Sarah C's Arty Photos and More

I've Moved

2010-08-09T05:43:00.002+01:00

I've decided to accumulate all my blogs into one. Might change my mind in the future, but for now, I can be found here:

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WHERE ART HAPPENS

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I hope you'll come over there with me.

Love, Sarah C x

Chocolate Buns

2010-07-17T22:41:00.002+01:00

Sitting here tonight fancying something really delicious, I decided to make some chocolate buns. I think you can safely say they rose well!

Thanks for looking

Love, Sarah C xx

Tulips

2010-06-23T14:25:00.004+01:00

Mum came to visit this last Sunday and brought me some gorgeous red tulips. I was given a tip by her to prick the stem just under each head to keep them upright. Must say, it worked as it's now Wednesday and they're still relatively good.

Thanks for looking

Love, Sarah C xx

Today's Baking

2010-06-20T23:50:00.003+01:00

Made to make your mouth water. Well, they did Mum's and mine. There was enough for us to have a few for afternoon tea and for her to take some home. Very simple recipe (Easter Biscuit one and flavours changed to suit my mood) and I always use icing sugar instead of caster). I also cut mine into sort of rectangles instead of having to roll the dough several times cutting circles. Means the dough doesn't get worked too much resulting in lighter biscuits with a lovely crunch.

Thanks for looking. Let me know when you're dropping round and I'll bake some for you too.

Love, Sarah C xx

I Just Love This Panorama Photo Programme

2010-02-24T09:54:00.006Z

David bought a new camera at the week-end. Turns out it's a model up from mine. Do you think he'll notice if I swap??? With the camera, he got a disc of programmes and one of those being a Panorama Photo Maker. I tested it out with 5 photos I took of my Mum's village a couple of years ago. I did a LO with them by sticking them together, but this programme does it seamlessly.

Here's the LO with the 5 photos

Here's the Panorama Programme's edited photo

Computer programmes never cease to amaze me. I can see me using this programme several times.

Thanks for looking,

Love and hugs, Sarah xoxoxo

Chocolate and Lots Of It

2010-02-20T18:37:00.004Z

To celebrate her birthday, my youngest sister had a girlie tea party at hers complete with home-made cakes including this one:

Are you feeling hungry yet? It was delish. Thanks Jo, I had a fantastic time. Love ya xx

Sunday 22nd November 2009

2009-11-23T00:58:00.004Z

David and I had the privilege of having our youngest nephew round in the morning. A mix of fun, play and Jaffa Cakes!! I just love the sound of a young child playing and laughing, but why is it they stop making any noise at all and play silently as soon as you start videoing them?

James and Mansura

2009-08-18T17:44:00.013+01:00

Congratulations to my mum's cousin's son (James) and his new wife (Mansura) on their wedding this last Saturday. I was honoured to be asked and was lucky enough to be able to attend as it was being held at The Glasshouse, Mussleburgh, Scotland. What a spectacular range of buildings there.

A huge thank you to all those who organised the day especially Mansura and her father who I understand worked tirelessly to make sure the day went as well as it possibly could. It was amazing and I had an awesome time. Here's a selection of photos from their day.

Couple with Groom's family

Mum and Groom's Mum (Cousins)

Starter: Vegetable Samosa, Mixed Salad and Chutney

Main Course: Chana Dhal, Mixed Veg Curry, Pilau Rice, Naan Bread

Dessert: (Mango and ice-cream not photographed) This is Gujar Halwa

Thanks for looking

Love to you all, Sarah C xoxoxo

BASB #17 Part 2

2009-07-19T03:29:00.009+01:00

I've started decorating and re-organising my craft/bedroom. So far I've concentrated on the craft side of the room. I've painted the walls in a light cream colour and had a shifty round of the furniture adding a couple of things. This fits in well with part 2 of challenge #17 on BASB which is to show an organisational item you have re-fashioned for crafting storage. What have I re-fashioned? Well ......................

First off, with money at a minimum, I've stacked 2 old pine shoe racks together securing them with metal plates. My desk (a 1mtr piece of conti-board soon to be changed to a piece of kitchen worktop) is screwed to one of the shelves and supported at the other end by another piece of the same board.

