I can't believe I forgot!!

But I did!! I should have added into my post that Beverley is offering some RAK's over on her blog!! So get over and check it out, the fun part is the question! "If you had £200 that MUST be spent on craft goodies - what would you buy & why?"
Certainly made me think!! But in the end I said "Can I cheat and say I'd spend £200 on a boys weekend away for my DH so I could scrap in peace!!
Seriously though, I would probably go for that pink crop-a-dile set you are selling!! And whatevers left on whatever catches my eye!"
But you only have til 7am tomorrow morning to get on over there so get a move on!!!

Playing catch up!!

I'm a bit behind on the HS:MS prompts, I'm not too worried about the weekend but here's todays and yesterdays.

Todays prompt is MOONLIGHT, and this pic is a bit of a cheat, I took this during October, at a local lake of the moon just starting to come up!!


Yesterdays prompt, was FROST, and try as I might, I could not get the picture I wanted, this was the best of a bad lot, I wanted to show the top of my car (now written off!!) with all those beautiful frost patterns on it, but frost and silver cars do not make for the best photo!!

Better late than never!! CELEBRATE!!!!

OK, quick pic, I hate being late and what with one thing and another I haven't been able to get online all day!!! So her's my cause to celebrate, I won £3!! On the downside I paid £3, but hey I didn't lose money!!! I think my best win on these stoopid things was £50, I've had 2 £48's and a few £20's, but I do better on these that the actual lottery! And it's a bit harmless fun!!

Cards in your space today!!

I am such a donut!! I completed my LO in the acetate album, packaged it up and posted it without taking one picture!!! DOH!
Anyway, here's card in my space today!I just love all the decorated envelopes, although I have to confess the plain envelope in this pic was actually a bill! GRRR! DH thought I was nuts taking pictures of the post as it stuck in the letterbox!!

And, I had to add this picture in as well, I got it in my advent swap last night, and its gorgeous, it's a piece of cardstock by DCWV "Fairy Print", it is so pretty, only prob is I'm going to be too scared to use it, and I just know it's going to end up in my stroking pile!! But I promise I will try and use it!!

And finally for today, another CJ entry, which this time I have remembered to take pictures of!! This one is "All About You" and belongs to Paddy on UKS, it's lovely and very pretty. I did my LO last night and I love it, for once I am looking at what I've done and I am 100% happy with it! Now that is an achievement!!
Apologies for the dodgy pics, but I just popped them on the floor and snapped them while the light was good, it's miserable and grey outside and pouring with rain!! The perfect day to get some scrapping done but I'll probably end up doing housework!!

It's Christmas in my space!!!

Remember "Stash Bear" from Monday?? Well here he is again in his Christmas attire!! Aaaahh! I did consider putting him in for every pic this week but he didn't fancy climbing in the fridge in the name of art!! LOL!
I recieved the most fabulous CJ today it's an acetate album, and its absolutely amazing, already started on my entry so will upload it when I am finished! I now HAVE to make one of these.
Anyhow, got to go, my fridge is looking empty enough to fit a bear in!! And at some point in the day we will need to eat!

Celebrate

Back again, and as promised a LO that has taken me hours!! Literally!! Well not the LO but the parchment frame, all the paper piercing and embossing is so time consuming but so worth the effort! This is a pic of my Mum and Dad's wedding back in 1975, so definately a day to celebrate!

I must make a point of uploading more of my parchments onto my blog!

Also a quickie card make, while I was waiting for the glue to dry on another project the other day, very simple!

And lastly, the best joke I have heard in ages!!
Two Indians and an Irishman were walking through the woods. All of a sudden one of the Indians ran up a hill to the mouth of a small cave.

"Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!" he called into the cave and listened closely until he heard an answering, Woooo! Wooooo! Woooooo! He then tore off his clothes and ran into the cave.

The Irishman was puzzled and asked the remaining Indian what it was all about, "Was the other Indian crazy or what?"
The Indian replied "No, It is our custom during mating season when Indian men see cave, they holler 'Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!' into the opening. If they get an answer back, it means there's a beautiful squaw in there waiting for us."

Just then they came upon another cave. The second Indian ran up to the cave, stopped, and hollered, Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!"
Immediately, there was the answer. "Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!" from deep inside. He also tore off his clothes and ran into the opening.

The Irishman wandered around in the woods alone for a while, and then spied a third large cave. As he looked in amazement at the size of the huge opening, he was thinking, "Hoo, man! Look at the size of this cave! It is bigger than those the Indians found. There must be some really big fine women in this cave!"

He stood in front of the opening and hollered with all his might, Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!"
Like the others, he then heard an answering call, WOOOOOOOO, WOOOOOOOO, WOOOOOOOOO!" With a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face, he raced into the cave, tearing off his clothes as he ran.

The following day, the headline of the local newspaper read.....


Get ready, (its good),
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"NAKED IRISHMAN RUN OVER BY TRAIN!!!"

Show us CHILLY in your space today!

Now this IS chilly, especially when you have sensitive teeth!! But this ice-cream is gorgeous my favourite!! Got some crafty bits to upload later day!!! So watch this space!

Nice and Cosy in my space today!!!

Stash Bear (don't know what made me call him that but I did and it stuck!! If I'm snuggled up to him at night I am guaranteed to feel cosy!! Glad I didn't post him up last week, I was going to use him for SOFT!! Keep an eye out for him later in the week, he's going to make another appearance!!
Will pop back later and do a proper post!!

Bless his little heart!!!

For showing off today, a picture of an old friend of mine!
This is "Scruff"!! He spent all summer visiting our garden for his raisins every morning, we put up a blackbird box for him in the hope he might move in, he was such a little character, I would love to know why he was so scruffy. Anyway during some cold weather and rain he disappeared. :( BUT there is another blackbird out there now with a couple of feathers sticking up the wrong way, is it son of "Scruff"???

Self-Portrait Saturday

Well following last weeks LOVELY (a-hem) self portrait pic, I thought I would put up a nicer one, so here I am, I wish I looked like this everyday but the truth of the matter is, I just can't be bothered, I'm generally a no make-up girl, plain and simple so when I do dress up I feel really special!!
Today I am posting up the next challenge over on the CTYD Blog, so pop on over after 6pm and check it out, and don't forget there's monthly prizes for the best entries to the challenges!!

Todays Prompt Is...

SOFT! My husband has the most beautiful hands, and despite all the hardwork he does they stay incredibly smooth and soft! Not like mine which are rough, dry, chewed and bitten!!! I love his hands!

In my space today...

...we have bristles!!! I love this hair brush, it feels wonderful on my head when I brush my hair, and I have asked Santa for a new one this Christmas!! In hindsight I wish I'd washed it first instead of just pulling the hair off!! Ah well, I'll take it in the shower with me later!!
Right, well plans for today are relax, maybe some scrapping later, I'm quite tired cos I'm not sleeping properly, so I may even go back to bed for a while!! And later on DH is going to try and syphon the petrol from his car into mine, as it has a full tank and chances are it's a write off so we may as well try and use the petrol!! Plus I haven't got any at the mo!!

I'm gutted!

Really upset, the Lipstick Retreat is cancelled, I have been saving hard and it was going to be my 30th birthday pressie and my first retreat, I am in a CJ where we were going to meet up and hand back our books, and now its all cancelled and no reason given, I'm just glad I had only paid the deposit although they are giving money back! I had a bad feeling about this for some reason though but I just dismissed it, I wished I hadn't! I really would love to do Roz's Luxurious Angels but it's in Scotland and DH won't let me go because it's too far and I can see his point and understand his reasons!
Okay, moan over, I've been doing my NVQ all day and want to get a bit more done before bed but that's hardly cheering me up!
On the bright side the painkillers from the doc are fab and work great, I am a bit "wonky" but it's not as painful, so there's something to be happy about!!

Smooth

Just a quick post for now will do a proper update later! The HS:MS prompt for today is "SMOOTH". This is Carnelian, a semi-precious stone in my space today.

A BIG thankyou!!

Firstly and most importantly, I want to say BIG thankyous to everyone who has been so kind, giving me advice and well wishes since Sunday! It means such a lot and has certainly cheered me up! So THANKYOU!!! I have been laughing about it but in all seriousness it could have been so much worse but someone was looking over us that day and for that I am grateful!

