I finished - -

- - little album I made at our last craft club day - no photos yet admittedly - but it is all decorated and all the tags and photo mats are made ready for pictures to be added. As I am planning on adding photos of my niece's "Prom" I won't be able to share it once the photos are included, I thought I would post a couple of pics now.
It was made using Laura Denison's (of Following the Paper Trail) "Stack the Deck" binding - check out her You Tube from December 2011 for instructions. I love it - it is such a neat binding system - and the little albums look so "professionally finished" - even when I have made them!!

There are six pages - and as each page is a pocket there are two tags in each one, so I can get plenty of photos in the album and have room for journalling. I used Prima paper and embellies - from the Nature Garden collection - and I think the soft neutrals in the colours scheme will make the photos of the jewel like prom dresses really "pop".

Today we have been "up the mountain" - on the Electric Railway - just for a change. It was a reasonable day - though still a little cold, and we did get something of a view before watching the drifting fingers of mist of Manannan's Cloak spread over the mountain top and hide everything from us! The cafe was warm and pleasant though and we enjoyed coffee and cake before we headed back down to Bungalow Tram Station. In the waiting room I found several of this year's "World Book Night" donations - all from different "givers" - to be part of an initiative called Ride & Read - and I quote " Enjoy browsing a book and then return it to your nearest ---- -- --- Railways waiting room for another traveller to pick up and enjoy". We liked this idea - a kind of mini "book crossing" so chose to borrow Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson - as neither of us has read it. I will return it to the Steam Train station when we have read it - but am going to keep a note of its number - to check its travels on the World Book Night site.

Thanks for stopping by -
'til later

Bannaghtyn J xx

Mail Art Exchange - -

- - - I have had a productive weekend - been a very busy little bee indeed. I am taking part in Ginger's Mail Art Exchange for the first time this year - and have my very first envelope all ready in the post - I am a complete beginner at this - so hope it is OK for my partner in the group.
As a beginner I had to do some research to find out as much as I could - and was delighted to find so much information out there on "ye olde world wide web". I have ordered a copy of the book that started  this journey I am now setting out on - it was one of Sian's "Pass the Book" - and I really fancied having a good look at it.. Ginger is a star for setting up this group:)
Here is a photo of my envelope - before addresses were added - so thanks for looking. I am not going to post the contents ------ as I do firmly believe that the first person to know the contents of a parcel or envelope should be the person it is addressed to. Can't share as I forgot to take a pic - !! Ooops!

Last week my eldest daughter was staying with us for the week so I didn't get much crafting done - too busy spending time with her - very important to me as it was Christmas last time we were able to be together. We had a good week all round - starting with our visit to Northern Ireland - and already I am missing her company. However - daughter number 2 is home for a week before she starts her final exams for her degree course - so she has filled the "space" if you follow me! She is a little stressed - the final element/project/module (not quite sure what to call it) of her course has not been easy for her and she has got herself worked up about it. I am doing supportive mum as well as I can.

Thanks for dropping in.
'til later

Bannaghtyn J x

Oh what a - -

- - brilliant weekend we had! Even the weather - and as you may know dear readers - British weather can be very unpredictable - was kind. Blue skies and sunshine greeted me as I woke - and although there was a chill wind - it remained with us all weekend. Our hotel was central - and so comfortable, the shopping was only 5 minutes away - and the new Titanic, Belfast only  a 20 minute walk along the waterfront.
We had booked out time slot for the Titanic building - good job we did - tickets were sold out for the weekend we were there.  It was PACKED - there were even monitored queues to get into the souvenir shop!!!It is a fabulous experience - in spite of the queueing - and we were there 3 hours - and I am certain there was so much else I missed! We did get in almost on our timeslot - only a couple of minutes late - so it is well organised even with its obvious, huge popularity - and I am sure it will calm down when the novelty wears off. It really is a "must see" exhibition/experience - and the building itself is - in my opinion anyway - beautiful. Very, very modern - and each of its 4 "points"really does look and feel like the prow of the "Olympic Class" liners. I really am glad we went - and I intend to go back again.

 

 Belfast is a great city - everyone was very friendly and welcoming, and we did take advantage of the City Tours to see the murals and other buildings of interest- as well as a trip to the Giant's Causeway, so we feel we managed to pack quite a lot into our weekend. Our hotel was one of the Malmaison group of "boutique" hotels and was in an old warehouse building, now converted into a luxury venue. It really was a great place to stay and the staff were lovely - at all times. The food was excellent too! I have added links but I am not receiving any commission or anything - and opinions are my own - Just thought you might like a little "nosy round".

Our Causeway trip was also very good value - and  on a very comfortable coach. We got to see some of Northern Ireland's beautiful scenery with an excellent driver as our guide - and once again the weather was kind - blue skies and sunshine! 

All in all we had a  really great weekend, and I am looking forward to adding my photos and thoughts to my "Week in the Life" mini album. Though it looks like I will also have to do a "Weekend in Belfast" one as well - for daughter number 1!! No crafty pictures yet - but will post when my album has a few photos in it!
Thanks for stopping by.
'til later -
Bannaghtyn - J x

Making Progress - -

- - well I sure hope I am! Life does seem to be settling back to a more placid and even keel - only  the boiler now needs to be resolved - and even that is "in progress" as they say, as the Rayburn is on its way to the island now! Hopefully the heating guys can get it installed and running for us before Christmas - - and as you know - I do so love this most magical season of the year! LOL
I did so enjoy the crafting day - it did indeed prove to be the boost I needed - espacially as it was my birthday (a bit iof a special one this year) weekend  as well - so we had double reasons for celebrations & yummy cakes!
The Remember December album was a bit of a hit with our members - (always a relief - as any of you dear readers who prepare anything for others will know).Foolishly I forgot my camera this year - so don't have a "groupshot" of a completed project - but as always it was so exciting to see every individual take on the basic instructions we started with!!

Here a couple of the inner pages - it's quite likely that this album might get used for this year's Journal Your Christmas - with Shimelle - however as I am also going to the Christmas Markets in Bavaria again this December - I might save it for that. The papers are primarily Graphic 45 "Christmas Past" - though there are also a few oddments that just went with the colour scheme. I am really happy with the way it has turned out as I have lots of places for small photos, journalling etc - and plenty of pockets for memorabilia.
Thanks for stopping by.

Bannaghtyn  J xx