Chatty Crafty Arty Pig

More New Year Resolutions..... mine

2012-01-12T21:29:00.002Z

I read 'somewhere' that 'someone' had decided to set 12 goals for 2012 and I thought I would do the same (sorry I can't remember where and who or I would give you credit, honest)

So without further ado here are mine (12 4 2012 on the 12th!)

scrapbook more
walk at least once a week
declutter each week
be at least 1 stone lighter by the end of 2012 (ie maintain weightloss!)
send at least one piece of 'happy mail' each week
read 52 books (I lost count last year and don't think I managed it)
spend more time with friends and family
pay it forward x `12 ( I didn't actually manage a single pay it forward in 2011.... hangs head in shame... so I am going to do one each month during 2012, some may be random on the blog, some will be given as a surprise and some might even go to those who are owed one from last year!!)
take a photo each day
be more organised with Birthday and Christmas cards
blog more
'Just do it!!' (well done if you guessed this was my NYE resolution!)

New Year Resolutions

2012-01-09T07:15:00.005Z

As usual I am a bit late, but I wanted to share our New Year's Eve 'Writing of the Resolutions'! (Photograph taken from the TV as we watched the fireworks in London)

NYE 2010 was a very quiet one as I had been really poorly, it was just the 4 of us at home. As a new idea, I thought wee could write down our resolution on a scrap of paper each and swap around and guess which one was which persons (I also thought those little pieces of paper would make it onto a scrapbook page but they haven't yet!)

NYE 2011 we mananged to meet up with friends, 6 adults and 6 children. Just before midnight DS suggested we all wrote down our resolutions of bits of paper, put them in a hat and then tried to work out which one belonged to each person. So here they are.....

Eat less Chocolate

To drink more

Be better

Change the World

More exercise

Just do it

Stop swearing and eat more chocolate

To look even more like One Direction and to sell lots of I survived 2012 t shirts

Keep the same friends for a year

To travel more

To keep my room tidy and eat more vegetables

Sadly although I thought I collected all 12 pieces of paper I ended up with 9 and I couldn't remember one. These were written by a group age 10 to 48 (with 4 teenagers!) and just looking at them all makes me laugh as they are all so different. I still can't believe someone seriously wrote to eat more chocolate! LOL!

So which one is mine? (Obviously not the eating more choccie!) I challenge you to guess and will reveal all in my next post!

I look forward to reading more about other's hopes, dreams and goals for 2012 and I will be sharing a few of my plans with you soon. I wish you all the very best for this new Leap Year and hope to keep in touch with you more via blogland

cheers! xxx

Family 12x12 blog hop January 2012

2012-01-07T09:15:00.003Z

Oh my goodness I totally forgot about the blog hop as I had totally missed the email from Margie! I am so sorry to the rest of the team and anyone trying to blog hop around.

In December yet again I didn't manage a photo of the four of us but I am determined to take part every month throughout 2012 so I thought I would share this family photo instead ......

I spent a lot of time with my extended family as we were visiting my dad in hospital a lot over the holidays (in fact we are heading back to see him and everyone else again today). It was great to see so much of my sister as we don't always get together as often as we would like to. As you can see she is the beauty in the family and we are totally different as she has blonde hair and blue eyes whereas I have dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

I am now off to catch up with the other blog hoppers starting at Margies blog here

Story Telling Sunday January

2012-01-01T22:38:00.001Z

Happy New Year!

Sometimes stories are fun to write and even more fun to read but sometimes the story you have in your heart may not be easy to put down on paper (or blog) and it may not be easy to read. Sometimes you wouldn't chose to share personal tales, some things should probably remain private.

Sometimes I believe everyone else has a perfect world, difficult things don't always get mentioned on blogs and blog followers may not want to read about such things...... or would they?

I have been deeply touched by reading personal accounts of difficult times on blogs and it has made me realise I am not alone, I have felt comforted, moved and honoured that others share with me via their blogs. So should we share like this??

If you think it is ok, read on, if not please forgive my ramblings and come back another day when I share something crafty, fun or both!

On Christmas Eve my carefully planned festivities all went wrong after a phone call. Dad was in casualty with extreme pain in his leg requiring morphine. He was blue lighted to another hospital and underwent emergency surgery (I was soooo worried as his chemo had just been delayed as he was so immunocompromised so a big infection risk,plus he has a heart condition so anaesthetics aren't always good). He had to have several clots removed and if unsuccessful possibly have his leg amputated!

Fortunately the initially surgery worked although he has no sensation or movement in his foot and it looks like this is permanent. He is recovering but has had a few set backs. We are not sure how things will be long term but he is alive, he has both his legs, he is loved and we are so grateful that he is a survivor! Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Also as far as Christmas's go this one wasn't too bad. Christmas Eve was a wash out as we cancelled the party we had planned and were left with lots of unused food including 3 litres of mulled wine. But on Christmas Day I was with all my family and I saw my dad! JYC has been put on hold but I think I will have some interesting aspects of Christmas to write about this year.

2012 is now here and I hope I manage to blog more and read more, share more and craft more, I will be back and I hope you will too!

Today's mutterings were part of Sian's storytelling Sunday go visit her blog for all the really good story tellers tales!

Story telling Sunday December

2011-12-04T17:05:00.003Z

Christmas is a magical time, full of surprises, love and family. Growing up I spent my Christmas's with extended family at my Nanny's house in London. She was an amazing woman (I could fill a year of story telling Sundays with various exploits of hers) she worked as a dinner lady so catering for all of us on Christmas Day came easily to her. I have so many happy, loving, snuggly feelings from those years, but I do recall one more painful memory ......

As you may recall from previous shared posts, I was somewhat mischievous, some might even say naughty! (Still not sure how I made it onto Santa's nice list some years!!). This even extended to the festive period and this Christmas was no exception. I cannot recall exactly how old I was but I would guess at maybe 4.

My Nanny always received lots of Christmas Cards and they were hung on string across the tops of the wall and down from the door in the lounge. I was particularly interested in the cards on the door and kept pulling at them. My uncle chastised me a couple of tim

es and on the third telling off (I was ignoring him!!) he picked me up and removed me from the room. I immediately started screaming and crying and everyone assumed it was because I was embarrassed and frustrated to have been caught out. In actual fact I was in dreadful pain, my arm was really hurting me.

Eventually (after several minutes of wailing!) my parents realised I was injured and that it was serious enough to require medical attention. Now, it was Christmas Day and it was a white Christmas and my parents did not drive! So the only form of transport was a pushchair! I sat in the pushchair and more poor parents pushed me all the way to Kings Hospital in the deep s

now (I was still crying!) it was freezing cold and not an easy journey!

At casualty I can remember being taken into the room to have an xra

y and as they manipulated my arm to take the picture I screamed in absolute agony then felt no pain! My arm was painfree! A Christmas miracle....

Actually, when my uncle had picked me up he had accidentally dislocated a bone in my arm and when the radiographer had moved it, it popped back into place! Wow did I learn a lesson that Christmas and I have never pulled a Christmas card off a door since!

I am so happy to have joined in the final installment of Sian's Story Telling Sunday.

I would like to offer a blog reader a little Christmas Candy........

stickers (there are 3 packets of these all identical, vintage style stickers)

and a set of mini embossing folders

Please leave a comment here before Saturday 10th December and I will send a little package out to the winner (hopefully in time for Christmas! and I will send worldwide) xxx

weaving and banners

2011-11-19T15:26:00.005Z

I have really enjoyed all the prompts and ideas from Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party it has been a great class and I am still working my way through it. I have printed all the prompts out and added notes to them all so I will continue to use all the lessons from class as inspiration.

Last week there was a great weekend of challenges and ideas incorporating some of PPP but on a Christmas theme. I wasn't feeling too well so I didn't join in very much but I did manage to make this card

based on the weaving idea I used up some unloved blue'ish Christmas papers and created a woven shape that was glued onto a snowflake embossed card. Continuing with the snowflake theme I added some Martha Stewart punched shapes in a pale blue glittered paper. I am not too sure how much I like this card as I tend to be quite traditional in my Christmas colours but I think I like the overall effect (and I used some of those papers which has to be a good thing right???)

Another challenge was all about banners. People are so creative with what they make and how they decorate these hanging works of art. As I wasn't feeling too great I went for the easy option and used some lovely stash that I had bought from Craftwork Cards. Although it is designed for Christmas, several pieces could be used through out the year, so I decided to use some of the Christmas specific bits. The banner shapes are all die cut so really easy to pop out, I added some Candi and some green alphas (from my stash) and put this together....

I have strung it across the fireplace to show you how it looks but I think I might take it into work to decorate a shelf in the office I share. Here is a close up.....

it simply says 'Happy Christmas' I was going to do Merry but realized I didn't have enough 'R's!! This is about all the Christmas crafting I have done so far this year but hope to do some more soon.

I am looking forward to

checking out more of the Christmas preparations everyone is doing
starting JYC (determined to do it this year and finally decided to do 6x6)
Bloggers weekend in Telford next week!!!

Story telling Sunday

2011-11-06T21:40:00.006Z

Last month on Story Telling Sunday I shared this story of my love of pigs and briefly mentioned an event involving a fire, I said I would be back to tell you more and here I am .... just!

I love fires, I would really like a 'real fire' in my lounge (or in any room for that matter!) but I live in a modern house and it would cost lots of ££££'s to have a chimney put in so in the meantime I pretend with gas and this fireplace (dressed up for Halloween!)

I really really like Bonfires and love sitting or standing around a bonfire outside in the dark. This makes 'Bonfire Night' a fun evening for me. Bonfire night is also known as Guy Fawkes Night and for some reason we commemorate this man's attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 ... he failed and maybe that is why it is a celebration! Traditionally it is an evening filled with fireworks, sparklers, a fire and fun food.

DS poses with a sparkler...

November 5th is the date this happens which was yesterday. I travelled to see my parents and my dad had a huge pile of garden debris to burn so we had a fabulous fire that was still smouldering when I left their house this afternoon.

Dad was feeling good, though he only finished his third cycle of chemotherapy a few hours before this picture was taken (sadly today he is feeling much worse, lacking in energy, tired but unable to sleep and constantly queasy). We had a houseful with 19 of us sharing yummy homemade food (jacket spuds, 'bangers', chilli, curry followed by trifle, key lime pie, caramel crunch mmmm my mouth waters as I type!) We spent a lot of time laughing and chatting with the TV turned off, enjoying each other's company, playing Rummikub and catching up with all the news across the generations. Loving family gatherings at the moment, so grateful that we can all get together (though my hubby was a bit poorly so stayed home especially as Dad is vulnerable to infections at the moment). We all stirred the Christmas pudding too, traditions are important and help make memories (see this post for info on Stir up Sunday)

My dad reminded my of my first venture into pyromania when I was probably just 2 years old. I cannot remember this time at all, but apparently I managed to turn on a heater in the bedroom next to my sisters cot (she would only have been 1 at the time) and the cot and the

mattress actually caught fire!! Thank goodness my parents discovered the burning bed before any serious harm was done!

Luckily I have never caused any serious damage since that time (at least I don't think so!)

I am looking forward to catching up with everyone else's 'Story Telling Sunday' brought to you from the superb Sian From High in the Sky pop over and check it out xxx

Pretty Paper Party

2011-10-19T20:12:00.003+01:00

I am just about managing to keep up with class so far which is amazing for me! I have loved receiving the prompts which really are totally making sense and giving me clear ideas on how to actually use the papers in my stash. The sketches are great, Shimelle's bonus video today was sooooo amazing and looking through the forum there are a whole bunch of very talented scrappers out there (I have started to follow new inspiring blogs too!)

The first prompt encouraged us to use up strips of scrap paper and I loved the sketch for this LO, so found it fairly easy to put together (tho it still took me some time!) Note the little heart has been moved from the photo, this is just covering up the name of the school.

The second prompt was about using patterned paper as the background. I kind of cheated a bit on this one as for both prompts I used the same base, which is from a set that I was given and immediately took a dislike to. So I decided to use the subtlety patterned paper in both to kind of tie the 2 together as the both pages tell the same story...1st day at school.

I also cut out the flowers from another sheet in the set as I normally don't do flowers/florals so getting out of my comfort zone is a good thing to try. But I am not really sure that it works on this page... what do you think? I am really happy to be scrapping again and to be using up some of those piles of papers and scraps! I will be doing more soon hopefully.

I now need to try and get a 'kit' together for prompt 3 but real life is getting in the way. DS is poorly and has a broken arm (again!), DH has had to stay away with work unexpectedly, DD is on a school trip in France, Dad was due his second bout of chemotherapy today but they were unable to get his permanent IV line in so he has to be admitted to the chemo unit. I have a full day at work tomorrow, hoping DS manages a full day at school as he hasn't so far this week, bless him. Looking on the bright side, if I have to take time off work I may get to indulge myself sorting through those patterned papers!

Pretty Paper Party

2011-10-17T18:36:00.013+01:00

Today is the start of a new Shimelle class called 'Pretty Paper Party' of course I could not resist the temptation and signed up immediately I received the invitation, especially as I have literally stacks of pretty papers unused in my stash.

Shimelle set us an icebreaker today all about our paper collections asking us to share what sort of paper person we are. I really think I can fit into 'The Paper collector' and 'the scrap sorter' but I have invented my own new category which is 'the Paper Procrastinator'! I often find that I just stare at all my papers hoping for inspiration, looking at one trying to figure out if I should use it, stroking another, then considering even more. Eventually I realise a couple of hours have passed and I still haven't settled on which papers to use.

Here are some snaps of the paper I have......A shelf of 6x6, 8x8, photo mats and other smaller pieces of paper and card

a shelf with the upside down folder used for scraps and a pile of 'have to keep as may come in useful' random bits of paper and card that obviously needs tidying!

a pile of 12x12's waiting to be put away

a shelf with mostly 12x12's that needs sorting

I am so glad to be part of this fantastic pretty paper party (and I think I have fixed the glitches on this post!) I really look forward to the daily inspiration and the challenges of class. I need to tackle tidying, sorting and using my stash and I hope to take an active part and might actually complete this one (I have never finished one so far!)
I look forward to seeing some of you in class ..... I will be the naughty one sitting at the back! xxx

2011-10-03T15:16:00.002+01:00

HIya everyone!
Seeing as it is my birthday I will join in with the A-Z of me I have seen on many other blogs.... you never know you may even learn some new things about me!

