Winter - bleak outside

 

 

 winter - deep and snowy - still some snow outside but much less pretty now, and involving a large clear up exersise

Above and below

Kincardine_0019_edited-1, originally uploaded by Scottish Zoe.

this was the next OU piece of work. It was supposed to be something from different angles (looking down and looking up) - but expanded into a series on the impact of the pylons and Scottish Electricity on the area

Kincardine_0070_edited-1, originally uploaded by Scottish Zoe.

Kincardine_0054_edited-1, originally uploaded by Scottish Zoe.

Kincardine_0049_edited-1, originally uploaded by Scottish Zoe.

Kincardine_0037_edited-1, originally uploaded by Scottish Zoe.

Overflow with Beauty

This is a kit that everyone should get, it's available from Memory Scraps  and is made to suppport the relief work for the Pakistan flood.
http://www.mscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=1396&cat=0&page=

 

 

Bottle 2

ottles_0173_edited-1, originally uploaded by Scottish Zoe.

Bottle 1

bottles_0147_edited-1 - Copy, originally uploaded by Scottish Zoe.

the first OU assignment was to photo bottle, showing shape and light. Still life is NOT me, but in the end J. and I had great fun mucking around with cloth and torches to get some shots.

Out of Action

For various reasons I have not been updating recently but there are a few important things happening now.

First:
thanks to Heather T. for having me as a guest on her team over the last 2 months. It was brilliant fun and she has some fab kits available at Memory Scraps and The Digichick.

Next there has been the ongoing 52 Inspiration work (!) - which is always fun

and 'real' work has been incredibly busy.
On top of everything I have decided to do an Open University course on digital photography, I must have gone completely mad.

Sue Cummings Spotlight

Did you know that the Oscraps Designer Spotlight this week (September 1-7th) is featuring Designs by Sue Cummings!!!
She has a fabulous challenge to create a digital or hybrid greeting card!
If you enter the challenge...you could win a shoppings spree at her shop!




and she has a new kit Sketchbook Artistry

http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=25248


And guess what!
I am so excited to share the greeting card I designed with you!
Credits: Sketchbook Artistry No. 1 by Sue Cummings

and this:

and this:

But wait!!!! My Friends and I created more cards to share with you.
Visit OUR BLOG PARTY today and you can download more FREE cards that were all created using Sue's Products!

Here's the list of who is having a BLOG PARTY today!
http://mychalkboard.typepad.com/designsbysuecummings/
http://val-unepausecafe.blogspot.com/
http://creatiesbyveer.blogspot.com/
http://alookintonanasworld.blogspot.com/
http://www.falstaff-folly.blogspot.com/
http://craftiejessie.blogspot.com/
http://lifewith4cats.blogspot.com/
http://nadiasfotoblog.blogspot.com/
http://elina-designs.blogspot.com/
http://busybostyn.blogspot.com/
http://beszteri.blogspot.com/
http://zizazzi.fr/?p=3625
http://blog.through-my-eyes.org/
http://suddenlyartistic.blogspot.com/
http://lauriewe.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/sue-is-in-the-…he-party-begin/
http://traderfam.blogspot.com/


*TOU's: All card designs are copyrighted and cannot be redistributed without permission.
Note: Feel free to post the links to these greeting cards on your blog...but do not
share the actual downloads. Kindly send them to the blogs of my friends and please
leave comments along the way. We would love to hear how you are going
to use these cards. Thanks for stopping by for the blog party!

.

Heather T (2)

more fab kits from Heather T

these are from Forest Dreams - available from The Digichick
http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/product.php?productid=23033

and these are from Healing - available at Memory Scraps
http://www.mscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=1060&cat=0&page

they are both absolutely fab kits!!

