Sunny Smile

Second Post Friday: For The further adventures of Lady Ophelia click HERE

Face no 17(WIP) for 29 Faces in February. Needed a bit of sunshine :D, guache and coloured pencil.

This is the day that I try to join in with Rocking My World Friday, to give thanks for the blessings in my week:

I am thankful that we have had a lovely relaxing half term break, with lots of happy visitors.

I am thankful that, although he still hasn't got the job he wants, hubby is surrounded by professional friends who have confidence that he will, and are giving him lots of emotional support.

I am grateful that we are all in good health, and able to take time to help others that need us.

I am so happy that my grown-up son still feels the need to come home regularly(even if it is just to get his washing done).

And I am soooo excited to be getting together with some of my blogland friends to eat, shop and squeal on saturday :D

And I am most grateful to Virginia, who keeps reminding us that there is always something to be thankful for, even in the crappiest weeks :D XXX

Thankful for the light of Friendship :D

Second post Friday...for Postcard Challenge click HERE

This is my face no 10 for Ayala's 29 Faces in February challenge...

learned some not so nice stuff about online "relationships" this week. We all know about cyber bullying with kids, but come on folks...this shouldn't be happening amongst grown ups!!

I do not understand why people use alias's or multiple blogs to intimidate and try to control others...I am exactly who I am, my email address is on my blog clear to see so that if I ever offend anyone they can contact me directly. I know it's fun to create a new persona to separate yourself from the real world, but once you befriend some one, even online, you should be open and truthful with them.

This image represents someone who is lurking in the shadows....waiting for a chance to jump out and frighten or shock others around them. Please don't be that person!! I mean...he looks innocent enough, but is it really a he ? We only have the picture to go by.
I made this picture using the magazine photo for a template method, so just showing before and after pics :D
In between, layers of watercolour/guache/pencil blocks/stabillo pencil
So I am thankful this week that I have a Goddess who protects me from duplicity in others, and online friends who are exactly who they claim to be...you really do Rock my little World :D

Blessed Be

Why I am thankful....

This is my second post today(as with all fridays hopefully). For the latest adventure's of Lady Ophelia aka Darcy's Postcard challenge post, click HERE

Rocking my world this week is the new challenge by Ayala to make 29 Faces for February.

It is reminding me that I have so many things to be thankful for, not least of which is my eyesight!!!

Many people are less able than me mobility wise...I can't even imagine not being able to express myself through art.

This pencil drawing is based on a photo of one of my nieces. It is not meant to be a likeness, just a pretty little girl, who is fascinated by something that has caught her eye :D

I am also grateful for my will power!!! My youngest has Asperger's , which means some of his behaviour is a bit weird. One of his foibles(quite a common one amongst sufferers) is that his bed becomes a rat's nest...nicest description I could think of lol. Every so often I brave the nest and clear it out...this pic was taken after I had already removed all the excess bedding.The list of stuff he sleeps on/with(not including basic bed set) is:

2x large fleecy blankets(he sleeps on top of the duvet?)

1x large quilted bedspread

1x fleecy cot blanket(was his, he is now 13)

1x single/ripped flannelette sheet

1x flannelette cot sheet(was his older brothers, now 21)

1x large bit of "sheety"(scraps of flannelette)

2x adult sized dressing gowns(1 fleecy,1 cotton lined)

1x adult sized Slanket(ginormous blankety thing with sleeves)

1x football cushion

3x scatter cushions
6 medium sized stuffed toys

1 large stuffed snake toy
assorted strips of "sheety" and toy stuffing that has escaped
13 small stuffed toys, 1 fleecy xmas hat and 1 pair of felt xmas antlers...and his clock!!
I have been thankful that he is adapting his OCD abilities to keep his bedroom floor visible, but that's because he is piling everything on his laptop table instead...

