have a lovely bright new hospital with someone playing piano in the atrium. BUT there is no way to get to the wards except by lift unless you are a member of staff. I always take the stairs in the hospital - its the only exercise I get! Still it is nicer than the former workhouse of old. It was lunch time and the person I was visiting had vegetarian. I think I would need food parcels....

I ought to clear up that I didn't do all of the journalling by hand on yesterday's layout! The little words poking out from the waves are printed. The more wobbly writing elsewhere is mine!

Today I set the dare for Daring Card Makers and tried to be clever with a cryptic clue. Lets just say I am not that clever...
A trio of Welsh Barbers means - use 3 die cuts on your card.

IN Wales (apparently) as all the men had the same few first names but also same few last names (thanks to the English imposing last names on us when being known as Tomos ap Rhys, or Tom the son of Rees worked quite well for hundreds of years) - there were lots of men with the same names which could cause mistakes so men were known by the job they did - Jones the milk, Jones the train, Jones the barber etc and Dai is the Welsh shortened version of David OR Davies as in South Wales a lot of boys have nicknames to do with their surnames rather than their first names.
So its... 3 Dai (Die) Cuts.
Ever wish you hadn't started something?

However the results by the team are great! I love seeing all the variety of takes on a dare. I tend to use 3's of things a lot - especially matching ones so I challenged myself to use three different die cuts.
My first card was my normal dare style of white square card though.

I used the August Self Addressed kit. Yummy! Some of the papers have a sheen as well.
The die cuts are all Quickutz - the two cakes and the spoon. I also used a few circle punches, computer printed sentiment and white brads.

So I agave myself an extra challenge of a non white non square card. This one was from the SA kit too and uses the same papers and ribbons.
Apart from the yellow card which I have loads of but don't know where from! The star, candle and photo fastener thingy are QK dies. The photo corner is hand cut and the other corner is a punched square with a scallop edge. The swirls were done using the little doodle template from last months SA kit.

And now... back to service prep! Have a lovely weekend.

Salt Water

Well service sheet and order are done for first service - "sermon" is percolating and will do the powerpoint presentation in a minute.
Blazers and new shoes bought (faint). Wasn't needed at Imagine That but had the torture of seeing the new Basic Grey stuff come into the shop but not ready to be sold yet. I want some 6x6 pads NOW!!! (stamps foot). But I can be strong. I have willpower.
Yeah right.

Last night we had a "lovely" meal at Nando's (not my fave place) followed by a Dr Who double bill. It looks like we are still expected to watch an episode a night until school starts... I also booked next years holiday - Eurocamp were giving 10% discount before August 31st. Only when I asked the site we are going to is not covered so I could have waited! We are back to camping as it is cheaper - but a fixed tent not our own. We are going to Waassenaarrr (not all those letters are correct) in Holland as the site is next to a huge water park which will suit moody teenagers. I have never booked a hol so early before. We are going the day after the GSCE results are out as we were away to hear about Hywel's French and still don't know how he did.

Today was Salt faith challenge launch day. The two weeks seem to fly by! I am thrilled and awed by the work we are doing I have to say. It is a great way to combine faith and creativity. Esther chose the theme of...

'WATER'

Water is such an important element in our lives, we can't live without it, just like our Lord and Saviour!

And here is my layout
It is 12x12 using Scenic Route Metropolis papers. I took the photo last year to prove I was paddling in the sea and for some reason had it printed up at Photobox. Now I know why...
The words are from Isaiah 43 as interpreted in a song apart from the journalling spot which says
I tried to copy the printed "journalling hand" font. It is quite a lot of fun to try and write in different styles. Maybe I have a future career in forgery. Or not...
I urge you to go and visit Salt to see all the wonderful interpretations of the challenge there are there.

In denial?

You know I am 25, right?
Most people think I am about 25 and inside I usually feel about 25.
BUT
I now have a son who is 15.
OK, so he too looks younger than his age (but is now taller than me, yippee!)
And truthfully, my body is more like that of a 40 something who has had 3 children all in different and in shape changing ways. (well not out of normal different like out of my nose or anything but as Carys used to tell everyone "H was cut out, E was pulled out and I came out by myself" Yeah, with a little help from your mother, girlie)

15 though, that is like old. That is two years from being able to drive and three from being able to vote old. And if he is old - what does that make me?
But although it is tempting to stay in denial I just love the young man he is growing to be in front of my eyes so if I can accept that he is 15 then I just have to accept that I am 36.
OK, sorry, 42.

Here is Hywel 18 months ago - aw so cwute.
Here Hywel is today in his birthday hat. Everyone needs a birthday hat. We love to buy presents from Poundland. "It's tradition" as the kids would say. And he has worn the hat most of the day! I just love the way he looks so different. He wants to grow his hair again. I have just hacked his brothers but H actually suits long hair I think. Oh and he liked the card but I have forgotten to photograph it. It is cwute too.

And now for the promised layout - the last one in the Scotland 2006 album. I knew what I was going to do for this ages ago but wanted to make it last especially as it meant I had more of these at my disposal...
And yes that is one of the Utee letters that caused me so much pain. But it was (almost) worth it. Utee'd chipboard just looks so lush
Christina Cole paper, a circle punch, "day" is MM kraft stickers and the rest are from my huge pile of alphabets. Do you know I had loads of "z's" to choose from? I think it is a great way of using up those letters that often feel so lonely at the end of the packet!

