Skywatch Friday

Reflections on Nairn beach as the sun was setting.

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My Month In Numbers 2013 : January

In January I managed to read 6 books - I gave 3 of them 4 stars and the other 2 had 5 stars - so a great reading month.

I made a delicious trifle that took 24 hours to make.

Andy reached the ripe old age of 45.

I had a couple of firsts for me this month - I saw my 1st shooting star and I saw Les Mis for the 1st so I am no longer a Les Mis virgin - and I will be going back for a 2nd viewing this weekend.

1 holiday has been booked so something to look forward to.

And finally I took part in the Big Garden Birdwatch again - I saw 27 birds in total but just 5 different species. (You will have to look closely but there are 3 very small birds in the photo!)

Please pop by and say hello to Julie and discover more Months in Numbers.

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

Welcome to It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I put off reading Charlie by Lesley Pearse as it is such a thick book (almost 700 pages) but I am glad I have finally started it. I liked the more historical stories by this author - particularly Belle about the gold rush in the US but this is completely different. Set in the 1970's this is a bit of an epic story of teenage Charlie - I want to keep reading to find out what awaits her around the next corner.

Her family is threatened and only she can save it . . .

When sixteen-year-old Charlie witnesses a brutal attack on her mother by two strangers she is shocked and terrified. But after talking to the police she realises that her father's business dealings can't be so innocent.

With her father away it is left to Charlie to protect her mother. And somehow she must find out who wants to hurt her family - and why - without losing faith in her beloved parents.

Can she unravel the mysteries of the past that haunt her family? Or will the truth wreck everything she loves?

Pop over to The Book Journey and see what everyone else is reading today.

Sunday

Has been a car washing

cake baking

magazine reading

soup making

bird watching (for the Big Garden Birdwatch 2013)

sort of day.

And I have still got a roast dinner with all the trimmings, Call The Midwife and Wonders Of Life with the gorgeous Prof Brian Cox. Watch the trailer below for what promises to be a fabulous series.

Skywatch Friday

The view from my window this week - I {heart} snow.

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

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Not a lot of crafting going on - too much reading and watching Celebrity Big Brother (my guilty pleasure!) Team Rylan all the way. And funnily enough my desk looks very similar to last weeks - oops.

I am still on the fist prompt from Pretty Paper Party (soooooo slow) I have made my first page using one of Shimelles sketches and from the scraps left over I am going to use the card sketch and try to make a card. So I have a card blank, scraps of paper and some sentiments stamps - just need to put it all together.

If I manage it I will come back and share along with my scrapbook page.

Please pop over and say hello to Julia at The Stamping Ground and see what everyone else is up to.

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

Hubby had to get up extra early today for work so I made the most of an extra hour or so reading time before I needed to get up and get ready for work.

I managed to finish Ten years On by Alice Peterson - a steal at just 20p for the Kindle a while back. It wasn't quite the fluffy chick let I was expecting - a bit of an emotional rollercoaster which saw me with tears in my eye on more than one occasion.

Rebecca is happily married to Olly and content with her job at a glamorous London art gallery. But when tragedy strikes, she decides to move back to her childhood home in the country, hoping time will help her to heal. Joe, born in the same country town as Rebecca, had a falling out with her a decade earlier. Now he's the successful owner of a wine bar, Maison Joe, and is breaking local hearts by dating a striking actress, Peta. Rebecca finds living with her parents again a challenge. Nor is it easy to discover that Joe lives and works too close for comfort. When she sees him once more, memories rush back to haunt her, along with unanswered questions about the past. Why did they lose touch? What was Olly hiding? Can Rebecca answer those questions and move on?

The I started Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell. Many f my friends have read this and they have all given great reviews. A couple of chapters in and it looks as though it might be an interesting read.

Having grown up on the quiet island of Guernsey, Betty Dean can't wait to start her new life in London. On a mission to find Clara Pickle - the mysterious beneficiary in her grandmother's will - she arrives in grungy, 1990s Soho, ready for whatever life has to throw at her. Or so she thinks...

In 1920s bohemian London, Arlette - Betty's grandmother - is starting her new life in a time of post-war change. Beautiful and charismatic, Arlette is soon drawn into the hedonistic world of the Bright Young People. But less than two years later, tragedy strikes and she flees back to Guernsey for the rest of her life.

As Betty searches for Clara, she is taken on a journey through Arlette's extraordinary time in London, uncovering a tale of love, loss and heartbreak. Will the secrets of Arlette's past help Betty on her path to happiness?

Pop over to The Book Journey and see what everyone is reading this snowy morning (it appears at long last my snow dance might have worked and it is finally snowing as I type.)

