4x6 Photo Love November (belated)

Dear Shimelle,

When you are designing your very clever multi-photo layouts please bear in mind the challenges you are giving us not only to follow them, but to take photos of them afterwards!

It wasn't until I received the prompt for December that I remembered that I had never actually got round to doing last months.  I distinctly remember thinking 'I don't have eleven photos of the same theme' but obviously that was as far as I got.  Now this is one project that I am absolutely 100% determined that I am going to finish and so I could not let November pass by in a blur of 2 empty page protectors.  So I figured that it was in November 2010 that I went to the Cologne Christmas Markets therefore I am completely entitled to bore you with photos from that which I have shared before.  

Here comes the photography problem.  It is a double page layout with a slim divided page protector sandwiched between the pages.  On a dull and murky day, how do you photograph that.  

You start with the double pages on their own, out of the album.

You then put the divider alongside the first page

You then take about ten photos that you discard before putting the layout in the album and taking a photo of the back of the divider next to the second page.  Does any of this make sense?

Now I need to have a look at how the project will end with the 12 photo December edition.  Has anyone out there managed to complete the whole album before the end of the year?

Farewell to 2011 and all that

Well not long now until we say goodbye to 2011 and welcome in 2012.  My main feeling about the year is that I will be pleased to see the back of it, for it has not been a good year for us here.  My husband lost his job around Easter time,  and my father in law died in August.  My husband has struggled with both situations and it's been tough all round.  But it's easy to focus on the bad and I intend to redress the balance here and concentrate on the good bits.  Highlights of the year include:

1. My daughter met her boyfriend and within the year has bought a lovely new house with him
2. She 'adopted' the cutest little puppy
3. My son graduated with a 2:1 degree in Politics in the summer and we so enjoyed his graduation ceremony
4. He's now embarked on a Masters degree in African Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies which is part of the University of London 
5. He started a weekend job at Stansted Airport so is now financially solvent again!
6. I became Godmother to my niece's daughter
7. My sister and brother in law celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary
8. My niece discovered she is expecting another baby in February
9. We've already booked our flights to spend a week at my sister's house in Portugal in July 
10. We had a wonderful Christmas with all our family together, no stress, no arguments, good food, good wine and lots of laughter

So just one day to go ... we're not socialising this NYE.  The first year in absolute ages that we haven't gone out somewhere.  Our daughter and her boyfriend are hosting a fancy dress party at their house and so we have the puppy coming to sleep over - she would be mightily confused to see her 'dad' dressed up as Buzz Lightyear and her 'mum' as the Queen of Hearts, not to mention the 20 others taking over her house in various disguises, I think she is better having a quiet night in with us!

Back to the classroom

Not literally, of course, schools don't go back until next Thursday and when we do return, we hit the ground running.  First day back we have Year 11 GCSE mock exams starting and Senior Presentation Evening later on.  You'd have thought they would let us have a day's grace before making us work wouldn't you? 

No, the classroom I am referring to is the one in my study with the computer and all my crafty bits.  I've been awful at doing the last couple of Shimelle classes that have been daily prompts over the course of the month and I hate signing up for something that I don't manage to complete.  So I have gone 'off piste' and signed up for a couple of classes that other people have mentioned.

One that Mel mentioned over at Curiouser and Curiouser and one that Rinda mentioned which is Creative Jump Start .  The first one, called 'Just one sketch' sounds like it will be fun and not only that, it's to raise funds for a good cause so I'm looking forward to that.  Two prompts a week for six weeks, that's doable - right?   And for a bargain price of £5.  The second one had me when I read the title.  A Creative Jump Start is just what I need to start the new year off properly.  And just to make it perfect - it doesn't cost a penny!  Yay!
Can I tempt anyone else into joining in too?

They both sound good and I'm looking forward to them both starting.
New Year's Resolution?  Done!!!

Christmas roundup

Once again I had to struggle to get everyone agreeable to the annual family photo.  It's so much easier when children are younger and more happy to pose for the camera!  And this year we had to factor in a time-delay shutter with an energetic puppy who just wanted to escape and play ...

We have had a lovely couple of days here, Christmas day at our home and Boxing Day at my sisters.  I feel truly blessed to have such a great family and as people have grown up and found husbands/wives/partners everyone has joined into the extended family so well. 

This is just a quick post for the moment to wish everyone a happy and healthy post-Christmas - I'm enjoying blog hopping around to see what you have all been up to, not too much time to leave a message on every blog at the moment, but I will be back!

The great sprout debate

Love 'em?  or hate 'em?

Sprouts seem to be a bit like Marmite, you either really like them or you really don't.  And I fall into the 'really don't' category.  Over the years I've tried to disguise them in many ways, cooked with pancetta, cooked with chestnuts, stir fried or boiled.  Still don't like them.  Husband and daughter love them, can't understand why I don't.  So when I charged the husband with the job of picking the sprouts off their stalks, he asked how many I needed.  He figured most people would want at least six.  SIX?  I don't think so.  One is more than enough for me!  When you buy them on the stalk it is very deceiving how many there are, I had bought two stalks.  Turns out you get about 50 sprouts on each stalk.  I think we have more than enough.

Do you have a favourite vegetable that Christmas dinner HAS to have?  For me it's parsnips, parboiled, dipped in flour and coated in parmesan cheese.  Back in the oven for the cheese to crisp up.  Yum.  But it's also the roast potatoes.  Crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle.  Mind you, I'm quite partial to carrots cooked in the microwave with a few cubes of butter and some demerara sugar to make a glaze.  And peas.  Can't have roast turkey without peas.  But I think I'll pass on the sprouts.

Altered agenda

Well one thing I did not factor into my Christmas preparation schedule was a hastily arranged trip to the dentist, but that's what I ended up doing yesterday.  Although I drag myself to the surgery for a check up every six months I have a bit of a fear about going and get myself into a bit of a nervous state whilst waiting for my name to be called.  So when I brushed my teeth on Wednesday night and a corner of one of my teeth crumbled away, taking a slither of the back of the tooth with it - I knew it was not good news.  I'd had x-rays taken a year ago and had been for a check up six months ago so I convinced myself it couldn't be anything serious right up until the point at which I sat in the waiting room and imagined crowns, caps, root canals, extractions ..... Fortunately he had a quick look, decided that all that was needed was a white filling to make good the missing bits and he was able to make a temporary repair there and then.  Of course I need to go back in the New Year to have a permanent filling done but hey, I'll worry about that in January!  And it's only going to cost £40 for both appointments, both treatments and the six monthly examination.  Phew.

So here we are, the day before Christmas Eve and I seem remarkably cool, calm and collected.  There must be something I've forgotten!  Life has changed a great deal for us in the last 12 months and I have to say that I will be pleased to see the end of 2011.  But then I think that there have been good things too and I should be concentrating on them.  Daughter has a lovely man in her life and they are happy in their new home with their little puppy.  Son is graduated and embarking on his Masters degree.  We have our health and will be spending time with all those we love over the next weekend.  The cupboards are full and the fridge and freezer overflowing with goodies, there are gifts wrapped and waiting to be opened.  OK Christmas, I think I'm ready for you.

I hope that wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you have a lovely weekend and a peaceful Christmas.  

Busy busy busy

Yesterday afternoon we had my goddaughter come to visit while her mummy went to have her hair done.  Sophie is now 19 months old and there is a brother or sister arriving at the end of February so her Mummy is going to be very busy in 2012!  Christmas preparation had to take a back seat while she was here, as we had far more important things to do.

Like ... a bit of internet shopping

and making a hat for teddy

So the making of the mince pies had to wait until she had gone home 

Another thing to tick of the list!