It's Me Sarah

Bye Bye Blogger

2007-11-09T09:22:00.000Z

Well, I have been wanting to migrate to Typepad for some time because it seems to suit my needs better. I have finally sorted out my template and I am ready to go on the new blog so, if there is anyone out there that actually links to this one you need to update you linkage!

My typepad blog is HERE and that is where I shall be blogging from in the future.

You may recognise the first post on the new blog as I copied and pasted in from this one for a bit of continuity.

Sarah xx

Have You Seen This?

2007-11-08T09:06:00.000Z

Well, a few weeks ago I was absolutely astounded when Tracie Hudson asked me to teach alongside her and Anna Bowkis at the Crop and Craft Christmas Workshop on 1st December. I am really excited about it as I am sure it is going to be amazing! I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with the classes or class kits they are going to be stunning. I attended last years Christmas workshop which Tracie ran and it was the first workshop I had ever attended and I was bowled over by it - I had such a great time doing the classes and we all had such a laugh. So pop over to the website to read all about it :) Get in quickly if you want a place as there are only limited spaces.

Too Absolutely Small

2007-11-06T18:30:00.000Z

I have been wanting to do this Charlie and Lola inspired layout for ages, I am so pleased with how it has turned out! The journaling in the top left corner is EXACTLY how Charlotte talks so it is going to be a great memory and of course we all love Charlie and Lola in this house - isn't it the best!!

The window was made from card backed with acetate and mounted on 3d foam over the photo of the sky (with a couple of cardstock clouds for good measure). I made the curtain out of a fabric remnant and put eyelets across the top to make them go on the wire 'curtain pole'. I made a little beaded tie back. The book on the 'floor' is an actual mini book with some journaling inside.

I had a fab parcel in the post the other day from Anna, thank you Anna I love it (especially the little acrylic stamp!).

We all went up to Plymouth Hoe last night to watch the bonfire and fireworks display. It was really good, but I tend to get bored after about 20 minutes. The kids loved the fireworks but the one and a half hour wait for them to start didn't go down too well as you can see by this photo. Along with the rain, the wait and not being allowed to go on everything at the fair they were feeling hard done by! I wish I had the chance to watch such great fireworks and have a stick of candy floss after bed time when I was little. It was worth it in the end though.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T20:33:00.000Z

Happy Halloween everyone.

Here are some pictures from our day :)

Carving the pumpkin

Ben Skeleton

Charlotte Witch

We have had great fun this evening going around all the family and scaring them into giving Ben and Charlotte some treats! They are now fast asleep in their beds after a very long day.

Bless them!

Whizz Whirl Crash

2007-10-29T11:51:00.000Z

Ok , I am a bad Mummy! I got up this morning and got the kids ready for school, this involved the usual amount of rushing around making pack lunches, ironing, sorting hair, doing breakfast - you know the drill. I even managed to get my contact lense in and put on a bit of make-up in order to not scare the other Mum's in the playground. We shot out of the door with five minutes to go and ran down the road. Guess what, the gate was padlocked! It's non-pupil day apparently - well I didn't have a letter about it and the list I have stuck inside a kitchen cupboard showing term dates for the year definitely shows the children go back today! There I was really looking forward to a nice peaceful morning!

So I brought the kids back home and got them out of their uniforms and into some other clothes. I have spent the rest of the morning building one of those marble tower things. I hate doing it, it always falls down and takes ages to put together. Hence, I spent about an hour and a half 'playing' with Ben and Charlotte so I could catch the pieces every two minutes as it fell down! Oh well, it was a good opportunity to take some pics.

As soon as I walked away the whole thing collapsed and Ben has just had a major strop because HE is fed up building it!! Ummmm, I don't actually remember him buiding it yet. So they are now in the kitchen eating their packed lunch. That's one advantage of thinking they had school, lunch was already made :o)

I updated the All About Eve challenge blog this morning with Challenge #10, it's to scrap your idol but this means anyone you admire really whether they are famous, infamous or just your best mate! Who is YOUR idol - pop over and have a look to see what the fab DT girls have created - they are just so talented it knocks my socks off!

