Adventures in Bugland

Sorting

2012-01-28T11:47:00.001-08:00

Evening Blog land.
Phew, a day full of classes today topped with a booming shop, I need wine. I love wine.
Ideally I'd like to snuggle down and do some making but my craft cupboard is in such a state. With many classes and Christmas makings I've just been stuffing everything back in. This means I need to do a deep sort out (think deep clean). This job takes a whole day. It will also mean that I'll find things that I haven't even opened or forgot I had.
So as a substitute for scrapping I decided to sort my 12x12 albums out into chronological order.

I saw the idea for this on a blog a stalk... I mean follow http://littlelifeofscrap.blogspot.com/2012/01/album-organisation.html?m=1
For years I thought my albums being in order of when I completed the pages showed progression and in a way it does but I then thought that for the person looking at it seeing my floral stage stretch over 5 pages must be nuff! It was really ace to do!

Marion is away in the USA - I miss her! We did do FaceTime tonight. How cool is the iPhone?! I love it.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone - BugPhone

2012-01-21T13:13:00.001-08:00

Hello blog.
How has blogland been?
I used to love blogging so much. It made me feel like I was connecting with the world but now we have twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Instant blogging. But what keeps one returning to blogs? I've got a few which I always return to read ( the ones that are kept updated), this made me think what is a good content for a blog? My conclusion? Inspiration and familiarity. Getting a feeling they you know that person.
Anyway I have a new love in my life....

This is Pepper. Our 15.1" coloured cob. She came to us in December and has been the love of my life ever since. I've wanted my own horse since I was 8. My own coloured cob. It's a dream come true.
My second love is Smash

Smash by K & Co is taking scrapbooking back to the beginning. I spend ages cutting 'stuff' from magazines, plotting ideas and taking random photos. That's what Smash is all about. I have an amazing box of Smash stash. This is by my favourite seat in the lounge. When I need to smash I can without having to drag all my normal stash out.
Anyway.... Happy new year! Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone - Bug Phone!

2011-09-15T03:51:00.001-07:00

I'm still here!
Life has been a little challenging lately in more ways than one but I feel things are getting on track.
Last week it was my birthday. I felt well loved! Tomorrow I'm going to share some pictures of the wonderful gifts and cards I received.
So, I'll see you tomorrow. For now though I'm going to continue to read my favourite mag in the sunshine. X

- posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

3 photos

2011-08-23T16:51:00.001-07:00

{love}

-

posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Sad

2011-08-15T00:11:00.000-07:00

Morning!

How are we all surviving the summer holidays so far? Mine has been pretty uneventful. I've felt like we have done lots of running around but with not much to report.

Yesterday was a sad day. We lost one of our chooks.

We noticed in the morning that Lola wasn't her normal scatty self. This was apparent as she was happy to be picked up, normally she legs it! Elli was so upset. She was her chicken you see. She had spent the day hugging her, willing her to get better. I discovered her after dinner, I'm just pleased that I did, not Elli.

Kev dug a deep hole and Elli placed her in it. It was all very sad. Kev is going carve an L for Lola in the log where she is buried.
Elli had a bad night sleep, she kept waking up and asking 'why?'. What could I say?

Our upset is probably nothing compared to all those people who lost their homes and businesses in the riots this week. Absolutely heart breaking.
Let hope this week is a happier more peaceful one. Miss Woo is off for 'Pony for a Day' today and me and the Curly Boy are off to Sugar Cane to hang out and get a sugar shake.
Peace out.

End of term- beginning of the holidays.

2011-07-30T13:45:00.001-07:00

We are freshly back from our holibobs and I remembered that I forgot to share the end of term pictures. Whoops!

Miss Woo has left infant school. These years have flown by. Look at her on her first day ..

Im totally fine about her moving up to the juniors, its such a wonderful school with so many new opportunities, she is ready for it. As I am about to start her infant school scrapbook I wanted to take some photos of her school for her to remember the details.

Her peg.

The little classroom sink.

The library.

The hopscotch in the playground.
Elli made some teacher post-it note holders fully inspired by the ones we made in the shop...

And I made some thank you presents too...

Now Callum is 12 he is too cool. Moody, rude and stroppy. When will it pass?!

He is also nearly as tall as his Aunty Ruthie.

I took 374 photos on our 5 day break to the New Forest, I couldn't wait to play with them but I can't as I've filled my computer up!! I can't even get them off my camera, I need an external hard drive me thinks...

posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Mags galore!

2011-07-11T05:42:00.001-07:00

Wowee! What a good week for magazines.

Essentials is my favourite 'lady' mag. It's a magazine for normal girls from the ages of 25 - 80! It's not full of designer clothes that one could never afford and one would never want to. It's not full of celebs who need a good sausage casserole and it's not full of ghastly stories of how ones neighbour ran off with ones husband who has now had a sex change. I've cooked some of my best dinners from the recipes, got some great tips and
read some real humbling stories.
I'm so pleased that we are stocking Creating Keepsakes again the shop. It's the best scrapbooking magazine in the world. This issue (5, volume 16) is by far the most inspirational one for months. Every page, including the advertisements have my fingers itching and twitching for my Tim Holtz scissors! I love this....

Amazing recycling!
I also thought I'd try Simply Homemade as 1. I'd heard so many people talking about it & 2. It had a set of beach stitching templates free with this issue ( that was the real reason!). Nice mag but you can totally tell it's a British one. I'm not wowed yet but maybe my Creating Keepsakes has me buzzing this month.
I've also sneaked in a cross stitch mag this month too. This is something I plan to get into and the freebie project looked quite simple. I'll keep Blogland updated.
Today I've been to London for an eye check up. It was only a quick visit though as Miss Woo has the dentist. I love London.

These are my tube traveling toes!
posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Zooming

2011-07-08T01:50:00.000-07:00

Today my boy turned 12..............12!!!!!

Its totally mind blowing. Life zooms by.

At the moment I'm totally obsessing about going here

Croissant Neuf is by far my favourite place in Glastonbury Festival. It's got such a beautiful vibe. This year I spent quite a lot of time there, it feels like home. Ooffii, who is the beautiful girl who tweets for Croissant Neuf organised a secret Twitter meet up at the Croissants Bandstand on the Sunday with one of my favourite musicians of all time, Luke Concannon. It totally made my festival.

Me and Ooffii.

Me and Luke.

Happy Friday everyone!

Glastonbury- best bit/ best band

2011-07-06T15:42:00.001-07:00

Boo!
Hello Blogland.
I'm back from the wonderful land of Glastonbury Festival. People from the real world keep asking me what was my best bit or what was the best band I saw. This is really hard as there were too many best bits to choose from. So what I thought I would do is when they pop in my head I'll blog them.
I'll leave you with my collections of bands (2005 is missing though)

I've got to say that we were all most disappointed with this years bands. They looked, well, a bit cheap. A bit Reading/Leeds. But when watching Coldplay I turned around to look at the sea of people to realise that these bright bands were UV bands and were glowing from miles around on the arms of their owners. A UV sea. - posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Thank you!

2011-04-01T06:26:00.001-07:00

I can't believe that I didn't blog about Red Nose Day!
It's been the topic of conversation for a few months in our house. It started when Callum came home from school in January and announced that he wanted to straighten his hair for to raise some money. So we set up a Red Nose Day page and starting collecting sponsor money. Callum put his target as £50, he only thought he would get £10 though...... To our surprise he managed to raise £457!! I've got to thank everyone for their generosity, especially all my Twitter friends and my dear friend Ryan.
Mid straightening...

And here are a few pictures of the end result....

Elli's school had a bad hair day theme to raise money too. Here is her bad hair day...

Today I've been to London ( I'm actually writing this on the tube). It's my month check up at London Vision Clinic. My eyes are doing really well, one still slightly swollen but my prescription is 0, whoop whoop! To thank my wonderful surgeon, Dr Dan, I made him this card...

Talking of cards, I made a handful of cards for my cousin florist and placed them in a yummy box. I hope they sell!

In other news the doggies have had their hair cut..

Awwwww!
posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

What's been happening..

2011-03-21T07:43:00.001-07:00

What a lovely day! Shame I'm stuck in with a poorly Elli Woo.

It was nearly a month ago now that I had my eyes re-enhanced and they are doing super. Friday I will go back to Harley Street to visit London Vision Clinic, I can't wait to see what my vision is on the letter board. Here is a picture of me and Dr Dan minutes after he 'fixed' me!

Whilst I'm in London I'm going to take the opportunity to take some photos. I've been a bit lapse with my photography lately, I feel I've lost my love a bit. My poor camera is not as responsive as it used to be and it just frustrates me. Who knows what I'll do at Glastonbury.
Anyway enough of my moaning! My lovely cousin has just opened a beautiful florist and garden centre in Corringham, Essex and has asked me to make some cards to sell there. Previously this would of made me break out in a cold sweat and had me running for the hills. But, for some strange reason, I feel quite excited about it. I'll post some pictures when I've made them. - posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Love!

2011-02-23T05:54:00.000-08:00

Hello blog!
As some of you know I've just come back from Stitches, the UK craft trade show and I have loads of yummy things to show and talk about but I wanted to post about Valentine's day and our 9Th wedding anniversary first.

I decided to make a heart bunting for my 'twinkly tree' .....

I wanted to keep it really simple, so I just stuck to two designs and repeated them.

But still with a bit of creative craftiness! So the lovely spiral flower and fabric flower was a must.

Miss Woo was in a crafty mood too.

Valentines day, as most of you know, its our wedding anniversary (yes we are mushballs!)

I had an appointment in London and Kev had took the day off. I love London. It has such a special vibe. Not sure Kev was too happy about being up there on him day off though!

It would be rude to go to London and not visit Paperchase, so not wanting to be rude we did!