I am thankful for my ability to think quickly...and scraped it all into a plastic bag for his dad to sort through later lol :D

And this is the arsenal of weapon he "needs" under his bed so he can sleep safely :S Like I'm not scary enough to see off any bogey men :D

The most interesting find was this lump of concrete and wrapper that was a weight for a bunch of helium filled balloons from his gran's 80th birthday party last August(couldn't throw them out til the last one collapsed pathetically to the floor, dragged down by it's dead companions)
And this is how it looks now...won't look like that tomorrow :S
Oh...and does anyone know how he managed to form a "kink" in his memory foam mattress topper??? Just about managed to smooth it out, but he doesn't even sleep on it!!!

Last but not least....I am thankful for an understanding hubby...who spends his free time sorting through bags of junk I hand him, with very little complaint( he's entitled to the occasional tut lol)

:D XXX

It's Friday morning and I'm soooo organised!

So much to share this week...but mostly because I'm feeling totally in control of our festivities this year :) I know it's tempting fate, but things seem to be going so well I have time to do this post :D

Can't have Christmas without Angels, so here is the finished doudle spread from my Altered Book. I had made the tied in page with my dog at the door, and wanted to put an accordian/concertina book on the opposite page. While prepping, this angel just appeared (will show the evolution at a later date).

The title for the spread is Guardian of the Door....I was refering to my dog, but this Angel wanted in on the act :D
and I just had to do something a little different with the fold out sections :D

Another project I have yet to share is the Altered Board Book I started making after one of Amy's classes. We never got finished because of technical difficulties, but Amy is redoing the class today at 6pm GMT on livestream....feel free to join in if you wish http://www.livestream.com/amymcdonald?t=143152

I got this old children's book from a charity shop for 50p, and covered it with scraps of paper
So I am looking forward to finding out what happens next :D

Have you had a Rocking week with your build up to Christmas?...if so why not share it with us over at Virginia's Blog

Oh, and if you have been enjoying the paper dolls theme at The Butterfly effect this week, check out Plush Possum Studio today, They have given us the most stunning Christmas paper dolls EVER

Much "rockinger" week :D

What Rocked My Week....

I really enjoy this chance to give thanks for happy moments each week....some weeks I have to dig deep, but this week was so full :D

1st I am thankful to Mary Berry(cook) for producing the Christmas cake kit that was excellent value and easy to follow....you know I'm rubbish at waiting for stuff to dry....
I'm rubbish at waiting for cakes to mature too nom nom.....:D
Next I am grateful that baby sis, BIL and hubby haven't got the patience to use teeny fiddly screws....so I got to build the dolls house for neice *clap,clap* (always wanted one myself) took me 4 hours, and even I had to use tweezers for some of the screws!! God help anyone who hasn't thought to build in advance!
Next I'd like to thank the group of people who are putting up statues in and around Sheffield. This one appeared recently at the entrance to the park(previously known as heliport,cos it was)
It's official unveiling is tonight, but weather not looking good, unlike the day last weekend when I made hubby pull over so I could climb on wall to take pics :D Couldn't find the artists name, but the group are "Friends of Parkwood Springs"

I've used that image on my pages using Natasha's free altered book class on how to use tissue paper to make a textured background/window in page....but you just get a peak as I am not posting that til monday :)
And this is my thank you to Amy :) She has dropped herself in it this week by saying"post me some art and I'll send you some back!" So this is a mixed media piece I made to send her this week...
Hope she likes it...

and finally to Chunky Monkey....for trying to stay at school all week...he managed til yesterday afternoon, but got soaked to the skin after refusing to go inside, so they asked to send him home. Would have been helpful if someone had thought to give him his coat, but he's in bed today keeping warm.

OOW! Just read comments...am being featured on Joyful Stampers-Inspire Me Friday!!! Today! :D Thank you Maria

How blessedly "Rocked" was your week?

What's Rocking my day today?.....

Not giving a S**t!!!

I love blogging cos it lets me be who I am! Like so many of you, I spend my life being what others need at any given time, but just sometimes......I need to just be me, and you guys let me !!

