AUGUST MONTH IN NUMBERS...

Well I can't believe it's the end of another month and already time to add my August Month in Numbers...If you don't know what I am on about pop over and see Julie's blog Notes on Paper to find out what it's all about....

So anyways here we go....

10plus.....days of rain this month up here in the NE of Scotland....I actually stopped counting after 10 because it was too depressing...the last couple of weeks of the kids holidays was awful...they were so bored!!!...never mind it was back to school 2 1/2 weeks ago and typical there first week back was actually quite nice (for me anyways!!)

8....is the number of books I have read this month...I am trying to beat last year's total of 52 and I am well on my way as I am at 48 already and it's only the end of August...I have resorted to buying them from Thainstone Sunday Market at the 2nd had book man as I was spending waaay too much money on them and as you know I do like to keep my books.

4...is the number of new school bags I had to buy for the start of this term and what with the 3 new lunchboxes for the girls that is another fortune...I did end up buying Morgan one too for his football for away games as apparently it's not cool to bring a pack lunch to the Academy...lol..

14-3(1) and 5-2(2)......the winning scores from Morgan's last two football matches...1st game of the season at home to Inverness Caly Thistle and he let in 1...2nd game was away against Raith Rovers and he let in both...always feel better when their other goalie lets in the same or more than him as then it's not just his fault especially if the lose...haha...


27.83...number of miles I have walked this month...mostly since the kids went back on the 18th...new keep fit push...determined to be a little fitter and lose some weight....we have also cycled 9.58 miles to Chapel of Garioch but there was an ulterior motive...a friend has opened up a team room called the Old Post Office Tea Room so coffee and cake was waiting for us at the other end of very hilly bike ride...the tea room is beautiful...still retaining loads of the original features of the post office it once was...will definitely be back again very soon...

2...how many geocaches we have found this month...when the kids' cousins came up to visit this month we all went trecking up to Bennachie treasure hunting....it was great fun and I think Megan and Jack enjoyed it...Bennachie has some stunning views over the countryside but it sure is a long treck to the top...and is very windy once you get there...

Well I think that is my post for this month regarding numbers...wonder what September will bring....

Kirsti xxx

1ST DAY OF TERM...

That's the kids in Scotland been back to school for 2 weeks now...only 6 weeks til the tattie holidays...haha This year is Morgan's 1st year at the academy....and we got him a netbook for keeping up with his homework(saves him arguing with his sister about using hers and keeps him of my laptop!)...he was chuffed although he doesn't look it...lol...

And here are the girls ready to set of on their bikes...

Today I have been busy making cards like this to stock up my shop as I have my first event on 17th September....eeeek!!!

Finally I have a couple of things to share with you from two fab blogs.... The first is from Miss Smith at Curiouser and Curiouser...she is having a giveaway with a twist involving these little beauties...why not pop over and see what it's all about...

And my bloggy friend Darcy from Art and Sole has a downloadable freebie on offer over on her blog...these are fab and I can't wait to print them of and start using them...thanks Darcy for such a fab giveaway...you're a STAR!!!


Well that's me for today...I will try and be back before the end of the month with something else but not promising as I have caught a bit of an exercise bug this last week and am determined to keep it up...we walk about 14 miles and cycled 10miles(mostly up hill on the way but a tremendous rush downhill on the way home...lol.)...this will be weather permitting as today has been the worst day in such a long time - horrendous wind and rain...

TFL

Kirsti xxx

MY FIRST EASEL CARD...

The other day I was flicking through the July issue of Craft Stamper looking for inspiration for a 40th birthday card for my next door neighbour Clare for her sister...Kate had done a card using the free stamp and it was an easel card...I have never made one of these before so I thought I would have a go...

I didn't make the base card the same way Kate did but from a tutorial found here and simple though it was I still managed to cock it up by putting the front on the wrong way round...back to the beginning..was easy once I looked again...

