tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10740427986661272072024-02-07T05:43:31.371+00:00Liz's MusingsLiz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-12284345620803375582015-10-14T14:28:00.001+01:002015-10-14T14:28:08.655+01:00Well That is StrangeI have just been looking back at some of the older Posts here and found this one:<br />
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<a href="http://liz-s-musings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/fizz-fridays.html" target="_blank">Fizz Fridays</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.liz-s-musings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/fizz-fridays.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://liz-s-musings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/fizz-fridays.html"><img alt="http://liz-s-musings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/fizz-fridays.html" border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01ReMmv_wpxtUfRdWL1JSL_oJImuGfi0vchZOBTrG9lFhOQFa90wgUmwhhiA8Fn_ZOA1Mfw4d7C1WHpblmiL4W_n4dPL0s6rI5DQ8hW1jZeuteunJ82GOGJta9yvWAsQnO6GjBo73uR0/s400/FizzFridays.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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The post talks about why the promotion caught my eye, but does not talk about where I spotted it. <br />
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It is a little strange now, because at the time it was an unfamiliar location that I had only been to once before. Now it is somewhere I pass at least twice a week and is so familiar as to be common place. We visited this pub in August 2013, little knowing that 18 months later we would have moved to the next village; at the time we were not even planning on moving.<br />
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It is strange how time can change ones perspective of a place and the unfamiliar can become the opposite.<a href="http://www.liz-s-musings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/fizz-fridays.html" target="_blank"></a></div>
Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-81920371537315577312015-08-11T07:19:00.001+01:002015-08-11T07:31:54.575+01:00Harvest 2015 Part 2<p dir="ltr">There has been quite a lot of activity in the fields round us over the past couple of days,  including some night harvesting. Given the less than seasonal weather we seem to be caught up in, I can only suppose that the farmers are using every spare moment to being the harvest in on a dry day. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We have observed some interesting differences in how straw is baled and I am sure there is some logic behind that. The choice seems to be between the classic cuboid, tied with twine, and the large roll bound with industrial strength clingfilm. But why the difference? I can see I am going to have to do some research. </p>
<p dir="ltr">There are still lots of fields around us that have not been harvested yet. Most of these seem to be wheat crops, so it will be interesting to see when they are harvested. The grain looks a good golden colour, but I am sure there is more to when to harvest than colour. Watch this space for the 'when'</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzIuuOW92f8w8cO-ZjMrgiwrPRG4CBOy-VQlaVUinWTNnw5YCTQXXgs7lnAWuAA-AGQeBmR9XVax25J47qMUYgI3Wc73HeSoeg94nvtzYtMoZ5NuGdLNtUltEo7ep8nLJdp1LPggfBe8/s1600/20150804_064145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzIuuOW92f8w8cO-ZjMrgiwrPRG4CBOy-VQlaVUinWTNnw5YCTQXXgs7lnAWuAA-AGQeBmR9XVax25J47qMUYgI3Wc73HeSoeg94nvtzYtMoZ5NuGdLNtUltEo7ep8nLJdp1LPggfBe8/s640/20150804_064145.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-64690875536999894322015-08-10T07:35:00.001+01:002015-08-10T09:51:07.264+01:00Mucking about on the river<p dir="ltr">Yesterday a small group of us ventures out onto the River Thames near where we live. </p>
<p dir="ltr">This was a bit of a trip down memory lane as we have inflatable kayaks that we have not used for about two years, so there was a certain amout of guessing when it came to putting them together,  including some confusion caused by having the pump in deflating mode when trying to pump it up. But we ended up with two well inflated, solid looking kayaks. </p>
<p dir="ltr">After all that effort we decided not to rush onto the water, so had our picnic lunch. This was good fare and did not seem to be too inviting for the local wasp population, which was a bonus. </p>
<p dir="ltr">After packing away the picnic and any other extra kit into the car, we finally took to the water. The threatened heavy cloud was no where in sight, so we were very fortunate to have almost wall to wall sunshine for the whole afternoon. There was a gentle breeze which helped us paddle against the flow of the river, although we did have to avoid too many anglers for my liking, their rods are a silly length and they were only catching things that would gave been small for whitebait.</p>
<p dir="ltr">After about an hour of reasonably easy paddling, we found the mouth of the River Thame. There was some discussion about whether to go up or have a swim first (not being a great one for swimming, my vote was for going up the Thame). As there was no obvious way of getting back out after a swim, we went decided to head up the Thame. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The Thame is a very narrow and shallow river and at this time of the year is fairly overgrown, but it was good fun navigating up, via the odd bank of reeds and nettles (less fun). We managed to get all the way up to, the misnamed, Dorchester on Thames and then turned round to head back to our starting point. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The paddle back on both rivers was a little easier as we were going with the flow, but it soon became apparent that we were all out of practice and our arms were beginning to suffer from all the unfamiliar exercise. Part way back we did stop for a swim, although I decided that getting cold and wet at that stage of the day was not for me, so looked after the boats. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We headed off again and, after what seemed like an age, spotted our starting point and with a certain degree of relief, our paddle came to an end. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It was hard work, particularly towards the end, but it was a good day and I am sure that in a couple of days my arms will stop hurting!<br>
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Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-38725646662385054222015-08-04T07:40:00.001+01:002015-08-04T07:40:27.405+01:00Harvest 2015<p dir="ltr">In case you were not aware, this week sees the official start of Harvest 2015. This is the six weeks during which most of the UK's harvest is gathered. Round us the harvest actually started a couple of weeks ago, and there was then a sudden surge of Oil Seed Rape being harvested last week. </p>
