Colour

I have always considered green as my favourite colour but looking around I see I am greatly influenced by brown in fact I have had to stop myself from making every room brown!! I think this is because I love natural calm colours and also the country style, modern is not for me!!

Have had a busy morning starting with a walk by the sea and a stop at the local butchers, I still refuse to buy my meat from Tescos. I then spent the rest of the morning cooking for my hungry men. Ian is now going to make a curry so I have time to do a bit of scrapping and read my book.

Creating!!

My next page for Jessica Spragues class was about my creative side. I've always wanted to be artistic and make lots of things but don't have much talent for it. I used to do a lot of knitting and some crochet but have never been that satisfied with the results. I do remember making Andrew a Thomas the Tank engine cardigan and being quite proud of myself but have spoilt that by making Jenny a very sad looking knitted bear which she has probably hidden away now!
My sisters were very good at making clothes etc but I have always been frightened of a sewing machine and would rather go naked!
I then discovered cross stitch and found something that when finished actually looked quite clever, so do enjoy that!
I've also always wanted to be a fantastic cook and although never getting further than mediocre I enjoy making meals for the family and baking cakes etc as long as it doesn't involve intricate designs with a piping bag.
In recent years I've taken to scrapbooking and find if I scraplift someones design slavishly I'm quite pleased with the result. Oh to be able to make a page from scratch and be pleased with the result, I'll be a truly happy person if I ever achieve that!

lazy day again!!

Not done much today apart from this digi layout for the SLYMI challenge to use a sketch.
Diet still going well although feel very hungry at the moment!

Senses

The next page for the Beautiful evidence class was about our senses. We had to find 5 photos of things we love. I love the smell of bread baking, to look at beautiful flowers in the garden, the taste of a good salad, the sound of the waves and the feel of the sand between my toes.

New Class

Today I started my new class called Beautiful Evidence by Jessica Sprague. It did start yesterday but the first page assumed you had done all the homework and collected all the photos for the course as you had to put a selection of them on the front page. I was hoping to take photos as I go so will do that page at the end.
I gritted my teeth and let Jenny take a photo of me and have done my first page . We had to think of 5 words that described us and I could come up with bossy, touchy, argumentitive, greedy and lazy quite easily but thought that would not make a very likable page to share with everyone! I asked Ian what he thought and not wanting to get a black eye he came up with thoughtful and kind, I can almost hear big sis laughing in amazement! I thought some more and realised that at this present moment I am content and happy with my life, I try to think of others most of the time, and I'm always hopeful I will improve in every way, that with my tidiness makes up my 5 words, no doubt others could think of different ones and will share them with me at some point!!
We also had to scan in our signature and add underneath the photo but for obvious reasons I have blanked that out for my blog.

Hopeful is the key word at the moment as I try yet again to lose weight. Sue and I are going to encourage each other to keep at it and being sisters we won't want the other one to do better so

hopefully by Christmas we will both be a lot lighter!!

I should have added indescisive to my list as I've just changed the papers as I thought it looked too pale!!!

Too hot!!

Just a quick digi page using a free template today as it is too hot to do much.
looking forward to starting a new Jessica Sprague Class tomorrow, until then will read my James Patterson book!

It's raining!

It's actually started to rain at last so I have been busy indoors doing two more pages. The first one is about my love of nature. we had to make a frame for the photo for this one.

The second had to be about my love of Ian!! I tore a page out of an old book and painted it. i then ran it through the computer as instructed. I don't normally do hearts etc so this one was quite hard!!

Home

the next shimelle prompt was about home, something I had no trouble with as I absolutely love living here!! This was quite an easy page as i just resized and printed out the elements and then near enough copied shimelle's page.

read

the next shimelle prompt was about love of reading. I used this photo of Becca because as well as reading myself I enjoy reading to the children and seeing them enjoy books too.

So hot!

It's been another very hot day today, too hot to do much craft but I have managed another page for my shimelle class. It was an easy one to do, showing my love of going down to the sea and having a coffee and maybe a scone too!

I did spend quite some time this morning helping my neighbour catch her children's guinea pig. then felt a bit ashamed of the front drive so decided to sweep it all and do some pruning.

twins!

I did this layout as the last segment in the Up and running class I've been doing. We had to cut different papers to put in grid, change a photo, stamp and do journalling, quite a lot to take in.

This morning after cleaning more windows, we met Jenny and co at Botany bay and spent a nice couple of hours there until it got too hot. Alex and Becca spent most of the time in the water but we couldn't get jamie to go in!