Tomorrow (well today as it has just hit midnight) I start back to work. Fun work to begin as I am teaching at Imagine That but it is full metal service preparation in the afternoon and evening. But for tonight, I am still in denial about THAT!

There's nothing like your own loo seat

So says the Revd Dr David Pickering and I happen to agree with him. Hols are great - and this one was terrific - but your own loo and bed - can't beat 'em.
I'm not going to bore you with all the details now. Just will say that if you ever have the chance of a holiday on the coast near Glasgow - then go. When we were driving there through some run down suburbs I was beginning to panic, but it was so, so beautiful. Wemyss Bay is a ferry port and there are lots of other ferries around so most of the photos of the sea have ferrries on them
We did the outdoors thing, we did the cinema thing, we took along two box sets of Dr Who and watched at least one episode a night. Hywel had to tell Phil to stop playing on the Wii at midnight because he couldn't sleep through it (guess who got addicted to Wii tennis?). Ah, happy days. And I know my kids are older now but even so - 10 hours(including stops) travelling there and back without any arguments at all and I am dead proud of them.

I'll just catch up with the darey stuff now in case you were itching to know what I used.
I didn't do last weeks Daring Cardmakers - although as I took some craft stuff with me and used some buttons maybe I'll upload a late entry tomorrow! (Made over 60 cards in the end)But the week before was frills and what a (cough) frill it was to make.
The paper is all 7 Gypsies Hudson Valley. The card was enormously 3d thanks to my failure to work out how to do a flat frill! On top I stuck a scallop punched circle and another circle and a flower and a gorgeous gem brad. I found someone to hand deliver it too!

The second Salt challenge has appeared as well. I love seeing the wide range of ways we express our faith. Casey chose the theme

I have chosen the theme "Life to the Full." This theme comes from the verse John 10:10b where Jesus says that He has come so we may have life and have it to the full (or in abundance)!

So, we would really love to see your take on this challenge of what
"Life to the full- in Christ" means for you.

I have to say that this is one of my most favouritest layouts what I have done. I just love the colours of the piggy tales papers and the way that it all came together. Some of those Doodlebug buttons came with dots on and some didn't - can you spot which?

I did also finish that last layout for the Scotland 2006 album - but I haven't photographed it yet. I wasn't going to do another holiday album but having looked at all the holiday shots I keep coming up with ideas so I might do one after all. Am I brave enough for a 12x12 all to itself?
Right it is now 10:30, it is Hywel's birthday tomorrow and there is the little matter of a card to make...

Ah

tablets are good...
but if I don't make much sense you will know why!
interestingly I first spasmed not long after uteeing some chipboard letters. by the evening (thanks to the happy pills) I felt well enough to think about crafting in front of the telly. Picked up the letters and 5 minutes later - WHAM! spasm number two - do you think the letters don't want to be used?

So what to catch up on?
We have the kids back! Looking grown up (and greasy in terms of the boys)


We met in Wootton Bassett which is almost exactly half way between Swansea and Upminster. mum and Dad were off to Chester to the Eisteddfod - the Welsh annual cultural festival, taking place nearby (in Wales though obviously!)
they are such complete stars - and also were full of praise for the kids too which is always lovely to hear.


SO my Daring Card this week was actually done early - just as well as it turns out

This weeks Dare is set by Tracie (Bondgirl) and is titled Photo Finish.... This week I want you to make a card for any occasion but it must include a photograph somewhere! The photo subject can be people, items, locations, flowers, absolutely anything so get snapping. Dont forget to check copyright if you are using someone elses photographs in your art work

I used a photo I took last summer. I took two of this butterfly in quick succession and thanks to the rather lovely auto function on my camera - both turned out beautifully.
I did wonder what paper to use that wouldn't detract from the photo but once more those Basic Grey 6x6 pads turned up trumps. these papers are Perhaps and I am in awe of the way that the green mat is almost the exact shade of the green in the photo. It's the little things that please me! the sentiment is safmat over some of the photo that I trimmed down. I think this would also make a good sympathy card (different sentiment obviously!) and as it is my image I can use it over and over!

I also made the penultimate page for my Scotland 2006 album.
Now I just bought the perfect papers for this page. I bought a white/black/grey pad. I shared it with Kathy, Susan and Anita. Could I find the paper? No. SO this is Christina Cole papers but they are good too.
Black Bazzill cut 8x8.
The bottom is cut in a scallop.
Some cow print ribbon from an old kit (its stopped now - sob!)
hand cut arrow
punched circles from left over Bazzill
Cow? is American Crafts thickersjournalling written using a sharpie pen
Auntie Sarahs bloomers
small brads are Bazzill I think
large brads are from my scrapbooking castle prize from the Just Bex forum.
I'm going to give the last page a try tonight from the sofa - I won't let the UTEE beat me!
We will be spending some time creating more memories so I will see you in a while

Ow

remember bad back from earlier post? went into spasm today. Can now walk but mustn't stay on computer. Hope to be back online before hols.
Laters