Look at their Valentines window!

It was lusher than usual in there. They seemed to have so much yummy stuff upstairs including loads more craft stuff. I was a good girl though!

Then after my appointment in Harley Street we popped into somewhere of amazing lushness, VV Rouleaux. This shop is a ribbon shop. A shop of ribbons. Woweee!

Whilst at Liverpool Street station I saw this new statue of some children from the war.. Beautiful...

I will try to post about Stitches this week but I've got a scan tomorrow in London and a Glasto CJ to get posting. Busy week!!

New year, new stationery!

2011-01-24T23:54:00.001-08:00

I always have to have a new note pad to start a new year. It feels like the pages of last years book are so previous. So this year I decided to go for two new notebooks. One for all my new classes and one for all the instructions for mini books and techniques I have scribbled down and spread over several books. Time to get organised! So I'll spend my evenings writing with love that only a new notebook can bring. I couldn't resist the matching pencil case, stationery set & colouring pencils in a tin. All half price in Sainburys.

Also, am I promised myself, I've been trying to finish off projects. I've had a kit which I put together aaaaages ago from when we all visited the Natural History Museum in London. It's made of Buzz and Bloom Dinosaur mini book, Basic Grey Archaic pad and rub ons, and this dino ribbon..

So when I went for a crafty day at my lovely friend Dawnie's I took this kit. I only actually managed to paint the book though. Jo on the other hand was the only one to finish anything.

In other news Marion was fab on QVC on Friday. She is off to CHA this week to find amazingly lush stash for the shop. Also Jimmy Cliff has self confirmed for Glastonbury this year. This makes me very happy! - posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

NY{C}A

2011-01-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

So do you make New Years Resolutions? I don't, I make New Years aims. Looking at this post last year I feel a little disheartened. I think my aims were too high!
This year my NYA are ............
To read this book again and absorb it

I would also like to look after myself a bit better. This is the only body I'm ever going to have, right?

As for Crafting aims I have a little more than my personal ones.........

I remember this post.

I was soooooo excited about this stash and the project that lay ahead of me... Looking back at this my NYCA is to finish projects, I bet you have loads of unfinished projects too, huh?!
I have another big project to finish, well start actually. When Elli started school I brought a scrapbook so I could scrapbook her school years. I have done none but my target is to get up to date by the time she finished infants this year and starts Juniors.
Another one which I think is slightly important to get done is my wedding album. 9 years on 14Th Feb and I haven't scrapped my wedding photos! I managed to pick up a complete bargain the other day. This..... (but the 12x12 version)

For £7!!!!! I have no excuse now!

So, instead of starting something on my 'to do' list or finish a half finished project, I decided to do a new layout!

This was one of those 'grab a kit and do a random page' moments.

I finally broke in to my Jillybean Soup corrugated cardboard alphas. It was a tough moment but I'm pleased I did it!

I also broke in to my Stampin' Up Forest Friends stamps which I've had for years and ever used.

Lush!

So tonight I'm off top dig out my wedding photos.......

A very happy 2011!

2011-01-11T14:03:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone had a fab Christmas. Ours was quite chilled but fun. And Christmas dinner was epic ( well it would be, I cooked it!)

Then we had the excitement which I'd been keeping a secret for so long - Marion was to be a guest presenter on QVC!

She did so well!! When we opened the shop it went banana's!

Then I had my interview published in Essentials Magazine for an article they were running about starting a new hobby...

So all in all its been a good start to the year. Whoop Whoop!
I know this post is quite brief but I was so excited to blog on my pimped up blog! What do you think? Thank you so much to Nikki at Polka Doodles for making me feel all fresh and new!

Happy Christmas Eve, Eve!

2010-12-23T01:52:00.001-08:00

It's nearly Christmas! Well it's christmas eve, eve....
The kids have finished school for christmas and we have the usual teacher gift competition at school. In the media they have been saying that each parent spends £50 on their childs teacher at Christmas. Sorry teachers, not in this house!
Me and Elli Woo spend one afternoon making peppermint creams.....

Why had I not made these before?! They were so easy, cheap & yummy.
I packaged them up in cello bags and tied with ribbon...

Then I decorated these lovely boxes which I cut from a huge Sizzix die at work. I can never tire from Basic Grey Christmas papers. I also used Paula Pascual's wonderful stamps again...

Ta da! The teachers loved them and they didn't cost me £50!

Yesterday we went to London for Kev's works annual kids Christmas party. It's all for charity and a wonderful day out. This years theme was Aladdin.

I think the kids were just as excited about going on the train than anything else!

This is Elli at Billericay station.
We had loads of fun and ate far to many sweets!

Elli had her face painted...

She looks so grown up! Callum didn't want his face done though...
I must dash as I have to tidy the house ready for FC's arrival, clean the oven for Kelly's arrival (that's our Kelly's Bronze turkey!) and wash the dogs as no one would want to arrive here with the smell of them.
I hope everyone has a smashing Crimbo. X
posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Snow Day

2010-11-30T04:40:00.001-08:00

Finally we get snow! We have been the last to get it here in South East. Miss Woo woke up at 5.30am screaming ' The snow has came!'. And it had...

First the school was open and then more snow fell so the kids were off school. Poor Marion couldn't get in to the shop so I had a snow day too.
At 10.30 we had this much....

Snow does funny things to people, I've observed this whilst looking on Facebook. Some people don't stop moaning, most people go back to being a kid again. The thing is our country is rubbish at dealing with this weather but to me I think that builds the excitement. Knowing that, like today, we can't just get in the car and pop to the shops, knowing that everyone is in the same boat, it unites us!
I think we should all raise a cup of hot chocolate (with marsh mallows) to snow days in the uk!

-posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

So what's happening...

2010-11-15T13:10:00.001-08:00

Elli Woo had a super birthday last week. I can't believe she's 7!

Now, I've been making some Christmas cards. Yes, anyone who knows me will know that I don't do much card making since my wedding stationery days have put me off for life! I was so inspired by these Paula Pascual stamps....

I've made 11 so far...

Today I received a fab package from Betty Miller to try....

Bake your own dog biscuits, you even get a bone cutter!!!
I'll let you know how they go!

posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Die cut love

2010-11-05T03:07:00.001-07:00

I used to love die cuts. I couldn't wait until Quickutz did their monthly release, normally ordering all the dies! Then something happened, I lost the love. Until this that is....

As it's Elli's Birthday next week and she was having a pony party I needed to make relevant invites. It's really hard to find nice horsey paper crafting supplies! I found these plain die cuts on eBay and yumed them up a bit!
Ohhhh it's ignited my love again. - posted with love and bugs from Bugphone, my iPhone.

Stuff...

2010-11-03T13:08:00.001-07:00

Loads of stuff has been going on here. Callum started senior school.....

We harvested huge amounts of tomatoes......

We had a #twisto meet.....

I had a tache 32nd birthday party....

I went to Centre Parcs with the girls.....

Me and Mum went to see Michael Buble (hubba hubba)......

Me and Kev went to see Mumford & Sons....

And I discovered Instagram ....

At the moment Im in love with Shimelle's new class, True Stories. If you love journaling or need help with journaling then this is fab!

Im off to do some more now.........
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Twitter: a place for micro blogging.

2010-08-19T00:53:00.001-07:00

It's a fact. I am addicted to Twiiter. I love Twitter for several reasons. Not only for the social aspect (I have made many lovely friends) but for the fact that it's so instant. As I have an iPhone, I can Tweet anywhere I have reception and lately I have been using this as a tool for my scrapbooking. There are several 'Hashtags' (hash tags or #tags are there to form a grouping of tweets, like tags on Flickr) which have made me think about mini albums documenting current life.
The first one is #dinnertweet . You basically Tweet what you are having for dinner! I have been taking photos to go with this #tag...

Yum!!
The other one is #todayi'mwearing , which is a Tweet of what you are wearing that day, I think it was started by Vogue London. This is what I've been tweeting....

Now using these ideas I thought it was a great way of documenting my life now and I thought these ideas would be great prompts for mini albums.
Keeps your eyes peeled for some mini album making soon!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Soooooooooo

2010-08-15T06:21:00.001-07:00

......what's been happening in Bugland.......
Glastonbury was epic. As it was so hot, this years festival was a chilled one. It was also one for meeting cyber people! On Twitter we have a lovely close knit glasto community and there were quite a few meet ups at the festival.
One I organised which was the Glasto Tea Party. Everyone had to dress in their best frocks including the men!

It was filmed for a mini film which is on the Glastonbury festival website. When I am on the laptop, I'll post it as well as a slide show of my fav pics.
Then when we came home, Callum turned 11!

We had sports days....

End of school leaving parties....

(which I made 65 autograph books for)
And then the end of term. Callum left junior school. It was emotional for all of us. We made toffee apples for all the teachers that had meant something to him....

And I made several cards too

Some pics from the last moments from junior school...

Then the mums needed a night out...

Followed by the fabulous 'Boat Party' ....

Phew!!! We then went on holiday to Devon

On the way home we drove through Glastonbury and visited the Tor. It felt so magical up there. I need to visit it on my own, for the day. It was so peaceful & mystical.

I feel much better now I have caught up!
We are now in the middle of the summer holidays. Callum starting school in September is really playing on my mind. I have been trying to buy uniform but have ended up buying loads of stationery that he doesn't need! Happy Sunday! Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Testing testing...

2010-06-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

A few drops of rain has got me testing my Glasto stuff.....

My lovely 4 year old Hunter wellies look rough but they are one of my Glasto essentials. One size 6 and one size 7 ( don't ask!), they just cant be replaced. Even if it's glorious sunshine, it gets very chilly in the evening and I have to wear my hunters to keep my toes warm.

