Its unbeleivably spotty

I think I have linked to this song before but you can never have enough Spotty Muldoon in your life.
And today I have a great excuse...
it's polka dot week at Daring Cardmakers.
Vanessa came up with this fabulous dare

Onto to this week's dare, set by me (Vanessa) and I thought we'd have a little break from all things Christmassy. So, for one week only over this festive period, we're having a no-Christmas and no-Winter zone! Its polka-dot week! Lets bring some warmth to our cards with polka dots, but I don't mean spots or dots in a variety of sizes, it has to be specifically polka-dots (i.e. a pattern of dots of equal size, equally spaced). However, you can have whatever colour(s) you choose as long as your card doesn't look cold and wintry!!

I luuuuuuurve spots. Spots and stripes together is even better. (a love I share with Emma at Imagine That). As it happens I had a brand new set of Papertrey Stamps crying out to be used - Polka Dot basics. The card didn't quite turn out as planned but I think I managed to save it!
I used kraft cardstock and rounded the corners then added polka dots to the bottom. The good thing about these stamps is that they are in a double row and come with an extra one dot to fill in the gaps. I embossed with white embossing powder. Then decided to use some distress ink on the bottom area. To be honest I wish I hadn't! Still it looks a bit better now with faux stitching and the dots outlined in black pen. I added some strips of Cosmo Cricket early bird papers. The butterfly is a Cuttlebug die. The dots on there were intially cream so I used a white pen over them then added white gliter with a glue pen. Still didn't look right until I added the Nestie frames. Do you like the bow? I think I have finally cracked it. A properly tied bow. At 44 I have finally got the knack (I've been a two loop girl. Blush. I think because being left handed I have to put it round the wrong way.) Now if I could only bring the bows to the front and the ties to the back...

I decided when I made the layout for Salt that I needed to use up the papers by making the card. Obviously Daring Cardmakers was also on my mind as I ended up with quite a few dots on this one too...
The bird is the other way round as the paper is double sided! She is swiss dot embossed and inked. Lots of foam pads were used to create layers.

And I have realised I may need more Christmas cards so experimented with a frosted acetate one
I can't get it to stay close enough together to really see the back. I think frosted cards probably only want to have detail on the front not the back. The snowflake is a window sticker from a set of 12 from Poundland with some Glamour Dust on the top. I wrote peace with a white sharpie and then did the old glue and glitter routine!

I have Sunday's service to prepare. And need to make sure things are in place for the 2 carol services for the 20th. And really need to do a lot for the service on 3rd January. It is that sort of time of year when I need to juggle lots of things in my head and hope I manage them all. We had the penultimate Advent journal last night at church and actually having that time to reflect and "journal my advent" (only once a week, maybe I'll do it properly next year as a more faith filled Shimelle type thing. Or maybe not!) ha really helped me to prepare my heart for Christmas. I'll share the finished project next week.

God is with us

that is certainly how I felt on Saturday!
I went with a group from my churches to a United Reformed Church event in Birmingham which was to celebrate being Multicultural. We went in a minibus. Did you know that there is no parking in central Brum for minibuses? Phil (my hero and our intrepid driver) eventually parked it on a street right the other side of the inner ring road. By that time he had thanked me for having the foresight to print off a map of central Birmingham as the minibus obviously didn't have any juice flowing to the cigarette lighter as the Satnav died just on hitting the centre. Hmmmm. More on this in a minute

We were there not just because it is good to celebrate being multicultural but because my small church had won a special award for telling our story in an interesting way. You can see how I used my scrapping skills to finish the project off here (scroll down to 22 April) And our prize was a rather fancy pulpit fall that also has "We are a multicultural church" on the bottom pf it. We don't actually have a pulpit and we'll have to adapt our lecturn (the thing you stand behind to give a lecture or read from the Bible) but we will display it as we are mighty proud of it. Here I am with Esther who had only arrived back in the country from Africa the day before and our Moderator of General Assembly (not a very interesting name for an important short term job in our church) John Marsh who I first met when I was doing youth work for the URC on the Ginger Group 22 years ago

Then all we needed to do was leave Birmingham. Phil reckoned that the van was too far away for us all to walk there. He was right. So the two of us went to get the van while the others waited ready for a phone call to say we were outside. There is a lovely German market through the centre of Brum at the moment. It was heaving. People were allowed alcohol. It was raining. It was dark. It took us 30 mins to get to the van. And remember that inner ring road. We had to find our way round it to pick the others up. Birmingham centre also doesn't have roundabouts. It has circuses which are roundabouts with big buildings on them so you can't see your exits. Let me say that I know God was with us as we would never have found our way to the church to find the others any other way. He was certainly with Phil who ignored my suggestion, on seeing the motorway signs that we could just go without them. I was kidding. Almost.

And God with us is the Salt theme today. Pauline has written a wonderful reflection on it here.
I wanted to emphasize the fact that God coming as one of us meant entering into the whole human thing. It was also a great excuse to scrap this photo of my sister in law holding her grandson for the first time (eek how can my sister in law be a granny. We are not that old!)
The papers are all K and Co from the Urban Rhapsody scrap pad and I used an old Pencil Lines sketch to kick start the process. I liked the bird (would have been better facing the other way round) and the fact it said "blessed" on it so I highlighted it with glossy accents, a grungeboard star and a stick on pearl the two bits of grungeboard were inked with brown and yellow distress inks and then spritzed with pearl glimmer mist. the title is all Doodlebug letters

that's it for now must go and focus on how God will be with us again - Advent scrapbook journal tonight is on the Second Coming. Not something URC folk think about that much really. Maybe we should...

If you want it smaller then don't ask for small

that is the lesson I learned yesterday.
I missed tea at the normal time (not good practice I know) and at 9:50, heading home from something decided I needed carbs. Chips to be precise. But I can't eat much at one go. I'd phoned to check if Phil needed anything (he'd just eaten some chips!) and told him my quandary. "Just ask for half a portion" he suggested. I thought I would feel a ninny doing this so decided just to ask for a small chips and curry sauce. So I did. On the wall it said "chips and curry sauce£1.99" so I was surprised to be charged £2.20. I enquired about this
(you may be thinking it was only 21p but in my defence I am a.
a miser
b. very grumpy when I am hungry.
c. not kidding about the grumpiness. Ask Phil)
Apparently chips and curry sauce is in a tray - hence the 21p reduction in price which I surmise is because there are less chips so if I had asked for chips and curry sauce and not small chips and curry sauce I would have got a smaller portion.
They were very delicious.
I couldn't eat them all.
It was worth the 21p just for the way it has made me smile since I worked it all out.

In other news...
I really, really shouldn't be here as I am going to Birmingham all day tomorrow for a URC multicultural celebration. My church has won a prize for telling its story (about how we are v. small and learning to be multicultural and being a version of Jesus story about the mustard seed which you can find here) so I will have to look reasonably smart as well. Problem is I will have to leave home about 6:45 in the morning which is not my best time of day... And I have two services on Sunday (guess I won't be enjoying the Eastenders omnibus Sunday afternoon then)
so here is a quick recap of some of the crafting highlights of my week
1: Last week's Daring card"

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas"

I want to see Christmas cards that are mainly white with just a hint of colouring on your embellishments or stamped image.

Drew a triangle on white cardstock. Cut it in three and embossed with different folders. Simples. The sentiment is from a big Papermania Bauble Decoration stamp
Lots of glamour dust and a little olive ink round the edge

2: This weeks Daring card. My word the others have done some amazing work this week.

Say it in "Sepia"
I've been sorting through some "Old" family photographs with the intention of Scrapbooking them and I just love the Sepia ones. So I thought it would be nice to see a "Thank You" card made using "sepia" tones. So that's just brown/white or brown/cream depending on your card base colour. .

Mine is again on the "simples" side. But I do have to make four of these by Sunday. This is it so far...Papertrey kraft cardstock cut to an American card size. Swirl embossing folder. Hero Arts clings stamp (which I can ink much better putting the card on the stamp and rubbing. Wierd.) Prisma colour penicls and ribbon & button from stash

3: I have a Layout featured on Docrafts using the new Doodlebug Christmas papers. oooh it is bright - but fun I think!
A WRMK Corner Chomper is an expensive bit of kit but as ever, I am yet again falling for the false premise that if I use the same tools as Kristina Werner I will make cards like Kristina Werner:) Also I am that lazy that the thought of only having to round two corners at a time not four sounds brilliant.

I'll see you sometime on the other side of the weekend!

Oooh again so soon?

How often do I post two days in a row? Not often. And this is just a quick one as I have ooooooooodles of work to do. Can't make any more cards until my white cardstock order arrives. But all I need to do is a print through of the message and everything else is ready to stick on. I have impressed myself. Sadly behind on every other aspect of Christmas.

But I have made a decoration. This probably ranks as the simplest decoration I could have possibly made for the latest Get Funky dare and I have another one planned. But it might have to just stay in my head for a wee while longer! Kath came up with a fab challenge

Deck the Halls! What I would like you to do this month is to create a Christmas decoration to decorate your wall...mantlepiece Christmas table or to hang on your tree.....a Christmas Gift or perhaps a box or gift wrapping

I was wondering what to do and then had yer actual brainwave. Why not print some Funky Hand paper onto acetate and start from there? SO that is what I did.
I chose a design from Funky Seasons that had a lot of white on the background so most of it came out clear. I used my Sizzix star (which has been worth its weight in gold this year) to die cut the shape. Then I inked the edges in blue, added glamour dust to the star and studded them with stick on gems. I may have added the button because I made a mess of the hole but it looks quite nice! Simples!

(Apparently the photo has nice bokey - no idea of how to spell that - I am just pleased that the out of focus means you can't see how truly messy our garden is...)

Anyway - now the challenge is yours! As usual you have a whole month to complete the challenge and all you have to do to enter is use at least one Funky Hand product and leave a link here to your creation so we can come and visit you and you could be the winner of a £20 Funky Hand voucher to spend on Funky Hand products....a great start to the new crafting year.
So what are you waiting for?!!!!

OK its Advent, you can officially start talking about

Christmas now!

And I have even started making my Christmas cards. That was helped by me making a card for a Daring Cardmakers Dare last year and saying "hmmm, that'll mass produce" and with a few tweaks it is indeed the card for '09. You can't see it yet as I haven't photographed it and today is too grey and miserable to bother. I am almost half way there though - I'm only doing 60 this year as I overdid last year and am still reusing the cards! But I can show you a few other Christmascards and bits and bobs from this last week.

This Autumn has been particularly busy work wise. That is all good but does mean I seem to be playing catch up or am just plain absent for my crafting responsibilities. Not good. So I am trying to catch them up in a fair way. So, I ahve finally made some cards with the new Funky Hand Festive Fun digital stamps.

They come on an A4 sheet but if you insert it into a Word document you can crop and resize to your hearts content. These are pretty simple but turned out really cute if I may say so!
I coloured in the image using Copic glitter pens in colours to match the papers which are from the Blue Christmas Word book. I added even more bling to the papers. Sadly the camera hasn't picked up all the sparkle. The label shape is a Nesties Label 8 cut in half so you can see more of it!

For the second one, if I had been clever I would have printed the tree directly onto the patterned paper which is from the other Christmas word book collection- 'Tis the season.
but I wasn't. So I pasted the image to the back of the paper and cut it out and then redrew the image on the front. You may think it was a lot of work. And in fact, it was... I was pleased that I managed to stamp directly onto the paper without a problem (using some free stamps from a mag) hurray! but then realised it was a little too high up. boo. Oh well. A few Prima "ornaments" and I'm done.

I didn't think I'd manage the Salt dare this week. But then a meeting finished early and it came together really fast!
It was a great challenge set by Mona

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

On November 11, Remembrance Day in Canada, this verse was in my devotions and it really spoke to me. Having grandparents who were in the war and having lost a cousin in Afghanistan it really spoke to me - especially as a Mennonite woman who believes in pacifism. Then I thought about it and realized that NO MATTER where we are in our lives nothing is more important than what we do FOR OUR FATHER; nothing else matters. There is nothing more important in my life than knowing that everything I say and do needs to be for the praise and honor of my Lord. I am thankful to my Father every day for the life he has given me and I want everyone to know that all I do is to HIS glory. That is what my life is for - Thank You Father!