So HUGE amounts of KUDOS to all of you:D

Today, when Chunky started the "I hate school" routine, instead of going through the step by step reassurances and discussions on why he had to go.......I said "go back to bed then". Now I normally jump through hoops to make sure school knows what is happening...today ..I haven't. It is now 10.20am, and even though Chunky makes his own way to school(and I always phone by 8.30 if he is staying home) no one has contacted me to let me know he hasn't turned up! So why have I been stressing out making sure he gets there???

Anyhoo, I have really enjoyed my morning so far :D I finished icing my xmas cake! Made myself using a cake kit that cost a fiver!! Just had to add eggs and butter(the bag of pre-soaked fruit was amazing, def very good value for money!)

Hubby is still on form with the selection of beer :D He says he actually realised last night that he now always looks at the bottle cap BEFORE the description or price!!! This came off a bottle called Hopping Hare....do you think he was getting subliminal messages that I was starting to loose it haha!
and yesterday I completed our advent sleigh...as in I filled the boxes with choccies :D
Here it is in situe :D
and this is a close up of sparklies on the tree.....just cos I'm feeling festive :D

So what's Rocking your world this week?

El Gato que esta triste y azul.......but rocked my world :D

Had a bit of a stressy week, with Chunky Monkey managing to get most of the week off, but it did give me plenty of time for crafting......:D

But what really made me smile this week was when my Bubbles by moonlight pic reminded Leovi of an old song, and she/he(sorry Leovi I don't actually know if your male or female, how weird is that?) left me a verse from the song in my comments box.

I searched tinterweb to find the full lyric and artist (Roberto Carlos, aka El Rei, the King of Latin Music!!)

The song is called "El Gato que esta triste y azul" which google translates as "The Cat who is sad and blue!" How perfect is that for my fold-out page title???!

And the beer bottle top hubby treated me to this week....."Blue Moon"...and he squished it for me too :D
So the sentiment goes to hubby...cos" Life with you is Stardust and Moonbeams"

I hid the song lyrics (translated into english by google :S) inside the page

The little strip at the top reads "the cat is in our sky"
and included a pic of said Roberto Carlos from the 70's/80's :D

This is how it looks folded-in :D
So yet another big shout out for Amy and her free classes at Flutterbye.ning, for keeping me sane this week...well...as sane as I can be ;P

And thanking my baby niece for reminding us of the magic of this season...we took her shopping for trimmings and she was totally awestruck with all the trees and bling :D

So those are the things that Rocked My World this week....how was yours?

:D XXX

Rocking my World...Freedom!

In remembrance of Katie, a blogland friend I didn't get to know long enough. A beautiful soul.
Haven't done one of these "Thankful" posts for a few weeks now, but as it is Remembrance Day, I have no excuse :)

I will ever be Thankful to those who put on a uniform and stand up for our freedom.

My grandfather fought in the trenches fron 1914-1919...he survived. His eldest son fought in WW2...he did not. He lies still in Italy where he fell, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Italian people who keep the graves so beautifully.

Bless them All!!!
On a lighter note, this is a plant in my neighbours garden...it flowers in June....it is a yucca of some description...it is getting ready to flower again, now, in November???! So I thank Nature for it's entertaining vagueries :)

I am Soooooo thankful for my lovely tattooist Steve, who spent the morning working on my Totem Tattoo. Just look at those icey blue eyes on my she-wolf...mwahahahahaha........!
I am loving that Reeves have brought out a range of soluble wax crayons(couldn't afford the other make) this pack of 24 cost just £7.49!!
This is a quick sketch I made with them to send to Donna with a small set of the crayons for her to play with. It's to remind her of the green fields of England :D

And I am thankful every day, for the inspiration given by other bloggers. This weeks special mention is for Dawn and Cheryl, who inspired me to make a visualisation of my Guardian Angel

And last but not least ....Hubby, who yet again came home with a cheap treat :) There are 2 alphabet stencils(upper and lower case) for £1 !!!
Blessed Be to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice ! Thank you!

Linking to Rocking My World Friday