I'm Back :)

Over the last 2 weeks I have not added any posts to my Blog, DH & I  have been on our Summer Holiday (6 Days in Italy & 1 Week on the Norfolk Broads).

We are now back and having to try and catch up on the washing, ironing, shopping and get ready for work tomorrow :(

I took many photos (probably too many to scrap - It is just as well we now use digital or it would have cost a fortune in film processing!!!) and have a lot of amazing memories. 

Once I get caught up with the non-crafting Stuff I will be back online and ready to go, I have so many memories and photos I want to share with you all.

Just a few highlights: Mountains, Venice, Osprey, the 'Yellow Perral'  & lots of people watching :)

Blogging for Scrapbookers – The Beginning

I am now finally starting to look at the content of Shimelle’s Blogging for Scrapbookers course… although I am not able to follow the structure for 1 Blog per day, but I will get there.

So far in the Day One Information I have discovered Google Reader… what a great tool.  I was beginning to get to the point that using Blogger Dashboard was a long winded way of keeping up to date with the various Blogs I had subscribed to.  Working this way saves so much time… on the down side you don’t get to see the lovely headers and page layouts people create. 

In the Prompt One Shimelle asks us to post a Blog with our intentions for the next 3 Weeks, however as I am not able to post every day and also have a holiday coming up I have decided to give my intentions for the next 2 Months.

So here they are in no particular order...

1. Take part in the WOYWW and to link to the original Post
2. Continue taking part in the ‘Less is More’ Challenge
3. Make time to work through more of the ‘Blogging for Scrapbookers’ Prompts
4. To be creative in the content of my Blog

I'm sure that more will following in the not too distant future - so watch this space :)

Not a good Thursday

Well I don't like the Weight Watchers scales today... The say +0.5lb :(

The bad news is I'm not sure why!!! Never mind that was last week. Tomorrow is a new week :)

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How To... Create a Custom Envelope

Well this is my first ever How To... on this blog, Please feel free to leave any feedback & comments :)

Decide on a co-ordinating paper to match your card. It is up to you if you want to see the patten on the inside or outside of the envelope.

The aim is to create an envelope which is big enough for your card with a bit of extra room so you will need to ensure that your envelope paper is big enough to fold around the largest dimension of your card with a bit of room to spare.

Start by working out how much room you will need for the card and then score and fold the paper to create the 'bottom' of the envelope.

Decided where to score for a bottom fold

Fold the paper to create the bottom fold

Unfold the paper and then work out the width of the envelope - ensure that you leave at least 2cm (3/4 inch) each side of the card to allow extra space & side flaps.  Cut the envelope paper to the required width.

Next you need to work out where you want to create the side flaps, ensure that you leave a bit of extra space around the card.  Score and Fold each side of the card.

Next we will cut the envelope paper to create the Top Flap.  You should allow at least 2cm (3/4 inch) in addition to the area required for the card. (I fold the bottom of the envelop up and then measure the width of the top flap.)

Once you have cut the paper to the correct size you will need to fold the Top Flap - do not fold it up close to the top opening of the envelop, leave a slight gap.

When you unfold the envelope paper it should look something like this...

You will then need to cut away the sections shown in the image above.  The next step is optional, but I have found that it gives a cleaner envelope if you do...

Using a Corner Rounder round the corners of the envelope (Side Flaps & Top Flap)

The last task is to glue the Side Flaps, it is up to you what type of glue you use, I used a tape roller.

Fold the back of the envelope and stick it to the Side Flaps.

Well Done... You have now created your envelope to match your card.

I'm So Excited!

A friend asked me on Tuesday if I would like to go to Nottingham in November and see Bruno Mars... well as the 'Lazy Song' is my favorite at the moment I said Yes!!!!

DH said that he would come as well, so my friend has booked a total of 5 tickets this morning!!!!!!

This will be the first time I have been to a concert and I can't wait!!!!!!

Is it the 1st November Yet?????

Ok... time to calm down and get back to work. But I'm so excited, I just had to quickly add a post.

Home Alone...

This evening DH has gone out and I have been home alone,  the phone has rung several times and apart from that I  have been able to craft :)

The question was then... What do I do?????  the choices were endless but in the end I decided on cards.

1. So here is the list of what I have achieved this evening...
2. Envelope for a card created as a 'Less Is More' challenge
3. 2 x Easel Cards for Christmas Gifts
4. A card from scratch, with matching envelope

I even took a series of photos to try and create a 'How To' for creating a envelope to match a card, all I now have to do is try and put words to the pictures.

In the mean time here a couple of pictures of the cards I created this evening...

All 3 cards

One of the Easel Cards, both have Calendars for 2012

This card was made from Scratch, along with a matching Envelope

 I am so proud of the Happy Birthday card, I have never made a card from scratch before.  The image was printed from a CD and coloured using ProMarkers, I then mounted it on a brown/orange card and added the Happy Birthday peal-off.  As I did not have a card blank the right size so I found a piece of 12x12 card stock and created a card blank the right size.

