Friday, September 28, 2012

More Mabon parts

Hi all ,
back to give you the remaining parts of the "Happy Harvest" kit today.
So what has been going on here?
Tuesday was Reggie's birthday and he told me on Wednesday that all the packages I sent had arrived.So now I can actually show what I made. Instead of a common Birthday card I created a mini hybrid album with Pics of our time together. I showed this first pic as a teaser before , but now I can show the details.




 lol, I knew he wanted one of those Raiders caps, I just had to customise it a little bit ...













There was more , but I'm not showing all....just one more...
besides that, I made a book with layouts and journaling. It's too personal to show all the pages ...sorry, but some things have to stay private. 
 I'm just showing this so you can see what you can do with some layouts and a printer- an inexpensive very personal gift from the heart.You don't even need to send off for an order. The printed layouts are just glued to the blank pages of a bought mini scrapbook album.You could even use one of the baby/toddler books with thick cardboard pages which you get very cheap.They are perfect to use for making altered books.

I have the contract for starting to sell at the Scrap site and it looks fine. The only thing I'm thinking about now is the time to start. Is there any sense to start before the New Year? I will be away for 3 weeks over Christmas. Do I really have the time to start before? It's a commitment that I don't take lightly , so I want to make sure I can actually do what the contract says....
And I have my flight ticket ! It will be a hell of a journey. This time I have to leave with the 5.25 am GMT train to London , get a tube to Heathrow, catch the flight to Philadelphia and then change. It's not to Charlotte this time.....I'm flying to Greensboro because depending on what the weather is like it will be easier for Reggie to pick me up. Greensboro is only about an hour drive away from him.But I will be arriving around 19.30 pm EST....so work it out , -that's a lot of hours travelling !But well worth it...I would even go to the end of the world to spend time with him. Travel/Medical Insurance is sorted as well ...another thing checked of my "to do list".
I have been doing some more work on the latest kit and just need to create some more elements now. Here is another teaser page I page with it.
Maybe I will get it all finished tonight.
Anonymous left a comment that the Broncos link on the freebie page isn't working anymore-give it a try now, I put a new link up and it worked for me.
But now finally the Happy Harvest links you have been waiting for.Her ya go,lol.
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?jb0e3atnnuznjox
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?1bl1oomz5ygbw0n
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?b857m5zz3ar00c0
https://www.mediafire.com/file/nbou6u66kunz3zh/sr_mabon4.zip/file


More Autumn and Halloween freebies coming -till next post :)
Hugs Snowy

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Happy Autumn Equinox and freebie

Hello and good morning :)
It's Mabon, or Autumn Equinox today. Unfortunately I have to work , but I have taken a day off for tomorrow.Two reasons....a) Sunday is the only day Reggie is off as well and  b) Football is on ,lol.

I feel we never have enough time for each other and being so far apart makes it double as bad....it sucks to say it plainly. But I guess it makes me appreciate the little time we have even more.
I finally had the contract come through and I'm asking myself "am I ready for this?" ....after a long time not really doing much I need to get back into the swing of things again. But the comments I had on my FB page really gave me a boost. Apparently I have been missed and that's nice to know :)
My ticket for December is booked and paid for ...88 days to go and then it's off to North Carolina again . So looking forward spending time with Reggie again. Now the travel preparations start again.... looking for the best and cheapest transport to the airport, renew/update Esta travel authorisation, Health and travel insurance....blah,blah,blah... it's a different route and different times as last time, so I can't just book the same , but need to do some more research what my best options are.
People have kept saying I lost more weight...I can't see it, but I noticed I put on some muscle.As long as don't start looking like one of these female bodybuilders I can can go with that,lol.Seriously.... without showing nude pics....I can't see a difference. Julie reckons she can see it alone from my face.
Anyway, let's get to the freebie. As it's Mabon it's the perfect time for my Mabon kit. Happy Harvest -It's Mabon
Here some more previews of the lot.




And the first links.Part 1 and 4 , so you have some papers and elements already
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?931fb093f2kno3n
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?ciijt0300w2rvo4
And for now I say "till next post" , still have things to do here before work.
Till next time -hugs Snowy 


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Blog design experiments

Hi all,
as you can see I have been playing around with the blog design. Natalie gave me the guidelines for blog design , so I had a look at those. I was looking for a way to make it easier readable, but still able to keep my black rose background. Let's face it ...a white and simple background ? I know it says "white space is your friend"...but that just wouldn't be me! I have to find a middle way ,lol. To have that "white space" and make it easier readable, but still keep my "Snowraven style" .Let's face it -I'm an old Goth .We don't really do white.So what you see now is what I came up with this morning.Sort of a compromise, hey?