How true

Just seen this on Pinterest and thought it very apt for me.

Source: raisingcain.tumblr.com via Gaye on Pinterest

Skywatch Friday

This photo is taken very close to the spot where I spent 2 hours last night (in the freezing cold) Aurora watching. Sadly all we saw was a faint green glow in the sky - but I was so excited to see my first shooting star. Maybe next time.

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

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Shimelle is re running her Pretty Paper Party again for those that maybe missed it the first time or for those like me who didn't actually get past the first few prompts!

So on my desk I have printed out the first prompt and have the sketches to hand to produce my first page. I have a photo and some paper - just need to find some time to do something with them.

 Also on my desk is a very old copy of Scrapbook Inspirations (this one dates back to March 2007!) I am something of a hoarder but have decided I really cannot hang on to so many old magazines as I never look at them. But I cannot part with them before finally giving them a last slick through. But going by the piles on my craft room floor this may take me some time...........

Please pop over to Julia's blog and see what everyone else is up to today.

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

A spot of lighter reading for me today with The Way To A Woman's heart by Christina Jones. Not an author I have read before but she came highly recommended. It's a frothy read with an element of Come Dine With Me thrown in.

On looking on Amazon I can see she has written quite few books and her new one looks good so I can see me reading more - I do like finding new to me authors.

Cooking seemed like the perfect distraction - until a delicious chef was thrown in the mix . . .

Escaping from corporate city life into the heart of the Berkshire countryside, Ella Maloney hopes to find rural tranquillity and a chance to sort out the problems in her long-term relationship. On arriving, she realises tranquillity is in short supply, but welcomes the distraction her chaotic new life offers - until she meets devastatingly gorgeous, but equally attached, chef Ash Lawrence, and realises that he's maybe one distraction too many.

And when Ella's favourite top-rated TV cookery programme - Dewberry's Dinners - comes looking for a venue to film their latest show, she pulls out all the culinary stops in an attempt to keep her mind on the task in hand (and not on the sexy Ash), but it's hard to keep your head when all around you people are losing theirs . . .

Pop over to The Book Journey and see what everyone else is reading today.

Come Dine With Me

I have no idea what the show with the above title is all about as I have never watched it.

But last night we invited friends (and their accompanying teenagers) round for tea. Andy had already told them we were having Spanish chicken casserole but nothing prepared us for what we saw when we opened the door to them. Spanish flamenco music was blasting from the car stereo and Nick was in full matador costume - a fantastic start to a fun filled evening.

I decided to make desert and try something new - a trifle that I had seen in last months Good Food magazine. It didn't look too complicated but I didn't realise how time consuming it would be to make - almost 24 hours from start to finish. Each layer had to be made and left to set before the next layer could be assemble - and my biggest fear was that it wouldn't come out of the tin!

But I shouldn't have worried as it all turned out well - just like the picture in the magazine - even if it was the devils own job to cut it in slices and serve while trying to keep all the layers together.

But I think it went down well. If you want to try the recipe you can find it on the Good Food website here. 

Photo Art Friday

I have found this blog after spotting Helena's post this evening and had to investigate it further which lead me onto Bonnie's blog Pixel Dust Photo Art.

I have PSE6 but to be honest I don't really do much with it - I did complete a couple of short online courses with Jessica Sprague but as great as they were I have forgotten most of it as I didn't use the  techniques again.

I downloaded the brown rice paper texture from the blog and had a play with a photo from our trip to Loch Lomond last Summer. The result is quite subtle but I do like it I think I have a lot to learn. Maybe learing more about PSE should be a goal for 2013.

Skywatch Friday

A late afternoon sky over Millbuies Loch.

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

Home

An old schoolfriend (she was actually my bridesmaid when we got married 22 years ago) shared this on Facebook tonight. It is the village where both Andy and myself grew up and there are some gorgeous images. I love the one of the snowy black and white Almhouse which was where Andys gran used to live.

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There is some crafting for a change!

My team over on UKS is hosting a weekly challenge in the near future so I need to get my page ready in plenty of time. I am trying to use up some of the bits of old Scrapagogo kits - I always end up with odd bits and pieces left over which seem to sit in a pizza box and never see the light of day.

I spent a lovely day in Aberdeen yesterday with my boys (one had an orthodontist appointment and the other one was bunking off) As penance for clothes shopping with teenage boys I dragged them into Hobbycraft and picked up this Martha Stewart punch in the sale. And I couldn't resist the moustache pencil toppers - reduced to a pound in Topman :)

Pop over and see Julia and see what everyone else is up to today.

