Thursday, 30 April 2009
Project 365 - day 118 & HSMSHS
Today's prompt is WARNING : A statement or event that indicates a possible or impending danger. Find a warning in your space today.
Living in the middle of a construction site I am spoilt for choice with warning signs. The first one is the one I can see from my craft room window and it is on the gate to the compound at the back of my house. Had to take it before the workmen arrived for the day - otherwise I think they wuold have thought I had lost the plot!
This sign is a more gentle warning on the gate that leads to the lake at Brodie Castle - and it always makes me smile!!
Living in the middle of a construction site I am spoilt for choice with warning signs. The first one is the one I can see from my craft room window and it is on the gate to the compound at the back of my house. Had to take it before the workmen arrived for the day - otherwise I think they wuold have thought I had lost the plot!
This sign is a more gentle warning on the gate that leads to the lake at Brodie Castle - and it always makes me smile!!
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Project 365 - day 117 & HSMSHS
Today's prompt is RELAX : To become less active, calm and happy, find Relax in your space today.
To sit down with a fresh brew.
Sneaked into Sam's bedroom this morning - this is him in his favourite position which is horizontal and fast asleep. If he is like this now - what is he going to be like as a teenager??
To sit down with a fresh brew.
Sneaked into Sam's bedroom this morning - this is him in his favourite position which is horizontal and fast asleep. If he is like this now - what is he going to be like as a teenager??
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Weekly Challenge
My take on the April week 4 challenge over on UKS.
This week the brief was:
A Beatles song title - 10pts
Either black & white or Red,white & blue - 10pts
ribbon, a tree or a weaving technique - 10pts
I used up some more old stash - some more of the Scrapagogo kit from May 2008 - only have a bit of it left now (including some very odd brads shaped like insects - think they may end up in the boys craft box!). I lifted one of the LOs that was in the booklet that came with the kit.
Used Prima Angelique paper which is B&W along with Sassafras Lass Pocket Full of Posies paper, Scenic Route alphas, some blossoms, ribbons and brads.
Song title is Two of Us from the 1970 album Let It Be.
Photo is of Sam giving Callum a piggy back ride during a walk through Culbin Forest earlier this month.
Looks a bit wonky - but then again I think that is my "style!"
This week the brief was:
A Beatles song title - 10pts
Either black & white or Red,white & blue - 10pts
ribbon, a tree or a weaving technique - 10pts
I used up some more old stash - some more of the Scrapagogo kit from May 2008 - only have a bit of it left now (including some very odd brads shaped like insects - think they may end up in the boys craft box!). I lifted one of the LOs that was in the booklet that came with the kit.
Used Prima Angelique paper which is B&W along with Sassafras Lass Pocket Full of Posies paper, Scenic Route alphas, some blossoms, ribbons and brads.
Song title is Two of Us from the 1970 album Let It Be.
Photo is of Sam giving Callum a piggy back ride during a walk through Culbin Forest earlier this month.
Looks a bit wonky - but then again I think that is my "style!"
Project 365 - day 116 and HSMSHS
Today's word is purple : a mixture of red and blue, find something Purple in your space.
Meet Bernard!!
Just before Christmas we found the instructions on the Internet to make sock monsters - so after finding the pile of odd socks (doesn't every house have one?) we set to work. The boys even had a go at making their own monsters after some basic sewing lessons.
Bernard has pride of place in my craft room.
Meet Bernard!!
Just before Christmas we found the instructions on the Internet to make sock monsters - so after finding the pile of odd socks (doesn't every house have one?) we set to work. The boys even had a go at making their own monsters after some basic sewing lessons.
Bernard has pride of place in my craft room.
Monday, 27 April 2009
Project 365 - day 115
A very mundane subject today - but its also a rare event in this household. Managed to tackle most of the ironing this afternoon and must have been feeling generous as I ironed Andy's work shirts. I hate ironing shirts with a passion and after 23 in Her Majesty's Forces he is more than capable of doing them himself (he only has to iron 4 shirts and a pair of trousers a week!)
As long as he doesn't expect this treatment every week.
PS - fantastic blog candy here
As long as he doesn't expect this treatment every week.
PS - fantastic blog candy here
HSMSHS : Slide
Don't think I could manage to find slide in my space today so went back to the beginning of the year for my slide photo.
How much fun can you have on a sledge even when there is no snow about??? Our road had frozen solid and was like an ice rink so the boys had fun pulling each other up and down on the sledge.
Just love the expression on Callums face!!
How much fun can you have on a sledge even when there is no snow about??? Our road had frozen solid and was like an ice rink so the boys had fun pulling each other up and down on the sledge.
Just love the expression on Callums face!!