<p dir="ltr">As with many things, Harvest is something new for us following our move to the country. We were, of course, aware of it as something that happened, but now we see it as a part of the life going on around us. It is a wonderful thing to see at close quarters. The machinery involved can be quite modest or huge and slightly overwhelming in its size. And the sudden change in the our surroundings from beautiful golden swathes to dark rich earth is staggering. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Something I had not appreciated is that some fields appear to have more than one crop planted, and a common mix seems to be Oil Seed Rape and Wheat. To me this seems to be an odd combination, but clearly it works. What this means from a scenic point of view is that there are a number of fields that are currently both golden and dark. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I am looking forward to watching the progress of Harvest 2015 round us over the next few weeks. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhg9QMQjuIKuGcIqgDu_JIyIhfSN9h36fm-JZFLUhPvUhToMe8KgWcEfIAKcuMBXbWzrWVNCKQUHF_QPQ9uvUrjyQbFwdyfe7o-F-RN656Tm8UAuEyKRNNIaL2DVopMTqFwhxszt1AQQ/s1600/20150804_064151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhg9QMQjuIKuGcIqgDu_JIyIhfSN9h36fm-JZFLUhPvUhToMe8KgWcEfIAKcuMBXbWzrWVNCKQUHF_QPQ9uvUrjyQbFwdyfe7o-F-RN656Tm8UAuEyKRNNIaL2DVopMTqFwhxszt1AQQ/s640/20150804_064151.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUzlXdVMbN21XYo5FSo9nzZb-Q_A6jXidY_TyxfdCkWwSn9ugV5V4gHxrDFHHjDDxS3TIu7zoOR9nMFI4tBckoWgkyMBkiOPJ_dYHCA1xkNGIRUezragbDVGu-eR-1tbZyWiOI4PJuRQ/s1600/20150804_064155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUzlXdVMbN21XYo5FSo9nzZb-Q_A6jXidY_TyxfdCkWwSn9ugV5V4gHxrDFHHjDDxS3TIu7zoOR9nMFI4tBckoWgkyMBkiOPJ_dYHCA1xkNGIRUezragbDVGu-eR-1tbZyWiOI4PJuRQ/s640/20150804_064155.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-20265077770810025712015-08-02T23:26:00.001+01:002015-08-02T23:26:27.483+01:00Bristol to South Oxfordshire Day 4<p dir="ltr">After our slightly hilly day we decided it would be a good idea to have an early night,  so turned in at about 9.30. I slept very well and rose to sample the breakfast. There was a good Continental breakfast with meats and cheese, plus toast, crossant, jams etc. I opted for pancakes, maple syrup and berries. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We set off in warm sunshine, but unfortunately the route meant we had to start on a very busy A road, which was no fun. We were soon on quiter country roads again and then joined a Byway. Now this was interesting. It started out as a reasonable surface and width,  but before long we were battling nettles and a narrow path, not a good combination with shorts on! We soon found our way back to a road and continued at a happier pace. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The route took us up into The Chilterns and then headed for The Ridgeway on a combination of quite roads and Byways,  happily without the addition of nettles.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We soon spotted Dicot Power Station,  so knew we were heading in the right direction and were nearing the end of our trip. Before long we were back in Didcot and heading back up the cycle path towards home. It had been a good few days and we were incredibly lucky with the weather, particularly after a dreadful July. We covered about 120 miles over the 4 days (well 3 really as we started on Thursday afternoon and finished soon after 1pm on Sunday) most of which was off road on tow paths. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Cycling is a lovely way to see the country, particularly if the weather is kind. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Our cats were very pleased to see us home, although they had been well looked after while we were away. Mustard has decided to make sure she is as close to us as possible tonight. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRw5tQCClW1wMFDJ6rmBcgu2U9Lszhnlij6ilVU0FGD0MeAAT1ILmq527bGtc5e0F4WZdaygFRzsh0NxTyJFSpZago01LkBvj6t0N4oPzM3DbBMngZVH-iNfbNHgkSspqyeYEl0z-8kno/s1600/20150802_225144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRw5tQCClW1wMFDJ6rmBcgu2U9Lszhnlij6ilVU0FGD0MeAAT1ILmq527bGtc5e0F4WZdaygFRzsh0NxTyJFSpZago01LkBvj6t0N4oPzM3DbBMngZVH-iNfbNHgkSspqyeYEl0z-8kno/s640/20150802_225144.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-91872561560800126912015-08-02T07:41:00.001+01:002015-08-02T07:59:20.567+01:00Bristol to South Oxfordshire Day 3<p dir="ltr">Our overnight stay with Margot was at a thatched cottage in Manningford Abbots. She had recommended that we had supper at a pub, The Seven Stars, about two miles away, happily this was slightly uphill, so down hill to get back. The meal was excellent and the ride back really quite exhilarating; cycling on smooth country roads in the dark with just our front lights to show us the way. </p>
<p dir="ltr">After a reasonable night's sleep, we were met by a great breakfast with many of the ingredients homemade or local. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The forecast for the day was not perfect, with a 20% chance of rain, so it was with a certain amount of concern that we set off. Our route was mostly along quite roads, rather than the tow paths we had been on. But these were good surfaces and although there were quite a few hills, there was nothing too strenuous. Best of all the rain never came. </p>
<p dir="ltr">We stopped off at Crofton Beam Engines for a cup of tea and cake, and then a tour of the engines to see how they used to pump water around the canal; indeed, on some weekends they still do. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The on for a light lunch and our night stop. The final bit of the rout to Newbury was back on tow paths, but after the smooth surface of the roads we were not sure which was better, a flat but very bumpy ride, or a good surface over hills. I opted for the latter, but I think I was in the minority.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Our overnight stay was at The Elephant at The Market in Newbury. It is a newly refurbished venue and although it is well appointed, it is a little expensive for what it offers. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoy0ODbu555buIxOD1cChCkMKxK9AomJcCwIh0lQYb0jwN4q7WHirFQP3STc_mL82FktARTFfiKuXhp_zb7v-iB6QIs8VEeIGGCMgcUrnW9Y8pR6IYJls-oSXVPyuV4_FX5cKT6WuCEvw/s1600/20150801_125451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoy0ODbu555buIxOD1cChCkMKxK9AomJcCwIh0lQYb0jwN4q7WHirFQP3STc_mL82FktARTFfiKuXhp_zb7v-iB6QIs8VEeIGGCMgcUrnW9Y8pR6IYJls-oSXVPyuV4_FX5cKT6WuCEvw/s640/20150801_125451.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVeCTE0N6p8t63G2Ya_aQ7nepSjFTkmgmlyNY-Yg6fePrBZ-FZ9TWgzPfJlvwVykxPzwaxJx406eEaR0rqNzYpkK25e8UEh0QJpEz_vbzUsEYIg0oPc2eiKoVFdlsUhNpdiYi5NVpD-k/s1600/20150801_125026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVeCTE0N6p8t63G2Ya_aQ7nepSjFTkmgmlyNY-Yg6fePrBZ-FZ9TWgzPfJlvwVykxPzwaxJx406eEaR0rqNzYpkK25e8UEh0QJpEz_vbzUsEYIg0oPc2eiKoVFdlsUhNpdiYi5NVpD-k/s640/20150801_125026.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-33999344756949715692015-07-31T19:09:00.001+01:002015-07-31T19:25:11.174+01:00Bristol to South Oxfordshire - Day 2 - Wall to wall sunshine (and a bumpy track)<p dir="ltr">This morning we awoke at our wonderful overnight stay (Widbrook Barns - www.widbrookbarns.co.uk) to bright sunshine and an amazing breakfast. The Barns are run by a couple, Dick and Jane, who have themed each room around a children's book of the 1930s to 1950s. We were staying in 'Swallows and Amazons' and our fellow travellers were in 'The Secret Seven'. The rooms were extremely well equipped, with lovely ensuite shower rooms. Well worth a visit if you happen to be near Bradford on Avon. </p>
<p dir="ltr">After our extremely good breakfast, we set off to join our route again. The first half of the day was along the tow path of the canal, and I have to say I was very glad my bike has seat post suspension; the surface was good, but very rough. It was a good ride, and not too busy along the path. The highlight of the morning being the flight of locks at Caen Hill.</p><p dir="ltr">Soon after riding up the hill we headed into Devizes for lunch. I have to say that what I saw of it did not impress me; it had a branch of pretty much any Bank you can think of, but other than that, I am not sure it has much going for it. </p><p dir="ltr">After lunch we continued on the tow path for a while, before heading off onto quiet country roads with wonderful views across fields to The White Horse. We wound our way along at a leisurely pace until we turned off the route and headed for our B&B for the night. </p><p dir="ltr">We were met by Margo, and some very bouncy dogs, and immediately offered tea in the garden. This was wonderful, just sitting in the sun enjoying a good cup of tea and home made cake. Then time for a rest before heading out for supper. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EsAdDpZUdLg/Vbu9GtybiLI/AAAAAAAAIbU/s1600/devizes11big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EsAdDpZUdLg/Vbu9GtybiLI/AAAAAAAAIbU/s640/devizes11big.