A. Age: over 40 .... it is my birthday today!!
B. Bed size: King
C. Chore that you hate: probably Ironing but not keen on any housework to be honest!
D. Dogs:would like one one day as it would mean I walked everyday
E. Essential start to your day: a cup of black tea
F. Favourite colour: brown or green or browny green!
G. Gold or Silver: gold as too pale for silver although my wedding ring is platinum!
H. Height: 5’8.5”
I. Instruments you play: I used to play the violin, recorder, treble, clarinet, piano, bugle and the only one I play occasionally now is the guitar.
J. Job title: Nurse practitioner/ clinical nurse specialist
K. Kids: DS and DD
L. Live: Surrey, United Kingdom
M. Mother’s name: Mum
N. Nicknames: Furrypig
O. Overnight hospital stays: 2 ear ops as a child, appendicectomy, hysterectomy
P. Pet peeves: cold callers on the telephone, ignorance and rudeness
Q. Quote from a movie: cannot think of one!
R. Right or left handed: Right handed
S. Siblings: one sister
T. Tattoos: none
U. Underwear: usually!
V. Vegetable you hate: none I hate
W. What makes you run late: other people!
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth, knee, arm, ear
Y. Yummy food that you make: cupcakes, pineapple muffins, christmas pudding etc etc
Z. Zoo animal: ooh tricky one love seeing animals but prefer them wandering around.

Hoping to read some of your A-Z lists soon xxx

Story telling Sunday

2011-10-02T17:14:00.009+01:00

My username on forums and here on blogger is 'Furrypig'. It also forms part of my email address and often leads to either strange looks or questions about the origins of the name.

Many years ago I attended a comprehensive school in Essex (I hasten to add I am not a true Essex girl having been born in Newcastle and spent most of my life away from the county!). Anyway my school had a fantastic farm unit with several breeds of farm animals and this included pigs. I fell in love with the pigs, such intelligent creatures, more clever than dogs and so protective once they have young... as the bite marks in a pair of Wellington boots demonstrated!

I used to go each weekend to help clean the pig sties out with my friend Mandy, overseen by a teacher and an older student called Nigel. The song 'Making Plans for Nigel' was popular at the time and we used to sing it to Nigel as we worked. Sometimes we mucked about and one week we were very silly as Mandy and I found some matches and set some of the straw alight. It went up in flames pretty quickly, but fortunately Nigel was there to put it out and save the day ( this was not my first misadventure into the realms of Pyromania, please return next month to read more about it on Story Telling Sunday on November 5th 'Bonfire Night'!!)

As I grew up I ended up collecting pig ornaments, pictures, postcards and most years receiving a birthday card with a pig on it somewhere (tomorrow is my birthday so I will let you know if the pig cards are still arriving after all theses years!). If anything had a pig on it, I probably would have had it. When I applied for university I put down on my application about my pig collection and one very serious chemistry professor was very interested, asking how many I had and where I kept them. It was only when he looked completely surprised when I said I kept over a hundred pigs in my bedroom that I realised he had thought I actually had a real herd of pigs!

Although my large collection of pig paraphernalia is long gone, there is evidence of pigs in my home to this day. I have some pig stamps I can craft with and have been sent several fabulous hand made pig cards since I started card making. Pigs are still my favourite animal and my heart fills with joy whenever and wherever I see pigs. My daughter thought

of the name 'Furrypig' as a joke several years ago and we cannot remember how it came up but I pinched the name as it is pretty unique and use it wherever I travel on the internet.

On a trip to Dorset earlier this year we came across some piglets (see above photos) and a glorious great big huge mother Sow. Unfortunately, previously mentioned daughter (now several years older!!) used this photo to 'tag me' on Facebook so my pig fame is spreading..... and yes there may be a resemblance!!

Please head over to Sian's blog for more tall tales on Story Telling Sunday

Lotsa love Furrypig xxx

Creative Craft World card challenge with an Autumn theme

2011-09-26T07:00:00.001+01:00

I have been invited to be a guest designer this week over at the Challenge Blog for Creative Craft World. The theme is Autumn, this could be an Autumnal image or stamp or the use of Autumnal colours on your card.

The sponsor is the Stamping Boutique and I was given a cute image to use on my card of Audrey the farmer.

As you can see I have stuck to Autumnal colours which I love and for me Autumn is the season of leaves so I had to add a few to the embossed frame I made to compliment the wonderful image.

Thank you to Oona the DT organiser/co-ordinator at CCW for having me this week, it has been a real pleasure to create a card again as part of a DT (I think I have missed it a wee bit!). Please pop over to CCW to see all the wonderful cards that the real DT have made and don't forget to join in the challenge.

September Family Blog Hop x 12

2011-09-06T08:08:00.005+01:00

Long time no see fellow blog followers! I have had a busy summer for lots of different reasons but overall it has been a good one and I hope to catch up with blogging again soon, especially as LSNED is now in full swing!

Anyway, back to todays blog hop (I now realise this was actually yesterdays blog hop so I apologise to everyone for getting the date wrong and spoiling the hop but I am finally here!).

Margie has organised us all again into posting our family photos for the month of August, I had the choice of 3, all taken in Antigua, and I almost went for the shot of the 4 of us on a boat looking out to see but instead I have gone for the view (and us!) from the top of 'Bird Island'. We were on a boat trip, which was our best day out in Antigua and we snorkelled, swam, explored caves and rocks, thus we are all in swimwear!

Please visit everyone elses blogs to see their August family photographs

Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com/blog
Melissa http://www.melissagross.blogspot.com/ - you are here
Ruth http://www.chattycraftyartypig.blogspot.com/
Jo http://www.mrsbeee.blogspot.com/
Patricia http://patoliveira.wordpress.com/
MonicaB http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/

thank you xxx

August Family x 12 blog hop

2011-08-05T14:00:00.009+01:00

Welcome everyone to my blog as you join in this month's blog hop organised by Margie. Check out her blog here for more information from June, to see what it is all about and hopefully to get you joining us month by month as we share our 'family' photos.

Hopefully you will have found me via Carol Anne's blog, if not please see the list below so you know where to start and end (or if you get lost!)

Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com/blog
Melissa http://www.melissagross.blogspot.com/
Carol Anne http://www.scrappingthoughts.com/
Ruth http://www.chattycraftyartypig.blogspot.com/
Patricia http://patoliveira.woodpress.com/
Monica http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/

I have a real hatred of photos of me and I am very critical of them and tend to delete the majority of snaps that feature my ugly mug! So this monthly photo experience is not easy for me but I think it is really important as I am recording the memory of the four of us as time goes by.

Currently I do not have access to my June Family photo but this is my July photo. Quickly taken on a golf course in Antigua via self timer..... the children were not very amused and wanted to get back to the pool/beach/ anything other than another photo!

Please go over to Patricia's blog here to see her July family portrait.

Hopefully I will have a chance to visit all your blogs again soon xxx

Jemma's Blogiversary Hop

2011-07-31T22:57:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog hop organised by Jemma over at Just Jimjams to celebrate her blogs first birthday..... congratulations Jemma xxx

As you go from blog to blog you need to collect a number from each of Jimjams' Blogiversary friends, putting them in numerical order and then e-mail her with the number which is missing from the sequence. What fun!

You should have come to my blog via the lovely Sandie at Itchifingers.

I am actually writing this at the end of my holiday and hoping it will autopost on time (so sorry if I have run late or early!) Would you like to guess where I am with some clues????

It took about 8 hours to fly here direct with British Airways

The temperature here is pretty constant between 80 and 90 degrees but we have had quite a lot of rain too! We are using factor 50 especially after my skin cancer last year!

The first language is English, though French, Dutch and Spanish are in the top 4 languages.

We are staying with friends in their lovely apartment with a great pool. It is more expensive than the UK with lots of prices in US $ though we are not in the USA.

There is an amazing variety of wildlife including mongoose, geckos and lizards, land crabs, humming birds cockroaches and mosquitos (I have been bitten a lot!) on the land and the sea is teeming with marine life... ideal for snorkelling.

Ok time for some easier clues...

We are 5 hours behind the UK here

The currency is EC $

There is locally brewed beer and rum readily available.

I am on an island with 365 beaches allegedly!

The capital is St Johns.

I think you have it now....

I am in Antigua!! What a beautiful place to be holidaying we are very lucky, especially as whilst we have been away we have had a shower rebuilt and lots of work done at home!

I just wanted to add that before we came away I was able to see my Dad and he is making an excellent recovery after his surgery and has been a star patient. He is due to see the consultant today for the results and to plan the future (ie see if he needs chemotherapy etc etc) Thanks again for all your best wishes, thoughts and prayers.

So thank you for visiting my blog on this Blogiversary Hop. My number is 23 and you need to head over to the wonderful Sian at From High in the Sky to collect the next one. Enjoy your hopping, meanwhile I need to get back to this.....

EDIT ...... I am very sorry that this post has gone out early .... whoops! Jemma's blog hop starts in the early hours of August 1st but blogger has misbehaved and posted this at the wrong time! So please come back and join in the hopping tomorrow morning instead!

ten things on the tenth

2011-07-10T20:49:00.005+01:00

I have been thinking about what to write for my 'ten things' for a couple of days as so much is going on in my life at the moment and I have lots of things on my mind with loads happening! Then it struck me, I could simply share the ten major things that have happened in the last ten days!

1. As many of you will be aware, my darling Dad had an important hospital appointment this week (see this post). I thank each and everyone of you that have held him, the family and me in your thoughts and prayers it is really appreciated. The diagnosis of cancer was confirmed but initially they were unable to say if there were signs of secondary cancer in the liver. We had a tough 24 hours waiting for the radiologists/oncolgists/surgeons joint expert opinion saying the liver was fine (hurray some good news!) He had to go to the hospital 4 times last week, has 2 medical appointments this week and then admission for about a week. Please continue to pray, send positive vibes and thoughts and think of him thank you xxx I am grateful for health care professionals and access to technology and treatment.

2. Today my Dad's best friend passed away unexpectedly. A huge shock for us all as he was a wonderful man who had been through a lot healthwise. When he had been in hospital and in the rehabilitation unit my dad visited regularly and played cards with him. He is now in Heaven and I have asked my Dad not to plan any card games with him any time soon. I am grateful for having him in my life as I grew up and that we shared a holiday with him and his wife last year.

3. Following the post about my dad I was sent a 'hug' through the mail.

How cute is that card and a lovely surprise from K. I am grateful for hugs.

4. DH, DS and I had a great day out to Leith Hill the highest point in SE England. On a clear day you can see Gatwick and Heathrow airports and even the English Channel (though we didn't manage it despite trying!)

I am grateful for days of sunshine and time together.

5. DS took part in his first 'Bikeathon' and completed 12 miles easily (plus the miles to and from the race start/finish) I was very proud. I am grateful for DH taking him cycling.

6. I received a Pay it Forward gift from my cousin in law with a beautiful card. I love brown so the bracelet was perfect. I am grateful for family, especially the crafty ones (see her blog here)

7. I attended a 4 hour beginners photography course a cheap deal from Groupon. I think full price would have made it rather expensive but at the reduced rate it was a real treat, I used the DSLR and now understand F numbers, ISO, apertures, shutter speed and can even alter them according to conditions! I am grateful for cameras and making new friends (2 lovely ladies who both scrapbook attended the course, I have photos of them as I practised my shots but they may not wish me to publish them here!)

8. A package arrived full of crafty goodies and even some sweets, something else to brighten my day, from Craft Fairy (very talented crafter found here) I am very grateful for blog candy and blog friends.

9. DD celebrated her birthday early, inviting 20 girls for a 'water party' in the garden followed by a BBQ. Luckily the great British weather (predicted to be heavy rain) only contributed a slight drizzle and the party went ahead without a hitch. I am grateful for sunshine and foam machines.

DD and I had a great time making lots of cupcakes for her birthday coffee, vanilla and chocolate they were really yummy, though not very good for my diet! (I am grateful I lost 2 lbs this week)

I also put together little party bags with presents, which were fun to make and looked cute. I am grateful for handmade goodness and a cupcake making daughter.

10. Handmade Hannah not only stocks some amazing scrapbook supplies but she sends them promptly, beautifully packaged with a handmade card. I cannot wait to use some of my lovely new supplies so watch this space and I will share more soon from the grab boxes. I am grateful for the personal touch and for new crafty stash.

In the ups and some major downs of the last 10 days, there are many things to be grateful for. I am grateful for the internet, for blogs and for you. Thank you for visiting my small part of the world and joining in my rollercoaster ride, which I think is continuing for the next ten days, but that is a whole other story...................... xxx

Pass the book

2011-07-05T20:55:00.002+01:00

So it is definitely my turn to 'Pass the book'. Have you been following all the books transversing the globe?? This 'novel' idea (did you see my play on words there???) was started almost a year ago by the fabby Sian, From High in the Sky and many people have benefited from a book dropping through their post box, read all about it here.

I received Creative Wildfire by LK Ludwig back in May, then promptly forgot all about it! Sorry everyone, but finally and somewhat belatedly I am offering the book to the next person! I received the book from Quicksave, she is one of those crafters who seems to be able to turn their hand to anything crafty and produce amazing creations. Her blog is always full of new ideas that she has tried and I love finding out what she has been up to.

Me, well I don't actually consider myself that crafty at all! I love the idea of trying things out and might even get as far as buying some materials for a project, but they are often just left neglected on the shelf! So Creative Wildfire 'an introduction to art journalling - basics and beyond' was totally new to me and I wasn't sure what to expect.

I read the book with an open mind, probably having some pre-conceived ideas about art journalling. I have seen some amazing art journalling on blogs but have often thought it was 'out of my league'. Now I think there are some aspects of art journalling that I could probably do and some that I actually want to try! There are many different styles and I think I might be able to find mine, as I really liked some artists work in the book and definitely didn't take to some!

The main thing I want to try is really simple, I just want to try using the scraping technique with acrylic paint on paper and to look at different sources of paper and mix and match them as I glue them to a page.

After reading the book I wrote 'I loathe some styles of art journalling and makes me think it isn't for me but I do like some styles. Some basic ideas could be incorporated into paper arts that I would use eg scrapbooking and possibly cardmaking. I have lots of acrylic paints that I have never used! So I will look at them and definitely try scraped paint technique'.

So if you would like the chance to read this bok please leave a comment and a random name will be chosen. I will chose a name on Sunday 10th July and hopefully post out the book the next week. Thanks xxx

Story Telling Sunday

2011-07-03T11:55:00.003+01:00

Welcome to my third time taking part in the epic adventure that is Story Telling Sunday courtesy of the now legendary Story Teller herself Sian from High in the Sky. Visit her amazing blog to discover the other eloquent tales that await your perusal.

