Mr Blue Sky

Hooray!   At last a glimpse of blue and some strange yellow object....   okay so the clouds came back, but the wind kept on blowing them away and not a drop of rain all day!   Hope it is also dry  in Cumbria and other flooded parts of the country.   Tho that wind was a bit chilly, definitely getting to parts not so far chilled this winter. 

Also enjoyed some tennis, tho it was a bit nerve wracking, Andy Murray in the Masters, still not sure if he is thru to the semi's or not, seems like some complicated system!   Bit miffed that the BBC aren't showing all the matches,  but got the semis and final to look forward to at the weekend.

My new blog is going well,  really chuffed with it, still got a lot of work to do on it.  Want to make my own background and other bits for it,  so that will take up the weekend on the PC.   Getting to know Serif quite well, but it isn't as flexible as DTP.... does this mean I will be returning to microsoft?  Probably!  Just wish it wasn't so expensive,  haven't they got enough money, couldn't they possibly reduce their prices? 
No card making, too busy turning my scrapbook pages into layouts,  but I have plenty of cards at the moment.   Think there is enough for Christmas, may need a few more, but only about a dozen.    My focus is firmly on scrapbooking, which is why I want the weather to dry up so I can get into town and take photos of the big wheel, the penguins... and the lights!   Course I wish to play with my new camera,  it has all sorts of apps for different photos, even Christmas lights.    So fingers crossed for next week.   I'm over my fear of using public transport,  sorted that with my two friends by using the bus to get to town a few weeks ago, and the train on the way back,  even managed to negotiate a few escalators.    Mum has ideas about visiting a Christmas market,  I know she wants to get out, but she can't walk far so it will be the usual thing of her giving up after a few yards.   If only she'd do her exercises, that would help!    I have just watched her go backwards this last year, she was doing so well at start of year. 

Have to say I excelled myself tonight with a roast dinner, for once the roasties were perfect, as was the meat and the gravy!    Usually I get something wrong, but not tonight :-))  

All for now and don't forget to visit my new blog  Abscraptistico  

Can we stop with the wet stuff now?

I've had enough!  I am fed up of getting wet and windblown every time I set foot outside my door.  Today was no different,  woke up to a slate grey sky,  could see the trees being blown hard.... great... another wet and windy day. JOY!  NOT.

Before I go any further  I have to announce a new blog, Abscraptistico... called cos I hit a few more keys than intended!   But it is a proper craft blog about scrapbooking,  I shall keep all my witterings confined to this blog. So if you want to go have a look then go to:

ABSCRAPTISTICO     It is early days for it, and it will be expanded as soon as I get going.   I will be adding favourite scrapbooking blogs and sites soon. 

Meanwhile today I braved the wind, and the rain and headed to the new Tesco.  Well I was there yesterday, briefly, but today was the proper shop.    And boy is it a big place...   I actually got handed a map as I entered.   Mind you all Tesco stores are laid out the same, or just about.   This was tho, humungus!  But the shoppers hadn't changed, oh noooooo,  we had the usual 'I'm the only shopper in the store'  who parks their trolley in the most inconvenient place, usually blocking the aisle completely, the 'daydreamer shopper' who is in a world of his own (yes a 'his' cos he is being dragged round by wife/partner), who get in the way, stand in stupid places and look bored...   the 'moaners'  who moan no matter what... heard two saying: typical,  as usual no space to move.... what!   It was bloody huge,  the aisles were generous,  tho a lot of stuff had been piled high.   Then there are the shelf fillers.... why oh why do they have to start faffing with shelves in the middle of the day, the busiest time!    Of course they block aisles,   and with a new crowd they can't find what it is they are suppolsed to be refilling....    had one assistant singing 'Anyone who had a heart'  pleading with us shoppers to help her find the hearts...   we did, and we all had a laugh.    Only one sour note,  two young lads, in uniform  were coming thru the store,  looked like they were just staring their shift,  now they are probably nice lads, but they were using the F word a tad too liberally as they walked thru.  Not a good image for Tesco.  I let it go, but if it happens again I will have a word with a supervisor, not to get them in to trouble, but for the supervisors to inform staff that when they are in uniform and in the store they must behave in a suitable fashion.

