GETTING THERE.....

......with my FIVE FAVOURITES for March(!)

You may remember I mentioned yesterday that I had managed a bit of scrapbooking at the weekend; here are the fruits of my labours:

One more to go and March will be done and dusted...now to look at April's photos!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

Posted with Blogsy

ME ON MONDAY

A very good Monday morning to you all......and especially to SIAN and her merry bunch of 'wavers'!

This morning sees me in that very rare position over the summer months .......alone and able to make as much crafty mess as I please..even in the kitchen which is the coolest room in the morning! In any other room I need to turn a fan on, and you can guess what THAT does to paper and embellishments!!

The weekend?.....it was a waving farewell to good friends, sheet and towel washing,then  ignoring the housework and immersing myself in a trilogy of books which have been calling to me for ages ( BELLE, THE PROMISE and SURVIVOR by LESLEY PEARCE). I hadn't read any of her books before but I was really drawn into this family saga....the final one has still to be finished, but I'm working on that! There was time for a hospital visit and a visit to my LITTLE OLD LADY, whose Birthday it was on Saturday......obviously some scrapping too!


I'm looking forward to a visit from Craig later in the week....and hoping to be planning a holiday with him at the end of September...I do hope you've all got something to  be looking forward to!

Thanks for dropping by!
take care of you
Alison xx

Posted with Blogsy

ME ON MONDAY

I'm joining the 'MONDAY WAVERS' again today........another brainchild of the lovely SIAN.

Doing a bit of 'Google Translating' in preparation for our Intercambio session tonight.....a group of we English speakers get together once a week with a group of Spanish ladies to try to talk to each other in each other's language...the result can be pretty hilarious!!

The weekend?.....there was dinner with friends, food shopping, laundry, a little garden tidying....and SCRAPPING!

The credit for the title of this layout must go to RUTH, who left a comment on my FIVE FAVOURITES FOR JANUARY  post......she mentioned BFG and my mind immediately went to the Roald Dahl book....and I couldn't think what she was talking about! When I realised that she was actually talking about the Black Forest Gateau, I knew I had my title...thanks Ruth!

Unfortunately, by last night dad was back in hospital so it's likely to be an anxious week again...hope yours isn't!

Thanks for dropping by!

take care of you

Alison xx

Posted with Blogsy

NUMBER THREE.....

....of my FIVE FAVOURITES for December:

The photo itself wasn't the best quality, so I printed it in B&W which helped a little

I have to confess to this being practically a total 'lift' from THIS layout by NATHALIE over at AN OUNCE OF CREATIVITY

It has occurred to me that I didn't share the second layout from my Five Favourites. so here it is:

I have to say that I am impressed that I have managed to get these three completed....can I get the other two finished before the end of the month?....it's certainly my intention- let's wait and see.

Hoping all's well in your little corner of Blogland

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

Posted with Blogsy

HELLO WEEK!

This week i'm saying:

HELLO to an early morning trip to the airport (this morning) to drop DH off ..he's been here for a long(ish) weekend.

HELLO to working two mornings in the Charity Shop to help with holiday/sickness cover

HELLO to working 'Front of House' at our tiny, local Theatre on Friday night

HELLO to touches of Autumn/Fall/ Halloween around the house

HELLO to starting this class...

you can find more details HERE ...I'm hoping it can jump-start my scrapping again!

HELLO to having put the summer dresses away..but NOT the cropped trousers or sleeveless tops!....and looking out the not-summer clothes in preparation for cooler temperatures

HELLO to having to wear long sleeves in the house by night-time

How's your week looking?

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

PERFECT TIMING!

Do come in out of the heat.....it's 30 degrees(C) out there today, and unless you've brought your swimming cozzie it's far too hot to be out in it!

Your timing is perfect because I've just made a cup of (coolish) coffee for myself, and cut into the Apricot and Coconut loaf I've just made...I'd be glad of your opinion on it; it's the first time I've tried it and I'm not convinced!

It's not too bad actually, if you add a bit of butter...it seems to be a very Scottish thing, adding butter to all tea-breads...lots of people look at me as if I'm mad when I ask if they want butter..maybe you do too?

Why have I been baking on such a hot day?...good question! I have a glut of apricots this year and wanted to try something a bit different with them...usually I freeze them or stew them ...if you have any suggestions I'd be glad to hear them..there's still lots on the tree!...and I actually enjoyed being in the cool kitchen for a while...though scarpered once the oven had heated up!

How was my week?.....better than expected I think. If you read my blog earlier in the week, you probably realise it was the anniversary of Stuart's death. Craig was here for a few days though, which always helps me to cope better...we had a couple of nice meals out and generally just kept each other company.

