MIN: January 2013

 Well, I remembered this time.  Helps that I have been making notes. Doesn't that I have been putting off writing this post as I can never seem to get a cohesive flow to the writing. So, I will chuck some random numbers at you but ones that come accompanied with pretty pictures :-)

See this boat?

Ulysses Irish ferries

I spent 3 and half hours on this, drinking wine, to counteract the seasickness I tend to suffer..purely medicinal...honest.

Not bad I hear you say? Ok, add to that the 8 and a half hours I spent on a train  (only 2 changes thankfully...Ely and London) and the 3 hours waiting inbetween trains/boats, that's a total of 15 hours travel.  

I am not complaining, you understand.  It was actually great to put the numbers down to see the reality of the way we travel just because the boss hates flying, we have no bag limit apart from what we can reasonably carry and I still haven't got around to sorting out our passports they are only 5 years out of date ssssshhhhhh!!! 

Earlier in the month I went on what I officially call 'Practise Manual Day'. This involved me heading down to Carrick-on-Shannon to take 219 photos with my DSLR. My first proper go at turning of Auto.

This one was caught thanks to the boss, who came running in from the pub thirsty work this photography business you know to state that I may want get to outside quickly.  This was my favourite of several settings. It's just such a shame that my zoom is not very good.....wheres my 'to save for' list?  *rustle of paper as it hides down the sofa*

This was the strangest sight...weighing scales on the train station. Guessing it was used for weighing parcels.

 Below, is my favourite picture I took that day. Now, I just have to learn how to edit the rest ;-)

The last number because I seem to have lost track of myself  is the 31 pictures I have managed to take for #fmsphotoaday on Instagram.  I am hoping to carry this on throughout the year and am working on putting all the photos together like Mel does, so I can scrap/blog them.  That can wait till work is over for the weekend though. 

My favourite 365 picture so far...prompt was sun and I edited in the camera+ app

So, with that, I will leave you to head back to Julie to see who else has joined in with  her Month in Numbers.

I am off to see if I can write my story for Storytelling Sunday before I go to work. I want a day off the computer tomorrow!!!!

A bit of papercrafting

I have managed to do some papercrafting this week.....I say 'paper' because I have done a few mini stitching projects in the last few weeks.  I prefer to stitch in front of the telly rather than cut and paste but finally, I have a few days off to play :-)

This is a card I made for my Aunt using mainly Graphic 45 papers and a few interesting bits from Julie Kirks kits. I used a sketch for this from Creativity magazine, July 2012. The sketch was by Jo Austin in the challenge bit if I remember rightly.  I have made a few cards for birthdays this month but this was the only one I remembered to photograph!! I have managed to make 4 cards for the 52 card challenge ...will post them when I have completed this weeks card.

I have to say thanks to Shimelle for giving me my scrapping mojo back.  Her sketches have really helped and below is one of my attempts at the two 4x6 sketch.  Above is influenced by it but not really using it.  

Both LOs were using the October Studio Calico kit and one of the Add Ons....I can't remember which and I am sadly no longer subscribing after I had no end of trouble with the customs guys with the last 3 :-( . Needless to say, I am better off saving up and making a large order from the shop every so often.

The paper used above is from Rusty Pickle called Take That.  I thought it suited the subject as it is a short narrative about the boss spending half his life on the PS3!!

On a side note, I have recently purchased a diary to write all my crafting notes in...I draw all the sketches on the date they come out with notes beside it and ideas for blogs etc.  So far, in just a month, it has been invaluable so I want to say thanks to Jennifer who blogged about it during her Organisational weekend in July last year. I can't find the post to link to though :-( ...sorry about that.

A photo holds a million memories

I have a pretty poor memory. This was confirmed when my sister contradicted my long held belief (and current hate) of using the phone.  She kindly informed me that, as a child, I was one of *those* teenagers. You know the ones...come home from school and instantly on the phone with the friend they have just walked home with who lives 4 doors down! I may or may not have been guilty of that exact crime but typing it jogs a memory.

And this is the thing.  I am currently obsessed with history...in particular family history. Whenever I go home I pull out the photo albums in my Uncles house....which are conveniently stored in *my* room (so named because I am the one who uses it the most!). I have pulled no end of photos out to bring home to scan ...seriously, one of my family needs to invest in a scanner...I hate mutilating the albums but they are too big to bring home with me.....and I love it. And why do I love it? Because they trigger memories.

I am around 4 or 5 in the picture on the left.  There is nothing amazingly special about it. But the first time I looked at it I got really excited.  Why? Because of the guitar.  Now, I don't have any particular memory about this guitar except that I absolutely loved it....and as I typed that statement, I suddenly remembered the little plectrum I had and how cool I thought that was.....!

Then, there is the one above. This was on my birthday in 1983 ...thanks to my nan who marked the date on the  back ...  and judging by the colour of the bike, I am guessing that it is my Raleigh Apple bike....oh, how I loved that bike. It has also triggered a memory of another Raleigh bike I had ...purple ....think it was called lady?....around the 90s...anyone remember as I will be all night on the internet!!!!!

The thing is, I probably don't remember anything about the particular day that has been photographed in any picture. But what is in the picture...clothes, the carpet, the stereo (especially the one in the above picture....ooooo lots of stories are coming to mind......) tends to trigger lots of things that I thought I had forgotten.  It is true to say that I am definately a visual person and that is the beauty of having the photos and why I have become obsessive about asking everyone to dig deep...I now have so many 'triggered memory' stories, I don't have enough photos for them.  However, I do have plenty of pretty paper.....lol

This picture holds no particular triggers.....I just love this picture so had to share. :-D

StoryTelling Sunday: Mouses don't bounce!

