So I've come to a conclusion

I'm not doing a Doc 2012. Well, at least not in the style that I've done for the past 2 years (2 focal events and a multi pocket page with smaller pics in). I've seen some wonderful albums that others have made but I think it's a style that suits a life of activity. A life that's lived. Not that I'm not alive of course (creepy), but I don't leave the house very often and several of my months are a bit lacking in the photo/focal page department. For example - I had a focal page on the runner beans that ideally should have been a little photo but I had *nothing* for that month. And now there's this month - a freakishly busy one for me. So many things that I can't decide what should go on focal pages - I want them all to be focal pages!

There's the dinner we had for Mum's birthday (check out the size of that burger! It was huuuge!)

An afternoon with 3 gorgeous little giggly creatures


A trip to a farm to pick beans (yes, I'm aware the pictures are of apple trees. Turns out apple trees photograph better than bean plants.)

The tale of the fish ninja. (which leads to a painful tale of discovery that the fish shop batter has paprika in. Oh pepper allergy how I hate you with a passion)

A lion hunt. Well, two lion hunts. We managed the upper gardens at the beginning of the month and lower gardens on Monday. As I was in my mob. scooter we made it up to St Peters Church to check out my favourite one - 'Frankenlion' (Mary Shelley is buried there, if you're wondering about the name). Oh, and FYI I *hate* crossing roads in that bloody scooter. You need speed to get up the curbs but if the pavements aren't very deep you'll hit the wall/fence/shop on the other side. And if there's someone else crossing too?! Argh! How I haven't hit anyone yet astounds me.

Can't forget this - here's what I took on Monday and next is how it looked 2 weeks ago -

Flash floods! (photo taken from the Daily Mail website). I'm annoyed as I could have sworn I'd been in the right spot to take an after pic but oh well, it's not too far off...

Another bean farm shot. Ahh the joy of photo editing...

And of course the dreadful tragedy of the loss of Red Arrow pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, Red 4. (The lion outside the town hall where people have left tributes. I'm not ashamed to admit I cried when I saw it.) The crash happened not far from here. I feel I should document the absolute shock that was felt. Would that be odd? It feels odder to not mention, in an album that documents events of my year, something that shocked me (and many others) so much.
And of course there are my photos from the air festival. I didn't go, but I saw a lot of planes fly over the garden while mum and dad were down there.
Also, another one that doesn't directly affect me but I feel it should be mentioned, the riots. Again how could you have a document of the year that didn't mention it?

Wow I've rambled on a bit in this one. Did you like my re-cap of my august?!
I guess what I'm trying to say is that next year I'll definitely just be doing a regular album to document the year. That way I don't have to worry about focal pages, or multi pocket pages that are only full of photos from the garden. I'll finish this one though - I've kept up with it far better than last year. (I still haven't finished last years!!!!!)

*photo heavy*

Realised I haven't really shared any layouts for a while. Now these photos suck, but you get the idea...

This is one of my July focal pages for Doc 2011. A nice bunch of hand cutting (used Studio Calico's kit for August 'Boardwalk')

One of June's focus pages for doc 2011. This one took for-flippin'-ever. It was a lift of this one (scroll down a bit) from the very talented Geralyn (check out her whole blog, every time she posts something new I want to change over to 8.5x11 layouts and as for her mini books? Wow!)
I hand measured/cut all the chevron shapes. The photo was a bit dull so I figured the background needed a bit of oomph. (the colours are a bit brighter in real life.) I used Studio Calico's July kit 'Mind the Gap'.

Here's one I made for one of the Magpies Mojo prompts - scrap using a blurred photo you wouldn't normally use from Emma. I used Studio Calico Kit 'Lawn Party'.


(ignore the bunched up twine - I've only just noticed it myself!)
This one's a lift from Nicole Samuels (scroll down a little - she's also giving away the Studio Calico kit 'Boardwalk' that I used here and above. You absolutely must enter - this kit is just gorgeous up close!).
The minute she showed a sneak peek with the hand cut chevrons I knew I was going to lift at least that. When the DT gallery was released and I saw the whole layout then bam, scraplift here I come. Had to change it a fraction just so I could feel like a put a little effort into the design (yeah, changed the 3 photos to a strip of PP and woodgrain overlay - major thinking going on there!!). Also it rather handily tied in with the Magpie mojo prompt I'd already picked out from Stacey - use monochrome or a B&W photo.

Here's another one using Mind the Gap. the other one of June's Doc 2011. These are the photos I took at the hotel after my aunts funeral. I've always liked the quote 'don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened'. It seemed to fit with the feel of the day and made use of the lovely hand embroidered tag that was in the kit.

Here's one I made for May's Doc 2011. I used yet another Studio Calico kit - June's Paper Moon. Really trying to use these yummy kits up!

The other focal page for May - Pip's accident. When I first did the paint splatters I just used the orange but it ended up a bit darker than I anticipated a looked a little too much like blood for my liking - normally wouldn't bother me but considering the subject...!? So out came the yellow, blue and green - whoops!

And this one was a weekly challenge. Can't remember which one...last weeks? Anyway, used the sketch provided, a group of photos and the letter 'H' in the title. Full points for the Magpies, hurrah!

Anyway, there you go, here's some of what I've been upto. Thank you for looking! xx

Final day

A little bit brighter and finally a hint of a breeze.









Oh I swear - I tried posting this and it cut out on me - I'm too tired to re-write everything so you'll miss my rambling. Sorry about that!
Lets see what I can remember?...the jeans shot above? Mum picked them up for me when she was out last...Friday?...she saw them on sale and thought they'd fit me and turns out she was right! She's magic that woman, every time I've picked up jeans to try on they either don't do up or gape at the back. Yay, I have jeans again!
Anyhoo, that's all I can manage. I wrote quite a long summery of this week but I can't find it in me to type it all up again, I'll come back this week and try again!
xxx

Saturday

Back was a bit better but weather was worse so it all balances out.