Four Seasons in One Day
Or that's what it seemed like yesterday. Woke up to heavy rain - so we weren't sure if Callums rugby would go ahead or not - they were playing games against Moray in Elgin. Whilst they were playing there was a thunderstorm accompanied by hail stones - although in the true spirit of the game they all carried on.
It did brighten up long enough in the afternoon so that we could get out for a walk - we didn't go far just in case the heavens opened again - so we just went to Millbuies.
Apart from a couple of fishermen out in the middle of the loch on a boat we were the only people there - which was strange as you usually meet someone as you walk round.
We have only seen a solitary duck on the pond in previous visits - but this time she had about 8 tiny ducklings with her - they were so cute. And we saw the heron again - you have to look closely at the photo to see him - larger zoom lens on wishlist!
It did brighten up long enough in the afternoon so that we could get out for a walk - we didn't go far just in case the heavens opened again - so we just went to Millbuies.
Apart from a couple of fishermen out in the middle of the loch on a boat we were the only people there - which was strange as you usually meet someone as you walk round.
We have only seen a solitary duck on the pond in previous visits - but this time she had about 8 tiny ducklings with her - they were so cute. And we saw the heron again - you have to look closely at the photo to see him - larger zoom lens on wishlist!
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Project 365 - day 114
Spotted this on our walk today - I know the Scottish are renouned for being careful with their money - but won't the peanuts fall through that bird feeder????
S.O.S.
Show off Sunday : Show us a picture that you are proud of!
This photo was taken back in October 2007 during a visit to Chatsworth House. My dad had taken us all away for a weeks holiday in the Peak District to celebrate my 40th birthday. Andy and the boys weren't keen to visit a stately home so I went with Dad and Wendy. There just happened to be a sculpture exhibition in the grounds so I was as happy as larry snapping away with my old camera.
Then last year I joined Moray Camera Club and they ran a short course in Photoshop - and this was the first photo I tried my newly learnt skills on. The sculpture was surrounded bu ugly chains and a sign saying "do not touch" - so I managed to banish them from my photo.
This photo was taken back in October 2007 during a visit to Chatsworth House. My dad had taken us all away for a weeks holiday in the Peak District to celebrate my 40th birthday. Andy and the boys weren't keen to visit a stately home so I went with Dad and Wendy. There just happened to be a sculpture exhibition in the grounds so I was as happy as larry snapping away with my old camera.
Then last year I joined Moray Camera Club and they ran a short course in Photoshop - and this was the first photo I tried my newly learnt skills on. The sculpture was surrounded bu ugly chains and a sign saying "do not touch" - so I managed to banish them from my photo.
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Layers and lace - SLYMI week 17
This week's challenge is to create a layout using lace and layers!
Build up your page creating lift with sticky pads, adding bulkier embellishments and revealing hidden layers. So this isn’t a flat layout, it's very tactile, three-dimensional and using layer upon layer.
And don’t forget to add a little lace somewhere on the page!"
Still continuing with my quest to use up old stash I found an old Scrapagogo kit from May 2008 - I had used very little of the kit as it really wasn't me. The papers are Prima "Angelique" and way too girly but somehow they don't look too bad with this photo of Callum looking for tadpoles in the gravel pit pond in Culbin Forest earlier in the month.
I cut the roses and swirls from one of the papers as per the class I had printed off from the GoGo site. I layered these with foam squares and added Prima blooms, brads and die cut leaves. Added a couple of dodgy looking gem dragonflies and a journalling stamp from Stamps Away. The black lace is in fact a sort of Sellotape stuff by prima which has a design printed on it - quite nifty.
Build up your page creating lift with sticky pads, adding bulkier embellishments and revealing hidden layers. So this isn’t a flat layout, it's very tactile, three-dimensional and using layer upon layer.
And don’t forget to add a little lace somewhere on the page!"
Still continuing with my quest to use up old stash I found an old Scrapagogo kit from May 2008 - I had used very little of the kit as it really wasn't me. The papers are Prima "Angelique" and way too girly but somehow they don't look too bad with this photo of Callum looking for tadpoles in the gravel pit pond in Culbin Forest earlier in the month.
I cut the roses and swirls from one of the papers as per the class I had printed off from the GoGo site. I layered these with foam squares and added Prima blooms, brads and die cut leaves. Added a couple of dodgy looking gem dragonflies and a journalling stamp from Stamps Away. The black lace is in fact a sort of Sellotape stuff by prima which has a design printed on it - quite nifty.
S.P.S. and Project 365 - day 114
It's Saturday - show us a portrait!
During a trip round a local garden centre this morning the boys spotted the craft section (not sure where they get that from??) and we ended up with a painting by numbers set for Callum and a foil art one for Sam.
Callum in concentration mode.
But he cannot help himself - and has to ham it up for the camera!!