I hope you'll tell me what's been going on in your own life...hopefully you'll be starting to think about getting away for a break over the summer (and I think if you've dropped in from the Southern Hemisphere, you may on school holidays just now?)

Before you go, I must just ask if you're taking part in JENNIFER'S class? I am so glad I signed up for it....even though I've only managed two layouts so far (though a third one IS in progress). Let me just quickly show you the second one before you go:

The prompt was about colour choices...I love orange and purple together in the garden, and thought the combo might work well with these pics from our Line Dancing Easter Themed night...what do you think?

What?...time to go already?!....this visit seems to pass so quickly...do pop by again next month...I would definately bring that swimming cozzie, as I have no doubt the pool will be the only cool place by then!...Safe travels my friend...I know you have other places to pop by for a visit, thanks to ABI organizing our monthly get-togethers!

Hope you're having fun this weekend!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

SCRAPPING AROUND THE WORLD

 On the first of this month, my lovely- and exceptionally talented -South African blogfriend HELEN started a new Scrapping Challenge blog called SCRAP AROUND THE WORLD.

The first challenge is due in at midnight EST today, so I am JUST squeezing in with my entry!

The challenge was to create a layout using both this mood board and sketch:

Here's my take on it:

I have had this collage, which Kirsty and I had taken in the Photobooth at the wedding we were at earlier this month, lying on my desk just waiting for me to have time to take part in the challenge...as soon as I saw all that lovely turquoise/teal on the moodboard, I knew what I wanted to scrap!

Some close-ups:

rosette courtesy of  LADKYIS ( as part of SIAN'S GREAT BIG SWAP OF VERY SMALL THINGS)

chipboard again courtesy of LADKYIS!

I realise I've left it too, a little, impossibly late for you to take part in this month's challenge, but please check back for next month's one..the inspiration on the blog is truly amazing!

Hope your managing a little craftiness this weekend!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx 

WOULD YOU BELIEVE.......

......that I actually scrapped this weekend! In between making cups of tea for my Man Friday.....my name for our 'odd job man'...and he literally does all the little and not-so-little jobs around here which I either can't do (think pool cleaning, chopping down trees and fixing TVs) or won't do (think cleaning the outside windows!). This weekend it was lopping the top off one of these blessed Carob trees I spoke about it the last post.

Anyway, I digress...between making the obligatory cups of tea, doing a bit of gardening myself, enough housework to appease my conscience and a little bit of sitting in the sun listening to a book....I managed to start (and finish!) this layout......

.......based (loosely, I admit) on this 'Sketch to Scrapbook' page of SHIMELLE'S

I have heard rumours that Spring may be arriving in the UK.....I'm hopeful that this is true, as I'm heading back there on Wednesday! Hoping you have all had a good weekend

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx

I DID IT ......

......I actually scrapped this week! I used this sketch from LET'S GET SKETCHY

....and came up with this

The fab butterfly embellishment at the top left hand corner, was handmade by my very talented friend MITRA...... and I used THIS  tutorial on MISS SMITH'S blog to make the journalling card

You may remember that my camera went missing just before Christmas (and that DH bought me a new one for Christmas)....well, it turned up under the front seat of my car yesterday!!! Needless to say I am delighted that I have all the photographs I had taken in November and December back....

I do hope the weather hasn't been too bad where you are this weekend....we've had mixed weather with some badly needed rain earlier today...I'm hoping not to see too much more of it while mum and dad are here!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

HELLO MONDAY.....

......and on a Monday!!!...just, but Monday all the same!

HELLO to you all!

HELLO to having a whole week to myself before mum and dad arrive next week

HELLO to finishing  season 2 of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES...and to starting Season 3, which Santa brought for Kirsty!

HELLO to some scrapping...I have even found a sketch with which to start!

 

LETS GET SKETCHY

HELLO to (hopefully) getting the Utility room painted...yes, I HAVE had the paint for over two weeks!

I hope you have some good things to be saying 'hello' to!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

A BIT OF SCRAPPING....

....and I mean 'a bit'! After sharing THIS STORY as part of STORYTELLING SUNDAY, I was inspired to get a layout done.

 My scrapping mojo has definately gone AWOL in the heat, but I had seen a sketch  over at PAGE DRAFTS.....

...that I liked, and which linked to the Sketch Challenge over at GRANDDIVA'S CREATIVE CORNER

Here's a close-up of the layered embellishment I made, which allows me to enter the LO in the August Challenge at ROCHELLE SPEARS BLOGSPOT

I used chipboard, twine and a button

The journalling is hidden behind the photograph, and is copied from the Storytelling Sunday blogpost....it can be seen by pulling the date tab.