Today's story is true, heartfelt and is written with tears and love, so you may want to skip this tale today, as it is not a funny one this month!

I have been spending a great deal of time thinking of someone special to me recently, they are without doubt one of the major influences in my life, and always have been. He has always been there for me and growing up he was a great role model of how a real man should be in every sense of the word. I particularly admired his self control, rarely shouting, remaining calm when I had done something outrageous and naughty (yet again!) and obviously having a real sense of love and family loyalty. I remember being totally shocked to see him cry when his best friend had passed away.

A few years ago, whilst on holiday, he had a massive heart attack completely out of the blue. He is pretty fit as he doesn't drive and walks everywhere, has never smoked, is a minimal drinker and has a healthy lifestyle generally. Unfortunately you cannot change your genetic make up. He was given a 20% chance of surviving a year and we were all shocked and stunned as his heart was too badly damaged for bypass surgery to even help. He is a survivor and nearly 5 years later he is still with us and still very active especially in his massive garden.

This special person is my Dad, I saw him in June and we took him and mum out for lunch to celebrate fathers day and my mums upcoming birthday. In the end the meal for 6 became a meal for 14 which was perfect! My dad usually cooks Sunday lunch so it was good for him to have the day off and enjoy the company without all the work.

On my mum's birthday, my dad had a colonoscopy following an abnormal result on a screening test. They found a tumour, which is believed to be malignant, biopsies were taken. He is having a CT scan on Tuesday and seeing the consultant on Wednesday. Yet again my world has been shaken and their is so much uncertainty and waiting.

My parents are both Christians and have tirelessly supported their local Baptist Church despite the numbers decreasing and not having a minister, over many years. I attended their Church, when I was last home and my Dad was preaching, lowering the average age of the congregation by about 30 years!!! I love to listen to him especially if he shares stories of his childhood to illustrate a point. Their faith is really really important to them and my Dad knows for sure where he is going and is calmly facing whatever the futures holds. I rarely go to church now, though I do still believe, but sometimes I get angry that such a good man has to suffer in this way, and it is really tough on my Mum who has her own health problems to deal with.

My immediate family know, but I have only really told one friend, I haven't wanted to speak about it with anyone else. But I think it is good to share it with you, when I heard the news I actually wanted to contact one particular blog writer as I knew she had been through a similar experience and I keep thinking of her, she may read this and I hope she will know I empathise with her. I hope I can be supportive to my parents as she has been as I really admire what she has achieved. I hope you know who you are. I am grateful to blog friends, sharing stories and experiences with them, even the more difficult ones.

Thank you xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'Mid year Christmas'

2011-06-26T12:00:00.000+01:00

Sadly this is my final challenge as part of I Did It Creations Design Team, I have had a blast using all the amazing images to create cards.

It is very fitting that my final challenge is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and this week's theme at IDIC is Christmas. So the perfect opportunity to start making your Christmas cards if you haven't done so already!

I chose Paul Penguin Sleighing (available here) as he is super cute and fun to colour in!

I have used a Craftwork card as the base then added a few papers and the image, topped off with some sparkly snowflakes and I have left a space for a Christmas sentiment.

Thanks for following my card making exploits and I hope you continue to visit IDIC and the new design team and do pop back here to see what I am up to, Thanks to IDIC for all the months creating with the DT xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'Retro 1970's'

2011-06-19T13:07:00.003+01:00

Hey fab and groovy people reading my blog, are you gonna join in at the hip and happening Retro challenge over at IDIC this week??

We are sponsored by Digi's with Attitude and I have gone all hippy with lots of flower power on my penultimate card as part of the DT.

Sending you love and peace and hoping you will chill out with us at IDIC this week xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'Birds'

2011-06-12T10:34:00.000+01:00

Another great challenge at IDIC and this week it is birds, we have been sponsored by Hope Jacare Doodles. I chose to use Dove of Peace (available here), which is actually a Christmas image, but I think it works perfectly for a non holiday card.

I hope you will join the team at IDIC this week, I only have 2 more cards to make this month, then I will no longer be part of IDIC's DT so Sundays will never be the same again!

On another note 30 days of phoyography day 11 is 'something blue' and my card fit the bill perfectly!

June Family x 12 blog hop

2011-06-11T15:00:00.000+01:00

Greetings to everyone visiting my little bit of the world wide web, as part of this months blog hop organised by the wonderful Margie. This first hop was in May and there are more participants this month so it is getting more exciting!!

Each month we are sharing a photo of what we call 'family'. I really enjoyed visiting all the other blogs and getting to know the 'families' and cannot wait to catch up with everyone this month.

My photo was taken on the last day in May that we were all together. It was after DS's birthday party at Lazerquest, thus the hot and sweaty look. He left the next morning for cub camp, so we took this opportunity...

I grabbed a friend and asked her to snap a few pictures of us in the back garden and this was the best of the bunch and the only family photo we managed for the month of May! Hopefully I will have more to choose from for June, although I haven't taken any yet!!

This is the blog hop in case you get lost! You should have come here from Carol Anne's blog....

Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com/blog
Melissa http://www.melissagross.blogspot.com
Carol Anne http://www.scrappingthoughts.com
Ruth http://www.chattycraftyartypig.blogspot.com
Jo http://www.mrsbeee.blogspot.com
Sharis http://www.airbs.blogspot.com
Patricia http://patoliveira.wordpress.com/
MonicaB http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/

enjoy hopping around, but for now please head to Jo's blog to see her family photo from May.

10 things

2011-06-09T18:23:00.032+01:00

Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers classmates have received some additional lessons and instructions from Shimelle this week which has been a huge bonus! It is always great to see an email from Shimelle waiting to be read in my inbox, they are packed full of information in PDF or video format (or both) and a fab source of inspiration.

Today Shimelle is hosting a new venture, hopefully the first of many, a monthly blog event on the 10th of each month aptly named '10 Things'. I love joining in with fun bloggy based adventures especially when they are international and I will get to see what all my classmates have posted from across the globe (there are some amazing people from this class and I have loved finding and following their blogs, so I can't wait to get home from work and start hopping around the world visitng them all!)

I knew immediately what I would share with you all, I just hope you don't find it tooooo boring! Recently I came across this blog announcing a 30 day photography challenge for the month of June. I decided it would be fun to join in and so far, I have managed to take a photograph from the list each day as instructed. So here are my 10 photos for the first 10 days of June......

Day 1 self portrait

slightly blurry but at least I am smiling (I really do not like pics of me!)

Day 2 what you wore today

took a snap of my work wear (nursing without a uniform)

and my evening wear (drinks with the girls)

Day 3 clouds simple

Day 4 something green
plant bought as a house warming present for a friend

Day 5 from a high angle

view down to back garden in the rain

Day 6 view from low angle

almost forgot to take this one, so took it late at night on the floor on a hopscotch rug, number 6 for the 6th photo!

Day 7 fruitfamily favourite bananas

Day 8 a bad habit
there are so many but I went for wine!

Day 9 someone you love

the girl (hiding as usual!)

and the boy

Day 10 a childhood memory

currently reading this book and it is set when I was at school and talks a lot about David Cassidy who I really had a huge crush on (I'm just a day dreamer, walking in the rain..... tra la la la la) I also liked the Osmonds, Bay City Rollers etc etc ( remember I was very young!!!)

I hope you have managed to stick with this long post, thank you if you have survived to the end!! Please join me in visiting Shimelle's amazing inspirational blog to see everyone elses '10 things'.

Story telling Sunday ... the Magpie ... part 2

2011-06-05T15:51:00.005+01:00

Welcome to my second expedition into the jungles of Sian's story telling Sunday! As you may recall from May's post here there was a second part of this tale of mine waiting to be told....

source

I believe it was only a short time later when our human Magpie struck again and this time her stolen goods had a little more value (remember last time all the little Brunette stole from her Blonde sister was a mirror).

During this episode, the Brunette had her 4 cousins staying with her and the Blonde sister during the school holidays. The oldest cousins were twins, a boy and a girl, a few years older than the Brunette one, they were also the first grandchildren in the family. The Grandfather, I believe, had bought each of his Daughters, Daughters-in-law and the eldest Grandaughter (the Girl Twin) a special present. A present the Brunette was not given.

The present was bright and shiny, it glinted in the light ........it was a beautiful gold ring set with diamonds and opals. (Similar to the photograph sourced here) Each of the family females mentioned above, were given one each.

Exact memories of the events that happened in the Brunette's home are unclear.... was she jealous of the presents others had been given? Was it her Magpie instincts kicking in? Did she want to be mean to her Cousin? Or was it an innocent joke that went badly wrong??

The facts of the case are, that the Girl Twin's ring was taken and either hidden or accidentaly dropped into a new secret place. Not the shed this time but the small hole in the downstairs bathroom sink that acted as an overflow outlet! A real Magpie could not be blamed this time but the Brunette and/or the Girl Twin cousin told the parents where the ring was and after many hours of trying to find it, the ring was declared lost!!

Many, many, many years later this same old sink needed to be replaced in a 'downstairs bathroom refurbishment'! As the sink was pulled out the Brunette's father asked if it could be broken to search inside for the long lost ring. There it was, almost perfect except for one missing stone, having sat in the hidey hole for over 20 years! The stone was replaced and the ring was returned to it's original and very grateful Girl Twin cousin owner! The Brunette did not realise that the ring was there and initially did not know it had been found as she no longer lived at home! So a happy ending ...... eventually!

On the first Sunday of each month several established and eloquent story tellers join the story telling queen Sian over on her blog 'High in the Sky' (see it even sounds like a fairy story!) I am just gate crashing (anything to get to the Ball/party that's me!!) but please do check out what everyone else has written and shared today at Sian's.

PS I have had huge difficulties trying to post on many blogs in the last fortnight, either I cannot get the comments box to appear or I cannot sign in so have to be Anonnymous (which I can't even spell!) then sign myself as Furrypig! Anyone got any ideas why? Any solutions? Any help much appreciated as I am so dim with anything vaguely technological but that is a whole other story!!!

IDIC card making challenge 'Hats'

2011-06-05T10:29:00.000+01:00

Today is a super fun theme.... Hats... perfect for so many occasions. This week we are sponsored by Floppy Latte and I have used a really simple silhouette 'top hat for a lady' available here.

I am looking forward to seeing what ideas you have for hats (I am inspired by all the hats at Epsom race course I saw today!) but it could be beach hats or wedding hats or even Father Christmas's hat!! So see you over at IDIC xxx

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges

2 sisters silhouettes

crafty emma's store clean & simple

moving along with the times no designer papers

sassy design studios no patterned paper

IDIC card making challenge 'Happy Harry Freebie challenge'

2011-05-29T10:38:00.003+01:00

Good morning to you all! Blogger has been playing up terribly this week and although I have read lots of blogs I haven't witten any posts nor have I managed to leave all the comments I wanted to!

Fingers crossed this will go ahead....

Today IDIC have a brilliant challenge sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and everyone gets a free digi stamp of Happy Harry to use! Yipeee! So go over to the IDIC blog and grab the freebie then make any card as long as it is fun and happy!! Anything goes!

My card is pretty simple and very silly! I found a mouse joke to make Harry laugh, then coloured him withpromarkers and popped him onto some paper and card easy!

I hope you join in this week as it really is a fun challenge! See you over at IDIC xxx

Grateful for art mail, good mail and all this mail!!!

2011-05-22T10:16:00.016+01:00

I have had a really busy week, I have worked everyday, had evening meetings and had a son in casualty with a bad knee injury requiring lots of pain killers and extra TLC!

Needless to say I have not managed a single solitary craft item the entire time and no blogging. So no card this week for I did it creations card challenge but do pop over to see what the team have made this week.

Today I would like to share with you some wonderful mail have been lucky enough to receive......

A Fantastic PIF (the first I have received so very excited!!)from the mega talented Helena, arrived from 'much further North of me' in the UK (I did share the word art before but not the gorgeous Journal)

Some beautiful papercrafting from the Artistically skilled Rinda over in America, I have showed just one of the many goodies she sent (Pandas are DD's favourite animal... how did Rinda know?

Then my good mail / mail art all the way from the USA from the lovely Melissa

And I have finally (after trying for several months!) been chosen to host 'pass the book' which originated from Sian but this book was sent to me by the multi crafting expert Nicky along with a fab card.

I am really grateful to each and everyone of these lovey ladies, none of whom I have met in real life, though I do count them as friends. I totally appreciate the time taken to handcraft these items especially for me big love to you all xxx

Yay another Lay out!

2011-05-15T20:34:00.002+01:00

Challenge 4 is to scrapbook a photo that needs an explanation.

On the face of it this is just a really badly taken photograph, of DD at school prizegiving. Of course that is where it was taken, but DD is not often in the mood to pose for her photo. In front of her whole year group, teachers and parents, her proud mother snapping away with a DSLR camera was too much! She hid, turned her face, blushed and practically ran back to her seat in horror! I attempted several pictures and this as the best of a bad batch! When I showed the page to her this evening she immediately said 'that is so embarrassing! Even Miss X asked me if my mum had embarrassed me!'

I suspect there will be many more occasions where I will cause great embarrassment, trying to record these moments for prosperity may just be too much! I look forward to discovering how embarrassing I can be when she is a teenager...... and beyond! Any tips for capturing a teen on camera??

More scrapbooking!

2011-05-15T15:44:00.006+01:00

I am so grateful for Shimelle and her challenges for NSD last week, I loved them all and have been trying to find time to create pages to fit them all! My attempt at Challenge 1 was posted earlier in the week (using patterned paper as a background).

Here is my take on Challenge 2, create a triangle of embellishments

I think this is the first LO I have ever made of just me! Last October the children were playing in the leaves and I was taking photos, then I decided to play too so I gave hubby the camera and he snapped a couple of me that I actually liked!! I do love the Autumn, the colours of the changing leaves are beautiful and it is one of my favourite times to take a walk in the woods.

Challenge 3 is adding a border between two photos and I chose 2, taken the same day as the Autumn ones of me.

The border is very simple from MME it is adhesive felt, the scalloped edge on the L is punched out circles, DD hand made the paper flowers for me after I showed her how and I added buttons cut with my fab Die-namics die. I have slightly changed the title and added the journalling but cannot show you as it has some personal info.

Now do I have time to fit in Challenges 4 & 5 before the end of the weekend??!!!

IDIC card making challenge 'Ribbons and lace'

2011-05-15T08:46:00.008+01:00

Another week and another fabulous challenge! All you have to do this week on IDIC is use ribbons or lace on your card.