Secondly, I'm actually splashing out on a CD/DVD cupboard (thank goodness for Mums with catalogues eh?)and am using that to store loads of bits and pieces including my inks, stamps, paints, die-cut alphas, mini-albums, beads, punches, 6x6 paper pads ..... list goes on. On the top, I have my tag-a-long, mini-sewing machine and small Klip-Lock boxes.

Thirdly, the wooden 12x12 paper rack I have was made from wood rescued from an old bed!

The only storage I have that was made specifically for crafting is my Papermania carry tote, trolley case and the plastic 12x12 paper trays which were given to me by a friend. And yes, you do see one of those 'helping hands' used by the elderly hanging off the trays. It's very handy for picking up my craft knife and paper that falls to the floor and goes where I can't reach, plus it has a magnet ~ very handy at times!!!

I've even got someone altering another wooden set of shelves (very similar to the shoe racks) to make me a computer/print.er/Craft ROBO station on wheels.

One day all the wood except the CD/DVD cupboard will be painted cream to help keep that side of the room as light as possible. The cupboard is behind me and fairly light, so that's ok.

Here's the piccies as proof of what's been done so far:

Shoe-rack shelves

The drawers you can see hold my buttons/blooms/printed digi-images/toppers. I have larger ones on the top holding ribbons, material, larger die-cuts and more. Underneath are photos, cards I've made and envelopes. There's just enough room between my worktop and the shelf to put my brush markers, journaling pens, crop-a-dile and set of knives/paper prickers.

Another view of my shelves/desk

Proof that the shelves are 2 stacked together

Bottom left: Wooden paper storage made from an old bed

Top left: Woohoo, shop bought paper storage (thanks to my friend who gave me this. Luv ya)

Right: CD/DVD cupboard holding more than I thought it would and is the perfect platform for my tag-a-long, mini-sewing machine (thanks to another friend for the pressie. Luv ya too) and Klip-Lock boxes

More photos to follow as and when I get things done. I'll be away next week, so you won't see anything now for about a fortnight I'm guessing.

Thanks for looking.

A Few Minutes Is All It Takes

2009-07-04T22:37:00.022+01:00

I went to a school fete today and there were fire fighters doing a display, turning this:

into this:

by doing this:

A few minutes is all it takes. Reassuring if you're ever in need of your car being ripped into several pieces isn't it? I'm sure the fire service have to do this more than put out fires nowadays. I can only hope that neither you nor myself are ever in that position.

Alexander Palace

2009-06-03T13:22:00.005+01:00

Photos of Alexander Palace, September 2008

Just testing

2009-06-03T12:40:00.001+01:00

Alexandra Palace Sept 2008. Meeting up withthe Ruby Snippers for the first time.

Aargh..... With A Happy Ending

2009-06-03T09:27:00.001+01:00

Some of you already know that I've had a saga with my camera. I took the SIM card out to use in the card reader (as usual) and it wouldn't lock into place once I put it back. Thankfully, I'd had the camera exactly 51 weeks, so was just inside the guarantee. I was told by Kodak to take it back to Argos and they'd arrange for it to be picked up and taken to be mended within 2-3 weeks. So I did. I decided to ring Kodak on Monday (just over 2 weeks later) to see how it was doing. Just as well I did because the didn't even have it. After a call to Argos, it turned out that they had my camera still. A few (carefully chosen polite) words from me and they offered me a voucher to the value of what I paid for it. I added some birthday money to it (that I was sent early) and got myself a new 10MPX Hitachi HDC-1086E digital camera. Ok, I know it's still basic compared to what several people have nowadays, but I'm not used to having anything that's the latest hi-tech, all-singing, all-dancing, expensive piece of gadget around, but to me it's brilliant.

I had a little play with the buttons, then decided to test it out. Here's the first photo I took with it yesterday afternoon.

I'm guessing there'll be many more to come. Watch this space.