Here is mine, obviously it had to be Marilyn Monroe for me.

My online name is monroegirl for a reason, I have always admired Marilyn Monroe - I even had an award winning Marilyn Monroe website a few years ago which I stopped when I changed ISP's and just didn't have the time to be involved in anymore. I visited Hollywood in 2001 for the celebration of Marilyn's 75th birthday and I had such a fantastic time. I met some wonderful people and even got to stay in the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel which is where the very first oscars were held!

And WOW! How lucky am I? Look what my Mum brought back for me from Tenerife....

I love it!

Park Life

2007-10-27T11:51:00.000+01:00

Saturday mornings usually mean ballet class these days but as it is half term there is no class on today. Instead Ben and Charlotte have been playing around with my scrapbooking stuff!!! Actually, it is not as bad as it seems I have been making flowers and they have been cutting up the remnants of the patterned paper - when I say cutting up I mean into weany little pieces that are now all over the kitchen floor :o)

I went to Tesco the other day to buy some potatoes but as it is half term the little monsters were with me and the potatoes cost £25! That is because I decided to get sorted for halloween. Charlotte has already got her outfit but I bought her some tights to go with it and got Ben a skeleton outfit and a couple of glow in the dark swords, a fairy wand, some glow in the dark teeth, a large bowl to put sweets in and some sweets. I can't wait for Wednesday to get them all dressed up for their halloween party! i think I am more excited than they are.

Here are some photographs from our trip to the park the other day.

I have been scrapping this week when I get a chance. I have done my layout for Mojo (which went up last night), I am not going to put it here because I am not very happy with it. It was just one of those times when I just couldn't get into the groove! However, the original layout and the other girls efforts are amazing so please do pop over there and grab some inspiration.

I have also done my layout for next weeks All About Eve challenge - it's a good one and it goes live on Monday. Here is a sneak peak of mine.

I also completed this layout which I started at the Plymouth crop a couple of weeks ago. Again, it was one that I just couldn't fathom but I am happy with how it turned out in the end.

I did a layout this morning and I love it - so I am obviously getting my groove back lol. I can't share it though :o(

What is the matter with them?

2007-10-23T14:35:00.000+01:00

I am. of course, talking about Ben and Charlotte who seem to have developed some kind of Half Term Nutter illness, I haven't heard of it before but I seem to remember them suffering from it during the summer holidays!!

They are currently outside in the garden allowing me 2 minute bursts of peace in between smacking each other and kicking each other in the face resulting in much screaming.

On top of that next door decided to power wash the front of their house yesterday and the front door, step and wall of our house are now filthy. Today they are painting the front of their house and our door, wall and step are now covered in dots of cream paint!!

To top it ALL off Ben had been outside the back gate earlier going up and down the back lane on his scooter and he had forgotten to close the garden gate when he came back in; I just went out in the garden to hang out the washing and stood on a huge dog poo! Arggh, not only that, I have long trousers on and it went on my shoes, my trousers and some washing I dropped. I looked around and there was dog poo everywhere and I had to clean it all up!! I don't have a dog, this was not my mess. I am NOT a happy bunny.

Well, enough of that!

I haven't blogged for ages - where do the days go, I sure as hell don't know. It seems as soon as I get out of bed it is nearly time to get back in it and I haven't got much done! Friday was Mojoholder day and this week we scraplifted a beautiful layout by Fiona Beckman, actually, mine does not resemble Fiona's much but I did use the placement of her elements as a guide. The mojo girls have produced some goooooorgeous layouts so pop over and have a look. This was my version:

My Mum is on her hols at the moment, sunning herself in Tenerife and I miss having her across the road to go and have a coffee and chuck the kids in the garden when they are behaving like they are today. As I said, they are in our garden at the moment but we only have a little courtyard with a postage stamp of grass whereas at Mum's there is a driveway and a proper garden so the kids can have races and mess around on scooters and bikes.

My Mum is psychic! She just phoned me lol. I am happier now that I have had a moan to her :o) Carol, how could you be out when I tried to phone you earlier???

