Distractions....

Well, I have had a fun morning blog hopping - I love seeing everyones work, hearing casual mentions of loved ones, finding a cute new fashion style to find out. Yes, I love blogs. As you can probably tell from the evergrowing list of blogs on my right had side collum (spelling error?) which I think at this point in time surpasses the actual length of posts on this blog.

I think I should conclude from this piece of information that I am embarrassingly nosy. I say this like it is a new conlcusion. It is not. You are talking to someone who on occasions turns off her mp3 player but keeps her earphones in so she can people watch and hear on the bus. I don't do this in a cruel way - I genuinely find it fascinating how people live and behave. I think that is why I love history so much. I once described it as my way of being constructively nosy - I love learning about fashion senses, relationships, lives, food....It never ceases to amaze and ensnare me.

But sometimes, well, a lot of the time really, I get too caught up in looking at things rather than participating. I spend so much time on the computer just looking at others creations, that I never have time to make anything myself. I waste time. A lot. And I'm not quite sure how to stop. Yes, the distractions are often lovely but I need to find a cutoff point, the willpower to say, 'Hannah, you have reloaded that page three times already, stared at that page for 15 minutes and have not learnt anything new. You need to stop.'

Although this is something I need to work on (any suggestions gratefully accepted), I did think of a way to put some of my past misdomeanors (in the nicest possible way) to use. I am sure that anyone stopping at my blog will look at my list and think 'OMG - where can I start.' So I can help - each week, I'm going to be choosing one of the blogs to be my blog of the week. Just doing a post for it, giving it a bit of well earned publicity and hopefully giving some lovely reader (I must have some!) a juicy new blog to have fun with. I'll do a new post when I've got permission to use photos and whatnot (probably tomorrow-then it won't soincide with workdesk wednesday!)...and please do tell if this is something that you would like :)

Crafty Break and Golden Wedding anniversary

Well, I had a fantastic time last week and also this weekend. On monday I met up with a friend and we popped over to Stratford for the day - we went rowing, had a picnic where we were, quite honestly attacked by geese (yet again) and I managed to pick some random game thingy from the pick and mix box at a lovely fair trade store. I think that would be such a fantastic thing for all sorts of shops to do - just have a box, with wrapped up bits and bobs - it would add a lot more fun to shopping. On tuesday I went off charity shopping with another friend. We had a great time perusing the shops for various bargains and we tried out a lovely organic cafe. I had hot chocolate and she a beautiful smelling chai latte....much as I love hot chocolates, I know what I will be getting next time.

Then I went away to stay with one of my aunty's who is one of the most crafty people I know. She creates the most gorgeous bags and broaches and has a little hobby selling these things (a little hobby that has just paid for her to get a laptop - lucky thing!) We had a fabulous time - one of the days we went to Scrap Magic which is a scrap store near Bradford (off the Harrogate Road I think). It is a scrap store but one where you don't need to register to be able to use it. They have a pound a basket offer, which does what it says on the packet. I got loads of fabric scraps, bookmarks, wool....the list is endless.

We also, among other things, went to Texere Mill for a knitting group. However, we could also look around the mill which was just filled to the rafters with wool. We must have sounded completely crazy - going around oohing and aahing over all of this different wool. I know that I definitely picked up a few skiens of yarn and rubbed it to my face. That sounds absolutely crazy, doesn't it? Anyone else out there who can confess to being like us (I'm like that with fabric as well, but thats a story for another day). I also had fun with my 8 year old cousin making flower shapes and swirls out of glue after being inspired by an exhibition piece in Salts Mill, which was a giant hanging created with glue.

On the saturday, it was also my grandparents golden wedding anniversary celebrations ( their actual wedding anniversary is next week). As my nanny has been quite ill, it was just family and two guest and we had a really lovely time. I made the cake while I was at my aunty's - I'm fairly happy with how it turned out but the icing went all gaga and wrinkly on me. Don't they both look super cute, though? I also made a card but like an idiot, I forgot to take any photos of it, which is a shame.

Anyway, I've had a lovely past week or so. And just for the fun of it, heres an ATC that I made for a swap over on craftster. Its entitled clockwoprk and I was looking for a really grungy look - I had a lot of fun with my heat it up tool....I should use that baby a bit more often.

Goodbye for now,

Hannah x

4 months later

So, I managed a riveting total of 5 posts before I once again ground to a halt with my blog. And I am starting, for the millionth time, again. A completely gratuitous decision no doubt but hopefully an enjoyable one. The theory behind this great decision is that, now that I have finished with that great national institution of the GCSE I should have all the time in the world ahead of me.

Judging from the business of the past few weeks the summer, although fun, will most likely not be as calm and quiet as I had predicted (to my delight, I must add). In the past three weeks I have: had a picnic with some friends, where one decided to embark on a love affair with a tree and we were all chased my man-eating geese; visited my aunt wherein I ate magnums, had a bibliotherapy session and drooled over beautiful hand made books, had hot chocolates (and normal chocolates) and had a generally fabulous time in the penines; then carried on to my grandparents and watched carry ons and spent the whole time playing with adorable four week old kittens; had two induction days at a prospective sixth form; went on yet another picnic but with different friends and watched Shrek in 3D, which was actually very entertaining to my surprise as I have never been a big shrek fan; then I had yet another sixth form induction; yesterday, i went to a very sumptuous and tasteful garden party (yes, with other teenagers - more info on my firends blog http://ionanoo.wordpress.com/) where I stuffed myself with cake and got married to a wasp - wodger the fourth, while gazing at beautifully aranged flowers in tea pots. A very hectic time indeed.

But even through that busy period I have manged to do a little bit of crafting. I made an apolgy gift out of inchies to send out with an art journal which I had held onto for way too long. I have also swapped three ATC and am working on some dottee dolls for yet another swap that I am in. As I can't find my camera, however and you haven't heared from me in a long imte, here are a few creations from the back catalogue (any questions, just ask):

*Crochet fingerless gloves, where I was experimenting with crocheting the flower directly into the glove, rather than making it sperately and sewing it on (yes I am lazy)

*A cake created for a friends 16th birthday - the blob in the middle is a heart, and it honestly looked nicer in person.

*Crochet purse, witha lining and modelled by some chocolate bugs :)

So, just a few of the things I've been doing - I will be back to you all soon with more news and crafts hopefully,

Hannah