My day didn't stop there,  had to put away the load of shopping,  it was one of those weeks when we seemed to need everything.  Last few weeks have been pretty lean, but today was double what I have been spending.  Thought mum was going to say something, but then she realised that we'd just run out of a lot of stuff all at once.  Then I had to clean the bathroom,  put some new sealant round tiles,  do the recycling bins, post two letters, I finally got to sit down at 3pm.... and watched QVC, whilst having a glance at C&C at same time.  Neither was very inspiring. 

Then had this daft idea to exercise knee,  bad move,   cos now it is hurting like hell.  Alls I can say is that my knee doesn't feel like my knee, or my other knee,   just feels wierd,  like when you try to shove something with your foot,  the foot isn't exactly doing what I want it to do.  And it is half numb,  which makes it even more strange. 

Enough of the wittering...  have a good evening all.

scraptastic!

Had a really nice scrappy day yesterday, got two whole pages done,  all in just a couple of hours.  It was just one of those days when it all came together,  and there can be other days when I just stare at the page. 

This pic is of mum take a couple of years ago now.  But she is with two of her grandchildren, so it was ideal to scrap. 

Materials:
12x12 gemstone cardstock
Dovecraft card stock - cream
Do Crafts scrapbook kit,  dark brown paper
Do Crafts green paper for mat
Dovecraft cream card stock for scalloped mat
Cut leaves from more of the same paper (retro)
Photo glue
Tearing rules

How:  cut a rectangle of the cream cardstock, laid that diagonally across base,  wasn't looking for equal spaces,  to add some depth I cut another rectangle of the brown paper into strips of various sizes and arranged them,  next cut out some leaves and flowers from the Do Crafts kit, stuck one in each corner.  Made a mat out green spotty paper (Do Crafts kit), then a scalloped mat (using tearing ruler) just to define the photo.  Added title using letters from a QVC lettering kit (bought ages ago!)

Here's the template, think this would be a good one for a beginner,  it has clean lines and you could use alternative embellishments in the corners,  flowers, anything. 

Going to go back thru my old scrap pages and make more templates of what I've done so far.  I am thinking of a new blog, one purely for scrapbooking.  Possibly including some card stuff... 

All I've shown here could be used for 8x8 size card/paper.  Just use what you're comfortable with.

I do often scan in old photos and reprint them,  it is up to you whether you use originals or not. Providing you are using proper scrapbooking materials then your pics will be safe. 

Other excitement was visiting our new and humungus Tesco superstore!  Blimey it is big....  think a map would be handy to get around, or perhaps the trolleys have SatNav!    Only went for a new vacuum,  the other had a split in the hose, right near the connection, had tried duck tape but it kept on coming free.  So now have a new Vax....  nearly stuck myself to the carpet as it was on super suck!  Going back tomorrow for proper shop,  wasn't just the shop that was new, so were all the assistants, felt sorry for them,  I'm sure they've had training, but there is nothing like being thrown to the lions to prove your mettle.   First assistant I went to had lost all her courage,  I could she she'd blanked, and the chap meant to be helping her wasn't doing a great job,  we all felt for her and we all had words of encouragement for her,  but I did give up and moved to a new till, only to find that assistant was also having problems, but it was with the security tabs, even the supervisor had probs removing them!   I wished her luck as headed out,  I'm sure they all be okay once they settle down.  First days at work tho are not the worst, the second day is,  cos on the First day you have no idea what you are getting into,  but by Day 2, well you do! 

Well if there is no blog for a few weeks you'll know I've got lost in the new supermarket... wonder if they've set up search parties? 

Hope you all stayed dry and safe this weekend.

More scrapping

First: the photo on the scrap page was NOT photoshopped,  me and my two friends saw it in Santa Monica in 2004 as we made our way, okay we were lost!  Back to the main street.   We all did a double take when we saw it, couldn't fathom out why,  maybe the owner was a chicken lover... who knows.  But it was one of those photo ops you dream of.

Materials used:
Gemstone cardstock
Papermania cream card stock
Dovecraft Abstract paper kit for photo mat and squares
Remarks (American Crafts) Lettering
Brads and flowers from Crafters Delight kit

The template is on right, just right click on it if you want to keep it.   You don't need to use flowers,  any embellishment will do.  Templates are just a jumping off point,  they don't need to be followed in a slavish way, adapt them and have fun.

Too many people get stressed over scrapbooking, why? It is a very personal thing,  far more so than cardmaking.   I admit that I got put off when I saw the professionals do it, thinking that I could never match them, then I finally realised that isn't the point.  The point is to make treasures out of your pages, and however you wish.   I'd say to anyone getting stressed over scrapbooking, stop,  just chill out,  go with what you want to do and forget all the pages you've seen and have been impressed with.  Just do your own thing.

