A visit to Belfast - -

- - just for a weekend break - but am hoping to take in the new Titanic Exhibition. I am looking for ward to going for a "girly weekend" with my eldest daughter - just the two of us - which hasn't happened since she was a little girl - before her siblings were born.I think. I am very excited - as I will be at the airport in an hour - waiting - slightly apprehensively admittedly - to board the tiny plane that hops across the Irish sea between me and Ireland. They are so small - 20 seats at most I think - and the pilot is also the steward!! And he and the cockpit can be seen whenever the curtain he is behind swings open slightly! Wish me luck!
Would they think I was mad if I took some photos? Or would they arrest me?? LOL - trying to think of the best way to incorporate the experience in my Week in the Life!!
Thanks for stopping by.
'til later.
Bannaghtyn J x

The little album - - -

- - -I intend to use for "A Week in the Life"- it is one I have made myself - and has 6x6 covers and a 2 inch spine. There are 8 pocket pages - with tags - so plenty of room for each day for both photos and journalling. I used Prima's Nature Garden collection to make it and love the softness of the colours - it feels really neutral - so I am hoping it will work with any and all photos I have taken and have yet to take this week. The little pictures from the Pogo/Digi Camera (Polaroid) are a nice size - though I am a little disappointed with some of them - but I think it is my lack of skill rather  than the camera - as I have some rather better shots with my point and shoot compact camera that I am so much more familiar with.
Here is the album I intend to use anyway - -

Thanks for dropping in.
'til later

Bannaghtyn J x

A Week in the Life - - -

- - -A la Ali Edwards - - I have seen this  and often thought I should participate - so have decided to give it a go this year - and see how I get on. I am starting my week today though - rather than Sunday and my target for this week is to take photos!! And make some notes! I have a lovely little mini album - with 8 pocket pages in it - so I am going to use that and have decided to use my Polaroid Instant Digi camera to take pics - it's new - and hope the pictures will be OK as I am not really familiar with it yet.I will go back to my other camera if they don't print out well.Will test tonight and see how they are.
And of course - today is not only St George's Day, Shakespeare's Birthday - but World Book Night - and this morning our Head of English gave away 24 copies of Small Island by Andrea Levy to some of our 6th Formers. All recipients were chosen by their peers who are studying English at A Level - I think its wonderful - to be able to give away books - and this years list of chosen books has some excellent titles included - when I was a child a book or a book token was a favourite gift to receive - and I love that mum always said - "A book is a gift you can open again and again" . Check here for information on World Book Night.- actually one of this years list is one of my all time top 10 novels - but I might save that for 10 on the Tenth!
Are any on this years list in your top ten? I'd love to know.

Thanks for stopping by.
'til later

Bannaghtyn, J x

Thursday thoughts - - -

- - I have managed to find that little "extra" time to play a little over the last couple of weeks - and am now trying to find a way of still having that "extra" time now I am back at work full time.I also want to get my blogging back to a regular part of my days so I got my thinking cap on - and went back to Shimelle's Blogging classes - so using tips from those 

• I will try to make at least one crafty item to share - and will remember to take a photo
• I would like to resurrect my Wednesday Words - I love words - as perhaps you already know, dear reader
• I am going to try to get a bit ahead and schedule a few crafty posts
• I aim to blog at  least once a week and build up gradually

So there it is - my initial plan - not too much - and achievable I hope. I can but try anyway - thank you to those of you who have stopped by since I rejoined blogworld - I promise to return the favour and leave a comment for you. Here are a couple more tags for my Craft Club swap - on our Vintage theme - I have only a few left to make now - 3 I think - so am very pleased with myself for managing to keep on track.The calligraphy stamps are by  Suzanne of Quietfire Design, image and background stamps are Crafty Individuals and the images mainly from French Kissed.

Thanks for stopping by -

Bannaghtyn J xx

Getting back into the swing of it - -

- - blogging that is - though it will have to be slowly.

Anyway - I have made a first step to being a part of blogland again as I have signed up for Ginger's Mail Art Exchange. I didn't sign up last year as that was just when life started to throw curve balls my way - and I didn't want to let anyone down.It did appeal to me though - so when I saw her post on her blog that she was doing it again - and saw the theme - I just couldn't resist!! There is a link on my sidebar for details and you can always visit Ginger's blog at the link above if it appeals to you too.
We had our Spring Allday Craft session at our Craft Club on Sunday - which was again a success - we had a lot of fun and made a decorated frame and a mini album. Here is my frame - I will post pictures of the album another day, as I still want to work on it.

It is funny - our monthly meeting night is always horrible weather - and our all day meeting - always beautiful weather - so very frustrating!! It was a good day - good company, fresh - and yummy home made Lemon Drizzle Muffins ( thank you R--- , We love you!!) and a kit that suited all our tastes - who could ask for more?
Thanks for stopping by.

Bannaghtyn, J xx

And even more play time! - -

- - I love holiday time at school - it means I get a bit more time to do things just for fun! Just one photo this time - of my other set of tags form the international swap - there are my interpretation of the  "French Country" version. Both sets are now well on their way to the other side of the "pond"- - well I hope they are, I sent them airmail at the weekend.(When did postage get to be so expensive - that really has crept up on me unawares I can tell you!!) I seem to have to wait for ever to get US mail to reach me  - I am still awaiting parcels sent to me in March! - I got one yesterday -  so hope it doesn't take so long going in the other direction!

Anyway - thanks for stopping by - and hope you like the tags.

Bannaghtyn J x.

Titanic - -

- - 100 years ago today RMS Titanic left Southampton Dock to set sail on her maiden - and only - voyage. The White Star Line believed her to be "unsinkable" - - though sadly not in the way that was envisaged in 1912 - because in truth - she does seem to be unsinkable in the way that she has held us in thrall for 100 years. And today - I find myself wondering why she has such a hold on our imaginations - other ships have foundered - yet their names do not live on the way the RMS Titanic does. I am as guilty as anyone of finding myself fascinated by the story - and indeed am off to Belfast at the end of the month to visit the new Titanic Building and exhibition centre and am so excited at the thought!
There must have been such an air of excitement dockside that day - don't you just wish stones could talk - if only to tell us what it was really like? We can only guess - hustle and bustle - tears - laughter - dreams - perhaps she was the ship of dreams and that is why her fascination still hold sway.
I would liked to have sailed on the Anniversary Voyage - but it was not to be, that is an unfulfilled dream - but at least on that sailing there are enough seats in the lifeboats.
I'm not sure what has made me think of Titanic today - unless it was noticing the date on an appointment card!!
I do have a little bit of craftiness to share - I did tell you I was really trying to make time for a little play didn't I? I managed it - so here are my "Shabby Chic" tags for the international swap.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bannaghtyn J x

I have - -

-- seriously committed some time to PLAY over the next couple of weeks! I have a tag swap on going with my ladies at our Craft Club and now have signed up to participate in another Tag swap - with a couple of HUNDRED ladies!! The delightful Laura Denison - of Following the Paper Trail is organising this one and as she is such an inspirational person - I just love her Mini Albums - that I couldn't resist. And of course it's on a deadline - so I know it will help me to MAKE that "playtime". I have made a start - so will share a few pictures when I have the whole set done. But I do have some of my other tags, made for our craft club swap, to share, hope you like them - our theme is "Vintage".

Manx Fairy Folk