30 December 2011

Favourite photos//moments of 2011

So, the final installment of my little trip through this years album.

A final week with close friends. I just love the happiness in this photo.


I think my favourite picture of the year. Enough said really.

 Our leavers ball. Such a joyous occassion.


 Our family holiday to Cyprus. I think Hot best describes the experience!




 Getting my A level results outside a cafe in Polis. The best news to hear I had got into Durham.

This photo makes me laugh . Grandma had just been marched up a hill! ha ha!


 I still don't know how we managed to capture this picture but the motion blur is fantastic.

Starting life as a working woman. Probably the biggest moment of 2011.

 Getting used to the boy being away at university.

 Isn't the expression wonderful?!



Our traditional christmas photo for our parents. It turned out well this year.

Thank you for sharing in my nostalgia!

xxxx

28 December 2011

Favourite Photos//moments of 2011

So, the next installment in my favourite photos of 2011.

Easter term brought much laughter and friendship.

You knew the boy had to make an entrance soon! I love this picture because it documents his passion for music and his passion for God.

 The end of our time as a christian union. So much fun and a little sad.

 One of my favourites of us.

 Not a favourite moment at all. The revision dominated that term.


Doing a photo shoot for this happy couple was such fun.


One of the only days of summer weather. This picture sums it up really.


Enjoying spending the last few days as a year group.

Family photos during half term. These turned out so well.

2011 spelled lots of ending. This is a picture of one of the last races I coxed.

The trunk being packed for the last time. A very poignant picture.

Thanks for stopping by

xxx

27 December 2011

Favourite photos//moments of 2011.

This is a tradition I started two years ago and totally love; looking through my albums to find my favourite pictures or memories of this past year.

So...we kick off in January 2011- which incidently only feels like yesterday.


The snow came thick and fast and we enjoyed plenty of family walks.


 My christmas present that year was a lomo camera. Amazing for shots like this.


I can't remember when this was taken but the view of the valley is stunning.



I made another skirt.


 A big crafting landmark for me- my first quilt. I also love the depth of field on this picture.

 One of my all time favourite photos of me and my brothers. It also documents that spell of crazy hot weather we had in spring.




 The royal wedding. I loved this. It was a beautiful day, a beautiful bride and so much fun.
I love this photo because I just love these girls.



Our annual trip to Nantes for rowing camp over Easter. My thrid and final trip. I love the size of this candy floss-amazing!

Thanks for stopping by

Part 2 to come.

xxxx

26 December 2011

The day after

Boxing day. A lovely restful, cosy family day. Christmas was over in a flurry of paper, laughter and love.

I was truly spoilt and got many lovely presents. We had a glorious family day with highlights of charades and Downton Abbey in the evening in front of the roaring fire. What a way to end.

Today we chilled. We stopped. This morning we went out into the cold and joined the crowds to watch the hunt. Very traditional and what a photo oppertunity!

I leave with the snapshots.







Hoping your christmas was blessed and relaxing.

xxx

23 December 2011

Right Now.

Right now we are...


Welcoming our posada figures from church.


Watching


Warming.


Walking


Coffee shop-ing!



Creating


Boiling


Tempting


Playing


Photographing

But really we are waiting.
Have a blessed and very merry Christmas.

Abi xxxx

20 December 2011

Place names//star packets DIY

Hi

Hope you are all enjoying the festive run to christmas?


It is a tradition I have with myself each year that I will create the place names for the table on christmas day. To be honest the rest of the assembled family enjoy looking at these but aren't too fussed either way. For me though it is a chance to create something pretty and a bit different. Win win I say.

Last year I created these and the year before I created these.

Now, I try never to repeat myself so the week leading up to christmas I trawl the web looking for inspiration and ideas. I try and avoid the typical place name ideas like the small folded card etc etc!

The other day I stumbled across this.

I have developed my own idea with a few alterations on the original. Therefore this is not strictly my own idea but this is my tutorial on how to change the original design to suit my purpose.

First up grab a star template. It needs to be realtively large as the middle will hold the goodies but the pointed edges cannot really hold along. Go along the lines of the more I want to hide in the star the bigger it will have to be!


I think these look lovely on kraft but having nothing to hand I used old brown envelopes. Draw your star on the outside. Cut out and you have two pieces. Turn them inside out and voila, lovely textured brown strong paper.


Next, decorate the front of your star. I used an inital stencil I cut out from paper. I painted this on and then added two strips of coloured paper. I tried to keep to a simple colour schemes to bring unity. Don't put too much on at this stage because when you stuff them, the paper will bend so bigger items will just fall off. Keep it simple.

This is the most exciting bit. Sewing the star up. I used a zigzag stich around the edge making sure the foot was slightly off the edge so the sides were sewn up. REMEMBER to leave a gap to fill your star.


I filled each star with a celebration and a little note telling the recepient where their cracker present is hidden. (rather than toys in crackers my mum buys small presents she knows we will like and hides them around the house. After main course you go to the hiding place and find your gift.)
A little tip- don't put anything too big in as it distorts the shape of the star. I tried to add a lindt chococlate at first. Big mistake! looking back a chocolate coin would have been perfect!


Once your star is filled to your liking sew up the gap. It doesn't matter if it won't fully close, it will look fine.

I then finished my stars off with some bakers twine. I like the idea that one each plate there will be a lovely christmas package with the recepients inital and a treat inside waiting to be torn open.


Do you make anything for christmas day?


Loves xxxx