The challenge is sponsored by Stitchy Stamps and I chose 'Teachers Pet Bookmarks' to work with. These are perfect for Teacher Appreciation (in the USA), as an end of year thank you (which is what I am using mine for) or a 'just because' for the teacher in your life! You can see the three bookmarks here although I have used just 2 of the designs.

Close up of the card

and the bookmark

Hope to see you joining in this week xxx

I would like to enter my creations into the following challenges

Crafty calender teddy bears

Stamp,scrap and doodle Saturdays use up old stash (ribbons and my black board was packaging)

Crafty creations challenges anything goes

Finally some scrabooking!

2011-05-11T14:35:00.003+01:00

I spend so long looking at blogs, books and scrapbooking websites that I never have time to actually scrap! However although I was away Saturday, I got really excited with all the ideas from NSD.

I had signed up for the online 'creative crop' over at Big Picture Classes and got sent challenges via email. I only managed one (though I am determined to try the '10 + 10 +10', which is TEN products, TEN techniques and TEN words). My entry was for 'out of the box' which was thinking beyond a 12 x 12 square shaped LO and to have bits sticking out (does that make sense to anyone!???)

this was my LO

a scraplift from the challenge email, though have yet to add my journalling! Can you see the wood behind? This is the floor so that bit of the page is out of the box!

It is my fave photo from last year of the children, taken on a walk in Scotland as they passed through a 'kissing gate' they hugged each other.... they can be very sweet sometimes!

The other challenge I mnaged to complete was Shimelle's using patterned paper as the background, which is something I never really do. I finally finished the LO that was from the first Scrapinspire sketch and I added journalling afterwards ( and there is some behind the Army title). This celebrates DS's 9th birthday party in the woods, in camo gear!

I also wanted to mention that Handmade Hannah is offering £15 to spend in her shop if you become a follower and mention the giveaway on your blog. I found Hannah's blog via UKS when she was posting tips on how to get motivation to scrap earlier this year, I have been hooked ever since!

IDIC card making challenge 'Monochrome'

2011-05-08T10:35:00.000+01:00

Monochrome is the theme this week at I did it creations, sponsored by Beary Dust I have used the cute digi image of Blanket Bear available here. I have used it on a baby card, coloured with blue promarkers, layed on blue card and paper.

There are other Monochrome cards by the DT over at IDIC to inspire you to join us this week.

I would also like to enter this card into

The fuzzy wuzzy challenges babies

Eat sleep stamp sketch

Stamp something use a digi

Pixie dust Studio under the sea (using all blue!)

Stampavie and more baby

Bearly Mine beautiful babies

The inaugral Family x12 blog hop

2011-05-05T15:00:00.002+01:00

Welcome to the very first blog hop in a series (hopefully!) organised by Margie. The idea behind family x12 is to record a photo of your 'family' (this can be anything you consider to be family, parents, cousins, pets, friends etc etc) one a month for a year.

I love this idea, an ongoing record of the changes that can happen right under our noses that we often miss . Sometimes this can be good as I don't always want to be reminded of another grey hair, more weight gained or new wrinkles appearing!! But children seem to evolve quickly and I look back and wonder when and how it happened.

Another positive aspect of this project is having photographs of us all together, this is a rare experience as I tend to be taking the snaps and I also hate being in the picture (I never look good and frequently delete the ones I am in).

I actually managed 4 different family portraits this month, 2 taken on self timer, 1 taken by my son's friend and one of my shadow shots. I have chosen this picture.....

this was taken at the weekend, on self timer, at Portland Bill in Dorset. It was a gusty day stood on the rocks and my hair is totally wild and windswept, but it makes me smile!

I am really excited to see what the other 5 family pics are and will be joining in the blog hop when I get home from work. From here you should head over to Jo's blog, Captured on film, she has the most amazing photographs posted there so do take time to browse.

Here is the entire list of everyone taking part today in case you get lost, just beware we are based all around the world so an autopost may be slightly wrongly timed (including this one!)but they will show up at some point I'm sure.

Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com/blog
Melissa http://www.melissagross.blogspot.com
Carol Ann http://scrapperthoughts.blogspot.com/
Ruth http://www.chattycraftyartypig.blogspot.com
Jo http://www.mrsbeee.blogspot.com
Sharis http://www.airbs.blogspot.com

I hope to see you again next month for the next family foto shoot!

The winners!

2011-05-02T22:42:00.007+01:00

Firstly an apology I totally forgot that I had offered 6 people the chance to win a card as part of my number 6 post on Mel's alphanumeric blog hop here.

Finally I got round to writing out each name on a piece of paper (there were over 40!) and placing them all in a pot

then I had 2 very keen volunteers pick out 3 names each

number 1

Sian

number 2

Wendy B

number 3

Peonies and Pennies

number 4

Debs 14

number 5

Mary B

and number 6

Angel fish

Please would you contact me via email on furrypig3 (at) yahoo (dot)co (dot) uk if you want me to send you card and of course include your address!! Can I ask you to do this in the next 2 weeks and I will attempt to get them all sent out by the end of the month!

Story telling Sunday

2011-05-01T17:51:00.004+01:00

This is my first venture into Story telling Sunday, started by the wonderful Sian, who would be at home on Jackanory reading to us all. Her story telling skills are now famous, with many others joining in via her blog each month with some fabulous fables and tall true tales. I hope I live up to the task in hand as I always love to follow as others narrate monthly on their blogs.

I would like to introduce the Magpie

source

This is a very common bird, with a very annoying cry, that is not popular or well liked as it is known for taking food (often baby birds from the nest) from others. The other reputation the Magpie has is for stealing bright, glistening objects like jewelry and small trinkets.

Now the Magpie I want to introdce you to is not of the feathered variety! Many years ago there were 2 sisters a brunette and a blonde. The blonde loved pretty things and was rather pretty herself, loving to gaze upon her beauty in a small hand held mirror. Her elder and somewhat plainer sister, was rather jealous I believe.

One day this envy enveloped her whole being and she stole away her sisters beloved mirror and hid it in the shed within their garden. The blonde sister was very sad and the whole family searched the house for the mirror to no avail until eventually the older sister confessed... she had seen a magpie steal the mirror and carry it in it's beak to the shed. The family searched the shed but the mirror was never ever found.

The elder sister was surprised that her parents never totally believed that the Magpie had flown into the house, into the younger sister's bedroom, found the mirror, lifting it in it's beak, whilst flying out the house and heading for the garden shed

source

Another item went missing sometime later ..... did the Magpie strike again or was it someone all together more sinister??? Please tune in next month for the Tale of the Magpie part 2.

In the meantime pop over to Sians to see what everyone has written about this month.

IDIC card making challenge 'Mothers Day USA'

2011-05-01T10:00:00.000+01:00

IDIC is celebrating Mothers Day in the USA with this weeks challenge, sponsored by Robyns Fetish.

I have used the cute Chrisie Angel image available here, coloured in with promarkers on embossed white card. I have used the fabulous button Die-namics to make matching embellishments and the flower is made of 6 punched circles folded and glued together. The sentiment is just printed out on the computer ..... another very simple card from me!

I cannot wait to see what all the DT have made this week so join me in visiting their cards here.

A special celebration

2011-04-29T22:20:00.010+01:00

Millions of people have joined in today, to celebrate the marraige of William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I have to confess that I actually did watch some of the wedding and the kiss on the balcony in between travelling. I also admit to enjoying it and adoring her very vintagey looking wedding dress, the bridesmaids looked wonderful and I can't wait to see all the pics in the press tomorrow and hear more about it all!!

Today is also a celebration for someone else, someone special called Marti. Today is her birthday, today she is facing cancer and today I am proud to be part of a birthday tribute in her honour.

I follow the blog of her daughter Deb at Paper Turtle and she asked others to try and make her mom's birthday special. I wish I had asked Deb for one of her teal bracelets to help remember but I didn't and I am sorry, but would still like to make this small contribution.

I am with family today and I was trying really hard to explain to my inlaws why blogging is important to me, why online forums and communites are necessary and how I consider some of the people I meet here as real friends (they just don't get it). I had so much support from 'strangers' online when I had a hysterectomy several years ago, support I didn't get anywhere else. Today when I see the fantastic spirit of everyone joining in the birthday celebration for Marti, I really feel I am part of an amazing community of friends.

Thinking of you today Marti, Deb and family on this special celebration xxx

Marmite Day

2011-04-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

(taken from 10 o'clock live )

seen above Beaver Plant Shop on the Chichester bypass

Why Marmite Day you may ask... you either love it or hate it... I think it is the same with the Royal Wedding!! So are you avoiding the celebrations and the ceremony?? Or indulging in the full experience.. dressing up, having a street party etc etc???

Me, I am off out so will probably be on the road during the whole event! I feel I should be more patriotic, more excited, more involved.... it is future history after all... marraige of a probable king and queen of tomorrow. But I am not really bothered!!! Butshould you ask me about what is happening in London in 2012, wel that is a whole other blog post!!!

Enjoy your day whatever you end up doing xxx

My day in photos

2011-04-28T21:02:00.009+01:00

windows in my day ....

kitchen window, waiting for kettle to boil

windows online

bathroom 1

bathroom 2

in the car

work room 1

work pc

reception

work room 2

work toilet!

microscope

drugs

home again

BBQ

better late than never! to see more peoples days pop over here xxx

Mini break and back in class....

2011-04-24T12:21:00.007+01:00

I have had a few days away with the family. We stayed in a caravan in Pagham, Sussex and it was great. I think this was probably due to the weather as we were able to spend most of the time outdoors. But also it was a great base to explore the surrounding countryside.

We went to Arundel Castle

visited the Down and Weald outdoor museum

and spent time at the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust

Now I am back home, I have caught up with reading all the blogs I follow, but I still have quite a bit of class work to do! I am a student of Shimelles again, the subject 'beyond blogging for scrapbookers'. I wanted to join in with all the gang, taking this new class together. I really want to blog a lot more regularly and want my posts and the space here to reflect my personality. I love how Rachel B's blog has a personalised header that changes every month and one day I hope to achieve something unique like that.

I installed Google analytics a few months ago after a recommendation from K, so I look forward to learning more about it in class. I do love hearing from my readers and appreciate all the comments. I often wonder how or what brings people to visit here? What is it you like or enjoy? Please if you have a chance take time to answer in the comments section today.

Finally, I wanted to mention that Enfys has some great blog candy, a chance to win a gorgeous Polkadoodles CD. Pop over and check it out here. In fact her blog is a great one to regularly persue for inspiration on card making and many amusing ancedotes from her everyday life!

IDIC card making challenge '1 2 3 recipe'

2011-04-24T10:44:00.003+01:00

Oh dear! I completely forgot to add this weeks card to the DT photo album and to set up an auto post!! i guess that's what happens when you are on holiday and not in the usual routine. I apologise to IDIC DT and sorry for everything being late but I am finally here!

This weeks IDIC card challenge is a 1 2 3 recipe, I really love this idea as you can do whatever you fancy as long as you use the recipe. The recipe we are using is 1 image, 2 papers and 3 embellishments. This week we are sponsored by Sylvies Stamps and I have used 2 dinosaurs cut from 'Dino border' available here.

I decided to use up some stash, adding black and white papers, a Craftwork cards sentiment and 2 silver stars to brighten it up!

Hope to see you over at IDIC to sample your recipes this week. xxx

Alphanumeric blog hop

2011-04-17T14:00:00.002+01:00

I am very excited and extremely honoured to be part of this amazing Alphanumeric blog hop organised by the fantastic Mel from I Speak Melsh. I would have hated to miss out on this great opportunity and it fits in so perfectly with Blogging for Scrapbookers (the Shimelle class, that I have just completed!). It is great to feel involved with such a friendly blogging community and it's fantastic that you have now joined us via this blog hop.

The blog hop starts with Mel at I Speak Melsh then continues as follows

BE Glorious

Captured On Film

Chatty Crafty Arty Pig

Creating Room

Curiouser and Curiouser

Daily Life - Bits and Pieces

Ginger's Life Of Spice

Handmade By Kirsty

Havoc and Mayhem

Heather's Scraps

Helena's Creative Maven

Holaday's Happy Hearts

{Life Behind The Purple Door}

Lisa E Design Blog

Living Life One Blessing At A Time

This Little Life Of Mine

Xnomads' Blog

You should have arived here from one of my favourite blogs 'Captured on Film' with the talented Jo. If you are lost please refer to the list above!

Initially I was unsure what I was going to blog about for my given Alphanumeric, now I have hundreds of ideas and have to reduce it all down to something not too long and boring! I was going to start off by saying this is the smallest perfect number, the atomic number of carbon, the number of sides in a cube, and the number of legs an insect has... I think you have now guessed!

I could talk about the M6, 6 geese a laying, 6 degrees of seperation, sixer in cubs (DS was recently made a sixer!), six feet under, 6th sense, 6x6 papers or what I was doing on 06/06/06 (but sadly cannot remember and have no photos taken that day either!)

Instead I will mention

which reminds me of turning 6 years old ( and also has a poem called Furry Bear which is so close to Furry Pig it deserves a mention!). So here are some photos of DD and DS on their sixth birthdays a few years ago ( DD is now a 'Tween' and DS is reaching to double figures soon!)

I haven't got any pictures of me at 6 but a cousin posted one of me on Facebook and I think it is the nearest I can find although I am not sure when it was taken exactly. I could be 4 or 5 but for the purposes of this blog hop we will say 6!! Have you any pictures of you at age about 6?

I would also like to do the folowing 6 things and may even document how it goes in blog posts:-

look up my 6th folder of photographs and post the 6th picture

make 6 LO's in the next 6 weeks (that will get me going!)

in keeping with my phrase for 2011, sort out 6 areas in my house

make 6 Pay it Forward items

visit 6 new blogs (I might even manage this today on the blog hop!)

send 6 handmade cards to a random 6 people who leave comments on this post!

Thank you so much for visiting my humble blog amongst all these completely, amazingly awesome blogs. I can't wait to get hopping through them all myself. Please head off to Donna's blog at Creating Room , this is a new blog to me and one I hope to visit more frequently in the future.

Todays post was brought to you by the number...

xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'Easter'

2011-04-17T07:40:00.001+01:00

Greetings again and welcome to the I Did It Creations card making challenge!

This week is an Easter theme sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and I chose the totally gorgeous image of Inga the Bunny to work with, available here.