Mark and I had a fab night out on Saturday :) His mum babysat for us and we actually went out and had some fun on our own, it was great. We had a few too many drinks and a lovely Italian meal :o) I felt really nice for a change in my knitted (above the knee!!) dress and knee high boots :) I wish it didn't cost so much because it would be so lovely to have the chance to get dressed up and go out like that more often!

All About Eve

2007-10-15T20:48:00.000+01:00

Well I have been knitting dolls clothes :) Great fun and Charlotte loves watching me make them too!

Over at Mojoholder this week we scraplifted Emine Palaand it was a lovely layout to lift. I had a photo of Ben dressed up as a pirate and some gorgeous Rusty Pickle pirate papers to use so I created this:

It actually looks much better in real life. Emine left a lovely comment on the blog which we all appreciated, it is so nice when you do a scraplift and the orginal creator takes the trouble to leave a comment.

On Saturday morning my class for the UKS cyber crop went live and it seems to have been well received which I am relieved about! It wasn't really a layout class as such I just wanted to teach a few techniques for using paint which may or may not be new to people. One was how to make your own mask using card and spray adhesive and the other was paint flicking - very messy but so much fun lol. Here was my layout:

As soon as my class went live at 9am on Saturday I was rushing around the house like a loony getting ready for the first all day Plymouth crop which started at 10! I was still sat at the computer trying to print a photo when Terrie turned up to give me a lift! So, ultimately I didn't really get anything done at the crop as I wasn't organised. It didn't matter though. I had a brilliant day just chatting and moving bits of paper around in front of me :o) It was great to spend the day with Terrie as I haven't seen her for a while and to top it all off Tracie came down to join us - we had good fun which is what crops are all about anyway. Actually, Terrie was quite industrious on Saturday, which makes a change she usually just yaps :P I mean that in the nicest way because I love listening to her yap, she is so funny! I wish I had taken some photographs to share with you but I forgot to check that my camera battery was charged and (as usual) it wasn't.

I also want to say congratulations to Terrie because she has made it on to a design team - pop over to Papercraft Junkies to see her work.

On Sunday night I had a message from Jakey to contact her as she had a proposition for me - well I was intrigued and did so immediately. Guess what! She was only inviting me to join the All About Eve design team!!!! I was (and still am) in shock. I love the work they do over at All About Eve. This is an inspiration blog that I genuinely admire so I am very proud to say that I accepted the offer, in fact I had to complete my first challenge today as it went live this evening. The biggest thing for me was that I was invited, I didn't have to enter a contest to get the place, apparently they wanted ME to be on the design team - I am amazed but I feel oh so HAPPY. Here is the layout that I did for the challenge to scrap a secret about yourself - please don't judge me for my drunken behaviour - it was about 12 years ago now. Please go and check out the work of the rest of the DT because it is international fabulous-ness!

ooooh look!

2007-10-12T11:03:00.000+01:00

I was at my Mum's the other day and she was going through so really old baby knitting patterns and I found loads of patterns for knitting dolls clothes. I was so excited as I remember playing with these clothes when I was little because my Mum had knitted them for me! Soooo, I nicked them lol.

I have made one of the dresses already for Charlotte's Barbie and she loves it so guess what I am going to be doing when I am watching the tv tonight.

I will leave you with a sneaky peak of my DT layout for the Mojoholder challenge which goes live at about 11pm tonight.

Play With Me

2007-10-10T13:44:00.001+01:00

I just couldn't resist doing the Ali Edwards Pencil Lines sketch because these photographs were perfect for it!

I have been really busy in the house for a few days so I thought I deserved a day off today :o)

Still smiling...

2007-10-07T20:51:00.001+01:00

I am still smiling following my visit to Tracie's this weekend. I had a lovely time!

I arrived there on Friday evening and went back to Tracies where we had a great evening chatting, computering and sorting out stuff for Saturday's crop until the early hours of the morning!! Tracie is just great and we found out that we had something quite major in common which was fantastic! It's one of those things that it is just so amazing to know someone else in the same situation and believe me Tracie will be getting lots of phone calls on this subject in the future lol. Anyway, I think I managed to just about polish of a bottle of Tracie's red wine so when I crawled up the stairs to bed it didn't take me very long to fall to sleep.

