Life at the Gables

It's been a long time coming but I finally got around to doing some LOs last night. Once I got into it I just had to keep going and ended up doing three. One of them took a while as i decided to hand stitch a frame around the photo. I'm really pleased with them all and now I'm off to do some more :)

It was that day of the week today where Samuel had to earn his pocket money and tidy his room. As you can see he thinks the floor is as good a place as any for all his things! After threatening him with me going in there and filling a black plastic bag he tidied it up. Once the bed was made it looked almost palacial :)

When we got back from Loch Park we took Mossy out for a walk. It was lovely and warm so we walked down the lane and round to the Gordon Castle. It's hard to imagine that in the not too distant future a lot of the fields will be the new by-pass.We met a few of the neighbours on the way and checked up on the signets on the way home. We also met the only grey cow we've ever seen. Samuel said her name is "Graisy". Not bad for a spur of the moment name :)

Today was a first for Samuel. Kayaking with the kids from the swimming club. He thought it was going to be like the Olympics. Everyone in a lane, paddling up and down. How wrong he was! We went out to Loch Park just outside Keith and it is just beautiful. They were out on the Loch for 2 hours!! Going forwards and backwards, standing up, getting out, climbing over a tree and getting back in again. Racing each other back to the jetty and then having to stand up in the boat and do heads, shoulders, knees and toes!! He had an absoulte blast but was shattered by the end. He can't wait to go back next month.

John finally filled the 3 ltr bottle in the hall with his loose change. He wanted to buy a new TV last December and I'd said he could have one if he saved up for it. We counted it last night and he has more than enough to pay for it plus some left over (which I'm sure I can find a home for) :)

The bad news today is that Samuel is in the Choir!!! I know it's a major disaster. He didn't want to be in it but his 'Evil music teacher' made everyone in the class sing and if they got a tick next to their name they were in the choir. Samuel was disgusted to find a tick next to his!!! Then to add insult to injury he took a corner too fast on his way home, fell off his bike, banged his head (thank heavens for helmets), hurt his knee and ripped a hole in his new school trousers. All in all not a good day. On the plus side though....the good news was he got a Head Teachers award for his homework. He had to find out about the first animated and silent movies. So he found out which ones they were and got his dad to put them on a pen drive and took them to school for his class to watch. Whatever next :) Now there's a face.............. :)

OK here they are. One set of destructions for making a star. Cut the square to the size you want. I made 6 pieces of 4" x 4" squares but I'm not sure if it could do with seven. It's all a bit of guess work. Fold the square as per pitcure one (2 in half and 1 diagonal). Fold in the diagonal corners so the whole sheet makes a smaller square (pictures 2&3). The pieces stick together on the square side (pictures 3&4) and eventually join back to the first piece. Decorate the outside with smaller bits of patterened paper. Hope this all makes sense :) It's not easy writing out instructions. It's a lot easier to just do it.

As John was staying in Aberdeen tonight I had all evening, once Samuel was in bed, to craft to my hearts content. So I did. I made another mini book with Rusty Pickle papers (piccie once it's decorated) and this little star. I saw them at the crop last Sunday and thought I'd give one a go. They are really easy (if I do say so myself ) :) This was made with last February's Scrapagogo kit. Not bad for a first attempt.

Samuel joined the Keith swimming Club tonight and had a great time. I think he did more swimming in one night than he's done in all his others lessons. He's absolutely shattered but raring to go again next week. It's nice to see him excited about going.

On Sunday at the Aberdeen crop I started making a few mini books as I've been asked to do one for a teacher at work. Once Jo had shown me how to fold them they were surprisingly easy to put together. I always make a mini book for my Mother-in-Law at Christmas and fill it with photos of the 3 of us taken during the year so I thought I'd crack on and cover them in Christmas paper!! They look OK once they're covered. I managed to make 2 at the crop and another 2 when I got home. Guess what the girls at work will be getting this year? I'm just waiting for some details of the card I need to make and then I can crack on with that one. Thought I might use Rusty Pickle papers as it's for a 21 year lad/man!!!

