Wasn't it amazing!

 I photographed the TV for my Project Life!

 I want to watch it again!

I thought it was brilliant! A brief history lesson of Britain!

We were a nation of farmers until the industrial revolution! Love how they forged the Olympic rings and those "dark satanic mills".

Loved that Mrs Pankhursts relatives were playing her part in the tribute to' rights for women.'

I think it was great that they celebrated our invention of free health care, our wonderful children's literature, JK Rowling, Lewis Caroll et al and how they linked Peter Pan with Great Ormond Street and the NHS was brill, how it flowed. (Loved the glowing beds)

I loved that the 'Chaos' signing choir sang the anthem!

I thought it was amazing that the English scientist who invented the world wide web was there and should be thanked for it, particularly in this digital age! The tribute to pop music through the ages that touched every generation - I loved that my children think a lot of modern songs are new when they are reworked form our youth! (This was my least favourite part too by the way, but probably meat most to our youngsters!)

Our very British humour was also an excellent addition!

The symbolic doves were amazing too, with the touch of ET riding off into the sky!

The lighting of the torch was wonderful and how it all combined into that one Olympic flame, so wish I had been there! That drumming must have sounded fantastic!

Can I ask which parts were difficult for others to understand? I am interested, was it the British History part?

When interviewed about his concept the director said they sat down with blank paper and though what does Britain mean to everyone, from the fair play cricketers to the James Bond parody with her Majesty, did they miss anything out? I can't think of anything and I never expected to be this enthusiastic about it!!!! TFLx

Let the games begin!

So here in Britain, we are super excited for the games to begin today, and the weather is..........

surprisingly sunny!
We are hoping to watch all of the opening ceremony later on the TV and have a take-away, apart from DS2, who is performing in his leavers show at dance summer school.
Have been collecting some fun images from the internet to print off for project life

Memory File for Graduation

 If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram (link in the side bar) you will know that yesterday I was working on a memory folder using DS1's Graduation pictures.

I loved it! I used my May Studio Calico kit called 35mm and had a blast with the colour magic goodies from Heidi Swapp - I enjoyed it so much I just ordered some more from Sarah's cards! I used the Mister Hueys Water Cooler and Gold to colour the file and then added some more bits and pieces. I used a HS photo stack for the portrait photographs and then made my  own photostack in landscape format using the cardstock from my SC kit.I added a few extra embellishments here and there. I have used some elastic cord to place around the folder to keep it closed, but this is my new found favourite format!!

I also created my pages for Project Life by choosing a few full page pics and printing some others wallet size.

I stuck and staples a few items to the outside of the pockets this week as well as cutting a slit in the protector to get the degree ceremony programme in. The receipt for the gown hire is also tucked into a pocket. It was mostly about the degree this week but I sneaked in a badge for the local agricultural show hubby went to and a thank you card from the lady who received my altered book poem on her retirement, as well as a rubbish weather forecast for the week! Can't believe I have done so much crafting since I broke up from school! Loving it!! TFLx

More Project Life catch up!

Week 28 of Project Life was mostly about cars! I have a new Fiat 500c instead of my BMW so I can share it with DS2 when he comes home from London, which means that DS1 can have his Corsa back, all to himself, now he has finished Uni.

DS2 is loving driving the new car, at least the weather has been kind! He has been going to dance summer school all week this week on the train. I have been driving to pick him up from the station

I snapped this shot of our local station with our white telephone box outside (Kingston communications) as I sat and waited for him last night, I realised this may be a thing of the past if phone boxes cease to exist in this time of mobile phones.
Today I have been making a Heidi Swapp memory file of graduation photo's and I have really enjoyed it! I snapped a shot earlier on Instagram if you follow me you will have seen it! Not sure why it has taken me so long to realise I can title each photo by commenting! Duh! Been back and commented on a few older ones!
Building up to the Olympic opening ceremony this week and I have decided to have another RAK of my Union Jack pennants for a scrapbook page. If you would like to enter, please leave a comment here! TFLx

More scrapping!

