Trying not to stress...

I have sooooo much to do at work today! It always amazes me how quickly the real world strikes once you return from holiday (but oddly it tends to take days to actually relax into the holiday zone!!!)
I am very lucky to be going away for the weekend to see a friend and her family- it will be lovely to have another break so soon after my hols HOWEVER this does bring extra stress with work!
I have barely caught up with everything I needed to do and today have a children's event to do!
I am dreading it!! I love to see children in the library enjoying books but I am petrified about reading stories to them!!! So silly I know, but that's my hidden fear at work!! The thought of my having to do a storytime has me running for the rescue remedy!!!
Ahhh well, I will no doubt spend all morning dreading the approach of 2pm and the arrival of the kids!! The event will, I'm sure, go very quickly and be lovely! Eeeeeeeeek!


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OOOooooooo - HOW exciting!!!!

I'm so excited (can you tell?!) One of my photographs has been chosen by CJ as one of her 3 photos of the week from the online course I am taking with her.
Here is a link to this VERY talented ladies blog where you can see her work and learn about the courses she runs.
And here's my pic:

I'm off on my holidays ...

Well, I'm on train number one of two and I am away to beautiful Wales to visit my lovely friend!
I am sooooo excited to be going and am already snap happy !!!!








Saffy was not amused that I have left her and cunningly tried to first disguise herself as a hat...






And second, to pack herself ...






She will be spoiled with her nanny though, so I'm not worried!!!
Expect lots of lovely photos soon!!
Byeeeeee!!
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Oh, what a lovely afternoon!

We had a WONDERFUL afternoon together today. We drove over to Snowshill Manor to have a look around the manor house and grounds.  I took loads of photos with my new compact and am looking forward to getting them printed and scrapping them!!!
After the manor we rushed over to Bourton on the Water for a stroll around and for some food.
Then we headed home, very tired but very very happy!!
Here are a few of the lovely photos!

Thursday Five

Well, its that time of week again (TGIF tomorrow!) and I am joining in with the Mannland 5 Thursday 5. Click here to join in too!

I am BLESSED to have the friends I have.  They are like sisters to me. We have been through so much together, more than most, and I love them!

I am DELIGHTED to be going to the seaside in less than a week!! I am so excited to be seeing ym friend again and the ocean. I adore the sea, and as soon as I can see Her I always feel that my soul is home.

I feel JOYOUS at the thought of the adventure ahead of me when I head off to spend the weekend in a Yurt at the end of this month.  LOTS of scrapbooking as a result of that me thinks!

I am very very CHEERFUL when I think of tomorrow being Friday and the start of the weekend!!

My kitty cat, sat on my lap as I attempt to type this, makes me JOLLY!!!

(My life makes me HAPPY)

I know that is actually Six (rather than 5) but I just had to include that last one too!!

A quick catch up with my layouts

I have only just uploaded these layouts to the laptop.  I did them a couple of weekends ago but want to share them with you are I'm really happy with them.

Celebrating Who I Am

Because

Malvinha

Be Calm

Hope you like them :0)

And now I am a Tumblr!

Not an acrobat at the circus, but someone who is likely to get very very addicted to the wonderful micro-blogging site Tumblr
I first heard about it over at Sian's and also Lizzie's.
It is incredibly easy to set up an account.  (But if you want a walk through go to this Studio Calico post.)
It is (very basically) a giant virtual clipboard or ideas book where you can copy and paste images and links that you like.  I am going to use it as something to inspire me (with lovely images etc) and make me smile.  I think it will in time directly feed onto this blog, and my scrapbooking.  But the we'll see!!
If you too are a Tumblr then please follow me.  My site is called Clearing the Brambles there too.

Thursday Five (even though its Friday!!)

Well, I am a little late with the Thursday Five posting! Head over to Mannland5 if you want to join in at all.

Here is my take on this weeks five:

 Jubilant I am jubilant that it is Friday and I am NOT working tomorrow (even though I am scheduled to be!)

Giddy I am giddy at the thought of the weekend ahead of me! Tomorrow I have my crop to go to, and then Sunday is my wonderful crystal class with the lovely Violet Flame ladies!

Excited I am excited that Keiron has a job interview for a job he really really wants.  It is today at 10am.  I am also excited about what it will mean for him if he is successful - not extra money, but less stress and hassle and a more fixed routine - things he is craving!

Thankful Despite constantly wishing I was at home creating when I am here, I am thankful that I have a job I enjoy.  I remember how demoralising it is to work in a job that yuo hate.  Try as hard as you can, it still effects you all the time - the sheer dread on a Sunday that tomorrow is work.  I don't have that feeling anymore - thankfully!

Stoked I am stoked that the weather is lovely today. Not sure what its due to be like tomorrow, but today is good enough for me!! I am doubly stoked that I will be leaving here at 1 today to go and work at another library for a few hours - I like a break to routine - it keeps things interesting!


Well, thats me, speak later!! x

Advice needed...

I have an 8x8 album of pages that I completed earlier this year. I like the pages , but at the moment they are simply a few pages held together in a cover together. I want them to be a unified album. I want flow, continuity, balance. I know I want a lot, but I just know it is possible without redoing all of the pages. Does anyone have any tips???


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A plea for help...with creating 8x8 pages!

I am revisiting a recent project (I'll update you with the details tomorrow) and could really really do with some advice.
I always scrap with 12x12 pages (unless I am making a minibook) and am comfortable with this format.
My current project is in 8x8 format. I feel a little out of my my comfort zone with this size and would welcome any tips people have for scrapping in this smaller size. I am particularly keen to hear what size photos people use on 8x8 pages - do you print out smaller photos, scrap 6x4 anyway or even use 5x7's for impact????
Any help very gratefully received! :0)


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I am getting organised!

Well, I feel REALLY proud of myself! I have been intending to sort through by albums for a while as I felt there was no true order to them. It felt like a bit of an aimless task until I spotted a link on Ali Edwards blog to her own organisation project. I clicked, I read, I was TRULY inspired and last night... I organised.  I can really recommend Ali's blog to anyone.  In general it is a great source of info, projects and inspiration. If you need to organise your own albums, you should definately head over there! Clicking this link will take you over to her Adventures in Organizing posts. From there you can head to the homepage and browse!

I spotted a tweet of Ali's on Twitter about a free scrapbook class. Free? I thought, so I clicked the link and was taken over to Debbie Hodge's blog.
I've signed up for the class and although it seems that it may be geared towards beginners, I am looking forward to seeing someone else's perspective on scrapping.  I think you really can learn alot about your own style by looking at the work of others.
If anyone wants to look at the free class then click here or click on the logo over on the right of my blog page.

Well, I am off to complete my organisation and then create more!!
Thanks for stopping by.