Thanks for looking

Take care, love and hugs

Sarah C xoxoxo

Daisy, Daisy

2009-05-06T17:08:00.001+01:00

Are any of you like me and just love this time of year? Spring, new life, birds building nests, flowers budding, grass growing and hayfever!! Well, we can't have it all can we? So, I bring you this post surrounded by tissues and I type between sneezes. LOL

I love seeing daisies growing in the grass and hate the fact that they get chopped every time the grass is mowed. Last month's photography challenge on UKScrappers was to photograph flowers, so I went into our garden with my camera and here's a couple of shots I took.

Yes, the grass needs cutting, but you're meant to be looking at the daisies!! lol

Thanks for looking

Take care, love and hugs

Sarah C xoxoxo

Talk About Random!!!!!

2009-03-27T12:02:00.000Z

I was photographing some cards I'd made a little earlier and adjusting the setting on my camera when my finger hit the trigger and I'd taken a random shot. What of, I had no idea until I looked in the screen. Some of you will have seen photographs of my craft area already, but here's a shot of it from a view that only my desk usually sees. I did tell you it was random!!!!!

Love and hugs

Sarah C xoxo

Ooh Look, A Wedding

2009-03-19T19:02:00.000Z

Are you sitting comfortably? You'll need to because I'm about to bore you with wedding photos :D

My youngest sister Jo got married Saturday 14th March to Mark and; as always, I had my camera at the ready. One of my friends has e-mailed me to ask if I have photos on my blog, so here they are. I've managed to choose just a few from the 350 I took!!! Even the newly-weds haven't seen any photos yet as they're on honeymoon and don't get home until this Friday night.

We all had an absolutely wonderful day. Everyone looked amazing, the flowers were beautiful, the weather was warm and dry, the food delicious and there were smiles all round from beginning to end. Ok, Jo had a tear just as they were setting off on honeymoon, but it was more from sheer exhaustion than anything else.

Before any of you ask, the bridesmaids are not related. The eldest is our niece and the youngest is the daughter of a friend of Jo & Mark's from their church.

Our eldest nephew walking his Nanny (Bride's Mum) down the aisle

Mark (groom) watching Jo (bride) walk down the aisle

(He's half Scottish hence the kilt)

at the alter before the vows

Bride & Groom with bridesmaids, Groom's Dad and Bride's Mum

Our family

The rest of the Scottish clan

The alter flowers arranged by ladies from their church

Church window dressings

Jo had been a bride as one half of a fancy dress couple as a child.

Mum enlisted my help to enlarge the photos ready for her speech.

They worked a treat as you can see by Jo's very quickly hidden face! LOL

Proof of Jo & Mark dancing at the ceildh in the evening

Jo & Mark cutting the cake that a friend of our family had made.

They wanted a chocolate cake and even the icing was chocolate flavoured

Our niece posing with the cake

Some of the detail on the back of Jo's dress

Detail on the back of the bridesmaids dresses

Thanks for looking and making it to the end.

Take care, love and hugs

Sarah C xoxo

Being Almost Vegan

2009-02-21T17:26:00.000Z

Yep, I've come to realise that by choosing to be vegetarian and then becoming lactose intolerant, I am all but vegan now. The only things that stop me being completely vegan are the fact that I still eat eggs, goats cheese and fish (as long as it's in batter or breadcrumbs).

It was my youngest sister's birthday on the 19th and she's vegetarian too, so we went to the Rainbow in Cambridge. We'd never been to a vegetarian restaurant before and were quite looking forward to sitting down to a meal out and not be surrounded by the smell and sight of meat and fish. When we got there, it was so quaint and there was so much choice for us. Much better than the pasta that vegetarians usually get offered. What to have was a decision and a half. In the end we both went for tomato and lentil soup and tajine a'lgerienne, then Jo had chocolate cola cake and I had vegan lemon and blackberry cheesecake. What was an even nicer surprise, was that I was given the sliver of leftover cheesecake to bring home. We never thought to take photos of our meal, but the photos on this post are of the restaurant sign and Jo after we'd eaten. Unfortunately it was raining quite hard, so the shots aren't as good as they could have been.

