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Hope you like my new August Blog Banner, celebrating my birthday month. Yes, that is me driving the car, although in the photograph I used I am only 15!

Blog Candy from Anne at 'Pretty'

Anne at 'Pretty' has been having a clear out and offered some blog candy from her stash. I was lucky enough to win some of this candy. Twice in such a short time, seems like it's my lucky month! Thanks very much to Anne for the chance to win this candy XXX

A bridge too far!

One of our fields has a little burn (stream) running through it. About 20 years ago we built a bridge across it, but over the years the railway sleepers had rotted away and it had collapsed.
The guy with the big digger (remember that?) has dug out the bankings and created a new bridge for us that should last at least another 20 years.

Here is Brian inspecting the pipes and moving a stone out of the way.

Better go and have a look down the other end.

Very happy with the new bridge!

'Love Belfast' - Digital LO

I haven't done much digi-scrapping for a while, but had a little time on Sunday and thought I'd do something with one of my Belfast pictures.

Digi Kit: Amy Sumrall - Desmond and Molly

Something Completely Different - Postcard, Books

The Challenge on 'Something Completely Different' is still postcard sized but the theme is Books.

Theme:- BOOKS

Now this is your take on the theme, book titles, favorite passage, love of reading whatever your take is , we can't wait to see what you come up with.

I decided to choose a book which was significant to me, I found it difficult to choose because I love book and have many favourite authors and favourite titles. However, I do remember The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart because I borrowed it from the school library when I was around 13 and it was the first 'adult' title that I had borrowed. No, not that sort of adult book lol! Thinking about it now I realise that I had found the style of writing that I still enjoy reading most, plenty of well-written action, adventure and mystery and not too much lengthy description.

Paper: Crate Paper Lemon Grass collection
Quotes: RAK from Caroline at Bubblyfunk

DCM - On the Edge

The challenge from Daring Card Makers this week is:

On The Edge

We'd love to see you making use of all sorts of border treatments; scallops, trims, pleats, or anything else which makes the edges of your papers and cards look special. You could use Border Punches, Die Cutters, Lace, Fancy Trims and that's just for starters - let your imagination live right on the edge this week - or maybe even go right over the edge!

This is my first chance to use the lovely things I got in my blog candy. My 'edge' is created by cutting round the flowers and the card to reveal more lovely paper on the inside of the card.

Papers & sentiment sticker - Papermania, Touch of Teal Kit
Stamp - My Mind's Eye, Wild Asparagus
Ink - Versacolor, Turquoise and Versamagic, Midnight Black
Glitter Glue- Hampton Art

Bubbly Scrumptious - July Garden Challenge

My project started with this rather old and tatty plant stand which was in my garden shed. However, once I started I realised that I needed a pot for the stand too.

I used the papers from the 'Verbena' Bubbly Funk July Kit. I painted the pot with Gesso and then used Tim Holtz Distress inks and Crackle paint in 'Peeled Paint' to colour it before cutting and pasting the papers onto the pot. I also used some varnish to waterproof it.

The stand also got the paint treatment and a little of the alcohol ink that I bought in Belfast.
Of course, I had to go an buy some matching plants to finish it off!
The plants are Campanula White Clips, Thymus Red Start and Ajuga Burgundy Glow.

Visit to Belfast - July 2009

I've just returned from Belfast where I was attending a conference. I stayed at the Belfast Hilton. This is the view from my room on the first evening. That's the River Laggan and you can see the historic Harland and Wolf shipyard cranes, Samson and Goliath which are now protected and one of them may soon have a restaurant at the top of it!
Here is my room, pretty much a standard hotel room but it was very nice.
The toiletries were lovely La source by Crabtree and Evelyn.
These shots are especially for Kaz! Yes there was a well stocked mini-bar and these photos resulted in the hotel trying to charge me £1.50 because I moved one of the chocolate bars to get a better photo! I wouldn't use anything out of a mini-bar unless I was really, really desperate it is such a rip-off.
Next morning I took another photo out of the window, not so picturesque by daylight! There is a lot of new building work going on in Belfast and it is beginning to look really good, but there are still areas of derelict land.
The conference didn't start until lunchtime, so I had time to go into the city. On the recommendation of a colleague I visited the new Victoria Square shopping centre and went up to the viewing dome at the top. You can see all around Belfast, the security guard offered to take my photo and insisted that we included the cranes!


