JYC Day 25!

OK so now I'm playing catch-up again, but it's been a lovely time over Christmas and I have't yearned to get on the pooter at all -well, hardly at all, LOL!

Christmas Day saw a lovely Mass, followed by Christmas Dinner at Margie & Tony's; charades and Wii Monopoly, Dr. Who and Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special before going out to a frosty car to come home!

Template by Girlboheme Studios; stash by A-Liya, KarinaKat Kreations, Gothic Inspirations, Holy Scrap O'La Designs.

Bernie x

JYC Day 24 - Christmas Eve!

This is probably the best Christmas Eve we've had in a longtime! Not much stress (other than a busy morning!!), then Andy and Evie went off to the Christmas Special Steam train at Tenterden with Margie, Meg and mum. She was so excited about that, and it didn't disappoint! Antoinette and I stayed here. Antoinette had a lovely long shower and I finished 3 last minute pressies (canvases). Then we picked up dad and went over to Westwood Cross for Antoinette to spend a little cash (she spent more on other people than on herself though! She's so generous.) and then, more importantly, to go into Costa Coffee for a large hot chocolate! Unfortunately they'd run out of cream though. Still, we got a large cup for the price of a small!

Then it was home and Antoinette and I watched as many episodes of Merlin as we could before the others got back (Evie doesn't like it, so they've been stacking upon the SKY+!!).

We've tracked Santa on the NORAD site, and the girls are now happily in bed and fast asleep!

Just got the hinges to put on the canvas books and wrap them, and then we're done! the prospect of a bedtime before midnight is amazing!!! Our first for a long time!!

Oh, I must get my music in the right order for Church tomorrow too!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Bernie x

JYC Day 23

Here's my day 23 offering! Christmas stockings mean more to the kids, but I enjoy filling them!!

Template by Girlboheme Studios, stash by ScrappinDsigns & Holy Scrap O'La Designs

Bernie x

JYC Day 22

Here is my Day 22 entry! What a day! Andy & I managed to finish the Christmas shopping - I almost enjoyed it (apart from the people who kept getting in my way, LOL!!!) !! Then DH's brother rang to ask if I thought he would like to go to see Sir Paul McCartney in concert...there was just one snag - it was TONIGHT! Of course I had to say yes, so DH had a lovely surprise early Christmas/Birthday present!! Andy was SO excited!

Template by Girlboheme Studios; stash by Girlboheme Studios, Dawn Inskip, Moonchylde Creations, Secret Garden Creations, Gothic Inspiration and IKH Designs.

Bernie x

CT LOs for Girlboheme Studios using NEW kit O Holy Night

OK, no kidding here, you really NEED to grab this kit from Aimee NOW! Here's the link! It's not your run of the mill Christmas kit. There are such unique elements in there, and the papers well! We know I'm an utter paper addict, whether digi or real paper, LOL, but these are some of the most beautiful papers I've seen to date! The atmosphere and feeling that can be created on a page that is actually no more than pixels on a screen just amazes me!! And as you can see from the two papers I've used here, they could be used for any theme of LO, not restricted only to Christmas.

I was a bit puzzked at first when i saw the kit, as there is a broken chain - I used this is the 2nd LO. What's that about I thought!?! Then I googled the lyrics for O Holy Night (the name of the kit) when I was thinking of a title for the page. I discovered there are actually 2 ore verses atfer the one that's usually sung alone here in the UK. I never knew there were more verses! And the last verse mentions breaking chains! So, just as a public service, and so you can read these beautiful words too, here are the full set of lyrics!

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

This made me realise just how much care and attention to detail Aimee puts into her kits. I always knew they are wonderful, but to get a flash of the creative process like this, is great! Thank you Aimee for having such high standards and producing such beautiful kits for us to work with! Especially at this time when you have so much going on, we wish you a blessed and peaceful Christmas with those you love.

