"I'm A Genie In A Bottle Baby..."

 

I Love this image! I can vaguely remember the series 'I Dream of Genie' with Larry Hagman (R.I.P. J.R.) and so do not have any strong feeling about the show, but this little lady does remind me of a simpler time, a time when I was fast approaching (but not quite there yet) the horror that is THE TEENAGER!!!!

I have written in the past about my childhood. I grew up in a little seaside town called Redcar. It's approximately nine miles away from Middlesbrough and it is one of those places that most people have heard of but have no idea where it is. It is probably most famous for the Horse Racing track, which regularly plays host to the befuddled oaf that is John McCririck and causes major traffic snafu's whenever the races are on.

Redcar will always have a very special place in my heart, I lived there for virtually my entire childhood and while I may have left at breakneck speed to join the Royal Air Force, when I turned sixteen and a half, I have returned to her many, many times over the years and I'm still not finished with her, our love affair may just continue for a few more years yet...

Having said all that, rest assured that the romantic, wind-swept image you may have of a life lived by the coast is a total fallacy. Summer's were full of adventure and the chance to break free of the confines my parents put on me the rest of the year. I spent most of my time with school mates, going to the Regent cinema or just messing about on the seafront. I had a blast!

Winter on the other hand is a totally different kettle of fish. Not only do a lot of places close during the season, the seaside is just plain awful when it is freezing cold and there is a Gale Force 7 wind coming in from the North Sea. During these months I spent most of my time hiding away in the local Library. Both parents used to work and I was given the label of 'Not To Be Trusted!' by my Mother, because I foolishly tried to cook a frozen sausage on a three bar heater when I was about 7 years old. Now I don't want to say that she can bare a grudge but I turn 49 in June and I still don't think she fully trusts me even now (only kidding mum, love you x x x). As a result of her mistrust, I was never allowed a house key of my own. If both parents had to be at work and I wasn't at school, then I just had to tough it out until someone came home again. This resulted in me getting up to all sorts of mischief and one particular incident when I was fifteen was thrown in my face by a woman at the US Embassy seven years ago but that particular story is for another day entirely!

 

On to the card then. It features an image called Jeannie (available here for only $3.00), she is a Kenny Kiernan image and she is a lot of fun to colour too (especially with my Copics!). I am still doing the 8x8 card (which reminds me, I need some more of those when we go shopping!) and I have embossed the background using my wonderful new e-bosser. The umbrella die is a Marianne, the flutterby is Spellbinders and the alpha's are various types of Sizzix die. The only other elements are my DP's, which are Basic Grey (on a serious note, where would we be without their particular brand of gorgeousness?) and the gems are from my stash.

Hope you like it and I will be back with you very soon,

take care,

hugs 'n stuff.

Andy

xx
Entered Into: Alphabet Challenge - F for Fantasy
Left Of Centre Creative Challenge #4 - Bling It Up
Stampin' For The Weekend Challenge - Die Cuts and/or Punches
Stamping with the Dragon Challenge - Spring Has Sprung
Art Impressions Stamps Challenge #108 - Layer It Up!
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #204 - Queen For A Day/Fantasy/Bling It Up/Land Of Make Believe
Copic Marker Europe Challenge #16 - Girls Aloud (Only Female Images)
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #266 - Can't Stop The Rain
My Heart Pieces Digital Stamp Challenges - Add Embossing, Dry or Wet
Shelly's Images TTT Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers
Addicted To Stamps And More Challenge #42 - Make Your Mark
Baffles Creative Shop Challenge #19 - April
Crafting By Design Challenge - Anything Goes
Creative Belli Challenge #168 - Spring
Nutcrafters Challenge #41 - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #124 - Anything Goes
The Sisterhood Of Crafters Challenge - Anything Goes