A few pics of the inside of Victoria Square.

Further wanderings brought me to the City Hall, dominated by the Belfast Eye and Queen Victoria!
I was thrilled to bits when I came across Avoca, I have been to the original mill in the village of Avoca in Eire and also the store in Dublin, but didn't know there was an Avoca store in Belfast. Think sort of Cath Kidston but with more woollen goods! The pic above was part of the window display.
I also managed to find a craft shop. However, due to 'cabin luggage' restrictions I only bought one bottle of alcohol ink as it was a small enough bottle to go through the security.
Sawyers was the most fantastic delicatessen, and again it was frustrating not to be able to bring anything home. Taking this picture reminded me of the one I took of a similar display in Siena.
I would definitely recommend anyone wanting a short break to visit Belfast it was a fascinating place and the people are warm and friendly.

Wow, Wow, Wow!!!

Look at all the fabulous blog candy I received from SueH at Sue's Krafty Kards! The parcel was waiting for me when I returned from my trip to Belfast. I can't believe how generous Sue has been, thank you so much Sue XXX

Blackcurrants

It stayed dry long enough for me to pick our blackcurrants. I've frozen most of them but cooked a few and then added some fresh apricots to the cooked berries. Once cooled I layered it up with a mixture of fresh custard and greek yogurt.

Something Completely Different - Postcard, Turquoise & Brown

Something Completely Different - Postcard Challenge
Theme:- TURQUOISE (OR TEAL) AND BROWN

you can stamp in black and shade but the main colours must be turquoise (teal) and brown

I'm still managing to use up the scraps of K&Co Wild Saffron, which is mainly Turquoise and Brown! I've combined it with a photograph from Gaby Braun's blog 'gaby cajubrasil' which I recoloured to match the theme. My projects seem to have gone all vintage and distressed at the moment, I dare say it will pass lol!

Woo hoo! I won some fabulous blog candy!

I was so excited when I saw Sue H's post to say that I had been drawn as the winner of her amazingly generous blog candy to celebrate her two years of blogging at Sue's Krafy Kards. Thank you so much Sue, I'm thrilled to bits. Have a look HERE to see what I have won.

image by laurenlemon, Flickr

DCM - Away with the Fairies

Over on Daring Card Maker's Blog there is a Guest Designer Special Dare suggested by current GD Gail - so you can blame her if it fills you with horror, or applaud her if it fills you with joy! lol The new dare is

Away with the Fairies

Now I'm not big on fairies, I don't own any stamps or have any other fairy stuff (apart from the freebie flower fairies like the one I used for another DCM dare). However, the lovely Kaz of Slightly Wonky Crafts had posted some great links for copyright images on Bubbly Scrumptious Blog last week and I had already spied this gorgeous little fairy posted at Art Freebies on Thursday. I used Kathy's Waffle Sketch File, Sketch 14 for my inspiration. The papers are K&Co Madeleine and the stamp is Studio G.

DCM - Russian

It's Rein here this week and as our Russian girl Irina is here staying with us again my dare is put a matryoshka or another typical Russian element like dress, architecture, or... ..... on your card.

We visited Russia in 2006 and my card is inspired by the onion domes of St Basil's in Red Square. The Russian script says Happy Birthday and I couldn't resist 'From Russia with love' lol

A 'chocolate' Muffin

This is the chocolate labrador that my son and his girlfriend have just acquired. Isn't she just gorgeous, her name is Muffin!

Something Completely Different - Postcard, Vintage

Over on 'Something Completely Different' challenge blog the challenge for July is Postcards size 6" x 4" any colour any style unless stipulated by the weekly theme. The theme for this week is "Vintage".

My card is dominated by a free image from Isabella Vintage, I've also used quite a few bits from the K&Co Madeleine Kit from Bubbly Funk, the swirly rub on is Wild Saffron also by K&Co and the flowers are Mulberry Street by Petaloo.

