Strange day

I had a really strange day today. Strange for me because I generally feel, and am quite calm. I have the occasional rant, Do you rant? but today I had feelings of crossness, (is that a word?) anger, upset, disappointment, that’s it! and chuck it all in, kind of a day. All because my neighbour cut down his own forsythia bush and exposed their kitchen to me! Honestly, I do know that it was totally irrational of me, but that’s how I felt. It was their bush to do what they like with, they cut it down because it was in the way, and it spoilt my view. Off I went to the garden centre and bought a trellis, (yes, I admit, it is quite big). Tomorrow my boys have been instructed to put it up against the wall at such a height that I won’t be able to see into their kitchen from my kitchen. Obviously they won’t be able to see into mine either which will be a bonus.
If you are wondering how I persuaded them to do this for me, I threatened to cook our evening meal in my knickers. (not a pretty sight from where ever you look I assure you!)

Two pictures that make me happy to lift my mood.

twiggy silhouette


This one is a silhouette of my lovely twig. I have had this a while now. I rescued it from the beautiful but sick cherry in the garden. I took two small branches for inside and a large branch for the patio (another post)

I set the twigs firmly in sand and I hang pretty things from the branches. I love it. I have taken lots of photos of it but none have pleased me until this one. No colour and no detail but to me it shows just what it is, a place to hang pretty things. I need pretty things around me, especially today.





Karen’s hen

Karen's hen

This photo was sent to me by my lovely friend Karen. She made this door stop all by herself. Not very remarkable you might say but she tells me that she can’t do anything in the least bit crafty, I don’t believe that to be true.
My friend cooks and bakes, that, to me, is every bit as crafty as cutting up bits of paper. Karen bakes the most wonderful cakes, and, at the drop of a hat, on the spur of the moment, just because she wants too or feels like it or there is a sale on and cakes are needed. I need a fortnights notice to make a cake! yesterday I needed cake and had to go to the supermarket to buy one. Now she is sewing stuff! I think it’s beautiful Karen, much like you.

In My Garden

A mini book for 2010.

Every month I take some photos of what’s flowering in the garden and incorporate them into a mini book.

I am trying to keep the pages clean and simple (not easy for me!) with the same theme running through the year, just the photos, the month, some journaling, minimal embellishments and one large 5 x 7 photo on the facing page.

The picture at the top of my blog is one I took of the Ribes (flowering currant) in May this year, the beautiful bee was a bonus.

The pages for June & July are below with the rest of the book here.

In my garden June 2010

In my garden July 2010

I am looking forward to seeing what I come up with for my August pages as everything is either soggy, blown to bits and dead thanks to the wind and rain, or if it’s a weed or the lawn, growing as you look at it!

Light Issues

I can only take photo’s in the evening after work and it’s much too dark in my room to take pictures to post on here. I had a treat and bought some lamps, what with the black back cloth on my  worktop, I look, for all the world like a studio! Me who has only just learnt  to take my camera setting off auto! I spent some time last weekend taking some pictures of the pages I have done for Shimelle’s class. I am still working through the prompts, it will keep me going for at least another month before I embark on her September class: Learn Something New Every Day. Although I didn’t get last years finished I still have everything ‘ready to go’ Hey Ho, that’s life and some times it gets in the way of play.

1st page

I have some lovely Marimekko images that my son brought me in from Helsinki. I used the paper napkins for the flowers and circle mat on this layout of my favourite things.

Zillions of flowers

This is the rh page. Another first, a double page LO. I am learning so much from this class. To make the flowers I separated the napkin down to one layer and ironed it onto some medium weight iron on interfacing then cut around the flower shape, layered various sizes, added a button…simples!

Zillions of flowers

This was the first time I have been able to use different patterns on a page, OK, two of them are plain, but it’s a start.

Use a small photo an an embellishment

I tried, I really did

but, like Topsy, it just grew

Just a tiny picture defeated me completely.

Then came Keep it Simple. We had a fab day at Bristol Zoo with the camera, the sunshine and all animals awake. Last time we went to the zoo it was after lunch and all animals were asleep! This time we got there early.

I just couldn’t resist this picture for my ‘Keep it Simple’ LO.

Simples!

Shimell's new class

I am loving Shimell’s new class. It’s a natural follow on from Cheryl’s photography class for me.

I took these pictures this week

favourite things

Yesterday I discovered Picasa and put them all together for My Favorite Things page!

Such a great way to put lots of pictures on here without wearing out your mouse button by scrolling.

I am still putting my pages together so I’ll post them later.