What a GREAT evening and so productive & I even had time to add to 'Helen's World'!

I think I am  now going to make a cuppa before DH arrives home.

WOYWW - 13th July 2011

On the go at the moment - I have decided to make an envelope for a card I made for the Less is More challenge a couple of weeks ago.

This is the first time I have tried to make a envelope to fit the card, and after watching a Video on YouTube it was very easy.

LiM Week 23 - One Layer

I have decided that I am quite enjoying the Less Is More challenges, for me making cards is something that I very rarely do.  So 3 cards in 3 weeks is a record for me.

This one took a bit of thinking... I don't have many good stamps, and most of them feature owls, but I knew that I did not want to use an owl - the only other stamp I have that I felt would be suitable was one of an Angel. I do like (in believe in my Angels) and decided to give it a go... I found it scary stamping straight onto the card as normally I would stamp onto White Paper and then mount that onto my card. 

Even though I was outside of my comfort zone I plowed on... and it worked!!!!!

I did not use much in the way of colour as I did not feel that she needed it... but here is my Angel ' Just Becuase'.

Words Like Honey

While at the Crop Wednesday evening The Craft Room had received a delivery of 12x12 papers & stamps from Words Like Honey.

Although I am not a very religious person I do have my beliefs (more about those another time). If you are not in the Lincoln area and want to see the full range of papers 'Time To Sow' has them on line.

I brought 3 papers which are shown below - but there were many more:

Swans & Ducklings (wlh055)

Text (wlh045)

Swans & Ducklings (wlh053)

Who's Been a Naughty Boy?

On Saturday we were invited to take our Kids to a local village fete, it was only for a couple of hours in the afternoon. 

About 10 minutes before DH & I went to get the Kids out of their aviaries, Delta had decided that he wanted a bath - To look good for the public.  When we went out he looked like a punk rocker, with feathers poking in all directions, he was soaked.  By the time we arrived and had our stand set up he was slightly drier, it took about 1 1/2 hours for him to dry out completely. 

Along with some of the more traditional stalls, (we won a bottle of Coke on the 'Bottle Tombola') the village had also arranged for the Police to attend with a van & 2 Community Support Officers.  The fete was good fun and the weather stayed dry, which was a big bonus.

As Delta is such a wimp we had a chat with the Police and they agreed for us to put him in the back of the Police Van to take his picture... Delta can now add a Police Van to the list of vehicles he has been in/on.

Delta in the Police Van



The only way to get Delta in was to send DH in as well



My First Ever Easel Card

I have seen many Easel Cards over the last few months and always felt that they looked really difficult to create, so never attempted one.

 I have been inspired by watching Create & Craft the other day when they had a demonstration and it looked easier than I thought to create one.

So I decided to finally have a go creating a Easel Card. I included a 2012 calender so it can be used for the next year.

I am thinking of doing a number to give as Christmas gifts.

The question is: Am I good or bad for thinking of Christmas gifts this far ahead????

As this proved so easy to create I think I might have a go at another one...  TTFN

Light Bulb Moment

It amazes me when our brain has 'Light Bulb' moments -  those thoughts that just happen out of the blue and can mean so much.

I was sat at work creating a Process Map and this thought arrived out of no where... 'My scrapbook albums need to be in Year Order'.

Don't ask where this though came from, I had not even been thinking of scrapping!!! I had not even been thinking about changing the order of my albums.

At the moment I have several albums on the go, there is one for the Kids, the Nephew, my Book of Me & then 3 for past holidays, and 2 general albums.

So all I now need to do is find time to look at the content (in particular of the General Albums) and create Title Pages for each Year. It sounds simple doesn't it????

I think that this might be something that is done slow time - but I must say thinking about it now it does make more sense!

I'm on a roll!

The scales at Weight Watchers have been kind again. I have lost another 1lb.

Total Weight Loss: 26.5lb


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Time to Chill Out

DH has now been to see the Dr, the outcome of which is a referral is to be sent to the Hospital & another blood test on Friday... the good news is that the Dr does not think that the problem is serious, however they are still worried - hence the referral.

Our main concern was that something was seriously wrong,  the Dr has put our minds at rest (slightly) and said to carry on life as normal and wait 2-3 weeks for a appointment from the Hospital.

As much as I hate the waiting and not knowing what is happening the fact that DH has not been admitted to Hospital now is partly reassuring.

So in the mean time, life goes on and hopefully the anxiety will chill out for a bit - I know that it will still appear from time to time until we get a definite answer on what is wrong.

McDonald's & the Crop

Ok, time for an explanation of the McDonald's paper on last nights photo.

A group of us meet every 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month at The Craft Room in Lincoln. Karen opens the shop and we use the craft space on the first floor for the crop, with access to the stock in the shop and a selection of tools.