I hope you will be joining in with the holiday theme do pop over to IDIC to see all the DT's work

Blogging for scrapbookers....the last prompts

2011-04-16T10:25:00.003+01:00

I am determined to finish the last 3 prompts from Blogging for scrapbookers as it has been a great class and if I do these it will be my first completed class!! Prompt 13 is all about past to present and I decided to look back on my blog from about this time last year and in 2009. Last year I had been away in Egypt for a fantastic all inclusive holiday just the four of us so I hadn't done as much blogging in April. I was still doing Project 365 at that time (before the camera stopped workng!) and the major excitement on my blog this time last year was posted here. I made lots of Layouts and was so inspired, unlike 2011 (I have only managed 2 pages this year yikes!) I need to get going again!!! Any ideas or tips???!! 2 years ago I started my blog and this was my very first post, it didn't really say much!! My initial reasons for blogging were to put some of my thoughts down, present some of my crafty cards, record some family memories and daily events. Initially I didn't actually tell anyone I had created a blog, I was very self conscious and not quite ready to share, But I had started 'following' a couple of blogs, which meant my blog was discovered!! It did take quite a while before I started telling people about Chatty Crafty Arty Pig! The reasons why I blog now(Prompt 15!) are slightly different. Although my blog is a total mess and needs a complete overhaul (any ideas??!!) I am now quite bold. I comment on lots of other blogs, read lots of other blogs and feel part of a bloging community, I really really appreciate each and every comment that is posted by you my readers. I don't always blog every day but I love following a bunch of my 'friends' blogs everyday and enjoy all the adventures we do together. Tomorrow a whole bunch of bloggers are getting together (including me!) for Mel's Alphanumeric blog hop, I hope you will come and visit! For prompt 14 I want to ask for some brief advice, over at Rachel B's blog she has a great LO on Red Nose Day here and the photo is B&W but the noses are red. Is there an easy way to do this with photos? I don't have photoshop so it may not be possible but would love to learn from some of you experts! Also, I am visiting Pagham nest week with the kids. Has anyone actually been there?? Anywhere nearby that you would recommend to visit?? Thank you all for any tips!! On Shimelle's blog giveaway she asked us to name a favourite blog and i decided to choose, not necessarily my favourite blog but certainly the most thought provoking, inspiring and touching one. I give you Kind over Matter..... go over, take a look and take it in, you won't be sorry. Phew! I did it I completed my first Shimelle Class and you my dear bloggy buddy have finished this mega post!! So do I join in the class that starts on Monday, 'Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers'???? Are you??? xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'SING A SONG'

2011-04-10T10:27:00.000+01:00

Another fabulous theme this week at I did it Creations card challenge blog. Create a card based on a song, so that gives plenty of scope to use your imangination! The DT got to use an image by JLJ designs and I fell in love with the teddy image available here so decided to base my card around 'the Teddy bears picnic'. If I was clever I would somehow include the song with this post but sadly I don't know how to do that! In fact if Icould copy and paste the lyrics I would do that but I am having trouble doing that again.... help! Here are the lyrics and the music in this link ... enjoy! As you can see I kept the card really simple, using some vellum from last weeks card for the picnic blanket, some papers cut to form the tree (from my scraps folder) and the cupcakes an bird were stickers from Tescos (pleased to use up some stash today!) I hope you are tempted to join us at IDIC this week and make a card, would love to see your ideas for 'sing a song'.

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 8

2011-04-08T05:16:00.006+01:00

Today school breaks up for the Easter holidays... yippeeee! Sadly I still have to work some of the time but nevertheless the children are away from the normal daily routine and will be able to have some relaxation time.

I thought I would share our top four free/fun and cheap/cheerful things to do in the school hols, though of course these can be used any time...

1. Family film time we all get together and try and decide on a film to watch, this may be free if we watch something on TV (or recorded from TV) or one of th DVD's. We may watch something hired from a shop or online. The children always ask for some sweets and we still have several left over from Christmas and there will be more arriving for Easter I suspect!

2. Jammy Day this is always popular in my house! Basically you stay in your PJ's all day so it is all about relaxing and not having to go anywhere! We can get up late and just hang out together without any commitments or rushing around. i couldn't do this one repeatedly but it is fun and I loved the day we had in the February holidays when we combined Jammy Day with Family Film Time. The kids and I managed to watch 3 films together! It was great just spending the whole day with them and noone else... not sure what hubby thought when he came home and it looked the same as when he left!! This is obviously free!

3. A Walk we often arrange to meet up with friends and go for a walk somewhere. Generally I send a text to lots of people suggesting a time and a place so the children meet up with their friends and I can catch up with some parent pals. When we are with others, I don't have any problem persuading the kids to go on a walk and they are so easily entertained. We are lucky and live near several large green areas that ca be accessesed for free, although sometimes we will visit National Trust properties/grounds or go further afield where there may be parking and/or entrance fees. In the good weather a picnic is compulsory and generally means we can spend the whole day out.

4. Games if we are on our own or the children are just not keen to walk we will do a game outside. This may take the form of a quest, where I might set different challenges or a treasure hunt where different objects have to be found along the way (eg a smooth stone, a 'Y' shaped twig etc etc). Often a ball is enough to keep my son amused, alternatively climbing a tree or finding the biggest branch to carry all work just as well! At home I have been known to set up an obstacle course with water features or a paddling pool filled with foam with hidden items inside, though this is weather dependant usually.

If 'the weather outside is frightful' we have been known to take part in a games event indoors. Each player chooses 2 'games', the four of us play all the games and work out the winner and add up the number of wins after the 8 events, we even gave a fake cup away one time!! These games vary so for example it can be a short game on a games console or computer, a board game, a puzzle (timed) really what suits the family.

This is just a small insight into some of our family activities, I would love to know what you do to keep your children amused in the holidays.

Blogging for scrapbookers prompt 9

2011-04-04T18:09:00.006+01:00

It's Monday What are you reading??? This is a post I try and take part in regularly if I have actually managed to read a book of course! I have recently finished Her fearful symmetry by Audrey Niffenneger, her debut novel the time travellers wife is one of my all time favourite books, so I was looking forward to reading this one.

This book is set in London, more specifically around Highgate Cemetery and the author's research into North London life is meticulousy undertaken. I am now really keen to visit the cemetery and take one of the guided tours (Neffenegger apparently worked as a tour guide as part of her research). The story revolves around twin sisters who have a Highgate flat bequeathed to them when their aunt dies from leukaemia. The aunt however has not actually left the flat and remains in a spirit like form. Essentially a ghost story yet so much more, the twins meet and befriend their aunts lover who lives in the flat downstairs and the OCD neighbour upstairs.

I enjoyed watching some relationships develop, whilst others fall apart, as secrets from the past are revealed. There is a twist in the tale, that I managed to forsee, but nevertheless it made a great story. Completely different from the TTW and in my opinion not in the same league, it is nevertheless a well written and enjoyable book, which I would still recommend. What are you reading and have you read this book???

My other regular blog post is IDIC's weekly card challenge on Sundays. I am on the DT so make a regular card and share the latest challenge and hope some of my readers might enter!

A new venture for me is

a concept thought up by K and I in an attempt to encourage each other (and anyone else who would like to join us) to scrap regularly as I haven't quite got back into scrapping this year, after taking over 2 months off. I posted a sketch for March (I still have to post the LO I made!) and K has just posted on her blog, this sketch for April I hope that I make this fabulous sketch into a fabulous LO, please consider joining K and I in our monthly scrapping journey xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'Anything goes'

2011-04-03T10:36:00.001+01:00

Another week has passed and it's time to join in with a great challenge over on IDIC. This week is sponsored by Glitterbabe and we were all given an image to use. I was given the image 'sewing stuff' which is available here.

As you can see I actually took my image apart to use on my card. I cut out the scissors and the tape together, then took the reel of thread, and added some real thread to it!! I thought this image was great to alter in this way and has made a great impact on my card with all the extra dimension.

I hope you are able to join in this week at IDIC, it is anything goes so I am sure you will come up with something! Ooh just noticed I have bent the needle whilst taking the photos! It is straight now and looks better in real life!

Happy Mothers Day to everyone in the UK. I am off to church then meeting up with friends and going out for a late lunch fab!

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 7

2011-04-02T17:30:00.003+01:00

He has finally made up his mind, he has made the decision, it was totally his choice and he is moving on.

As a parent you would naurally protect your child from any and every harmful activity that life would throw at them. In reality this is impossible and probably not healthy, it is not going to prepare these children for the harsh reality of the world that awaits them. Having said all of that if I could take away each tear, each doubt and each hurt my son has felt in recent times I would do it in the blink of an eye, in a heartbeat.... as my heart is full of love for this boy of mine...

Children can be very hurtful especially to other children.

My gorgeous boy tried out a new football team today, they welcomed him, he knew some of them but everyone was so friendly, full of smiles for the new boy.

It is the end of the season and the current team have done very well but DS no longer feels part of that team, after 4 years he has decided to leave. He played his last match a couple of weeks ago and I think that will have been his final game with that team. So we are saying farewell.

I am so proud of him and pleased he has decided what to do and we look forward to training for a few weeks with the new team and joining in matches for the 2011/2012 season!

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 6

2011-03-29T21:26:00.004+01:00

This prompt is all about setting goals. Wow what a great prompt! There are always goals to set, plans to be made, wishes and dreams to fufill!

For today I am going to share my year 2011 phrase which is 'SORT OUT' it really covers a multitude of sins and I am building my goals around this. I want to 'sort out' so many different aspects of my life and I suspect a year is not long enough to achieve everything that I want to. I want to sort out home, work, thoughts, money, and crafting!!!

This fantastic mini poster was made for me by the very generous and talented Helena (you can see her blog here) as part of my Pay it Forward from her (I will show you the rest of my fab pressie in another post I loved it all so a hug belated thank you Helena xxx) So I have a constant reminder of my goal! We have never met and yet she has shown me real kindness in handmaking beautiful papercrafts, personalised especially for me.

I might be brave and post a picture of my crafty area tomorrow so you can all see how much I need to sort out ...... it's a mess! I could post a picture of the piles of books that I want to read, but the book shelves are overflowing! Or I could show you the inside of a cupboard stuffed with stuff!! It might shame me into fixing things or I might just feel too overwhelmed by the enormity of what I need and want to sort out!

On a lighter note I planned to read 52 books in 52 weeks this year, I am actually quite behind! I also want to make many more LO's as have only managed 2 so far this year. I didn't read any books, scrap or have a life in January as I was finishing all my work (there was tonnes!) for my Non Medical Prescribing course a Uni. So have only been catching up in Feb and March......

By the way I heard yesterday that I PASSED!!! YIPPEEEEEE!! I have a shiny new qualification to register with the NMC.

looking forward to reading about your goals and what keeps you motivated and any tips you have for me! xxx

What are you reading???

2011-03-28T14:27:00.004+01:00

I am so pleased that I can actually join in again with 'It's Monday, what are you reading?', as I have actually been managing to read books during the last couple of weeks and I need to choose another one to get into! Head on over to here to see what all the dedicated readers have been blogging about this week.

I have just read Another Day by David Nicholls, this was chosen by my book group and we are meeting tonight to dicuss it. I already know that one of the other mums (we set the book group up 5 years ago for a few of us mums to get together and mull over literary works) thinks that this is the best book we have ever read. I don't agree! My faves reamain untarnished (Time Travellers Wife and a thousand splendid suns) but I did quit enjoy it. Another mum texted to say she had found it hard, again I disagree, I found it an easy read but it wasn't a book I felt I couldn't put down although I did read it in just a few days.

The book spans 2 decades and focuses on two main characters Emma and Dexter, who met at University in Scotland in the late 80's. It is a story focusing on just one day each year (St Swithins Day) and is about the relationship and on/off closeness and friendship they have for each other. Dexter becomes a high flier, presenting a trendy TV programme, whilst Emma struggles to work out wha she wants to do and at one point is working in a Mexican restaurant!

The story is interspersed with lashings of humour and you will find yourself laughing out loud, some aspects of it I found unbelievable but other issues covered were very realistic, partly I suspect as I am a similar (though younger!!) age to the characters! the book is now a film and I would love to see howit flows as at times, I found the book slightly disjointed as you jump from one year and storyline to the next, though overall this was not a problem.

I would love to know if you have read this book and what you thought. What are you reading today? What would you recommend to me??

IDIC card making challenge 'pink and purple'

2011-03-27T10:00:00.001+01:00

Another challenge on IDIC, this week sponsored by Stitchy Stamps and I chose the gorgeous rabbit 'Bunny Flop' which is available here.

The theme is pink and purple and I have used papers and promarkers to achieve this. I plan on adding a sentiment once I decide what or who the card is for.

Looking forward to seeing you over on IDIC xxx

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 5

2011-03-26T20:42:00.006Z

In the garden today .............
a cat up high

and down low

mini daffodilsmy favourite tree in bloom

with a bumble bee

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 4

2011-03-25T21:13:00.002Z

Meaning from the Mundane is the thought for prompt 4, which is actually a really useful idea as it makes you think of something ordinary, with the view to turn it into something extraordinary!

Today was in theory, on paper, a fairly boring day I had to go on over 100 miles (round trip) to attend a meeting. Even when applying this prompt it isn't exactly exciting but I did try to think more about what was going on and share some of my observations.

Firstly, I used my sat nav to help me find my destination. I have a farily innocuous (?spelling?) female voice on my sat nav and I actually talk to 'her'. When she keeps telling me to turn left I reply! She isn't always very accurate with her directions and sometimes I get confused but I always get there in the end. It has made me a little lazy as I rarely check maps to plan my journey which is sometimes a mistake if the sat nav decides not to work, luckily today this wasn't the case. What do you think of satnavs and GPS technologies?

Today was actually really beautiful in my part of the UK and the temperature reached 17 degrees according to the car thermometer thingy. It did make the drive more pleasurable though I was sorry not to be outside enjoing the mild weather. The sunshine shone brightly as I travelled and the countryside I drove through often appeared quite idyllic with fields, trees, flowers and birds (lots of pheasants around this year for some reason?).

I spent a lot of my time looking at the steering wheel, the clock, the speedometer and of course the satnav! I did look at signs and the traffic ahead of me and at one point actually had to stop on the A3 because of road works. Stuck in a traffic jam! But I was listening to the radio, another secret favourite about to be revealed... I listen to Radio 1!! I think I am still young and hip, so I do like to catch up with al the modern contemporary popular culture and musical events lol! In fact I had the volume up quite high playing a few older classics and singing along so I probably amused some of my fellow 'stuck-in-traffic-on-a-beautiful-day' people! I was jiggin around to a couple of hip and trendy songs!!