Saturday morning came and we got up and packed up to go to the crop. It was quite a cosy affair this time but that was quite nice actually. We were busy all day! Tracie and I each taught a layout class and then it was time to grab our camera's. Everyone had to have photographs taken of themselves for a challenge Tracie was setting them to scrap them immediately afterwards - with only an hour until the crop was over! Actually, I think she was giving me a challenge as I had to upload everyone's photo's, get them to choose 4 favourites, carry out some photo editing on them and get them printed in time for the class. Now, that would have been fine but Tracies laptop decided to go potty and I had to do a system restore in the end and re-install the drivers etc - nightmare! Luckily it all worked out and everyone got their photographs and the layouts they produced were stunning!

Tracie took some photo's of me posing by a tree and I returned the favour. We also took photo's of each other taking a photo of each other, if you know what I mean!

Tracie also gave me some gorgeous stash to use when I get home so I need to make sure I get some scrapping done with that this week. She even gave me some bits for my Mum who was absolutely over the moon - thanks Tracie :o)

I came back on the train on Saturday and I have just been vegging out really. I cooked a nice roast lamb today that Mark won in a meat raffle. I did a layout this afternoon using some gorgeous Heidi Grace papers - I love this photo of me and the kids this summer!

We have someone coming to view the house on Tuesday evening so I am going to get some stuff done tomorrow but wait until Tuesday to do a proper clean through - I may get some scrapping done!

Friday saw Mojoholder's new scraplift challenge go live and this weeks guest was none other than Karen Leahy (Scrapdolly), pop over and have a look at the design teams work. This was my interpretation of Karen's layout.

Even more exciting is that I have another all day crop next Saturday. This time it is in Plymouth and Tracie is going to come down and join us! Hopefully, she is going to stay with me on Friday night so Tracie, Terrie and I can get together the night before the crop :o) So happy!!

Scrap Your Idol

2007-10-04T14:18:00.000+01:00

I have got a challenge up on the mojoholder blog today to scrap your idol! Come and have a look :o)

If you link your creation to the comments section you could be in with a chance of winning the monthly RAK so come on, you know you want to.

Here is my layout, I did a digi one this time :o)

click to enlarge

Not So Bad!

2007-10-02T16:48:00.000+01:00

Well, as I expected, I was kicked out of the Bad Girls contest last week. I don't blame them really lol! Anyway, the class this week was to create a layout utilising 'whitespace' so I had a go anyway and this is what I came up with. I love this photograph of Charlotte engrossed in her drawing.

I have been busy scrapping this last week. I am teaching a class at Tracie Hudson's crop on Saturday so I had to get that sorted. I also created a cute little mini book with the left over supplies - but I am not showing you yet because I don't want anyone to see it just yet!

Here are a couple of layouts I have done of Ben.

I am going down to the local primary school tomorrow to make an appointment with the Head Teacher about volunteering to help in the classrooms. I used to do this years ago so I am really looking forward to the chance to do it again.

la la la!!!

2007-09-26T12:43:00.000+01:00

I have been living in a world of my own this week! Firstly, I was extremely stressed out about going back to university - it is such a big step and to be perfectly honest I knew deep down that there was no way I was going to be able to hack it at the moment. Last time I tried to go back I got soooo exhausted and so ill I have been worrying myself sick. Anyway, I went last Friday to enrol and I just walked away. It is just not the right time for me and I don't want to stress myself out that much.

Charlotte is still enjoying her first weeks at school, although she is coming home daily with plasters on her knees because she is so clumsy and always falling over. The other day she came out with THREE plasters on her knees!!

I have been doing my layout for the next class over at Bad Girls. It is all done, but I am so unsure of it this week that I haven't uploaded it to the gallery yet. I like it but the scan just doesn't show it off very well. I am very nervous this week. Anyway, here it is, I am going to upload it in a minute anyway.

I still have to do my layout for Mojo Holder this week so I may get that done this evening, but I need to stop before 'Heroes' is on as I don't want to miss that, I love it.