During a trip round a local garden centre this morning the boys spotted the craft section (not sure where they get that from??) and we ended up with a painting by numbers set for Callum and a foil art one for Sam.
Callum in concentration mode.
But he cannot help himself - and has to ham it up for the camera!!
Friday, 24 April 2009
Project 365 - day 113
A proud mummy moment today as Callum came home from school to tell me he had passed his level B in reading. This is quite an achievement for Callum as reading and writing don't come easily for him (unlike Sam who is streaking ahead and now working towards his level F - the first boy in his class to do so) and the extra help he has been getting from the lovely Mrs Kirk is paying off.
HSMSHS - Lunch
Food, nutrition, a pleasurable meal, usually taken around midday. Show us 'Lunch' in your space.
My lunch was a bowl of soup - homemade - defrosted from the freezer. Its lentil soup and I have to freeze it in portions as no one else in the house will eat it!
Mind you I had to wait till i got back from doing the school run at 3pm to eat it.
My lunch was a bowl of soup - homemade - defrosted from the freezer. Its lentil soup and I have to freeze it in portions as no one else in the house will eat it!
Mind you I had to wait till i got back from doing the school run at 3pm to eat it.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Wish list
I have just found these papers from Cosmo Cricket - called "Early Bird" - not out in the States yet I don't think so we will be waiting a while for it to reach our shores. But how gorgeous are they - top of my wish list I think! (along with some of the new Basic Grey mini stamps - the list gets longer!)
Project 365 - day 112 (and HSMSHS)
Today's prompt over on HSMSHS is fruit : the edible part of a plant, product of labour, or one's offspring. Show us 'Fruit' in your space.
I'm sorry its not homemade - but an essential part of breakfast.
I'm sorry its not homemade - but an essential part of breakfast.
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Project 365 - day 111 (and HSMSHS)
Today's prompt over on HSMSHS was "container" - an object use to hold or transport something. Find a container in your space today.
Once I started looking I could have gone on and on. But my first photo was of my bargain jars from Tesco yesterday. They were reduced from £1.75 to 43 pence each - would have been rude not to have got any - so I cleared the shelf of the 5 that they had left!! Not sure what I'm going to do with them but I'm sure they will look pretty filled with something in my craft room.
The second pic is of a little enameled bucket - inside of which is my small stickles collection.
And the final pic is of my favourite plant pot in the garden. Bought him many many years ago from the market in Haverfordwest where I was living at the time - he weighs a ton.
Once I started looking I could have gone on and on. But my first photo was of my bargain jars from Tesco yesterday. They were reduced from £1.75 to 43 pence each - would have been rude not to have got any - so I cleared the shelf of the 5 that they had left!! Not sure what I'm going to do with them but I'm sure they will look pretty filled with something in my craft room.
The second pic is of a little enameled bucket - inside of which is my small stickles collection.
And the final pic is of my favourite plant pot in the garden. Bought him many many years ago from the market in Haverfordwest where I was living at the time - he weighs a ton.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Project 365 - day 110
A mundane shot today - but my pal Kirsteen popped round today with my Avon order - a lovely red hairbrush - so the old one can be consigned to the bin!
Pencillines Sketch 130
Haven't done any of these sketches for some time but chose sketch 130 for the weekly challenge over on UKS.
This weeks challenge was :
Use tartan or checks, 5 points
Use heather colours, 5 points
Use a line, or part of a line, from the rhyme as your title, 10 points
Use the same number of embellishments as the line chosen, 10 points
One for sorrow,
two for joy,
three for a girl,
four for a boy,
five for silver,
six for gold,
seven for a secret,
never to be told,
eight for a wish,
nine for a kiss,
ten for a time
of joyous bliss.
I chose the line "2 for joy" with a photo of the boys sitting on the beach at Findhorn last September - and used 2 blooms. Papers are Scenic Route Grafton - and one of them is checked. Wasn't sure about the heathery colours - but greens and brown in there.
Used October Afternoon, Banana Frog and Ali Edwards stamps, Adornit teeny alphas and October Afternoon rub ons.
This weeks challenge was :
Use tartan or checks, 5 points
Use heather colours, 5 points
Use a line, or part of a line, from the rhyme as your title, 10 points
Use the same number of embellishments as the line chosen, 10 points
One for sorrow,
two for joy,
three for a girl,
four for a boy,
five for silver,
six for gold,
seven for a secret,
never to be told,
eight for a wish,
nine for a kiss,
ten for a time
of joyous bliss.
I chose the line "2 for joy" with a photo of the boys sitting on the beach at Findhorn last September - and used 2 blooms. Papers are Scenic Route Grafton - and one of them is checked. Wasn't sure about the heathery colours - but greens and brown in there.
