For the love of pretty paper

I have always said - through the past almost 20 years, that scrapping and crafting is what has maintained my sanity. When I am happy, I scrap. When I am tired, I scrap. When I am stressed, I scrap. When I am sad, I scrap. I think so many people have realised in the difficult days of the lockdown with the boredom, the worry, the heightened anxiety, crafting can be the very best therapy. And whilst being unwell recently and whilst mourning my mother-in-law, scrapping again proves to be a support.

I have way way too much new scrapping to share in one hit so today there are 5 pages made for the FTLOPP cyber crop. There were so many great challenges and I have way more left to do yet, but I have made a good start. Long gone are the days when I scrap just to complete  a challenge - the pages have to be pages I actually want to make or they don't get done.

 

 

 

 I made this one on VE Day ... more about that later

 

I love fussy cutting ... this was fussy cutting overload

 

and this was a doddle challenge and no stamping, all doodling with multi coloured sharpies and I think this is one of my favourite pages this year.

 

 

 

 

In addition I want to share a few photos from last Friday VE day as I never did post them after as we had our sad news. But it was an important day and a day to mark and celebrate. I am very very proud to have been from a military family with my father, my uncle, my grandfather all serving their country with pride. My father, stupidly, ran away to se and joined the merchant navy when he was 14. He lied about his age, no-one checked as there was a war on, and he found himself at sea int the middle of the Battle of the Atlantic. He saw things no men should see, let alone 14 year old boys. He stayed in the navy until he was 18 and earned 5 medals during those 4 years. All under the age of 18. He then left the navy and joined the army, the Royal Signals regiment. He became a motor cycle display team member, a white helmet, and served for several years in Egypt. He also rode speedway!  So it was important to celebrate the day and to take Daddy's medals with me.

 

We got together, socially distanced of course, with 4 other couples, all from our immediate neighbours (5 houses in total) and we sat in another neighbour's drive, all more than 6 feet apart, took our own picnic, shared stories and just enjoyed being together. It was very special and the first time we had been 'out' in 7 weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• the fact I can support Nigel at this difficult time
• good neighbours
• the therapy of crafting

 

 

Comments

[Barb in AK]

What a wonderful way to celebrate such an historic event. You have every right to be proud of your daddy. I can't imagine how brave he was--just a child--and going through such terrifying times. It looks as though it couldn't have been a more perfect day to be outdoors and celebrating with friends on this occasion.
I love the doodling layout. It is so colorful and I would have never believed it wasn't stamping, if you hadn't mentioned it! Perfection!