Bernie x

JYC Day 21

My Day 21 was a bit weird - Antoinette and Andy went off to Olympia, so Evie & I were home alone! Evie didn't feel great so we forgot about going shopping with mum to get her Christmas outfit, and snuggled up on the sofa with choccie biscuits and Pringles, lol! It was great! (Obviously the diet is temporarily suspended for christmas, LOL). Poor little Evie was determined to stay awake until midnight to make sure the others got home OK as it was snowing for most of their journey up to London, but fell asleep just before 7.30pm!!

We found Olympia live on a sports channel and watched a good hour of it, and even managed to spot Andy & Antoinette in the audience, as wel as several other folk from the stables!

Now I've done this I'm going to go and catch up with Holby City - quietly, as Evie fell asleep on the sofa of course - hmmm! She may have to stay there until the others get back, LOL!

Template by Girlboheme Studios, stash by Rustic Charm Creations and Moonchylde Creations.

Bernie x

LOTD at Scrapable!

http://www.scrapable.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3651

Am I excited or wot?!!!! I won LO of the Day at Scrapable for my LO using Moonchylde Creations' Jingle All The Way kit - the LO just below JYC Day 20 on here!

What a great way to start the day!!
Thank you Scrapable!

Bernie x

JYC Day 20

Yay! I'm up to date! The last couple of days have been a bit of a surprise for me at this stage of the game, lol, so documented this.

Template by Girlboheme Studios (although rearranged to within an inch of its life, lol...sorry Aimee!!), stash by Girlboheme Studios, Moonchylde Creations, Mycrevette, Heaven Dreams, Dawn Inskip & Marie Stones.

Weather wise it was far worse today. What was left of the snow had frozen overnight. Some roads were clear - ish - and others were covered in ice - really not nice. I walked to Church as I didn't want to end up stranded like a car we saw yesterday, or worse, sliding into some else's car or garden wall! there were no mishaps on the way, but on the way back I almost went over. Thankfully there was a bollard right next to me, as it was the entrance to a passageway, and I managed to steady myself on that.

We went to the stables this afternoon, and by 3.30pm when we came home, it was MINUS 0.5dg! No wonder my toes had gone past the 'can't feel them' stage to 'hurting like hell'!!!! Antoinette didn't have a great lesson as she wasn't really well, and was tired from watching the Strictly finals last night! But we got fish n chips for dinner which cheered her up and warmed her through, lol, and she's all excited about going to Olympia tomorrow. That's her Christmas pressie, along with a bit of spending money. As it's the last day there should be plenty of sales, so she will be on the look out for a pair of long boots (courtesy of Nanna, as the ones ordered for her birthday/Christmas pressie didn't fit) and some white jods (courtesy of Auntie Margie - Christmas present). Plus whatever she feels like spending any of her birthday money on! Poor Andy! He'll be glad to watch the horse and dog displays just to get a rest from all the shopping!!!

Bernie x

CT LO for Moonchylde Creations using NEW kit Jingle All The Way!

Pick up this gorgeous kit HERE! I loved this b/g and the others in the kit are just as amazing! And the elements are beautiful as usual! A fantastic addition to a Christmas stash collection!

Bernie x

JYC Day 19

Here's my entry for Day 19. I wanted to keep it simple and focussed on my favourite photo of 2009!!!!

Template by Girlboheme Studios, stash by Girlboheme Studios, Secret Garden Creations and Gothic Inspirations

Bernie x

Northdown Park, Cliftonville today!

Look at this photo I got today! Complete accident, LOL! I still had the white balance set to Incandescant from photographing the tree lights in the dark!!!! I absolutely LOVE the effect I've got here though. The blue hue just makes it feel like a winter wonderland scene to me!! I can't tell you how chuffed I am with this!

more pics:

and some from Dane Park - 'Our' Park!

This is the best snowfall we've had for at least 13 years I reckon - I don't think we've had such a heavy fall that lasted so long since Antoinette was born! We did have snow in 1996, the year she was born, but only a smattering! Sadly it's gone now, and what's left is turning to ice. I wonder what we'll wake up to tomorrow!