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

The start of another working week and the start of a new book. I have challenged myself to read 100 books again in 2013 over on Goodreads and I am already on book number 2.

I am reading A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Web. It looks similar to some other books I have read by different authors (Lucinda Riley with A Girl On A Cliff which I thoroughly enjoyed last year. It has a similar storyline set in two different eras and it will be interesting to see how the different threads come together.

1937. In a village on the Dorset coast, fourteen-year-old Mitzy Hatcher has endured a wild and lonely upbringing - until the arrival of renowned artist Charles Aubrey, his exotic mistress and their daughters, changes everything. Over the next three summers, Mitzy sees a future she had never thought possible, and a powerful love is kindled in her. A love that grows from innocence to obsession; from childish infatuation to something far more complex.

Years later, a young man in an art gallery looks at a hastily-drawn portrait and wonders at the intensity of it. The questions he asks lead him to a Dorset village and to the truth about those fevered summers in the 1930s ...

Pop over to The Book Journey and see what everyone else is reading today.

My Month In Numbers 2012 : December

I surprised myself and managed to complete Project 365+1 and took the required 366 photos on Instagram. My favourite week was the one when we had to take photographs of an inanimate object in different locations/settings - me and Kermit had lots of fun!!

When I bought my car back in December I entered a prize drawer which I then completely forgot all about. In December I finally received my prize - £2000 worth of fuel. All I have to do is keep presenting this card until it is all used up - and I reckon it is going to take me all year to do that :)

I joined Slimming World in November (against everyones advice not to do it so soon before the festive season and all that involves. But in December I lost another 7 1/2 pounds bringing my total weight loss to 13 1/2 in 5 weeks.

In December I read 13 books and managed to reach my goal of 100 books in 2013 - I did have to cheat ever so slightly at the end by reading some short books!! I have set myself the same goal for 2013.

Please pop by and say hello to Julie over at Notes On Paper. 

Skywatch Friday

Looking out from Roseisle Beach on Christmas Day.

See more skies from around the world on the Skywatch Friday blog.

52 Cards Challenge 2013

The start of the new year heralds lots of new challenges - and there are plenty of both crafty and photography challenges I fancy playing along with. Will have to try and decide which ones I have time to do.

One I did start last year but it fell by the wayside was the 52 Cards Challenge. This is being run on both Kool Kitty Musings blog and on UK Scrappers. Weekly prompts are posted on a Monday morning and then you have a week to create a card - and as an added kick up the bum we can make an additional card using the prompts but to make a Christmas card - in the hope that by the time December comes around again we should have a ready made supply of cards (instead of the lst minute dash for the finish line!!)

So onwards we go with the first prompt of the year, it's a new year and so a good way to see in the new is to include it on your card!

Make a card featuring something new!

It could be any of the following:

• New stash
• A new arrival
• An announcement of some wonderful news
• A card for someone new in your life
• A new home

The choice is yours!

My card was made with new papers - My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline 6x6 papers. I have a habit of buying gorgeous paper pads and then never using them - because they are too nice!!  The swirl is from Dot Flourishes by Inkadinkado and the sentiment by personal Impressions. The butterfly and lace edging are both Martha Stewart punches with a gem for a bit of added bling.

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Happy New Year.

No crafting on my desk today (in my defence I did actually make something yesterday for a new year long project I am playing along with but I will share that another day) - and there is a logical reason why my slippers are on my desk today!

These slippers have seen better days and are no longer very comfy - but I couldn't just throw them in the bin with those buttons still attached - could I? Only a crafter would look at them and think that the buttons need to be removed and stored for a future crafting project - or maybe that is just me!!

Hopefully there will be some crafty goings ons on my desk in the near future - the holiday have meant that my room has had a good tidy up and declutter and hubby put up some more shelving for me (before the old ones collapsed under the weight of assorted "stuff"

Please pop over and see Julia and see what everyone else has been up to today.

New Years Day Walk

One of the things I want to achieve in 2013 is to get more exercise - I don't want to go to the gym as they are such boring places and the thought of the changing rooms in my local pool puts me off getting in the water. I do enjoy walking though - and I can take my camera out and about with me.

I tried to log my walk using Runkeeper but it had some sort of hissy fit and told me I had walked almost 5 miles in 48 minutes. I walked around a local loch called Millbuies where we have been going since the boys were small (I say we but I meant just me - the boys were still in their beds when I left the house and the one who should know better was nursing a hangover!) So I walked briskly for almost an hour - only pausing to take the odd photo or two - and I felt much better for it and didn't feel guilty when I tucked into a huge roast dinner later on in the day.