NEW SHOES

I went mad yesterday and bought 3 new pairs of shoes. spent a fortune. Houssem and I off to the wilds of Donegal to spend New Years Eve with my Best Friend and her family. So an early Happy New Year to all as I wont be on line. My resolution is to scrap way more than last year lol!!!!!

Bye Bye Joe Dolan (A Legend)

2 more LO for my family album

I bought a new stamp a few weeks ago, while out shopping for a birthday swap gift. I was just going to buy it for my swap partner but then I decided I wanted one too, and Im so glad I bought it now. As you can see I used it on both of these LO.

The first LO shows my great grandparents and the second is one of mam and I.

Christmas Cards

Im busy making christmas cards today!

New Circle Journal

I got this months circle journal in the post today and I could not wait to get started, It really is a nice cj, all about the books from my child hood. I hope mine comes back as nice.

I loved reading as a child it was a great. I rember having a torch and hiding under the covers to read all the wonderful storys from the library. Dad was always saying turn off that torch and go asleep you will ruin your eyes squinting in the dark, but I loved that.

I was involved in a Nov/Dec birthday swap, my gift came early today, I was very bold and opened it. It was filled with great goodies, and a lovely tin to alter and a lovely stamp. Thanks to Ifa!

Two Challenges, Mojo 38 and UKS Weekly

These are my latest layouts, One is of Houssem and his Nephews Jad and Fadi and his brother in law. The second layout is of my dad on holiday in Pisa.

Blog sharing

I just want to share a blog and another blog with you, I found it through Fairiewings. Casrrie's designs a fantastic, i love the atc and ciricle of frinds book she made.

here are two Layouts i did at the weekend from my cousins wedding, to big to scan in so sorry for the poor quality

Scrap Happy

I was just looking at Olives Blog she has some great christmas cards posted on it that she made, you should check her blog out, she has also put some great pictures of her haloween break on.

I did two layouts this weekend using some of my cousins wedding photos. One was for the mojo blog but I think im too late to upload the image on thier blog. I hope i will get them up here later.

Tuscany Dream Wedding

These are some photos of my beautiful cousin Catrionas weddding in Tuscany. i was lucky enough to be her bridesmaid. It was the most fantastic wedding I have every been at. Set in a beautiful castle with rolling hills and vine yards. We stayed for the whole weekend in villas on the castle grounds it was very romantic. Congratulations Catriona and Ross. Here is a link to the most beautiful wedding venue Castello di Mondanelle You can stay is the apartments on the castle grounds for a very reasonable rate. My advice go go go!

Tagged!

Thanks Nicola for nominating me :).
Here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs

Seven Random facts:
I had a hot chicken roll for lunch today.
I love buying shoes, but normally wear the same shoes over and over again.
I love the winter, sitting beside the fire after a cold walk!
I used to work in pub.
Im a teacher
I like camping but dont do it very often.
I had blond hair as a child now i have brown hair with bottle blond added.


Heres my seven
Olive
Ruth
Sonia
Audrey
Hils
Vickie
Linda

Pick Me, Bring me home please

I found this little ugly fairy hiding in a shop in Siena, I just had to buy her, she was calling to me. My mum could not understand why I didnt pick the nicest looking one, but this one was the first one I saw. My Uncle does a great voice for her lol.

Weekly challenge lo

Correction for Owen this is a photo of the harp which was made with people in white jumpsuits lying on the Hill of Tara. The one under this is a video!

Sava Tara

Today Dad and I went up to the Hill of Tara to take part in some human art by an artist called John Quigley He organises people into a position and takes an aerial photo of the image. Today he was doing in a harp shape and the words Save Tara. We were part of the harp. It was great fun, very cold lying on the ground but, there were a thousands involved so we were all cold together. Everyone was give n a white suit to wear so that it would effect off the grass, and anyone in colours were used as little details. I don’t have a copy or link to the photo but keep checking the blog and Ill try to put it up. I will be making a layout with the photos.

Stewart Townsend and Irish director/actor was helping to publicise it. He joined in like everyone else and girls I think he may win the award for being even better looking than Brad Pitt!!!! But he is taken and his girlfriend is fab.

