Challenge with a Difference - part 2

Digital Doodling has said we can have more than one entry to their challenge so here's my second .... I just can't resist posting this one. The expressions are just tooo cute!

Enjoy!!

Birthday overload ...

... 4, yes 4, in 5 days! I don't know what it is with my family but it seems that most of it was born in January, February and March but January's are concentrated into 5 days.

Started off on the 26th with youngest grand-daughter, Amy, who reached the grand old age of 4. A couple of days break and the 29th saw Dad's 88th and next youngest grand-daughter, Emma, reach the dizzy heights of 8 years old (she was born on Dad's 80th birthday). That was immediately followed by me, on the 30th, yesterday, reaching ..... well, let's say that next year sees me with an '0' birthday that I certainly would rather not have. Never had a problem with other '0' birthdays (although the last one I wasn't too keen on) but this one is scary! The last one made me realise that the majority of my life was behind me and this one means that there's now another 10 years off of what I had left then! Depressing :0{ and even more so is how quickly the first month of this New Year has disappeared - *doh*.

It'll soon be Christmas again *:0{* In fact, eldest was talking about Christmas dinner for 2010 last weekend. He's starting to save now to go out for Christmas dinner (his is now a BIG family with his new partner's 3 children and his own 2) and he plans on booking it around August/September time. We've told him to count us in *hehe*

Faster than the speed of light - lol!

I've eaten a fair bit of cake this week (those below were the 4th!) ... and was even given a 'goodie' bag when I left the littlie's party Saturday morning ... so it's done nothing towards helping me lose some of the weight I've put on over the past few months but, as I've just spent a fortune on buying larger sizes for my wardrobe and the holiday, I guess I need to keep it for a while to make the spend up worthwhile *LOL*

I managed to make the birthday cards for the girls but I was naughty and bought Dad's. I'm still trying to get myself organised at home but don't seem to be getting very far. There's not much going to be done for the next couple of weeks - no, nearer months - 'cos I've got to start prepping for the holiday. Can't believe it's only 2 weeks away now. Would have been going on Tuesday if the date hadn't changed but it may be just as well it was as hubby has his op this week .... or we hope it's 3rd time lucky and it does happen. The only downside is, it's his birthday while we're away now whereas I would have been back for it. Wouldn't mind so much but it's his 70th, although he says he's not bothered as he won't be able to do anything anyway! One in a million, my old man *mwah!*

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Birthday Girls.

Things are looking up! I've had 3 birthdays this week and I've managed to make cards for 2 of them and that's a novelty *LOL*. They're nothing special and I resorted to the dreaded ready made toppers. I hate ready made toppers with a vengeance but one card had to be made quickly. I have to say that, for the size of the cards (they're only A6 - slightly larger than US A2) and the simplicity of them, they were very expensive ... because of the ready made bit! I don't feel as though I can call them handcrafted but I guess they're what card companies would call 'hand finished'. Very, very simple but I think the recipients ... my youngest grand-daughters ... liked them.

Ingredients:
Cream card blank and matching envelope from stash.
Backing paper: Craftwork Cards Yummy Scrummy Paper Pack - Milk Chocolate & Marshmallow - Gold
Plaque:  Spellbinders Nestibility - Classic Scalloped Oval
Toppers and embellies: Forever Friends Elements Stickers - Pretty Ballerina
Lace Ribbon Trim: Martha Stewart Lever Border Punch - Arch Lattice
'Have a Wonderful Day' greeting - Craftwork Cards, Oh My Word! - Birthday Messages

... and here are the birthday girls ...

Emma, now aged 8, on the left and her little sister, Amy, now aged 4

Enjoy!!

Challenge with a Difference.

... with a capital 'D' *LOL* I've had fun with this one. Too much fun I think 'cos I can't decide which to use. What am I on about? Digital Doodling blog has issued their latest challenge which I came upon purely by chance. Pop over and have a look. If it gets to you like it did me you'll be spoilt for choice by the time you've finished playing - derr! As a bonus there's a chance of winning a couple of Sugar Nellie's ...

Anyways, back to the challenge .... funny, cute, romantic. I don't do romantic but funny? Cute? Ooooh yes! Trouble is I played too much and now I can't decide so I'm posting a selection! These are my 3 youngest grandchildren ... real cuties.

However, if I've got to choose just one then I guess it's got to be this one of my dear old Dad on Christmas Day after he'd opened all his pressies ... bless him!   *LOL*

Now it's your turn to go play. Even if you don't take part in the challenge just visit MagMyPic and have fun.

