The Boys ..... and WOYWW 12

I cannot believe it is WOYWW ...already. I am actually ashamed to show you my area this week, which is saying something about the mess, as normally I'm quite proud of my chaos in a funny way. The problem was that i didn't tidy it before I went away and I have just added to it all ... including a little order I made at a Stampin Up Party the other week, which arrived yesterday and is now balanced on the top of it all ... Earthtones card and pads and a large grey pad which I thought might come in useful for vintage. I will wait 'til the end before I decide whether or not to inflict a possible heart attack on those of a tidy nature.

I went over to see my gorgeous GS's on Friday. The journey seems long, only due to the fact that it takes a bus and two trains but it was a glorious day. I have lived up here for nearly five years and I still get a thrill as the train crosses the Firth of Forth and the sun glints on the rippling water below. The fields that passed by were like a huge quilt, worked in patches of golden yellow and green and the sky was a vibrant blue blanket, punctuated by teased balls of cotton wool, just motionlessly suspended there. As I stared at the view before me I was reminded of some thing I had heard about the painter Lowry. It was the fact that he used an infinite number of whites when painting skies and I began to understand why.

Finally I arrived and I could not believe how much they had grown ... more in development than in size ...iyswim. I could wax lyrical for inches and inches of post space but I will just show you some photos of the weekend ... 'A picture paints a thousand words ...





Oh how I love being a Nana ... all that playing and none of the problems. They are still such good little souls but love to wrestle each other.The tears that sometimes result can be banished so easily with a game of 'Peek a Boo'.
They approach every new food with a healthy curiosity and this weekend we found that they were not impressed by fresh strawberries or raspberries but loved their mums goulash ... even though it was a little spicy.Although Emma and Steve have tried so hard not to let them watch TV, they have given in and during afternoon Snack Time they have a little viewing time ... three notes of the Night Garden music and they are motionless and inthralled in the antics before them. I am glad to see that they love their stories and they love looking at books ... and it is planned that this never changes.


I think there are signs that they are going to be a real handful as they are already defeating their parents attempts to child proof the front room ....thank goodness for playpens ...they give you time to repair and recover. What will happen when they are actually walking ?????
OK ....Back to WOYWW
Just a peak of what I bought and thats balancing on the top of everything

OK ....I give in ....here it is in all its glory!!!!!

I know I have over loaded you with Ben and Jake photos but I had to sneak this one in ...we all went Ahhhhh when they did this .

Thanks for putting up with me being a typical doting Nana ...I prommise I will tidy my area and do something scrappy ASAP.

Take Care xx

WOYWW ...wk11

This is what is on my mat ...it is inspired by Ann at ' Cupboard Crafter' who used a matchbook to display extra photos on a LO. She kindly passed on the instructions to me and I thought I would have a go.
This is my first attempt and I have used it as a sort of brag/memory book for my sons partner ...just so she can see and be proud of how the boys have grown and developed under her wonderful care. I have to change the cover as over zealous scoring caused it to now show signs of splitting ...thank goodness I hadn't decorated it yet.

Now for what is on my actual working area ....

Even more chaos... the other half is worse ...you see I didn't tidy up after all those LO's ...I just threw myself into the match book making. Can you see my little dustbin on the table ...had to get something with a lid as the cats kept stealing and eating the plastic back of the DST and it was causing them problems..
I promise I will tidy up tomorrow as I will be away visiting my wonderful and edible grandsons this weekend ... not forgetting my son and Emma too lol
If the boys had been born on their due date, they would have been a year on the 14th. Emma says they are on the move now and that gates have had to be put up. Anytime soon they will be likely to take their first steps I would guess. Cant wait to see them ...and of course ...take photos.

I'm off to make 'Spag Bol' ... I like to make it early and let the flavours infuse .... then add some fresh Oregano at the end, when I reheat it and cook the pasta. I love it when I have fresh herbs and there are new tender bay leaves on the bush. Every time I make it it is different ... I really should write the recipe down when it is a good one ...but then variety is the spice of life lol

Take Care xx

Have replaced the damaged cover so I thought I would show you the finished Match Book

Will post on my return. xx

The Results of my experiment

Well ... after no scrapping mojo for ages I have tried doing several LO's at once and it seems to have worked. I found that as I ran out of inspiration on one, I did the mundane bits on the next, like tape on the back, or inking edges and I mused as I went, on the one after ...and so it went on. I started the project on Tuesday evening and finished on Sunday afternoon ... discounting Saturday, when I did no scrapping. One LO usually takes me days as I dither over what to use ...even when I have mojo. They are all heritage ones and so I will blog them on 'G the P' with a little bit of the history behind them. This is my Mum in an amateur production This is my Great Aunt and her family The next two are of my grand parents and I have used the background I created from scraps. They are not really a DLO but will be next to each other in the album. The names are their affectionate nicknames for each other. These are a DLO of my husbands Great Grandfather, who lost his arm in the American Civil War. LHS RHS Hope you like them
Thanks for looking
Take Care xx

An Award to pass on.