Used October Afternoon, Banana Frog and Ali Edwards stamps, Adornit teeny alphas and October Afternoon rub ons.
HSMSHA : Paint
To depict with paints, to cover or decorate, find Paint in your space today.
We spent many happy hours looking at paint charts before moving into this house - I love these colours - but wasn't brave enough to actually use them!!
We spent many happy hours looking at paint charts before moving into this house - I love these colours - but wasn't brave enough to actually use them!!
Monday, 20 April 2009
Birnie Kirk
After picking up a leaflet in the local library about Birnie Kirk I went out to have a look seeing as it is almost on my doorstep.
I originally went on Saturday - arriving just before the bride - not good timing!! A return trip on Sunday found me there just as morning service was about to begin - I declined the offer to go in.
It was built in 1140 and although its a very simple building its setting is breathtaking. Loved the way when the bell was rung at the start of the service a man had to come out of the building and untie the bell rope from the outside wall of the church!
I found the pictish stone - but it is so worn you really can't make out the symbols that were carved on it.
I originally went on Saturday - arriving just before the bride - not good timing!! A return trip on Sunday found me there just as morning service was about to begin - I declined the offer to go in.
It was built in 1140 and although its a very simple building its setting is breathtaking. Loved the way when the bell was rung at the start of the service a man had to come out of the building and untie the bell rope from the outside wall of the church!
I found the pictish stone - but it is so worn you really can't make out the symbols that were carved on it.
Project 365 - day 109
Left overs from last nights BBQ - and Callums snack when he got in from school this afternoon!
All shop bought I'm afraid and not a patch on the cream teas we enjoyed when we lived in North Devon in the village hall at Marwood. Served on long tables with checked tablecloths and mismatched china. £2.50 would get you a pot of tea, a plate of bread and butter and preserves, your cream tea and then a plate of homebakes would appear. When you had finished the old ladies of the church came out and cleared the table - sweeping up the crumbs with a small silver dustpan and brush!! When you got up to go you could catch a glimpse of the kitchen - with all the husbands doing the washing up. They are the best cream teas I have ever had.
All shop bought I'm afraid and not a patch on the cream teas we enjoyed when we lived in North Devon in the village hall at Marwood. Served on long tables with checked tablecloths and mismatched china. £2.50 would get you a pot of tea, a plate of bread and butter and preserves, your cream tea and then a plate of homebakes would appear. When you had finished the old ladies of the church came out and cleared the table - sweeping up the crumbs with a small silver dustpan and brush!! When you got up to go you could catch a glimpse of the kitchen - with all the husbands doing the washing up. They are the best cream teas I have ever had.
HSMSHS : Hide
Hope using an old photo is allowed - not sure of the rules!!
This is a photo from last summer - we all rode our bikes through Culbin Forest till we reached the beach. The boys spotted this bird hide straight away - and missed all the seals and their pups up on the beach!!
Love this photo - as it looks so peaceful.
This is a photo from last summer - we all rode our bikes through Culbin Forest till we reached the beach. The boys spotted this bird hide straight away - and missed all the seals and their pups up on the beach!!
Love this photo - as it looks so peaceful.
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Spring Sketch Challenge
I'm not much of a card maker but it is a good way to use up my scraps.
Had a bit of a tidy up in my craft room today and found quite a few page kits I had made up for crops - but really there was only scraps left. I had spotted the Spring Sketch card challenge over on UKS the other day so decided to put the scrap to good use.card. They give you 3 card sketches and you can done just one of them or all 3 if the mood takes you.
And here is my first Christmas card of the year!! maybe this year I can be more organised and not leave the cards till the last minute.
Had a bit of a tidy up in my craft room today and found quite a few page kits I had made up for crops - but really there was only scraps left. I had spotted the Spring Sketch card challenge over on UKS the other day so decided to put the scrap to good use.card. They give you 3 card sketches and you can done just one of them or all 3 if the mood takes you.
And here is my first Christmas card of the year!! maybe this year I can be more organised and not leave the cards till the last minute.
Pluscarden Abbey
Yesterday I took a drive out to Pluscarden Abbey. I can't believe I have lived up here for over 8 years and have never been before.
It is in such a beautiful spot - so quiet and peaceful - you can see why they decided to build the Abbey where it is. I had a stroll around the grounds and a quick peek inside the chapel which has a display charting the history of the Abbey.
I have never seen so many pheasants in one place - everywhere you looked there was one - but most of them ran when I pointed my camera at them!!
It is in such a beautiful spot - so quiet and peaceful - you can see why they decided to build the Abbey where it is. I had a stroll around the grounds and a quick peek inside the chapel which has a display charting the history of the Abbey.
I have never seen so many pheasants in one place - everywhere you looked there was one - but most of them ran when I pointed my camera at them!!
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