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAxQBnDpi7PG2WKMMaHrq7_oIqeOR9rOo0z7ZxEJb2alGtAT0FVSbXvbRwesq2bXhwBW022eQfYTohLE1kSSh_0UfH2YOZzAM6uz4X7PmsoevwcMKlPAz0ERTCzYM_wnYRUVxW6zIAOE/s1600/devizes11big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAxQBnDpi7PG2WKMMaHrq7_oIqeOR9rOo0z7ZxEJb2alGtAT0FVSbXvbRwesq2bXhwBW022eQfYTohLE1kSSh_0UfH2YOZzAM6uz4X7PmsoevwcMKlPAz0ERTCzYM_wnYRUVxW6zIAOE/s640/devizes11big.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-80416033985403986512015-07-30T22:50:00.001+01:002015-07-30T23:17:20.185+01:00Bristol to South Oxfordshire - Day 1<p dir="ltr">Today four of us set out on our journey from Bristol to South Oxfordshire. In fact, on a round trip, as we started from South Oxfordshire' catching the train from Didcot to Bristol Temple Meads. I should add at this point that the return journey is expected to take almost four days. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Day 1 has gone well. We arrived at Bristol as planned and it was really easy to pick up the cycle track that was going to take us to Bath. This part of the route is on a disused railway. It has a good surface and was reasonably flat, so we made good time. </p><p dir="ltr">When we arrived in Bath we were pleasantly surprised to find that the signs for our route were very clear and, as luck would have it, the route took us past a real good bakery, which served a very acceptable Cream Tea. We felt this would be perfect preparation for the hill we were going to have to climb out of Bath. </p><p dir="ltr">Suitably fortified, we set off again following the signs for National Cycle Route 4 and soon found ourselves climbing up a hill. No sooner had we started up the hill than we were directed to turn off. This was the canal path we were to take, so the climb out of Bath was 'something and nothing'.</p><p dir="ltr">The rest of the day was very pleasant, cycling at no great pace on easy track. The real bonus was that the weather was very kind to us, which after the dreadful weather we had over the past few weeks was not guaranteed. </p><p dir="ltr">We found our B&B without any difficulty, only a short distance from the route. It is a lovely spot and there is a pub within easy walking distance. All in all a good first day</p><p dir="ltr">The is the viaduct at Avoncliff. We past couple of these, they are truly magnificent.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5XzXrAT4fuEG4GIsxAA6sStayot-wrS7Wy3blLFB9RJfVpU_vevudMKx_lnoVkAtBAVYbXS1ETTtKfbzYYDJwbcuK5RD0H-EwKO4yS1PVAGERtYFZwJScVsDs7VOGLk1zTET-W2EDWk/s1600/20150730_170638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT5XzXrAT4fuEG4GIsxAA6sStayot-wrS7Wy3blLFB9RJfVpU_vevudMKx_lnoVkAtBAVYbXS1ETTtKfbzYYDJwbcuK5RD0H-EwKO4yS1PVAGERtYFZwJScVsDs7VOGLk1zTET-W2EDWk/s640/20150730_170638.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-519350984151893522015-07-29T07:37:00.001+01:002015-07-29T07:37:46.224+01:00Morning Bunnies!<p dir="ltr">One of the many joys of our new home is the wildlife we share the area with. My cycle ride to the station takes me past fields and hedgerows and it is alive with all kinds of life. </p>
<p dir="ltr">One of my favourite areas to ride through is actually along the side of a housing estate, very near the station. Not only does it have a great riding surface, it also has a real mix of wildlife. But most importantly, it is the only part of my ride where I am likely to see rabbits. Whether they are more timid around the fields, or whether the edge of the housing estate is just a more hospitable location for them, I could not say. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Every morning, come rain or shine, there they are keeping the grass down alongside the cycle path. The younger ones are a bit more timid and tend to bounce off when they see this mad woman on her mint green bike, but the older ones happily sit there nibbling away. I like to think they are wishing me a good day as I say good morning to them (I did say I was mad!)</p>
<p dir="ltr">It is one of the joys of life. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2nPhxCnP3x_gLqKG5V0IwBKnw2XwIFxWKIlYzFM6nq6tTPTzAO9pX04tYvdbCzQEzzm3wdIGqZIbaBxSNiJtrATOsCmuX44-HrAxE9DlILBt7pi7XMreb5fAKSJ3tkrkPUjDoDb9sSg/s1600/wild-animal-rabbit-hd-wallpapers-top-background-images-fullscreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2nPhxCnP3x_gLqKG5V0IwBKnw2XwIFxWKIlYzFM6nq6tTPTzAO9pX04tYvdbCzQEzzm3wdIGqZIbaBxSNiJtrATOsCmuX44-HrAxE9DlILBt7pi7XMreb5fAKSJ3tkrkPUjDoDb9sSg/s640/wild-animal-rabbit-hd-wallpapers-top-background-images-fullscreen.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-5230133372803857162015-07-28T07:31:00.001+01:002015-07-28T07:40:19.473+01:00This seems so long ago<p dir="ltr">I was just looking through the photos on my phone, looking for a picture of a sunny day (remember those?) and came across this picture. I took it just before we moved to show the joy of packing and how much space you need to empty your cupboards. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It certainly does what I wanted, but now, looking at it out of context it all seems so long ago. All the stress leading up to the move is becoming a distant memory. Frankly that is just as well as there were a few, well more than a few, moments when I seriously doubted that it would actually happen. All best forgotten now. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Packing up your home, putting it in a van and unpacking it 50 miles away is a very strange sensation. Having all your familiar objects around you, but in a totally unfamiliar location feels slightly surreal. You start to question which bit of what you are seeing is wrong, knowing that something is. Don't get me wrong, we love our new home and have settled in very well and incredibly quickly, but there is still that slight sense of unease. There is also the regular questioning of whether it has actually happened and whether we really own the new house; it is so different from what we were used to. </p><p dir="ltr">So, did it actually happen? Yes it did and we love that it did. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWlBZUiqPuwtxBCV31xG5vMECCmUpbKDExBUCyQHTzFtMEEH1gswx5oaC1WwPGCEqI2qLHJafIUUflC_nB-qSQmjq18SVcc7i7atj6LSQ4_B5GOPctYhDAU3Vago_fgYORmDUJtmIcI4/s1600/20150120_103408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWlBZUiqPuwtxBCV31xG5vMECCmUpbKDExBUCyQHTzFtMEEH1gswx5oaC1WwPGCEqI2qLHJafIUUflC_nB-qSQmjq18SVcc7i7atj6LSQ4_B5GOPctYhDAU3Vago_fgYORmDUJtmIcI4/s640/20150120_103408.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-13823266591509727652015-07-23T07:14:00.001+01:002015-07-23T07:37:19.486+01:00Well that was a surprise!<p dir="ltr">Before we moved from West London I was very used to seeing flocks of parakeets flying around, you just accepted this as one of the quirks of life there. Since moving to Oxfordshire I have become equally accepting of Red Kites. I am also enjoying spotting birds I have not seen for many years; Goldfinches, House Martins, Swallows and Yellow Wagtails for example. </p>
<p dir="ltr">It was a Yellow Wagtail I initially thought I saw as I cycled to the station this morning. There was just a flash of long yellowish tail flying across the path in front of me. I followed the path of its flight and realised I was wrong. This was no Wagtail. It was about the right length, but too plump and had an 'exotic' look about it, but I felt it was familiar in some way. Could it be a Parakeet slightly out of its usual realm? No, it was too small. Then I realised where I had seen it before. Some friends have Lovebirds and this is what it was! </p>
<p dir="ltr">I know all of this deduction happened in the space of about 30 seconds, but I am as certain as I can be that this is what I saw. How it found itself flying around Oxfordshire I can only imagine. My guess would be that it escaped from a home nearby. I just hope it finds a friend to keep it company as I think they need chums around them. </p>
<p dir="ltr">You just never know what you will see if you keep your eyes open. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfySTvaMIf_cBCmRm4i8RQBorsjP4YCxjci0ZHI7e1qKXHeYCmepi3zhajpKRxCLLlf-l7D1abT_sFqgcgP-PXcFQMe2ErbsALhxD46hkc0yt5sI_iY88o19LoNcsuikoHnxHWzXmFnCE/s1600/lovebirds_2137514i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfySTvaMIf_cBCmRm4i8RQBorsjP4YCxjci0ZHI7e1qKXHeYCmepi3zhajpKRxCLLlf-l7D1abT_sFqgcgP-PXcFQMe2ErbsALhxD46hkc0yt5sI_iY88o19LoNcsuikoHnxHWzXmFnCE/s640/lovebirds_2137514i.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-49209075685236813272015-07-22T07:23:00.001+01:002015-07-22T07:25:36.958+01:00What happened to the weather?<p dir="ltr">Did I imagine that we had some extremely hot weather about three weeks ago? Where has it gone? </p>
<p dir="ltr">My regular commute now<b> </b>includes a 15 minute cycle ride from home to the station. It is a lovely ride, along a dedicated cycle path which runs along fields most of the way. In the sun it is the most perfect start or end to the working day. But last week it rained more often than not on each journey. Not so idyllic. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I accept that there have been periods of sunshine amongst the wet, but not many and not for long. This is July, we should be able to rely on some half decent weather. Looking at the forecast for the next few days doesn't give much hope either. It is more of the same, sunny intervals with scattered showers, some heavy. I say again, where has the good weather gone? </p>
<p dir="ltr">I have a whole summer wardrobe aimed at good weather and it is sitting, or rather hanging, in my cupboard laughing at me. If I have to wear a knitted top to work one more time between now and the end of July, I may scream. They are meant for April/May and late September, not the middle of July. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Come on weather, buck your ideas up!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPhhx0hlNbYFRqM68NGZFq9wCjyf9iqRhHEiYk2fyri3zWqHEICwwrXbs2uFU__LOiLAS98Smz5YVYsa5NvepBfBAu3qaoCS3Zjlr5Rsy2z2yl6SWYNJlSj0rd4uKGTs0KejfU_kFNLg/s1600/20150630_125058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPhhx0hlNbYFRqM68NGZFq9wCjyf9iqRhHEiYk2fyri3zWqHEICwwrXbs2uFU__LOiLAS98Smz5YVYsa5NvepBfBAu3qaoCS3Zjlr5Rsy2z2yl6SWYNJlSj0rd4uKGTs0KejfU_kFNLg/s640/20150630_125058.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-44993986000279074072015-05-13T23:43:00.001+01:002015-05-13T23:43:06.685+01:00Calm Down!<p dir="ltr">Since our move to the country the cats have been having a great time exploring their new surroundings. There are any number of new smells to investigate and places to visit. Fields are being explored and some of the local wildlife played with and sometimes brought home to be shown off. These little visitors do not always survive to tell the tale so there is a steady stream of small mammals to dispose of. Most recently the visitor was a rat and it was deposited in the Man's study for us to find. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I suppose the most important question about the little visitors is whether we are getting more or less than before the move. I think generally the rate is similar, but there is just more variety. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Our black panther has already found a new spot in which to pass the day. We have no idea where this is, but he clearly has somewhere. We will not see him all day and then he will turn up late in the evening, or sometimes in the small hours, desperate for affection and getting over excited. He will squeak to get our attention and purr very loudly, then lie down only to get up again a few seconds later. He pushes his paw under your hand to make you stroke him. This can go on for a good while. </p>
<p dir="ltr">When he is in this mood the trick seems to be to distract him to calm him down. Tonight it was the inside of a toilet roll and a light switch pull. But it worked and calm has been restored. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglixwzPamgeBvmXhnKYaWLIK7SiQ-Kru9jxFUGbM97RhaYW_hTnwchNCJam_JdHJcfeqnG9nNGafcEDb_r-7D5cqlTTH4B8H6FXHt53QMSE3gZAp9fzJjwVqJy11c-rymK-McwBjKYLJI/s1600/20150513_231602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglixwzPamgeBvmXhnKYaWLIK7SiQ-Kru9jxFUGbM97RhaYW_hTnwchNCJam_JdHJcfeqnG9nNGafcEDb_r-7D5cqlTTH4B8H6FXHt53QMSE3gZAp9fzJjwVqJy11c-rymK-McwBjKYLJI/s640/20150513_231602.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2j1kJjw1mMR1PNNw5eHoEsoxpnHtsvf45pgzcymcwoMknn63SwvIxmguIvuRE8PwPJLtwYSY9xwtqhplkgAnRo71IdvE8llCMIfaVAQt9VgQjxPgs9nfka0hmIv2EHhhdhzhO9w-8FM/s1600/20150513_231529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2j1kJjw1mMR1PNNw5eHoEsoxpnHtsvf45pgzcymcwoMknn63SwvIxmguIvuRE8PwPJLtwYSY9xwtqhplkgAnRo71IdvE8llCMIfaVAQt9VgQjxPgs9nfka0hmIv2EHhhdhzhO9w-8FM/s640/20150513_231529.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-14191351998151463012015-04-18T07:12:00.001+01:002015-04-18T07:12:54.292+01:00Garden progress and everything country<p dir="ltr">My blogging went very quiet for a long while again; this seems to be just how things go in my life. But this time I do have a bit of an excuse. </p>
<p dir="ltr">About a year ago we started thinking sbout making 'our move to the country'. We had both lived around West London all our lives, but have always talked about moving to the country. Originally the idea was to buy a small holding, then we realised just how much hard work that would involve, so I think that might have been why it took us so long to actually move. </p>
<p dir="ltr">But here we now are, settling in to our new home in Oxfordshire. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The house is laid out in a similar way to a Roman villa, with a formal garden in front and another area of garden to the side, perfect for turning into a fruit and vegetable garden. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The formal garden is pretty much how we want it already. We have removed a couple of shrubs the we really did not like and replaced them with some from the side garden. Other than increasing the ratio of grass to moss in the lawn, there is nothing we want to do now until we have seen it through a year. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The side garden is a different matter. That is due to have a greenhouse and a number of raised beds. We have put one small raised bed in for strawberries and planted raspberries and plumbs but the greenhouse we want has a long wait time, and through a local quirk, we need planning permission for it. We hope to have everything sorted out ready for next year. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So that is what is happening and I am hoping you will be able see the progress as it happens. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdpBMqhmecUxdJpAPZDUCrOePEpHBr0efQyuxZSII5iFBF8qehBLzFVXzjSH3zjHLOUkX-TO5bmXQi-iGlwadRVntmErMIaF6DAsGZ5HVZJ9u-MyxHADDVJdNDQz023UZ1_xYduNppNo/s1600/20150417_102133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdpBMqhmecUxdJpAPZDUCrOePEpHBr0efQyuxZSII5iFBF8qehBLzFVXzjSH3zjHLOUkX-TO5bmXQi-iGlwadRVntmErMIaF6DAsGZ5HVZJ9u-MyxHADDVJdNDQz023UZ1_xYduNppNo/s640/20150417_102133.jpg"> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ4aWznnd58_Ho7cMVPbzofWEHhHy7h-_r4Pxbl-kJlr7PqOIQjkPlnMDhyphenhyphenWkx_3prQdgIk_xmz56oVMhri-pKUPAl9uCDTD-Pm-bosrS8Gez_BFk6-PocrwJg6CQz0CLyzfTpzZ2f34/s1600/20150417_102208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ4aWznnd58_Ho7cMVPbzofWEHhHy7h-_r4Pxbl-kJlr7PqOIQjkPlnMDhyphenhyphenWkx_3prQdgIk_xmz56oVMhri-pKUPAl9uCDTD-Pm-bosrS8Gez_BFk6-PocrwJg6CQz0CLyzfTpzZ2f34/s640/20150417_102208.jpg"> </a> </div>Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-43224120762726169222014-09-04T12:00:00.000+01:002014-09-04T12:00:00.563+01:00Bellowhead 10th Anniversary Concert<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySrEQAUTZ-s1bctPM_Z3twBm3RzcakhT7bMTiHW1oAtjd7guEU-HwItGwpJmbhyL8-Nr6zi-gBLzfxCZJvLrU_eI9cY4qCb7c2Bcwtmh6RPEC9US7yvUIU319TZEEEai9tUrvH96_mAU/s1600/Bellowhead.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySrEQAUTZ-s1bctPM_Z3twBm3RzcakhT7bMTiHW1oAtjd7guEU-HwItGwpJmbhyL8-Nr6zi-gBLzfxCZJvLrU_eI9cY4qCb7c2Bcwtmh6RPEC9US7yvUIU319TZEEEai9tUrvH96_mAU/s1600/Bellowhead.JPG" height="345" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I was sitting at my desk at work one Thursday morning when I spotted an email from a friend. This is someone we have known for a very long time, but who we only see occasionally these days, so the email caught my eye. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">He was kindly asking whether my Better Half and I would be free to join him and his wife at the Bellowhead 10th Anniversary Concert at The Royal Albert Hall that Sunday. They have access to a Corporate Box, which would mean that we would not need to pay for the tickets either. At this stage I only had a very vague idea of who Bellowhead are, so did a quick Google search to discover that they are a folk/jazz/pretty much everything else band, multi winners of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 'Best Live Band' and 'Best Band' Awards; this sounded like it was going to be a very entertaining evening, so I quickly checked with the Better Half and he confirmed that we were free and that he would like to go.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NbS7aNERHmB_njUCJ-xpFShCbdTa1hbC5x28mrU46SnQ8eVzDgf2KYdsjxqclaPb6_n3uSVH1bhZULtLhcHG-Cbv1bdAnU5Bkpw9LZgNA6kjtQJK7QS2SwPXeRSHboP6eFs7Y02xTjY/s1600/Bellowhead+d.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg0rNbUNfzvU15i5oh_McQmIf3VYVXgbNgXqWBD-VQNuffy0oAvH7hcTaisqA5CsPOpECflYM36S0XyZsbDwjBXEmMV24lPtpX1pSyCATcSuNgNBn3I4iy6_y35AIONDEAsn_Sl7jezE/s1600/Bellowhead+b.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg0rNbUNfzvU15i5oh_McQmIf3VYVXgbNgXqWBD-VQNuffy0oAvH7hcTaisqA5CsPOpECflYM36S0XyZsbDwjBXEmMV24lPtpX1pSyCATcSuNgNBn3I4iy6_y35AIONDEAsn_Sl7jezE/s1600/Bellowhead+b.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYw4dSVC_4yLsAtXyoUiUIsT15PbRan1wiVPQTNLYOsp5pwPyEIV2NOAyXaZn7sRQsZ3CM7ucHgTMhH8Aeo6ESjFfpgN1-DgMs7z-32NH8f3vmIcBDLzyOttHF3u3RhtMEJEsv5M9yudQ/s1600/Bellowhead+c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYw4dSVC_4yLsAtXyoUiUIsT15PbRan1wiVPQTNLYOsp5pwPyEIV2NOAyXaZn7sRQsZ3CM7ucHgTMhH8Aeo6ESjFfpgN1-DgMs7z-32NH8f3vmIcBDLzyOttHF3u3RhtMEJEsv5M9yudQ/s1600/Bellowhead+c.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">It was a slightly wet evening when we set off to The Royal Albert Hall, but I remembered that there is a covered walkway from South Kensington Station pretty much the whole way to The Hall, so that saved getting the umbrella out too soon, and happily it had stopped raining by the time we left the tunnel. We met up with our friends at the front of The Hall, and made our way to the Box, and then the Bar. As we were in good time, we got to sit and watch as The Hall filled up and also spend some time catching up. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NbS7aNERHmB_njUCJ-xpFShCbdTa1hbC5x28mrU46SnQ8eVzDgf2KYdsjxqclaPb6_n3uSVH1bhZULtLhcHG-Cbv1bdAnU5Bkpw9LZgNA6kjtQJK7QS2SwPXeRSHboP6eFs7Y02xTjY/s1600/Bellowhead+d.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NbS7aNERHmB_njUCJ-xpFShCbdTa1hbC5x28mrU46SnQ8eVzDgf2KYdsjxqclaPb6_n3uSVH1bhZULtLhcHG-Cbv1bdAnU5Bkpw9LZgNA6kjtQJK7QS2SwPXeRSHboP6eFs7Y02xTjY/s1600/Bellowhead+d.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Then the concert started. WOW, I was not prepared for this, it was amazing. The production was just out of this world and I can see why they have won the 'Best Live Band' award so many times. I had deliberately not listened to any of their music before the concert, but even bearing that in mind, my foot was tapping most of the way through the evening and I was very disappointed when the evening finished. What a great night!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtbjER7qELf214PIxO3CozO4rQ2wsTEcIk6No88zZUfOTFnLwvVzA4iBDg5hdQeM38TgVB5nsRaXtl4XgThxKcAW72OthXbHrq3mhiMl58YOtE3_JU2Jh_NuW2fqnJ00qDMVDFYmYOCw/s1600/Bellowhead+a.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtbjER7qELf214PIxO3CozO4rQ2wsTEcIk6No88zZUfOTFnLwvVzA4iBDg5hdQeM38TgVB5nsRaXtl4XgThxKcAW72OthXbHrq3mhiMl58YOtE3_JU2Jh_NuW2fqnJ00qDMVDFYmYOCw/s1600/Bellowhead+a.JPG" height="343" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As for the layout, this was my first foray into using divide page protectors along-side a 12x12 layout (other than 6x4 divided protectors just to include lots of photos). I wanted to include as many photos as I could, along with the ticket and lots of embellishment. I had some of the Glitz Design Wild & Free Collection pack left and thought that the bright colours would work well with the photos from this vibrant evening. I am really please with how this all worked out, although photographing a divided page protector is something I am going to have to work on I think, any suggestions on how to do this without too much reflected light would be gratefully received.</span> </span><br />
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Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-68912152558735707732014-09-02T12:00:00.000+01:002014-09-02T12:00:00.958+01:00USA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he photos for this layout were some of the ones I had not seen for many years as they had been residing in the attic at my parent's old house. After I had been working for about three years, I decided that I would go back to college to study Fashion Design. It was a fairly mad idea, but was something that I felt I needed to get out of my system. So I managed to find a two year course at the London College of Fashion, handed in my notice and had two of the most enjoyable years of my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was strange becoming a student again and, even though I was still only in my early twenties, I was by far the eldest on the course, most of the other students being 16 or 17; so quite a large age gap, particularly as I had been working and been out in 'the real world', and the others had mostly come straight from school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One particularly enjoyable part of the two years was suddenly having so much holiday time again. I am sure that when you are at school you really do not appreciate having so much time off, but having worked and only been allowed four weeks holiday a year, going back to long holidays again was a real bonus. The slight problem of course was what to do with them and how to afford to do anything much, particularly as I was getting no grant (which at the time was strange for someone returning to education) and was basically living off my parents and my savings. Fortunately there were ways around the problem, starting with being allowed to 'sign on' during the holidays (something that you could only do if you had already been working and were not getting a grant) and I got a tax rebate as I had paid tax for part of the tax year, on the basis that I would be working for a full year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Having realised that this was going to be the last chance for many years to have a really long holiday overseas, I booked a place on a camping tour up the East Coast of The States, from Miami to New York. The tour would take about two weeks, but I really wanted to be away for at least three, but ideally for a month. My Father suggested that I write to some work contacts of his, who had been to see us at home a few times and always said they would be delighted to put us up if we were over in The States. So with his introduction, I wrote to them and they kindly invited me to stay with them for a week at their Condominium on the coast in South Carolina. I was to fly in to New York, catch the Greyhound to North Carolina, where their offices were, fly down in their private plane to South Carolina and then catch the Greyhound to Miami. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now bear in mind that I had never been to The States before, and had only ever travelled overseas with my family; this was quite an adventure, one I am not sure I really appreciated at the time. I was going to have to travel through some of the roughest parts of New York and Miami on my own, the saving grace being that at least there was no language barrier.