I used papers from a 6"x6" stack called Madeline by Prima Marketing...they are gorgeous papers...I stitched round the flowery piece in the middle before sticking it down so the stitching wouldn't be seen on the back...

The ribbon on the top is from Simply Create from my stash and the ribbon on the bottom is also from there and just bought on Tuesday....was searching through all my vast collection of ribbon looking for the perfect piece....you know the feeling right when you have the right colour but not the right type of ribbon or the right ribbon but not the colour you need...AAARGHHH...spent ages looking and then remembered the piece I bought that day and it's just perfect... I also added a diamante to the centre of each flower...

I added the little matt with the pearls to hold the card upright...and the 'Celebrate' was a stamp that I also bought on Tuesday in the Simply Create sale...

The chandelier(free stamp) is stamped onto the corner from one of the sheets in Timber Brown Stazon and it matches in perfect with the patterned paper...I matted it in dark brown and added a diamante...

Overall I was very pleased with the way it had turned out for a first attempt and fortunately so was Clare...I will definitely be doing some more of these in the future...

As I said on Tuesday I went over to Simply Create for a mooch around the sale with Kerry and Trish...bad influence...I had planned to wash the floors but they were going over and in the end we had coffee and scones at the Bistro, a rummage round the sale(if you fancy any of the canvas classes I am doing in the shop please phone the shop soon on 01975 564010 to book you place as I think they are filling up (excited.com and also verynervous.com!!!), we then went to the charity shop which was actually closed but the volunteers let us have a nose around...then it was back to Inverurie and of to Andersons for lunch...a totally indulgent day but then it was the first day of the new school term so I think it's allowed...lol...

I didn't buy much as I am still on my stash busting mission...but check out this glorious 100 buttons that I did buy...Lush or what??? The colours are so beautiful and vintage looking...There was a time when I used to go into raptures over new shoes and boots and now its buttons...heehee...

Will be back (hopefully) tomorrow (or maybe even later today) with some piccies of the kids first day back at school and Morgan's first day at the Academy!!!

TFL

Kirsti xxx

JULY - MONTH IN MUMBERS...

After seeing Julie Kirk's project 'my month in numbers' last month I thought I would give it a go starting from July...

I have made mine into a scrapbook page using an old Kenner Road kit that I won waaaaay back when...lol...so this is also part of my stash busting drive too...

So I started of with the number FOUR...this being the number of books I have read this month(quite a slow one!) which is equal in this case to the total of ((1799)) pages... I have added myself to the Goodreads website and it's quite fun updating all the books I am reading or have currently read...Last year was a total of ((52)) books and so far this year I am on number ((43)) which I am very chuffed with....the problem I have is that I can NEVER give books away and if I lend them I have to GET THEM BACK with the result being that I have literary hundreds of books...

The papers/stickers/borders are from the Bliss collection by Crate Paper and in true Scottish fashion I have even cut out the middle of the back sheet before sticking the scalloped one on top...no sense in waste...lol...

The word NUMBERS is American Crafts Thickers 'Jewelry Box' and the tiny letter stickers are by the girls paperie by Margie 'Vintage Whimsy'...I also added loads of diamantes down this side for some added sparkle...

My second number is FOUR THOUSAND (at least) and is the number of times this month with us Scottish folk being on summer holidays that I have gone into either the conservatory or the living room and switched the tv of because no-one is in the room...kids huh!!!

My third number is THREE SQUILLION(about) and is about the sheer number of jelly fish that were stranded on the sand at Lossiemouth beach each time the tide went out...there were thousands of them and it made the kids a little wary of going barefoot...there was also an article in the paper that week(this isn't the actual article) about jelly fish and chips being on the menu...couldn't think of anything worse...yukkkkk

I added diamantes round all the labels as well...the stamped birdie and the felt flower embellishments are by Stampin Up... and I used some border stickers from the kit and folded it up and then sewed up and down then a couple of times to create a pleated effect....

So that's me for this month and hopefully I will have some more NUMBERS for you next month....

TFL...Kirsti xxx