Weekend crafting

This weekend I have had two whole days off which is such a rarity these days.  And being as AJ has been off playing cricket this weekend I thought I would spend a little time in my very messy craft room and do some scrapbook pages.  I am very pleased to say I have made two scrapbook pages and a small painting on canvas.  Unfortunately I can't find my charger for my camera so haven't been able to take some photos of them yet.  But I still wanted you to know I have actually crafted.  I feel very rusty at the moment but I really enjoyed myself.  so once I have found my charger or get AJ to take some pics on his IPad, I'll load pics up for you to see.  The scrapbook pages are entitled Take Me Out to the Ballgame and To Infinity and Beyond.  They are to be added to my album of our Disneyworld Holiday in 2012.

I have also been experimenting doing a little art so I have done a little canvas using a Donna Downey stencil.  Again I'll take a picture soon for you to see soon.

Mainly this weekend has been about spending a little time to myself without doing housework or food shopping.  I've read a few mags, caught up on some TV that I don't get chance to watch when AJ is around as he always has sport on, and basically just relaxed.  I feel quite refreshed.   I am looking forward to continuing doing some craft now that I've got back into it.


I hope to get the photos loaded soon and I hope to speak to you all very soon.
Good evening from PickleLand

Love Lesley xx

I am still here my little blog

Hi!

It has been so long since I have visited you my little blog.  I have missed you but I just haven't been in the right state of mind to post anything.  I've had a bad few months, well actually to be honest the last year hasn't been good at all.  But I know I need to start coming back to what makes me truly happy and start creating again.  This weekend coming I have a whole weekend off and I am determined to create new things and highlight them on this blog.  My goal if nothing else is to post at least one scrapbook page.  Any more and that will be a bonus.  I truly hope I don't break my promise to you my little blog, but I do know that if I can't do it, you will understand, and that you will always be here for me, just waiting for me to start talking and sharing again.

With love from Pickle Land

Lesley xxx

Steampunk Birthday card

Finally a craft related blog  (sorry the picture isn't brilliant but it was the best my hubby could do)

This is the card I made for my Father In Laws birthday.  I used the Chronology Range from Papermania.which is a lovely range to work work.  I haven't really been into Steampunk before but these papers have really inspired me.  Also used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Vintage Photo and Milled Lavender to distress papers and also Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists to add abit of sparkle.

Good Evening from Pickle Land

Hope to speak to you very soon

Love Lesley xx

Happy New Year. It's 2013

Just a small post to say Happy New Year.  I hope that 2013 is an excellent year for you all.

Best Wishes from Pickle Land

Love Lesley xx

Hopes and Aspirations for 2013

It is nearly the end of 2012 and I can honestly say I am glad the year is over.  Although the year has had some highlights for me such as two lovely holidays and a trip to the Olympics; for the most, it has been a year of unhappiness and disappointment for many reasons that I will not bore you with the details.

As always, I get quite reflective this time of year but also I start to look at my hopes and aspirations for the coming year.  I'm not one for resolutions (as I never really stick to things very easily) but I like to set myself some guidelines as a base line to begin the year with.

In no particular importance to me, they are as follows:

*  That I take the leap and start looking for a new job in the new year.  I believe this will be the catalyst to changing alot of things in my life that I am very unhappy with at the current time

*  Get healthy and more body aware.  I'm not going to say I am going on a diet to loose loads of weight.  I am just going to start eating more sensibly for health reasons.  I am determined to eat alot more fruit and vegetables, drink more water and start exercising, even if it is only more walking to begin with.  I need to do this as I am nearly forty and I am determined not to be fat and frump girl anymore.

*  Be more creative and willing to share what I do more, especially on this blog.  I love scrapbooking, card making and lately art but because of certain cirmunstances, I just don't feel I have dedicated any quality time at all to doing the things I love.  I want this to change in 2013.  I have a craft/art room full of wonderful products and I have been so inspired by so many people this year that I really do need for my own satisfation, create more and not be afraid.

*  Get out more and socialise.  This year I feel I have become quite insular and at times isolated from my friends and family.  Stupid shift patterns and hours have meant that I have been having my days off when my friends are at work and vise versa which means I have hardly seen people this year.  Whether I find a new job that has more sociable shift patterns or not, I am determined that I need to make time more for my friends and family in 2013.

*  Read more.  I love to read and used to devour books but I have found that I don't read half as much as I would like.  I have bookshelves of books that I have gotten over the years but haven't read.  I am determined that I am going to read them this year before I buy or download anymore on my Kindle.  I am not going to set a target of how many books I want to read but I am hoping it will be more that one book a month.

*  Be more positive about life in general.  Nothing serious has happened this year but I have found this year to be very unhappy for lots of reasons and I have concentrated on the negatives rather than looking for the postives.  Even if my circumstances remain the same in 2013, I hope that I will concentrate on the positives.

*  I hope that all my family and friends remain in good health in 2013

*  I am looking foward to meeting my future sister in law soon (she lives in Dubai at the moment and although I haven't met her in person we have skyped and she seems lovely).  I am also looking forward to my brother getting married in 2013 to said sister in law.  I wish them much happiness and that they will be soon able to be together and not living apart

*  Like every year, I want to be more tidy and organised.  I'm not a neat freak but I wish I was.  Maybe this year this will happen and I blitz the house and make it the show home I've always dreamed it could be.  (As I speak I am laughing and saying fat chance of that) but a girl can dream can't she???- ha ha )

we'll see how things go shall we??

Good Evening from Pickle Land

Wishing you much happiness for the New Year and hoping that 2013 is a good year

Love Lesley xx

Merry Christmas

Just wishing you a Merry Christmas and hope Santa has bought you all you could ever wish for.

Love Lesley xx

I'm still around

Shock, horror!!!!  Lesley is actually writing a blog post.

I've been off the scene for a few months because to be frankly honest I have been feeling miserable and depressed. Not to go into any real details, but Life hasn't been too good of late and I've really been feeling sorry for myself. 

But I've decided that today is the day I pick myself up and dust myself off and to begin climbing out of the darkness I have been in.

And what better way than 10 on the 10th.

Being as it is Christmas time, I thought I would share 10 of my favourite Christmas things, and in no particular order

1)  My favourite Christmas carol is Carol of the Bells
2)  I love watching Christmas movies and Christmas 24 is my favourite TV channel at the moment.  Over the last few years I have discovered some recent Christmas movies that are becoming my classics to watch time and time again.  However the old classics are great too.  It wouldn't be Christmas without It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street.
3)  The red Christmas Starbucks mugs and the seasonal coffee and chocolate selections
4)  Christmas Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings (with the exception of sprouts which I consider to be the food of the devil - ha ha), Mince pies, chocolate Yuletide log, trifles, prawn rings, Eccefechan tarts, chocolate coins- all the food I consider as being Christmas
5) A new tradition that AJ and I came up with since we have been together is that every Christmas Eve evening I bake some crusty bread and AJ has baked camembert and I have a nice pate (usually from Waitrose or Marks and Spencers), then chocolate fondue with marshmallows
6)  Spending  time with family and friends
7)  The Christmas markets in Birmingham and Nottingham- we try to visit each year.  We have already been to Nottingham this year and are planning to go to Birmingham next week
8)  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - a must read for the season
9)  Trimming the Christmas tree and putting The Big Fat Robin on the Christmas Tree.  The Big Fat Robin has been in my family for probably 30 years now and instead of a Christmas Fairy or star we put up the Big Fat Robin.  It was always a joke when my dad placed the Robin on the tree he would say " Ooh me bum".  Unfortunately the Big Fat Robin is packed away in my loft and at the moment I do not have any step ladders so this year The Big Fat Robin remains in my loft.  We have had to buy some more decorations and a fake Christmas tree this year and even though it looks lovely, I do miss the Christmas Robin and continuing to say "OOh me bum"
10)  Dr Who Christmas special

 

I'm not sure if I will blog post again this year or not, so I will say now, Great Tidings to You and wishing you all a very special Christmas and New Year

Good evening from Pickle Land and hope to speak to you soon

Love Lesley xx