Next page

I did this page this afternoon after a nice walk by the sea. I love the transparency technique although I had to get the printing from Jenny as my printer wouldn't do it.

getting there

a digi page from the Jessica Sprague up and running class.


have been feeling a bit fed up as I feel I never quite get there. I try my hand at so many things but usually end up rushing things and hardly ever feel happy with what I've done. Well today I thought I've got to stop being like that and take things slowly.

I started with spending time trying to do something I've always wanted to do, a blog header. It took quite a while but with a little input from Peter and Ian I finally came up with my first one and I'm quite pleased with it.

It's been very hot here again and Ian and I went to the bandstand for a while but I couldn't stay too long. We then collected Jamie from the beach and brought him back to watch Spurs, from the sound of it things aren't going too badly though from the shouts of "rubbish" I take it they gave away a penalty!!

First brush set

have been putting off doing this as I was sure it would go wrong but I've finally done it and it doesn't look too bad!

We had to create are own brush set with a help from Jessica and I stayed pretty close to what she had done, there seems like so much information to take in. Now I've done my first set though I might try and do some more.

It's Alex's birthday today and I forgot my camera! Jenny has taken some photos for me though so all is not lost.

I was very jealous as he had a very flashy keyboard and we were all keen to have a go, chopsticks was being played with great gusto!

The Folk Week ended last night and we will miss it all, it's been nice to get out every evening and listen to bands of varying ability. The atmosphere was very friendly and it was enjoyed by all ages, long may it continue.

one of those days!!

I started off with good intentions to get housework done and get on track with shimelle's class.I was side-tracked a bit with this layout for todays SLYMI challenge to scrap a square in a square!

I cleaned the windows and made a quiche so I would have lots of time for the class and then disaster! We had to print on fabric for this prompt and I got out some aida to use. I then spent ages trying to resize the printables and even longer feeding fabric through the printer and then having to deal with it being stuck, I'm surprised it's still working!! Anyway, I sort of got there in the end and if I drank I think I would be hitting the bottle now!

this morning we had to create our own leaf brush using the leaf provided. This was great fun and opens up all sorts of possibilities, can't wait for tomorrow!

more digi

Today we had to add stitching to our tag, another great technique to learn.

I then downloaded a free template from designer digitals and made this quick page. i think time has come for me to do some shopping for some more digi kits!

scrappy afternoon!

I have had a nice afternoon trying to catch up on my shimelle class. This first page was all about the music I love and I even created my own journalling spot for it!

The next page was about ways we like to enjoy ourselves and apart from my craft i get most enjoyment from spending time with my family.

I still have a few more pages to do but at least I am getting there.

Folk Week

Folk week has started here and as usual the children are enjoying the Hobby Horse time at the bandstand.


Ed and Zen enjoyed it as much, if not more, than the children!!

Alex has really started to enjoy playing cricket.

Zen was a demon bowler!

Jamie did some fantastic catches and was a brilliant fielder.

They have all gone home now and I am left to the housework and my craft!

tag

Today we had to make are own tag adding inking and shadows.

Templates

I wanted to learn how to use digi templates so this class by Jessica Sprague was perfect.
The first template was about Becca's birthday, I used a free kit I had.


This one was of a trip to the beach a few years ago.

We had a nice morning on the beach and had the annual cricket match, will sort out photos later. it's baking hot here and I feel like collapsing!!

Happy Birthday Rebecca

Big brother showing off his skills!

We popped over toJenny's this morning to wish happy birthday to Rebecca. Zen couldn't resist this lovely kitten.

Becca enjoyed being the focus of attention and opening all her pressies!

Alex wanted to show off his musical skills.

Becca was good at the sack race.

and teamed up with Uncle D for the three legged race!

day 5 - clipping mask

Today we had to create our own clipping mask and add text and use a gradient tool. I used a photo of David and Zen for this.

Go to press - stress free scrapbooking

I manged to get my stash out this afternoon and do the front cover for the new shimelle class I signed up for. the idea is to learn different ways of using the printer in scrapbooking. for the first class we had some printables to put on ordinary card so not too difficult!! I'm looking forward to finding the time to do more over the next four weeks.

frame

Today we had to make our own frame using brushes and sanding to give it a grungy look. I enjoyed this technique and will definitely use it again, that's if I can remember it!!!

David and Zen are coming this evening for a few days so now must get the house straight!

I think I'm stupid!!!

Have spent hours today doing the 3rd class of brush abilities. I'm ok when I am following the tutorials but when it comes to the challenges and having to remember techniques from several classes I really struggle. Anyway, I sort of got there in the end and here is the result!

New Class

I've just started a new class from Jessica Sprague called brush abilities. The first lesson was to make this butterfly card.

next we had to do this journalling using brushes and chalks. Looking forward to tomorrows now.

had a nice weekend away at Maureen and John's, will upload some photos later.