A big thumbs upto the people who run and work there. It's open from 10am to 10pm and they're happy for people to sit in there just with a drink. We're certainly earmarking it for future visits.

Thanks for looking and if you're in Cambridge wanting food or drink, why not check them out yourself?

Take care, Love and hugs
Sarah C xoxo

Flooded

2009-02-17T17:39:00.000Z

I spent my first 8 and a half years in a village 6 miles from Ely and at the top of a hill leading to 'The Gault'. At certain times of the year the road at the bottom is flooded which means that my mum's cousins who own a farm the other side, have to travel miles to get to the local shop. One of my sisters lives in that same village with her family and after going to see her today I took a ride to see the latest floods. The foot-bridge you can see here has the road to the side which is currently under water and all photos are of the view from that bridge.

Thanks for looking
Take care, love and hugs
Sarah C xoxo

Daisy - 1 year on

2009-02-12T22:58:00.000Z

When this photo was taken, mum had had Daiy for just over a year. Mum's a home carer and one of her ladies is a dog lover. The lady bought Daisy a new blanket for Christmas. It was funny watching her making it her own as she sniffed every inch of it before rolling up in it as if to say "yeah, it's ok, I like it and you're not having it" LOL Here she is a little later sitting proudly on it after bundling it up like she does.

This is one of Daisy's favourite places to be. By mum's feet with one of her toys. I tried moving the chair to get a better photo, but she'd come out if I did. Camera shy I think.

Love and hugs, Sarah C xoxo

UKS Whodunnit Cyber Crop

2009-02-12T22:15:00.000Z

I took part in the UKScrappers Whodunnit Cyber Crop at the week-end. On my ramblings blog are the many craft items I made and here are the photos I took for some of the challenges:

Photograph your slippers and morning cuppa -
My slipper socks (I just love those crochet flowers) with one of several daily glasses of water

Step away from the desk! -
Would you believe my stash used to fit in the purple box under the desk?!?!?!

Snow on the ground and at midnight we were challenged to take an outdoor photo!

This is from the far end of the garden. I went out in summer style shoes, trousers and a t-shirt and crunched through the snow to get this shot! Goosebumps on goosebumps and snow in the shoes by the end LOL

Photo of your 'Special Branch'
Who else, but my Mum. As she wasn't here, here's a photo I took of a framed photo I have of her. She's famous for wearing hats at weddings and I just love that one don't you?

Certainly some different photographic challenges there and it was all great fun. There were 2 photo challenges I didn't take part in and they were - someone sleeping and you and your teddy. There was no-one here I could photograph sleeping and I don't have a teddy :(

Thank you for looking

Take care, love and hugs

Sarah C xoxo

The Big Switch On Photos

2008-11-30T03:04:00.000Z

I've given a descriptive of the Big Switch On in Ely on My Ramblings, so I won't go into detail here. Pop over and have a read. Here's some of the photos I took. The live Nativity was hard to photograph as despite thinking we had a great spot to see it from, we had the official cameras and electricals near us too!

These are the sort of lights that are dotted around the tops of some of the shops in Ely

Believe it or not, these are some of the lights on the Christmas Tree on the Market Place

I'm never sure what setting to have my camera on, but here's a clearer shot. At least the bulbs look like the proper coloured ones not white household bulbs they usually have.

Hey, its a tree with lights and a star!! Are you impressed?

Some of the wise men - ok, two are actually wise women

The real wise men and their camels

The Wise Women and Shepherds

Do you think they were wondering what they'd done with their sheep?

Last, but by no means least ~ Ely Cathedral Girls Choir

Thanks for looking. If any of you have any ideas on getting better night photographs like this, please share them as I so want to improve my photography.

Love and hugs

Alexander Palace

2008-11-03T02:48:00.000Z

Some of you will know I was at Alexander Palace at the end of September this year for the Big Stamping and Scrapbooking show. My friends and I took some photographs when we first arrived and some more before we left. Here's a selection of those I took:

I've cropped the next photo to focus on what it says

Thank you for looking

Love and hugs

Frosty Morning

2008-11-03T02:33:00.000Z

I went out the other morning at about 7:30am to take David to work so I could have the car for the day. We were met with the first of a few consecutive frosty mornings. Here's what greeted us and I hope you've got your scarf and gloves on.