Tara became the seat of the High Kings of Celtic Ireland. The most famous of these was Cormac Mac Airt who reigned in the third century AD. Tara is filled with passage graves and ring forts. One of the ring forts within the large hill fort known as the Royal Enclosure is known as Cormac's House. The other ring fort known as the King's Seat may actually be constructed around a prehistoric tomb. The Lia Fáil or Stone of Destiny which stands about one metre in height is considered by some to have been a fertility symbol. According to legend on the inauguration of a worthy high king the stone would roar its approval. The Irish government have approved the construction of a motorway through the Tara valley and has already destroyed many artefacts
.

im a green crayon

You Are a Green Crayon

Your world is colored in harmonious, peaceful, natural colors. While some may associate green with money, you are one of the least materialistic people around. Comfort is important to you. You like to feel as relaxed as possible - and you try to make others feel at ease. You're very happy with who you are, and it certainly shows! Your color wheel opposite is red. Every time you feel grounded, a red person does their best to shake you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

Christmas at the post office, well nearly!

look what the postman brough today all the way from canada, he also broght a lot of stash from Ifa on UKS who kindly donated some paper for some of my students who will be making a 'book of me' they started making the pages today.

And a big hello to olive who gave me a nice hammering this week thanks olive! ( Hammering aka a Punching set)

Here is this weeks Lo, I love the colours in this paper, I really should get more. I am not getting many lo done since my return to school, I had a half day today 12.30 but only got to leave at 3.00 and then spent my time shopping for bits and pieces for the students, It seemed like all the teachers were out craft shopping today because the shop was packed.

I dropped my laptop yesterday and its broken, thank god I had insurance on it. Its off to the doctor tomorrow. Olive my collegue cheered me up today though she brought me in a hole puch tool and a hammer and some eyelets, cant wait to try them out.

These are for the weekly and monthly challenge on UKS, nice and bright for the summer, not that we had one. Im watching a scary film, 'hide nad seek' Im not good with scary films so i have to go on this at the same time.lol

Mojo scraplift

I dd not get much scrapping done this week, as I have gone back to school to work. But this is what I did manage with some help from mojo!

Bad Photo

Ok so here it is a bad photo of my for Mary B's Challenge, I also used the Mojo challenge for this one also.

I hate my hair in this one what was the hairdresser thinking yuck.

I used De Gerance Paperm Hidden journalling behind the photo and De Garance rub ons on the photo

Scrap the worst photo of yourself

Mary B has a challenge on her blog, scrap a picture of you when you look awful. Well I had no problems finding a photo, but am i brave enough to show the lo ha ha, watch this space! check the link to her blog and give it a go I dare you!

Festival Photos

Back to school count down

1 day of holidays left and its back to school noooooooooooooooooo! I feel like I just started the holidays the festival was great, I got great photos, most of which feature a very large Algerian flag. Ill post them later just waiting for the camera to charge. I think was one of the best free festival I was at in a long time. Well done Dun Laoghaire!!!!!

International Festival

Today we are off to Dun Laoghaire, there is an international festival on and an Algerian Rock/Pop/punk Musician is playing Rachid Taha is playing. It is very rare for Algerian artist to come to algeria, so its a nice treat for Houssem. Ill definatly bring my camera today!!! festival link There are lots of events on!

Flat Lakes Festival

Today Houssem and I went to Clones, to the Flat Lakes Literary Festival. It was held in the grounds of the most magnificent Hilton House pictured above ( I got the photos from their web site because can you believe it I forgot my camera) It is actually run as a B&B, look them up if your in need of a break.

The grounds are fantastic, and after today I could do a lot of name dropping as I was rubbing shoulders with some very famous VIPs it was amazing (but I don't name drop sorry) I think it was a good place for them to go because they got no hassle at all and the crowd the festival attracted were very arty and gentry like. One celeb did shock me at how small in height she was, she looked so timid and I always imagined her to be a strong tall woman.

Not at all like a normal festival. They are all camping out under the stars tonight. It was my sister Lucy that told me about the festival, she was exhibiting some of her visual art work at it (thats her in the top picture), she also helped out and made some presentations. A very interesting day had by all, seriously check this place out, its beautiful.

Mojo RAK

look at the lovely ribbons, i got from the mojo rak. I love them!