Congrats to Sue on her 2nd Blogaversary

Sue at Sue's Krafty Kards is celebrating her 2nd Blogaversary with some fabulous blog candy. In order to qualify she has asked her blog visitors to complete this list of things they have done. I've highlighted the ones that I have done in red.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars (just added this one in as I remembered that I slept under the stars at Lake Tahoe in 1980)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world/Disneyland Paris
8. Climbed a mountain I've climbed Helvelyn in the Lake District
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (School production of Pirates of Penzance!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (yes in Malaysia, from Kuala Lumpur to Taiping)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Made a Snow Angel
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Stood in the rim of the Grand Canyon
32. Been on a cruise (a river cruise from Moscow to St Petersburg)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (it's just down the road lol)
35. Seen an erupting volcano in person.
36. Taught yourself a new language (learned a little bit of Italian this year)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David (yay, this summer)
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (not since I was 14 though)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (had a caricature drawn of me when I was 21)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling (snorkelling in the Med)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre (movie theatre in California)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (and finished one)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Cookies for charity (lots of times)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Been given flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (only once as they had terrible trouble getting any blood out of me)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
70. Visited Buckingham Palace
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt or blanket
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Been to the top of the Empier State Building
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (many times in our local paper to do with work)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Prince Charles, Princess Anne, First Minister of Scotland Donald Dewar and Cabinet Secretary for Education Fiona Hyslop (Scottish Parliament)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Thanks to Sue for the chance to win this gorgeous blog candy and well done on the 2nd Anniversary.

The Simple Woman's Day Book

For Today...

Outside my window... everything is very green due to the warmth we have had recently and then lots of rain.

I am thinking...about my little cat who has not been at all well.

I am thankful for... my DS1 and his girlfriend arriving home from the US safely.

From the kitchen... Pork chops in BBQ sauce, corn on the cob and new potatoes

I am wearing... navy cotton trousers, coral coloured t-shirt

I am reading... A Sarah Paretsky novel

I am hoping... that the rest of the week goes as well as today.
I am creating... an altered item from my garden

Around the house... everything is quite tidy as I had a big clean up at the weekend.

One of my favorite things... chatting with my cyber-friends on the forum.

A few plans for the rest of the week... I have a student graduation to attend on Wednesday, not too many meetings and four 17 year old girls arriving to camp in our field on Friday :o

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

The lilies are looking particularly lovely in the garden just now.

Another Cupcake card

I based this card on one created by Di Oliver for Bubbly Scrumptious I loved the torn squares and stitching, so used the idea for a card for my son's girlfriend's birthday. The chippie flower has been painted with acrylic paint, with a bit of pearlised card for the centre then covered with glossy accents. Papers are Stemma 'Something Sweet'.

Lunch and Dinner !

More details about what I ate today on my other blog Farmersgirl Kitchen

Something Completely Different - Postcard, Faces

I haven't been keeping up the the 'Something Completely Different' challenges due to holidays and general laziness lol! However, I like the idea of the new theme of Postcards, below are details of the challenge:

"POSTCARDS"

size 6" x 4"

any colour any style unless stipulated by the weekly theme
can be used either way, 6x4 or 4x6

So, the theme to kick us off this month is:-"FACES"

I used paper scraps and a peeled paint Distress Inkpad to create a collage background. Then stamped the Comedy and Tragedy Masks (from Dimension Fourth) as my Faces. The flower stamps came from the US as a gift so not quite sure what they are, but to me, flowers also have faces. The flowers are coloured with Sakura pens. As it was a postcard, I wanted to include a stamp, so you get the Queen's face as well!

DCM - Blue & Green

Hi there, Vanessa set the dare this week for Daring Card makers, this is what she has dared all the card makers to do: Finally, onto this week’s dare, and as you will tell from the title...I want you to use blue and green on your cards – they must be the predominant colours, and as the old saying goes...they should never be seen together!! But we all know how they can work beautifully together – so show us what you can do!!

I used K& Co Garden collage Flat Paper, card is Coredinations. 'It's your Day' stamp is Studio G, flourish stamp is Paperartsy. I 'card-lifted' the layout from a card by Rachel Jackson in Craft Stamper March 2009.