Once we got going again I became aware of the really annoying driver (actually there are more than one of these) I decided I was fairly placid on the way to the meeting but on the way home, anxious to collect DS after his 4 nights away on a school trip and wanting to start the weekend, I turned into a different sort of driver (not quite worked up into any sort of road rage tho!)
There is the driver who seems fairly cautious who just sits in the lane ahead of me going the same speed as the driver in the lane next to us ie about 20 miles under the speed limit, he should pull over into the slower lane and let me pass!! Or I am going at the maximum speed (possibly slightly over) and I have someone tailgating me, literally 2 inches from the back of the car (or that's how it looks in the rear view mirror!!) Why?? What are they hoping to gain??

My meeting was quite interesting with a couple of speakers and a chance to catch up with other nurses in similar jobs across a large region. The meeting was held at the Sussex Beacon, which is a care centre for people with HIV/AIDS. It is in a beautiful setting and is run by truely beautiful people. I am so glad we meet there to help support this worthwhile organisation. Funding is being cut all the time in the NHS which makes it even more difficult for centres like this to run.

So the end of an uneventful day in many ways, just another day, but the first day of the rest of my life and it was a good one! Glad to have my boy back at home, happy to have seen countryside and sunshine and so pleased it is the weekend and I can glug some NZ Savignon Blanc..... xxx

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 3

2011-03-24T20:38:00.002Z

Day 3 brings us 'playing favourites', I really liked reading this prompt and think it is one I might actually make a scrapbook page about. It is a great idea for preserving memories of the here and now.

What are your favourites? It is like the questions young children ask.... what is your favourite colour? ......what is your favourite animal? In fact I can see several possible pages being made from this prompt as different people could set the questions and there could be a variety of folk answering them!!

Or there could be a page around the Sound of Music song ... 'these are a few of my favourite things'.... who can forget Julie Andrew in that role.

An alternative could be about how a favourite thing became totally unloved/unwanted/hated etc etc. For example when I was younger I loved one particular pop song that was in the charts, it was definitely my favourite. Then my younger sister bought 'the record' (see I am old!) and she also loved it, loved it so much that she would put it on repeat and listen to it constantly, so after about 2 days I loathed that song! In the end I could not bear to hear even the introduction!! I could spend some time discussing how I have turned against other hot faves in my life but I will save those for another day...... maybe!

So for today I have decided to try and think of some secret favourites, almost like guilty pleasures!! Most of you who have read my blog may have an idea about my fave colour, my fave animal, fave books, fave TV and fave people (the answers are......... brown/green, pig, Time travellers Wife or a 1000 splendid suns, True Blood/Grey's Anatomy/USA the biggest loser/any CSI etc etc and my family) so let's share five secret favourites...............

Favourite secret comfort food hot cheese sauce and some bread (eaten watching late night TV when everyone else is in bed!)

Favourite secret film it's a musical and it' 'seven brides for seven brothers' (not sure, but I may have mentioned this before!)

Favourite thing to avoid IRONING (and most housework if only I could get away with it!!)

Favourite secret photo I actually have a couple of photos of me that I quite like which is very unusual! I should definitely scrap these.

Favourite secret name (especially for Sian!!) my name is Ruth and as there is already a Ruth in the land of blogging, I suspect I will stay as Furrypig!

I am really looking forward to discovering everyone elses favourite things but not much time to catch up tonight as I am exhausted ater a long day at work and I have another busy day tomorrow so gonna have an early night!

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 2

2011-03-23T18:51:00.004Z

Prompt 2 involves the debate with yourself regarding the merits of revealing all on your blog, or leaving some things to the imangination!! I am not talking naughty photos or videos here but the actual written content of posts.

I haven't always been completely open on this blog about what is going on in my life as I know it is a public forum so it is not private by any means. Even on Facebook I think carefully about what I reveal about my thoughts as I have 'friends' there who fit into different categories eg not seen for over 20 years (so don't know them) , contacts of DD (so still young), family (some of them older and more shockable I suspect, or maybe not!), work colleagues, great friends, craft friends, some friends who I could say anything to and some who are just vague aquaintancies... some people may even fit into more than one category!!

I came across this facebook cartoon on this blog which demonstrates the question about how much information is too much information? Also are social networking sites preventing 'real' communication or are we just keeping up with technological advances and trends? I rarely write or receive real letters any more and I miss hand written envelopes landing on my door mat but it takes more time. I don't actually talk on the 'phone very much either, again it takes time. I can post 1 message on my blog and it will reach a huge audience or send one text to multiple recipients.

Blogging is a great forum for sharing and gaining information. I have learnt so much from other bloggers and I have been greatful to those who not only share their good days but also their down days. Life isn't always perfect and I really admire other peoples openess and honesty. I have laughed out loud at times and also gasped in awe at some of the amazing creativeness I have seen.

I appreciate each and every comment I receive on here so thank you all for visiting and I would be interested to hear what you think regarding keeping up with technolgy versus 'real' communication and if I should 'reveal all' or not on my blog!! xxx

Blogging for scrapbookers.... prompt 1

2011-03-22T22:27:00.004Z

Yep I could not resist another Shimelle class and so I have joined Blogging for Scrapbookers. So many of the amazing bloggers I have 'met' online completed the original class back in 2009 and highly recommend it.

The daily prompts can be undertaken in three ways, for little or no time, a bit more time or time to play. I will be happy if I manage for little or no time throughout the course, though it will be great if I manage to scrap some things from the class as I go through. I will take it on a day by day basis and today I am starting off on the easiest option....

For prompt 1 we have to list our intentions for the 3 weeks of the class, so here are mine...

1. I want to pick up ideas from class and from my fellow pupils

2. I want to be motivated and inspired and commit to the daily prompts and actually complete this class!!

3. I hope to make some blogging buddies, friends I can relate to and share with in the future

Fingers crossed I will achieve these these things and my blog will become a more interesting place both for me, the future and for those who take time out to read my garbled posts!!!

It's Monday what are you reading??

2011-03-21T07:28:00.000Z

I have actually managed to read a book! Yipeee! I really do love reading but need to discipline myself to walk away from the computer and immerse myself in good paperback! So this week I decided to cheat and I picked a very short book, a novella no less! It is very short, but at least I read a book which makes a change!

I saw the film of Breakfast at Tiffanys years ago, once seen the iconic image of Audrey Hepburn in the role of Holly Golightly, can never be forgotten. Wow what style, what chic and what great guitar playing and singing of 'Moon River' . (When I learnt to play the guitar I performed a solo of Moon River at the local theatre!!)

The book differs from the movie and this was a surprise to me! Set in the 1940's, Holly seems to make her money through 'relationships' with wealthy gentlemen and is constantly seeking fame and fortune. In the film Holly appears more innocent and some of the story is missed out ( the pregnancy) or added to (in the book Holly disappears, the film I think ends with her kissing) probably because it wasn't necessarily a happy ending and the sexual liberation of Holly Golightly was not appropriate for a film in the 1960's.

I have enjoyed reading again and have already started the next book, which I will tell you about next week! In the meantime go over to Book Journey to discover what everyone else is reading.

IDIC card making challenge 'Spring'

2011-03-20T09:55:00.000Z

I absolutely loved creating the card for this weeks Spring challenge over at IDIC. The weather here is bright and sunny, although a little cold but there are signs of Spring everywhere you look. Daffodils in bloom, birds singing and buds on the tree branches, Spring is here which means Summer is not far behind!

This week IDIC is sponsored by Lexi's creations and I chose this happy Spring image called 'Easter Lillie with tulips' which is available to buy here. It is coloured with promarkers and the card is decorated with various flowers in bright Spring yellow from my stash. I will definitely be using this image again.

Please join the DT and myself over in IDIC with your Spring card creation, look forward to seeing you there xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'masking'

2011-03-13T10:00:00.000Z

Good morning everyone and welcome to another I did it creations card making challenge.

This week we are sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and we have worked with one of her fab images. I chose the gorgeous 'puppy paws' which is available to buy and download here. I tried really hard with my colouring ie I actually used 3 different colours, I really need to take a 'working with Promarkers class' as I just don't seem to be able to achieve the same stunning results that others do! Plus I must be the only person who actually does get the lines on the page when she uses them as they do not always blend as I thought they would!! Any Promarker tips gladly received!

I am not sure that the masking technique worked very well but I think it is kinda cute! I used a stamp from an American crafts set to create the grass and the cloud was from a Love Elsie set. I actually have several stamps but don't seem to use them as often as I should. I have been sorting through all my craft stash so they are now organised in a better and more accessible way so hopefully I will start to use them on cards and LO's more often.

Please come over to IDIC to see what my talented team mates created as they have made some great cards, more creative (and better coloured!!) than my card, they will really inspire you to join in the maskng challenge at IDIC this week.

IDIC card making challenge with a great sketch

2011-03-06T10:00:00.001Z

Over at IDIC this week there is a new challenge and it is using a great sketch that Jennie from the Design Team put together. I really love working with sketches as it takes all the hard work out of deciding how to put a card together. Thanks Jennie.

Our images were given to us from our sponsor the Stamping Boutique and I was sent 'Irish Audrey' to use. I stuck with the Irish theme and mainly used the colour green, promarkers, cord and cardstock.

Please join us over at IDIC this week for your chance to win $$'s to spend at the Stamping Boutique.

Scrapology sketch February 2011

2011-03-02T10:00:00.000Z

This is the sketch from Scrapology this month. K introduced me to this blog when I was telling her earlier this month that I hadn't scrapped since October last year and was feeling a bit lacking in direction. When I looked at all the work from the Design team I felt much more inspired as I have the photos, I have the punches and I definitely have the scraps of paper that need using up!

Although the photograph of my LO isn't that great you can see how I have used the sketch. It all came together really quickly as I chose the pictures to match all the green scraps I had. Every bit of paper in this LO came from my scrap box so it was really good to use up bits that had been lying around for a while. Some were 12 x 12 in length but several were much shorter but the joins are behind the images. My daughter really loved this layout and was impressed that I actually managed to make it fairly quickly!

I am really pleased to be scrapping aain but definitely need to keep it up so will be keen to see what Scrapology inspire me to do in March!

Welcome to 'Scrap-inspire'

2011-03-01T20:38:00.005Z

As you may have noticed there hasn't been much scrapping happening over here with Furrypig! I have been a bit lacking in motivation, although I did manage the page shown here yesterday and I have another to show you tomorrow. But this is the only scrapping since October ...shocking!

I was chatting online to the mega talented K a couple of weeks ago and we thought we could try and encourage each other to scrap. This could be achieved by setting a theme, providing a sketch, trying out a certain style, or a challenge! Anything, as long as it encourages us to get out the photos, papers and journalling etc from our stash and create a page (or pages would be even better!!!)

So on the first of the month we are going to 'inspire' each other to create a Lay Out, thus the name 'Scrap Inspire' was born (I suspect from K as she is definitely the creative one!!!). So if you would like to join us, we would be pleased to have your company. K created the artastic banner which is amazing especially as she has managed to include pigs which I love! So if you join us, why not display it on your blog and come back and tell us what you have been inspired to do this month!

I am starting with a really simple sketch, quickly hand drawn by me earlier today when I realised I had to do something and get it posted on my blog! Please feel free to rotate it, flip it and use it in a way that works for you and your style, it is totally open to interpretation! I haven't decided yet quite how I am going to use it so it will be interesting to see what inspiration it provides this month.

Please post a link in the comments section if you do manage to make something with Scrap-Inspire by 31st March, I look forward to seeing what we all come up with (which will no doubt inspire me even further!!)

Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog Hop

2011-02-28T00:01:00.001Z

Welcome everyone to the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog Hop!!

The hop started over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and if you get lost you can see the full list of participants back there. I found this great site after visiting Sian's blog, I really love the idea of making up an alternative to a currently available kit, though I haven't taken part yet, I will do, as I have so much to use up in my stash!

Hopefully you have come here from Bethany's amazing blog, I've just become a follower! I am the last stop on the blog hop journey, so I hope you have enjoyed seeing all the creations taken from this sketch. I am so excited to be part of the hopping as this fantastic sketch from Scraps of Darkness finally got me scrapping again!! I did flip the image, substituted an alternative shape instead of the circle, tweeked here and there, but my page is based on this sketch.

It took me a while to decide which photograph to use, as I have so many waiting to be used in a layout. In the end I chose one that I thought would work well with flowers! The overall look is very girlie, which is not what I would consider a natural style for me, as in real life I tend to be a bit of a tom boy and 'I don't do pink'!! I was really pleased to use up several things that have been in my stash for ages, I really need to have a good sort out (completing a few Counterfeit Kits would probably help!)

This is a close up of the photograph as it is difficult to see in the previous image and I love the little peg in the corner with the pink flower, it is so cute!

Thanks for visiting my blog and joining in with all the fun. I hope to be joining in a lot more with Counterfeit Kit Challenges so watch this space! xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'Make the cut'

2011-02-27T10:17:00.000Z

This week on IDIC the challenge is 'Make the Cut' which requires you to use your die cutting machines and/or punches on your card.

The DT had the opportunity to use images from this weeks sponsor Floppy Latte and with lots of birthdays in February I chose a cute image of a girl with a birthday cake in the middle of her celebrations found here.

I actually ended up making 3 cards with the image and coloured them using my trusty pro markers (found one had completely dried up and had never used it as the lid didn't fit properly should I contact letraset do you think??) I ended up using my newest spellbinders die 'eyelet squares' to cut the finished stamp out. Because the image is quite detailed I kept the diecutting and embellishments to a minimum, so as usual my cards are very simple

Please go over to visit IDIC this week to see the cards created by the DT as they really are a talented lot (not sure how I ended up on there!!) so please join us with your card creations x

rocking my world Friday

2011-02-25T22:07:00.004Z

What a great Friday! Definitely rocked my world today! Check out Celtic House to see what rocked for everyone else today.

9 of us headed off to the beach, the weather was fairly mild, dry and we're British so we went to the sea side because we are on holiday! There was mud, which DD got stuck in, was pulled over by DS 'helping,' then DS dropped my bag in the mud so I was rather fed up with muckiness and it was a bit stinky and seemed to be everywhere! We managed to clean up fairly well thanks to lots of hot water and tissues!!

There was a great fish restaurant

that is Hubby's seafood platter.... huge! Can you recognise any of the seafood??? note to self I don't like cockles, they taste sandy!

There was a shingle beach with shells, ice cream, and pastel beach huts!

I love days out with the family, 3 generations, away from the normal everyday grind, enjoying fresh air and fun company! I have had a great time, it is brillant to be off with the children sharing in the half term madness!

It's Monday what are you reading??