I decided to use this photo - one of my favourites from our summer holiday. Carys and I are going up a not very scary rollercoaster at the Weymouth Sea Life Centre (yes, it was Hywel's birthday). I think I will scrap it again when it comes to doing this summers album (still only part way through summer 08)
I bought some glimmer mists at the Imagine That birthday bash and so had great fun sptritzing away. The flowers were all white and cream. Emma at the shop had made some beautiful ones overlaying them with script stamps. In order to slavishly copy I will need a proper script stamp and had to improvise with script flower stamps. Some of my tries had to be turned over and are now blank!

I die cut two sizes of star and laid them on the white cardstock and sprayed. Then added black men and journalling and two teeny strips of patterned paper. the alaphabet stamps are from Purple Onion. One of the amazing sets I got with a Self Addressed kit. I like the uneveness of them and even the way I smudged the "g". Just as well really as I couldn't have disguised it.

RIght better get back to those cards....

Happy birthday Anice!

Our glorious Funky Hand leader is 41 today!
And because she is the nicest, sweetest most generous person
she is offering a special discount of 41% off everything in the Funky Hand store just for today,
using the code 41TODAY
So go on, enjoy her birthday :)

I also helped Imagine That celebrate its 3rd birthday of bringing crafting heaven to Upminster this week. Emma is also one of the nicest, sweetest and most generous people I know too. And has just scored a world beating score of 440,000 on bejewelled blitz - which is also worth celebrating. SO buy your wonderful Funky Hand CD's at this amazing price and then go here for all the bits to finish off your cards and layouts!

BTW my life has collapsed into World of Meetings again so there will be little craft from this corner of the world until the weekend. Sob!

Now I am a-Muse-d

Earlier in the year I had notice that Muse were playing the O2. Tickets went on sale at 9am. I remembered at 9:30 and I just couldn't get tickets. Now I think I gave up too easily. Yesterday I had a note to say they are playing Wembley next September. Tickets went on sale this morning at 9. "Ah I won't forget this time" I said to myself and wrote a note and put it on my desk. I looked at it at 9:30 and then said some words that a Minister shouldn't know and decided to give it a go and got tickets! Naturally it is going to be a bit more of a trek as the 02 is easy from here and Wembley isn't but I hope it will be worth it. Nope, I know it is. My poor hubby is coming with me and says I am not allowed to sing along. It is on a Saturday so there may be a tired and hoarse Minister at Church the next morning!

I think the meeting on Wednesday went well. It certainly generated a lot of food for thought. I know what I would like to do next but it needs to be collaborative so I must present a range of options as to how to take it further. Very exciting though (not as exciting as going to see Muse but then what is?)

It is Daring day today and Rein came up with one to get us thinking!

and mydare this week is:

"The First Letter"
I'd like you to put things on your card which begin with the first letter of your name. You can use other things too, but see if you can use at least 3 things that share their initial letter with your own name.

You must go and read the struggles that the "K" and "V" girls had. I was a bit stumped until I found a kids picture dictionary with lots of simple "L" words in it.
And so brought to you by the letter "L" is
it has
Layers (just thought of that)
Lemon ink and papers and gem
Lace
Leaves
Lollipop flower
Ladybird
Loveheart
a Label
and...
a Loo roll (which is what the heart shape is made from)

actually that may come off to be replaced by an ordinary cardstock heart before I send it!

the papers and stickers are all October Afternoon; the gem is Prima and the leaf punch is Martha Stewart. The lace is from a bag beside the table. Before that, I have no idea. The bag beside the table contains cards other people have sent me and this lace. I don't know why I haven't put it with the ribbon or in my other accessories box but it did mean I knew where it was. I seem to be able to remember where things are better when I am untidy than when I tidy. Weird.