And my glasto jacket. This waterproof mac has been my friend since the festival after 2007 when it didn't stop raining. Taking a full sized poncho off, over your head when it's caked in mud at the bottom is not fun! So I got my green mac.
I think the rain is being kind, letting me test my things. I am sure Mr rain cloud is coming out now as he is having a rest next week. Glasto is much more of a relaxing place when the sun has got his hat on.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Blogging from my iPhone....

2010-06-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

So to help with my lack of blogging, I thought I would have a look and see what apps are out there for my iPhone....
I was recommended BlogPress and here I am!
I wanted to share a little project which is for four of my fav Glasto ladies

I can't show you the whole thing as I posted them today, fingers crossed they will love them!
I can't belive that 2 weeks today I'll be here....

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hello Kirsty!

2010-06-05T00:12:00.000-07:00

On Thursday we had a visitor at Sugar and Spice , the lovely Kirsty Wiseman . Awwwww she is so lovely and creative.I wish she didn't live a million miles away, we could have play days and I could absorb some of her creativeness! Check out her blog

Today I have my 1st lot of Book of Me class ladies. This months theme is 10 things I cannot live without.

Here are my 'things'

Hope you all have a happy sunny weekend.

Oh and 18 days until Glasto!

OMG!!!!!

2010-06-03T03:13:00.000-07:00

9Th March?!!!! omg!!! If there is anyone left in blog land that might bother to peek at my lonely blog anymore, you are more than welcome to poke me in the eye and kick me up the bum! what a terrible blogger I have been!

So whats been happening.....

3 weeks until I go back to my spiritual home - Glasto!

My sister popped a baby out - Rosa May,
Elli Woo has a wobbly tooth

Callum is in love with his girlfriend but heart broken that she is going to a different senior school

My best Friend passed her exams with 100% and is now a qualified manicurist I has my name mentioned on Create and Craft by the lovely Kirsty Wiseman.... didn't see it though and haven't been able to find it on 'tinternet

Talking of 'tinternet I went to see Peter Kay live in Manchester.

Phew! And as for crafting, I have been busy with work, designing and teaching 33 ladies their book of me course. At home I have made a few projects which I promise I will photograph this week and up load. for now I am in love with this stamp...

2010-03-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

Just a quickie to say that I posted this....
Over here

Lots of ooooohing and ahhhhhhing, oh and mooooing.....

2010-03-05T02:04:00.000-08:00

*WARNING PICTURE HEAVY BLOG POST!*
Its been just over a week now since me and Marion took a trip to Birmingham to buy things for the shop and schmooze about. We did a lot of schmoozing. The best schmooze was with the lovely Kirsty Wiseman .She is lovely!
Now there was a few things that got me rather excited. The main one being this new company.....

Oh me, Oh my!

This range from The Girls Paperie is so totally what I love right now. Floral, retro and twee. All the papers in the collection are yummy and we are getting it in the shop!

I need these ribbons - I might just keep the tape measure one in my bag for those measuring moments!

{sighs} what can I say?!

Sizzix have probably the best stand at the show. Just look at this.....

The Tim Holtz dies were beyond anything that Sizzix had ever done, there was even wood grain and brick embossing folders!

OK the other madly exciting thing on the Sizzix stand was an amazing paper engineer, Karen Burniston
She has designed some pop up dies for Sizzix and was demoing them as well as showing her creations.......

Awwwww that house! She was so so so lovely!

(and yes, a lot of the dies you have seen in this blog we are getting in the shop....)

One thing we are not getting in the shop ( I cant get my own was all the time!) is this beautiful range from K&Co

Go on click on my photo and make it big and feel the love! If anyone is going to stock this range then please get in touch!

On a different note, it was World book Day yesterday and we do love this event in our house. Elli had to dress up as a character from her fav book. At the moment this is The Cow that Laid an Egg. One photo shoot later and 10 super pics, this is my fav.

Oh and who isn't loving the coming for Spring?!

AVATARIZE YOURSELF

2010-02-25T05:19:00.001-08:00

Mush-balls and {hearts}

2010-02-15T00:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our 8Th wedding anniversary. Yes we got married on Valentines day, yes we are mush-balls!My tip for the day is, never buy a heart shaped fried egg pan from the pound shop. It doesn't work! The toast stamp on the other hand did...... How cool is that! I now have a mad urge to collect toast stamps! I wonder if they do a Marmite one? So, our 8Th wedding anniversary consisted of ice skating, a £12 lunch in a Weatherspoons pub and then a nice Sunday afternoon kip!
Last night I made a layout and actually finished it. I nearly always take a few scrapping session to finish a layout. This one just happened.......

Well apart from the journo. I have to be in a journo kinda mood, otherwise I just put words down that don't mean anything and then regret it later! This page is about my lovely friend Polly. This photo was from last year when we went to Stitches trade show. We were being silly. For this page I really wanted to use stash which reminded me of Polly, either for her style, what she would like or what she had given me. I also had to include a kilt pin........

And this Scenic Route stamp I {heart}
Its the first day of half term here. I hope I suprvive without going maddddddd!

A Scrapbooking seed planted

2010-02-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

Its February - yay! I like this month so much more than horrid January.
When I was blog hopping the other day, I came across this idea.....
I love it when one idea can start a ricochet of ideas in ones head. I knew I would have to make a book about this. Why do I scrapbook? My first reaction is for my kids but when I thought about it more, there were loads of reasons.
So piled up some yummy stash, printed some pictures and started to make....

I love this Making Memories range, Just Chillin' Girl.

So I don't want to give too much away until I have finished my book but I am in love with this project. I love Shimelles ideas, they are like little scrapbooking seeds which she plants in your head, then to grow into something wonderful.

Talking of wonderful, how cute is this?! Knitting Nancy

Not sure if I brought it because the packaging is so wonderfully retro or because I liked the thought of making the little flowers. Either way £2 cant be bad. I love charity shops. I cant go to the High Street without going in one.

Well best go and do the kido's dinner.

Freezing, breezing, lemon squeezing!

2010-01-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I am freezing, breezing, lemon squeezing! Even though I love it getting colder, it does get to about now and I start looking forward to spring time. Don't get me wrong, I love being all wrapped up but I am getting bored of wearing the same few clothes. Its only this week that I haven't been wearing leggings day and night under whatever have on! We did enjoy the snow though and whilst everyone and their dog hated it, we just got on with it. The best days were - 1. The Saturday that I was in the shop and it just bucketed down all day. Barleylands looked beautiful! And 2. the next day when we went sledging......

I have been making a few projects over the past weeks, this one was a present for my Mum as it was her birthday.

Even though she can look at my photos of her Grandkids anytime on Facebook its nice for her to have her own copies. This book has one photo from each month of last year.

The other projects are not quite finished yet ;)

Yesterday I posted over HERE with this ..........

Goals old and new

2010-01-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

Happy new year blog!
So now the Christmas commotion has died down I am ready to start blogging again. I had a look at what I blogged this time next year and I came across my list of new year resolutions. Well I did stick to some of them, here is the list -
Not drink alcohol in the week - I think my liver has had enough
*This was stuck to for a month!
Be more patient with the kids and other people...
*Hmmmm have I been more patient........
Not get so offended by others words and actions, its their choice.
*Yes I stuck to this one.
Run the Race for Life and Brentwood Fun Run, I know I am not
supposed to run but I love it
*I did the Brentwood Fun Run and raised over £100 for St Luke's Hospice

Also I have some craft aims....
To be more organized with my classes at work
*Yes I was much more organized.
To actually make things for myself and not just work
*I did do this but maybe not as much as I would have liked
To make something from my Cath Kidston book
*Totally failed!
To be more confident about what I do
*At times I think this wavered at times but I did learn have more confidence.
So maybe I didn't do as bad as I first thought!

Anyway on to some interesting stuff. Over Christmas I got to do some making, or finishing I should say. This first one I made a while back but had no journaling mojo. I wonder if when I made this page I would have realised that I would be doing the journaling when it was snowing months later!

I really loved this paper but it had celebrate love or life or something and it just didn't fit with what I wanted to say. So I just covered that bit with a piece of white Bazzill and continued my title. I love trying to do multiple photo layouts, probably because I take so many photos!

This next one was a class I did with the fab Tuesday night ladies .

It has an exploding bit on the front, I pinched the idea from Polly.

The cool thing with this is that you can fit loads of photos in, down side is that you have to take it out of the page protector to see the buggers!

The photos I chose to use with this page were some recent ones of my Mum's birthday this year.I took loads of snaps of her opening her presents.

And last but not least this layout I did actually make over Christmas. If I could be a layout, at this time, right now, I would be this layout. Everything about it is me at the moment. The colours, the buttons (with the random gold one), gathered ribbon, bling.......

And stitching! I cant get enough of stitching on pages. I remember when I said 'a page isn't compete until I have stamped on it'. Well that's how I now feel about stitching.

And yes I sacrificed a book for this page. I did buy it to cut up though so that doesn't make me feel too bad! I think it looks super with a rub-on on it.

So this year my goals are -

To lose the rest of my weight

To learn to play my beautiful guitar

To do Pilate's so I can make my crummy body feel better.

Spend more quality time with the kidos because I know that it will be in a flash before my eyes and they will be grown up.

To enjoy life and take whatever it throws at me.

And in a creative way my goals are

To learn to crochet

To learn how to follow a knitting pattern!

To do more pages in my book of me.

To start painting again.

I wonder if this time next year I will be looking these feeling like I have achieved or not!

Notes of christmas

2009-12-07T05:15:00.000-08:00

Wow its really nearly here! Christmas that is. Just thought I would share a little project which I posted on the Sugar and Spice blog the other week.....
I just have to have a Christmas notebook. How would anyone cope with out one?!