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyway, the journey went pretty much as planned, and other than my luggage ending up on one bus to Miami and me on another, it was all very uneventful (happily my luggage was waiting for me when I arrived in Miami). I managed to pick up a broad Carolina accent along the way, which confused my fellow travellers on the camping tour. I got to see at first hand some of the race issues, particularly on the bus from South Carolina to Miami, where I was told I was sitting in the wrong seats as the back of the bus was for 'Blacks' only; I remember having a real issue with this as I was perfectly happy sitting next to a very kind lady who made sure I was OK the whole trip, the colour of her skin had not registered with me as being significant. I continued to sit next to her for as long as she was on the bus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is another layout I can confirm the supplies for, as they are pretty much all from American Crafts 'Dear Lizzy Polka Dot Party', other than one small piece from Maggie Holmes. The Thickers are from American Crafts and the Enamel Dots are from Studio Calico.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As every, my thanks go to Shimelle Laine for the inspiration that she has brought to my scrapbooking - this is a layout of hers I have used time and time again. I commend her <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/" target="_blank">blog </a>to anyone looking for inspiration.</span></div>
Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-48425929889407327472014-08-31T12:00:00.000+01:002014-08-31T12:00:00.518+01:00Shard of Light<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YV6LWgM_laLFRhtUtBQzAPcFNh2ExYl5tpaYVpi1mTgWk65oEfuAcYS0ieoYhaBc2sp1g0mCLba8MtiLzmu1w6YM1YUdRDoLsHVzeRXL_0y3e5xxlPbQ2vQgdsDEScZ27Kp3r9stJ1k/s1600/Shard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YV6LWgM_laLFRhtUtBQzAPcFNh2ExYl5tpaYVpi1mTgWk65oEfuAcYS0ieoYhaBc2sp1g0mCLba8MtiLzmu1w6YM1YUdRDoLsHVzeRXL_0y3e5xxlPbQ2vQgdsDEScZ27Kp3r9stJ1k/s1600/Shard.JPG" height="346" width="400" /></a><br />
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For many years now, I have worked in The City (being the City of London); since 2011, close to The Tower of London. In the past three years I have tried a variety of routes to get to work, some were driven by the need for an easy, convenient journey that allowed for a period of recuperation after an illness, some by time involved. My current journey came about following a Tube Strike earlier this year that meant a few days of very unpredictable commuting (more of that on a later post).<br />
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As often happens, the result of this enforced change has become my regular routine. So now when I travel into The City on the four days each week that I am there, I have a great walk over one of London's iconic bridges and along part of The Thames Path. This route means that I get to see St Paul's, Tower Bridge, The Gherkin, Hays Galleria, The Tower of London, to name but a few. In fact, just watching what is happening on the river itself keeps me amused during the fifteen, or so, minutes to the office. It is one of my greatest pleasures of the day, and has the added benefit of keeping me really quite fit as I walk very fast, and my whole commute includes about 150 steps up or down each way, which is the equivalent of about 12 flights of stairs, just getting to or from work.<br />
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I have spotted all sorts of things during this walk, some of them are very easy to spot, some less so; some are very fleeting, as with the site I captured of The Shard. You had to be standing on exactly the right spot to see it in quite this way, and it only lasted for a very few moments before the sun moved on and the angles no longer provided the same level of drama. It was one of the many moments I have been grateful for a Camera Phone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLBkpQ1mtaQSe9dWXBR8vQmJxuvcM88UFRGunTT_pHfO7iStp6pvoHsEiQ-Lp96Pa6b-VLVGOmDdNI2kl67DFdKYzBItJvQVziGUbc4Cq4epQqwwCVIrxSEwLdcSlploamJVkVWQG56A/s1600/Shard+a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kPpWO5wUS6yR_0KUGV-CKE9UvEN0aZRaou6XhIvTTwbnTujgrTxgIY6uf8N7UxMcU7_ZXPoBaLvLs3UW4vS1fupz1tSZPkVSgodYu0bpjyVA3qAseNfbMzSDUQnR1iqGJjJ4np6xhfo/s1600/Shard+b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kPpWO5wUS6yR_0KUGV-CKE9UvEN0aZRaou6XhIvTTwbnTujgrTxgIY6uf8N7UxMcU7_ZXPoBaLvLs3UW4vS1fupz1tSZPkVSgodYu0bpjyVA3qAseNfbMzSDUQnR1iqGJjJ4np6xhfo/s1600/Shard+b.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLBkpQ1mtaQSe9dWXBR8vQmJxuvcM88UFRGunTT_pHfO7iStp6pvoHsEiQ-Lp96Pa6b-VLVGOmDdNI2kl67DFdKYzBItJvQVziGUbc4Cq4epQqwwCVIrxSEwLdcSlploamJVkVWQG56A/s1600/Shard+a.JPG" height="213" width="320" /><br />
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This is one layout that I can actually confirm the details of most of the supplies I used, helped by the visual clue, but as it is a very recent layout, I also made a note of what I used. So I can confirm that the papers are from the original Maggie Holmes Collection for Crate Paper, the die cuts are from the Styleboard Ephemera Pack, the 'You are my Fave' sticker is from the original Accent Sticker Sheet. The label sticker is from Crate Paper 'The Pier' collection, the enamel shapes are from My Minds Eye Cut & Paste and the Thickers are from American Crafts. So for once, I think I have managed to include details of everything I have used.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvko34KZrAv-McSyEk6rXOcrDAPUP9jFrg_IC9JIsOjLuFxFOiYomxS9FmEWIxF7YlyFEM3TgTeTbj-hqIrYjlKk5Sb5BkBJX2xuwENUqsvMb5NZ1Kn2uvgTPqOmTDJylULhCQs2Adc1A/s1600/Shard+c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvko34KZrAv-McSyEk6rXOcrDAPUP9jFrg_IC9JIsOjLuFxFOiYomxS9FmEWIxF7YlyFEM3TgTeTbj-hqIrYjlKk5Sb5BkBJX2xuwENUqsvMb5NZ1Kn2uvgTPqOmTDJylULhCQs2Adc1A/s1600/Shard+c.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a><br />
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<br />Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-45594363306569586222014-08-29T12:00:00.000+01:002014-08-29T12:00:00.326+01:00La Tour Eiffel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dsd283ijUjmZ4IfnDV6lrxN9b-TG7NUWW9-lj_H7KaNxS0P9mUsV2HxfiqdxaC2yLEslo3mTeXKXDVC876CwMJPkM8I3P7hVZ5ZKV_cWFs3G4AYuiLs6QF6CdbqZz9ff9lpmHo6-r60/s1600/La+Tour+Eiffel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dsd283ijUjmZ4IfnDV6lrxN9b-TG7NUWW9-lj_H7KaNxS0P9mUsV2HxfiqdxaC2yLEslo3mTeXKXDVC876CwMJPkM8I3P7hVZ5ZKV_cWFs3G4AYuiLs6QF6CdbqZz9ff9lpmHo6-r60/s1600/La+Tour+Eiffel.JPG" height="343" width="400" /></a><br />
Many of the photos I take are what can only be described as 'arty' shots, so not necessarily a standard shot of the subject. I had been under the impression that this was a recent habit, but these photos were taken over 20 years ago, so clearly it has been in my blood for a while.<br />
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The layout is a straight lift from one that <a href="http://www.shimelle.com/paper/1797/sketch-to-scrapbook-page-adding-a-sunburst-to-your-page/#comment" target="_blank">Shimelle Laine</a> did just over a year ago. I loved the papers and the fact that you could use up a number of scraps to such a great effect. It worked perfectly with the photo taken straight up the inside of La Tour Eiffel.<br />