This is just a quickey to thank Judith properly for my lovely award and to FINALLY pass it on. I was really chuffed and will display it with pride. She is right ...it is wonderful to have all these new friends who share our interests and our life.
My problem is I am useless when it comes to links and things so I have to wait until someone is free to sort me out.

Judith from My Life and Creations

It is so difficult to decide who to pass it on to .... old favourites or newer friends? ... but I have decided and here is my list.

Sending to:
Pam
Kit
Chell
Darcy
Ally F

I hope you accept, display it and pass it on. There were no instructions so I am assuming the normal conditions apply ... links ... and letting everyone know ... that last bit I CAN do lol.

I have finished my LO's that were part of an experiment and I am really pleased as I did no scrapping on Saturday ....6 LO's in less than a week .... a record for me. I will snap them and post tomorrow.

Take Care xx

CATS ...dont you just love them.

ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

What are you doing????????


OK ...We are awake now



I am NOT amused

The bed ....yes there is a bed under Sayba and Sid ... usually holds one or two of our smallest cats ...that is to say really small ...as Phoebe is only the size of a 3month old kitten yet is two.
Smudge however, did not think it was funny that I was using a flash at 1 am lol
Just thought I would share
Take care xx

Week 10 ... WOYWW

Wednesday has come round again and I'm ready to report on my desk and my own progress ....mojo wise.
After having a mojo famine, I tried an experiment ...fueled by Julia's thoughts on the subject of creating. Instead of pondering long and hard over one LO, as I normally do, and having other LO ideas fly in and out of the space between my ears but rarely managing to stay there ... I decided to work on several LO at the same time, moving papers around between a group of selected photos. The idea is to think about them all at the same time. When it comes to journalling and embellishments the same sort of process applies. I suddenly realized that it is exactly what my daughter ...and probably most of you do ... when preparing for a crop. I however don't ... I seem only take the bits for one and maybe a half done one to finish. Most of my time at a crop is spent chatting... yes I am one of those irritating people that can put you off attending again ... but I do try to chat about scrapping lol.
The result has been interesting as I only started yesterday. So far I have prepared ...4 SLO's and a double .... by tomorrow they should be 3/4 done and ready to post by Saturday ...well that's the theory. If it works I will have done more than I have ever managed in less than a week. I have to say that they all have a heritage theme.


Now ... for those of you who have a weak disposition and are naturally ... or compulsively... tidy
LOOK AWAY NOW


This is my area at the moment ...I have just left it to do this . I have bagged them up by LO ....just in case a feline, or two, decide that they are comfy enough to sleep on.

Last but not least ...Ben and Jake went to Ireland for a holiday, to visit their other Nana and these are three of the photos I was sent ...there are so many ... you may get more later.



Not sure why the first two are small !!!!



Hopefully I will be back in a few days, with lots of LO's done

Take Care xx

Flutter by ... Butterfly

Another beautiful day ...how lucky can we be ...three in a row. Yesterday I managed to get the washing done, and a tiny bit of house work..only the essentials though ... the bits that wag their finger at you.

I grabbed the camera and chased some butterflies this morning and then had a little play with the results.













Not sure how I have just done this ... there is probably an easy way to get this collage from Picasa but I just kept pressing things and it sort of worked ... I think it was what I was trying to do ... but I like it ... must try and remember what I actually did lol Click on the photo to see the delicate beauty of these wonderful creatures

That cat has been back by the look of poor Felix's ear but I have chased it down the path a couple of times, with hose in hand and water on full power .... while shrieking like a banshee. Try not to visualise it .... not a pretty sight especially the morning I was still in nighty and slippers.
I have decided I do need a Super Soaker so that's my next considered purchase. I think 'IT' is very slowly realizing that my garden is not part of 'ITs' patch, as he is becoming a slightly less frequent prowler.

At long last my bank bits seem to be sorted which is a weight off my mind but I will not believe it until I see it all in black and white ... on good old fashioned paper.

Still no mojo but then I haven't cleared my head of all its worries yet. I spent some time looking at papers today and just got more frustrated. I have decided that the background paper I chose is great but .... nothing seems to fit with it. Again that maybe a cluttered brain ... only time will tell.
I think I might just put everything away and start again ...maybe tomorrow.