I'm always amazed by how pretty it looks when in reality it can be so dangerous on the roads (and paths).

Thanks for looking

Love and hugs

Autumn

2008-10-19T00:28:00.001+01:00

Well everyone, it's definately Autumn and here's some of the photos I've taken this week.

Conker - just as it fell

Conker - after the rain

Conker Shells

Diamond Bark Tree

Red Berries

More Red Berries

Weeds

Sugar Beet

Close-Up Of The Back of a Wind Turbine

Wind Turbines

Birds Over A Field

Tractor At Work

Tractor Surrounded By Birds

Purple Flower

Chocolate Box House

Thanks for looking
Love to you all

Serenity Take 4

2008-10-07T19:20:00.001+01:00

I'm a little late photographing this and I missed the end of September.

Here are the last 3 photos

Thanks for looking

Take care and love to you all,

I Say "tomarto" You Say "tomAto"

2008-09-04T12:28:00.000+01:00

If you saw our lettuces the other month, you'll know we've been busy growing salad. I went to them today and picked all these lovely yummy scrummy tomatoes. I so wish we had smellyvision as they smell as delicious as they taste.

Sorry to tease you all, but I'll be having some for my lunch AND tea.

Serenity Take 3

2008-08-22T17:59:00.000+01:00

Here's the latest update on the ever changing river near me. Here's June and July's photos so you can see the difference. August's was taken this morning at 8:30am! You can see the sun just coming through the clouds. I'm not normally out and about that early, but I had a doctor's appointment and this spot is a stones throw from the surgery.

A Blot On The Landscape or a Necessary Invention?

2008-08-21T13:34:00.000+01:00

I went to the job centre today and decided to drive the back roads home. On my travels, I spotted these wind turbines and wondered ~ Are they a blot on the landscape or a necessary invention?

Years ago, I'm guessing people were saying exactly the same thing about telegraph poles as we do these, but look at us now. On landscape photos the poles are 'just there'. How many of us really notice them when we're out and about? I know I've grown up with them always being there and take no more notice of them than I do of houses and trees.

So, my initial question:

A blot on the landscape or a necessary invention? ~ My reply would be - necessary invention. What would yours be?

When I Went To A Party

2008-08-08T15:55:00.000+01:00

My cousin's son Ian, was 21 last week and they had a family garden party for him at the week-end. His brother John was 24 on Monday too so it became a joint party.

Here's some photos from it:

My Auntie Pat (one of my Dad's sisters) and my Mum

John and Ian

Auntie Pat and Uncle Ray

Dot and Phillip

Uncle Ray and his winning prize. A rubber 'thingy' that lights up when you drop it!!!

I Think He Moved Too Fast For The Camera

Thank you for looking

xxx

Where I Grew Up

2008-07-28T11:08:00.000+01:00

I was leaving my mum's the other evening and took the back road out of her village. Less than a mile away, I looked back and admired the scenery, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Serenity ~ Take 2

2008-07-25T15:44:00.000+01:00

A month ago I posted a photo of the river near me. I said was going to take a photo at the same time each month and here we are:

I can see a difference, can you?

Lasagne

2008-07-21T00:22:00.000+01:00

Sunday night's dinner and I achieved a first ~ woohoo!!!!! I made my first ever lasagne. I didn't make white sauce as I wanted it to be as healthy as possible. Here's the proof of my labour:

2 tins of chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, mixed herbs and seasoning and simmered to a rich consistency

Onions, carrots, courgettes, broccoli, button mushrooms, dried mixed mushrooms, veggie mince, herbs, seasoning and the mixed mushroom stock

Layered in an oven proof dish with lasagne sheets ~ 3 layers of each and topped with grated goat's cheese and parmesan

The end result ~ served with a crisp salad

Are you hungry yet? I made so much that there's enough for another day!!!

