Mosaic 1

This is the class I took on Saturday at A Maze of Memories along with Diane and Jan (Pat came up to crop).

This is the third time that I've done this class - do you get the impression that I enjoy it?!

It's the most difficult of the mosaic techniques but very rewarding - it does get easier with practice!

Photos are of various flowers and butterflies seen in our garden over the last few weeks.

The beautiful butterfly in the bottom row is a Peacock (thanks Google!!).

25 Things About Me

Have a go at this:
1. Name: Susan
2. What are you most afraid of? Birds in enclosed spaces
3. What do you drive? Nothing - don't like driving
4. Have you ever seen a ghost?No
5. Where were you born? Bishop Auckland
6. Ever been to Alaska? No
7. Croutons or Bacon bits? Croutons
8. Favourite day of the week: Saturday
9. Favourite restaurant: Prezzo
10. Favourite Flower: Freesia
11. Favourite sport to watch: Football
12. Favourite Drink: Wine (red or rose)
13. Favourite Ice cream: Raspberry ripple
14. Disney or Warner Brothers: Disney
15. Favourite fast food restaurant: KFC
16. What colour is your bedroom carpet? Rust
17. How many times you failed your driver's test? Twice
18. What do you do most often when you are bored? Read
19. Bedtime: Any time between 9p.m. and 3a.m.
20. Favourite TV show: Bones, NCIS, A Town Called Eureka,Match of the Day
21. What are you listening to right now? The tv in the background (football)
22. What are your favourite colour? Red, blue, purple
23. How many tattoos do you have? None
24. Do you have any pets? A dog and a Cockatiel
25. If you could own any animal what would it be? – Meerkat

Another award!

Thanks to Valerie and Tracy for this lovely award!

The conditions of the award are:

I must post it on my blog (done).

I must continue to make people smile (I'll try - promise!)

I must pass it on to 5 friends and notify them (will do that tomorrow)

I must say who awarded it to me (done)

I must list five things you don't know about me - eek!

1. I am afraid of water on my face and have never learnt to swim.

2. I once had lessons in Urdu.

3. I hate frogs and toads (have been known to jump into the middle of the road to avoid them)

4. History was my second subject at Uni. (at one time I was planning to be a History teacher)

5. I bred rabbits (not intentionally!)

-

I am passing this award on to Ann - I love hearing about her family; Diane - who makes me smile at AMOM; Sall - who loves animals so much; Stickhead - who makes me laugh out loud and CC who provides inspiration .

Interesting list - copied from Donna with thanks!

Highlight the ones you've done:
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Been lost for words when answering a child's question
10. Sang a solo11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a soppy girly film and cried all the way through
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Made snow angels
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts clas
s59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Been on the television
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Another award!

Many thanks to Ann for giving me this award - it's much appreciated!

Rules of the award are that I must pass it on to 5 people and list 5 things I am addicted to.

I am passing this award on to: Valerie for her inspirational creations; Diane who makes fab cards often using what other people have thrown away; Stickhead for making me laugh and for telling it like it is; Tracy for all her wonderful animals and Maria for supporting Portsmouth - she actually deserves a medal not just an award!

Five things I am addicted to?

Stash

Man Utd

Strong black coffee

Reading (esp. murder mysteries)

Red wine

None of these will surprise people who know me well!

My Week!

A week of ups and downs (normal for OH as he works with lifts! lol).

I had the pleasure of meeting a cyber friend in person on Monday evening - Bev who lives about 7 miles from my Dad. We had a great evening chatting and hope to meet up again next time I visit the NE. Hope you had a fabulous time in Florida Bev (and managed to avoid Space Mountain!!)

And yes, as you'll see in the photo - I have gone blonde - well partly! After having subtle highlights (and a red streak) that weren't noticed (had to point the red streak out to OH after a month!) I decided something more "drastic" was needed - thanks Tracy for a great cut and for taking "ten years off me"!

One of the downs was that my Dad was ill while I was out meeting Bev - it's difficult living so far away from him - I try to speak to him on the phone every day but it's not the same.

Another down was the effect the journey home had on me - 5 days later I am still aching from hauling my luggage about and have been unable to craft (or sadly,iron) due to swollen hands.

Man Utd's defeat at the hands of Burnley on Weds. evening did not help -come on boys - Burnley?!!!

Thursday was a good day - Nicholas passed his A Levels and will be off to UWE in Bristol next month. It may have taken him a bit longer than his peers but he got there - we are very proud of him (and fighting over who gets his room! - just joking N.!!)

When I'm able to craft again I shall be uploading my work here.

I've ended the week feeling very down - even beating Wigan 5-0 hasn't cheered me up.

Lets hope my trip to Tesco today has a positive effect!

A Blast from the Past.

Yesterday my Dad and I went to visit my Auntie Grace (his eldest sister) for tea. The whole afternoon brought back many memories from my childhood. We were picked up by my cousin and his wife - I was a bridesmaid at their wedding in 1964.

As a child I remember Sunday teas were done on a "rota" - we would visit my grandparents one week, Auntie Grace and Uncle Bob another week and of course they'd come to us.

Grace loved baking and there would always be the most fantastic spread. Well, at 89 she still loves baking and the spread she put on yesterday immediately brought back so many memories!

I was also amazed at how little the view from the back of her house had changed in the intervening 40/50 years. Only difference I could see was a wind farm in the distance.

p.s. Some of you may notice a "slight" difference in my hair colour - all will be revealed tomorrow!

School Days

Missed the class at AMOM yesterday as I was still feeling ill - shame as it was good one.

By the evening I was itching to scrap - was inspired by the LO on the front cover of the Sept. issue of Creating Keepsakes.

Used WRMK "Nonsense" kit and some buttons from stash (I only have a few!) plus a pencil I found lying around.

Photo is DS in his first year at Barley Hill School.