Here we go again!!! Kev is unemployed again, he had a months trial and thought he was getting along great. He was driving coaches and really enjoyed it. but was told yesterday that he didnt pass the trial, needless to say we are both very upset and of course this puts our financialasituation in a spin. I am still off sick, have a chest infection now and still struggling with the aftermath of having a lot of teeth out and my changing face and speech.
At the end of the day we just have to do what we know to do....PRAY....and trust that God has some sort of plan for us. We dont understand why we are going through such a tough time this year but we know its not just us who are struggling in this recession.

REMEMBER REMEMBER.....

1605!!! today all across the UK we will be keeping up with tradition for the 404th year!!! and its all because a bloke named Guy Fawkes who was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was subsequently tried as a traitor with his co-conspirators for plotting against the government, and was executed for the crime of treason!!! I wont go into details of that its far too gruesome

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

Traditionally in the UK folk have bonfires (if they have room) in there back garden. It's a time to get the family and friends round, have a BBQ or eat jacket spuds as everyone stands outside all wrapped up with our woolly hats, scarves and gloves on. The bonfire roars as the fireworks light up the sky and the kids love it.
I have some very vivid memories of bonfire night when I was a child. We would go round the streets for days beforehand looking for anything we could add to our ever increasing mound of wood, magazines even old furniture to make our bonfire pile the biggest. I used to make a guy using old clothes and stuffing them with paper etc and I would sit on the floor outside the local shop and ask passers by for "a penny for the guy" I got quite a lot of pocket money if I could manage to brave the cold long enough!!! and he would be placed on the top of the fire and burned with it. We didn't have halloween parties then, it was unheard of to dress up for halloween. Bonfire night parties was something we all looked forward to excitedly. My favourite time in the evening was when we lit sparklers and made shapes in the air with them as they burned and then dad would pin the Catherine wheel fireworks to the fence post and make them spin as he lit them. I loved the pretty Catherine wheels more than the rockets and the roman candles or any other firework, and my daddy knew that!! ;o)

Nowadays with safety in mind most families will go to public firework displays. Kev and I have been invited to a friends house where a lot of us from church gather every year and enjoy the BBQ and each others company and then the public firework display sets off right behind the back garden fence and we all have a fantastic view of thousands of pounds worth of display. I have always really looked forward to this annual get together but this year I am feeling quite nervous about going. Its the first time my friends will see me since my operation last week to remove all my bottom teeth and 2 from the top including my front tooth!!! I have not been out in public without my scarf firmly in place over my mouth to hide my embarrassment and I cant bear the thought of removing it in front of anyone yet. I just have to push myself this evening to come out of hiding but will I be able to show my face? will I be able to let my cover slip and actually enjoy myself? I will report back on how things turn out! I do know one thing though...I wont be able to eat any BBQ'd burgers;o(

thanks for dropping by
and have a fabulous

prompt 3

After reading Shimelles prompt 3 I have decided to add some weekly interest into my blog by adding a list on a weekly basis of 3 things that have grabbed my attention. They may be 3 links to other blogs, 3 things I learned this week, 3 Photographs, 3 funny video's even 3 new stash items I have found!!!
So to start off today I have given the links to 3 layouts which to be honest I wish I could claim credit for because I just love them.
These 3 scrapbook layouts really demonstrate what I believe scrapbooking is all about... capturing a natural moment in time, and keeping it to look at and remember time and time again.
1, Ma bulle Unfortunately I cant read the writing, but the green colours, textures, photograph and the hand sewing are fabulous. This has got to be my favourite LO this week, I just love the way it captures a very natural moment in a childs life. Its just stunning.
2, Army Girl I love the big swirl and the combo of Pink with green on this one, lovin the scalloped circles and the three consecutive photos kind of tell the story, this little girl is just having fun with a blanket...soooo cute!
3, For Her I love the blue in this one, and the cutting away of the papers and of course the buttons! but the photograph again just catches a moment and says it all, the look of love, a very beautiful LO.

do you agree with my choice?

Hopefully I will finish my Right Now LO (which is another part of todays prompt) and be able to post it later if I can get a descent photograph (the weather is dismal here in Lancashire).

Did you wonder what happened to prompt 2??? LOL!
Well it gave me stuff to think about so I will be back later in the week with that one I think!

PROMPT 1.....LOST IN THE MIST???

