A Layout!

I have had this layout nearly finished for the longest time, really just needed to stick everything down and add a few little accents.

This is the "official" photograph of me finishing the Great Scottish Run 10K race in Glasgow at the beginning of September. If you had said to me in September 2009, when I first started running, that I'd be doing a 10K race a year later and finishing it, with a decent time, I'd have declared you crazy!  My goal at that point was a 5K in the spring, and I was rather doubtful about that.  But somehow, strangely, I started to enjoy running more and more, I managed the 5K race, and when my friend asked if I wanted to do a 10K with her, I agreed.  I can't really say I enjoyed the actual race in Glasgow - parts of it, yes, but other parts were definitely a challenge - but I felt really good after I finished it :)  So good that I'm now aiming to do a half-marathon in 2011!!

Something Bright

I promised a non-Christmassy post, and here it is!  I'm not sure how well the colours are going to come out on screen, but they are certainly very bright and cheerful in real life!!

First up, I have FINALLY finished the crochet cushion cover for my daughter that I started (coughing nervously in embarrassment...) about a year and a half ago.  It did go missing for a while, which is an excuse, but again, slightly embarrassing...  Anyway, here it is:

I'm very pleased with the way it turned out in the end, and it sat there quite comfortably on our sofa, so I'm contemplating making something similar for the living room, only in more muted colours.  Most importantly, eldest daughter likes it and has given it pride of place in her bed :)

Secondly, a card:

A friend celebrated her 40th birthday last week and I was entrusted with making her card.  I looked out my wintery My Mind's Eye papers - and then ended up using only the bright shades :)  However, with all the snow lately, some sunny colours will not have gone wrong.  Unfortunately, I ended up being unable to go to her party, so I'm really just hoping my friend agreed with me ;-)

Well, the big thaw is still on, in theory at least - I was pretty much dancing on ice when I took the dog out for a walk earlier!  The main roads are clear though, just need some gritters out now in the residential areas and on the foot paths.

Hope everybody is having a great weekend and staying warm - thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Cards

Well, I have to admit, I have not been particularly busy making my last batch of Christmas cards, but here are two more that I made with my new Stampin' Up! set Welcome Christmas.

 The first one is fairly CAS, the wreath image embellished with red liquid pearls and the word JOY cut out and adhered on top, slightly raised.

This second card uses the children image from Welcome Christmas, the trees from Lovely as a Tree, and the sentiment from an old hostess set (the name of which escapes me just now).  I've also used some of the new and very lovely satin ribbon, very festive, don't you think?

Crafty, inky time had to take a back seat over the last couple of weeks because of school closures, public transport failures and a very full and noisy house suddenly where usually peace and quiet reign during the day ;-)  Yes, the children have been home and hubby had to work from home, too.  Very distracting!!  Alas, we haven't had any new snow since Monday (when pretty much all of Scotland broke down), and temperatures are rising, so I'm listening to the constant drip drip drip of melting snow and icicles.  Music to my ears!  The younger ones are having their first full day at school today (after heating failure and early closure yesterday...), and eldest daughter will return to school tomorrow for a Friday half day.  Hopefully, hubby's trains will be running again on Monday, and life will finally get back to normal!! :)  I have still so much to do preparing for Christmas, panic is starting to set in!  But I'll get there, might just be slightly more frazzled than usual :)

Thanks for stopping by, non-Christmassy post coming soon.