So what else has been going on here? Not much really. My poor Reggie is recovering from a bad cold and lost his voice.He still sounds rather rough, but I'm glad he's getting better slowly. Shaun is looking for a new job, he had enough and wants something that doesn't clash with being a Special. I had one of "those days" yesterday where I can just shake my head about myself.....after searching for my cigarettes for half an hour and wondering where I put them I finally found them in the fridge.Yeah, you read that right,lol. Short after I discovered I have been wearing my knickers inside out all day ....only took me 3/4 of the day to notice it.

I have still not heard anything back from the Lady who offered me a place as Designer and to sell my kits on her site. She wanted to send me a contract to look at which I never received. So I sent her a message to remind her .... we will see how it goes on.

Today is really my first day off, not counting Sunday as I slept most of the day after working nights , and yesterday I did overtime.Reggie's birthday parcel is on the way to NC, and coming next week I can finally show you what I did for him. But until then...psssst...I don't want to ruin the surprise :) 

And Ivy wrote last night that they are on Tornado watch where she lives in NC - stay safe peeps !
Severe Storm Threat in the East Tuesday
Apparently we are to expect bright fall colours due to the weather all year .... I'm patiently waiting. Me and my camera should be able to shoot some great pics if that is the case.

Kyra, so sorry to hear about Jan's bike. I can sympathize because I have to rely on my bike to get me to and from work as well.
Edna, I use  Bob Martin Flea and Tick Spot on for my cats. It's really easy to use.You just open a tiny tube and apply the content to the back of their neck onto the skin. It works well to repel fleas and ticks.

As for Craft projects I am really wanting to make...how clever is this? It's made from an old Hard cover book.
See how to make it here: http://www.cometogetherkids.com/2011/12/kindle-cover-from-hardcover-book.html

I also love the idea to make a Witches hat from old newspapers as Halloween decoration
http://bungalowgals.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/halloween-costume.html

...and this very simple idea of attaching autumn leaves to sheet music, a nice Fall decoration for the cost of a few pages of paper, printer ink, glue and some string.
Anyway, that's all for today - I have cleaning to do in here. I will post the next freebie on the 22nd , the Autumn Equinox , so until then ....
Hugs Snowy

Saturday, September 15, 2012

September Freebie

Good morning,
brrrrrr....it's getting damn fresh in the mornings here. Certainly wakes me up when I come of night shift and have to cycle home. Almost time to get the gloves out, my fingers are starting to get cold so early in the morning and at night. Autumn is certainly on it's way, the first leaves are already changing colour.
So I thought it's time for some Fall decorations and put the summer ones away.
Here is an inexpensive way to do it....all you need is a few frames from the Dollar/Pound Store, a printer and images you like.Or even better, make your own.
Here are some I found and printed on canvas photo paper.

 And I printed some leaves on simple paper , cut them out and stuck them to my wall.You could do a lot more and make a garland with them , if you wanted to.














I carried on a little with the last kit I worked on. I used the pic I took of the full moon as a background paper and made this QP.
But now to the freebies...I have several kits prepared to go up here. 2 Autumn/Mabon kits and I'm just busy wrapping up the first Halloween kit as well. So I'm sorted for the rest of the month and next.
But today I republish a freebie which was only available in out forum a few years ago. So I'm sure not all of you will have this. It used to be a big collab kit, but this is only my part. Here is "September Song " mini kit
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?3z09p538spwp6bo
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?b763rfb5p4m7y0u
Enjoy !
I'm sick and tired of this blog layout. And speaking to Natalie yesterday , one of Reggie's friends I'm getting to know via Facebook,I see that I really should make some changes to this blog.I need a complete new template, I think. One where the writing space is larger or can be modified. Maybe I make that my project for my next days off.
On the bright side , I came in to work last night and Nat, who doesn't see me that often ,said "Have you lost more weight again? You look slimmer" ...well, now that's what I like to hear,lol. Seems that the Torture workout it's doing it's job.Plus I have been a very good girl and have not touched chocolate for a while.....So maybe I have to treat myself to a dark Chocolate Kit kat as reward. :) 
Another night to do , and then overtime on Monday. That means a day less off, but a little bit more pocket money in my purse. For now it's sleep time , my bed is calling me . So have a nice weekend and till next time.
Hugs Snowy