Enjoy!!

Paper Stamping Workshop

Saturday 23rd January - afternoon.
Once again with Joanne.
She got our measure with this one and caused us to be even more raucous than the morning, if that could be at all possible - *lol*! To find out more about that just pop over to Ramblings when you've a minute or 2.

Two cards were made in this workshop and I loved them both. One quite funky, but so simple, quick and easy and the other more traditional but just as simple, quick and easy. Superb!

The first one had it's flowers stamped onto DP matching the backing papers and then directly coloured with Marvy markers (that in itself caused mayhem!)

The second card had the flowers stamped onto DP (matching the papers used for the backing) and cut out. All flowers, for both cards, were shaped with embossing tools before being adhered to the cards.

Ingredients:
Hero Arts Clings - Color Me Flowers
Versamark ink pad
Assortment of Designer Papers
Martha Stewart Lever Border Punch - Arch Lattice
Woodware small daisy punch
Adhesive flat backed pearls

Enjoy!!

Good weekend ...

... despite suffering a bit of sleep deprivation *lol* I've had a few nights of disturbed sleep and Saturday I was due a day of workshops at the Glitterpot. Unfortunately I'd only had about 3 hours sleep so wasn't totally 'with it' but as it turned out it didn't matter. Joanne, the tutor, had produced workshops that I didn't need to think about too much (results will be posted soon) so I had a lovely, relaxed day made even better by the company. A few of the southern imag-e-nation forum members had booked into these workshops as well so there were 6 of us. Fortunately I'd forewarned Joanne and, as she'd had experience of some of us before, she knew what to expect. Unfortunately the rest of the attendees didn't but they soon found out - *RFLMAO!* I don't think we spoilt anyone's day or at least, I hope we didn't, although Joanne felt the need to apologise for us to the newcomers on the afternoon workshop and she also had to explain to the others on the morning one that we all knew one another .... all in a very light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek way!  We were even referred to as 'rabble' at one point - as if!

The morning started off well, not, with Kim rubbing out a mark on a piece of card that Joanne had put there for a reason *hehe*

The afternoon started even better when we were presented with a template ..... with clear instruction written on BOTH sides of it - just so we didn't get confused ☺ We laughed so much and it set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. So much so that Joanne did her best to make sure we all had a Marvy to colour with, rather than having to share and wait, just to keep us quiet!

A really, really good, fun day with great results at the end of it. Could do with a few more like that.

Eldest son and his partner called and spent the afternoon with us yesterday and he told us that eldest grandson had heard from the Army and has an interview on Friday (grandson, being a typical 18 year old hadn't thought to let us know - doh!). It's been very quick though,  seeing as how he didn't make his application until Wednesday! Hope he does well and they do consider taking him. We know that there's a way to go for him yet but at least he's making the first rungs.


Thanks for dropping by .....

Pretty Petals Workshop.

Saturday 23rd January - morning

With Joanne of Mainly Flowers blog

Wonderful morning! Good laughs and a beautiful card.  Made using punches only.  Labour intensive but really therapeutic and very enjoyable.  Think I've gone a bit OTT with the greenery as I reckon my version looks quite heavy but ..... *lol*!

Ingredients:

Flowers:

Blue - Martha Stewart Cornflower punch and Woodware mini sun for the centres.

Cream spray - Martha Stewart Arctic Snowflake and Woodware Lilac Blossom punches.

Leaves:

Woodware Oak Leaf and Grass punches

Border:

Martha Stewart Lever Deep Edge Punch - Garden Trellis

Enjoy!!

Proud Nana ...

... 'cos here's eldest grandson hard at work avoiding having his photo taken - *LOL* He's actually hard at work completing an online application form on my lappy for .......... the Army (as well as avoiding having his photo taken *hehe*)!

... and here he is having completed it and allowing Nana some sort of photo opportunity *lol*.

As our weather is now back to it's normal miserable damp, dull and chilly days, after all the snow of late, I thought I'd post a couple of pics taken from our 2nd hit last week, after the car had been dug out. Result - kept me in again. Fortunately it didn't hang around long but it was thicker than the first hit.

The snow is all gone now and things are gradually getting back to normal. All the online shopping I'd done since Christmas, before the snow caused it's chaos, has finally been delivered so I have all the things I need for the holiday now (and a few sale crafty bits). Only 24 days to go 'til the holiday and .... I can't wait! I just hope my health allows me to make the most of it.