Here is the page I amde for the class on Monday. The idea was that people broughtphotos of themselves so that is why there is another "about me" page. They mostly didn't so I could have done something else but there you areLovely K and Co papers, my Sizzix letters and embossing title and doodling and punching and it is done. Phil took the photo of me on Monday in the conservatory (why does that sentence always end "with the lead piping" in my head?) where the light and reflection are flattering... Last night I looked in the mirror and realised I can't have looked properly all day as my hair was all over the place. Ah well!

It is Church Fair tomorrow and I will be "helping" kids make cards. They better put the lids straight on the glue sticks - that's all I'm saying.

I'm a bit nervous

I'm off out soon to do the first part of my MA coursework for this year. We have to do a Church Consultancy. The place I asked nearly bit my hand off and wanted to start NOW!!! We discuss how to do the first part next week at college... It is the sort of thing I know how to do really so I shouldn't be getting in a state. But that has never stopped me before. And then I have to run off to the second half of my church meeting.

I was going to put some washing away but decided that the blog was quiet and needed an update instead :)
I ran a class at a local Church on Monday. As ever, things were not quite how I had planned but they all had a whale of a time which was the most important thing. I had prepped a lot earlier and my Dreamkutz was so invaluable in cutting down sheets with ease. Tomorrow night I begin a Journal Your Advent 5 week course at Church. To complicate it I won't be there for week 2 so they will decorate the covers that week I think! I haven't got photos of either project yet as
1: isn't photographed
2: isn't started - that is tomorrow afternoon's job

but can show you some cards made for the church fair on Saturday. Except one has already been given as a birthday card. They mostly feature Kraft. And Cosmo Cricket Early Bird. Mmmmm I love it so.

Oooh I have obviously pressed a wrong button as the photos aren't where I expected! This card also features Papermania foam letters, a Martha Stewart butterfly, a Fiskars border and Woodware circle punch and I scrunched up the paper "ribbon"
This is my fave! Paper roses and a Martha Stewart leaf punch and lots of Kraft space. I did add Happy Birthday at the bottom (and hand delivered it as it was so bulky)
MOre of the same, and a WRMK rubon. Oh, and a peel off (yes I know!)
This is BG papers - Lemonade I think, a Craftwork cards sentiment and Candy dot thingy
This one uses the embossing/inking technique, Christmas papers, that same punch and my best bow EVAH.
And another peeloff.

I have to make a few more cards for Saturday then I have a list of crafty must makes as long as my arm (that's even before the hand was nearly bitten off) and not a lot of time to do it in. As ever. Monday (my crafting day) I am teaching in Imagine That in the morning and going for lunch and sofa shopping at Ikea in the afternoon (we had hoped our sofas would last a few more years but just won't so we will be replacing them with something else that teenagers and dogs can wreck slightly. They have reached embarrassing proportions now though) followed by movie night in the evening.

And I must say thanks to Tesco Film as when I complained about a bonus disc being sent out as one of our choices (Still haven't quite worked out how to delete that as an option without deleting the film choice), they replied promptly and are sending another film too. That's the second time recently there have been issues (first one the film was rent in twain) and they have been impressive in dealing with them.
I would have moaned here so I will praise here.

And sadly, I've still got time to put that washing away...

Be Still

I have had more of a chance to be still this week. Such a relief!
But there is a long way to go...
When I started out in Ministry (17 years ago on the 28th November) I thought that I just had to get through December and then could relax. Now I know better. Minister's diaries are full of stuff from September until June/July and if you think there is any down time you are sadly wrong!
It is not so much the going out and being at things, it is the the thought needed and prioritising that I struggle with. Still, it is an amazing and varied job and God continues to teach me so much through it.

It was my turn to choose the Salt challenge this time. If I am honest I was going to duck out of this one due to all the stuff I have been whinging about recently! But I am so glad that I didn't because it was something I needed to do. Phil looked at my journalling and said "hhmph, so are you going to live it out then?". That is where I am and what I needed to remember this week.

I chose the theme of Psalm 46 as there are so many helpful words of comfort and strength there. And this is what I came up with
The papers are Scenic Route Belleville with a tiny piece of WRMK (the leaf). There was supposed to be a bigger piece of WRMK but I forgot to stick it down and it would have been the bottom layer. Ah well! The black strip is glitter paper and the letters are black glitter stickers by Doodlebug. There is a WRMK journalling spot and rubons too and that is that really.

