Friday 28 October 2011

Twisted Sketch #125!!

Honestly sometimes I amaze myself at how disorganised I can be. Completely forgot to blog this layout, and I have to say it's my latest favourite. I just love this photo of the boy. Have a look at the sketch here.....


This weeks twist was 'BLACK' I figured I was scrapping a Big Black Dog....but also added some little black paw prints for good measure.

Here's my layout, isn't he cute! I used scraps I had left from some Bo Bunny sheets....lots of 'fussy cutting'!






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Friday 21 October 2011

Iceland - Antarctica Training Session 2!!

Well another amazing week spent in Iceland. This time though we were so busy I didn't really get around too taking many snapshots.

There were 2 main objectives of this trip, firstly more driver training for the staff and secondly more cold weather training for some of the competitors. it certainly was a supermix of interesting people. A Blue Peter presenter,  a pair of South African 'Celebrities', a Kiwi, a Pro Norweigian Snowkiter, a Brummie Chef (everyones new best friend) A future whiskey brewer, and the usual mix of polar adventuring, Brits, and Icelandic and Norwegian Guys, little ole me and even littlier itsy bitsy Anna who I'm sure single handedly holds things together and has a built in data bank of what everyone should be doing in that brain of hers!!

First stop was the Arctic trucks  factory to have a look at the latest trucks they were working on. Believe it or not the big white truck is an emergency vehicle for bad weather!



This latest baby is going to be converted into a massive 6 wheeler, not sure if its joining us though







This is what the trucks get converted into!! And believe when I say driving them is like MONSTER TRUCKING in the snow!
Really scary, yet so much fun!!










rations!
Day 3 was a travel day to the glacier and the first day of playing in the snow. Anna put together nibbles pack for the next 2 days on the glacier. I just about fell over when I saw how much was assigned to each person. Apparently this is fairly typical rations....scarey thing was I actually devoured ALL of it!! Dare not work out the amount of calories I consumed.




First stop at the bottom of the glacier for us, layer up clothing, harnesses on, and deflate the tyres on the trucks to the right pressure for snow.
The weather was pretty extreme whilst we were there, it took a fair few hours to get the competitors to the top of the glacier to do their practical training. Take note of the little yellow snow truck to right of this photo. Then have a look for it in the photos I took 2 days later!!!

Dig in and keep on driving!
Kenny looking sleepy at the wheel











The competitors learning how to put the tent up in blizzard  conditions....we were lovely and toasty warm in our truck, nibbling at our rations pack.




My turn at the helm!! I learnt heaps more this trip. Best time to train is in the worst possible weather conditions, and Iceland definitely didn't dissappoint!! Heavy Blizzards the first 2 days on the glacier.
the start of an exciting adventure together!
visibility getting better
wasn't me!
check out the yellow truck now!
day 3 begins!

Third day on the glacier turned into a complete white out and we ended up having to do an emergency rescue from the top of the glacier. Some Finns had camped out over night but it was decided for their own safety it was best to get them off the glacier. Kenny and I drove up in one truck and Emil and Peter went up in another truck. Amazing sensation not being able to see out the window. At one stage we only had about 3 metres visibility, and kept losing sight of each other. Kenny was driving with the drivers door open and staring at the ground to make sure we were still moving, I was hanging out of the passenger side window, fully kitted out with my goggles on  trying to spot the other truck or the people we were looking for.

It really was a pretty remarkable week.....and this is only the beginning......the REAL ADVENTURE starts in December!




Always time to strike up a combat pose.....bit hard to kick any higher though with 4 layers and a harness on!!!



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Monday 17 October 2011

Twisted Sketch #123!!

Almost completely missed blogging this layout as I was away in Iceland and completely forgot! I did this layout at a lovely crop held by Craft Obsessions and met the equally lovely David and Brenda.

Have a look at the sketch for my inspiration here....


And heres my take on it!


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Wednesday 5 October 2011

My scrapping room - sometimes the answer is right under your nose!!

We have lived in this house now for the better part of a year and when we initially moved in it was just assumed that the small box room would be my scrapping room. Firstly by my reasoning because it was small, warm and cosy, secondly by Kennys reasoning....it was the closest room to the kitchen!!! Honestly that man!!!! Everything equates to his stomach :o) 


The canoe room
Last week I walked into spare front bedroom to see if the grocery man had arrived and as I stood there and rolled my eyes yet again at Kenny's fully inflated canoe (because every man has a bedroom for his canoe doesn't he!!) I also noticed that somehow his motor-cross gear had seemed to move into the room as well. Hmmm seems all his toys were starting to infiltrate the house, after years of me working on having them stored in our numerous sheds and loft!!


Then I noticed how bright the room was and how much light entered the room all day due to the large bay window, suddenly.....an epiphany!!! You see I love my little scrapping room but what I don't love is that it is on the side of the house which doesn't get the sun and the window is tiny so natural light is minimal making my room dark all day no matter what the weather. Not fun sitting in a room having to use lights to match up your colours! Any crafter will tell you how important good lighting is!!!


My NEW Scrapping Room!
My epiphany of course was it was time to move the canoe out and my scrapping room in!!! I'm sitting here now, typing this post admiring how loving my new scrapping room is. I've always considered myself a fairly intelligent woman so how on earth did I NOT think of this earlier!!! Look how much room I have!!!



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