On the first day of Christmas...

...my true love gave to me, one crappy photo and an angel sitting in my tweeeeeeeeeee!

My wordy word, I hate photographing layouts in the winter. Don't like winter, don't like it, don't like it. It's pooey bottoms. Cold. All the leaves have gone. Cold. Rains a lot. Cold. AND you can't go outside to take pics of layouts and get a really good shot in the natural light.

Hence this is a really naff old shot of my class layout for Crafty Pastimes' 12 hour crop this Saturday. I'm in auspicious company, teaching with Rach and Penny who have both got mighty-mighty fine layouts. So in an attempt to keep up, I went mad and used string. Pulled out all the embellishment stops I did. Bwaahaahaaa!


Here's a close-up of all the twiddly bits on it (which are lost somewhat with the flat image).

Well, in response to a comment on my previous post - Tina asked whether NOT talking or striking up conversations on public transport was terribly British, and I have to say I think it terribly is...or isn't (I mean, one doesn't, does one?). When I was 18 I went dashing off to America on my own (now I'm a mummy myself, I think my own mother must have been having palpitations at my wreckless, strong-willed nature). Anyway, I went to Utah (where I ended up living seven years after this event), and whilst there I was sat on a bus going from one part of Provo to another. I was sitting opposite a middle-aged lady, and then at the back of the bus were a bunch of high-school students whose conversation was quite clearly audible from where we were (which I found a bit strange but, hey, they were teenagers). Well, I will never forget being mortified (MOR-TI-FIED) that as one of them made some comment about somesuch subject, the lady opposite me JOINED IN the conversation. CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!!???? I looked at her with my eyes slightly wider than before, fully expecting the teenagers to be quite shocked at this terrible breach of etiquette, when (blow me down), they carried on talking to her from opposite ends of the bus. CAN YOU IMAGINE!!!!!???

Another time I was standing on the tube with a very good friend of mine from the States who had spent a little bit of time in England already. Suddenly the train came to a standstill in the tunnel and as it slowed and then finally stopped (waiting for lights to change), the very subdued conversations that were going on completely halted. You could hear a pin drop. Not a whisper was uttered without the noise of the engine to cover the sound of their voices. Mitch started to giggle and said, "Man! If this was New York, everyone would still be talking...and talking at full volume as well!!"

So, yes, it's true. I think we are a nation of subdued talkers in public places. But not ALL public places.... And that doesn't mean to say we don't interact with one another in public...I've had some very witty comments spoken to me (and vice versa) with total strangers in shops and restaurants etc. What are the rules there then?

And another day I'll tell you about one of the most embarrassing things I've EVER done...on a bus. *sigh*