Take Care xx

Chillin' by the Sea

Today was another of Scotlands rare Summer days .... Sun blazing all day ...well for us it was blazing .... I know for anyone who does not live here, it would be just warm at about 23 degrees ... but to us its ... HOT. Ideal weather for doing loads of washing and doing some gardening ... was it ****... (excuse the language). We jumped on the bus (a 10 min ride), grabbed a Chip Buttie at the Shore Head, a cake from the Bakers and a drink to wash it all down and then walked along the beach, picking up pretty stones, until I found somewhere to sit and eat. I just chilled, took in the view and breathed in the wonderful sea air. I know we live further along the coast but there isn't a beach there and some how the air is different. Things are still not sorted with my bank...today do I care? .... I'm giving up for a few days ...its on record that I've tried to sort things and so I'm preparing to do battle again soon ...but not today ...I'm just chillin' and letting the world go by.
This is me ....... on my rock ... in front of the sea wall ... and the view from my rock !!! In the distance is Largo Law and then I watched the tide roll in before making a move homeward. A GREAT day. Maybe all this relaxing will help with my mojo ... yes Julia, I think it is the things on my mind that are causing the block.

Take care xx

PS I have not forgotten that I have got 2 awards to claim and send on ...thankyou again ladies xx

Week 9 .... WOYWW

I blinked and the week vanished ... as has my mojo. It's sort of lurking in a far corner of what could be laughingly called a brain but when I sit to create it retreats futher. I have the beginings of an idea for a LO of my Mum in her teens but I cant yet form the LO in real terms. I'm thinking spots and you will see why when thought turns into an actual LO ... soon I hope.

Is it really Wednesday ... already? ... I'm sure it is only Tuesday.
Sorry for posting so late but at least it still is Wednesday.

It is strange but my mojo has never truely come back since Del was Cat napped and then just when I had a glimmer of inspiration at the weekend, Lucky extiguished it with her regergitation of supper, over my work area. Those cats of mine have a lot to answer for.

Well, in order not to have an empty area, I turned to one of my other loves ....cooking.
So this week I covered my area in ......... FOOD .... lol. Good old fashioned stuff.
Here are what is left of a batch of basic scones ... made with naturally soured milk..they are best eaten on the day they are baked ... with butter and jam ... thats why there are only 4 left ... out of 12 .... YUM.The other is my Healthy( ish) Flap Jacks. They have no added sugar/honey/or syrup but I have yet to find a way of reducing the fat and keep them at all yummy in flavour... well you cant have everything.
Lastly these are two papers from a range I had forgotten that I still had ... I was so excited as I loved 'Wild Apparagus' and the bling is my treat to myself.

Thanks for dropping by ... shame we couldn't share a buttered scone over a beverage of your choice lol.

Take Care xx

I should have stayed in bed !

Thank goodness Saturday is no more ...what a rubbish day. Who ever said that Internet and Telephone banking is the way to go should be shot ....bring back old fashioned Bank Managers.

I have been trying to sort out a problem for the last two weeks. It was actually my mistake to start with but the bank has admitted that the rest of it was theirs. On Saturday I found it still not to be resolved. So, after numerous calls requiring me to use the key pad choices that rarely apply and finally ...after refusing to touch anything ... being put through to a person whose mike was so close to their mouth that the speech was unintelligible, I was in tears with frustration. I finally got through to someone who spoke clearly... who took my telephone number in case I was cut off ... again ... and seemed to be sorting it all out until I was ... yes you guessed it ... cut off yet again. Strangely, about the same number of minutes as the last time but I was only slightly stressed as I knew she would ring back. Well .... I waited ....and waited ....nothing happened and by this time it was too late to try again. I can only hope she sorted it and felt there was no need to ring this crazy lady back. I have to wait until Wednesday to check if its all gone through. I think this calls for a long letter ...but I'm not sure who to !!!! and I will wait 'til its sorted before I put finger to key.
It was now was 12 ....and I realized that I had been on and off the phone for one and a half hours to an 0845 number that is not included in my 'free' package...grrrrrrr ...... and I still needed to pop in to a Tescos for a few groceries.
I don't drive so its a 7 mile bus journey and a short walk but the ride is quick and mostly picturesque so I actually enjoy it. Jacket on ...trolley in hand and other hand on door knob was the signal to the heavens ... to empty its heavy load. I thought I would wait for it to stop but for the next three hours it poured.

I decided to forget about shopping ...I could improvise and I had all the bits for supper ... Veggie Curry ... Yum ...well that was what it was supposed to be but ...maybe due to the stress of the day I made it far too hot. We like mild dishes and for us this was tooooo hot. The addition of cream helped, as I had no yogurt but still only I was able to eat it. Jay and Vicki had to put up with a visit to the 'Chippy' !!

On Friday I mentioned, in passing on here, that I had a glimmer of mojo ...well that is all it was but I did choose some papers and a LO was forming in my mind. What a shame that I left them out on the table ... Saturday was about to finish in the way it started ....badly... Lucky threw up, all over the table ...and my papers. How can such a tiny cat's stomach hold so much food ??????

OH I feel so much better sharing that all with you

When the rain stopped I had to stand in the garden and breath gently to reduce stress so I took these flower photos and I thought I'd share them with you too



Oh dear ... this is a long post ....sorry ... but well done those of you who got to the end lol

Take Care xx