back again,

but only briefly.

It's been a funny old time since I last blogged.

Bathroom is pretty much finished, just decorating to do now, then the heated towel rail to go on.

Had some really dreadful news last week, I don't feel it is appropriate to blog about it, but it's hit really hard, and left me feeling so thankful for what I do have, and made me realise a lot of what I want to have. Big thanks to Flossie for really being there for me, and for saying exactly the right words at the right time- love ya hun -x-



I played along with the digi dares again this week, it is just too easy to scrap on the laptop, in fact I finished this in bed last night lol! (click for larger image)



So this was the dare from Janet:

Growing up, the song UNANSWERED PRAYERS by Garth Brooks was one of my favorites. The key phrase in the song is, “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” I am sure we have all had things in life that we really wanted but didn’t get. Although it was sad/difficult at the time we can now look back and see why NOT getting it was the best thing that could have happened. So come on, scrap about the best thing you DIDN’T get.
DARE FLAIR:
– Use a quote or song Lyric somewhere on the page– Use at least one scanned-in item (ticket stub, CD sleeve, etc)
OR–
Try a technique that you have never tried before and tell us what it is (so we can tell you how great you were at it!)

So, this layout is about my first parrot Baloo. Anyone who knows me even slightly will know about my passion for parrots- most specifically African Greys. The short story: I wanted one for years and years.
I bought the cage, the whole setup, and just by chance I wandered by a reopening of a large pet store. I vowed never to buy animals from there, but went in for a look.
And there he was. I could not walk out of that store and leave him there. Fingers poking in the cage, staff trying to teach him to swear, the wrong diet. Just couldn't do it. So I bought him. Picked him up the next day, and settled him in. We bonded very quickly, I have never known anything like it. Sadly, Baloo was very very poorly, and died just 12 weeks later. It totally ripped me apart. He was with the very best avian vet in this country, and I swear I prayed so hard for him to get better. He lost his fight, and is now in a better place, free from pain and suffering.
Ok, so I may not have made any difference to any other parrot, but I am so glad for the time we had together. I loved him more than anything else, and looked after him properly. I feel I 'saved' him from having a miserable end in a shop with no real mummy.

So- back to the layout!

The journaling reads:
We had just twelve short weeks together before you lost your fight.
My heart was totally shattered, but I have always maintained that I was so happy to have given
you 3 months of happiness, all the love I had and the best possible care, rather than leave you where you were on your own with no particular person chucking a bit of food at you as and when. I am so thankful for the time we had together, I learned so very much from you my bubbabaloo xxx

I shed a fair few tears doing this layout- but I think it is healing to do :)

I used the title 'What good have you done, by saving just this one' which is also from a Garth Brooks song, 'The Change'. Beautiful lyrics, gorgeous song.
Had nothing relevant to scan in tho :(
But I did try something new- I used blending, embossing and shadows on the journaling (never done that before and probs never will again lol- just played!) and burned marks onto the parts where the staples go into the paper/photo-it's subtle- but I think it works.
Oh and another new thing for me- using a clip then erasing the part it covers to look like the clip was slid onto the photo. If that makes ANY sense at all lol! Not so good with the words today pmsl- I blame the weather!
Credits: Paper; Katie Pertiet, brush; Jason at designfruit, staples; Gina Miller, stitched corners; Sarah Batdorf, clip; Shabby Princess, font from two peas (I think- sorry!)