One Last layout for August!

Well I finally managed to sneak in one last layout before September. I was using one of Shimelles challenges of trying to use 4 different patterned papers. Did make my mind tick for quite awhile, especially trying to tie them all in together somehow. Hope Kirsteen likes it!!

A very wet day out at Stirling Castle

First stop -a visit with Ma Broon!

As we were in Stirling to have lunch with Kirsteen a visit to the castle was a must (oh and a scrapping shop!!)
It was such a wet day and the rain really came down on us at the castle...but as Mr Connelly says....there's no such thing as bad weather....only the wrong clothes!! Lucky for us we had our waterproof jackets, wish I had my wellies though!

wet wet wet

the palace bit

trying to hide from the rain

misbehaving!

he wishes!

Festival in the Sky

boarding pass ready

Well the fringe festval is currently on in Edinburgh and there is LOADS to do! Kenny treated us to something special one night. They've got an amazing set up in the park just under the castle whereby you get strapped into your dining chair and they crane you all up to 100feet to enjoy the views whilst you have a drink or dinner. We decided just to have the "bubbles in the sky" experience. It was absolutely pelting down rain all evening but amazingly 5 minutes before we were due to go up the rain stopped!! Didnt get to enjoy too many views as it was fairly cloudy but we really enjoyed the experience......and the bubbles!

Up in the sky!

Lunch with an Absolutely Scrapulous Gal!

Well after all this time we finally meet! Kirsteen is another of the original Absolutely Scrapulous Girls so we've been part of the team together for almost 4 years! It was really wonderful to finally meet face to face and catch up, will have to make sure its a regular lunch date any-time I'm up in Scotland. I've decided to make it my mission to meet all the girls on the team at least once! I'd love to organise a scrapping weekend for the team but that could prove to be quite difficult considering we all live at opposite ends of the UK. You never know though :o)

Walk along Cramond River

Feeding the birds

Family photo

I'm in Edinburgh!

Well we've been in Edinburgh for the past couple of days and having reasonably good weather which apparently is unusal for Scotland....I don't believe Kenny, whenever we've come up the weathers been fine!! Had champagne in the sky last night......lovely! Photos up soon.

Shimelles Scrapping With a Sketch!

Finally I've managed to complete a scrapping challenge instead of a photo challenge!! This challenge was to create a layout using this sketch as a base.

Here's my result, I've updated the photos too.

I love these glittery thickers!

Shimelle Challenge: Scrapping with whatever you have left.

The idea of this challenge was to make something using only scraps. I made a tag for Kenny using one of the photos he took of a spitfire the other day at "By Gone Days"

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Craft in Progress

Here's my scrapping table looking more like a tip!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : At home

Well what else would I take a picture of but my new mixer!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Zoom Out

Just in time to see some horse and carts go by!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Smiles

How quick and easy was this challenge! Lucky I've got 2 boys with 2 great smiles!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Below the knee

Jeans and flip flops??? That's what our weather is calling for at the moment!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Up Above

Well this was interesting...earlier today as I was getting photos the sky was so grey I decided to shoot it through the gum tree. I was lying in our drive way looking up and about to take a shot when a nosey dog appeared wondering what I was doing lying on the floor.......



This afternoon the sky had cleared up so I used the sign post as a different vantage point....


An hour later we're back to grey skies again!!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : I saw the sign

This photo challenge is simple enough....photos of signs!! And of course where we live we've got lovely country signs!!

Our house sign

New Forest Sign

Our street sign

typical country sign

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Through the glass

Well here's a shot of my hot chillies in the green house...if you can see through the dirty glass (I draw the line at cleaning the glass on the greenhouse!) I like the smudgey effect though!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Man Made

Well this is even better than man made......it's WOMAN MADE. 

I designed it, built it, painted it, felted the roof, battened it and have done this many times over as everytime I've moved, it's moved with me! The kennel is now 9 years old and still standing with a couple of minor repair jobs...all done by me! And yes Samurai had to slip into the photo, well it is his kennel!

Shimelles Photo Challenge : Get Close

Well had a little mooch around the garden as I was determined NOT to take a photo of Samurai (he's usually the subject of my photos) Came up with this.....

Shimelles Online Crop!

Welcome to a weekend of scrapbooking!

Well now that the show is out of the way I can try and do some of the challenges on Shimelles Online Crop!! If only I could find something to keep Kenny Busy with :)

Results - The Ellingham Country Show!

What a fun day! Seeing as its summer (supposedly) it's country show season. We went to The New Forest Country Show 3 weeks ago, By-Gone Days last weekend and this weekend, The Ellingham Show. Quite a big show I imagine it to be how the Brisbane Ekka was in the old days.  This year as its my local show I decided to get a bit more involved and enter into some of the different comps. So I entered a Dorset Apple Cake, a Lemon Cake, a greetings card, and 7 photos in 4 different categories, architecture, new forest ponies/ donkeys, humour, close up.

My results:

3rd for the Dorset Apple Cake, I was pretty happy with this result as it was only the 2nd time I had ever made one and in total I was competing against 12 other apple cakes!







First for my Acrylic Butterfly Cards, spent ages designing this on my robo machine!






The biggest surprise for me though was winning 2 categories in the photography section, completely unexpected and I got quite excited about it. I think I may have even done a happy jump up and down and clapped my hands dance.....Kenny roaring with laughter of course, he was really proud of me...awwwww! :)

I was then approached by the president of the local photography group who when he realised it was me, said he was really impressed with my photos and would be really keen for me to join the group....I was so flattered to be asked and am really looking forward to learning a lot from them.

My new toy!

I christen thee Aida!

Is it wrong to be this excited about a new kitchen appliance???? I remember the days when I used to get excited about buying new climbing gear! But anyway I've wanted one for years and now that my life revolves around cooking and baking it's my perfect accessory. I think Kenny realised that anything that makes cooking easier or quicker can only be to his benefit. So its the present that keeps giving back to him!!! That's my man!!! :o)

ohhh shiny!

She took some coaxing to get her out!

Its a buggy trailer now its a buggy pram!!!!

Although we won't be using the term pram around Kenny as it's not "man" enough for "his" dog so its still just Samurai's buggy. Got this converter a couple of days ago and its fab, now the 3 of us can go for lovely walks together.

Childhood favourites!!

No these aren't pasties!!!! They're CHILEAN EMPANADAS!!!! One of my favourite traditional dishes that we used to eat a lot of growing up, mainly at Chilean festivals usually held at 'La Cancha' (The football ground) I made these for dinner Sunday night......my very first time!!

Each country in South America has its own version of the empanada, a lot of versions are fried but the chilean empanada has a pie like crust and are baked (traditionally in a large stone oven) The Pino (filling) consists of mince fried with onions, cumin, oregano, garlic, paprika, raisins and a black olive  and a slice of hard boiled egg. May sound strange to you non-latinos but they are YUMMY.
I was pretty pleased with my first attempt, they definitely look the part, just needed a little more filling. Still, I think my mum would've been impressed :)

Last layout for July!

First day of August- just needed to load my last layout for July which I finished last week though.

My Minds Eye Papers, finally used some stamps I bought ages ago. Cut the alphas with my robo machine and painted them with black crackle paint then matted them with bright paper to make them stand out. Tag under the photo for 'hidden' journalling which between you and me I still haven't written!!!

We've taken Samurai out for a couple of rides in his buggy this weekend and he loves it! Thank goodness!  Money well spent :o)