Heather T

I have the great fortune of a guest spot on the Creative Team for Heather T who distributes kits though Memory Scraps
http://www.mscraps.com/shop/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=28
and The Digichick
http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=129

and have worked with some fabulous kits such as Masked 3

 http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=176429&title=stop-and-think&cat=all

and this one

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=176430&title=endless-love&cat=all

 Grunge Frames 1

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=176435&title=peace-and-quiet&cat=all

and Tangled Twirls

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=175811&title=beauty-in-the-world&cat=all

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=175606&title=beauty&cat=all

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=175632&title=young-love&cat=all

http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=175641&title=together&cat=all

the last 3 were from my daughter's 15th birthday, extremely grown up   - at least until it came to the cake and the candles, actually it was a birthday scone (!) as she does not really like cake (can you imagine - a child who does not like cake).

52 Inspirations

as an ongoing project I am working on the 52 Inspirations minikits, I haven't posted much from them for some reason - but they are really useful and easy to use - so here are some pictures from our recent travels

                                                        Smailholm Tower in the Borders -

                                         flowers from Threave House in Castle Douglas - Galloway
            

                                                        moreflowers from Threave House

                                          the beach in Ayr in the late evening sunlight

                                             this is taken at Dryburgh Abbey

Sail Away

There is a brilliant new kit out at Oscraps by Sue Cummings called 'From |My Notebook, Sail Away'
http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=25079

here'e a few samples:

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... the sun keeps going in and out, we have new neighbours who are moving in today so I hope it doesn't rain
I am thinking...that we had a fabulous holiday recently, and it reminded me how beautiful Scotland can be
 From the kitchen... tonights tea will be very simple - thin slices of beef quick-fryed, withsalad and rolls 
I am wearing...a scruffy T, and Indian/gypsy style multicoloured patch trousers, very comfortable 
I am creating...a scrapbook for my daughters best friend, of all their graduation photos, its a challenge doing something for a man, blues and browns seem to be the theme 
I am going...to my brother-in-laws birthday party at the weekend. That will be a get together of everyone from 20 - 30 years ago, a real blast from the past, and a fab photo op. 
I am reading...a lot about black and white photography. Weston's stuff is absolutely fabulous and I just wish I could produce anything as good.
I am hoping...that my eldest daughter who is away is having a great time, no texts, no e-mails - probably a good sign 
I am hearing...a new album called Red Horse by 2 of my favourite singers, Lucy Kaplansky and Eliza Gilkyson.
Around the house...all is chaos, a new bathroom is being fitted and the plumbing is not going well, one of the problems of an old house. 
One of my favorite things...are my Charlie bears that my children give me

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

with thanks to: 
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

More Catching Up

I am still working on a huge backlog - these are just a few of the possibilities from the  Dumfries area

                                                      this is in the forest - mid Dumfriesshire
              http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=173514&title=summer-magic&cat=all

                                                      this is looking over the Solway Firth
                                      http://www.mscraps.com/galleri/showphoto.php?photo=8104&title=wishes&cat=all

         and this is the view we got everyday when we walked up the hill frrom our lodge to the hotel for meals
We spent most of the time staying in the lodge house of a small hotel near Dumfries called Cavens. The welcome was warm, the food magic and the views wonderful.We will go back.

Really behind!!!

well, I am so behind with everything because:

1. My daughters graduation (with a 1st) - I am so proud

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1092936&title=celebrate&cat=all

2. My husbands graduation - a very brave step into a completely new career

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1092954&title=follow-your-dreams&cat=all

all these events included lots of family occasions, meals out and of course photo ops, when the family were not allows to say 'No' to Mum waving the dreaded camera

and

3. going on holiday - we went on an 'Abbey Tour' of the south of Scotland - both east and west and I came back with over 1000 (yes that's right- a thousand) photos - which have taken forever to download and start looking at

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1093493&title=once-upon-a-time&cat=alland

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1093505&title=composure&cat=all

5. and although the weather has been typically Scottish, dreach and dreer -  (that's wet and grey for those from south of the border or far away) - we have even managed to go for some walks

http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1092833&title=beautiful&cat=all

and

http://www.mscraps.com/galleri/showphoto.php?photo=8056&title=brief-undisturbed-moments&cat=all

and have the occasional 'undisturbed moment' in which to dream

http://www.mscraps.com/galleri/showphoto.php?photo=8035&title=dream4&cat=all

live in the moment

and reach out to others

Oh and I also had to go back to work so dreams are crucial