Anyway onto the HS:MS prompt for today, show me "rough" in your space today! I can't be bothered to go creeping around for a stunning shot today so I got a new scouring pad out of my cupboard (well, I couldn't let you see the curled up, stained one on my sink now can I?) and here it is!!

The paper I used on this was the leftovers from the advent calendar I posted up yesterday, it was such a lovely bit of paper I couldn't waste it, and after I cut the numbers out for my advent tree I was left with a sheet of frames, so I popped some Christmas photos that on their own I wouldn't use on a LO but they were perfect for this.



Once again a HUGE thankyou to everyone for their well wishes it really means a lot!!
Ruth. xXx.

Thanking my lucky stars!

Am I stiff today!! All across my shoulders and back and I have a pain in my side where the seatbelt was! I keep thinking how lucky we were, if we weren't wearing seatbelts, if we had used my car, if the car in front hadn't moved away, if the handbrake had been on, and how scary it would have been if they had cut me out! So I'm grateful for that and glad that the aches and pains we both have today are nothing compared to what could have happened!!

Anyway the prompt for HS:MS! Show us "WET" in your space today. A piccy of a starling just getting of the bird bath in my back garden! A bit chilly if you ask me, but there's no accounting for taste!!




And here is my advent calendar for this year! I bought in the supermarket cos I liked it, but it was a bit plain and boring, so I tarted up with some paper, miniature cotton reels and ribbon for the candles and of course a star on top!

SPS & SOS!!

OK, so not one of my better pictures!!! What more can I say other than I am absolutely fine, and a girls gotta do something to pass the time when she spends 6 hours strapped to a spinal board in A&E!!!! You know you're a scrapper when you think of every eventuality as a possible scrapbook page!!! How did I get like this? A woman hit us from behind at about 40-50mph while we were stationary! OUCH! You think I look bad? You should see her car! Ours only has some damage to the rear bumper but goodness only knows what its like inside!

And to show-off, this picture of a fucshia which had dropped off its bush, it was just such a lovely contrast of colours as it lay on the ground!

Time I started something new!

I've been popping onto HS:MS most days and never yet followed the prompt and taken a picture until today! So here it is, the prompt was crystal and here is my first picture! I emptied my pot of crystals onto some metallic red card and put them all back again without spilling one!!! Now that's amazing!!!!A substance with geometric regularity. Find 'crystal' in your space today.
Anyhoo, I can't promise to do this everyday but we will see how I get on!!!

Also going to show off a LO I did for the CTYD DT, for last weeks challenge, so get on over there for more info!!
I loved doing this LO, and I am really happy with the end result! I have been busy today as well, sorting out some stuff for my next post on Sunday and I love it and whats even better is I had a fantastic time doing it! But I can't say anymore for now, so keep an eye out on Sunday on CTYD for it or I will post it on here at some point next week!!

Showing off

Just showing off a couple of more bits I have done for the DT. Those BoBunny frost papers are lush, I love working with them and they are so pretty, they sparkle like frost but you can't see it in the picture!

Finally remembered to update my blog!

WOW! What a busy few weeks, work has been manic and I have been clocking up the hours, but just in time for Xmas so not too bad! Have been doing loads of scrapping for the BTYD Blog and DT, and these two are my latest entries for the challenges.
Also got my fabby new kit which is enormous and should last well into the new year! Been slowly starting getting my butt moving for Christmas, and I'm pleased to report that I have Christmas Day off this year!!! WooHoo!!
On a bum note though, my back is killing me, ever since last week when I spent 8 hours hunched over my NVQ, it hasn't been right, I feel like I'm leaning to the left and sometimes I look wonky!! Bit worrying but I really don't want to go off work so I am being extra careful and hoping I last til the end of this week when I have holiday booked so hopefully a good rest and it will be fine again!!
Anyway, I've posted my bit on here and will probably be back later on as I have some other bits to show off!! Keep watching!

