Rocking Your World Friday (August 23rd)

A little bit late this week ( but better than last week when I never made it at all!, but I so wanted to join in another Rocking Your World Friday post. Here is what its all about -  hop over to Virginia's place for a look.  Its a time to reflect and look at the good things that happened during the past week rather than dwelling on the negative.

I am not, it has to be said, at all grateful for the horrid cold I have acquired for the second time in a few weeks!  So this will be short and sweet.....

I am going to start with a photo I had planned to use last week - we had the Piping Live festival in Glasgow last week and I loved hearing the swirl of the bagpipes in St Enoch Square.  Its a beautiful sound.  I also caught up for lunch with my friend, Fiona, who is herself a piper!  It was lovely to see her - her son Danny and my daughter Beth were at nursery together.

Last Saturday was our crop and it was lovely to catch up with everyone and have a good laugh and a blether.  There was quite a production line going - but not scrapping. One of the girls is getting married soon and had a few people involved in making sweetie trees!

I am always grateful to know such lovely people & to know we are always there for
each other.
I managed the UKS weekly challenge, finished a cj entry and managed a good chat.

Here's that weekly!

 

I also experienced an amazing sermon at Church on Sunday based on

Ecclesiastes 3: 3-8

3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,...
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

 

Andrew gave a memorable sermon on verse 8. "a time to love and a time to hate".  I have been thinking about it all week and inspired me to do the following art journal entry

 



 



Yes - there is a time to hate - to hate poverty, child abuse, disease and the serious things that are wrong in our world.  The journalling explains my feelings.  I really appreciated that sermon.

And, finally, I am grateful as ever for my daughters achievements - this year she has won the Standard Grade computing prize.  As ever, we are so proud!  I missed being able to mention our girlie shopping day last week. Here she is at lunch!

PS  And, yes, my baby brother is 50 today - Happy Birthday, Ant.  Love my family x

Rocking Your World Friday (9 August 2013)

A little bit late this week!, but I so wanted to join in another Rocking Your World Friday post. Here is what its all about -  hop over to Virginia's place for a look.  Its a time to reflect and look at the good things that happened during the past week rather than dwelling on the negative.

Well, this was a very good week as Beth got her exam results which were very good indeed.  I am, of course, a very proud Mum, but most of all I am pleased that she has been rewarded for all her hard work!  Her Dad also deserves a pat on the back as he was the one that organised all her revision and kept her calm during the exams while I was at work.

I am also grateful to my lovely friend , Cath, who sent Beth some very beautiful and grown up flowers to say well done!

And for all my other friends and family who were so pleased for her!  It really was a lovely week.

I joined Slimming World last week and was pleased to lose 3.5 lbs in my first week.  I am grateful to Anne-Marie, the leader, and the other members of the class for encouragement and tips.  Also, my friend and UKS teamie, Heather, for her advice!

I am thoroughly enjoying eating healthily and cannot believe that this wonderful orange and chocolate mullerlight yoghurt is syn free!

I have re-discovered the delights of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries - all super foods!
 And I am grateful for not feeling like I am a diet while eating a big plateful. Today's lunch was particularly colourful!

And finally, I am always grateful that I live in a house with a beautiful view.  This was the view at twilight last Sunday.

See you next week!

Fifty Two Weeks in Photos

Well, I failed miserably with my intention to do the photo scavenger hunt by forgetting to take the list on holiday with me (again) so when Suzy pointed me in the direction of the challenge on Scattered Scarlet's blog, I thought it was something I might actually achieve!

The starting photo has to be a self-portrait and so my visit to the hairdresser proved timely indeed!  The challenge also finishes with a self-portrait so it fits in nicely with starting my Slimming World diet - that should keep me on track to see a different me in 52 weeks time!!

I also love the album that Jean has made for this project - so plan a go at that too.

So here we go!

Rocking Your World Friday 2 August 2013

Oh dear, despite my best intentions I haven't blogged since last week. I shall blame it on a busy week at work and a stinking summer cold.

So here I am again, joining in another Rocking your world Friday post. Here is what its all about -  hop over to Virginia's place for a look.
So what has been good this week? 

Last Saturday (seems ages ago), Beth and I went through to Edinburgh and met up with my old University friend Judith, her husband Nick, and their daughter Ellie.  I think the girls were about eight when they last met.  We had a lovely time with sandwiches in Princes Gardens and a wander round the University area as Ellie  is interested in applying.  It is so lovely when you meet up with an old friend and it really doesn't matter how long it since you last saw each other - the years melt away.
Beth took a photo of Judith and I for the record.

On Sunday, I was very happy to get some scrapbooking mojo back and finish the UKS weekly and house challenges - using Florida photos of course!

I did mean to blog these separately but never mind!  There is also a very rare picture of me!

On Tuesday evening, I went school uniform shopping with Beth and was extremely grateful that we managed to get most of what we are looking for.  I am also grateful for my lovely girl!

We were also lucky enough to see this amazing rainbow as we arrived home from our shopping trip:

 

 

I was not grateful for the cold that I developed on Wednesday but I am glad it appears to be going away now!

 

Today I had a lovely lunch with Suzy of Sea Glass & Sand fame - we ate out in the centre of Glasgow!  We forgot to get a photo!!!  Can you believe it?

 

I am also extremely grateful to the people who looked after my Radley umbrella when I left it various places this week - I need to have it chained to my wrist.