Bernie x

JYC Day 18

As we always have a traditional Christmas Dinner, I thought I'd document a little trick that seems to be a tradition for us since Andy joined our family some 22 years ago now!!!!!

Template by Girlboheme Studios, stash by Dawn Inskip, Mycrevette and Heaven Dreams.

GUESS WHAT?!!!! We actually had snow today! Snow that hung around and didn't melt in half an hour! We got up at 7.45am and there was nothing happening, but 5 minutes late I looked out of the window and there was a blizzard going on out there!!!! We went in the garden, over to the park, the gals and Andy too had a sled down the hill there!

Then we rang the stables as it sunk in that Antoinette wouldn't be able to get out there, nor Evie and Meg for their lesson thisafternoon. They told us the little country roads were very dangerous and that the lessons would be cancelled. Shame as it was their last one before Christmas and they were going to have games. Of course Antoinette was heartbroken, as she's been off school ill all week so hasn't been up at all. So we decided to see how close we could get and then we'd walk the rest with her.

We didn't get far! For some reason NO roads had been salted/gritted in Margate! That did make me cross, as last week, when there was just a touch of frost that was gone by 8am, every tiny little road around was gritted! As we live in a valley we were a bit stuck, as cars couldn't make it up the hill either side! One poor driver was just stuck in the middle of the road, with wheels spinning when he tried to go up the hill, but sliding towards the parked cars nearby when he tried to go backwards down the hill. We couldn't stay to watch!!

As we'd arranged to meet at mum's for 10.30am, we decided to try and get there as Antoinette had realised how dangerous it was going to be and that there was no way we'd get near enough to the stables to walk. We didn't get far on that journey either. Faced with going down two hills to get home, we opted to leave the car at the top and walk to mum's from there. It took us about 40 mins to walk it - although I did go through the nearby park and got some fantastic photos - it was truly beautiful in there.

So, a lot of excitement with the weather today!

Bernie x

JYC Day 17

I hadn't read the prompt for this day, and by complete coincidence, it actually happened! I saw something and thought of someone - read the journalling! We did have a laugh about it - the girls could really see the funny side of a meal worm making me think of daddy!!!!



Template by Girlboheme Studios, stash by Dawn Inskip, Mycrevette, Secret Garden Creations, & Marie Stones.



Bernie x

JYC Day 16

My entry about something I'm thankful for - the end of term being nigh!!!! The girls have been ill, Andy's back is playing up again, and we're all so tired...it needs to be the holidays!!

Template by Girlboheme Studios; postage stamp by Tia Bennett, all other stash by Girlboheme Studios

Bernie x

JYC Day 15

Here's my Day 15 - Marguerite's 40th Birthday this year! Just for one evening, Christmas was forgotten!

Template by Girlboheme Studios; paint splodges by Dawn inskip, flower by MyCrevette, leaf-ribbon by Secret Garden Creations and all other stash by Girlboheme Studios (check out the depth of colour and texture on those papers! they're from her newest kit, O Holy Night! YUM!!)

Bernie x

JYC Day 14

I think DD2, age 7, has just started a new present-related tradition, LOL!! She's hopeless at waiting for anything, and when I asked her if she'd be able to wait for Christmas with presents for her under the tree she actually said no!!! Bless her little cotton socks!!!

Template from Girlboheme Studios, also stash; more stash from Gothic Inspirations, Heaven Dreams and Secret Garden Creations.

Bernie x

JYC Day 13

Day 13 - a simpler entry for me today as my knee is about to explode if I sit at the pooter much longer! It was really hard for me to choose one fave Carol, as I love so many of them, so I went with O Holy Night. It ranks up there with O Little Town Of Bethlehem for me, although I never get the chance to play it, nor sing it nowadays, unless it's at home with a CD playing!!!

Template from Girlboheme Studios, stash from Moonchylde Creations, Heaven Dreams, Gothic Inspirations, Secret Garden Creations and Tia Bennett.

So near to being caught up, yet so far!

