more photos

Blogger is playing up, and I have to go and make tea for DD and DN Izzy before they go to play volleyball. I was going to put up a few more photos, but yoy will have to be content with just these two!

Thsi is Merlin with 'Daddy's shoe'. DH leaves these horrible old trainers to go out in the garden in, and Merlin often takes them down the garden, it is his latest game! When you ask him 'Where's Daddy's shoe?' he knows exactly what you mean., and goes to lie down next to it!

cybercroppin'

Here are some of the LOs I did this weekend. First one is a photo of me when I was about 2!! My claim to fame was that it was in the photographers window for ages!























This one is roses at Mottisfont Garden. This LO uses the masking technique. The title is done by sticking letters down with non perm adhesive, then painting over the top, then peeling the letters off when the paint is dry. Not bad for a first time, can you imagine how messy it could be?













I love this one! As soon as I saw the class, I thought of this photo! It was taken in 1993 LOL. I've messed up the title a bit by trying to use white letters. They didn't show up, so I tried doodling and colouring them, oops!












This was taken a couple of weeks ago at Michelle's (DN) 18th birthday party. It is DD running off the bouncy castle, but I think it's a great photo!













I love cybercropping! I love the chat that goes with it - it makes you feel like you are not alone, and it is really interesting to look in the gallery and see everyone else's takes on the classes. Mine are all pretty close to the original class, becasue I really liked the classes this time.

Alexandra Palace

Here's my stash I bought! I spent about £90!!! I am feeling a little bit guilty now at the amount of money I am spending - maybe it's time to actually USE the stash, and not spend anymore!!!LOL

Anyway, Ally Pally is an awfully long way to go from here. I met Lorna on the train to Victoria, and then it was about 20 stops on the underground to Wood Green, AND THEN A BUS!!!!!! We finally got there about 11.45am, just about 3 hours after leaving home! Was it worth it? I am not sure. Yes, it is a brilliant show, and it is really nice to see everything in the flesh - but all that travel for such a short time there. I probably won't go again, but glad I went once.

On the way back we caught the bus, and were walking to Wood Green ug station, when we witnessed a bit of raod rage. A man jumped out of his car, with a hammer, and smashed the back windows of the other car!!!! Bit of a shock! Especially as we had crossed the raod just in front of them seconds before he did it! Another reason not to go again!! LOL

Look at my lovely stash though! I've been buying a few sb books lately, and absolutely love this Elsie Falnnigan book. I also bought a few minibooks (I should make my own much cheaper!!), and these great wooden letters to alter for LUCY for Xmas. I've asked Dad if he can make me Michelle and Isobel for my neices, so i can give them for Xmas. Also bought another cropper hopper paper folder, and have spent quite a bit of time sorting through pps and kits etc. (Must start using these kitsLOL) for the cyber crop on Ukscrappers over the next few weekends.

Might be busy then, using my stash!!!

First the bad news.... and then the good.....

3 bits of not such good news:
1 Dad did not get on so well at Worthing Hospital yesterday. He and Mum are a bit stressed, so I'm going to see them this afternoon. Did anyone see the article in the Daily Mail yesterday about myeloma and the new drug velcade? (It was about Dom - from Dick and Dom in da bungalow, his FIL died from myeloma recently having had it for 2 years, well my Dad's had it for 10 years!!!)
2 I have to have a small gynaecological operation. Luckily we are on health insurance scheme, so going private, and having it done in November.
3 DH's job still not sorted. He is now on 3 months notice Hopefully, they will sort out his new position in that time
I'm trying to stay positive

4 bits of good news (CC = UKScrappers cyber crop)
1 CC mystery kit arrived this morning!! (Not completely sure I like it, but hoping it will grow on me!)
2 Little Red Scrapbooking co kit arrived from USA, with the most gorgeous felt die-cuts, the brightest blue you have ever seen!
3 Sarah's cards CCkit arrived too! YUMMY
4 I am going to Ally Pally on Saturday. Will my dining room survive under the weight of all this new stash???

All I need now is time to scrap!