Life Is Measured In Moments

I have to admit when I opened this kit and saw all those papers,I panicked, mine were all grey!! But having spent plenty of time playing with them and stroking them I now really like them, I have realised that the grey allows the pictures to really stand out whilst being a easy, neutral colour to work with, it really is very flexible!! So on that note, this is my latest LO from the kit.
These are pictures of my parents wedding from 1975, those bridesmaids dresses are a bit groovy but were the inspiration behind the whole LO, they really stood out hence the reason I chose to mount them on the blue! My mum looks so beautiful, people do tell me I look like her but I can't see the resemblance, I wish I had the chance to get to know her. And my Dad well he hasn't changed much, he still looks the same, and I love him loads!!

Introducing my new DT kit!

Just showing off this robin LO I did for the DT with my latest kit, I had great fun adding the border on the computer and working with the colours in the kit was a real challenge, but I'm really happy with the result! I wasn't too sure when I opened it as there is a lot of grey in there but having spent time playing and stroking it, I quite like it as it allows the colours in the pictures to really stand-out!

Secondly I had a go at some birthday cards, now as general rule, I'm not a big fan of peel-offs, but they have their place! And I think these cards are just right for them!!

BIG Ooops!

Yesterday I took my laptop to work to do some paperwork and it died on me in a big way, and for some strange reason my cursor arrow turned into a duck! Anyhow, after DH spent best part of yesterday afternoon trying to fix it and decided it couldn't be done, we went out today and I got a smart, snazzy new one!! When I got home I got so carried away playing with it I nearly forgot to post my new challenge over on the BTYD page!!! So get on over and check it out! This is the LO I did for the challenge but I won't give away anything else here, so if you want to know about the challenge you know where to look!

Oh WOW!

Got my 2nd DT kit today from CTYD! It's not something I would have chosen ever but I really like it and there are so many ideas buzzing round my brain with it, I can't wait to get on with it! There are some gorgeous American crafts ribbons and loads of fab brads, so I shall be having great fun playing, can't wait to see what the other guys have got!
The LO is one I did for the blog, using what was left from the last kit but the papers seemed to work perfectly with the fountain, I took the picture while we were driving along! I literally stuck my head out the window, pointed the camera and took it, praying it would come out and it did the picture is far better than I expected!
Work is absolutely manic at the moment, I feel snowed under with paperwork, but I am going to enjoy my 2 days off and face it when I go back!! In the meantime I hope to have a wonderful two days, we have nothing planned so I am hoping to get plenty of time to scrap and maybe get out and about, and take some more pictures!

Nooooo! I've been tagged again!

So please just read the post below, I haven't got enough little bloggy friends and I think people will get a bit whizzed if I keep tagging them!! Good fun though!
Well, I'm back at work after my holiday, but on the bright side I have more holiday booked next month! WooHoo!!
Thought I would share an altered CD tin, which I bought for 50p (BARGAIN) in a charity shop, I think it was a freebie one from Smash Hits or something, but a bit of patterned paper and a load of ribbon off-cuts later here it is! I really love this, and its in the Blog 'Til You Drop gallery for Challenge #10. I intend to make into a nice cheery, flower album to brighten those winter days, whether or not I actually get round to it or not though is a different matter!

I've been tagged by Charli!!!

Thanks Charli!

Here are the rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

So seven facts about me!?
1) I can still do the splits! As long as I'm wearing loose trousers!!

2) I love raccoons, they are just so cute!

3) I hate going to the hairdressers! Don't know why, just do, but when my hair gets too long I will get it chopped!!

4) I am sitting here typing this wearing DH's slippers! My feet are cold, but if he asks I am just warming them up for him!

5) My favourite ever song is "Nothing Compares to You" by Sinead O'Connor.

6) My favourite jeans at the moment are navy blue with gold threads running through them, they are so pretty!

7) I will be 30 next year!!! AAAAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!

And I have tagged:
KTP,
Roz,,
Toni-Leeann,
Olwen,
Alix,
Wendy,
Shary

I've been a busy girly!

I managed to do 4 LO's yesterday, three of them for the Crop 'Til You Drop DT, and now I've posted them up on the blog, I can show them off here as well!

The first LO is of The Blue Pond, the water seems to change colour in the sunlight, and being perfectly still it gives perfect reflections. Apparently its because of algae or something but it really is amazing, and so beautiful and peaceful!