Bernie x

Pressie for member of staff at DD2's school

These are a set of coasters I've made for a member of staff at DD2's school.

Papers are by Girlboheme Studios and stash is from Dawn inskip, Gothic Inspirations and Secret Garden Creations, and if anyone's interested, LOL, the font is Bridgenorth Blocked, as I took the trouble to remember, LOL!!

I've also made a couple of canvas 'books' (basically, I painted the canvases, put a nice front and back on the outside (the canvas bit!) - hybrid of course! - and then these will be hinged together. When it is opened, in the recess created by the 4 bits of wood joined together to make the rectangle, are nativity-type pictures using digi stash I found of old postcards with various designs! I love them!

Oh and I made a toilet roll tag book - sounds horrid, lol, but is actually really lovely!

I just need to buy hinges and clasps now and attach them and the pressies will be complete!

Bernie x

JYC Day 12

My annual dream of a white Christmas! I'm hoping that this year might see one for a change! I can't remember the last time we had one here in Margate, but am sure we had one (at least!) when I was a child. Lovely deep snow too, at least 2' and not a bit of slush in sight until the 2nd or 3rd day when it started to melt! Nowadays if we get any snow, it's slush within half an hour! Mum has been saying for about 2 weeks now that she thinks there will be a white Christmas this year, and now the Met. Office has said it's possible! I'm keeping everything crossed!!!

Template by Girlboheme Studios and stash by Dawn Inskip

Bernie x

JYC Day 11

Not too sure where the colours for this page came from, LOL! I wanted to go with a blue/white page, but making that work with a tree theme, which would usually make me think of green and red, wasn't easy! I love this black paper by Moonchylde Creations though, so went with that!

Template from Girlboheme Studios, and also some stash. Other stash from dawn Inskip, Gothic Inspirations, Mycrevette and Moonchylde Creations.

Bernie x

JYC Day 10

My entry leaning towards the wrapping of presents - or lack thereof, LOL!!!!
Template and stash by Girlboheme Studios; stash also from Gothic Inspirations and Heaven Dreams.
Bernie x

CT LOs for SIS using A Touch of Christmas by Heaven Dreams

Get this kit HERE - NOW!!! I have to say that this is one of the most beautiful Christmassy/Winter kits I've seen this year. There are some of the most beautiful papers and high quality elements in here! I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone!
The top LO shows our beautiful tree - I made the lights sparkle more not by some clever PSE technique or brushes, but by a REALLY clever technique from Cheryl Johnson! I placed a sieve in front of my camera lens before taking the pic! That's it! And hey presto, you get REALLY sparkly lights!! Try it! It's amazing!!
the 2nd Lo is my DD1 Antoinette on her 13th Birthday back on 4th December! It's was lovely to see her in a dress for a change rather than jods and chaps!!!
Bernie x

CT LOs for Rustic Charm Creations using NEW kit Oogly Boogly!

Great kit! Some really cute monsters in there! Get it here!

Bernie x

CT Los for Rustic Charm Creations using new kit Butterfly Kisses

This is a gorgeous mini-kit - so much texture in there for a start! You can find it HERE!

Bernie x

CT LO for Moonchylde Creations using new kit Yuletide

This is a gorgeous kit! Find it HERE! Bargain price too! have fun with it!
Bernie x

JYC Day 9

Day 9 and it's documenting not quite the end but the changing of a Christmas tradition.

Bernie x

JYC Day 8

Here's my Day 8 - the tree is now up!!! Thanks Evie!

Bernie x

JYC Day 7

Still playing catch-up, so here's my page for Day 7! Completely different, calming colours, to highlight the importance of me staying calm!!!

Template and stash by Girlboheme Studios, stash also by Secret Garden Creations, Moonchylde Creations, and Heaven Dreams.

Bernie x

Dressage Day Photos

Just a shame that with the bright sunshine you can't see the 1st on the rosette!

Anyway, that's ma gal!! Antoinette, at 13 yrs and 2 days, 1st place in the Walk and Trot class Dressage Competition!

