So here we are zooming downhill towards winter & no hint of summer !! Grr !!!
Oh well, the only upside is some creative activities from being forced to stay indoors !!
Rich has sorted out stacks of photos into themes & we are attacking each layout one by one !!
It all seemed a great idea in January - now with a month to go we are feeling the stress !!
Hope she will like it !
Our friend Jan in Spain gave us a jar of hers when we were out there & Rich loved it - so he inveigled the recipe from her & made his first batch on Sunday ! I make a lot of chutney - but have never tried anything sweet - so it was great fun to see it all thicken - and we are desperately hoping it has set !!
Thanks to Jan for the recipe !
Speaking of whom - Jan & I have decided to push our crafty comfort zones with a little challenge - we have each picked 6 challenge topics & put them in a pot - one on my desk in rain soaked Wales - hers on her desk in scorching Murcia Region in Spain !!
We plan to each pull one idea at random out of our respective pots once a month & then combine the challenge topics.
Then we plan to make a little 6" x 4" project starting with the same plain paper record cards of that size & see what we end up with !!
Jan is a seasoned card maker & I am more of a messy paint & stamper kind of a girl - so it should be fun to see where we both end up & we're looking forward to picking up tips & ideas from each other !!!
As of today a batch of blank record cards are winging their way in the post to Jan and our challenge for July is a combo of "use an embossing folder" & "inspired by a song" !
So on my desk today - in the centre you see the embossing folder of hearts, the pot with my challenge ideas in it & this month's strip pulled out.
I am planning for my song inspiration to be "Love Shack" by the B52's - I always play it a full blast in the car on the way home when I am feeling wound up by the day at work - happily that way no one has to listen to my completely tone deaf singing !!!
I also have some new "Strictly Party" stamps that were a freebie with Creativity Magazine, a sneaky bar of my favourite chocolate (only allowed white choccie as real choccie gives me migraine !), the Visual Journal I am using for my watercolour lessons - oh and on the left a Smash Book I have made.
I had fun choosing the pages & cute little plastic folder inserts then making the covers etc but am at a bit of a loss what to actually USE it for !!!
Anyone out there have one & have any suggestions !!!
Might just go with it being my "Happy Book" & fill it with things that make me happy !!
Well sorry to have rambled on - have a great crafty week & looking forward to cruising around your desks ! Ali in soggy Wales !! x
wow, you are really busy, hope you get Rich's mom 80th book finished in time with all the other activity you have going on, I am sure she will be thrilled with it, better have a box of tissues handy ;) waving hi from the hills of North Carolina where I cannot sleep and it's 2:44am..::sigh:: #50
ReplyDeleteAwesome post...you lead a very busy life! Rich's Mom will love the book! I made one for my son and daughter in law (each a book) when they got married so I know what you are going through. Looks like Rich is having fun making the jam! great looking desk looks very creative and busy! Hope you have a great week. Vickie #67
ReplyDeleteGosh what a lot of work, hope Rich's Mom loves it. One year I made an exploding box for my Mum again lots of work / detail etc then the next time I visited her she'd forced the lid on so bent all the inside grrrr.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Elaine #23
Love all your books and pages! Are those pills for the migraine? ;)
ReplyDeleteThe marmalade don´t look bad either... :P
Greetings from the rainy Finland!
Happy WOYWW!
Tuire #82
Good luck with the scrapbook pressie. The challenge is a great idea and we may even start our own pot here for rainy days, oh, that would be every day then!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the marmalade done and labelled, Steve used some of my lime marmalade to glaze a baked ham last week, really tasty.
ReplyDeleteMy choice is, oh I do like to be beside the seaside, and I have a wave embossing plate.
Wish I could send you some sun Ali, we have far too much.
Happy WOYWW. Good news - sunshine on its way for Wales! The forecast is mostly dry/sunny from Friday onwards. Lime marmalade sounds good - love the labels. Ali x #113
ReplyDeleteOooh lovely busy desk there - I too have a smash book and am waiting for inspiration to strike..... Its also raining here in the Midlands too! Thanks for sharing - Sunshine Girl No. 58
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and being lovely. I am so loving paint right now. I just hope that your day turned out lovely; Manchester is all sunny and bright. And I do think that the floor is a valid workdesk. I use it constantly!
ReplyDeletecheers, rachel #7
I'm glad someone else makes journal/books then doesn't know what to use them for!!!
ReplyDeleteThat'll be a lovely surprise for Rich's Mum - it looks like it's coming along well - fingers crossed you get it done in time.
We've had thunder tonight and gallons of rain too!
Happy WOYWW
Caz
#148
hope you manage to finish the scrapbook in time :)
ReplyDeletekay #65
Hi Ali you may be soggy but we had hailstones in Derby this afternoon - how freaky is that - You are very busy at your house - Your Mother in Law is going to be so pleased with her album - such a thoughtful gift. Thanks for popping by to visit me. WOYWW Hugs from Helen 18
ReplyDeleteThe marmalade looks yummy. I'm sure your mum in-law will love the book, especially as you have taken the time to make it. Have fun with your challenges and have a great week.
ReplyDeleteVon #44
Sorry but I dont like marmalade never have, but I am sure there are many out there that do. LOL
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like you have to much on your plate, you need to slow down and get that album finished, one task at a time and easy does it.
Thanks for sharing.
TTYS Eliza #11 again
Good luck with the scrapbook for Mum! I think your idea with Jan is fabulous, as is your yummy looking marmalade!! Thanks for coming by my place earlier! Darnell #142
ReplyDeleteWe've been rather soggy over here in Victoria (BC, Canada) as well. You're right though, more time for staying indoors crafting! Lime marmalade sounds heavenly! Love the idea of your challenges. And the scrapbook is such a thoughtful gift. Here's to a hot and sunny week for both of us! Thanks for visiting my desk!
ReplyDeleteyou look so so busy! i hope you share the scrapbook - looks like a great project. jenx 149
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, and I feel for you, as you have had more rain than me. Hurrah today is sunny again. Good luck with the scrapbook. francesca #93
ReplyDeletegood luck with the album. i did one for mum's surprise 60th. It was the first ever scrapbooking that i had done. Of course now i cringe every time i see it but I've been warned off updating it within an inch of my life LOL.
ReplyDeletethanks for popping by earlier
caroline #63
Thanks for leaving me a comment.
ReplyDeleteOhhh sounds like so much fun to do a challenge this way. Hope you both enjoy it and we can see the results.
Weather in Holland is rain, rain, rain as well. They say it will be better next week, hope it will be in Wales as well.
How busy you are, Ali. I am sure Rich's mum will be delighted with the scrapbook when you've finished it. Marmalade too! I adore marmalade!
ReplyDeleteHappy belated WOYWW,
Shoshi #3