Lazy blogger! (and some photos)

Here I am at last! The lazy blogger! It would be good to do little entry every day, once a week would be good. I seem to get my need for writing about what I asm doing in my team thread on http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/ and http://www.tandastamps.com/ chat forum!!! Sometimes I copy what I've written there and post it here.Anyway, here's a photo of Merlin I took this morning up at Highdown Hill.

I am spending a lot of time on my photography course http://www.learn2photo.co.uk/, run by Cheryl Johnson. It is a fabulous course, providing you can spend the time taking lots of photos and experimenting, and then looking at everyone elses photos and joining in the comments. I am definately improving (!) evidenced by the fact that CJ chose a photo of mine as one of her top5 images of the week a couple of weeks ago, and I am in the shortlist of 10 for last week. Here's a sneaky look at some of the photos I have been taking.

Mods and Rockers!

At the Ace cafe Reunion, in Madiera Drive, Brighton. Here are the mods! There were quite a few mods, but not many scooters with all the long aerials and loads of headlights!










This man adores this bike obviously!












Sooo many bikes, in fact they were parked all over the centre of Brighton, all on the pavements!
























Here are the rockers! Loads of Harley davisons! I love that low slung style, and the leathe rpanniers, and the fringed leather jackets! I want to get a biker chick t-shirt now!











It was a reall sight, I am so glad we went. (We nearly didn't cos we had been out walking this morning, and we didn't leave home till 3pm!)

A brilliant Sunday morning.

After last night's trip out, we decided to go back that way (behind the downs past Steyning), t walk Merlin. We have been along our bit of the South Downs Way, but no further. So we parked and took a little path leading up the north scarp slope. It was very steep!!! But we saw these fabulous cows along the way. Actually they are young bulls, but I think their colour is fantastic.






Looking down on the 'Offroad experience'. It's a motocross track, and you can go there for a day of lessons. It looks fab! I'm hoping Maurice will go there so I can get some photos of him! Some of these riders were quite good, and were leaping over the hills.

General view over to Chanctonbury Ring

Coffee stop! The weather was boiling hot, so Merlin was panting a lot. We didn't trust him enough to let him off the lead,cos we were walking through fields covered in aniaml droppings, sheep and cows! We eventually cam to the top of Truleigh Hill, where we joined the South Downs way for a while. There's a youth hostel up there! Now we know how to get there (you can drive right to the top) we are determined to do more of the South Downs Way.

sunny saturday

It was a gorgeous day today. We really are having an Indian summer! It's nice when it's hot in the day at this time of year though, cos it isn't hot at night, and easy to sleep.

We needed to buy a paper shredder. I had loads of stuff left from when I was a school govenor, and I have been sorting out 'office' files at home, you know, bank statements and stuff. So we cycled into Worthing with our cameras, and here are some of the pics I took. This first one is the WW1 memorial outside the town hall, and is used for remembrance day parades. One year Nicholas was in a parade with the scouts. Me and Lucy went to watch, I think Maurice was away. Suddenly a boy was being carried away from where Nicholas's troop were. I said to Lucy, 'oh dear, look someone's fainted', and then realised it was Nicholas! Evil mother that I am, I made him parade round the block with his troop after the ceremony!



This is the top of the town hall. I haven't been in the town hall much, but was invited to meet the mayor earlier this year, as he was doing a reception for volunteers!


















This is the memorial to the Boer War situated at the bottom of Steyne Gardens. We went there to photograph a statue of Triton, that has been moved there from the old boating lake. Troulbe is, its in the centre of a garden that is fenced off, so couldn't get any close ups of it, and the background was too busy.















The Dome Cinema on the seafront has been refurbished. It needed it! We always used to call it the 'flea-pit'! And that was when I was a child! It has recently opened but we haven't been there yet.

And this is how Maurice and Merlin spent the afternoon, while I did the ironing and tried to shred paper! In the end I burnt the paper on the BBQ because there was so much of it!

After tea, Maurice and I went on a mini pub crawl! We haven't been out to a pub for just a drink for ages! We were looking for an old fashioned country pub to take a colleague of Maurice's who is over from Phoenix for next week. We think we'll go to the Shepard and Dog at Fulking.

RIP Rolo

My brother's dog, Rolo died today. Bless him!