The second LO is of a Fly Agaric toadstool that DH pointed out to me while we were at Monkey World, he is getting really good bless him at spotting things that I'd like to photograph!







My third and final LO I used a leaflet from Monkey World and a very cute piccy of a baby orangutan by the name of Kai. Aaaahhh! He was so sweet and quite the little poser, but very cheeky with it although I think this was the best shot I got of him!





And lastly this LO is for breast cancer awareness moth, and I really, REALLY enjoyed doing this, so liberating and I loved going all girly and glitzy and pink! Seriously you just have to try this, its great fun!

Back off Holiday!

WOW! We had a fantastic time on holiday in Dorset! We visited Bournemouth, the Oceanarium, Monkey World, the Blue Pond, new Forest and countless little chocolate box villages! I took over 250 photos so keep an eye out for new LO's coming up!

This little chap was so sweet, and such a poser for the camera, can't wait to sit down and scrap a LO of him!

I am so rubbish!

I just can't get into the habit of this posting everyday lark, let alone a photo everyday!!! Must try harder! Anyone heres a couple piccys for today, both LO's for the DT, one was a spectacular piece of driftwood on a beach near me, well worth the effort to get the photo, it was a LONG walk to the deserted, isolated beach! The other is a DLO I did in a CJ, the title was "So..." So basically anything you want! I decided on a LO of raccoons, my favourite animal, so cute, clever and appealing.

A couple of bikes!!!

I came home from work to be met with motorbikes! Parking was a "bar steward" though!!
There's a massive bike festival today in aid of Essex Air Ambulance and their are THOUSANDS of them, everywhere you look! Now I'm not into bikes in the slightest but some of them are works of art, in every colour imagineable, even one covered in glitter! Can't wait to have a shot at scrapping some of my pics I only took 52 shots!!

My Space

My poor blog has suffered these last few days, I just don't seem to have the time to get in here and post everyday, let alone take a picture to upload everyday!! Anyhow. I decided it was high-time I uploaded a piccy of my space, where all the action happens, where masterpieces are made and disasters occur all too frequently!! Most recently was a glass of blackcurrant hitting the deck, I still have a large purple stain on my cutting matm although thankfully not too much damage!

Recycle!

Had great fun doing this jar, it was for the CTYD weekly challenge, and an excellent challenge it is too! It was an old coffee jar, but with a bit of glass paint (I forgot how long that stuff takes to dry! HOURS!) and a candle in the lid, it takes on a whole new lease of life! Not sure what I'm going to do with it now though! The words are Terra, Aer, Ignis & Aqua (Earth, Air, Fire & Water) plus all the signs of the zodiac and the planets.

Today's Picture

My first LO for my first challenge for the first design team I have ever been on! And that HOTP kit is stunning, got loads of potential and hours of entertainment! Just printed off a couple more pictures for my next LO, have a few other projects done as well, but can't show them off just yet! Watch this space!

DOH!

Todays pic, is a LO a did a while back after one of my little mishaps, I got to thinking about the LO so for that reason and that alone here it is! The photo was taken after I somehow got dishwasher rinse aid in my eye and it left me with an acid burn, really quite painful but no lasting damage thankfully!

The Moon Rising

Back to Work!

Well, in about 3 hours I will be back at work and it feels like that back to school feeling I used to get, a bit nervous and hesitant, dread and sad that the breaks over but I know inside that I will be fine when I get there! Only difference is I hated school whereas work isn't as bad!
Thought I would post todays picture a little early as I am sure I will be exhausted when I get back at 10pm tonight so here it is. A nice clump of ripening blackberries, a sure sign that autumn is just around the corner and very apt for how I am feeling right now!

It's been a nice summer (not the weather)

Since I started working after I left school I haven't had one summer off! Until this year, I am due back at work tomorrow after six long glorious weeks, which apart from the dismal weather and the slight inconvenience of having an operation has been fantastic, I'd forgotten what it was like to have such a long period away from work and the answer is BLISS! But never mind, I'm sure I will soon get back into the swing of things again!
This is todays pic, I love this one of the swan because he has a little drip of water on the end of his beak! I was feeding a pair of them and they really came up close, they made some very cute noises while they were eating!!