Things have been busy here as they probably have been in any house hold at this time of year. I have Christmas presents to make, one of which I cant make until a certain person goes out, so Thursday night I will press on!
Anyway here is a picture of our girlie night out

Got to say the next day I was still drunk and had to get a cab to the doctors to have my swine and normal flu jabs!

Hello!!!

2009-11-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

Oops where did I go? Did I fall off the edge of the blogging world? Nearly. Fear not I am back!
Its been a busy few month and to be honest I am not sure where they have gone. I think being able to update my twitter status has taken over my blogging life!But I promise I will try harder.
Here are a couple of LO I have made since going walk abouts.. This first one is about Callum getting to that in between age. The panel at the top pulls out and contains the journo'. I love overlays but as one of the ladies said in class the other day, they don't look the same when they are in the page protectors.

This next LO is of a Christmas party our family had in January. We are always so busy in December that it makes sense.

I really loved doing this page, I think it was because I used old stash. Why didn't I use these rub ons before?One thing you cant see in this photo is the use of the glimmer mists, I sprayed the white bazzill .

Well I have made a few other things but I need to photograph them.

This time I wont leave it so long!

Stash shopping with kids!

2009-10-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Phew last month flew by!

I only took a few photos, most of which I have already posted, but there is a few which I haven't shared. That being our mad dash round Ally Pally.Now we didn't get there until 1.30 and it closed at 4 and I had 2 kids in tow!

Elli loved it. Callum didn't! I found it very hard work, not only because of the little time I had but because all I could hear is ' Mummmmmmmmmmmmmmmy!' and 'Can I buy this?' Elli was in craft heaven.

I did manage to buy a couple of bits but all in all I was quite good! This is probably because I work in the most fabulous scrapbooking store so see all the greatest stuff when it come in.

I love little trinkets!

Now I think this might have brought me luck yesterday

This lady made a good luck card for trying to get every ones Glastonbury tickets - it worked. I am going to Glastonbury 2010! Their 40Th one.

Thanks Pol!

Project peek!

2009-09-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one to say that I posted this......

over on the Sugar and Spice blog the other day, take a peek....

We are all off the the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking show today. When I say all I mean Me, Mum, Callum and Elli. Am I mad taking my kids? Yes probably but it was the only way I could have gone. The only thing on my wish list is an ice skate stamp or die so I can making Elli's birthday party invitations.I am sure I will find some other bits though ;)

Happy Sunday

So whats been happening in Bugland?

2009-09-20T00:48:00.000-07:00

Last week was my birthday. I cant believe that it was a year ago that I turned 30 now I am 31!
My birth week was great (birthdays are so yesterday daaaaarling!) I was spoilt. I got 5 new friends for this ............

I love my Troll bead bracelet. I love all the fables and names behind the beads. This is why I wanted Troll because they mean more then just looking pretty. And they are the original! Look at my new Owl - A symbol of wisdom and protection, the owl watches over the forest at night as the trees come alive and the trolls come out to play.

I also got a photo printer - woooo hooo! For all those times when I take a photo I love and need to scrap them NOW! Not that I have set it up yet. It needs to be a special moment, but hopefully today I will get that moment.

So to say thank you for all my lovely gifts (and there was many) I made these little cards, made from a collection of my favourite things - Kraft card, corrugated card, red gingham and ladybugs. I will be writing these little beauties today.

And for the rest of the day I will be hoping to sort out my stash cupboard with pure harshness, setting up my printer (who doesn't have a name yet) but in reality I will be running round like a nutted taking Elli to parties and stuff!
Hope my mojo return as its gone on a little trip away from Bugland at the moment.........
Happy Sunday!!

Awards all round!

2009-09-07T03:09:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo I have some blog awards! I haven't had one for ages.

Conditions of the award:

I must thank the person who gave me the award, list their blog and link to it.
I must list ten honest things about myself.
I must put a copy of the Honest Scrap logo on my blog.
I must select at least seven other worthy bloggers and list their links.
I must notify bloggers of their award.

So a big thank you to Tracy for my award

Here goes..........

1. I am quite an honest person, this gets me in trouble quite aloft.

2. I love my little family more than anything in the world.

3. I also really really love my friends, I don't know where I would be without my girls!

4.As I am getting older the list of things that get on my nerves are getting huger! Like 4x4's, rude people, no hooks on the doors of public toilets, late people. God things make my blood boil!

5.I am a very paranoid person. This isn't helped by people who are not honest. If you have a problem say!

6. I honestly prefer monkey nuts with the shell on, they taste better!

7.I love my job

8. I really think the only way to stay slim is to go to weight watchers FOREVER!

p>9. I always wonder who is reading my blog and wish one day everyone would leave a comment so I knew who they all are!

10.I have a type of Bipolar called Cyclothymia.

So that's my answers I am now going too pass the award on to Polly, SJ, Jayne, Lisa, Lisa Twinkle Toes, Paula and Marion.

Next one is also from Tracy too.

Rules of the award are that I must pass it on to 5 people and list 5 things I am addicted too.

So I am passing it on to Nicola , Louise, Kirsty, Paige and Judith
So 5 things I am addicted to....
1. Anything vintage
2. Wearing skinny jeans - my legs look wrong without them on!
3. BasicGrey
4.Facebook and twitter - Look me up, I am Ladybugnina
5.Tortilla wraps for lunch .

Kids went back to school fine. Elli won the first head teachers award of the year, so we were all chuffed! First day back at school at I receive a letter about Callum starting senior school next year - gulp!
Oh and its my birthday on Wednesday!

School stuff......

2009-09-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

So as of tomorrow the kids are back at school. How quick has the summer holidays gone?!

Over the holidays I have seen some change in the kids. Callum has become big. Big like going out on his own on his bike, with his mobile phone, to knock for friends. Big also in being bossy and thinking he knows best. I know that there is more to come as he will enter into year 6 tomorrow, the last year of juniors. Yes that means that next year he will go to senior school!!! Being in the last year of juniors will give him confidence - the oldest kids in the whole school! I am not looking forward to choosing his senior school. Its such a big decision.
Elli is matured. She is having less tantrums and seems happier. We have had a great girlie holiday. Tonight she used my shimmer body wash and exclaimed how beautiful it was! Such a girl.
Whilst reading September Creating Keepsakes in the bath yesterday I came across some really cool stuff. I really loved the back to school journaling article. They spoke about interviewing your child, question & answer style. Also about getting your child to talk about their day and you write it down in their words. I loved that! And also getting your child to write their own journaling for the page. It would be cool to see how much their writing had changed later on in the year. They also had some great tips on back to school photography. I loved the idea of taking a photograph of them with a Rosy red apple and the school year they were going in of the front in thickers!
So I am all ready for tomorrow, bags packed, uniform ironed and photo shoot sorted ;)

Take a lookie!

2009-08-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Just a super quickie to say that I have posted this on the Sugar and Spice blog......... Go take a peek!

Our days out.....

2009-08-20T00:35:00.000-07:00

Well last week was super busy and I thought I would share some of our adventures. This little slide show is of our couple of days at Longleat

We had a wonderful break at a wonderful place.
These photos are from a day out we had to London. We went to the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and then had a little shopping at Tottenham Court Road...

Think the kids were a little sick of me talking photos as I took over 300 at Longleat!
Then we went to the holy grail of stationery - Paperchase on Tottenham Court Road

The boys looked like this....

Me and Elli looked like this.....
Elli was honestly really really excited, she kept squeezing me!

3 floors of stationery goodness!

Oh and I did manage to have the time to make these

Lime and coconut muffs.....yum.....

Celebrating friends.....

2009-08-17T03:31:00.000-07:00

A couple more projects for the eyes of my little blog.
This layout I finished a few weeks ago. Its all about me and my special friend, Cara.We met when our boys were at pre school together, about 7 years ago. Instantly we clicked. We are like giggling school girls together and regularly geek off! One of the things we always discuss is how cool it would have been if we were at senior school together and that the story behind this layout. The journoing says - "What if?. I always think, what if me and Cara had been at school together? What would we have been like? I am sure we would have sat at the back of the class passing notes to each other! Our laughter and giggling would have been ringing down the corridors! Love you loads."

This next Layout is of my lovely Scrapbooking buddies, Dawn and Jo. As you know Dawn was the one who got me into scrapbooking and the 3 of us have regularly met up for a day of crafting and chats for about 3 years now.

When we got these lovely My Little Shoe Box papers and yummies in the shop I know I wanted to use them in a layout about these 2. They are as fun as the papers.!

I love love love these little letters and the cute button as brought from the boot sale yesterday as was this wonderful trim

It was £1 for about 15 metres!!!

So leave a comment and I'll get the chickens to pick someone at random to receive a couple of metres. Its yummy!
x

I have fallen back in love!

2009-08-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

Hello little blog, how have you been?
I wanted to share a mini book which I made last week. This mini book was for a friend, as present, to remind her of our time at Glasto.

I had fallen out of love with mini books for a while, ploughing through 12x12 pages like mad. I think I am back in love!

For this project I used the 7 Gypsies Rubber Band Book and lots of Lime Rickey from Basic Grey, which is another thing I am back in love with.

It was totally mad to have a project with nearly none of my handwriting in, I used these lovely MM letter stickers instead. I used so many O's I had to break into another pack!

Well she totally loved the book. She isn't a scrapbooker and I am always worried about giving projects to non scrappers in case they ' don't get it'. She did!

Now I know I need to make a flag book for our trip this week to Longleat. I took 329 photos! And yesterday we went the the Natural History Museum in London so I need to buy this

So cute!

An un'bee'livable day!!!