My sister was talking to #3 (age 3 and 11 months!) the other day about our favourite teddies.  She was telling him about mine when he looked at her.. "But why does Auntie Jayne call it Bouncy? Mouses dont bounce?" !!!!!!

Bouncy is my favourite teddy. My childhood (and adult, when the boss is not here) companion. He is a bit battered but well loved. He is so loved in fact that at the age of 14, I was beside myself with grief when he decided to go on holiday underneath my bed for 2 weeks without telling me. He is probably my most prized possession!

*This was brought to you by Sians 'Storytelling Sunday' which is now in it's 3rd year. Pop over and see what everyone else is writing and if you have a story, why not share it.*

Hope everyone had a good and safe Christmas.

Mine involved a lot of this....

Trains

 this....

Planes  Boats

and this ...

Automobiles

as I travelled across land and sea to spend time with family.

It was all documented in this...

as I did my first Smash book in one of Amy Tans Ready Steady Go mini books.  Took a little while to get used to because I am bit of a neat freak, but it was a great way to get details in that I otherwise wouldn't have documented and it is a great place to put all the tickets that I always save for a rainy day!!!

It was a quiet affair with the in laws but my nieces and nephews sure made up for it afterwards.  I hate that they are so far away :-(

Anyway, I thought I would just give a *wave* as I have not been able to pop in and say hi to everyone as reading nearly 500 blogs before starting a night shift and while doing the washing is a bit of major feat in itself lol.

But, I am all up to date now so once my weekend shifts are over, I should be getting myself into a routine...which will hopefully start with my first contribution to Storytelling Sunday ...providing I have scheduled the post correct!!! 

Hopefully, see you then :-)

12 Christmas songs on 12/12/12

So, I was going to join in with 10 on the 10th and had this great idea to pull 10 of my favourite christmas songs off YouTube to share with you all. Then I realised it was the 11th! 

But, a couple of hours later, I figured I could do the same thing on 12/12/12, just add an extra 2 songs. Which, quite frankly, is just as well as I had a hard enough time whittling the list down to these.

They are in no particular order and I have missed a few obvious ones but these songs all make me smile at Christmas and really get me in the spirit.

Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin Stevens : This is guaranteed to get me off the sofa if I hear it. And don't you just love the jumper :-)

Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade : I don't really need to explain this do I??

Jingle Bells - The Puppini Sisters : This is on the Now Thats What I Call Xmas album and I love it. Its a great take on the song. While looking for it, I found a version they did with Mr Bubbly (Thats Micheal Buble to everyone else...) so if you like him, this should appeal to you. 

Stop the Cavalry - Jona Lewie : This always gets my feet tapping and it is great that a Christmas song can be enjoyable but still have a serious message behind it.

A Spaceman came Travelling - Chris De Burgh : There is something about the Burghs voice that is quite soothing. And what a cool title for a Christmas song :-)

Christmas Day - Squeeze : I like the pop culture references in this.  Would be great to have a modern day version of this....just substitute Morecombe and Wise with Doctor Who lol

Mistletoe and Wine - Cliff Richard : Now, I could have included any of his Christmas hits. I do like a bit of Cliff. But I picked this one because it means something to me. The company I worked for in Ipswich would have a carol service every year in London and for a couple of years, the house where I worked..staff and service users... would head down and sing this song in BSL. We even got to do it at their big carol service in York Cathedral (where I got to meet the great Richard Whiteley...I had to explain to my colleagues why I was so excited lol). I can still remember some of it and you will occasionally find me signing away in a quiet corner if this comes on.

Step into Christmas - Elton John : Another song I can twirl around the house to ....and yes, I twirl.

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard : I particularly like the video to this. There is something about men in sparkly catsuits and big chunky heels that makes me smile...

Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) - The Darkness : ...and talking of catsuits....:-). The first proper singalong Christmas tune for years.

Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy - David Bowie and Bing Crosby : Little Drummer Boy is one of my favourite songs from childhood and I love this 'mash up' version by 2 of the greatest voices ever.

Lonely This Christmas - Mud : A nice song to wind the night down with. 

I could have included songs by Wham!, Jethro Tull, The Wombats, The Pogues, Band Aid, Mariah Carey (the only time of the year I will willingly listen to her), The Spinners......oh, the list is endless. But I have gifts to finish and I think after these 12, you need a break :-)

What are your favourite Christmas songs?

Happy 12/12/12 everyone

I am here.....

Yes, I am still here....date stamped the photo to prove it ;-D

I have been doing this...


cleaning the house a room at a time

and this.....



2 quilts for new niece and nephew...yet to be made up though!!

and this....



a bit of shopping at the Knitting and Stitching show

and a little of this....



first page for Scrapbook Remix

but mostly, I have been doing this...



this best represents my work as a care assistant but it isn't used every day....just didn't want to show cleaning products again ;-/

I have missed MIN :-( but rather than play catch up, I am just going to chalk it up to lack of organisation. Hopefully, starting now, this will greatly improve :-s

Ok, my shift starts again in a few minutes so now I have checked in (I have been floating around to everyone), I better get back to work and 'tentatively' promise that I will have another post up next week sometime........do feel free to give me a kick though....I do need it ;-D


- Posted on the move :)