2011-02-21T08:46:00.003Z

I must confess to not having read much at all this week. I decided to read one of three books as I have a plan for one of them (will reveal more at a later date!) so I chose Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Set in Nigeria, it is the story of three characters and how events

test their relationships in a unsettled time of civil war. I have literally just started this book but hope to finish it this week while I am off for half term... though not sure if I will manage that as gonna be spending time with the children... watch this space!

So what are you all reading at the moment? I love hearing about other peoples reads and recommendations, I bought The Help last week as Rainmac had left a message here saying she had read it! Pop over to the book journey to see what all those real readers are getting their teeth into this week!

IDIC card making challenge 'Anything goes'

2011-02-20T09:00:00.000Z

Good morning friends! Thank you for visiting my blog and viewing this weeks challenge over at IDIC that is Anything Goes. This week is sponsored by Digi's with attitude and we were provided with an image to use. I have the gorgeous Tabatha and Tony (available here) a pair of loving, fun tigers.

I kept the card really simple and actually just printed out the image onto orange card so i didn't even have to do any colouring! After last weeks bling it up challenge I decided to add a wee bit of sparkle to the card (a Carftwork Cards scallop one) and added some tiny orange gem stones.

I also created a second card as I printed off 2 images to play with, this is really similar

and these cards are now in the post to a couple of friends!

Please go over to IDIC to view all the other cards from the talented Design Team and don't forget to enter this week xxx

Smiling on Saturday

2011-02-19T09:41:00.004Z

Yep I have a smile on my face for 2 reasons...

firstly, I am now on holiday for a week!! Yipeeee! It's half term so both the children have no school and I have no work, we have lots planned including lots of relaxing time in this rainy weather!!

secondly I have a postal Angel who always seems to know when I am at a low ebb and sends a perfect handmade card to brighten my day. Look at this wonderful card that has just landed on my doormat

I also got this really clever book mark which of course I am madly in love with.....

just look at that image how perfect is that... a pig in mud... delightful!

Thank you so much 'Postal Angel' (some of you may know who she is, as she is very talented and her work is featured on several DT's) you did bring a smile to my face with those fab images, I must get that pig one!!!

Wednesday Happy Thoughts

2011-02-16T17:23:00.003Z

isn't this the best image for today??? I was so happy to find it on Ms Kitty's Online Purrs
Obviously I had to make the most of it after yesterdays totally fed up post and try and think of some Wednesday Happy Thoughts......

1. There are some really lovely cyber friends out there, I really, really appreciated how many of you took time to leave me a message and I hope I have got round to replying to you all xxx
2. I have a great family and a supportive hubby who is there for me
3. I have set the wheels in motion to try and bring about some changes, not gonna say too much just yet but will keep you updated as time goes on
4. It's half term next week and I get the chance to have a whole week off with the children and will probably see my parents and sister and catch up with some friends...yipppeeee!
5. Spring is definitely trying to break through, there are crocuses (?sp) blooming everywhere, bulbs coming up and I have my favourite flowers brightening my world in a vase on the mantlepiece (daffodils!!)

I am off to fat club tonight so will be with friends, then coming home early to watch Bones and do some card crafting so a great evening planned. Wishing you all a happy thought on this Wednesday xxx

hard times

2011-02-15T20:36:00.004Z

Well I can honestly say I have had a few difficult days and have been rather tearful and anxious. I will not discuss it further here as it is a public forum and unfortunately people who are not real friends can access my blog. People are not always what they seem and this can be a hard lesson to learn. Some people will never look out for you and will never be on your side no matter how they appear to the rest of the world they can be evil and devious and plotting your downfall. Others are literally wolves in sheeps clothing, as you can be fooled into thinking they will support you but when push comes to shove they are there to stab you in the back along with your known enemies. However every cloud has a silver lining and sometimes you realise where the light is shining at the end of the tunnel so you know you have an escape!

I WILL ESCAPE!

I have just seen this on Mel's fab blog and this is what I am gonna aim to do

I am bored of crying now, fed up of my eyes and face hurting so I am gonna try to 'think happy thoughts' and get myself into a better place and leave bad people and bad places behind xxx

What are you reading???

2011-02-14T19:56:00.004Z

After reading the Legacy I was keen to carry on with my reading but I haven't done very well! I borrowed a book from a 13 year old at the end of last year and decided I should read and return it to him, in case he had given it up for lost!

Do you ever read children's books? I do! I have read all the Harry Potter books, all the Twilight set and have started to re read the Narnia series. The book I finished a few days ago is another in a series. Several years ago I read an article that said if you liked Harry Potter we recommend you try Alex Rider.

Alex Rider is a school boy and a spy. After his parents died he went to live with his uncle who worked in a bank, only it wasn't a bank it was MI5 and they recruited Alex at the earliest opportunity. Trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes and he has had some amazing adventures around the world and I have enjoyed them all.

Crocodile Tears starts off in Scotland and ends up in Kenya. Yet again Alex is fighting evil often in isolation relying on his wits and intimate knowledge of marshal arts. He is given some great gadgets appropriate for a pubescent spy, I loved the explosives disguised as gel pens! It is an easy read that is fun with some really interesting scenarios and I enjoyed it.

I have a huge pile of must read books and haven't started any of them yet, I am trying to decide which one! So watch this space to see what I am reading next Monday In the meantime visit Book Journey and see what everyone else is currently reading xxx

ps Happy valentines day everyone!

IDIC card making challenge 'Bling it up'

2011-02-13T08:40:00.003Z

Today over at IDIC the weekly card making challenge starts and the theme for this week is 'bling it up'. I am not a very bling kinda girl in real life but I have a few sparklies for card making. Here is my DT card....

We were working with images from this weeks sponsor Beary Dust stamps and I chose a gorgeous bear with an umbrella. This image is so versatile as it could be for someone 'feeling under the weather' or 'showering you with birthday wishes' or like Rhianna 'you can come under my umbrella ella ella e e e etc etc'!!! I already had the tear drop clear stones from Hobbycraft which made perfect raindrops. I am still undecided about adding a sparkly puddle...what do you think?? Leave it plain or add some shimmer/sparkly stickles at his feet??

Please come over to IDIC this week and join in the fun challenge xxx

I did creations challenge blog hop

2011-02-12T12:00:00.000Z

I am so excited to be part of the first ever IDIC blog hop dedicated to all things Valentine! The hop starts here at IDIC then hops through the blogs of the very talented DT (they are all listed on the IDIC post).

The blog hop is a real international affair and hopefully you have found your way here via New York and Nicoles amazing blog. Welcome to not so sunny Surrey in England! I hope you have enjoyed the journey so far and have remembered to leave a comment on each blog and collect the letter you need. Together once unscrabbled, these letters will spell out a valentine message, leave this message in a comment on the IDIC blog at the end and you will have a chance to win a great prize!

We were all given a Robyns Fetish digi stamp to use I got 'Bee Mine'. It made me think of honey and all things sweet and delicious. So I combined the coloured image with yellow, black and white card and a bright yellow heart.

I was trying to think how to use it for Hubby on Valentines Day and decided to use it with a small Valentine gift. He loves trying different beers and ales (Christmas 2009 I gave him a different beer/ale/lager a day for advent!) I discovered this one...

and combined the two to produce the perfect Valentines Day gift for him....

I also got to choose an image and I opted for 'Primitive bear' which isn't specifically for Valentine's day but can be used for so many things it really is a great digi stamp. I made a really simple card...

Now it is time to travel to Tammylee's fantastic blog here as you continue to hop on this Valentine trip around the world... enjoy!

Ps did you guess the letter from my blog??? Yes of course it's the letter N.

Don't forget to leave a message here as one lucky poster will win a digi image coutesy of IDIC! Please note the blog hop will be running for 7 days. Good luck everyone xxx

Pay it forward 2011

2011-02-08T14:59:00.006Z

I joined Pay it Forward on facebook in January and I really think it is a fantastic idea. A few of my blogger friends have also posted Pay it forward on their blogs and I have decided to join in here too. The idea is that you leave a comment on this post and repost the idea of 'Pay it Forward' onto your own blog. If lots of people reply to the post I will randonly pick names to 'win'. I then promise to send those people a hand made item at some point during 2011. So please feel free to leave a comment and I will be in touch to let you know if you are a 'winner'.

Just wanted to add that lots of people send their gifts to the first few people to reply and indeed this was what I did on facebook but agreed to send to everyone who had replied in the end (6!) so I want to give everyone a chance this time. So leave me a message and include your email so I can get in touch and don't forget that you need to 'Pay it forward' on your own blog in order to qualify!

Have fun xxx

reading....

2011-02-07T19:10:00.005Z

I have just come across this group via Jo's fab blog here. I really want to get back into reading again after finishing all that Uni work last week so hoping to join some online reading type challenges. I am setting myself the challenge to read 52 books in 52 weeks, needless to say I am way behind at the moment as my reading was all articles from nursing journals up until a few days ago!!!

Anyway, this post ties in perfectly with my book club that I am attending tonight. I actually suggested this book so will be interested to know how everyone has found it. I have been watching 'the TV book club' (on more4/channel 4) and last series the book I wanted to read was....

The Legacy by Katherine Webb. It is 2 stories connecting the early 1900's with the present day. Two sisters come together to sort through their Grandmother's belongings after her death and they are both haunted by something that happened in their childhood. One cannot really remember what happened and I believe the other has spent all her live trying to forget it! The 'other' tale is all about their Great Grandmothers first marraige in America and how she leaves this life, taking something with her. This secret has to be hidden but the truth is discovered by one of the sisters in the present day.

I really enjoyed this book and it was an easy read, a perfect first book after the studying. The relationships are interesting with some strange interactions at times but as the story progresses you begin to understand the depth to some of the characters. I guessed what happened to the cousin Henry and some aspects of this are somewhat unbelievable but it didn't ruin the story (I ma trying hard not to give the story away here!!!)

If you go over to the book journey you can see what other books are being read this week.

I would love to know what you think of this book and also what you're reading at the moment xxx

Long time no see!

2011-02-05T21:29:00.022Z

No more of this
I have finally stopped all this..

and this...

whilst looking at these...

and this is the end result

Doesn't look much but this is the culmination of 9 months work, I have finally completed the V300 Non Medical Prescribing Course at University. I had same great experiences and met some great people along the way. I will have to wait to see if I have passed my last exam and my assignments but I am soooo glad to have it all behind me. I feel free again!

You are going to be seeing a lot more of me, both here and in the great blogosphere popping in to post and interact with you and hopefully join in a few things again! I NEED TO SCRAP, not done a proper layout for months!

Anyway tomorrow is an exciting day as it ithe start of the IDIC blog hop and I have had a play and made some cards! Please come over and join in as it will be great fun. It starts 7 am Eastern time or midday UK time and runs for a week.

Belated Happy New Year

2011-01-05T21:40:00.007Z

Dear Blog Followers

Guess where we spent New Year's Eve????

Yep watching the fireworks in London.... on the television... our new year plans were cancelled as I was recovering from a nasty tummy bug (which DD caught after me bless her). We were all at home together just the 4 of us.

I hope this letter finds you well and hopefully still here, watching and waiting for me to write to you! The festive season was busy and I gave up on lots of things including making cards, making Christmas Eve gifts, sending cards, JYC and of course blogging! But forgoing these things made me enjoy other more important moments and some things are just 'on the back burner'. I started JYC and I think I could continue it in Feb!! (Better late than never is a great motto!)

I may be writing this to an imanginary audience. I like to think you may be out there still but I don't blame you if you have run off to follow one of the many decent blogs that contain witty posts on a daily basis! I have purposely not been blogging and haven't even been following or even commenting as much as usual. The reason.... I am meant to be working really hard on coursework for University. I am at the very end of my Non Medical Prescribing course which means I will be able to write presciptions for patients in the same way a Doctor can. It is quite a full on course and I have all my written assignments to finish and hand into Uni in a massive 'profile' on Jan 31st.

So life for me will begin again on February 1st! I am going to plan a social life, get back to blogging and crafting (I am missing it loads!) and work on my phrase for 2011. One little word wasn't enough for me...
just after 00:00 on 01/01/11 my 9 year old son suggested we all wrote our New Years Resolutions on a piece of paper, put them in a pot, pull one out each and try and guess who wrote it. Mine simply said 'sort out work' ( I have all the little torn pieces of paper with our handwriting on and I plan to incorporate them into a layout to celebrate new year). I pondered on what I had written and realised there are numerous aspects of my my life/work/home/stash/crafting/blog etc etc that could do with a 'sort out' so I adopted this as my mantra for 2011

sort out

vb (tr, adverb)

1. to find a solution to (a problem, etc.), esp to make clear or tidy it took a long time to sort out the mess

2. to take or separate, as from a larger group he sorted out the most likely ones

3. to organize into an orderly and disciplined group

4. Informal to beat or punish

I think I have plenty of scope for a variety of achievements throughout 2011 and plan to keep you up to date with how I am doing as the year progresses. I hope we see each other lots throughout 2011 ... Happy new year to you all

Cheers xxx

IDIC card making challenge 'Anything goes'

2010-12-19T10:21:00.003Z

Unfortunately last week I failed in my IDIC DT challenge as I made completely the wrong card! I got very confused so I apologise to everyone, I was definitely having a bad week! This week is a really easy challenge to enter 'Anything goes'.

The DT got to work with images from Mizumedia Designs that are available here. I kept the card fairly simple and just used a set of 'manly' papers I already had at home that included everything on the card including the sentiment and star embellishments.

I really hope that you will find some time to join us this week in the challenge at IDIC.

Super Stressy

2010-12-12T21:06:00.003Z

I have been feeling a bit down.......

so what has made me feel a bit better? Some really supportive friends and family, some who just knew from my status on FB that something was going on. I have had some 'virtual' counselling, some kind words and some brilliant texts.
Also I went out the house yesterday (though I didn't want to, I had to drop DD at a sleepover) and I saw a friend I hadn't seen for ages and we just chatted over a cuppa tea about things generally which stopped me worrying on my own!

I discovered I had won some candy in the Polkadoodles blog hop as someone hadn't claimed it, they picked another name and it was mine! Will look forward to it arriving though I have been unlucky with blog candy and have never received some in the past.... I also still haven't posted out the prizes to K and Mel from the blog hop, I have been really bad so I apologise and promise it will be sent asap!

Today I went to the Christingle service at Church with the children, I have never been to one before but have always liked the sound of the service and the symbolism. Also the gorgeous Jo talked about it on her blog here so I was inspired to go and it was totally worth it! A really family friendly service that we all felt part of and afterwards there was tea and cakes!

