Wednesday 24 February 2016

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 351

It's been Half Term around here and my girl has only gone back to college today. The kitchen table has been her domain.

This morning, I came down to this at 6am.....

























Went out into this.....

























Came home and made this.....

























I like the splashy background on my biplane cards so much, I had to use it again.

Now it's coffee time and a chance to visit Julia and the Deskers on this gloriously sunny day.

Wednesday 17 February 2016

What's On Your workdesk? Wednesday #350

Hello. It's that day of the week again. Here's my kitchen table with the remaining things from this morning's class waiting to be put away.

























Lots of vibrant yellow and a bit of pink, on a Birthday card, just peeking out from underneath the tea light box.

























A closer look at our quick and simple "Thank you" card. I think I'll be making a few of these, in other colours, ready to add a last minute sentiment.

Linking up with Julia and the deskers on this very wet afternoon.

Monday 15 February 2016

Memorandum Monday ~ Galaxy

It was a busy weekend with lots going on. A very wet Saturday afternoon spent baking with my girl. Three varieties of muffins and a banana loaf to replenish the freezer stocks. They were getting dangerously low and we can't have that. Plus a few to pack up and deliver to our boy, along with a selection of "ready meals", portioned off when I did some batch cooking earlier in the week.

























Saturday evening saw the beginning of a new Icelandic crime drama on BBC4. The first two episodes were shown back to back. I've only watched one so far (I get a bit fidgety after an hour of sitting still) but I'm already hooked.

On Sunday we spent the day with our boy. He's settling into his new flat and it's such a relief for him, and us, that he's out of that awful situation. Now he can concentrate on enjoying his course and perhaps begin to embrace university life a little more.

























Today finds me setting up my new phone. It was so easy, even for totally untechy me. All I had to do was put this phone back to back with my old one and everything transferred across, as if by magic. Things have certainly moved on in two years.

Apologies for the dreadful photos. It was so bright when I tried to capture the TV screen earlier and too dark once my phone arrived. Looking forward to trying out the camera on my new phone very soon. Waving to Sian and all those leaving a memo this bitterly cold Monday. Have a great week. Half term here and a break from the "school run", which is most welcome.



Wednesday 10 February 2016

Snap! ~ Drive

I was talking to a friend the other day, about my drive to and from the bus stop, with my girl. She said I had a school run with attitude. That's one way of putting it. Here's a little selection of driving seat views from the last week in January.
























Wednesday morning. Dry and surprisingly warm.

























Thursday morning. A frost on my windscreen.

























Friday morning. Mild and very wet.


























Thursday afternoon. Just to show I sometimes set off in daylight.

Linking with Helena to share a set of images with a visual link.

Monday 8 February 2016

Memorandum Monday ~ Avocado

I talked Avocados in my SIPIDI! round up last month. From that post you'll know that having them on toast is nothing new around here, so what is?

























Some of the variations I've seen online have you making your own fresh pesto which, I'll be honest, is not something I want to do for a simple lunch. Others include slow roasted tomatoes, with a cooking time of over an hour, which would involve being super organised. I want quick, easy and tasty. I think this fits the bill.

Take a handful of cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil (I've got a spray), season and pop under the grill to soften. Meanwhile, toast some good wholemeal bread, mash an avocado with a little lemon or lime juice and black pepper.

Once the bread is toasted, spread with some tomato pesto, add thinly sliced red onion rings, mashed avocado and top with the grilled tomatoes. Enjoy.

It seems I cannot stay away from foodie posts, on Memorandum Monday, for long! Waving to Sian on this blustery morning, courtesy of Storm Imogen, and wondering why we've started naming our wet and windy Winter weather. Have a great week.

Saturday 6 February 2016

Stampin' on Saturday ~ The Sky's the Limit

This week's class was based around the Sky is the Limit stamp set. We made three cards, one of which I shared on Wednesday*.

























I created the background by using a splotch, from Gorgeous Grunge, stamped in sky blue. I stamped the plane image and added a vapour trail, which makes the shape of a heart so I highlighted that by colouring in red. I stamped the clouds in pale grey on a scrap of card, fussy cut and stuck on with foam pads.

























The second card started in exactly the same way. This time I fussy cut a second plane, which I added over the first with foam pads, to give a bit of dimension. I left the vapour trail as it was. Stamped the sentiment onto a strip of card and cut a banner end. I then added another smaller banner to balance the composition.

The banner strip was a little longer than required and I meant to adhere it with the excess hanging over the edge so that I could trim it off, but I completely forgot!

*I'm writing a tutorial for that circular spinner card, but the photos will have to wait until we get some sunshine. Hoping that won't be too long. Have a lovely weekend.

Wednesday 3 February 2016

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #348

A class day for me today, which meant a kitchen table full of supplies for double (and triple!) checking yesterday afternoon.

























I like to lay everything out, for each individual project, including all the "Blue Peter" bits. Above, you can see what was needed to put together a spinner card.....
























.....complete with loop the looping biplane. The sentiment inside reads "The Sky's the Limit". The first time we've attempted a spinner of this style and it was a big hit. I usually do the more common left to right motion like these. All good fun.

Linking up with Julia and The Deskers this bright and cold Winter's afternoon. Happy Wednesday.

Monday 1 February 2016

Memorandum Monday ~ Sketch

The first Monday in February (Really? I know!) and I'm joining Sian to share something new I learned this weekend.

























All that driving is clearly paying off, when my girl can now produce a quick observational "sketch" (her word) that looks like this.

Have a great week.