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This is a fairly recent layout using a photo I had forgotten I had taken until my Parents downsized a few years ago and decided it was past time for me to store all the bits and pieces I had acquired while I had either been living with them or in my one bedroom flat. This was a wonderful trip down memory lane because I have always enjoyed taking photos, and had been fairly organised about writing down what pictures I had taken, and then transferring that information into a photo album. So I not only rediscovered lots of long lost memories, but many, if not most of them, included the details that otherwise my memory would have struggled with. It has been great fun scanning these pictures and then scrapping them with the added perspective of time having passed.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQnEZZUry8W2k3MrvmMR-cONxlP9imDcy1M9JWOq8eKgDFNErRqi7y7LFGExTmB2Bjzzg3y_l0TR53zqGshL_cRNBDrTvXuWBgPFMQJWjMos915NqQQjdUtiCqA3dOmSJ-l9Q6UQ5G9c/s1600/La+Tour+Eiffel+a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQnEZZUry8W2k3MrvmMR-cONxlP9imDcy1M9JWOq8eKgDFNErRqi7y7LFGExTmB2Bjzzg3y_l0TR53zqGshL_cRNBDrTvXuWBgPFMQJWjMos915NqQQjdUtiCqA3dOmSJ-l9Q6UQ5G9c/s1600/La+Tour+Eiffel+a.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a><br />
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These photos were taken on a long weekend in Paris that my Parents kindly treated me to soon after I had had my appendix out; they felt I needed a bit of a break after a fairly rough few weeks and, as I had only just moved into my flat, my finances were a little stretched (this was at a time when mortgage interest rates were at 15%, which is eye-watering to think of now). I certainly appreciated both their generosity and their company and I remember we all had a really enjoyable time, spending much of the weekend laughing.<br />
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Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-47082500126793786562014-08-27T12:19:00.000+01:002014-08-27T18:03:51.604+01:00St Paul'sSt Paul's has to be one of the most iconic images in London and of London. If you see a picture of the Dome you know exactly which City you are being shown pictures of, don't you? Or is that only because I grew up and live in and around London? <br />
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As I have worked a significant amount of my career in The City of London, the sight of St Paul's has been in my sub-concious most of my life more than for many. But it has to be one of the greatest sights. It withstood heavy bombing during World War Two and although there are many more modern buildings around it now than when it was first built, there is a sense that there has been a degree of sympathy and consideration in the designs of these, particularly in more recent years. There is one building that is only just being finished now, that was designed specifically to ensure that the view of St Paul's Dome from other parts of The City was not interrupted.<br />
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The Cathedral is additionally special for our family as my Father is a volunteer guide and travels into The City once a week to share his knowledge and passion for the building and its history with tourists from far and wide.<br />
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There is something about this layout that just worked. Sometimes it happens that way. The photo is in colour, although because it was taken in the dark, it has a feeling of black and white, and I think that is why the basically monochrome supplies work, with just a hit of very pale aqua to lift the design. Unfortunately this is yet another layout that I did not keep a note of the supplies I used, so am not able to provide that information. Eventually, when I have caught up with recording my older layouts I will be able to include that information. I will try to include some more recent layouts amongst the older ones so I can include some of these details.Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-53939702282864157702014-08-02T12:00:00.000+01:002014-08-02T12:00:00.677+01:00Happy Couple<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the things I am thankful for, and there are many, many things, is that both sides of my family clearly loved taking photos. As a result, I have pictures on my mother's side dating back to the 1880s and on my father's back to the First War and beyond. Every now and again, my parents will find another envelope full of goodies and I will then spend a few hours scanning them so that we have a record of them for future generations. <br />
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I think it is fair to say that my mother has been better at digging photos out and letting me scan them than my father, so for some years I had a very 'maternal side' heavy scrapbook. But a few years ago my parents moved house and as they were going through various cupboards and drawers, my father found lots of photos from his family, including this photo of my Grandparents Wedding. It was quite a society occasion and the wedding dress was very much the fashion of the time.<br />
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The layout was done for a National Scrapbooking Day Challenge a couple of years ago hosted by <a href="http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/" target="_blank">Two Peas in a Bucket</a> in January 2013. The challenge was for the layout to be monochrome, but not necessarily Black and White. The papers are from a Papermania Capsule Collection, I think it was called Lincoln Linen. It seemed to lend itself to this photo, being a twist on classic monochrome. The Flower was cut using the Tim Holtz Tattered Floral Dies, the doily was an X-cut die, the border around the journalling was a Martha Stewart punch around the page set, and the gems are Papermania. I imagine the the mist was Studio Calico.<br />
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Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-5432236010350309122014-07-31T12:00:00.000+01:002014-07-31T12:00:00.167+01:00Monarch of the Glen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is a park near us that we rarely go to, but in it there are lots of Deer, and because it is a suburban park, they are all very accepting of people. As a result of this it is fairly easy to get close to them with out them getting spooked.<br />
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On this occasion, we were actually cycling past one side of the park and I spotted this white deer. Now I accept that they are not that rare, indeed I understand that in Fallow Deer the 'white' colour is not that uncommon at all, but I had never seen one before, so I came to a halt and got the camera out to take a few snaps.<br />
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The layout is one from my 'before journalling' phase, so the only writing other than the title is the date. This is a layout that I am very tempted to go back and change slightly. There is a perfect spot for journalling under the title and then down the left side of the photo. I am also tempted to add a bit more embellishment. I will have to have a serious think about whether to change it or not. I am always a little reluctant to change layouts as they are as much a record of my style as a scrapbooker as the photos as a record of what I found inspiring. This one would just be such and easy one to 'fix'.<br />
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Watch this space, the layout may appear again in a new guise one of these days.Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-16247046439598079492014-07-29T12:00:00.000+01:002014-07-29T12:00:01.766+01:00Fizz Fridays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My mother's nickname is 'Fizz', there is a story behind it, but that is not for sharing here. The fact that it is her nickname is the point to be aware of in order to understand why I would possibly want to take a picture of an advertisement for a promotion on Sparkling wine outside a pub. The sign suggests that you should 'put some sparkle into your Friday', well my mother puts sparkle into every day of the week, not just Fridays.<br />
