Self Portrait - 12 Days of Chrismas photography course

This is it then - the Self Portrait for the 12 Days of Christmas course with Cheryl Johnson.

I really hate photos of myself and am always disappointed in what I see! I took about 12 photos by using the self timer on my Panasonic Lumix TZ7 and balancing it on my window sill in the kitchen (becuase it has the best natural light).

I have edited in Picasa by turning into black and white ( I look MUCH better in black and white), putting a soft focus around the edges and them playing around with highlights and shadows etc. Its quite close up - scary huh?

Here are a few others that I felt Okay about - WHAT A POSER eh>

12 Days of Christmas - photography workshop

Exciting stuff - I'm one of 100 who has been accepted onto Cheryl Johnson's photography workshop that begins on 1st December and lasts 12 days! I've now signed up to the forum and have charged my camera and I'm ready to roll!

Shock horror - Cherly's email said that the first task is to take a self portrait! Oh NO!!! This has got to be the worst task for me. I hate having my photo taken at the best of times and only insist on it once or twice during holidays etc to prove that I was actually there! What on earth am I going to do? A plain - point and shoot at my face or a situational set up involving Christmas? Does this mean I have to delve into the freezing loft space searching for Christmas decs - before December!!!!! (We also have two rather beautiful but scary wasps nest up there that I dont fancy annoying)! Whats more - it means having to try and catch myself looking my best - aaargh!

Dilemma!

http://www.feelgoodphotos.com/blog/?p=4008


Mel & I - July 2009 at the Take That Circus tour, Wembley

Hide and Seek by Clare Sambrook

I have just finished Hide & Seek by Clare Sambrook and decided to review it on the blog.
To say that I enjoyed the story would be wrong. The story is written through the eyes of a young boy named Harry who, at 9 years old, feels the terrible responsibility of the disappearance of his 5 year old brother Daniel, on a school trip.

Harry and his parents' pain is described in various behaviours throughout the book and I found I had to keep reminding myself that the narration was by a 9 year old who is in turmoil. To say that I felt sorry for Harry is an understatement.

The book was excellently written and the descriptions that Clare Sambrook has used are awesome (I read many of them more than once to make sure I had understood. The use of the train's Rhythm drumming comments into Harry's head was very sad but very clever.

I perhaps found it more upsetting as my son is a "Daniel" too!

WOYWW - Handmade Flowers

Its amazing how quickly Wednesday comes round isn't it? I'm sorry I havent been able to visit so many desks recently but things have taken off at work - and home!
This week, I've made "women" tags for a swap (see post below) and Charity Christmas cards (another post below) and am onto another project: Handmade 3D flowers!




I am making these for another swap on UKS that I just couldnt resist! We have to make 10 out of anything we like. They have to be 2" minimum and at least 3 layers. I have made mine out of scrap paper, inks and glitter glue. They seems to take ages to make but I do rather like scrunching to get texture. Actually, I'm quite pleased with them - I hope the recipients are too!



For a snoop around other crafters desks be sure to visit our leader, Julia at Stamping Ground http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com to WOYWW!

Christmas Cards

I have finally made some cards I'm more happy with - simple Christmas cards to sell to students and teachers at school for charity. They will be going for £1.00 each so fingers crossed they'll do okay!




Thank goodness I bought a 3" scalloped circle punch - what a great purchase that turned out to be.

I also managed to salvage little punched flowers from the scraps of pattered paper - so the wreath design was very quick and easy.



I nicked an idea from the blog http://itsallfiddlefart.blogspot.com/ by using a postage stamp type punch in a patchwork style. It's All Fiddle Fart is one of the best names for a blog don't you think?

Women (War Hero) Tags

The UK Scrappers November tag swap theme is "Women" and I had a job in finding inspiration for this one! Not that there isn't inspiration all around - but fine-tuning was an issue. What era, style, person etc.

I settled on what I would call Women War Heroes of WW2 - those who worked in the factories in place of the men, those who worked in the land army and those took care of the home front and evacuees. As its November, we remember those who died in the wars - so I added a poppy to each tag.

Something missing

I have begun making some Christmas cards to sell to raise money for my daughters Tanzanian Partnership charity but there is something missing - especially on the stamped Christmas tree design.
Any ideas would be very very welcome.......

Devon Delights

Its been a few weeks since we got back from Devon with Bella and I realised I hadnt posted any photos. I'm hoping to create a few scrapbook pages of Bella's first holiday with some of the pics.

We had a great time and Bella certainly enjoyed herself - especially on the beach!

I Sewed Something!!! WOYWW

Its been ages since we blogged but we are now back with the programme and hope to keep it up.

Since last posting, I have bought a sewing machine - shouted at it, got frustrated with it, threaded it incorrectly, shouted at it a bit more and finally got the hang of threading the damn needle!

I made something! Its not great by any means and there are a lot of flaws but, I made a little denim bag - lined and everything!!!!





It comes from a pair of my old jeans - I saw myself in a photo with them on and decided that they were not my style and made me look rather dumpy - so they were stuffed away in (what is now) my fabric scraps drawer!

I now have other projects in the pipeline - IF I can manage to thread that damn needle properly again!

WOYWW is hosted by Julia on http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com and is a fabulous way to have a nosy at the messy desks people are proud to display! Theres a lot of fantastic work going on out there - go and take a look!

Maternity leave at last!

I've only got 5 1/2 weeks left to go before meeting our baby, the time is actually passing really quickly although tell me that in another three or four weeks and I'll probably laugh! I have officially finished work and it feels great, although I'm going to miss the team I work with no end as we work really closely together. I was presented with a massive box of chocolates and a gift voucher from all of the commitee and parents. One of the children wouldn't believe I had a baby in my tummy until I lifted up my jumper for her to see my round stomach and another asked if I would bring in the 'real' baby for them all to see after Christmas. I'm going to miss those children! All of the staff met for the evening for my leaving do and to present me with an amazing baby hamper filled with goodies, it was such a suprise, it left me feeling very overwhelmed and the luckiest pregnant person ever! The next two layouts are of my lovely work collegues and the fabulous hamper they gave me. Thanks guys! x

Creative Inspiration Challenge

Wow - I can't believe it - I have'nt logged on to my blog for well over a week due to holidays and being so busy at work and then I find I won a challenge!!!!!!

I was picked as a winner at Creative Inspirations Challenge blog for my Halloween tags - who'd have thought?

I'm so proud! Huge thanks to Jenni who noticed my tags.

http://creativeinspirationschallenge.blogspot.com

Louise x