The good news is that I finish work on December 23rd and don't go back until January 6 so I will have some amazing time with the family hopefully celebrating the festive season. Also I passed my numeracy exam, sat the pharmacology exam and have until 31st Jan to get all my uni work in...... it will all work out in the end I'm sure!

(Yes I have just majorly edited this post as I decided I didn't want to record some of my feelings etc on my blog so if you are re reading it you are not as mad as you may have thought!!!)

Christmas films not to watch! # 18 + 19

2010-12-08T07:04:00.000Z

I actually had to stop watching this film, 'a hobo's Christmas' as it was fairly awful, though I do think I've seen it before but I couldn't face watching it this time so no stars and 0/5!

I watched all of 'A Christmas without snow' but despite having the actress who played the mother in 'the Waltons' it was pretty dreadful so another with zero stars and 0/5

Christmas film review #17

2010-12-07T23:56:00.001Z

Santa Jr is about the son of Santa who gets arrested when he is mistaken for the 'Christmas Bandit' (a burglar). This film is packed full of festive magic and DS and I really enjoyed it.

**** (4/5)

christmas film review #16

2010-12-07T22:41:00.003Z

In 'Eve's Christmas', a woman has everything she wants, a great job, fantastic salary, and a luxurious life in a penthoues in NYC. But she has no-one to share it all with. She makes a wish on a Christmas star asking for the chance to go back in time and change things.

Enjoyable Christmas film about being able to right the wrongs, correcting the mistakes that you have made. *** (3/5)

IDIC card making challenge Vintage Christmas

2010-12-05T07:11:00.001Z

I actually lost my card for last weeks challenge before I had a chance to take a photo so I failed completely! This week I made sure I took the photograph and put it on the IDIC photo uploading page (albeit at the last minute!) before it all went wrong again!

Over at I Did It Creations this week the challenge is Vintage Christmas and I have used a digi stamp from the talented Hope Jacare, she has a unique style that is perfectly suited to the vintage theme. The stamp is 'Christmas Pudding' which sums up Christmas in so many ways for me, as we always have homemade Christmas Pudding and also indulge in 'Stir Up Sunday' (see this post). Christmas Puddings have been traditional in England for many centuries so may have featured in many a Vintage Christmas!

I made this first card and tried to keep it simple with watercolour pens (I am not very good at using these as you can see!), vintage sheet music, kraft paper, gold ribbon and an old wooden button.

I loved the effect so much I made another slightly larger card as I printed out a bigger image and again kept it simple, with no bow or button. The image comes with the matching sentiment so it does make a really easy Christmas card which suits me as I have hardly made any!!!

Please come over to IDIC and join in with the challenge this week thanks xxx

Journal your Christmas day 3

2010-12-04T20:51:00.003Z

I am determined not to get behind with blogging JYC or I'll never catch up with my pages either! Yesterday the prompt was all about Christmas Cards. The thoughts of others about handmade versus shop bought CHristmas cards rang a few bells.

This is my 3rd Christmas making cards, the first year I only made 2, last year I made quite a few, this year the only cards I have made have been in response to DT work, although I have made more than one with several of the gorgeous digi stamps we have been given to work with. (see previous posts and tomorrows post)

I tend to think that most people just put their cards in the recycling at the end of 12th night and I hate to think of my own work going in the 'rubbish'. So I only send homemade cards to those I think will appreciate them (or ask me where their special card from me is!!). This actually equates to a few of my family and a few crafty friends. I have never thrown away any handmade cards I have been given in the last few years as I just love them! So the majority of the 80+ people I send cards to will get shop bought cards, usually purchased in the January sales if I am to be completely honest with you!

This prompt also made me think about the old, hard covered, non festive, orange, A to Z book that I use to keep track of all my Christmas cards. A couple of years ago I bought a 'special' Christmas card book, but it remains unused. I hate the idea of discarding the book that goes back to the era pre kids, with names of people I have loved and lost, people who were part of my life back then but now I have lost addresses and lost touch. It is a historical document in my own life journey and as such is a treasured part of Christmas. I confess to having a rule that if I don't receive a card from someone for 2 years then I don't send them one the third year! I have been known to reinstate people!!

I look forward to hearing your take on this prompt about Christmas cards and have got to make my page (I have so far only made the page for Dec 1st!) but will be looking on the forums again soon as there is so much inspiration there though sometimes it makes me feel a bit inferior if I'm honest as I really don't have that talent but I am learning and loving it all!

Christmas film review #15

2010-12-03T22:21:00.002Z

Home by Christmas is the story of a woman (starring Linda Hamilton) who has everything she could want, until out of the blue, her husband leaves her for a younger woman, divorces her and takes their daughter to live with them, she is mugged, loses all her money and is evicted, She ends up sleeping inher car and befreinds another 'homeless' woman and together they rebuild their lives.

This is a non-traditional Christmas film in many ways but I really enjoyed this one and it does pull at the heart strings ***1/2 (3.5/5)

Journal your Christmas day 2

2010-12-02T21:31:00.003Z

Todays prompt from Shimelle is about the weather, perfect timing for all the snow that has blown into the UK in the past few days and is currently settling in Surrey. I loved Shimelle's page with the heading 'the weather outside is frightful' as this describes what was happening here last night! Bit this is about today....

I awoke this morning when DS jumped into bed with me promptly followed by a text from his school announcing it's closure for the next 2 days... it was 06.15!! Too early, but I couldn't sleep. Looking out the window there had easily been 30cm of snow overnight, the Close looked beautiful.

I started sending and receiving texts regarding work, who could get in? Was the clinic open? What was the plan? In the end I decided, as someone within walking distance, I should just head in.. on foot. There were actually several cars on the road (not sure if I would have got my car out!) and there were a few of us pedestrians braving the elements. It was lightly snowing, bright white snow lay all around and crunched underfoot and the day felt fresh and shiny. I enjoyed seeing all the local landmarks that I usually just whizz past in the car, adorned in all their snowy glory. I didn't take the camera with me but did snap a couple of pics on my camera phone which I will download/upload at some point.

I did manage to take some photographs at home before I set out, before all the virgin snow was spoilt by cats and children playing in it!

The view from the back door

The view from the front door

This was the house this morning before I left

Tomorrow is another day and I will see how the conditions are in the morning and might even attempt to drive into work... watch this space!

How is the weather where you are? I really look forward to hearing the stories and seeing the photographs about 'non cold' Christmas weather. It is completely alien to me having always been in the UK for the festivities. See you on a blog near you soon xxx

World Aids Day 2010

2010-12-01T12:59:00.004Z

This is a day for me to reflect on the past, remember those I have loved and lost and to respond to the call to make changes for the future.

I have been involved in the care of people with HIV for as long as the disease has been around. I looked after my first 'AIDS' patient back in the 1980's when we really knew very little about the disease and many health care professionals were terrified as were the general public. At the time it was classed as a terminal illness and people, mostly young men, were struck down with mystery illnesses that ultimately resulted in death. At diagnosis there was little hope that could be offered to these men, women and children.

Things began to improve with increased knowledge about the disease, causative factors being found and with the discovery of anti-retroviral drugs things changed dramatically.

Currently there are 90,000 people living in the UK, though there are about a quarter of these remain unaware of their diagnosis. HIV is now seen as a chronic illness and there are a multitude of amazing drugs that can be used in combination to suppress the virus, boost the immune system and keep patients healthy and well for the foreseeable future.

But sadly people still die. In my experience this is largely due to a very late diagnosis when the disease has seriously damaged the immune system and the patient succumbs to serious infections that may result in death. I have seen this first hand in the last couple of years, one patient refused an HIV test when offered and a year later was extremely sick, tested positive for HIV but passed away in hospital.

My wish for the future is that this does not continue to happen, I hope more people will have access to and be offered HIV tests. Make no mistake the ongoing research, the medical care, theoretical knowledge and amazing voluntary groups have altered the course of this disease. There is hope for the future but people are becoming infected everyday and I see teenagers diagnosed who don't seem to be aware of this disease anymore.

I would love to see another public campaign to raise awareness, some of us will always remember 'don't die of ignorance' (though it was a bit frightening) but what have young people seen?

HIV is not fussy it will infect anyone regardless of age (we see patients from teens to those in their 70's) race, religion, social standing and sexuality. We are in a hugely advantageous position in this country as we are able to access all these services and the medication, which is extrememly expensive, those in developing countries face a very different situation.

Please think about testing, in the UK in 2010 it is much better to know if you have the infection as you can stay well and access services and prevent advancement of the disease.

Journal Your Christmas (JYC 1)

2010-12-01T06:52:00.006Z

Today is December 1st, the first day of the fabulous Journal your Christmas and my first year attempting this awesome project. I was up and reading the first prompt at 6.30 am this morning...partly as I was trying to find out if the children's schools were shut (the one 200 yards away was closed but the one up the hill and 20 mins walk on a non snow day was open!)

I love this printable manifesto and the colour red is perfect for my green and red album so I will be printing this off later (along with the journal cards they are fab too!) and it will form the basis of todays page along with some of my own thoughts! (I will take a pick and share soon promise!)

Are you taking this class? Or doing a December Daily type diary? Or just scrapping/journalling as you go? Would love to see what you are creating and for those joining in with JYC this newbie can't wait to see you in class! xxx

Christmas film review #14

2010-12-01T06:52:00.001Z

In the film 'Holiday Wishes' two girls make a wish and end up swopping bodies. Danny makes a wish at the same time but her wish doesn't come true ...... or does it??? A really heartfelt film about what is really important ... you might need a tissue at the end (well I did!) ****/***** (4 out of 5)

Christmas film review #13

2010-11-30T23:42:00.000Z

The most wonderful time of the year stars Henry (the Fonz) Winkler. A single mother is a busy career woman with the 'perfect' life (great job, house and a boyfriend). Her Uncle arrives for the Holidays and brings along a stranger he met at the airport (a cute young guy) and aks for him to stay. Guess what ?? There is romance and a happy ending! **1/2 (2.5 out of 5)

Christmas film review #12

2010-11-30T21:36:00.003Z

His and Her Christmas is a film about two rival newspaper columnists competing to save their newspapers and jobs. In the process they fall in love! This is somewhat sickly sweet in places but quite amusing too, probably not one for the children as they wouldn't find it that interesting. **1/2 (2.5 out of 5)

Character Strengths

2010-11-28T19:12:00.003Z

I have just been on Jessica Spragues blog and she is offering a free place for one of her classes if you complete the 'VIA Survey of character strengths'. Jessica explains how to register on the site and how to complete the 240 questions that make up the survey.

It sounds a lot of questions (well it is!) but it really doesn't take much time to go through them all, unless you keep pressing the previous button instead of the next button like I did!!

So my strengths are;-
1)Humour and playfullness (not sure if this is something to be proud of at my age and out of all the 0ther possible attributes I could have at the top of the list!)
2) Fairness, equity and justice (I think is totally true and has gotten me into trouble in the past! If I believed in star signs then I would put this down to the fact I'm a Libra!)
3) Honesty, authenticity and genuineness (quite like this strength)
4) Kindness and generosity (definitely one I am happy to have!)
5) Capacity to love and be loved (how sweet is that!)

I think it is really interesting and I hope to go back sometime in the future and take the test again as I am sure some of the answers will change depending on what has been happening in my life! It is also interesting to note that Jessica Sprague has completely different strengths to me.
Her top strength is creativity, ingenuity and originality, which doesn't even feature in my top 5.... does this actually mean anything?? I am not sure I am that original at the moment as it seems easier to follow rather than lead where I am now, but that hasn't always been the case and I am not sure it will be in the future either! In fact Jessica and I don't share any of our top 5 strengths!!
Jessica suggests tagging others to complete the survey and find out their strengths so I am gonna tag you! Yes whoever is reading this post, go on take some time out of your day and try it and see what you come up with. I would really love to see your answers please post them back here in the comments. Also if you complete it prior to Tuesday post the answers on Jessica's blog as you might win the class! The link to the test is here I would really love to see what it says about each of us and compare notes!!

Christmas film review #11

2010-11-28T14:25:00.000Z

Christmas do Over is the hilarious tale of a man who has to relive Christmas Day over and over and over again until he realises his past mistakes and makes amends.

I laughed out loud whilst watching and the children are big fans of this fantasticly, funny Christmas film. ****/***** (4/5)

Christmas film review #10

2010-11-28T09:45:00.003Z

Deck the Halls is about a widow and her son Ben, moving back home so she can work in her Father's toy factory. Ben tries to set up his mother with their neighbour Nick, who Ben believes is the real Santa.

This film is packed full of the Christmas spirit and is the best Christmas film I have watched so far this season! ****/***** (4/5).

Please note there is another Christmas film with the same name that hopefully I will watch and review.

Christmas film review #9

2010-11-28T07:00:00.000Z

If you believe is a film about Susan, who is far too busy for Christmas. She is totally caught up with work and seems very mean. She is visited by 'Suzie', her younger self (who only she can see) and through this child's eyes she learns to live and love again.

This film was ok but again lacked some of the Christmas sparkle that I look for so **/*** (2/5)

Christmas film review #8

2010-11-27T12:51:00.000Z

A Golden Christmas is the tale of a single mother who plans on buying her parents home (that has remained unsold) as a surprise for them at Christmas. She is started to descover they have agreed to sell it to someone else and immediately takes a dislike to the buyer. The film features a Golden Lab (or is it a Retriever??) which I think is where the title comes from!

Although this was mostly a non festive style film the message of childhood friendships affecting our adult lifes was quite poignant. So rated ***/***** (3/5)

Christmas film review #7

2010-11-27T08:44:00.002Z

Home for the holidays. The parents of 3 young children are killed in a car accident. Left with huge debts the bank seizes all their assets and they are going to be homeless (and sent to an orphanage) for Christmas.

Fairly sweet film in places but it just seemed to be lacking in something and not really very festive so only ** out of ***** (2/5)

Christmas film review #6

2010-11-27T07:18:00.000Z

Chasing Christmas is a take on the great tale of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I really like this style of story and this is a fairly good comedy version starring Tom Arnold. He is transformed from the grumpy guy to the good guy with lots of adventures on the way. I was disappointed in the ending as it didn't turn out how I wanted it to, but I still rate it *** (3 out of 5).

Christmas film review #5

2010-11-26T07:08:00.000Z

I'll be home for Christmas is about the Bundy family in WW2 awaiting their sons return for the holidays. Despite having a young Courtnay Cox playing the soldier's pregnant wife, it just seemed dull. So I don't recommend watching this one so only * (1 out of 5) This film is from about 1997 and it was really difficult to find a decent image for the film but you get the idea!