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The layout was another 'messy stack' using up lots of bits I had after a weekend of scrapping, I am fairly certain the blue with white polka dots has been cut to stretch it, in fact I think all of the strips will have been treated the same way, it is a common thing for me to do when I have got to the end of the bigger pieces and is something I really enjoy doing, seeing what sort of layout I can make when there is almost not enough to make a layout at all.Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-14361818990828121302014-07-27T12:00:00.000+01:002014-07-27T12:00:00.205+01:00Beach Huts - I appear to have a problem!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had not realised it before, but as I was going through my scrapbooks recently sorting them out, I suddenly realised that Beach Huts seem to have a fascination for me. These layouts are not the only ones I have with Beach Huts as the main feature, and I have just ordered some prints of the most recent ones I have spotted. What is it about them that means I cannot resist getting the camera out? I think it is a combination of a number of things; they can look so pretty when they are all painted in set colours, but there is also a part of me that thinks is is memories of 'Wendy Houses'. Not that I every had a 'Wendy House', and maybe that is the problem, a subconscious part of me that has always wanted one.<div>
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These examples are from the French and Kent coasts. The French huts were in Cayeux-sur-mer, which we visited during a trip to The Somme. There are some 400 wooden huts along a wooden path that runs for about a mile and a quarter so you can avoid walking on the shingle. The Kent huts were in Broadstairs. Both sets are most attractive, and would have been less so if they were not so beautifully colour coordinated.</div>
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In both cases I was keen to get shots of them from the less usual angle as well as a 'normal' shot. I remember scrapping these on the same day, which was perhaps fortunate as it highlighted the issue that I had started my collection of Beach Hut shots. It allowed me to add 'Also' to the second layout. In both cases there is a distinct lack of journalling. I do contemplate going back and adding some details to some of these pages, but part of me thinks that they should be what they are, a moment in my scrapbooking journey when that was not part of my process. I am not convinced that is the right choice, so who knows, I may yet go back, there is certainly sufficient space to add a few details. What do you think?</div>
Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-52815439277039728312014-07-25T12:00:00.000+01:002014-07-25T12:00:04.242+01:00Steam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSB6BfsnokwWZ2yNP_LT_Fv4wIiUcq6XSeiX6Pb156S0tx6wwLLUHLDYaVepoxSwW3XWcgPXOz1T5x9f21kpRSWapTYM0FPsvc2bPSafADmEgqSMrHxOa0kZyUxPCobepKxLQ6f7ZPAGo/s1600/Steam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSB6BfsnokwWZ2yNP_LT_Fv4wIiUcq6XSeiX6Pb156S0tx6wwLLUHLDYaVepoxSwW3XWcgPXOz1T5x9f21kpRSWapTYM0FPsvc2bPSafADmEgqSMrHxOa0kZyUxPCobepKxLQ6f7ZPAGo/s1600/Steam.jpg" height="580" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is another photo from the family archives and, as is not unusual, it has no date on it. My memory of the occasion is slightly vague also, other than I remember that everyone in the town was quite excited about the event. Putting what clues there are together, I can only suppose it was sometime in the late '60s or early '70s.<br />
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Clearly 'the event' was a steam train coming through the town. It was running on the Mainline tracks, rather than coming through the station itself, which is only served by the Metropolitan Line, but there was , and probably still is, a footbridge that ran over the track, and this was our vantage point. I don't think the photo is technically very good, but that really is not the point for events such as this, particularly when the price of film and printing would have been taken into account when deciding how many exposures to allow for a particular event. So the fact that whichever of my parents took this managed to capture it at all is the special thing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8kx7nyQeeJ8rKmUBu6nP_pfzHVfmYeQx7g0RHpPgoftv9sRCPDVbraSsA2DumVFXuHbD1hxG0HvKpBSlq6JdvzEQEfRyZQ3D04PSI5e_R52t6jFwP4BrMBWsHTH-rvnqI_eWHD9GPfA/s1600/Steam3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8kx7nyQeeJ8rKmUBu6nP_pfzHVfmYeQx7g0RHpPgoftv9sRCPDVbraSsA2DumVFXuHbD1hxG0HvKpBSlq6JdvzEQEfRyZQ3D04PSI5e_R52t6jFwP4BrMBWsHTH-rvnqI_eWHD9GPfA/s1600/Steam3.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
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As for the layout, this is one of my 'white space' layouts, where I tend towards a much cleaner look than my usual style. Although having said that, I have filled quite a lot of the space with mist using one of my favourite combinations, Studio Calico 'Shine' and 'Calico White'. The background is Bazzill Bling in Black Tie (a favourite of mine) and the gems are from Papermania, but other than the foam Thickers from American Crafts, I have not idea what the other supplies are. I promise that for my current layouts I am keeping a note of what I am using, so when I get to putting them here I will be able to confirm what I have used.<br />
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<br />Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074042798666127207.post-4530710389639367202014-07-23T12:00:00.000+01:002014-07-23T12:00:00.555+01:00Take Off!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_bNs9jVcM0PARwzSxtrlWIH2ygogFRKYUSYWDud6vsGT5LYb0rEGZgvvjB6ODMubpQg2edq0thFmYMSbkO9AZ5ZyCDHpTwNYUSop3rlDYPE2SUumgpYEI6sAqSA0OLpXYflT_W0kWic/s1600/Take+Off.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_bNs9jVcM0PARwzSxtrlWIH2ygogFRKYUSYWDud6vsGT5LYb0rEGZgvvjB6ODMubpQg2edq0thFmYMSbkO9AZ5ZyCDHpTwNYUSop3rlDYPE2SUumgpYEI6sAqSA0OLpXYflT_W0kWic/s1600/Take+Off.jpg" height="584" width="640" /></a></div>
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Just over two years ago, my Better Half and I joined some friends for the day at a house they had rented for an Easter holiday on the Norfolk Broads. Now when I say 'on the Norfolk Broads', I mean the back of the house was the Norfolk Broads and there was a jetty where a garden would have been.<br />
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We took our inflatable kayak with us, as the plan was to launch from the house and then spend the day 'mucking about' on the Broads. In the lead up to the weekend the weather had been quite good, so even allowing for this being Easter, a good day was anticipated. Needless to say, the weather took rather a turn for the worse, so we did get a little wet, but all the same, we had a good day on the water.<br />
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One of the highlights for me was when we were on our way back to the house, a little cold and damp, and we came across some swans. I love the elegance and serenity of these birds, and they appear in quite a number of my scrapbook pages. Generally, I snap swans in all their glory, gliding across the water and making it look so effortless. This day was different.<br />
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Fortunately, I grabbed my camera from the waterproof bag in time to point it in roughly the right direction, but it was with little hope of capturing the moment that I pointed the camera at them and hoped that it would capture the event for me; I was not disappointed.<br />
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I keep trying to remember which supplies I have used for these older layouts. In this one I can see that I was in a cardstock phase, so the background is a Bazzill cardstock. I can see some American Crafts 'Dear Lizzy' Neapolitan, and I think the camera stamp is also American Crafts, but would not bet on it. The butterfly punch is from Martha Stewart and the mist is Studio Calico. As for the rest, I have no recall at all.Liz Yuille - Old Stables Craftshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17245997338509967674noreply@blogger.com0