2009-08-05T00:14:00.000-07:00

Last week we took a little trip to Cressing Temple Barns. A lovely lady I know told me about a special bee event that they were having there. My kids love anything to do with nature. The barns and ground were wonderful, amazing to think that some of those buildings had been there since 1600, especially the timber barn which is the oldest timber barn in the world! The bee talk was super, the kids loved it and the bee man managed to keep their attention! And I discovered a love for lavender honey - yum! Anyway here are a few of the millions of pictures I took....

Lets party!

2009-08-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

Its all going off over on Shimelle's lovely web siteWe were asked to make a project from a set of printables from the site, they all sounded super cool so I asked Shimelle to randomly choose one for me. It was super cool that she chose music, this has really got me thinking. I was going to put this page in my book for me....

But then thought I could do a whole album about my love of music, including a CD for every song I was scrapping about. Then I would have a whole collection of Cd's and pages which the kids could look back over and listen to. I am buzzing about this idea!

I was also loving my glimmer misted cogs!

Don't forget to take a peek on the web site, its brimming with fabby stuff..........

Schools out for Summer!

2009-07-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

So a couple of weeks since my last post, I am really turning into a bad blogger. I find myself Facebook or Twittering my words that I would have said on here.
The kids are on summer holidays, the good behaviour chart is in order and we have had a rather good week. But really I need to catch up on all things that I haven't caught up on.
So end of term means teacher gift, this lovely lady told me about this post it note holder.

So I had a play and this is what I came up with...

These chipboard apples are just sooooooooooooooooo yummy! I inked them ( as I was too lazy to find my paints!) and covered them in Glossy accents. Yes yes I did put glitter on, after telling all the girls at work that I don't do glitter any more!

So we wrapped them up and Elli made some cards. I love this photo because her writing is so cute. I thought I would take a photo of the teacher gifts every year and see how her writing changes. I have had plans since the start of the school year to make Elli a school scrapbook. Not done anything about it until this week when I brought the album. I now cant wait to get started on it.

This photo will most certainly feature in it. Elli on her last day in reception with Mrs Emmerson.

So with school stuff chatted about I made this quickie note book in aid of a Photo day with the super Daniel Bridge

I love the Bind it all!

This is my favourite photo of the day.....

And last but not least me in my fabby Slice apron given me to by this fabby lady. Thank you so much Lisa!

I do have other things to say but I am far too tired and don't have the photos on hand. I hate blog posts with no photos!

PS..... Marion is at CHA!

This Buddy.......

2009-07-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would post a layout which I did before I went to Glasto. This night in question I had no mojo. It was terrible! I had an evening to myself, no men, the kids in bed. Just me, the dogs and bottle of wine but I couldn't flow. Then out of no where, in 30 minutes came this....... This layout is of my lovely friend Dawnie, who got me into the world of scrapbooking. Its going to live in my book of me album. I know its not me but I feel it needs to be included in my life story as scrapping is a big, huge, massive part of my life.
Some details in particular which I am loving about this layout is the lace and this beautiful bead and sequined flower, which was 20p from the market. Bargain or what?! And I also cant get enough my fab die cuts from SJ .

Last week also brought a 10 year with it. Yes my little man is 10! Question have started coming into my mind like, should he be staying up later now?, how far can he go on his bike to hang out with his mates? And another scary thing is that I wore his jacket to the shops. I can now wear the clothes of my child!!!!
Anyway here he is with his mates at his birthday BBQ which we held yesterday.

Happy monday!
<

Glasto quickie!

2009-07-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

Wow I haven't blogged for ages and ages! Glastonbury seems like ages ago and I thought I would share it with you

We had a wonderful time and so much happened that I need to do a best bit summery

The weather despite being wetting than last year, being so hot that I have some back browner than I have ever been in my life!
Our lovely friend Nige being back in the Glastonbury spirit this year.
Camping with the best neighbours.
Alter8 DJ set.
The Whip tearing up the Other stage
Chilling in the circus big top tent.
Wonderful good, like normal!
My Tash.
Tom Jones and Madness back to back, god my legs hurt after!
Hanging out with great family and friends .
Jamie Cullum and the trumpet moment.
Finally seeing the Prodigy after loving them forever!

Just a quick one but Ill be back tomorrow...............

Oh and before I go, I have posted HERE today

Cool news!

2009-06-12T23:29:00.000-07:00

First of all I have some cool news, Marion has kindly let me go on the design team for her lovely stamps, so keep your eyes peeled for loads of fab ideas and projects from the girls on the blog. I have made my first project already!
Also I have this layout to share. I wasn't pleased with it but now I have looked at it again to photograph it I think its not half bad!

Its all about now I felt when Elli was born.

I cant stop rouching ribbon!

These wonderful scalloped circles were from SJ's Folksy shop
So just a quickie today as I need to get the kids ready and go to work.
Oh and I am going to Glastonbury in 11 days!!!

17 days......

2009-06-01T00:57:00.000-07:00

Until Glastonbury Festival! I cant believe its that time again. This year is zooming by. We are now all getting very excited as the line up had been realised so we know what bands and musicians are playing, but the music is such a small part of the festival, there is so much more to do.

Not only is there the most glorious food and pear cider but loads of crafts to do too. Including bowl, plate and spoon carving, pencil making, Glass blowing, felt making, silver jewellery making, soap making a crochet. You book onto these workshops and pay from nothing up to about £20. Now I have to work out what I am going to do around what bands I am going to see. There is also other things that I want to do this year. Like chill in the comedy tent and visit Trash City at the early hours of the morning, see more of this blokes amazing photos here

I think after the line up is announced and the excitement has died down the main thing on everyone mind is the weather. I know Glastonbury is known to be a mud bath and yes sometimes it is a mud bath, but sometimes we do have glorious sunshine. So I will be checking the long range weather forecast every day in the hope of good news. This is the forum I will be stalking as a kind weather enthusiast is doing weekly updates.

Today I am going shopping for a festival bag. My one from the last 2 festivals has fallen apart. I am in love with this one

So I will be checking it out today.

Taking of purchases I brought this in Purple Rose Boutique in the high street

Not done too much of my own crafting this week, I do plan to finish a few things off tonight when I watch the Apprentice final. Sad James went, I do love a geek!

Catch up stuff

2009-05-29T01:28:00.000-07:00

*Long post warning* ( Totally my fault though as I ha vent posted for so long!)
So May has flown by, I cant believe that its nearly June and June means Glastonbury Festival but I am not going to witter on about that now as I have too many other things to report.
Last week was one of my lovely friends birthdays. Christine is such a lovely fun person and she has had a bit of a rough time as of late. So I wanted her to have a special birthday. I brought this lovely necklace from Etsy. Its handmade from recycled siver

And looks so cute wrapped up!

Shock horror! I have made some cards from different card blanks! I had to make Christine a card with cakes on. After all she does make the best cakes. And I even glittered it, I am really not into glitter at the moment but it just needed it.

This card was made for Kev's cousin and her hubby to be for their wedding. Their colours were ivory and teal and I just have make a card that matches! How hard is it to find teal patterned paper?! I had to make my own in the end with teal ink and my Roley stamper from SU. I embossed Ben and Lauren initials with clear gloss emboss and silver ink.

On Saturday we had a lovely day at the wedding. I will post more pictures next post.

On a completely separate note, I am currently changing the the food I eat. No I am not on a diet as I hate this word, I am re educating myself. So far I have lost 7 and a half lbs. I am rediscovering food I loved last time I was re educating. Like this.....

Mmmmmm Muller Light with fresh fruit and merange on top.

And this is my favourite new breakfast.

Off now to do some boring housework but will listen to my new Tom Jones album whilst doing it to get me in the Glasto mood, yes he is playing!

Purchases of happiness.....

2009-05-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

Friday me and Kev went to Bluewaters shopping centre. He had a day off work so we could spend the day together :) I love Bluewaters. I think its because my Dad was in charge of the painting of it so I saw it being born if you like. Well and because it has such yummy shops and restaurants. I did buy few things but I didn't want to bore blog land with with all, apart from this......
When am I actually going to iron transfers onto things?! Not sure but I loved this book.

Then today I went to the High Street which does never mean just going to the places I need to go. I am a full on charity shop lover. This love started when I was 15, me and Dad would walk to a local independent one. I got some amazing random clothes in there! Well anyway today I brought these......
For goodness sake how lovely are these?! £3.50, in my size - I am just so excited.

Last but not least a little make...

wohhhhhh there, bit full on with the patterned paper background but I love it! I also love Thickers. Why have I not got into these sooner?! I will be begging Marion to get lots more in, ecspecailly these puffy ones. I have to say that since I have been making 'kits with my new stash I am on fire! I have another 2 layouts that I am doing, I just cant wait to use it all!

Journo lessons!

2009-05-07T08:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of makes...
This first one I made a few weeks ago but couldn't think of what to journal. Its hard when you have so many super photos of the kids, sometimes I just don't know what to say. I remember taking these photos, thinking of scrapbooking and knowing they would make a great page, but years down the line I cant remmebr what was so special about that day. I even looked back on my blog to see what I had wrote but it didn't give anymore clues than 'Elli enjoying an ice cream'!. So it did give me a kick up the bum to journal more often so when I use the photos I know what to write.

The fabby transparencies are from a loads of stash I brought from the shop. I really didn't want to just stick them , so I stitched them on. All a bit addicted to stitching at the moment!

This one was a thrown together quick job which I am super pleased with. I love My Little Shoebox. Even though their style has totally changed I think its for the better. The photo is the view out of the door in my first home, the flat I brought when I was 19. It is such a special place in my heart even though I wasn't there for long before getting pregnant and having to buy a house. The blank space in the middle is where I am going to journal. This time I know I wont have a problem. There is so much I want to write about this place that I am worried I might not have room to fit it all on! Oh and vinyl Thickers yummmmmm, I need more and in every colour.

