19th wedding anniversary

It is our wedding anniversary today and he bought me this sofa. No, we've not gone mad. I started doing upholstery in September and have now finished (well, nearly! ) our dining chairs. I'll share that soon. In the mean time, I've been looking for my next project and found this at an antique shop the other side of the country. It is being couriered over in the next couple of weeks and I can't wait to get ripping all that apart. I am very excited.

2 weeks, 2 stores, 1 layout..

That sounds cryptic. Let me explain.

Hilary asked me how I go about creating my layouts. I am not sure I came up with a convincing reply. I don't really have a set procedure, my layouts take shape as inspiration strike. Here's how one layout came about.

About 2 weeks ago, I was lying in bed trying to go to sleep (don't worry, this is not a bedroom story! ). Lucky him, he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. My mind started wandering, I started thinking about the day's events. I usually get a comprehensive report from H as to what went on at school and today was no exception. He told me how they were researching interest rates and a home for their money for 2 years without exit penalty. Woo...I was impressed. He said they were going to do shares next. He was full of enthusiasm. Wouldn't that make a great LO ? So the next thing going through my mind is the LO. Though I didn't get very far ( I assume I was asleep very soon ), I thought about what I am going to say...something along the line of "you find maths tedious but as soon as they stuck a £ sign infront of the numbers, everything change.working on interest rates and shares really captured your imagination".

A couple of days later I was in PCWorld and saw a boxed software entitled, "I hate maths" where the word hate has been scribbled out and replaced with love. Right, perfect title for my layout too.

Last Saturday I was in the "new" Anthropologie store on Regent Street in London. They had a sign by the till saying "Please queue here". Shame I haven't got a photo to share but I will attempt to describe it. It is made of a beige card, with a sheet of grid paper in the middle and a few strips of masking tapes going across the page. On the masking tape strips, they have "stamped" the words "Please queue here". And you know what, that became the basis of my layout.

On Monday, I went to pick up from school armed with my camera. I persuaded H to let me take a photo of him.

Yesterday I set about making this layout. I have rephrased the journalling a bit so I get to mention the positive (enthusiasm) before the negative (tedious). It is called "love maths". Otherwise, it is pretty much as I had seen in the stores and planned. I stamped "hate" on a strip of masking tape, scribbled out and wrote "love" instead. I have also used a sheet of square ruled paper.

And here it is. Funny how this layout is a result of a visit to 2 very different stores. You must think I am forever shopping ! How do you make yours ? What is the best place for inspiration ?

For my Valentine

I have made this canvas. I recently "discovered" Claudine Hellmuth whilst perusing craft books on Amazon and bought Collage Discovery Workshop.

The canvas was first covered with a sheet of piano music ( a love song, of course! ) before I added gesso, acrylic paint and tissue paper. Then I added "us", with book page upper body as per instructions in Claudine's book. I added a tree cut out (that was intended for another project but didn't make it on there ), some Glitz roller stamp, the two love birds in the tree and some distressed inky edges. Lastly some stickles for sparkly shoes and diamond necklace and "all you need is love" stamped discreetly at the bottom.

It still feels a bit bare and sparse for my taste but I hope he likes it. Next project is a little card to go with it. Or maybe two cards seeing as it is our wedding anniversary the day after Valentine's day. So, what have you made for your beloved ?

A frosty morning

It usually takes us 15 minutes to arrive at school but this morning's journey took us 45 minutes. I hope J wasn't too late for first lesson. I was queueing for most of the four miles there but the scary part was the journey back. My traction control came on several times but the worse part was when an idiot on a bike decided to cut in front of me whilst I was turning down into our road. Some cyclists seems to have a death wish! Supposed I couldn't stop ? I also saw a car and several bikes stopped at one roundabout ( no serious injury that I could spot ) but I am guessing the driver couldn't stop her car ?

We had a sprinkling of snow on Saturday and the days have been sunny and frosty since then. Unfortunately, not enough to provide pretty photo opportunity! So here are some photos from last year. I made this LO for Scrapbook Magazine Issue 43.

Those poor horses provided a very pastoral scenic photo opportunity. Old house, old village ( we were fighting BT to keep that red phone box! ) and a day off school. I think everyone stayed home that day. The village felt very festive, everyone was out playing in the snow followed by lunch in the pub. I managed to use some "old" fabric tabs, I can't even recall the name of the company who made them. Are they still trading ?

Judith, this is for you...

My friend Judith celebrated a big birthday last May. I promised to make a little book of the photos I took at the party. Many months later ( I am embarassed to say! ) it is finally ready to give. I am meeting Judith tomorrow, I hope she will like it.

The book is Daisy D's that I covered with Crate Paper. I added loads of stickles, some stickers and plenty of Kraft paper journalling pages for Judith to record her own memory of the event. I hope she hasn't forgotten!

What did you get in the sale ?

I bought some grid and ledger Scenic Route papers (before they go out of print! ) and splashed out on a few bottles of Glimmer Mist in the sale. I got some of the Winter 2009 Limited edition. And I have been playing...

First up is H in his costume for French day at school last year. He was very specific (and boy, he is fussy about what he wears! ) that he wanted to be Sans Culotte, obviously in the tricolore. I made the hat, the waist coat and belt. Then I rescused one of his "soon to be recycled" trousers and added patches. I sprayed the journalling block. This is my first go with the spray bottles so I opted for simple and easily replaced journalling block.
Next are some photos from last summer in Florida. The cardstock is a lot more sandy brown colour but for some reason, the photo of the layout has come up very yellow. I started with plain cardstock, added some Hambly rub ons and the title using alphabet stickers. I sprayed some Glimmer Mist before adding some beach type words using clear stamps.

Last up is the photo I showed you last week, of my year group at school. It is called My Good Fortune.

When are you too old to start something new ?

Is it true that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks ? I don't think so, which is why I took up playing the piano two years ago. This has always been something I wished I had the opportunity/inclination to learn when I was younger. I am not musical and cannot read music, H even go as far as saying I am tone deaf! LOL.

Two years later, I have to say reading the music is easy. The problem is my fingers are no longer nimble. I particularly feel this right now, trying to learn a piece by Tchaikovsky. Ok, actually I am learning 3 pieces by him. I started playing "A Sick Doll" which I love, especially the last dying breath. I really felt the emotion coming through, I said to my piano teacher Jenny, "The doll must be dead by now" to which she replied, "there is Dolly's Funeral". So I rushed out and bought Tchaikovsky Opus 39 Album for the young. And you know what, once Dolly is dead and buried ( with one big sob in the middle ), you go out and buy "The New Doll". The first piece and the last are ok for my not so nimble fingers but "Dolly's Funeral", I didn't know anyone could move their fingers like that required for this piece! Need more practise, I think!

It would be easy if I have young and long fingers like those that J possesses ( is that too many S ? ). He is currently playing his first Beethoven Sonata. I am a proud mum. He did and passed his grade 5 exam last term. Since then, his playing and ethics when it comes to practising has improved somewhat. I guess you could say he has matured. Here is a LO documenting a part of his piano journey. I am delighted that he posed at the piano for me to enable me to do this LO.

This LO is called "No more measles" but you might be wondering what piano has got to do with measles. Right ? It is just a phrase our piano teacher used, she described doing piano grade exams as some sort of long illness and now that he has passed, he is so over it.

Ok, the butterfly die cut sheet didn't come out to play. I am saving it for your visit Hilary, if you are reading. I did however blow out on the Sassafras products. I did wonder how many felted monsters I would ever use and I only have a couple left! The Anthem papers are just perfect for a piano layout.