I'm not having a good night tonight. Went to bed around midnight and got up at 2:30am, not having slept a wink. I've not slept since either, hence posting this at silly o'clock in the morning. Why do I get these random nights where I don't settle and don't sleep? It's annoying and I know all I shall want to do during the day is nap because of not sleeping tonight. I was really tired when I went to bed so why can't I sleep?

Thanks for dropping by .....

The snow ...

... has gone (washed away by a couple of days of heavy rain), the sun is shining and, although not a heatwave, after the temperatures of late it's positively warm - *LOL*

I've caught up with my stockpile of ironing so now I'm ready to sort out my holiday clothes .. 4 weeks today and we'll be on our way! Still waiting for some internet shopping I did, before the bad weather hit this area, to arrive. Apart from one item sent via the normal mail the stuff missing was sent via DHL. Reckon they've got a backlog to clear!

Loads of birthdays coming up as well and need to prepare for some that come along while I'm on holiday - including hubby's 70th! On original dates we would have been back 2 days before that one but, now holiday has been postponed for a couple of weeks, we're away. He doesn't mind, especially as he'll be more incapacitated than he is now 'cos he should have had his op (hopefully and at last!) so won't be able to do much for a few weeks anyway. We hadn't planned to do anything special right away anyway as we're looking at doing something later in year to mark his 70th, our Silver wedding and my 60th next January. At least I won't be away for when he has his op, where I would have been...


Thanks for dropping by .....

To lie or not ...

... to lie? Honesty is always the first priority as far as I'm concerned but when our legal system makes a mockery of that you have to ask yourself ..... why? Where does honesty actually get you? Other than having to live with yourself, if you have a conscience and morals, I'm guessing honesty doesn't really matter any more.

Eldest son walked out on his marriage 13 months ago, on 28th November 2008. He would have been married 18 years just 10 days later. Not a bad record for somebody who'd only seen his 18th birthday 5 days before he married. He came back home to live and we saw the torment he went through wondering if he'd done the right thing. He knew he had - as did we - but he still doubted although I think it was more regret at having to leave his children behind. He filed for divorce a few months later citing unreasonable behaviour and giving the reasons why. All valid and some documented with totally reliable sources. It was refused. The court decided that he hadn't proved his case (although his wife had signed the forms agreeing to his statements and the divorce). They wanted more detail - dates, times of incidents ... and more of them. How many people document upsets throughout their married life - no matter how bad they are? I know I didn't when I was being hit or verbally abused and no more did my eldest. You don't document these things because you don't anticipate that 'one day I may need them'. There were 4 incidents that could be dated with witnesses or proof, the last being the day he left. The others were in the memory and happened privately but these things build over time and then an incident happens and it's the final straw. That's when you call time.

In the meantime eldest met somebody else. Talking it over it was decided that it would be easier - and ultimately quicker - if his wife applied for the divorce citing adultery. Because he'd never cheated on her and his new relationship started after they split, there were no grounds for adultery so, they lied! Not just on the grounds but with the date that he left the marriage. The divorce is now final and absolute, which he is really pleased about but, it shows him to be the one that caused the split when he wasn't and the divorce was granted to his ex instead of him. He says he doesn't care - as long as he's divorced - and perhaps he doesn't but it's wrong that it's based on lies when I've always lived and brought my sons up to not accept deceit in any way. It's what ultimately ended my marriage to their father but it seems that the law isn't interested in honesty or .... could it be that females are looked on more favourably on the divorce front? She wasn't asked to prove the adultery. The court accepted the lie ... the accusation and admittance of adultery ... so why wasn't her admittance of unreasonable behaviour on his original petition accepted in the same way?

Makes you think, eh? It certainly does me! Perhaps honesty doesn't pay after all but - I have morals and a conscience so, even if the law no longer works on honesty I'll continue to do so .....

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The thaw (take 2) ...

... is back with a vengeance! All the snow that fell yesterday is gone ... and some. In fact green grass is now visible and everywhere is dripping like mad. The sun is trying to show it's face and it is markedly warmer than it's been for a good while. It's not warm by any means, just warm-er. At least I can get out and about now but it's a pity yesterday happened 'cos I'd be esconced on my craft class now instead of having to wait for the new date .... and the post is starting to arrive again!

Thanks for dropping by .....