Crop-tastic

The only time I manage to get any crafting done is at my local crop. A couple of the pages still need some journalling and all were made with the gorgeous Quirky Kits.

Hopefully I will get more crafting done in 2014 - but maybe we need more crops Erika??

This is my favourite page that I have made in ages.

Weekly challenge

Managed to find sometime to craft this afternoon - between baking, catching up with Homeland and cross stitch.

I had read one of Shimelles recent posts on her blog about using up 6x6 pads (and I have plenty of those) She suggested using them as photo mats for your Instagram photos. I just so happened to have had some Instagram photos printed off from my recent break in Fort William.

This weeks challenge included using a sketch and using Autumnal colours - just up my street. We also had to use a book title on our page and use paints or mists. If you look on Amazon there is a book called On Your Bike but I failed on the last requirement. I do have some mists - but they were the wrong colours and I have no clue how to use them properly!!

Here is how my page turned out -  pleased with it although as per usual everything looks squint! Used my new chevron punch from Stampin Up. The flower and leak die is from Sizzix, the journalling spot is a very old one out of a Maya Road tin, the alphas are by October Afternoon and the papers are Pyrus by Basic Grey.

Skywatch Friday

Today I am sharing a view taken on our bike ride along the Great Glen Way on the banks of the Caledonian Canal.

Pop over to the Skywatch blog to see more skies from around the world.

Skywatch Friday

We took the gondola to the top of Aonach Mor while we were away and despite the low clouds there were some stunning views.

Pop over to the Skywatch blog to see more skies from around the world.

I'm getting near the end now :)

6. Someone or something taking a nap. My kids are going to kill me but here they are towards the end of our 10 hour drive from the North East of Scotland to Wales!!

A bit sneaky I know (and I could well get into trouble for this one!) - my Dad and stepmum asleep in front of the telly while we were on holiday.

You can see more on Rindas blog.

2013 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

20. A Dinosaur. I thought I would struggle with this one but last week on our drive to Fort William I remembered about the Loch Ness Monster model at Drumnadochit. Drumnadrochit is the Loch Ness Monster centre and as such is heaving with mainly foreign tourists who all pitch up by the coachload. To be honest there is nothing there and Loch Ness itself isn't very inspiring as lochs go - much nicer ones to visit. So here is Nessie herself:

9. A photo with someone or something which is clearly out of place. Whilst staying in our highland cabin we noticed a place called Fairy Glen on the map - and presumed it was aimed at young children so decided to give it a miss. Whilst walking along the banks of Loch Lochy just off the Great Glen Way we noticed a brightly coloured umbrella in the trees and went to have a closer look. Little did we know we had stumbled upon Fairy Glen! Words cannot describe this place full of some of the oddest things - all manner of stuffed toys and figurines, wind chimes and artificial flowers. Somehow in the middle of a dark and rather damp wood it seemed macabre and disturbing rather than magical end enchanting (especially the Winnie the Poo with his head chopped off and placed in a  jar next to him!!) Of course I had to Google the place when we got home and this is what I found out:



CHIMES tinkling in trees, glittering fairies hanging from branches, gnomes and elves peeping from the undergrowth - a walk near Gairlochy has never seemed so surreal. But now an area of woodland near to the world famous Great Glen Way has been transformed into a magic glen, complete with wishing well, mystifying the hundreds of people who walk near it every week. Puzzled walkers have been asking who created the magic - and now the secret is out. Over half a mile of land near Gairlochy, in the environs of the famous tourist path, has been transformed by Karen Dewar and her friend Moira MacDiarmid. Karen, a nurse who lives in Gairlochy, near Spean Bridge, said: "I hit on the idea after organising a treasure hunt for a friend's little daughter and the thing just grew and grew. "We've now put up a visitors' book which is filling with signatures, and the wishing well has all sorts of coins ranging from euros to cents. It's just wonderful to hear the squeals of delight from children when they find the hidden secrets." American tourist Malcolm Balfour said after visiting the glen: "I knew the Highlands would be magic, but this is really great."

Please pop over to Rindas blog and see how everyone else is getting on with the scavenger hunt.

Rocking Your World Friday 23rd August

Rocking Your World Friday is the moment to step back and take stock of your week, to work out the positives, the things that have made life more bearable and to celebrate these facts. Pop a post together, come back and link each Friday and let's share our positives around. It's a great therapy and stops life slipping through our fingers or spending too much time dwelling on the negatives. Not sure if it's for you - give it a go - you'll never know until you try!

This week has flown by.

I am mostly grateful for last week which I spent with my Dad. He drove up from the Cotswolds to Fort William and we stayed in a wonderful log cabin overlooking the Caledonian Canal with views out over Ben Nevis.

I only see my Dad once a year and I am grateful that my boys get to spend time with him.

I am grateful that we spent a few days in breathtakingly beautiful part of Scotland. We are going back (minus the children!) to do some proper walking. This is the view from the top of Aonach Mor.

But mostly I am grateful of the start of the new school academic year. That means that my house will look exactly how I left it when I return from work as it was when I left - before 2 teenagers have made a mess everywhere as they have been doing the holidays. This photo wasn't taken on the first day of term - I did take photos but forgot to put the memory card in the camera first - so I am grateful that Cal gave me another go.

And finally I am grateful that the Great British bake off has returned to our screens - only 7 weeks till I see Mary and Paul.

Please pop over to Virginias blog and see what everyone else has been up to this wee.

Skywatch Friday

I have just returned from a week in Lochaber in the Highlands and one of the first places we visited as it was just up the road from our cabin was the Commando Monument. The monument is dedicated to the original Commando Forces in World War 2 and the 3 bronze statues are all looking south towards Ben Nevis. It overlooks some of the most stunning countryside in Scotland with Aonach Mor and Ben Nevis as a backdrop. My husband served his country for 23 years and it was a moving place to visit.

Pop over to the Skywatch blog to see more skies from around the world.