The Camera Never Lies

2008-07-19T21:26:00.001+01:00

As readers of my ramblings will know, I stayed at my friend Tee's this last Thursday and Friday and had a glass or 2 of wine. Here's the evidence!! LOL It was yummy though!!

Let Us Eat Lettuce

2008-07-04T13:15:00.000+01:00

David's been growing salad from seeds and on Wednesday we ate our first lettuce. I was so pleased and thought I'd share it with you. It actually grew to a 2 header, so we had loads and it was rather yummy.

We're waiting for more to be ready plus cucumbers, tomatoes and spring onions. These have all been grown in either grow-bags or plant pots. Nothing as fancy as a vegetable plot as we don't have the room. Who needs one anyway if you can get results like this? We also have strawberries growing, but I'm not expecting much from them until next year.

Ely Cathedral

2008-06-27T20:18:00.000+01:00

I'm lucky enough to live and work within half an hour of Ely, so stopped there on my way home from work one day to take some photos of the Cathedral. I was hoping to do the UKS weekly challenge which was based around a city, but my computer crashed while I was doing this post on Friday and I lost the photos I'd uploaded to my computer. Here are some of the pictures I took and thankfully blogger saved for me. The last photo shows why it's called The Ship Of The Fens. I live 20 miles away and on a clear day can see it only a mile or so from my home.

Serenity

2008-06-24T16:02:00.000+01:00

Would you believe that only yards away from all that music and the fairground, we have such a gorgeous quiet spot? I'm going to try to take a photo of the same spot once a month to see how it changes over the year. Watch this space.

March Festival

2008-06-21T16:20:00.001+01:00

Last week-end March had a 3 day festival. I popped in on the Saturday afternoon with a friend and took these photos

My friend Mandi

A Mad and Crazy Night

2008-06-01T12:00:00.000+01:00

End of May bank holiday week-end I was visiting my youngest sister in Birmingham. On Sunday evening we went to Big Wok in China town for a Chinese buffet!! It gets so busy there that they even have a bouncer on the door!

After eating and less than an hour later, we realised that the fair was on and got there for the last waltzer ride. So, we just had to have a go. £3 each it cost us and I can remember paying £1 a few moons ago. Ok, maybe many moons ago LOL

I think I should've stuck to these

We were good though and as I'd driven us there we waited until we got home to open a bottle

I'll have mine back now please

Well, we had to have something to do while we waited for the delicious home made rice pudding to cook. Even though we did start it at 00:30 and were eating at 02:30!!!!!!!!!!!

A great evening and a brilliant week-end. I did say I wouldn't put any photos on of Jo posing and being her usual silly self and I've kept to my word for once. Don't want her to return the favour cos that's the worry I had!!!! LOL

War of the Worlds

2008-04-18T13:30:00.000+01:00

I'd waited almost 12 months to go to this show at Birmingham and the day finally came last December.

I had a very tall man sitting in front of me so some of the pictures weren't very good at all. Here's some of the better ones though

Yes, that really is the great, magnificent Jeff Wayne in the black t-shirt. He was so amazing. I could have stayed there, watching him and listening to his music for hours.

My Garden in 2007

2008-04-13T12:36:00.000+01:00

I took these photos in my garden in the summer of 2007. I came across them today, so thought I'd share them with you. I thought we had hardly any colour in the garden, but through the lense of my camera, I was proved wrong.

March Winter

2008-04-11T11:15:00.000+01:00

As all of you in the UK know, we had an unusual Easter. Instead of sun and green grass, a lot of us woke to pure, white, snow. These are some of the photos taken in my garden during a 2 hour period.

Clacton-on-sea

2008-04-10T03:12:00.000+01:00

If you're a reader of my ramblings blog, you probably already know that I went to Clacton-on-Sea last Thursday with my youngest sister. Here are some of the photos I took.

New

2008-04-09T02:26:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone, welcome to my new photo blog. I'm in the process of setting this up and will show you some of my photos shortly. Be sure to come back if you want to see more.

Thanks for looking. See you here again soon, I hope.