The photo is me at half term at the top of British Camp in Malvern. Phil photoshopped the bag of doggy doings I was holding out of the photo. (No bins on British Camp) Thanks hun! We came down to extra special ice cream - I had Damson and Sloe Gin. Mmmmmmmm.


And here is the layout I posted for the previous challengeOooh look, more Scenic Route! This is a mix of Liberty and Salem. SR - I will miss you.
The photo is of the kids at the eco centre in Machynlleth in the summer. (Go on, try and say it! I can't even begin to explain it in writing). I liked the fact that there were signposts pointing in all directions that life might take them in serving God in the future.

And finally...
this layout is in the latest Docrafts mag. I spent half term searching for the mag to show Phil's aunt as I did a layout about her husband - only it hasn't been published (may appear online though). But this one was - it is the story of my Dad's cousins and how the one who died was the one kept at home in a reserved occupation. I love that turquoise and brown Papermania paper. It has built in gradient colour. And look at all the brads I used! Can you tell I didn't pay for them as I would never be so extravagant otherwise. Although maybe I should be as I love the look. The brads, ribbon and letter stickers are all Doodlebug

Here is the journalling - you may still need to click on it to read it


I'm listening to songs that might form part of our Christmas kids service as I blog. Multi tasking at its finest!

Getting There

thanks to those who commented last week. I really appreciated it. Life is easing a little but not much and I can't afford to relax too much or I will drop some of the balls in the air. It has meant that I have had some decisions to make about a few things to give up or change. Most of that won't affect my blog (unless you are interested in Compact for Havering!) but one or two things will.

One small change that is coming already is about commenting on challenge posts. I am really bad at remembering the Get Funky posts which is a shame as the Funky Hand posts and challenges are awesome. I am usually better at Daring Cardmakers - although i missed last weeks altogether. However I have decided that unless Daring Cards is one of three or less challenges a card is being submitted to, I am not going to comment. I'll still have a look see! Maybe no-one minds or cares, I'm not a big cheese or anything but just so you know why my commenting doesn't seem totally equal.
It is a little thing but somehow it lifts a tad of the weight off my shoulders!!!!!

I'm just going to catch up on three things I've made recently today and it shows how I am a Kraftaholic.
First - the Get Funky November challenge - Autumn Woodland.
It is so much fun browsing through the Funky Hand CD's. I keep finding lots of fabulous patterned papers tha ti hadn't yet seen - or forgotten. Ance is so talented as a designer!
The selection I chose was American Fall from Funky Seasons
Yes, its a Kraft card base! This kraft card was as cheap as chips... until I factored in postage from the US. So basically it is as frugal as fries but not so good for us in Blighty. I doodled the edge of the card base, then punched circles from two of the designs and stuck them on the edge of a rectangular mat of leaf paper. More doodling ensued. More layers were added (one has a Fiskars punch border). This whole think was adhered using foam pads.
Then I cut the swirly branch from another of the papers, doodled on it and added some Craftwork Cards card candy. I think the white pen detail makes them look shiny! More foam pads were used to stick the branch on. (Mmm, may have to hand deliver this one) Final touch was a hand written sentiment. Oh how I wish I could write like Kristina Werner!

Next is the last October dare for DCM -Getting Punchy With It
This is an offcut of 12x12 Kraft Bazzill. The paper is really old and I had fallen out of love for it. (so old I even forget the company. Horrors!)
But two things make it zing again - one is the Kraft background and the other is the old Sharpie outlining technique. I do this a lot rather than just inking and it gives a sharp edge. Warning though - at times your hand will slip and you have to improvise how to hide the skid! Loads of foam pads yet again and three punches were used
Fiskars Border punch
Woodware scallop circle
and my newest punch (at that point) Martha Stewart butterfly

and finally the card that was supposed to be Krafty - this week's challenge on DCM...
I used a letter sized sheet of Kraft (from that US company with the not cheap shipping)
All the papers - believe it or not - are Basic Grey Gypsy. It was a happy accident this card. I knew that it would have "70" on as it is for my mother in laws special birthday. So out came the Urban Lily numbers again. I ahd decided to do a lot of inking and started with the scalloped piece and my favourite mixture of green and blue distress inks (I layer them on). I was a bit heavy handed but realised that it subdued the pattern but still let the colours through. SO then I went a bit mad, adding embossing to the mix then inking and trying to leave the middle much clearer. I LOVE the result and will be doing this again - especially with papers I don't like much now!