The flowers were something that I would never buy and were given to me, but I love them on this page. I was tempted to stamp on them, I am pleased I didn't. The leafs are made from scrap felt and the back side of the paper. The doodles hand done ( the only way for me). I did wonder if they needed Liquid pearls on the end of them but I thought it was best to step away from the page at that point as not to go too far!

Today I have been scrapping with my favourite scrappy girls. I cut lots of paper then put it away, then finally started a DLO and was disappointed when we ran out of time and had to get the kids from school. I think we just need to chat less ;)

Stitch'z of love

2009-05-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

Another week whizzed by! This week I have been so busy, you know one of those weeks where every time slot every day is bursting?

Still managed to squeeze in a few projects. I made this card for our lovely friends Cara and Nathan who celebrate their wedding anniversary tomorrow ( hope she doesn't read this before she opens the card!) Gotta say I love the whole bird thing, and the orange thing, oh and the Bazzill In Stitch'z thing too. The alpha set is so cool and the whole thing is made so much easier with the proper paper piercer that goes with it. No fingers slipping down that wooden handle!

These quickies were made for my fellow 'Glastobaters'. The inner pages were made from cheapo note books from Asda (29p) and bound with my Bind It All machine. I do now want to make millions of note books for every occasion!They were so quick and simple to make.

Then on Friday I went to Kev's cousin Kim's wedding. It was a lovely day and she looked totally stunning. Mark is such a lovely bloke.

This week in the shop has been so busy too. Not only having loads of deliveries, we have some exciting plans and classes coming up. The first thing and probably the only thing I can talk about at the moment is the design team call for Marion's Sugar and Spice stamps. Pop along here to learn how to enter. I cant wait for the entries to start coming in, its going to be like our very own Britain's Got Talent but with stamps and paper!

On Tuesday we have lots of goodies coming in from America, so excited even though I have brought a few goodies lately so I am on a stash diet, but then saying that I do {need} some new bits to go with these.....

Huge amounts of 2009 photos! I have been scrapping with old photos for so long now that I thought I would treat myself to some new ones to play with.

So on that note I am off to play......

cards and catch up

2009-04-26T02:16:00.000-07:00

Hello blog its been too long :)
A little slide show of what we did in the school holidays.....

Work has been busy. Busy with Ally pally, classes and ordering new stuff :)This week I have made these cards
I love these papers for baby boys its just a shame that the company didn't last. I cut the name on my Slice ( I love it!) and finished it off with a couple of stitches.
This one

I made for Polly Happy birthday Luv!
Now the grass was made from this.....

and I just cut a triangle out of the middle, ta Dar! Perfect grass. The tree stamp was from my lovely Banana frog Shimelle sets, as was the wood grain stamp I used on the trunk. The I heat embossed it with gloss embossing power, mmmmmmm nice!
Today Callum has his St Georges day parade, I will take millions of photos. I haven't scrapped the ones from last years yet, opps! Also today I am going to order zillions for pictures to scrap. I feel a scrapping surge coming on!

The medicine of Muff!

2009-04-09T03:08:00.000-07:00

Another week has flown by, this time I have been drenched in illness. Elli with tonsillitis, then Callum. Me, I had a chest infection and my spring hayfeaver reared its ugly head. To be honest I don't really remember much about the last week and I certainly don't remember teaching my class on Saturday, sorry girls I will be back to normal this week. Yesterday to cheer me up the lovely Bev dropped in her latest creations

Lemon meringue muffins. They were heaven. Marion thought they were the best ever! They did make me feel better.
So we are now in Easter holiday land. The kids are not bored *yet*. We are going to my sisters tomorrow so they can play with their cousins (Sonny is now crawling as of yesterday) and me and Ruth plan to go through some old photos, scan them and shame people on Facebook with them mwaha haha!
Better go, my lip stud just fell out!

Time

2009-03-29T02:49:00.000-07:00

Ohh I haven't blogged this week, where does the time go? Talking of time, I brought this fab clock the other day. Isn't it just the coolest?

Where has spring gone? I really wanted to get on with my spring book but then it went. Cant take spring photos with rubbish weather!

Well I am off now to go to the garden centre to get some plants.....

Happy Mothers Day!

2009-03-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have had a wonderful, relaxing mothers day today {maybe the best ever!}.
I forgot to post this layout which I done a few weeks ago. Tarring, doodling on buttons and finally using my ticket stamps and my super cute rainbow made me very happy with this layout.
I love these tickets, why I haven't I used them before?
Project spring album is going well, taken a few pictures , made some notes but I ate the Magnums and forgot to take a picture so I now need to buy more.......

Defining spring

2009-03-19T03:45:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking at the moment about the change in the weather, noticeably its gone from dark and damp to bright and cheery. Now I know I love winter and it only seems like yesterday that I posted about how much I loved that but I do love the start of spring too. There have been a few defining moments this week that tell me spring has sprung. 1. putting my washing out to dry on the line for the first time, 2. having my first ice cream and 3. being able to sit in a beer garden with only jeans and a T on! I asked the kids what they thought, Callum said that nature had changed (little surprise that he had noticed that!) and Elli said that some girls were wearing their summer dress (and again typical woman to notice what other girls are wearing!). But then I also thought that its not just a visual thing. The coming of a new season makes me feel different inside, dizzy with excitement for what is to come. Soooooooooooooo what I am trying to get at this that I am going to make a mini book about what spring is to me. I am going to take photos of my washing today and even brought some Magnums to take a photo of, I might have to eat one too so I can get my journo'ing just right ! Does anyone want to play along?

Sunday me and Kev done our runs, me just doing the fun run which I ran in 32 minutes and 2 seconds ( 3 and a half miles) and Kev doing the half marathon which he completed in 2 hours and 8 minutes. The day way beautiful and I raised over £100 for St Luke's Hospice which I am very pleased about. I hadn't looked at the route before as I didn't want to see long roads and big hills so I would feel negative on the day, so I wasn't aware that we would be running past my Nanna Pats grave. Not sure why but this really got me! Blubbing and running not good!
Well I am off to tidy my messy house and this afternoon I am helping at Elli's school, yes I am mad!!
Oh and btw I love Elbow Even their website is great! Check out their new album is you haven't got it http://www.theseldomseenkid.com/

Quick and tired!

2009-03-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one as I am so tired tonight! Here are 2 quick layouts that I did last week. This first one has hidden journaling.......I love the bird! I used my new Stampin up roller stamp thingy with a water mark ink pad.

This one about Callum and his favourite things at the ages of 9 is not one I am 100% happy with at the moment. Maybe it will grow on me.

Friday, Red Nose day, Elli's school had a mad hair and wear red day. Poor Callum ended up on the sofa all day with a virus which I had at the beginning of the week:(

Tomorrow I am running a 3 mile fun run for St Luke's Hospice. If anyone would like to sponsor me then follow this link They do such amazing work there and couldn't survive without money being raised and volunteers.

I am off to bed now nite nite x

Photos that make me happy!

2009-03-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

Phew this week has flown by!I am pleased it did in a way as I have been so premenstrual!
Anyway I just wanted to show a class which is on 28Th March which I am super pleased with. I love it! I might have to make one for my album. It all about reusing your old stash and saving a bit of wonga!

Today was Elli's first World Book Day. She wanted to dress up as a hippo in a tutu from her favourite book of the week Party Animals.

I wanted to capture the little details. I painted her finger nails as the hippo has hers painted. It wasn't until I put this picture on the PC that I realised how her hands are still so baby like, it took my breath away a little. This will be a photo I will treasure forever. A moment in time captured.

Went round my lovely friend Dawnie's for a scrappy day today. This girl was the one who got me scrapping.

Me, Dawn and Jo had such a lovely day. Didn't get much done though!

To make master pieces or not.... that is the question!

2009-02-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

Ohhhh I have so many ideas at the moment! Ideas for classes, ideas for my own projects and even ideas for birthday parties! Last night I made a layout which wasn't planned, it just kind of happened. I think my problem is that every layout needs to be a master piece and anything less isn't good enough, in turn this makes a big deal out of scrapbooking. So last nights layout wasn't a master piece more like a break through. Tonight I have no men to look after as they are at football so I will try and make another page the way I did the last one (I will post a pic when I have interviewed Callum for the journalling).
I have also had another idea which I am buzzing about....... I'll tell more later ;)
PS Thanks to Polly for this photo. xxx

fab fab fab few days!

2009-02-18T03:00:00.000-08:00

Wow I have had a fab few days and now need to do a long post to blog about it all!

Saturday was our wedding anniversary and yes you guessed it St Valentines day.
After work (the 1st of the Year album class was fabby!) we went to the most fabulous Punch Bowl at High Easter. We had never eaten there before and wasn't disappointed. Highlights were
Getting an orchid on arrival
The champagne and strawberry cocktail
Heart shaped butter
Scallops for starters
A wine glass as big as my head!
Belly of pork (OMG!)
Being able to have a little bit of everything for the dessert trolley
Being invited to look at the owners wine rooms
Hand made chocolates to take home

spending time with my fav man!

Phew! It was such a wonderful place, thanks Suzanne for recommending it.
And to top it all off Kev brought me this baby....

Thank you x x x x x

Soooooooooooooooo the next day was the Sugar and Spice girls road trip. We were heading to NEC to buy goodies for the shop.

A few pictures of loveliness......

The gang! We had just done our make and take with the new K&Co range.

Another piece of loveliness. This was on a wonderful button stall and the kind lady showed how to make so watch this space! The coolest thing ever was there web site details were on huge buttons! Now that's a great business card.

Here is Marion doing a class we took. We were using silver leaf. Now I know this is a really old fashioned technique but there is just something cool about it. I cant wait until we get some in the shop so I can have a proper play.

Me and Polly are a bit excited about kilt pins!

And we are hugly excited about Glimmer mists!!!!

