GS’s 3rd Birthday!

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Patterned Background.

I loved the style of Julie Kirk’s layout in the prompt today, so here is my version of it. I wanted to try the idea of writing on the correction tape but couldn’t find any, not even the fluid, so I used labels instead. DGS has lots of toys for imaginative play and here are just two examples! Love the way he pretends to be Mr Potato Head as well. Am I imagining it, that at one time you had to have a REAL POTATO to play with this toy?

Paper Strips.

My first layout for this class…. or party!….. uses strips of bold, patterned paper. Well not really STRIPS but chunks of paper from my scraps box. I enjoyed making this because DH thinks that Iggle Piggle looks like David Cameron and it made me giggle thinking about it! DGS loves his Thomas hat and likes being so much more independent now he is nearly three!

A lovely Dream by Suzi Blu.

I’ve just started sketching my images for the tower. I love the chacopaper idea but decided to use carbon paper instead…of course I pressed on too hard and I suppose it will dis-appear under the paint and pencil. I will have to try and find some dressmakers’ copy paper to do it properly so that the lines will go. For the owl, I remembered an old trick I was taught in Geography classes when you want to copy a map from an atlas to use in your work. (In the 1960s before we had computers in school !) To copy a map you need tracing paper and a pencil. You trace the map you want, turn the paper over and scribble over the lines with pencil. Turn it back, lay it on the space where you want it to be and then trace over the map again. When you lift the tracing paper off, you should have a faint image of the map. This is just enough to enable you to draw over the outline and ‘Hey…..Presto’! your map/ drawing is transferred! I just printed out a photo from the computer and scribbled directly on the back to transfer the image of the owl. The face features and ivy I will sketch from photos. I’ve been looking through everyone’s art and feel incredibly priviledged to be part of this group……wonderful stuff! Irene aka Calendula aka Britchick! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ice-breaker activity

Today is the first day of PPP from Shimelle.com and our ice-breaker challenge was to post a photo of some of our patterned paper. I chose some sheets of paper that I LOVED when I bought them, but they never seemed to fit in with whatever I was scrapping! They seem a bit ‘old school’ now, but I hope that there will be opportunities for me to use some of them over the next month. Do you have any dreadful secrets among your paper stash??!!

A New Class!

There’s a new class at Shimelle.com and I’ve enrolled! It starts next Monday and continues for a month and at £12 or $18 is VERY good value. I’m really looking forward to receiving Shimelle’s quality prompts and to seeing the videos. Just the thing for these darker Autumn evenings and to get us all in the party spirit! What will you wear? Party dress or PJs? x

10 things. World Mental Health Day.

A scrapbook page I made about some of my favourite things 🙂

It is nearly five years now since I retired from teaching on ill-health grounds because of anxiety and depression. Since that time I have received help from various places and managed to claw my way back to being able to function normally, but it hasn’t always been easy. The public view of mental health is still not all that enlightened so I decided that my ’10 on the 10th’ would be 10 ways to improve your mental health. They may seem simple to you, but believe me from the point of view of someone with depression, they may seem really difficult to achieve and the person might also feel unworthy of help.
The Mental Health Foundation has designated today for’ Tea and Talk’ and tea parties will be going on all over the country. Even if it’s coffee you love, sitting, chatting and interacting with others is a good way to boost your mood! If you are able to organise a tea party this week, then visit the tea and talk page or if not, donate here.


Anyone can make simple changes that have a huge impact on their mental health and wellbeing. We’ve come up with ten practical ways to take care of yourself and get the most from life.
Mental health is about the way you think and feel and your ability to deal with ups and downs. Making simple changes to how you live doesn’t need to cost a fortune or take up loads of time. Anyone can follow our advice.

1.Talk About Your Feelings

Talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health and deal with times when you feel troubled. Talking about your feelings isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s part of taking charge of your wellbeing and doing what you can to stay healthy.


2. Eat Well

There are strong links between what we eat and how we feel – for example, caffeine and sugar can have an immediate effect. But food can also have a long-lasting effect on your mental health.


3. Keep in Touch

Friends and family can make you feel included and cared for. They can offer different views from whatever’s going on inside your own head. They can help keep you active, keep you grounded and help you solve practical problems.

4. Take a Break

A change of scene or a change of pace is good for your mental health. It could be a five-minute pause from cleaning your kitchen, a half-hour lunch break at work or a weekend exploring somewhere new. A few minutes can be enough to de-stress you.

5. Accept Who You Are

Some of us make people laugh, some are good at maths, others cook fantastic meals. Some of us share our lifestyle with the people who live close to us, others live very differently. We’re all different.


6. Keep Active

Experts believe exercise releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and help you concentrate, sleep, look and feel better. Exercise also keeps the brain and your other vital organs healthy.

7. Drink Sensibly

We often drink alcohol to change our mood. Some people drink to deal with fear or loneliness, but the effect is only temporary.

8. Ask for Help

None of us are superhuman. We all sometimes get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when things go wrong. If things are getting too much for you and you feel you can’t cope, ask for help.

9. Do Something You’re Good At

What do you love doing? What activities can you lose yourself in? What did you love doing in the past? Enjoying yourself helps beat stress. Doing an activity you enjoy probably means you’re good at it and achieving something boosts your self-esteem.


10. Care for Others

Caring for others is often an important part of keeping up relationships with people close to you. It can even bring you closer together.


You can download a printable version of these hints and there is extra help at The Mental Health Foundation website.