Shimelles Blogging for Scrapbookers course has already got me thinking. I have been prompted to say a few words and add a pic if I can about what I expect from the course!!! I took this shot in September and I think this photo says it all for me...
I feel like there's so much of my life that gets lost in the mist because its well, less interesting, or I am just too busy to notice that there is something worth mentioning, at times I see something I want to say or record but the other things in life just crowd in and prevent me. I want to be more committed to tell my story, my daily life as exciting or mundane as it is and record it either on my blog or a scrapbook page or combine both. I have taken this course hoping it will help me produce a blog and a scrapbook that shares something of me, my ups and my downs, my strengths and my weakness' my creativity and my heart beat...my love for my family and those precious people around me, what makes me tick.
I am not some extraordinary superstar who can change the world, I am just me and hopefully this course will give me the tools and the knowledge of how to use them efficiently and perhaps a different perspective on how to express who ME really is.....its time to open that gate and explore this woman who I am, even if no-one out there is interested. I am doing this primarily for myself but there will also be a scrapbook or two to pass on when I am no more.

Finally, Something Crafty to Post!!!

I am a member of a social group team on UKscrappers called The Indecisives. We are a team of women who chat, craft and encourage each other. We all try to post at least once every day and enjoy sharing what we have all been upto!!!

This week the Indecisives have set the weekly challenge for the first time and we are all chuffed about it!!! if you want to play along HERE'S the UKSCRAPPERS link
here are the challenge requirements and how I met them...
1, Disney or Through the window or Winter – 5 points..... The photo's I used were taken last January of Lytham Windmill after a hard frost.
2, Credit crunch or the newest piece of stash you have bought – 5 points..... I used some brand new organza ribbon which has gorgeous silver snowflakes on it.
3, Ribbon & buttons or flower & brads - 5 points.....I used four lengths of ribbon and a heart button.
Must include two different techniques or stamping on its own – 5 points.....my stamping was a House Mouse stamp, I love this image of a little mouse taking a photograph, I also stamped a sentiment saying wonderful etc.
4, One or three photos – 5 points.....3 photographs
5, Journaling or no journaling at all – 5 points.....No journalling (I found it very hard not to add any journalling)

Lytham windmill is a local well known landmark and looks over the bay toward Southport. This is a lovely place to take an afternoon walk or just sit and watch the world go by!!! we really do feel so fortunate to have moved to this beautiful area of Lytham St Annes after both living in parts of the land locked Midlands. It is also the place we chose to have some of our wedding photographs taken, (march 07) the path was beautifully edged with daffodils on a gorgeous sunny day. We Love Lytham (and Lancashire)

tfl
Crafteresa xx

facing the changing face of me

I have been through times of change no end of times in my life. You could say that is what life is all about. But this change is different, its not about parents divorcing or dieing, its not about moving to a new area, getting married or becoming a widow, becoming a mother and ultimately a grandmother, its not even about becoming a Christian and changing how I view things, although all these have happened in my life. Its about me personally this time, what makes me...well me!. If you were to ask my friends or family you would be told I don't go in for fashion much and spend hours on my appearance etc, I like to look nice and presentable but that's as far as it goes really, I have always believed its whats in your heart that counts more than anything!!!

Well, this week I have had to face a different sort of change....I went into hospital and had all my bottom teeth out plus a top back on and the very front one at the top too. I wasn't prepared for the impact of this surgery.....what I now see when I look in the mirror!!! and how I sound when I speak without teeth now. I am horrified by it all. I'm finding it very hard to come to terms with this change in my life. I have cried buckets and still have more tears. I feel overwhelmed with emotion, and embarrassed even ashamed at how I sound and look and the sad thing is that this is a forever change, there's no turning back!!!!

There's been a major problem getting an NHS dentist who will take me as a new patient in my area. I urgently need dentures!!!! but its like panning for gold, its very likely I will be without dentures until at least February. so how can I return to work??? all my words with "S" sounds are sounding like "SH" so to serve a customer I would have to say "shix pounds and shixty sheven pensh pleash," what on earth can I do??? I would usually tackle change by finding something positive, and yes I am thankful I didn't have the surgery because of cancer or some other devastating illness, but I am still finding this quite hard to reconcile personally.

Somehow, I have to find the grace and courage to face the changing face of me, but at this present moment I just dont have that!!!

Blogging for Scrapbookers

YAY!!! I finally joined one of Shimelles classes this is something I have wanted to do for some time. I am really looking forward to this course and I hope that you will see a difference on this blog when I have done the course or even before!!!

But first to the hospital tomorrow and my facing the fear of dentists and the extraction of teeth and the prospect of hardly any teeth in my mouth for months!!!

lets just hope after its all over it will improve my face value!!!

tfl

Crafteresa xxx