I'm just back from watching Mami Mia with the girls from work and what a great film. I haven't laughed so much in ages. Julie Walters is fantastic, Pierce Brosnan can't sing and the ABBA songs are fab. Well and truly worth the £5. It's already on my Santa list. I'm off to dig out my ABBA Gold cd for the car.

I had to give up my craft desk and PC when John re-decorated our bedroom at the beginning of the year. Not that I mind as I now have a very swish bedroom!! Anyway, I've finally finished tidying up the little cubby hole off our bedroom and it is now mine, all mine :) I've got all my stash in there, a new laptop to play with and a new folding craft table. I'm right chuffed with it. I've got a couple of LOs on the wall along with X-stitch and embroideries I've done in the past. There is also a chalk picture that Samuel did. I'm not sure what it's supposed to be but it's framed anyway.

Samuel decided, after the dog licked his last fairy cake before he could eat it, that he would make some cakes today......by himself!! He measured everything, put it all in the food processor, then into the cake cases and finally into the oven. Mind you he then went off to play x-box and left me to keep an eye on them!! They didn't turn out too bad :) (I did the icing as by then he'd lost interest!!)

We've started watching Band of Brothers again and what a great series it is. Samuel loves it and knows all the guys off by heart. You'd think that a series directed by Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hanks would have a lot of American actors in.......but no, a lot of them are Brits!! My favourite is Shane Taylor who plays Eugene Roe the medic. It must be time for another good series to come along.

What is it with boys and the rubbish you get on the front of magazines? Samuel went to the shop with his Dad for milk and came back with a pair of plastic specs that have mirrors on so you can see behind you!!!!! The mind boggles. He even tried to play his X-Box backwards (without much success) :)

I've finally managed to finish a few more LOs and take the photos. There are two of Samuel on the bouncers trying to do a backflip. John gave him a few hints and he managed to flip over. He was sooooooo chuffed. The other is of Teguise market. It's mainly full of clothes and cheap tatt for tourists but worth a look.

Today was Samuel's first day in Primary 7. It's the beginning of the end. This time next year it will be BIG school. He had a great day (he says it was because they didn't have any lessons!!) and met his little Primary 1, Ethan. Samuel said that Ethan is only 41/2 and wanted to hold his hand at break time. To him, Samuel must seem really old!!!!

These are just for Mandi as she's getting Lanzarote withdrawal symptoms!!

Well it was back to work for me today after six weeks off. Bit of a shock this morning at 6.30am!! It was nice to catch up with everyone but I had to log on the the BBC to keep up with the Olympics!! Why can't we go back next week? Kids are back to school tomorrow so it's all back to normal.

How's that for a spoonerism? I meant to tell Mum we were going Red Squirrel Hunting but it came out the wrong way round!!! We went with the Moray Rangers again this afternoon to Roseisle to hunt for red squirrels. Unfortunately the squirrels decided to take the day off and we didn't see a single one. Still it was a great afternoon and Samuel now knows what to look for next time we go. There were loads of Scotch Argus butterflies around and I even managed a half decent picture of one. The beach was really busy and some hardy souls even went for a dip!! They must be mad. I'm really pleased with my photo though as it looks like the place is deserted.

No trip to Fachabers is complete without a trip to Baxters for a pancake. Mum, Samuel and I walked up there yesterday as the weather was nice. Samuel likes to go on the climbing frames outside but he really is getting too old and too big for them now. What will he do when he has to stay inside and chat?

We've had a fairly quiet day today. Took Samuel for a haircut and a new school bag and while we were in town had to pop into Karen Papercrafts Boutique. She has so much lovley stuff I'm going to have to make a list before I go back as I just can't remember what I want when I get there. Samuel has gone swimming with his pal and is staying over for tea so while he's been out I've made some fruit scones and large fairy cakes. Wonder how long they'll last once he's home? Mum is making a mini book so I need to cut some chipboard covers :)

Samuel had control of the camera for a while so Mum and I had to pose for a 'Cheese' piccie. He took some really good shots around the walled garden. The castle has a herd of Lama's too! Three of them were given to the family as a Ruby wedding present and the others are part of a local herd that are going to be used for Lama Trekking!!