I have finished Week 27 of project life.

I was a bit behind! This week was a bit picture light, as I had been so busy, but I managed to create a double page with my friends daughters prom photo and a couple of meals out! I even got my squirrel picture in there!
Today has been super sunny! I was able to get out there with the roof down in my new little car! It just had to be done! I even picked hubby up from the Races late last night with the top down as the temp was still 22 degrees at 9.30pm!

 Its great to get both the doors open in the kitchen/family room...

 and even bring some of the garden inside!

Just finishing off week 28 of project life as we speak! It's still red hot here! Got all the windows open and all the fans on!! It's still 24 degrees now! Barney is too hot!! TFLx

Craft Alert! - An Altered book

I was charged with doing the leaving poem for a member of staff who has been teaching at our school for 18 years. If you have followed me for a long time, you will know I have been known to dabble in poetry, just search poem in the search box on this Blog and you will find some of my humorous verse! This teacher has always done an "ode" for every member of staff who has left over the years, so it was only fitting that we did one for her. I set off with a card, like she does, but then changed after the first verse to this.
I decided to make a mini album in an old book I bought at a charity shop called "Half term adventure" to keep the poem safe and also to make a keepsake for her coffee table afterwards. 

 " Oh no, so it's happened, it could not be worse!
I'm faced with replacing the "Diva" of verse!
I asked all the staff for ideas and now look,
This is not big enough, I needed a book!"

The book even had an illustrated bookplate inside the front cover dating from the 1960's.

Here are a few of the pages. 

I illustrated each verse of the poem with clip art and embellishments to complement the theme.

 As I am in charge of IEP's (special needs) in our school, I even made her one of those!

I enjoyed doing it and when I performed it at the leaving party, it went down a storm! Including my Olympic torch reference, where we handed the torch over to the new Art coordinator!

We had a great time dancing the night away! TFLx
P.S. Sorry about the lack of posting on this blog, I hope to get back to it more now school has broken up, but it has been a very hectic end of term!

Graduation Day!

So, so proud! What a wonderful day!! TFLx

Week 26 Project Life

Here is a brief glimpse of Week 26. It was all about DS1's degree results and DS2's Year 13 prom. Plenty of pics this week! DS1's degree results letter and pictures of DS2's Yr 13 prom night. A huge mixture of weather too! Rain like we have never seen since 2007! Some hot weather mixed in there too. Need to print off photo's for last week now and get it scrapped.
I grabbed some great shots of a squirrel in the garden this week too, not bad through glass. TFLx

A new baby!!

Having sold my car at the end of May, I have been on my bike for a month and this week have taken delivery of my new baby!! A Fiat 500c, on the wettest day ever, I pick up a convertible!!!

I then had to drive it home in the rush hour!!! Phew! Managed to get it home safe and into the garage!!
Yesterday it was a little bit brighter by the time I came home form work, so I was able to open the roof a little bit!

It is Pearlescent white with chrome mirrors and I love it!! The retro vibe suits me down to the ground!! I am supposed to be sharing it with DS2 before he goes away to dance school in London, so I am not expecting to see it much!!! Not added him on the insurance yet! This is all part of our money saving package, it is so cheap to tax, insure and run it!!
I have been very busy at work, which seems ironic when we break up next week for the summer holidays, but there is so much to do before the end of term!! Crafting has gone out of the window and I have even missed a couple of days with my Photo a day project!!
If I get time, I have last week's project life to do and a mini album for someone who is retiring at work next week, as well as everything else!!
I can't believe having DS1 back home again has catapulted my washing and ironing figure through the roof! Surely one more does not make that much difference! He took me jogging for the first time last Monday and I am still recovering! Not a good idea to take it up at 51!!! I did pace myself and thought I would be OK with all the biking I have been doing (daily) but it was my ribs that killed me!! All that deep breathing and maybe I need a stronger sports bra!!! Used muscles I did not know I had! Kept me awake all Monday night!! All because I put on two pounds because we ate out twice last weekend (unheard of for us, just coincidental!!) 
Today I am faced with going in to school on my day off to get lets of summer holiday homework photocopied and ready to hand out, 52 individual sets to be precise! My goodness what a job that's been to sort out! I have washing load number one in the washer and need to get the dog out, but apart from that....... TFLx

What is Dyspraxia? It's a 2:1!