Check it out - after all my drama with my 'are they/aren't they' with my orchids last year this is the second time this one's bloomed. So pretty!

Only thing missing from this photo? The Cat. Yup, this is Pips' favourite water bowl - the puddle in the middle of our street. Genius.

Do you like the paper? It's a sample dad picked up for me stuck on with blu-tack. Just for the one wall - I think it could work. There's just one other one I'd like to try first but it was sold out when he went.

Here be the outfit. It's hotter today than yesterday (even with the rain!) so out comes the vampire top. Love it.

And a brief venture outside to photograph the rain drops. So pretty xx

My Friday

Wasn't exactly great. Started off alright then all of a sudden my back started hurting - no clue whatsoever why, just happened. Brilliant. So yet another day of not doing anything much. In fact, it was even less than the last few days as I couldn't walk. So here's my photos for the day. Literally, here are all my photos for the day. Luckily I managed to take these before my back started otherwise I'd have diddly squat!

Even his feet are cute! Argh!

My feet...not so much...that reminds me - I need some new slippers...!

Luckily my 'day off' wasn't a pretty blue sky kinda day

One of my favourite tops - Emma Watson's collection for People Tree. (the union jack one I was wearing the other day was from there too). It's just a lovely cut and fabric.

And again with the cuteness. I don't know what he'd gotten upto the night before but he was completely zonked.
And that was my Friday.
I'll admit, I'm not exactly putting a lot of details on here - I'll include more of the mundane routine-y stuff on the pages when I put them together.
xxx

My thursday

More tired than the day before. Sigh. All my muscles hurt too. Oh the joys of trying to have a hint of a nice time! Was supposed to be going to the park with my friends and their kiddy winks but had to cancel. Probably for the best as it was so hot today I don't think I would have lasted long out anyway!

Tried sorting out my protectors and journal cards for this project (using the new release journal cards from Elles Studio - lovely!).

Came to the realisation that it's probably my sanity saving hayfever drops, that are ever so soothing and wonderful, that are causing my eye lashes to start falling out. Super.



Tried out a couple of the nail polishes I won - such a fabby pink. Funny how my hands look tanned in this pic.

Best of a bad bunch today! Was kind of fed up at this point - I swear my room really is the brightest but I can't seem to get a sunny pic from this angle...sigh...you should see the pics I got on the timer while I was trying to dry my hair! Maybe I'll do an 'outtake' next week...hmm...

Wednesday was a day for recovering

So tired after yesterday, and all I did was sit there then sleep once everyone's left. Who says conversation isn't exhausting?

Weather was...hmm...

This gorgeous guy was lovely again. Not much of a sign of Pip...maybe they're taking shifts?

I swear my room is the brightest in the house. Flippin' cloudy skies!

I thought dad was drilling something in the kitchen - turned out he was whipping cream. Mmm scones...
Yes, wednesday was a delightfully lazy day...zzzz.....

A glitter eyeliner sort of day

The sun eventually came out yesterday (then went away again...) but it was nice to have a brief spell of blue skies...

This gorgeous creature decided to come in the sunlounge. We couldn't get them to budge - of course dad managed to get them out. Funny story - he spent 5 minutes trying to get him out the window and when it finally flew out and away Pip was waiting on the roof and tried to grab it. Of course he missed it (otherwise it wouldn't be a funny story!) and nearly fell off the roof in the process...the most unsteady cat in town our cat.





Very yummy cake with very sweet buttercream! Set my teeth off but how can I not eat my own cake!? Thank you mum! xx

And this yummy boy. After Pip was either missing, hunting butterflies or being a right old grot bag all day long it was quite nice to have this guy run up to me and say hello. Admittedly he was probably hoping I had a treat for him (I think dad sneaks him the odd one or two as he used to be afraid of him and suddenly he's loved...suspicious!) but it was still to have a bit of feline affection for 5 minutes!
All in all I had a lovely birthday (ignoring my 2 hr "power nap"). Wish I'd had a bit of energy to go with my lack of depression this year but never mind - just hope I feel this way from now on for my birthdays. Hopefully I'll get my energy back by the big three oh - party! lol (three years to go - should be alright yeah!?)
In other news, I found my first proper full on silver hair. Well, no, I'm lying, I found one when I was 5 - I though it was amazing! Not particularly worried about it right now (it was only one!) but it made me curious. I wonder what age, genetically, I'm 'due' grey hair? And is it the silver, yellowy or white type? It'll be fun finding out! (just hope it isn't too early...!)
So that was yesterday. Today has been one long rest...bit boring photo wise but, as I said before, this is the everyday. Hopefully I'll look back on this project one day and be amazed at how little I did and how low my energy was right now. Really, really hopefully.
xxx

To all that say having a birthday in the summer must be lovely, I say this -

"Have you ever experienced a British summer!?"

I was suprised to find this little guy out the front - dandelions tend to get pulled out long before the puff stage round here.

Then the rain started spit spotting...

Then it just plain rained.

Just as I took this Dads stalker lady walked past the window with her little doggies. Have I ever mentioned her? It's a funny story, I'll write about it one day when I don't have anything else to ramble on about!
Here's me in my new birthday hoody. With a tidier bed. Mum said it was a last minute, panicked 'I haven't got her anything yet and I want to give her presents not money!' purchase. It's the loveliest, cosiest, snuggliest hoody I ever did wear. Thank you Mum & Dad! (also got a lovely new camera bag and Fantasia DVD, yay!)
Hope you all have a lovely day, no matter the weather where you are xxx