He was a 10 year old golden retriever, and a really lovely placid dog. Here he is 10 years a go as a little puppy-how cute!

We are all very sad, and my brother, his wife and 2 daughters are devastated. He was one of the family in every way.

He had 2 large tumours on his spine, and the kindest thing was to put him to sleep. It has come on just in the last couple of weeks, so he hasn't suffered. He just got worse very rapidly.

We're all thinking of them today.

Bank Holiday Monday

It's the last BH till Christmas (sigh!). The weather has been pretty good though. Thank goodness, cos it's been a pretty awful summer! Some really fabulous days, but interspersed with lots of rain and wind!

Yesterday we went out on the bike to a NT house - Clandon Park near Guildford. What a splendid entrance hall! They gave us a guide sheet, which was quite big and laminated, but was really good in that it just pointed out the most important points in every room. Just right for us who don't want to linger, or spend ages talking to the guides in every room! The garden was a bit disappointing, and we couldn't visit the Dutch garden becasue an ash tree needed work, and they had discovered a bat colony in it! So that area was roped off.

We had a lovely lie in this morning until 8.30, but meant we didn't get out with the dog until 9.45!! So it had to be a quick walk down the beach, but Merlin had a little swim, so he enjoyed it!

Then we went to visit MIL. I am afraid I don't go very often, as I don't find her the easiest of women to talk to or get on with. She always seems to dismiss what I say, and doesn't seem interested. She thinks I am very frivolous! Anyway, we were going to take her out for a ride in the car, but I knew that by the time we got there, she would have thought of something copmpletely different, so (difficult for me, cos I like to be in control) I tried to go with the flow! We went for a short walk along the river, which was really gorgeous. They have recently redeveloped the riverside with 'townhouses' and a nice cobbled walk. It is really lovely, especially when the tide is high. Then, we bought fish and chips at a riverside chippy, and took them home to eat in her flat. Bang goes the diet!!! And she faffs about so much warming the plates, making salad, and drinks and bread and butter, that the chips are cold by the time we eat them LOL. Here's some pics:

Here's the Littlehampton lifeboat, Blue Peter 1. remember when we used to collect foil for Blue Peter appeals? I don't think this is the original BP1, cos it must be 30 odd years ago that they got the first BP lifeboats!

Garden in late August

This year I have tried growing vegetables in pots. We have had a few meals worth of runner beans, which were very nice, because I picked them really small. DH's Dad used to give us tons of rbs, all as big as possible, cos BIG IS BEST!!!! Here's my ruby chard which looks absolutely gorgeous with it's translucent red stems, but I don't know how to cook it!!
















Arty shot of my 'tumbler' tomato in a ahnging basket. It has been very prolific, and tastes pretty good too. I tried taking a picture after watering it - not sure you can see the water droplets!
















Merlin loves to be in the garden with us, and loves chasing frogs!! Trouble is, he has no respect for my plants, and just goes head first in there if he thinks there is the slightest movement!















My helenium is looking great! Just about the only thing not totally demolished by slugs!

















This rather delapidated hut was the children's playhouse. My Dad made it! They never really played in it though, because it is right down the bottom of the garden, asnd too far away from the house - and there are spiders in it! It needs demolishing now, and something doing in that corner. What you can see in front of it really is carpet! It is our old hall carpet, supposed to supress the weeds!!!

Look at these gorgeous crab apples! Mum and Dad bought us the tree for our 25th wedding anniversary. It's Malus John Downie, I think(!). It has had apples this gorgeous before, but they have usually all dropped by now, but becasue this year has been wetter, they are still there.

I haven't really spent the time in the garden this summer, and it looks a mess! This time of year is not good in my garden, very little colour, and not much interesting structure either! Perhaps I should make it a bit of a project to find some stuff to plant for this time of year.

My patio pots look a mess too! The tomatoes and runner beans in pots are over really, and need clearing - although it seems a bit early to clear them. I haven't fed my pots becasue we haven't had a hosepipe ban! When we have a hosepipe ban, and I have to water with a watering can, I am pretty good at rmembering to feed. But when I can water with the hosepipe, I can't be bothered to get the watering can out for the feed!!!

