April month in numbers...

Spring is on its way and April has had its fair share of showers but there have also been a host of other, none weather related things brightening up this month.

3 = The number of afternoon teas that I have been to. 1 in Yorkshire, 1 in Carlisle and 1 in Workington. My  friends and I are starting a scoring system for each and so far we have 13 places to mark out of 10.

4 [ish] = The number of hours it took me to bake and decorate this birthday cake that was taken to one of the afternoon teas.

4 [ish] = This was also the number of hours I spent in the hospital with my friend following the birthday afternoon tea when she had suspected TB. Everything turned out to be OK; the worst part of it was we didn't get to cut the cake!

5 rolls of duct tape, 4 pillows, 1 can of expandable foam and 1 helpful Mother = The numbers involved in making a customised dress form. It was rather good fun despite the disaster with the expandable foam and the reduced ability to breathe whilst being wrapped up in duct tape. It's nearly finished now I just need to add [and adjust] the guidelines on it and then I'll be stitching away. [Maybe!]

2 = The number of PhD's completed. My new bag made with *best* fabric from Barcelona and a dress which I had finished but needed tweaking.

5 = The number of hours I spent cleaning, polishing and hoovering the car. With 1 not so helpful cat. It's a nightmare to get white cat fluff off newly hoovered upholstery!

£147.72 = The amount I received in a bonus check for a PPI refund. I had sent the forms off about 6 months ago and came home from work one day this month to find this waiting for me on the doormat. Hurrah!

Just over £600 = The amount I managed to save in my current account this month. I am trying to managed my finances better and help grow the kitchen fund. It's on its way.

12 = The number of Poirot books I have now read in the recommended order. I might get to the end by Christmas.

4 = The number of dates I have been on this month. It feels strange to be back in the world of dating. I'm not entirely convinced by the whole thing as of yet. I may just stick to the plan of becoming a crazy cat lady.

Month in numbers is brought to you by the fabulous Julie Kirk and if you would like to know more about it and maybe even join in then you can find the details here and catch up with other MinN bloggers over on Pinterest.

Until next month.

♥

Gothic Arches challenge #9...

The second of the bi-monthly challenges for April, over on the Gothic Arches blog was to create a piece of work using a photo and or a digital image.

I combined both of these elements to create my interpretation. The bunting and digital camera by Michelle Underwood are available on Two Peas in a bucket, here and here for FREE! The 'hybrid' stamp is also digital but I can't remember where it came from and the Polaroid frame comes as part of a kit from Daisy Trail.

The background of the arch is Basic Grey and the rest of the paper and text come from an old book cover.

The photograph was taken from a hostel balcony in February this year and altered using my fav app of the mo; Instagram.

If you would like to play along pop over to the Gothic Arches blog for more info.

See you all again soon.

♥

March month in numbers...

Another month has passed us by and already we are approaching month number 4. With that numerical introduction here are March's month in numbers...

2 = The number of days in March spent in beautiful Barcelona.

14 = The numbers of photos taken to this time around to document the graffiti out there. Each time I passed a piece I was tempted to take a piccy only to think to myself 'I'm sure I've already photographed that piece before'.

1 = The number of mini books completed this month. You can see more about it here.

1 = The number of Smash books I now own after my lovely Mummy bought me one at the Great Northern Papercrafts Extravaganza.

Far too many = The number of calories consumed during the biannual 'gluing and sticking in the country' weekend.

5 + 1 + 6 = The number of students taken on an overnight trip to Edinburgh where we visited 6 galleries.

3 = The number of summer shoes which have migrated from out beneath the bed.

3 = The number of tulips blossoming in my garden. Planted by me. I grew something. *does a little celebratory dance*

5 = The number of seed trays planted up and in my greenhouse. There are signs of growth already!

4 = The number of consecutive days of sunshine. Long may it continue.

Why not pop over to the number one 'Month in Mumbers' blogger Julie to see how her stats are adding up. There is even a lovely tutorial available here if you are interested in playing along. 

This month I'm going to make an effort to read and comment on at least 3 other month in numbers players [that's one number sorted for next month already!] Can't wait to see how you're all adding up. Thanks for popping by.

♥

Bits of Barcelona...

I have been hankering after a K&co Smash book for a while. Strange that  slick advertising and idea of sticking bits in a notebook should appeal to me. Well maybe not so strange.

As Barcelona has become somewhat of an annual pilgrimage I have amassed  a major collection of tickets, gallery leaflets and general yummy paraphernalia as well as over 500 photographs which would have the most ardent 12"x12" scrapbooker running for the hills. Anyway the general vibe in Barcelona is a much more laid back, hotch potch kind of style which wouldn't suit a 'formal' 12"x12".