Bernie x

JYC Day 6

Today's prompt was about good and bad Christmasses, but I didn't want to go with that, so did a page about how I'm feeling - and it happens every year - at just the early stage of Advent!!!

Bernie x

CT LO for Moonchylde Creations using Christmas Mocha kit

HERE's the link! This is a great kit, which is perfect for Christmas LOs but also, with the variety of elements in there, and the colours and designs of paper, it could be used all year round! Beautiful!
Bernie x

CT LO for SIS using Candy Cane Lane kit by Secret Garden Creations

What an absolutely GORGEOUS kit - get it HERE!! Look at that little bunny!!!!! Everything is so scrummy in this kit and just perfect for your wintery, Christmassy LOs!!!

Bernie x

Dressage Results 6th December!!

Just a quick post, as Evie has woken up with mum's cold, and I feel like I'm rapidly going downhill too!

Antoinette took part in the Nelson Park Dressage yesterday and WON!!!! She was up against children and adults of various ages in the Walk and Trot Class, and managed a great score of 86% and First Place!!! Yay!! Talk about proud mum moment!!

It was all the more sweet, as she was convinced she'd done really badly. When the time came for her to have her warm-up ride, there were some children having their loan rides as well as other dressage competitiors in the big outdoor school. Unfortunately one of the loaners was being particularly unpredictable and, quite honestly, annoying most of the dressage people. She lacks control of the loan horse most of the time quite frankly, but yesterday was particularly bad. Instead of cantering round ON the track (which is protocol - if you're not cantering you stay off the track once someone decides to canter), she was just letting the animal go where it chose - well, that's the charitable opinion! It was either that or she was choosing to canter round waaaaaay off the track and in amongst the competitors! So there was no chance of actually practising any of the dressage test in warm-up time, nor even to get up a good, regular trot, as this girl just seemed to be aiming her animal for Antoinette!! Honestly, wherever Antoinette rode, almost as soon as she got a nice trot established, this girl would appear right in front of her!

To make matters worse, the horse this girl was on is known for kicking anything that gets too close, so, with Molly still getting used to being back amongst other horses, Antoinette had to be esp. careful. By the end of the warm-up session, she was in tears and wanting to not even take part! It was sheer frustration though - I knew how she felt! The girl's dad was watching her and didn't even tell her to watch where she was going or stay on the track, or stay off the track so others could use it. Honestly, this child was chaos on 4 legs!!!

Then the dad had the gall to tell DH that the competitiors had to get used to other horses being around as when you go to shows elsewhere there are hundreds of animals around! This from the man whose daughter never does the dressage comps, occasionally takes part in the jumping comps but then, even on bottom hole, walks her horse round and steps it over the jumps! Now I've nothing against that...everyone has to learn and gain experince. But to stand there as if they are expert riders, lol, when his daughter is clearly not behaving as she should amongst other horses just took the biscuit!

I had to walk away in the end, as the girl was telling all the dresasge competitiors to 'watch out guys' just because she had stopped in the middle and her horse was standing still!!!!! Honestly, it just beggared belief! I did speak to a member of staff who agreed that she was completely in the wrong and was going to go off and speak to her.

Still, all's well that ends well! Antoinette got first place, and her little cousin, Megan-Elise, who brought her loan pony along from Queensdown (just up the road) got 5th place - and it was her FIRST EVER Dressage comp.!!

So, all in all, a great day for your family! Evie was a little STAR all day! She went up to the stables at 9.30am with DH and Antoinette and helped with Molly, brushed the 'yard' bit where Molly is (she's in a stable away from most of the other horses atm), read to Molly while Antoinette was plaiting and grooming her, ran for hay and taking messages. Honestly, she didn't stop all day really - and it was cold and windy up at the stables all day too. Not once did she get fed up or moan about having to be there or do any job! Someone's growing up!!

Right! Had better get moving! This turned out longer than I was expecting, LOL, as Evie's off school today with this cold, we don't need to rush as much. I wanted to try and do yesterday's JYC LO, but just don't feel like it at all unfortunately. Maybe this evening.

