Sweet nothings

scrap therapy...

Its a fun title. but its actually a real real thing. you need to write it down, create around it,  to lay it to rest. at least lay it to rest for a little while..

 

 
 

creative, with a k :)

With thanks to Heather who nominated me for this little award. I think she has read my blog forever, I am grateful!

Heres what you do...

The expectations upon receiving the award are as follows:

• thank the sender for nominating you
• make sure you link to the person who nominated you
• copy the logo onto your blog
• list seven interesting things about yourself
• nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers
• post links to their blogs
• leave a comment for each letting them know of their nomination

List 7 things about me. 

er.. I cant promise they are interesting...but theres seven of them.

1) I take it all to heart.  2) I never stop thinking about design/type/art/perfect shot/good lighting. never not when I'm out, not when I'm home, not even when I'm asleep. Thats both good and a little bit scary... 3) I believe you should say what you think. Obviously try and word it well tho ;) 4) if I'm tired/sick/sad/fed up/happy/delighted/excited I scrapbook. in fact photoshop is my most favourite thing ever... ;) 5) next year I'd like to upgrade my camera. and my imac. uh-oh! lottery win needed! 6 ) I am superstitious. in weird silly ways. 7) I like to doodle. all the time. 

ooooooo, seven more creative people's blogs. Kreativ even. a chance to share some blogs you might not already be reading...

Okay. picka few from my google reader list... my ever growing google reader list!
 jessica. love this blog :) Only found it fairly recently. 

monica.Creative fellow brit who can sew/knit etc. I am so jealous.

Lolly. She reminded someone of me so they sent me a link to her blog. she reminds me of me too! ;)

Anna. Anna is art in my book.

Kal. smart, funny and oh so talented. But you knew that! Is there anybody left who doesnt read her blog?!

Teri. photographs that make my jaw drop. day after day after day.

Katrina. Shes not just inspiring; shes inspiration! She can teach you photography like nobody else.!

 Make sure you go check them all out!

 

Handmade Christmas.

Handmade is best. Handmade for Christmas is even better. Better than paying a huge mark up in a store, better than grabbing any old thing from a shelf on Christmas Eve. Its just better. Trust me.

So with that in mind I thought I'd start sharing some of this year Handmade crafts with you :) I wasnt going too - most things are for people who do indeed read the blog now and then- but seeing how I adore finding crafts on blogs I thought what the heck! ;) If you see it and you like it, you never know!! It might be yours. LOL

Last year I made this rag wreath.

 

from three old children's tee-shirts and a wire coat hanger.
 I know, doesnt sound very glamorous does it? But thats my kinda crafting. I am not one to go and 'buy' all the things to make something... I like to craft from what we already have. With little or no cost :)
   And this wreath;  its fabulous. Soft, bright, squish-proof. Its so green people kept thinking it was real foliage. 

This year I'm making different colours. Just because ;) So far I've made a smaller denim one. Which I remembered to take pictures of during....

So, cut your strips from your scraps -

 

make them long enough to tie, and cut them freehand. And dont fuss over them. The whole look is 'carefree and handmade' remember...not measured and stressed over. :)

bend your wire into a circle. use pliers to twist the hook of the hanger into the circle. {or cut it off}

Tie your strips on. Just one 'first part of a bow' kinda tie. thats all. no, you dont need to double knot it. or glue it. 

 

just keep tying them on. And on. Squish them up closer to each other, the more full your wreath; the better it looks.

Heres the wreath as it is now.

 

Its 'in limbo' right now, til I get some ribbon and tiny decorations to add on. I'll post a pic when I've done so. I'm thinking santa or snowmen. snowy skies and stars... 

I'm also making a batch of lanterns. I made one of these for myself last year and everyone asked me to make one for them :) So this year I have - they need to be careful what they wish for!
Lots of stores - Ikea, the Range, Asda etc- have metal lanterns very cheap. I picked up a handful for next to nothing. Then I measured the glass windows and created that size on Photoshop. Pile on a bundle of Christmas digital supplies, - altho you could use paper of course- and some photos or messages and ta-da!

 

Each of my six sides are different. Aside from this message my sides have photos on too , as they are for family members, but you could just use 'Merry Christmas' messages if you'd rather. I have mine behind the glass - stuck carefully inside the lantern. If you are using bulky supplies you can always stick them on the front instead. Oh, and I've finished tying lots more ribbons to the handle since this picture!
 Watch this space for some keys and owls too!

differing points of view...

'Er, somebody? anybody? theres a cat in my bed! and I get shouted at if I touch him...so, I'm just gonna curl up tiny, right over here. and keep one eye open for safety....'

 

'hahaha, move over, Sucker'

The old man is snoring. He must be...

You know the song? Its raining its pouring, the old man is snoring..?
 Yeah, it is RAINING here. The Uk is currently experiencing heavy rain. And flooding. And ridiculous amount of rain. Plus strong gales. Did I mention the rain?

 

This is a lovely lake...

 

Oh no, wait, thats not a lake, my mistake. Thats my Driveway!
 I have a little Mollie who hates wind. and rain.  With a passion. So shes having fun right now :(

 We get wet on the school run, the dog walk, the errand running. The coats cant dry fast enough, my boots are quite probably ruined. And we've been reminded how badly old windows and doors 'fit' the house.

 We'd like a respite please. Before we float away...

one. not two.

just the one layout to share this morning. 

three. not two.

 

Thank you for kind emails/words/messages/comments about my ribs. No they are not any better LOL, they hurt too often!! But, if I tuck my computer chair in tight it kinda holds them better. so I'll just sit and scrap til they get well ;)

And note to self, never post your personality quiz results. Especially when your result is approx double everyone elses!!!!!!

its beginning to look a lot like...

yes it really is.

Nine days til our Christmas Cd breaks out in the car. 

Starbucks red cups have been here over a week now.

My hand designed Christmas cards arrived back from the printers today. Oh my oh my. am I glad I used a new company this year. WAIT til you see them!

And the German Christmas market opened in Town today.

 

 This little collection of wooden huts, holding traditional - some more traditional than others- european goodies opens up for a few weeks before Christmas every year. 
 It marks the season for us in our house. The stall holders obviously add their ferry crossing to every.single.item on their stalls because its way over priced, but the smell of candy nuts and gluhwein is just divine. We love the cuckoo clock stall most. We cant afford one and the guy running it is, it has to be said, the most cranky man out there. But the weather houses and clocks are lovely.

You can now have a hot chocolate in Pret and watch the festive market around you :)

 

woohoo, festivities :)

take the test....

personality types A or B?

I got 82% - not good. However I comfort myself in the fact Mr Britguy will be off the scale... ;)

tell me what you get!

feeling sorry for myself...

When I fell over nine days or so ago with the combination of excitable puppy and wet leaves I got a bruise the size of africa on my hip/thigh. I landed heavily on my wrist and hurt that enough to grumble the following few days. And then, as all that faded, an ache around my lower side took centre stage. It keeps me awake. It makes me cry. It hurts. And today they confirmed I have bruised and cracked ribs.  which, they said, will really hurt. No kidding!!! Which, they also said, we can do nothing for.  Ugh. So I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today, and aching a lot. But still making layouts. In twos. ;)