Only another week to go...

... and I start my new job.

I can't believe that I have been out of work for just over a year and I start my new job next Wednesday. I must admit I have enjoyed being home, especially for the first 6 months, but since Christmas I think the novelty has been wearing off, not to say that the finances have also taken a bit of a battering. However I have a lot to be grateful for:

I haven't starved, I've managed to keep on top of all my bills, kept my car on the road, clothed myself, and still managed to indulge myself with craft goodies, although I have been good and only bought things I need rather than buy for the sake of buying.

I've had plenty of time to meet with friends socially, regular crafting sessions on a Wednesday at Oyster Stamps and most importantly I have been able to spend more time with Kaity, having her staying over occasionally mid-week, or keeping her company on a Friday when Brad works from home. I know that I will miss these special times (although I will always be on hand evenings and weekends for babysitting) and generally being able to do what I want when I want to. Now that is all going to change and I must admit I do have mixed feelings. How am I going to fit everything in ? Housework, shopping washing, ironing, Crafting? I think Id better start getting myself organised now.

Before I do, I would like to showcase sketch 28 that I have completed for Inspired Blueprints.

I have been meaning to use the photos of myself for a while now and when I got Kaity a Rocking Horse, I tried to get her in a similar pose. The pictures of the chair are even more significant, as I have the exact chair in the conservatory, (I believe it was my Great Gran's, I discovered a picture of her in it, which I will have to use in a layout) Kaity loves to sit in it, but she always takes the cushions off first. The picture of Kaity in the chair was taken on her 2nd Birthday party which was held in my garden. The one of me ( I think I was about the same age) was taken in my Grandparents garden in Chelsfield.

Happy memories!

For a change

I decided to incorporate 2 photos of Brandy, my Turkish Van for my take on sketch 27 for Inspired Blueprints. as seen in my first picture. The small square in the bottom left hand corner is in fact a duplicate fridge magnet, which I used as a cover for a mini-book which contains my journalling.

He is most definitely a cat with attitude, he hates being groomed and at times can suddenly come up to me and give me a nip on my foot or arm. Having said that, he adores Kaity. The first thing she asks when coming to visit or when she wakes up after staying with me overnight is 'Where's Brandycat Granny?' She will not play with her toys until she has found him. When she does it's a quick stroke and a kiss and he lets her, when he's had enough he just walks away or sits on his scratching post out of reach. The second layout which I did last year shows that special bond and in fact hangs on the door of the room Kaity sleeps in when she stays with me.

and another...

layout that is. This time for me.

I took these pictures of Kaity in June of this year and have only just got round to using them, like always trying to find the right papers to compliment the photos, well that's how I like to scrap anyway.

The background paper is Paintables Iron Orchid Designs, from Prima Marketing not sure where I bought it though sorry. I liked the 3 small spaces available on the right and cropped the photos to to fit (thanks for the suggestion Jan). I used a lot of rub ons and painted the printed flowers with twinkling H2O's The little picket fences I bought in pack from Pickleberry and although there were some already printed on the paper I thought that they gave a nice finishing touch to the layout.

Challenges

come in all sorts of sizes. I was faced with a challenge with a difference.

My friend John is a Bee-keeper and he asked if I could produce some layouts on a bee theme with an educational slant for a display he wanted. He gave me the photos he wanted me to use, but the colours appeared to be so 'samey' that finding papers to compliment them proved quite difficult. Whilst going through my stash I discovered some PDQ papers which I bought last year and they fitted the bill perfectly. The papers already have the matting printing on them, so with a bit of tweaking, some embellishments and journalling added, I completed 5 layouts which I had started on Wednesday at Oyster Stamps and completed on Saturday evening. Not bad going eh?

Hope you like the finished results.