Saturday, September 08, 2012

The last part of Summer BBQ freebie and upcycle old jeans

Good morning peeps ;)
Well, I don't have much to show this morning....I have worked some overtime and been terribly busy in this flat. The nights and early mornings here have been a bit cool, at times only 48 degrees -so it was time to get some warmer clothing out of my storage bags. It will be a case of t-shirt during the day, but taking something warmer in my saddle bag for on the way home at night or in the early morning. Even my fingers were cold when I came home from night shift. Of cause with cycling you have the added wind chill factor to deal with as well. So I will definitely take a thin pair of gloves if it gets like that again.
Of cause I used the opportunity to sort through and sort out what I don't wear or what doesn't fit anymore.
I have cleared 3/4 of one of my book shelves and sold the books , a few on Amazon Marketplace, but the majority to the Second Hand Book Lady on our market. I have a lot more to go still.
Then I have signed up to Netflix. They have quite good movies and even series for a low monthly fee. I saw it the first time at Reggie's and thought I sign up as well as they really offer quite a good choice.So I'm looking forward to some relaxing movie evenings. The good thing is I can just hook up the laptop to my TV in the bedroom and be really comfortable chilling out on the bed .... lol, it's the small luxuries that sometimes count the most :)

Craft and Fashion tip: Got an old pair of jeans that maybe even has some holes in it? Don't just throw them away! I have a pair I bought with the designer holes, but wearing, washing and Reggie poking his fingers through the holes made them larger and larger. They are my favourite pair and I didn't just want to throw them out. Solution: I had an old pair of lace knickers (you could take any lace though, or other fabric you like) I cut them so the pieces fit behind the holes and stitched them on from the inside. Result - sexy black lace and denim .Sorry, Reggie ....no more poking fingers through the holes,lol.
With Autumn and pumpkin time coming I thought I share this recipe with you. Really worth making -it's so yummie ! Pumpkin and Cinnamon Cheesecake - it was gone within a short time . Shaun really took a shine to this,lol.
http://sweetsavoryplanet.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/pumpkin-cheesecake.html
















But it's time for the freebie now-the last part
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?gy3nonv8dw38li5
Enjoy, and I will prepare a new freebie again for next weekend
Hugs Snowy 


Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Work on a new kit ...

Morning all ..."yawn"
came home from night shift not so long ago and will go to bed soon.But I thought I pop in first , have not written here for a while.
Work to build up a little stock of designs goes on , and I have started a new kit.
Well, I suppose you wanna see a little teaser,lol...here you go...
Yup, it's a Fantasy kit with dragons. I'm having fun playing with it in the moment. Apart from that I have various packs with Overlays, Frames and tube elements done.
On Full Moon night when it was the "Blue Moon " I tried to capture it with my little camera.I'm thinking about using this image as part of the new kit ...I have some ideas....

Apart from that I am torturing myself. Yeah, you read that right,lol. I'm beasting myself with a new Abs workout and it's showing some results already . I figured my arms and legs don't really need much improvement, but the middle section of my body does. So I'm targeting that specific area in the moment. The workout bench was getting too easy , I had to have a little more of a challenge to it. I actually put on a pound, but that's actually the muscle building up and the whole area is starting to look a little more toned. The herbal supplements for Pre  menopause related issues I'm taking are also showing some effects and I feel better and more full of energy . A comment Nat, my colleague, made was really nice to hear: "I can see you have lost some more weight, you look more slender and your skin has a nice healthy glow. "Now who doesn't like to hear compliments like that,lol? I'm not doing this for the purpose to look like some super model. Fact is , that baby belly and the stripes I earned are part of me and will never be gone. But being a more healthy weight and the exercise really make me feel better , and to tell the truth , I'm proud of being a young looking almost 45 year old. Nobody ever gets my age right when they guess :) This is a pic Shaun took a few days ago.














So there,lol.... a little bit of work and sweat , and looking after yourself pays off . And I don't even use anti wrinkle cream or any other expensive products which promise eternal youth (being quite frank, it's all a lot of bullshit anyway). It's just a case of the right balance ....eat reasonably healthy, get off your ass and move. I still eat cake and chocolate sometimes, I still smoke and have a drink on occasion ...I'm definitely no perfect angel sticking to a strict diet plan :) So if you want to make changes , get up and do it! It's possible ,I have done it and lost a lot of weight. You only need the willpower and really get off your ass. Don't expect it to happen in just a few weeks ... it takes time. I started almost 3 years ago , but by doing it slowly you avoid the Jojo effect of piling it all back on.And it's such a confidence boost as well ;) 
Anyway, It's bed time -  and the last freebie part of the kit on the weekend again.   Hugs -till then
Snowy