Here's a close up

as you can see I layered the numbers onto more kraft to give definition.

The stamps are from Imagine That, which is also where I purchased the Making Memories gem templates I used to create the swirls in the corner. I did these with stick on pearls
Incidentally if you click on the Imagine That link you can see where I teach every now and then - behind the square shelving. It is a lovely bright and comfy corner!

Eventually I might get round to sharing our half term fun - but this is enough for now :)

I'm almost here

I've been away - hence the silence. Had a lovely mini half term break with my wonderful mother in law. Came back, did a class at Imagine That and then discovered that someone at the centre of church had died suddenly (that'll teach me to leave the answerphone messages until 12 hours after I get home). It has been mad since then.
I have so much to show and tell from the various challenges I am part of, but I just don't have the spare capacity and energy right now.
I'll try and catch up soon!

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!

She's a model #2

Yesterday I made Carys up to be a Goth. She is Leader of the Flying Monkeys in the school play and they will be Goths. Having been a little bit of one in my time I knew what to do...
Now I am trying not to be feel funny because
1: she looks so grown up
2: She makes a better Goth than I ever did (although she wouldn't let me put kohl inside her eyes. Doesn't she know you have to suffer for beauty?)

Second shot I finally broke out my reflective circle - you can tell the difference I think!

Onto other rather splendid news
Use this code and get all sorts of loveliness from Funky Hand. There are some fab Christmas downloads for example as well as the now even greater value for money CD's!

And finally, catching up with some of my holiday layouts
Scenic Route Surprise with a Pink Paislee rub on
October Afternoon - Detours or Cherry Hill
Can you beleive it is the same girl just a year ago?

She's a model and she's looking good

Last night I took Carys to a local camera club to do some modelling for them. She had a ball and was a really good sport at pulling faces and jumping up and down and all sorts. I naturally took our camera along. Thank the Lord for digital as it means that you can try all sorts of things and not worry about wasting film. It was actually a lot harder than I thought to get a good shot - to do with technical stuff like ISO's and apertures and all the words that make me start going "la,la,la" in my head because I don't really understand.
So... prepare to be bored by a few of the 72 shots I took!

this overexposed one is actually one of my faves...

this has had nothing done with it post production either

a behind the scenes shot (taken with the wrong lens and no flash so thanks to Picasa for being able to see anything)my first really successful jumping shot (shame about the beard!)
totally Carys
I look forward to seeing the other photos taken by those who know what they are doing. Carys had her braces out last week - look how lovely her teeth are! (She now has retainers and being the gentle, loving supportive mother I am I keep asking her to say "I am not an animal, I am a human being" while she struggles with the amount of hardware and saliva in her mouth and then laughing uproariously)

In other news...
I was supposed to be going to Belmarsh prison today to visit someone. V. nervous. Discovered yesterday he has been transferred to Norfolk (why he didn't write that to me but hoped that someone else would pass the message on I dunno) but I am relieved all round!

Today is Daring day. It is a pretty special one as we have now been Daring Cardmakers for three whole years. There are four of the original Darers who still take part regularly (can you spot who they are?) but no-one ever really goes away - once part of the team you are always part of the team! I have been inspired by so many wonderful card makers - both my teamies and those who take part in the challenges so thanks to all of you.

It was my turn to set the dare this week so I went for something simple (like me!)This week's dare is

I can see clearly now
and I would love to see something clear on your card. It could be an acetate card, an acetate embellishment, a window cut in the card, clingfilm, OHP sheet, Mirror fragments - anything that shows that your card is clearly one of the best!

It has actually coincided with some sad news (not end of the world tragic but sad anyway). I have found that the best place to buy acetate cards - Shortcuts - is actually on the point of closing down! Although it is in the US I have found them great value for money including postage. So if you want a bargain go now!