I took some photos yesterday and am hoping that there will be something suitable for the CJ 12 Days of Christmas class so I can catch up with that again!!

Hope to be back later!

Bernie x

JYC Day 5

Advent Calendars - the LO says it all, LOL! I seem to be able to be more succinct on digi pages, LOL! I'm loving making these pages!

Template from Girlboheme Studios, as is most of the stash. Other stash from Gothic Inspirations and MyCrevette.

Antoinette's Birthday ride went well today apart from Laura taking a tumble! It was her first time riding Joker without a leader (and she doesn't ride inbetween these party lessons) and she did really really well walking and trotting. But then Joker decided to have a little weave off the track and a buck or 2, and there she was on the floor! She was VERY lucky to miss a pile of poo by inches though so there was a bright side - well, we thought so anyway as she's coming home in our car, LOL!!

Later this afternoon, Evie is due to go to mum n dad for a sleepover and Andy & I are taking Antoinette to meet up with friends at Frankie and Benny's - they will have a meal together and we will wait in the bar!

Tomorrow is the Dressage competition - Meg and Antoinette are both taking part. Hoping for more photos than I managed today! The girls look great in their smart gear!

Bernie x

Rustic Charm Creations - December Grab Bag!

December Grab Bag (Pick this up by Dec 18th before its separated and priced indivually!) 25% off for the weekend only which makes it $3.00! Grab it now!

Check out Lauren's blog HERE for more inspiration using this gorgeous kit....it's good for boys as well as girls!! And not just Christmassy LOs either! There's also details there of another Christmassy kit!!

Have fun!

Bernie x

JYC Day 4

Here's my Day 4 - I did it yesterday, then realised I hadn't added the date! But by then it was time to go out for Antoinette's birthday meal, so it has had to wait until this morning for its date!! Familiar theme of how I'd love a snow-filled Christmas, but kinda narrowed down to a plan!!

Template and stash by Girlboheme Studios and stash also from Dawn inskip, Gothic Inspirations and MyCrevette (from memory!). Now we're rushing off to the stables for Antoinette's birthday ride - half an hour proper lesson, half an hour fun and games on the horses!!

Bernie x

JYC Day 3

A bit of a bah humbug theme for me again I'm afraid!! Writing cards...ugh!! I was feeling a bit better about it all, until we got our first card today from a customer!! Ah well!!

Bernie x

JYC Day 2

Well, there's not much to say about the weather in Margate tbh! We do pretty well actually, and nobody else that I have spoken to wants snow here at all!!! But every year, even though I know there is absolutely NO chance of it happening, I secretly wish for snow in Margate! And not just the half a cm we get if we're lucky (and it's more likely to be in February, March or even April nowadays, than December). Oh no! I want the snow that comes up to your knee caps and makes it really hard to walk, LOL! Snow you can actually make soft snowballs from, not the hard balls of ice that we have to make do with as there's so little snow and it's so mushy!!

Oh, and I'd quite like a nice camera that can cope with freezing conditions and batteries that won't die after 5 mins!!!! but as Shimelle said, that's another day's prompt!!!

Have really enjoyed myself today making these entries!

Again, I used template and stash from Aimee Harrison/Girlboheme Studios and stash also from Gothic Inspirations and Dawn Inskip. TFL!

Bernie x

JYC Day 1 - Manifesto

Well, at the risk of sounding like a right misery, LOL, I decided to be completely honest about how I'm feeling atm, as it's just so weird for me!!! That said, it has done me the world of good to just stop and make this page, so I am feeling a lot better now, and the Christmas music all afternoon has def helped!!!!

I'd planned more of a blue and white Christmas this year, but looks like I'm just a traditional gal at heart! This is just what 'came'!

I used a template and Christmas stash by Girlboheme Studios (hope you're OK Aimee, and we're thinking of you!) and more stash by Secret Garden Creations.

Now I just need to catch up with the Photography class and do Day 2 of JYC!!

Bernie x