Ohhhhh the American craft goodies! I really really really cant wait to get these in!!!

And to top it all off I saw this on the way home....

A Marmite tanker! How cool is that?

Thanks girls for a fab time. We invented new works, revitalised old ones and Paula came out with the most random northern phrases ever!!!

I love you both!

Birthdays and Fillings.....

2009-02-09T03:17:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love it when you know you have the perfect prop for the days HSMS!
A substance used to fill i.e sandwich, pie or tooth cavity, show us 'Filling' in your space.

This crumble was made by my Mum for Kev's birthday yesterday
We got him a camera for his birthday. He can use mine but I do tend to take it everywhere with me and hate to be parted with it.

Saturday night we went out for birthday drinks. I cooked the most fab chunky chili casserole ( I will put the recipe up this week). The only thing is I left it on the hob whilst we went to the pub! Oops! The house didn't burn down and the dinner was yum.

Happy Birthday Kev!

2 LO!

2009-02-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

This layout has been sitting waiting patently for me to journal on it, like for 2 months! I am not 100% happy with it,mainly because of the title. I cocked up the rub ons so I thought I would go over them in black Glaze pen, that looked too much so I put a bit of copper on it and then thought I should step away from the title as I was really going to bugger it up if I did anymore!Anyway I love this little element. Using my Maya Road chipboard swirls, I stamped randomly on them and put these lovely metal flowers on the end.

The journaling is written in one continual line. Its hard to get used to writing like this but when you start you don't want to stop!

This next layout I love for 2 reasons....
1. Its sums up my personal scrapbooking style at the moment and
2.Everything apart from the tile font stickers ( which were 49p) were given to me!

This layout lives in my Book of Me album which I started last year and didn't do very well with it! This year I am going to keep do a few more layouts to put in it.
There are so many elements I love. The flowers, cute owl, lace and the pearls.

Today has been one of those days where I wish I hadn't got out of bed. I did have a yummy lunch with some fab ladies and got whooped at air hockey!

My favourite photo of the day....

2009-02-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

The kids loved the snow.

Hinge and waffle....

2009-01-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

So today I feel rough. I have a cold and my head might explode any minute! If it did explode I wouldn't want to imagine what would come out. It is being made slightly better by mummy coming round giving me a foot rub, hugs and having a dance in the lounge to Somewhere over the Rainbow.
Saturday night we went to my Aunt and Uncles 60Th birthday party. Spending time with my favourite wubly cousin is always fun. Love ya Ilana!

HINGE
A device for holding together two parts such that one can swing relative to the other. Show us 'Hinge' in your space.

I took a couple of photos for today's HSMS and couldn't decide what one to put up. So i put both of them up and liked the look of them together. I have good hinges in my house!

Also today I am sorting out stash for swaps tomorrow with some of my scrappy buddies. We haven't got together in ages, I cant wait to see them both.

I hope my waffle made sense today!

WATER

2009-01-23T03:16:00.000-08:00

*Slight rant warning*
Last night I got a phone call from the Adult Learning College. It seemed the Photographic course that I so wanted to do but was full up now had a last minute place as someone had dropped out. Now this would have been really cool and we actually would have had the money as Kev get paid today apart from the fact that yesterday the car broke so we need the money for that. Rahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Why do I have the worst luck ever?! Some people are just lucky, the luck just pours over them like a hot shower on a freezing day.These people still moan. Try having my luck. Tell you what lets swap luck for a week and then you wont moan again. Right rant over. I will do the course and make something of it.
Anyway as I had to take the car to the garage to get fixed, I had to walk back home in the rain. This gave the the opportunity to take this photo for TODAY'S hsms.
A liquid that is essential for plant and animal life. Find 'Water' in your space.

I wouldn't put walking in the rain into my list of bad luck things. I actually like it. There is something really nice about being super wrapped up and feeling the drips on your face. This does lead on to my love of the winter months. Wrapping up to brave the cold is something I get great joy in doing. I think because it involves having to choose hats and extra things that you don't in the summer. Its another opportunity to accessorizes!

Try walking in the rain, its nice!

Instruct

2009-01-19T06:19:00.000-08:00

To provide with information, to teach or give instructions to, show us 'Instruct' in your space.

This what I will be instructing tomorrow night in my Tuesday evening class. Its a double page interactive layout using yummy Kaiser craft papers. Cant wait to see the girls and am excited that there are some of my other favourite ladies joining the group. I just hope that Bev makes her after eight mint muffins!

Sport

2009-01-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

An athletic game or pastime, often competitive, involving physical capability, show us 'Sport' In your space today.

This is my sport at the moment. I have been using my Wii Fit for 45 minutes every other day. I am a good girl!

Today I have been designing some classes for work. Tonight I have to make something special for someone.......

Technology

2009-01-12T05:58:00.000-08:00

The application of mechanical or scientifics for industrial or commercial use. Show us Technology in your space.

Oh for the love of my Ipod Touch. Its the best gadget EVER in the whole world!!!
( can you see me in the photo?....)

This weekend......

2009-01-12T05:25:00.001-08:00

I made a few cards. Some from scraps ( which is what I do 90% of the time) and some from some paper I was given and I knew it would be perfect for the people receiving the cards. I was really in a flow and could have created all day but we had a party in the afternoon.....

Blake my nephew is 7 today and had his party yesterday
After waiting for an hour, Elli had her face painted. After doing loads of butterflies and flowers the woman looked slightly shocked at the request of a penguin!

I think she did a super job! A complete work of art.

Elli is so beautiful it takes my breath away..........

Homemade

2009-01-08T03:23:00.000-08:00

Made by your own hands rather than factory made or shop bought. Show us something homemade in your space today.

Thought I would play along with HSMS today. These are my baskets with my handmade mini albums in. I like them to be assessable to people to look at when they visit. There would be no point in doing them if no none looked at them!

Happy Birthday mum!

2009-01-08T02:29:00.000-08:00

Well new year going well... I haven't drunk all week, did had to have a sniff of Kev's wine last night though......

Monday was Mum's birthday. I do always feel so sorry for Mum and anyone who has a birthday in January. I think everyone is sick of buying presents and making loads of effort, Mum was due in April but came early.

We surprised her with a traditional ploughman's lunch

Elli was so excited, I really love this picture of her. Such a shame its out of focus. I don't normally keep the out of focus ones but this one is so cute.

This is a little book I made for Mum. Using my bind it all and a bit of rubbery clear stuff for the covers that was from some Christmas packaging, I am soooo green! LOL!

I went back to work on Tuesday. The shop has had a change around and looks wicked I have loads of stuff to design but are being really organized like I said I would ;)

Well a new year hey?

2009-01-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

I always look forward to a new year. New beginnings, new ideas and new routines.
This year I am going to
Not drink alcohol in the week - I think my liver has had enough
Be more patient with the kids and other people...
Not get so offended by others words and actions, its their choice.
Run the Race for Life and Brentwood Fun Run, I know I am not
supposed to run but I love it

Also I have some craft aims....
To be more organized with my classes at work
To actually make things for myself and not just work
To make something from my Cath Kidston book
To be more confident about what I do

Christmas was all about this....

And now we are all feeling like this.....

I was totally spoilt this Christmas. Not only did I get an Ipod touch (which is the best gadget EVER!!!) I also got a Slice. Now to me this is the perfect solution for someone like me who does not have the privilege of having their own craft room to put something like the Cricut. Well that my theory anyway! I have already ear marked some of the cards that I want for it! Tonight I will be road testing the baby.
Oh and look at my winter new blog, thank you SJ. Blog queen!
Happy 2009!

Merry Christmas to you!

2008-12-23T02:00:00.000-08:00

Well this is probably the last time I will get to blog before Christmas day. I am busy today going to the farm shop to get my veggies and my naked farmer calender for 2009! I also need to make place cards and menus and vacuum the stairs and lots of things.
All presents are wrapped. This year I went to town and wrapped them all with brown parcel paper, silver string, red raffia, ribbon, paper bows and bells. I really enjoyed tarting them up!

Happy Christmas!

Excited... a bit!

2008-12-19T03:08:00.000-08:00

Well Its nearly here, Christmas that is. And I have got to say that it isnt until now that I have started to feel excited. I dont know if its because Kev has had his main present or because I havent been super organized. Normally I am all wrapped and sorted by now, I only just finished the present shopping yesterday.Maybe another reason is that Elli has chicken pox. She woke up Saturday moning with 8 spots on her arm and 2 on her back. I really thought it was a bite or a reaction to something she had ate at the school disco the night before. So when I took her to the doctirs on Monady to get some cream I couldnt believe it when she said it was chicken pox.I have to admit that I got into the car and cried! I cried because Elli was so upset that she couldnt go to school, because she was missing out on the best week and because I had so much to do.The spots are on thier way to healing so she should be ok for next week. I just hope callum doesnt get it!

This paper got me a bit excited,I havent brought paper to use one/ keep one to stroke for ages! Its by Heidi Grace.

So I make this super cute maze book for my cousin Ilana who met us at Glastonbury this year. She was there working with the Brit School whom is a student with.Ilana was doing filming, she is so talened, take a lookie

Busy busy bee

2008-12-08T23:41:00.000-08:00

I must confess that I haven't started my Christmas Journal yet... oops! Things have been manic really. With 2 children at 2 different schools the calender is bursting with non uniform days and Christmas school dinners . Work is also busy even though my classes are slowing down I now have next years to design.
Anyway I went to a wedding on Saturday night. One of my oldest friends from school Tatum. She looked stunning and the whole thing was a blast. Congratulations Tate and Jim!

Jack Frost has been...........