I just have to mention that this beautiful embellishment....

was handmade by, and sent to me by the lovely MITRA.

I hope you're having a great weekend...and are feeling a bit more creative than I am!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

A SIMPLE LAYOUT.....

.....courtesy of this sketch over at SIMPLE AUSSIE GIRLS (SAG)

 

I loved the six blocks, though couldn't get it to work with them being on the RHS of the LO, so I put mine along the top.

I found a pile of photographs my MIL had given us, and although most of them were of DH's childhood there were about a dozen or so of when Stuart was a baby.  So instead of having to cut up this page

and deal with more 'fancy' cut photos, I was able to scan and use the 'new 'ones (though I'll probably cut it up later to use the other pics). Much as I look at those original pages and cringe, I'm glad to have them with that little bit of info on them. 

  Remember.... if you stop by on Saturday, DEB will be hosting a Housewarming Bloghop which I'm taking part in!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

Glitter Girl to the Rescue

I have to confess that I haven't been doing much more than having a cursory glance at Shimelle's 'GLITTER GIRL' posts, and certainly haven't taken the time to watch the accompanying videos...last week however, she talked of scrapping photos from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Apart from being shocked..then depressed!....that she was treating them as 'vintage' photographs, I knew this was one video I should watch, as I've been trying to work out the best way to re-do my old photo albums.

These are the albums that house my pictures of my teenage years, college and early working years...not to mention both Stuart and Kirsty's early years. I didn't start scrapping 'properly' until 2003. By that time Kirsty was almost 14, and we had been without Stuart for almost ten years. Kirsty's photos all got scrapped 'properly' for her 18th and 21st Birthdays, but I knew that I wanted to do something with Stuart's pics,  Up until now I just haven't been able to bring myself to take the albums apart....which I was going to have to do (either that or scan everything, and then I never feel the photos are a sharp)) as all these photos were pre-digital. 

However, as I watched Shimelle's video, I got some inspiration on how to treat these 'vintage' photos..and decided I was going to start  properly documenting Stuart's life at the weekend.

One of the problems I couldn't get my head round, was that I had done the good old cropping around the original (!) pictures with 'fancy' shaped scissors..and although Shimelle didn't cover this aspect, I decided that it was time to'just do it'.  I ended up (using the same scissors!) cutting the pictures off the original page, and came up with this

Shimelle had advised to use cream-based papers for these older photos, and for old Polaroids. The first shots taken in hospital, by the nursing staff, were Polaroids...so taking her advice,  this page 

was transformed into

I'm happy with the way both LOs have turned out, but am happier still that I've actively (my OLW!) started to get Stuart's story told...thanks Shimelle!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

The Pieces Have All Fallen Into Place!

You may remember THIS POST, in which I had just learned that I still love doing jigsaws.


Well, between us this week dad and I managed to get from this:

to this:

I have to say that my addictive tendencies  came out again....every time I passed the table, I just HAD to have another little look and another little 'fiddle'...poor dad- I borrowed it for him, and he hardly got a look in!

You realise that now I have a table covered in jigsaw pieces (yes, we've started another one!) and one covered in scrappy goodness...just as well DH is away at the moment! ONE table covered in 'things' is one thing...I just don't know what he'd think about TWO!!

Talking of scrapping, I got another couple of pages done for DD's NYC album..this photograph made me laugh...I could just picture Imane singing at the top of her voice, not caring who was watching!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

LSNED DAYS 22 & 23

DAY 22


I learned that going to have your hair done doesn't just make you look and feel better, but that the two hours of being unable to do anything but just sit and read magazines really helps recharge the batteries!


DAY 23


I learned that some days I just need to give in, and have that hour's siesta in the afternoon...I felt ever-so-much better for it!


Hope you all have a lovely weekend..I'm hoping to get a bit of scrapping done!


Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx

Back scrapping...YAY!!

Having caught up with most of the jobs I needed wanted to do since I got home, I have been happily surrounded by scrappy goodness and managed three LOs!


First up was this one

which was based on a sketch and recipe Challenge, posted by Sandy over at SCRAPFRIENDZY.......I journalled on a  piece of the gorgeous packaging that the Prima flowers  came in.

Next, was this LO about me which was inspired by last week's Challenge at SAG 

It also fitted the criteria for the PRODUCT CHALLENGE over at SCRAPBOOK CHALLENGES (using at least three punches) and  another 'recipe' Challenge at  SCRAPFRIENDZY...YAY! 

Lastly, I completed this one

for yet another Challenge at SCRAPFRIENDZY (using orange, cream and chipboard)

I'm now off to get another LO done...hope you're having a lovely weekend, whether you're scrapping or not!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx