A weekend of Rugby

Last week I didn't manage to get around to completing the photo challenge of Angles. Karen completed the challenge perfectly and her great photos can be seen here.

This week we were looking at colour, again Karen managed to get pictures filled with colour, which is remarkable considering here it has rained for most of half term week.

This weekend has been filled with Rugby and plenty of Rain. I did manage to get some photos and this is the one that I have chosen for my photo of the week.

Our weekend started out watching Northampton Saints vs Gloucester at Franklin Gardens, hence the green stadium seats. It was a close game 16:18 to Gloucester. Four (I think) of our players were playing for England yesterday, maybe we'd have won if they'd playing with the Saints!

.....this is one of my favourite action shots, we were quite high up in the stalls so this photo was taken with my big lens, I would have loved to be on the sidelines with the professional photographers, just so that my photos didn't have the man sitting in front of me in them!!

Today was more rugby, this time for the boys......
This is number one son Harry (one the left), and his buddy Tom, they had just finished their first match.

This is number two son, Jack with the ball. He scored a few tries.

and this is number three son Stanley, heading for the try line, he just managed to score his try before his tag was pulled off.

Luckily I managed to get some photos of each of them playing today before the heavens opened.

Cuevas de Arta VS Cuevas de Drach

Majorca is known for its fantastic caves, namely the Cuevas del Drach.

We took the boys to these caves last summer and although they were in awe, we were rushed along a walk way, (((no camera's allowed))) and packed into the seats at the end to watch the orchestra on the underwater lake. I have to say I found it all rather boring.

A few days later we stumbled across the Cuevas de Arta, these were situated further up the coastline. The view leading up to the caves was amazing. If you never been to these caves in Majorca you must, they were fantastic. We were in a small group, with a guide tour, who spoke a dozen languages. We were able to have a look around, touch the rocks and more importantly (for me) take photos!!


This layout shows the boys walking amongst the huge stalagmites. I will do my journalling on the back and I've kept all the leaflets to go with the layout too.

This was the view walking up to the caves

the mouth of the cave

and the boys (plus some stray people*huh*) standing at the top of the stairs looking out of the cave mouth.

A Lou Collins Giveaway

ooooh pop across to A pretty and Paper Chipboard Story to be in with your chance to win these gorgeous scrappy supplies

Time to Crochet

Many moons ago my great nanny Kit taught me to crochet. I remember when a Sunday afternoon was family time and we would drive across to Fulham to my nans or great nans for Sunday tea. It was on one of these occasions that she taught me to crochet, I don't think I was very old, maybe 8 or 9 and it's something I've always remembered how to do.

Nanny Kit used recycled wool, very often she'd be unraveling jumpers to use the wool to make granny squares with. There was a granny blanket made from crocheted squares over the back of the sofa and I'm sure covering the armchairs too, as well as over her bed.

Mostly I remember lots of dolls, Nanny Kit used to have hundreds of dolls (it was probably only a dozen each visit, felt like hundreds to me at the time!! and some of them were those big scary looking ones!!), they were either given to her or brought cheap..... from local jumble sales (I imagine). Nanny Kit used to crochet clothes for all these dolls and then give them to the children in the local hospital.

I must delve through my mum and dads photos to see if I can find any photos of my great Nan, Kit.

The reason for this little story, is that after coming across this blog Attic 24 I was inspired to try making something a little larger than a crocheted flower, which is about all I've crocheted in the last (I guess) 10- 12 years.

so here it is...my crocheted bag. It has yet to lined, I'm looking forward to buying some gorgeous fabric in the next week or so. I've already brought some more wool to make my next bag! *shush*

If anyone knows any good crochet sites, please let me know.
Thanks for popping by.

Photo a week

Leading lines is this weeks photo challenge. To give me some ideas I had a look for some images and found these stunning photos.

Knowing that this weekend we weren't jetting off anywhere special *sigh*I went off on a walk to see how many leading lines I could find. I have to say that when you are looking for photo opportunities with an focus it really isn't too hard to find. I was very surprised with how many leading lines I found on my walk. Maybe not as vibrant and exciting as the photo's in the link and having to contend with the most dull, drizzly and overcast day, here is what I came up with.

I love this first photo, it's so simple and yet I don't think I've taken much notice of telegraph poles in the past and certainly not photographed any. See how your eye is drawn along the line of telegraph poles. I played around with the colour settings on this photo and somehow it turned out looking like this...to me this photo looks like it belongs to another era....very vintage and I love it!!
A windy path where your eye rolls along it (past Ruby, who kept getting in my way!!). This photo would look so much nicer with a bright blue sky.....oh how I'm craving some nice warm sunny days!

The ploughed lines in the farmers field leading you into the distance
and these two black and white photos. They have been taken at different angles on the same foot bridge.
Oh how I'm looking forward to seeing Karen's leading lines

The glass bottom boat

Over the weekend I did manage some creative moments and used Shimelle's sketch of the week to create this layout. I chose some old papers I've had lurking around for a while, my aim is to use up what I have before I buy more. So far it's working well.

Belle Bvd and MME patterned papers (I think) AC and MM alpha, AC glitter buttons (love these!)
my journaling reads....."Jack you loved the glass bottom boat and spent ages with dad looking out into the sea. What makes me smile the most about this photo is your hat and how you chose the same one as dad's" *awwww*

Photo a week

Its Sunday again and time for me to upload my photo of the week. This week's topic is Abstract. When I think of abstract I think of wall paintings covered in splashes of paint *huh*....which meant I really had no idea for a subject. I knew Karen would have more of an idea than me, so my answer to everything I'm not sure about is "google it" which is exactly what I done.

Before I carry on, Karen has just uploaded her photos and "wow" what can I say, they are fantastic. Please have a look at them.

Abstract photography can take several forms. The most common forms are...

• The abstraction of the subject matter
  
• Abstraction of a part of the photo or within the photo
  
• These can also be manipulated into colorful art abstraction

I found these websites:-

Here

Here

and

Here
my... would i like to take photos like that!!

This is what I came up with. I enjoyed all the playing around with the coloured tints.

A penny for 'em

Last week I finished this holiday layout of Harry sitting on the edge of the pool "deep in thought". The papers are scraps left over from the last layout, namely Bazzill swizz dot and K & co patterned paper with MM and AC alpha's.

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my butterfly frame, you'll be pleased to know that it is now hanging *proudly* in the hallway *laugh*. Enjoy your weekend, I plan to get some scrapping done tonight while the darling husband is at work and the boys are in bed.