The graduation results are in and I am delighted to announce that DS1 got a 2:1 and we are going to Leeds University for the graduation ceremony a week on Monday!  
Can I just remind you, this is my elder son with Dyspraxia!!!!! For all you anxious mums out there, there is no ceiling on achievement for the special needs child!!! We are getting this message loud and clear at work now and this just bears it out! If any of you have been following my blog from the start, you will know that this journey has been a long one and there have been times of heartache and despair along the way, the phone calls at midnight saying "what am I doing here, it is too hard for me what was I thinking?!!!" to the elation that a lecturer had given him encouragement to believe in himself, all I can say is, I am so, so proud of his achievement and I will be the one there on that Monday, with a tear in my eye!!
We all hope for the best future for our children and I was just the same as all the other parents. When he was given no hope of writing, I refused to believe it; when he failed to register any marks on his mock Year 6 SAT in Maths, I tutored him and he got a level 4. When GCSE's became too tough, we worked night after night at home and every weekend - something I later questioned if I had done the right thing, when he had 11 GCSE's and I had a mini breakdown in the process. I felt like I had stolen his childhood and put too much emphasis on learning, albeit for the right intentions, I wanted him to get Maths and English GCSE so that jobs would be open to him.
We bought him a moped age 16 so he could learn road sense before he tried to combine it  with driving skills, he failed the training first time, but got it the second. We set up a plumbing apprenticeship for him as he left school at 16, then during the summer holidays the plumber went bust and he ended up signing on for sixth form as something to do at short notice. 
He passed his driving theory test at the second attempt and then went on to pass his driving test first time, after hours of extra work with hubby to get him over the line.
He went through sixth form totally unaided by me, I decided I had done my bit and now it was time to stand back. He achieved his A levels and sufficient points to get on the BA Sports Journalism at Leeds Trinity, the degree being awarded by Leeds Uni and here we are, at this day, a day I had not ever thought would happen, I hoped for a 2:2 and here is the official result, 2:1!
I am overawed by his achievement, I am humbled by his determination, I am fantastically proud of his growth and maturity. I used to worry what would happen in the future, if we were not there for him, but now I know, he does not 'need' us in that sense of the word, He is a truly independent adult, who I am so very proud of.
"The boy done well!"

Thanks for looking and reading all of this, I just put it out there to help any others who have doubts, DON'T! He has always been one who gets there in the end, it just takes him a little longer to get the hang of things, but he sure puts you through it!!
Now to get a job!!! Tricky!!!!  X

You can search this blog for other posts on Dyspraxia or find out more here.

Olympic torch pages!

I finished up my Week 25 pages for Project Life yesterday, including some of the memorabilia from the event. I had a free paper torch from the local paper I wanted to use and a map of the route and the timings, as well as my pictures.

This formed the left hand side of my double page spread.

The right hand side was a three pocket page protector, with a bit about England in the 2012 European football in the top section, some extra bits and pieces about the week in the middle pocket, including a little booklet of pictures about me talking part in school's Giant Walking Bus to get into the record books and the bottom pocket had pictures from DS2's 18th birthday family BBQ, including a pull out tag with extra pictures of my Caroline pulled pork! 

Another busy week completed! Collage prints are a great way to get a lot of pictures into a small space! They act like an index print to photo's you can go and look up for more detail, further into the future. More of my Union Jack banners used here on the Euro 2012 football pictures (available in my Etsy shop. Talking of which I have just added the 'Congradulations' card Silhouette file from yesterday's post and my White rabbit pocket watch Silhouette file from the White Rabbit party to my Etsy shop. TFLx