Last night 4 of us arrived at 6.30pm ready to start work, only Karen arrived late... not a problem, we walked across the road (with large numbers of bags/trolleys etc) to McDonald's for a Cuppa. As we ordered the tray we were given had the Place Matt already on, it featured a alphabet (McDonald's A-Z) so being scrapbookers we asked for extra copies.

A challenge was then issued... to create a layout featuring the Place Matt from McDonald's.

As we were late starting the crop I had a mixed evening, I did complete a Double Layout and I completed the challenge of using the Place Matt. 

My McDonald's layout was very 'Out Side the Box' for me, with individual letters taken from the Place Matt.

The completed McDonald's Place Matt Layout

I decided to use a few letters from the McDonald's A-Z and use my selection of Die Cut frames to cut them out and mat them on the card.  The frame for the journaling was created with the Cricut (I can't remember which cartridge).

The Letter E, taken from the Place Matt

The Letters T & U, taken from the Place Matt

Well it was something different LOL and it did get me thinking!

WOYWW

Well this evening is the local Crop at The Craft Room. Here is my desk so far...

I will explain the importance of the McDonald's paper (the green & white alphabet sheet) tomorrow :)

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Digi Scrapbooking

Does anyone use Scrapbook MAX for their Digi Scrapping? I picked up a copy of Version 1 with one of the Scrapbook Magazines a while ago (but I can't remember which one). I found that Scrapbook MAX v1 was easy to use and it made sense to me (Photoshop did not). I then decided to upgrade to Version 2 (which I paid for) and I am really glad I did.

I have tried several times to use Photoshop before and I just get very frustrated .

If anyone is interested, I was thinking about trying to create some short tutorials and add them to my Blog.

Any comments would be great...

Anxiety on the Loose

Over the past week DH has not been too well, after a visit to the Dr he was given antibiotics for a Bladder Infection.  They have now done a full set of tests (the problem still persists) and DH has now been told that it is not an infection. 

He needs to see a Dr to get more details - he now has an appointment for tomorrow at 11am.  In the mean time my anxiety has started to go crazy imagining the worst (as you do).  All he has been told at the moment is that the Dr will need to send a referral letter to the Hospital.  As you can imagine DH is now also thinking the worst as well!

I know that in reality there is probably a simple answer and it is only something minor... but my brain does not work that way and I can only think of the possible major causes.

When we know what is happening and causing the symptoms I will be able to cope, it is the not knowing which causes my anxiety levels to go out of control.  I have the flutterbyes as well as occasionally feeling sick. 

I think it is now time to get on with Stuff at work to take my mind away from all of the negative thoughts flying through my brain at the moment.

Happy Wedding Anniversary

DH arranged for these flowers to be delivered to say Happy Wedding Anniversary - today 13 years ago we got married in Cambridge Registery Office.

Less is More

I spotted the next 'Less is More' card challenge and decided to have a go...

As the theme was 'Shades of Blue' I decided to attempt to create a card from scratch, so with a A4 peice of paper folded in 1/2 I stamped straight onto the card (not something I had ever done before - I usually stamp onto white card and then add this to the coloured card base).

All I need to do now is to create a envelope to match the card!

The stamps are from Little Claire Design and were coloured using my ProMarkers.

Scrapbook Papers & Embelishments for UK Armed Forces

If any of you have friends/family who have served in the UK Armed Forces you will know that it is difficult to find any paper/embellishments.

While at the RAF Waddington Air Show I happened to find a company who have just started up creating Scrapbook Papers (12x12) and embellishments for the UK Forces (Army, Navy & RAF)

Please have a look at the Uniform Memories Web Site and contact Eve Parris if you have any ideas for other papers.

Photos from Waddington

The RAF Waddington Air Show is over for another year... I am now starting to recover, but I'm thinking about heading back to bed to catch up on a bit more sleep!

I did promise photos of the birds on our stand at the Air Show... here the pictures of the 8 birds brought up from the Raptor Foundation.



10 Week old babies: Indian Eagle Owl (Left) & African Spotted Eagle Owl (Right)

 

Forsters Caracara

 

British Barn Owl

 














Long Eared Owl



Red-Tailed Buzzard




White Faced Scop Owl

Bateleur Eagle



RAF Waddington Air Show - Day 2

Well day 2 has started and I ache all over. We left site at 9:30pm last night and were back on site for 7:15am this morning.

Today should be a slightly shorter day - but we will be exhausted by the end!

The weather is due to be hotter than yesterday - with no clouds :( So sun cream will be required in quantity!

I now have pictures of all 11 birds which I will post tomorrow.


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Air Show

We were able to set up without too much trouble and got home at 9pm.

In total we have 11 birds of different types and sizes - including 2 babies at 10 weeks old.

While thing are quite (the Red Arrows are flying) I took a couple of pictures of our stand.

Pictures of the other birds will follow on Monday.

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