De Gerance Papers

I first saw lo using De Garance paper on UKS so I went hunting for them and found them on Banana Frogs web site, of course I ordered some and the just arrived, they are so vibrant and the detail on them is beautiful, so here are two lo's for my family album using these gorgeous papers. You can find a link to the De Gerance site on the side. If you want to get to UKS or Banana Frog just click pnt here name in this post.

After making the cards, I decided last night to make some Act’s, I made 3 original ones and then scanned them in and manipulated them on the computer, I then printed them out and now I have a set of 12 new ATC which I am very happy with, I’m calling these my Black and White De Gerance set. They are available for trade if anyone wants to. I have not traded yet so I guess I should start.

cards

I made two cards today for the Blog Until You Drop, challenge (you can find a link on the side) Im not used to making cards but I thought I should try. It made me think I should try to make more, and more ATC's. practice makes perfect.

Im still unsure about these two!

some of my recent lo's

Ive been Tagged by Olive

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was 21 living with my best friend and a great gang of students in Donegal, having one of the best times of my life, living on little or nothing, freezing, working hard and partying!

What were you doing 1 year ago?
I was in Algeria visiting Houssems family for the first time, i had a fantastic time his family are great and the country has some beautiful scenery, but got really sick (it took ages to get over), i was also jsut gettting ready to be a year head for the first time.


Five snacks you enjoy
1)mr kipling cerry bakewells 2)Dates 3)toast with real butter 4) apple and pecan pastries 5)baked goats cheese with honey drizzeled over it.


Five songs you know all the lyrics
:1)Living on a prayer- bon jovi 2)Shape of my heart -sting 3)say hello wave goodbye-david grey 4)cant take my eyes off you frankie valli 5)your song- sound track to moulon rouge


5 Things you would do if you were a milionaire
1)spoil our two families 2)Bulid my dream house and hire a housekeeper 3)travel around the world (maybe not all at once) 4)hire a personal trainer (who would make me loose weight). 5)have loads of children.


5 Bad Habits
1)starting to keep fit and giving up 2)not cleaning my car 3)eating eating eating 4)working too late/hard 5)acting like a teacher at home (only sometimes)


5 Things You Like To Do.
1)use my laptop 2)watch soaps 3) going out for dinner 4)teaching 5)dancing


5 Things You Will Never Wear Again
1)figure hugging above the knee little black dress 2)Bikini 3)blue and black tiger print docs 4)a tartan mini skirt 5)the same brown shoes as my brother ( as kids)


5 Favorite Toys
1)Laptop 2)scrapping stash 3)kite 4)playstation 5)Cards (poker etc)

Im tagging scrapperlicious because she has a fantastic blog

Thanks Olive

Flying kites made me think of this!

I love kinetic art and this is one of my favorites, look up kinetic on you tube and you will see what i mean.

click replay to see the video, it could take a few min's to get stared depending on your conection speed.

Flying Kites

Yesterday Houssem bought a kite, we went to the beach and a had a great laugh trying to fly it, I forgot how much fun it could be, now he has bought a bigger one 2 meters long on ebay, id say it would lift you off the ground, cant wait until it comes.

Im doing lots of Lo this month, 4 last night. Im really starting to enjoy it. I edited the last post to include a slide show of the lo I did this month because it was taking up too much space.

MOJO Made my day!

I was just going through the blogs I like to visit this morning anf to my surprise, I saw my name as the RAK 23 winner on the Mojo Blog, I could not belive it, I had to look at it twice. So I was happy all day. And I went scrapping mad scrapping 10 layouts ha ha, here are some of the lo inspired by my mojo win!!!!!!! yipeeeee

The edge of this is missing as it was too big for the scanner.

When going through the family photos I found this one of my great uncle charlie lying on his work bench, he was a tailor, so the stitching goes well with him! I also found a piece of paper with his writing on it showing how he devided up his pension, £5 for the poor £ for the missions £10 for christmas, £8 for his sister, £ 8 for my little sister lucy, £5 for me, £5 for my brother, £5 for taxi's and the rest went to my aunt his sister for his keep.

He had a hard life, TB as a teenager, which some say prevented him for finding someone to share his life with. He also had a hard death.

He was such a generous man and even though he had nothing he would always help and always say a prayer for you. He could have made some one very happy.

Cyber Crop

There is a summer cyber crop on UKS at the moment. There are some great classes. these are two lo i did last night for it, i might do one today aswell.