 

Finally, as usual, I am grateful for some great reading this week.  The highlight was Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty.  A totally brilliant and gripping read.

 

I hope you all had a good week too xx

Rocking Your World Friday

My lovely friend Suzy (Sea Glass and Sand) has been doing this for a while now and I think its a great idea - and you never know it might spur me on to blog at least once a week.  Suzy is following this wonderful idea from Virginia

Its too easy to dwell on the negatives in life, isn't it?    So what am I thankful for this week? 

Well, I have fabulous memories of our lovely relaxing family holiday in Naples & Miami in Florida which we got back from last week.  The photos are printed and the scrapping has commenced.

Then , there is my lovely garden and the lovely weather that we returned to.  And not to forget our brilliant neighbours who watered the plants when we were away.

And Beth and I went to the East Kilbride Crop last Saturday and we are thankful for the lovely friends we have there.  Beth as usual was very productive, I produced one Lo and drank lots of tea and did lots of chatting.
I hope Suzy liked her little goody bag from the US.  And I guess I should be thankful for the inroduction to neocolours, inktense pencils and Art, Doodle , Love - though my purse may not be!  Photos of masterpieces to follow.

Work has been hectic since I got back at the helm on Monday but I do like my job and have enjoyed the week. I am part of a great team!    We went climbing trees and swinging from zip slides at Go Ape. I loved the day but didnt complete the course - but the 480m zipslide above the trees and waterfall with gorgeous views over Aberfoyle's gorgeous country side.  See if you can spot me on the photo!

I am also grateful to have read another two excellent books this week.  I have read The Secrets of the Lighthouse by Santa Montefiore and The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman.  I have also chatted to my favourite authors on twitter.

And finally, I am grateful that the bit of a health scare that I had has been cleared up.  I had a recall after my mammogram and I was quite worried.  After a couple of worrying hours at the clinic this morning, all was sorted and there are no issues.  I am very grateful for the kindness of the staff at the West of Scotland Breast Screening Centre in Glasgow.

I hope this is ok for my first go - any comments welcomed!!!



I know why the caged bird sings

Here are the totally gorgeous pages that I have just received from my teamie, Lesley, for my "Words" CJ.  Her theme was "I know why the Caged Bird Sings" and the pages and accompanying tag were stunning.    Thank you so much, Lesley.

UKS Monthly Challenge

Back to scrapbooking his week (well, at least while the art journal pages are drying). The sketch for the UKS monthly challenge didn't inspire, it has to be said, but then I spotted an Andy Skinner mask on Angel Crafts table at the EK crop. 

Yet another LO for the Californian album!  This time documenting the fabulous journey down Highway 1.  The background papers are Lemon Owl (yet again from the lovely Angela at Angel Crafts).  I am enjoying doing this album (only a thousand photos to go) as it brings back so many fabulous memories!

Here is the LO and the sketch. Right - are those art journal pages dry?

Suzy's Blog Makeover Hop - This Art Journalling Malarkey

Well, this is the first time I have taken part in a blog hop, so please be kind to me. The blog hop has been organised by the lovely Suzy over at Sea Glass and Sand who is wholly responsible for the painty mess I keep creating! You should have arrived here from Lesley's blog "Lelly's Crafty Stuff".  You might even have come straight here!

My project is pages from my art journal, something I have got into lately, as I said, encouraged by the lovely Suzy, who is much cleverer at it than  me.  These pages are my favourites so far. They use a technique I picked up from UKS when doing a scraplift challenge - thanks to UKS Alipeeps for the original LO.  I wanted to use a favourite quote about flowers from Wordsworth.

The pages (and the dining room table) were painted various shades of green using the usual layers of gesso and acrylic paint.  I then used various masks, especially my favourite dots one, with picket fence distress strain to finish the background.

The flowers were painted using the card left over after cutting out with my Tim Holtz tattered florals die.  The skeleton makes a terrific stencil.  The flowers were painted with acrylic paint through the stencil.

I then doodled around the edges of all the flowers, experimenting with various styles as you can see in the close up below.

I drew round the edges but also in the middle of the flowers - it took along time and I kept going back and adding bits but I was pleased with the end effects.

 

I find the whole art journalling thing very therapeutic!  I seem to be able to lose myself for a while which is good because work is quite stressful at the moment.  Doodling is great!

 

 

Well, thanks for visiting my blog - off you hop to Sue now! You can find her at Me and Mine

Money for Malaria

Beth and Eleanor aka The Welcomers of Langbank Church raised the phenomenal amount of £401 at their Coffee Morning and Book Sale and now have enough to fund a Christian Aid Malaria Nurse - well done, girls!! Bob & Beth made cake pops and Beth made cakes to sell - they were yummy! Beth made welly cakes to match the welly boots in which we collect the money!

National Scrapbooking Day

It is National Scrapbooking Day.  I have the house to myself.  I don't have anything else pressing to do - so why does my mojo go walkabout!!  I managed to mess up an art journal page and had mislaid my photos. 

So I got out my Bo Bunny Mama-razzi stamps and my sewing machine - sewed and distressed borders & stamped a background and - voila - inspiration stuck and mojo returned!!  I even found this fabulous picture of Beth & Bob - she;s still Daddy's girl.

These stamps and papers are amongst my favourites ever!