2008-12-03T03:25:00.000-08:00

2008-12-01T04:30:00.000-08:00

I cant believe how cold it is! Not complaining though. I like it like this, its how it should be this time of year. Today being the first of December I am going to play along with Shimelle's Journal your Christmas class and carry my journal on from last year. Admittedly I did only get to day 6 last year! This year I will be a better student.
And being the 1st December its Nessie's birthday today! She is 2, Woof Woof.
And talking of birthdays, here is a little slide show of Elli's 5th birthday a couple of weeks ago..

2008-11-11T08:54:00.001-08:00

I have loads to catch up with and feel like I am falling behind. I will blog this week. I will blog this week!
Also why are people so weird at the moment? May be its me? Blah blah blah.

2008-10-31T01:31:00.000-07:00

Few pictures I forgot to put up of when we went to Bluewaters shopping centre in the half term holidays. We always go to Ed's Diner for lunch. Callum had a Slick Dog which was a hot dog with BBQ sauce, cheese sauce and crispy bacon bits, so yummy!

Orange

2008-10-26T01:07:00.000-07:00

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!We have had a week of tummy bug! I forgot how much the little ones pick up everything and then give it to everyone else.
Next week is half term and Halloween, so we have lots of Halloween treats to make. I also need to go and take some Autumn pictures this week, if I don't the orange leafs will disappear for another year and I would have missed out!

I finished this double layout this week. Why do I not do more double layouts? I get to use up More photos that doing a single lay out and I do have HUGE amounts of photos!

2008-10-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

Opps! I cant believe I forgot to pop a few pictures on the bloggyroo of my sisters birthday tea party that me and Mum put on for her. We really went to town. Scones, clotted cream, paper doilies, Cucumber and salmon sandwiches ( with the crusts cut off of course!).

I managed to get a few fab pictures before my camera battery run out, well I couldn't remember everything!

We sent her next door to her in laws whilst we set up, her face was a picture - Quote from Ruth 'I feel 5 again!' Happy Beef day!

This week Elli had her first school disco. This was a totally different experience to when Callum goes because we had girly hair to do and jewellery to chose.

She was so excited and Mummy needed to get in there with a little photo shoot on the way.

Last night though it all went a bit pear shaped when she woke up in the night and threw up! I know this is part of them going to school but I forgot that in the first year they pick up every bug going! So today we are in sick land!

Whilst having a break from 'sick duty' I made a cake from a recipe which I was recently given by a customer in the shop. Her name is Norma Lemon Cake, because she makes the most yummiest lemon cake EVER!!!!!!! Thanks Norma!

Crunchy Lemon syrup Loaves

100g butter

175g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

175g caster sugar

2 eggs

4 tbsp milk

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

For the topping.....

Juice of 1 lemon

100g granulated sugar

Pre heat the oven to 180oc/ gas make 4. Lightly grease and base line 2x1 lb loaf tins with greased grease proof paper.

Measure all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes. Divide mixture evenly between the 2 tins and level the surface of each

Bake in a the pre heated oven for about 30 min or until the cakes springs back when the surface is lightly pressed with the finger and has shrunk back from the sides of the tin.

Whilst the cakes are baking, make the crunchy topping. Measure the lemon juice and sugar into a small bowl and stir to mix. Spread the lemon mixture over the baked loaves whilst they are still hot, and leave to cool completely in the tins. Turn out and remove paper once cold.

We have haing ours to night with creamy custard, yum yum!

Nice package and tashes!

2008-10-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

Just a few things I love at the moment.
These are so cute! Now I don't know if I love the glitter or just the packaging and the colours!

Now these are soooooooooooooooooo cute! I have to say that the packaging is the winner on this one. Genius! I just wish they would change the packaging for this country so it said crisps instead of chips.
Last but not least these tashes, why would I want tash rub ons? Why is my taste so random?! I really don't know what I would do with them at all.

I'm all alone.....

2008-10-03T01:58:00.000-07:00

I cant believe that as of today I have no children at home, both in full time education. I feel sad really. I feel like its come too quickly and I havent had enough time with Elli. This is the first time since becoming a mum that I have been at home on my own all day. I worry what I will do with myself. Just a couple of pictures of things I have been making recently.

Oh and my party invitation

30th birthday album I made for my cousin.

Pinch punch....

2008-10-01T00:14:00.000-07:00

.... first day of the month!( Callum got me this morning for the first time!)
My boys went to Father and Son cub camp this weekend just gone.
They had such a great time. I wish they did a mummy version, so I could go! I have a half made book which is going to be perfect for the photos which my hubby took. I am going to get them printed today.
I forgot to say a big Thank you in my last post to the lovely ladies which I teach on a Tuesday night. The week after my birthday I was surprised with a big bunch of sunflowers and an even bigger cake! I am missing these ladies as I now have 12 weeks for beginners, even though the beginners are lovely.
In the past week I have had a few bits of bad news. A friend that I have known for many years has cervical cancer, she is only 29 and one of my old school friends was killed in a car crash.
This has made me think about how life can be short. And how its important to look after your real friends and your close family, I am not messing with people who think peoples feelings are a joke anymore, real friends and family just don't do that. Live life and love.
Take care x x x

September!

2008-09-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hello blog! I haven't seen you in ages. This month has been a bit of a whirl wind. So I am just going to do a quick catch up. September means that I was going to be 30, so I had lots of party organizing to do. I really didn't want my party to be too normal so I decided to get loads of retro sweets....

All brought from The Pink Sweet shop .

My party was fantastic. I was so nervous that no one would turn up, but I was fine because most people did.
Really drunk far too much and there are some bad photos going round of me doing Micheal Jackson moves but hey that's what party's are all about!
Then Monday morning Elli Woo started school. She looked so grown up and beautiful in her uniform. I knew that she was so ready to go and has really enjoyed herself .
Buying Elli's uniform was just an extension of dressing up my little girl! Skirts with frills at the bottom, cute diamante details - I love it!
Tuesday I was 30! I had such a wonderful day and got so many lovely gifts and cards. I felt really spoilt and loved. Kev took the day off work and took me to Cafe Uno for breakfast and Mum, Dad and Ruth came round after school, followed by Laura and the kids. My wonderful friend Christine made me this cute cake, how cool?!
So that's some of September in a nut shell. I have more to tell, nothing to exciting though!

Shopping, eggs and lost dogs.....

2008-08-28T01:25:00.000-07:00

This week has been a good one. Monday me and Cara went on a lovely shopping trip to Bluewaters to buy birthday party dress. No men. No children, Just a good girlie time.Oh we needed it! Then I came home to discover this.......
Our first egg! Its tiny! Since then we have had 2 more, I keep asking the girls who is laying the egg but the just look at me!
I finished this LO this week. I buy loads of themed papers but rarely use them. the truth is I just love anything themed. So using this doggy paper was a trumpet for me!
The journalling tells the story of last Friday when Arty went on an adventure. Fun for him, stressful for everyone else!

My scrapbooking style had really changed, I have hardly used paint or inked the edges of stuff for ages!!! whats happening?!

So that's this week so far, still to come this week ...
Today - party man world with the kiddo's. Tonight I am making a 30Th birthday present for someone ;)
Tomorrow - getting kits ready for work
Saturday - work and my cousins 30Th birthday party
Sunday - Callum's best friends birthday party
Busy busy!

New callum...

2008-08-21T03:38:00.000-07:00

From this
To this

He looks so grown up!

Self portrait saturday

2008-08-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

I am sooooooo miserable today! Everybody is either at V festival or football and I am here on a day off bored!!! I was supposed to be going to V but it just didn't come together in the end. The only reason I wanted to go was to see Muse play, they are supposed to be fantastic live. And football, the first game of the season. blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
So my SPS is me looking miserable!!!

BRACELET

2008-08-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Jewellery, trinkets or adornments worn on the wrist. Show me you fave bracelet.
My space
I know its sad to still have my bands on but it reminds me of that special place every time I feel them on my wrist.

2008-08-14T00:58:00.000-07:00

I created this LO the other day using Heidi Grace Midnight Kisses collection. I used some lovely rubons from the collection and added some doodling and the girls names and the date. Can you see them?
Also some pictures from Monday when we visited Maldon Park. The water was freezing but the kids still wanted to play!

We've got chickens in our back yard..

2008-08-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

From this...

To this...
Yes we finally have our chooks! It has been over a year, we have been planning, making and building. Now they are here. Callum's one is called Mamba, Elli's one is called Lola but me and kev are yet to decide on our ones names. I feel like I just cant name her on a whim.She is a Jasine Hybred and lays blue eggs. Names needed please...

HOLD

2008-08-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

To carry and bear weight or load. What are you holding?

My fabby fruit bowl holding my fruit....

Star book and SOS

2008-08-03T00:58:00.000-07:00

I have made this super star book this week, another mini project that looks harder than it really is!Visually its fab, that's why its my SOS on HS/MS today. Its all about Callum, I just love doing boy projects. The Junkitz papers are so well suited to callum and his style. I think these will look great at Christmas, I might do a few as decorations this year. To some people it might seem strange to think about Christmas in August but to me its the start of the count down! By the end of the month I like to know where we are going for Christmas day and if we are eating out I like to have to all booked up too. Mad I know!
Happy Sunday!

KNOT

2008-08-01T01:45:00.000-07:00

A tangle in a length of string or hair, the hard, cross-grained mass of wood at the place where a branch joins the trunk of a tree found in planks or cuts of wood, a groups of people....the list goes on. Show me knots!

I am not going to have fun brushing Elli's hair this morning!

SNIFF

2008-08-01T01:11:00.000-07:00

To test the air with one's nose. Whats worth sniffing in your space?

CHA goodies!

2008-07-31T00:13:00.000-07:00

Goodies brought back from CHA for me by Marion. The little Yellow Bicycle bag in so cool. And I just LOVE this cute badge.

Not a great photo of the doggies with their new hair cut, I'll try and get some better ones. They just never stay still!