Blog Anniversary

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Miriam Rogers

Well, how did that happen?

A whole year has passed since I posted my first post, and this will be post number 200. It kind of crept up on me so I haven’t a plan ready.
I started like many of you, very tentatively, telling no-one. I bought ‘Blogging for Bliss’ and learned lots about blog etiquette, and how to do this or that. Some I do some I don’t.
I didn’t comment, I felt like an intruder in a private club. I made myself do it. Amy helped there. And so it continued on and on posting this and that, whatever came into my mind, comments or no comments. Trying more than anything to be just me.
I am still not very gregarious, I don’t join in everything but I am feeling less anxious and more content with what I do.
I have learnt that there is insufficient time in my day to do this!
It is such fun, it is my stress reliever.
I have learnt how to use my DSLR and now I love love love it. I decided, all by my self that I wanted a new lens. If you knew me you would know what a major breakthrough that was!
I have learnt a little photoshop, I think it is the most fun you can have with your clothes on or off! As long as I don’t have that little camera at the top of my screen on so as not to scare you.
I have learnt some html, gosh that makes posting easier.
I have learnt, and am posting some digital layouts.

There are so many inspirational people out there in blogland and I have ‘met’ just a few.

And all because one day last May I began to wonder if I might think about having a blog!
And in June I made it so….
So to you reading this, whether you have visited me once or many times, commented or not.

Thank you!

I have been photographing a pretty pale pink peony over the last seven days. I made this collage in Picassa which I don’t find particularly intuitive but I do like the results that you get from playing!

A giveaway

Later
I went into town today to look for something to give away on my blog to celebrate 200 posts and being 1 in blogging years.

I looked at sooo many craft books and art books and funny books and fabric and bead books but nothing was right. I put them all back, took a deep breath and just walked around the shop until I saw the book I am giving away on my blog. The book called to me, I wasn’t looking for it.
Typical of me, it has absolutely nothing to do with blogging, craft, photography or anyone of the myriad of things that I blog about.
This is what I was thinking. Apart from one or two people I have no idea where any of you live, and unless you read all my posts you have little or no idea where I live. So this instantly appealed to somewhere dark and mysterious in my fuddled brain, it’s the place that only I understand.

My giveaway is a really lovely book about the town I now live in. It is definitely not a tourist guide.
…It came as a shock to me to discover that a busy, jolly lady who had spent more than sixty years in this town had never visited Anchor Head…
…The perception of the town is so locked into the tripper zone of the sea-front that much of it is left unregarded and undiscovered….
And It has beautiful watercolour paintings to accompany the text.
And just because it appealed to me I bought another book as well, just for you.

Ok, in the comments, if you would like to receive my gift to you, tell me a hint or tip or secret you have learned that makes blogging better for you.

Scrapping the Moment

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Miriam Rogers

A couple of pages inspired by Amy’s challenge to scrap the moment…

Time

This is Ben on his new Suzuki SX650 bike, May 2011. The earlier picture was taken in May 2004, a blue Suzuki too…how spooky is that? Mind you there was no-one more impressed than Ben to think his mother knew she had a picture of him on a big blue bike. OK I didn’t know what make it was… but!

The Lo is from Cathy Zielske. It was her LO in a kit I bought from Designer Digitals called ‘For Humanity’

With this ring

I posted this for Sian’s Story Telling Sunday on Sunday 1st May Amy said “you should scrap that” I have been playing with the LO for ages and I am still not sure about it but here it is, at least until I change it again.

The Lo is from Alexa

Project 64

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Miriam Rogers

What a fabulous sunny colour this is, and today, at last we have sunshine and not a drop of rain. Have a look over here to see some beautiful sunny finds.

I was in the florist buying some cornflowers when I noticed the card with the colour scribble on in my purse
“Do you have anything this colour?” I asked the florist. She looked at me but didn’t say “of course we have we are a florist!” Off she went and brought me a yellow rose, an orange rose and said “If you mix these colours together you get this!” Ta da! Another purchase made.

This was on my desk when I saw this weeks colour reveal. No my desk isn’t in a field, I thought that although a good colour match a bottle of juice wasn’t very exciting so I found a lovely texture called ‘grasses’ and had a play.

I bought these poppies a couple of weeks ago because they were such sunny bright colours, they have had so many flowers on already.

The crisps were only purchased for photographic purposes mind!

Texture Tuesday

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Miriam Rogers

My local florist had these beautiful cornflowers in this week. I bought a bunch of them and a plant so next year I might have my own.
Kim Klassen’s texture challenge is Garden, how lovely is that? There will be wonderful textures here this week that’s for sure!

Cornflowers

This has two layers of Kim’s Stained Linen texture. The first layer is at soft light blend mode, the second at normal blend mode with opacity set to fifty percent and the big round soft brush over the stems and flowers.

Philadelphus heavy with rain

This has one layer of Not Too Shabby texture at normal blend mode and opacity set to 50% and February Magic edges and the big round soft brush over the blossom.

Alchemilla Mollis looking wonderful in the rain this morning

This has two layers of Golden texture both set at soft light. I set the second layer slightly smaller than the first to give my picture a frame. I used the big soft round brush over the whole area.

Iris
This Iris is so pretty but it grows against a grey stone wall and never photographs well, but then I discovered textures!

This has February Magic edges, one layer of Plaster 2 at soft light blend mode. I brushed the big round soft brush over the flower. I used a tiny part of an overlay and reduced the opacity down to 75% but once again I don’t know where I got the overlay from, it was long before I really knew how to use them. If anyone knows let me know? I have a much better labelling system in place now!

So that’s a little look in my garden on a wet bank holiday Monday. And of course a link to the wonderful Kim Klassen and her Texture Tuesday

Five for the Future

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Miriam Rogers

It’s another Amy ‘scrapping in the moment’ challenge.
Photograph five things that probably won’t be here in five years time.

My printer
It is technology so it will be outdated within 5 years, surely?

My phone
I am expecting to update within five years but the truth might be different, we will see, only because I’ve done this challenge!

My pretty new bag.
This is ‘The One’, this is my forever (summer) bag. Haha watch this space.

My work filofax.
Oh if this is still needed in five years I will be terribly unhappy.

My boys shoe collection.
This is a tiny part of his shoe collection. (He takes after me)
The reason for this picture is that I hope in five years time he will have a place of his own. I would of course really love him to be still with me but that’s not how I brought him up. I brought him up to be independent. He needs to build his own life, that’s the right way. So when I’ve dried my tears I will be happy that his shoe collection is housed in his own place. Let them go, they will always return. (children, not shoes!)