I love to use acetate cards now I have got the hang of it a bit more
I think it is all about the layers - putting something on the back, the inside front and the outside front. Actually the card is remarkably similar to my one last week I think - purple, gold and a big flower. The papers are all Basic Grey; letters are Adornit; threading water punch; nestability label 8 (my new fave!). the flower is made using grungepaper and an Artistic Stamper stamp set. It didn't go quite as well as I had hoped (sulk) but it was my first go. I painted the flowers with a purple/gold acrylic paint and stamped over it with versamark and a Prima stamp. Then embossed with Stamp and bond powder and sprinkled black and gold glitter on different layers. Because I couldn't get it all to stick together properly I used a Papermania brad to hold it all.
Here is a version of the card more closed
Right then, lets make the most of the time when I would have been going to prison!

Having confidence

I don't have much self confidence. Or self esteem. I have worked on this but it is still a struggle at 44* to believe that I don't just spout nonsense or am no help to anyone or that all I can create is the same old rubbish. But knowing that this is my default position means that I can try and have a stern word with myself about how I am. In a sense lack of confidence in myself becomes lack of faith in all that God has given me. Not a sin exactly but close to it.

(*Carys asked me how old I was this week. I asked her to guess. She said 26. I pointed out my oldest son is 17. She is 13. Still I don't mind looking young to her!)

I was reminded of this struggle on Tuesday when my MA course began again. This year I am doing a module on Psychology, faith and church life. It is the reason why I started the course in the first place so I am very excited about it. I had a really tough time a few years ago and doing the MA is a way into finding something positive from being at rock bottom with no self confidence left at all. But it is funny how, even at my third year level now, I get really nervous meeting the new group and worrying how I will shape up. It is fascinating being introduced to the people I will spend a few months with. Some are training to be Ministers, some are working like me, some are retired people. It is a good mix.

One of the group who had done the introductory module the year before was winkling out of those he knew how they had done with the essay. I did rather badly (though I passed!) and my confidence shot down again. (I wish I had said something about how I barely scraped through as I think he is someone who needs to learn a little more sensitivity but somehow the words wouldn't come out!). We are to keep journals - which I am bad at. this blog is the nearest thing I have to a journal and look at how often it is updated. And I think it will be useful for me to reflect on all sorts of things. We also have to do a project with a church and I am cautiously excited that the plan I have in mind may really help a local church. But can I do it? the doubts creep in...

Confidence is so important. Not the "I can do anything because I am fantastic" but "I can do anything because God has confidence in me". This last week the reading was Jesus saying "all things are possible for God" which should give us hope. this week's Salt challenge was set by Hazel and is all about reflecting on our Confidence in God. I chose a verse from Joshua
I failed spectacularly to get a good photo of this layout despite two goes on different days. Each time the layout then fell off the wall and now has rather battered edges! The colour of the background of the photo is almost identical to the cardstock. It is a photo Phil took and tinted (it wouldn't be me taking it, I had to ask him which way up the birds were!). Everything else is Kandco - stamps; die cuts; acetate - everything! I do try and mix things up but think I am better when I can easily go for a co-ordinated range (I think the key word is easily!). The letter stickers are silver on green and they hate cameras! Here is a close up of my reflection

Yesterday I had another project posted on Docrafts. Apparently it is beginner level! I suppose it is although there is quite a lot to do to finish the layout off.
The papers are actually Christmas ones. I so love the turquoise and brown combo. And the build a poppy stamp is great. The photo is one we took on our day trip to France. I have since added a bit of journalling to say it is the most moving memorial I have ever seen. That fallen soldier is so poignant.

And finally I keep forgetting to share the layouts for the holiday album. Still working away on that!
This one came together in no time at all. All Scenic Route papers and stickers. A Technique Tuesday template; American Crafts journalling sticker; Fiskars punch and Making Memories template for the stickles swirls. I haven't done a close up of the journalling but you should be able to see it better if you click on the photo. If not, I reflect on how being a family of 5 sometimes means one person has to be left out. But I was able to shoot water from a cannon and take silly photos so still had fun!