Tanda Stamps swaps

There is an ATC swap every month on Tanda Stamps. This month's theme was 'Transport'. I make 2 and get 2 different ones back. I received these images as part of an 'image' swap on UKS. We each took 1 decade of the 20th century, and sent in enough images to split between the 10 of us. These are from the 1960s

Paper is 'Scenic Route' I thought it went so well with the images. The little arrows are cut out of a sheet of it.

Ome interesting thing about these ATCs, is that I always used to think ATCs had to be 'vintage' in style. I was reading a thread on UKS (about what you hate about scrapbooking), and people were bemoaning how quickly trends come and go, and someone said that they were 'so over vintage', and I thought 'yeh so am I!!!'. Now what am I going to do with all the 'vintage' papers etc that I have ???? Retro is obviously the new vintage!!! LOL LOL
Do I follow trends, you bet I do!!












I don't usually do the card swaps or challenges, but this one I had to join in! We had to make a card that expressed someone else! I have done this one for Burnice aka Angel on forums. She really makes us laugh, she is sooooo funny! So when I found this quote, I just had to use it!




I used 'Snow Angel' alphabet aptly!


















oops! The ink on my image smudged a bit when I added glitter.

The little angel is Burn's avatar.













Here's the whole card. I have not made a gate fold card before.

I hope you like it Burn!

Holidays Circle Journal

I decided a few weeks ago that I would really like to do another CJ. I looked on UKS, but at the time, the Shakespeare one was full (I stepped in later when someone else dropped out). So I thought I would organise my own! So here it is, Linda's Lovelies Holiday CJ. Our first post is next week! My theme is 'Beach Holidays'.

The cover was inspired by a challenge at Crawley crop, to use vellum, and a LO by Shimelle in SI. I rarely use vellum, but hink it looks great as the 'waves' here! Bit of bling and glitter add to the effect.

These letters are Paper Mania. Aren't they fun? I love the bright felt colours, and the bit of stitching. It would take ages to make them yourself.

Introduction. I decided to make it easy - no rules! Just do what you want. More vellum waves!!

Here's my entry. This photo is of one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to. The photo is hinged and I have journalled underneath.

I love these Tanda Stamps. In fact, I love beach huts atm, and have lots of photographs of them this summer too!

The 2 back beach huts are stamped on to Bazzill. The front beach hut is stamped onto white card, and coloured with watercolour crayons and water brush, as is the child. The shells and crabs are from the same Tanda Stamps set.

Really looking forward to this CJ now, I do hope it goes OK.

KITS!!!

I have subscribed to several kits lately. I saw Scrapagogo kit at a crop, and thought how great it looked, and love the idea of getting bits and pieces that all match. So I went on UKScrappers thread about which kit to have, and ended up subscribing to 3!

This first one isn't even one of those! It's a Jenny Bowlin kit I bought from Natalie at my Crawley Crop. It is gorgeous 7 gypsies papers, all brown and green and blue. Oddly, it includes a sheet of yellow cardstock which doesn't go at all! I don't think they show up very well in the pic, but there are 3 little silver crowns, some ribbon slides, a gorgeous voile flower, velvety ribbon and huge brown brads. Can't wait to use it!






This is Scrapagogo's latest kit. It's Kelly Pannacci, and I LOVE it! I want to use it to do more of my BOM, which I started last summer, and haven't done much in lately. What will be interesting is to see how my style (and the fashion generally) has moved on in 1 year. Even more reason to date LOs.













Scrapping Angels is a lovely kit, cos it is small, just enough to do 2 or 3 LOs. I did some lovely Los of Lucy as a little girl with last months. Might have to use this for those pics of her as a little girl as it looks like crayon drawings! Just right for little children!

The 3rd kit I'm subscribing to is Little Red Scrapbooking in USA. AS the $ rate is so good atm, it's working out quite cheap even with shipping. Last months was gorgeous Crate Papers.

I love receiving the pizza boxes through the post, and I'm finding it's a great way to increase my stash in a more coordinated way, try patterns and embellishments that I would probably not buy, and keep bang up to date!