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credits: template by Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: template by Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: template by Simply Sarah Designs

my life in books

Books have always been an important part of my life, I am at my happiest when I have a big pile of books by my bed ready to read. Thinking back over my childhood it is the books I remember the most. I was always at the library looking for the latest Famous Five book or an animal story.

 

Enid Blyton was always the first author I looked for, I think I must have read nearly all her books. I especially loved the mystery ones and always had a new one to take on holiday each year.

Animal stories always appealed too and you would often find me crying over them. Long Ears the Donkey and The Caravan Cat are two titles that come to mind, but I can’t find them anywhere now. I was pleased to see my all time favourite KPO the Leopard is still available, how I loved that book.

So there begins my love of books, I can still see myself curled up in bed reading and I can still hear my dad shouting up the stairs “ get your nose out of that book and come and help your mother” !!

 

What was your favourite book as a child? Please share if you have the time.

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credits: template – Simply Sarah Designs

It’s been so cold today, you wouldn’t think it was nearly June

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credits: template by Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

 

credits: template by Crystal Wilkerson

credits: template by Crystal Wilkerson

crafting day

credits: Simply Sarah Designs

The intentions were good, choose a kit and see how many layouts/cards we can make. The result?

 

One layout using a pagemaps sketch and the april Sarah’s Cards kit. Jenny has started an album of a zoo trip and seemed to get much more done than me.

making a banner

I bought all the Photoshop Friday classes from Jessica Sprague not so long ago, just as well as she is retiring them soon.

This was lesson 3, using the selection tools to draw these triangles for the banner, simple but very effective.

credits: class and kit by Jessica Sprague

 

 

credits: Simply Sarah Designs

a photo a day

First day of our holiday and we walked around Salisbury Cathedral, this little teddy caught my eye.

we had to visit the New Forest to see all the ponies.

a very interesting visit to learn a bit of history.

you can’t beat an old ruin!

sorry Peter, it had to be done!

I’d never heard of these drinks before so David persuaded me to try one.

We managed a few walks around nature reserves and preferred these sheep to the bull we were warned to look out for!

I did relax my diet a bit and haven’t put on any weight despite this cream tea.

a rare photo of the two of us, I must have been in a good mood!

back home and out for our usual walk, not sure what they are filming but no doubt will find out.

credits: Simply Sarah Designs

Longleat

best shot of the day!



feeling thirsty



greedy sea lion

this lion walked right in front of our car

for Jamie

loved feeding the parrots

We had a fantastic day at Longleat, well worth the money, can't wait to go again! I even managed to drag the men around the house which was very impressive.

Birthday card

a recent card I made using up some scraps of patterned paper and a banana frog sentiments stamp set.

Happy Birthday

Today is this little boy’s birthday, he’s a good bit older and bigger now but to me he’s still my little boy. Happy Birthday Peter xxx

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

 

This is quite a big thing for me, putting my photo on here but I felt that as this is a big part of my aims for this year, I should do it.

I’ve finally decided to take control of my life, admit that the only one who can do it is me and get fitter. Since March I’ve altered my diet, kept up an exercise plan five times a week and continued to walk more. The results – one stone in weight lost. Already I can get back into clothes not worn for a couple of years and I feel so much happier. I’ve still a long way to go but I feel positive I will get there.

Have any of you lost weight recently or made changes to your lifestyle? Please share if you have the time.

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

photo editing

Shimelle’s challenge, to use Picnik to edit a photo. This was my photo taken today.

First I tried the sepia effect as I felt this went well with the donkey.

Next I tried adjusting the exposure and using the Lomo-ish effect. Not sure about this but will definitely be playing with this free editing programme again.

fun!

So much to choose from over the weekend, I’m going to be busy for ages.

Over on Big Picture classes they were doing a crop with the challenges emailed to you. I loved the banner one by Suzy Plantamura and copied various details from her examples.

Papers are upsydaisy home sweet home from a Sarah’s Cards Kit.

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

Dover Castle

My layout for Scrapbooking Day, challenge one on Shimelle’s blog here, using patterned paper for backgound and the layout from the next class as inspiration.

papers etc are fancy pants happy together collection from a Sarah’s Cards Kit.
tfl

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

We’ve spent all morning weeding and planting and now have a tiny patch of our garden looking nice!

I then needed a break so decided to look at Shimelle’s next 4 X 6 class which you can find here

this is what a came up with, scrapping a stadium tour Ian took with the children earlier in the year. You can open up the interactive part to see another photo, the ticket and journalling. The papers are fancy pants The Daily Grind from a Sarah’s Cards Kit.

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credits: Simply Sarah Designs

 

Having just read this book I decided to go and see the film with Jenny. We browsed in Waterstones first and had a light lunch, trying to resist buying anymore books, then watched the film which we both enjoyed. It was a nice way to relax after a hectic few days.