So a Smash book seemed the perfect solution, even if the tag line 'because done is better than perfect' disturbs me to me very perfectionist core.

However I didn't have a Smash book and don't have the pennies to buy one either. Solution? Use a fab note book bought in Barcelona on last years trip, but never been touched. 

This was a fab notebook because the pages inside aren't plain. [A perfectionists nightmare... Where to put that first possibly imperfect mark?! Aargh!!]

Each page has a quirky little doodle [quite a few about chickens. Maybe chickens are a source of inspiration in Spain?] on the page to take away the scary starkness of working onto a white page.

So tickets and *stuff* before me I set out to glue and stick...

Using chipboard letters to give the original notebook a title and attaching various tags to the spine.

Gallery leaflets etc attached with large paperclips so you can take them out to read.

Using the 'contact sheet' print option with Windows printer allows you to include millions of images without taking up too much space.

More important photos were printed with the 'wallet' option.

Doodle of chickens that were already inside the book!

I cut up the paper carrier bags I had collected and fixed them in to create extra pages.

Most of the bits of *stuff* were attached with paperclips, staples or washi tape so it gives the book a kind of art college, working sketchbook feel. Appropriate really as I went on the trip with college.

So there you have it; how to include a million different pieces of wonderful *stuff* in one book. There are still a few pages left for the next trip too...

♥

My month in numbers 2011: February...

It appears that somebody has stolen yet another month. I know February is only 28 days long but March already? Really? Despite the apparent sneaky month thievery it would appear that quite a few events worthy of note have taken place this month...

[Graffiti quote on the outside of the wall protecting the Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona]

As this rather fabulous graffiti quote suggests the reduction in the number of days hasn't affected the amount of *stuff* I have achieved throughout the month of February:

5 = The number of nights I spent in the fabulous city of Barcelona.

[Wall sculpture on residential buildings outside the MACBA]

4 = The number of loads of washing I did in one day after returning from Barcelona; quite an achievement considering I don't have a tumble drier and live in Cumbria; possibly the wettest county in the UK.

2 = The number of rather special items of clothing purchased this month, keep your eyes peeled for more details soon. I'm saving them for a *best* post.

12 = The number of pink roses I received on St Valentines Day. [for the first time ever. Whoop! Happy face]. The roses are now drying, quite successfully, hanging from my staircase.

6 = The number of heart shaped bread rolls I baked on the eve of St Valentines day: Nigella Lawson has nothing on me. 

[Tasty home made granary bread rolls with homemade smoked salmon terrine]

900g = The amount of cream cheese this rather fabulous chocolate cheesecake has in it. This was my first attempt. I was rather pleased. I also felt rather sick after eating it. 

[Yes that is a bowl of extra thick double cream you can see in the corner. In for a penny in for a pound and no it is not topped with grated cheese that is white chocolate shavings!]

1 = The number of rather public Facebook profile information changes possibly prompted by the meal shown above?!:

[I never [ever] blog, scrapbook or in any way publicly talk about or record my relationships. I guess I wouldn't want to throw away or burn anything I had created should it become a painful reminder. That doesn't seem to apply this time. Go figure].

£1 = The price of the rather marvelous table cloth that you can see in the above photos: gotta love a bit of charity shopping.

Many = The number of cakes consumed at the afternoon tea party I attended this month.

[The Plough @ Wreay - yum yum]

97.6 = The number of miles travelled to see my dad on his birthday. 

2 = The number of bird boxed built with my Dad in some quality Daddy Daughter time. My blue tits shall now have a warm and cosy home [hopefully].

[One of the many uses for spare floorboards]

3 = The number of sleeps before the biannual crafting weekend in Draughton where much eating and crafting shall take place.

[The November 2010 Draughton Weekend, missing Jean :-(]

2 1/2 = The number of Ratty Fascals consumed in the same number of days when I visited home and Mum had been baking. Ah tasty goodness.

[Are you an eyes or a teeth person?]

I am still aiming to grab some higher numbers during March so if you have any suggestions how I can raise my game please feel free to let me know, although 900 is a fairly high number admittedly. Especially when it's referring to lard. 

Till soon,

♥

Too many things and not enough time...

Before I decided to start this whole blogging thing I often thought that I wouldn't have enough *stuff* to blog about. Oh how wrong can one person be?! Lots of things have happened in the last few days that are worthy (in my humble opinion) of some blog space so I'm going to post twice today - crazy stuff I know :D.
Check out my new tag below for the UK Stampers Weekly Challenge which you can find here .

This weeks letter was G for Grafitti - one of my all time favoutite subjects, if you are a fan too then I can highly recommend a trip to Barcelona - where the walls are a colourful explosion of excitment!
Check back with me later when I'll be sharing some partyful glee with you all over at Shimelle.com .

Until tonight my friends!

x♥x