Having said all that scrapbooking is not for everyone,  just as knitting or sewing isn't everyone's cup of tea.  But what scrapbooking isn't is: a competition, it is for private viewing only.   My first scrapbook was an 8x8, I thought that would be an easier size to tackle, actually it wasn't, well not for me.  I was more daunted by the small page and wondering how to fit my large photos on them... once I moved to 12x12 I was away. I felt free to just do as I wanted, and once I'd figured that not every scrap of the base needed to be covered, well it was liberating.  In fact very often in scrapbooking, less is more.   The focus should be the photo, everything else should serve to enhance it.

I've just done a very busy page and I'm not happy with it,  I was trying something different, but it hasn't worked, so I am going to scrap the page again.

Weather wise: yes it is still soggy here, grey skies,  windy....  just yuck.  Enough, okay,  we're wet, we have plenty of water.... so can we now have winter and some cold, and frost?

Have a good week.

Happy scrapping day

Ooh at last got down to some scrapbooking.  Last page was a bit chaotic,  so went for the simple look this time.  I used:

Gemstones paper
papermania buttons
Sarapapers
Silver mirri card
DCWV adhesions
DCWV light purple card
Two ribbons which came with a TSV QVC kit.

It's a pretty easy design to follow.   I've used Serif to make the template,  and used colours just to denote the design only.   I used 12x12 card, but it could be adapted to 8x8.

I used mirri card for the frame around the photo, but frames are optional, not all photos need them,  I just wanted to make it stand out. 

The Gemstone cardstock does not have any other name on it,  it is not papermania or DCWV.   I got my pack from Abakhan which does have an online shop.  You can get some real bargains there, and those who want fabrics will be in seventh heaven. They do cover most crafts, so do take a look.

 From now on if I feature a pic of my own scrap page, and it is my own design I will upload the template.   Think the blog should be more craft orientated!

Twas a funny old day,  dreary,  so what's new!   Drizzly as well,  I hate drizzily rain,   so popped up to Abakhan to get the cardstock, and more wool for mum.  Usually that end of town is quiet on Saturdays, but not for the last two weeks, it has been hard to find a parking space.   I was tempted to buy a lot more, but as i had to head off to PC world I reigned in the spending.  So off to other side of town,  and all the match traffic!  But got there,  all for an ink cartridge, think it is sooo nice of HP to offer a bigger cartridge, but for a huge chunk of money...   I am seriously considering buying the kodak printer,  the ink is far cheaper.  I hope they make an impact on the whole printing scam.

I'm still seriously chuffed with my new camera, mostly cos I saved a bundle on it,  it has been advertised everywhere else at £149,  and I got it for £129, then Argos had it at its true RRP (just to emphasise the saving made in sale) at £195!   Thought they were being cheeky, it wasn't that price when I looked on line a couple of weeks ago. 

Another rainy day forecast for tomorrow, of  course we're not as badly off as those in Cumbria, it must be awful to be flooded out, my heart goes out to them.  There is little anyone could have done,  weather like the other day is a once in a lifetime event. And so sad that the police officer had to lose his life.

All for now,  stay safe and dry.

A dry day! Well dryish...

Was in shock, saw blue sky and... and the sun!   So long since we've seen it that it came as a shock.   It did of course have to rain mid morning, just as I'd decided to go tidy up the front, which was just a mess with leaves, rubbish and a full and unopened can of beer, which I gave to our neighbour.   

Then it was a very uninspiring day,  mostly catching up with stuff.  Had another rummage for those stamps, still no luck, they have to be here somewhere!  Forecast for weekend is more rain, so will get a chance to catch up on some scrapbooking, and need to make eight purple themed Xmas cards. 

Pic is of card for my mum,  saw it last week in craft shop, it is a kanban kit,  and yep, you do just stick it all together, tho going to put a bit more bling on it.  It is also A4 size,  now just need to find a nice verse to go inside.   For last few years I've made her a clutter card,  but sort of got a bit fed up of them.   But I did want a traditional card for her.

Have posted a Children In Need blog,  like to do my bit.  Was disappointed in supermarket, my local Sainsburies normally has collecting buckets out for Pudsey, but not a one in sight today.  Was going to buy a pin badge as I collect them.

Well all for now, have a good weekend... stay dry and safe.

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