First day blues

My boys have gone to school and I am missing them. I am feeling the blues when I play "Jackson Street Blues" (Incidentally, that's the grade 5 piece I started at the beginning of the holiday and guess what, I had a lesson on Saturday and I've pulled it off! But let's leave that for another day ).

The house feels huge and empty without them. H starts at the Upper school today so with both boys at the same site, only one drop off point for me. There will be a few after school headache though but I am sure we will cope. The major point will be trying to motivate J to join more clubs! But we can't be too pushy, he has some IGCSE to contend with in June.

It started with this

I was asked to do a layout for Scrapbook Magazine and the brief was to try a new style. I made Angkor Wat that you can see above. It uses very little patterned paper and generally "very light". I started by stamping the 3 frame stamps to form anchors to the 3 separate areas on my layout. This gave me 3 areas around which to group "stuff".


Centenary Ball followed, in the same vein. The photo was taken when we arrived for the Ball at school to celebrate the Prep school's 100th year. I don't usually like to do B&W but we were dressed in black anyway, so. I added very little to the page. Some saving stamps, K&Co die cuts, some Prima flowers, an old Daisy D journalling spot...

And whilst I was feeling nostalgic last week, I made Anticipating Paris. The photo was taken (and printed) 20 years ago from our first trip to Paris ( aaahhh). I didn't use a lot on this layout either, just my favourite chicken wire stamp from Prima and some Cavallini & Co stickers.

So what do you call this style ? I am enjoying doing this. I have far too much little things that would go unused otherwise. But what do I do with all my patterned paper ?

3 layouts from Alton Towers

My class is on at The Studio

Check this out.

You can fly

We went to AirKix in Milton Keynes last weekend. And, H could fly.
He went in, smiling all the way and he flew like a natural. On his helmet was a monkey and if you imagine one of those "cymbal banging monkey", the monkey on H's helmet was doing the same throughout. It looked as though the monkey was clapping. So the Superman award goes to H.

I did ok, I managed to fly but I kept sinking to the bottom. Because I am very flexible, I managed to curve my whole body backwards rather than bending my legs. My, how I hurt the very next day. When I got into the wind tunnel, initially I was a bit apprehensive. I was even holding my breath. Then I thought, I can't do anaerobic respiration for a whole 1 minute 15...even sprinters can't. So I took a deep breath and I was fine, I even managed to enjoy myself. I don't think I will be taking this up though...I don't look good in a jumpsuit.

J and A didn't do very well. Their legs were all over the place. Perhaps it does not help to have endlessly long legs to do this ?

We exchanged our Tesco clubcard vouchers for a family flight ...more fun than a bag of groceries, that's for sure. And very good deal with the 4x value.

And I made this layout with the photo.

The Studio is having a cybercop

Will you join me ? I am doing a class. If you fancy having a go, check out the supply list.

We rode on Fourteen or was it thirteen ?

Imagined our surprise to see Thirteen that we rode yesterday is now called Fourteen. Alton Towers renamed their new roller coaster because it is Friday the 13th. They have replaced all the labels on the shop and coaster just for one day. They even had some limited edition Fourteen mugs and t-shirts. Personally, I think the 13 inserted into the word works better in Fourteen because it is missing an I in Thirteen.
Sadly, we didn't get the photo. J said, "Nope, we are not getting that. I don't look good in it." LOL. He has actually been excellent in posing for the photos. Whilst we were all screaming down a steep fall, J retained his composure and smiled. We bought the photos in digital format on USB bracelet. I did try to ask what quality the photos would be ( to general laughter from my family ) but they "photographer" thought I was mad. Here are a couple from our family favourite rides.


You were not expecting Nemesis, were you ?