Well, I must go and get my groceries from Tesco.com so they can be delivered before the weekend! I don't want Mark and the kids to starve while I go swanning off to the craft show at Westpoint, Exeter on Sunday :o)

Bad Girls Top Designer - Class 2!!

2007-09-17T17:54:00.000+01:00

I uploaded my entry for Class 2 of the Top Designer contest over at Bad Girls this morning and when I got back from university (just went for pre-enrolment session) I had loads of comments! It makes me feel all happy lol.

The class was to create a layout with texture and dimension which is exactly the kind of layout that I love :) This was my entry:

Sugar and Spice

Close Up

The black paint does go all the way around the edge of the cardstock but I couldn't get it in the picture. I have just got to wait until Friday now to see if I get through to the next round. Either way I can't wait to see what the next class is :o)

Back to uni! I only went for pre-enrolment and it just brought it all back to me and what hard work it is going to be - to be honest I am terrified! Why can't I get paid to scrap? Then I wouldn't have to go back. Even better do you think a computing degree would accept and exceptional layout instead of a final project, or maybe a little bit of cross stitch for the examiners home?? mmm I didn't think so!

Mojo and ballet class

2007-09-16T10:12:00.000+01:00

Wow, you should see the layouts the DT created over at Mojoholder this week, they are amazing. I did this one of Hong Kong. Mark and I lived there for a while when we first got married.

The midweek challenge this week was my class for this layout so if you want to have a go get over there and get the class instructions.

Charlotte had her first ballet class yesterday morning and she seemed to really enjoy it so it cost Mark a small fortune to buy the ballet shoes, socks, leotard and little net skirt. I can't wait to see her in it all but the leotard and skirt are on order so I won't be doing any layouts just yet! She has to practice 'the pony' this week before her next class, I don't think she really knows what it is because she just seems to be jumping around with no co-ordination :) As long as she is enjoying herself, that is fine.

After ballet we all went swimming and then ate out for our dinner so it was a lovely day.

I got through to the second round of the Top Designer contest on the Bad Girls forum so I now need to do the second class that went live on Friday. I think I have an idea of what to do but I just can't find a suitable photograph!!! I need to get cracking on this as I hate to leave it to the last minute.

I need to go into university tomorrow for pre-enrolement - scary!

Oh No! I am baaaaaaad!

2007-09-15T21:48:00.000+01:00

You Are a Very Bad Girl

You are 10% Good and 90% Bad
As they say, good girls go to heaven and bad girls go everywhere!
You make most bad girls look like angels - and have a hell of a time along the way.

Are You a Good Girl or a Bad Girl?

Remember 9/11

2007-09-11T08:00:00.001+01:00

6 years ago today

Bad Girls...

2007-09-10T09:52:00.000+01:00

So the Top Designer competition went live over on the Bad Girls forum and I just had to take part. I haven't got a chance of winning but the first class was great so it will be lovely to take part and probably learn some great design techniques instead of shuffling paper around the page until it 'looks right' lol.

This is the layout that I have done for the first class which is 'Colour Theory'. I choose the bright orange to represent the heat of the beach and Charlotte's bubbly personality. I was particularly proud of the acetate hearts which I made myself from a clear sheet of acetate which I inked and then stamped on.

I was playing around with HDR techniques in photoshop the other day. Whilst photoshop isn't the best programme to achieve good results with this I was really pleased with the resulting image of a rainbow over Weymouth that I took whilst we were on holiday in August. Here are the before and after pictures.

Well, the kids have gone to school today and Charlotte gets to stay an extra hour for the next two weeks before she goes full time! It is her first day of staying at school for dinner so I expect most of her packed lunch will come back home with her. Every morning after the bell goes the children line up on the playground and they school play music and some children stand and demonstrate a dance that the other children participate in. It is called 'Wake Up, Shake Up' and it is great. Ben has never taken part he just stands like a statue in the line. Today was Charlotte's first experience of this and it was sooooo cute. She was dancing away in her line, copying the older childrens moves - she looked gorgeous - bless her little heart. She loves to dance. We are going to put her in ballet class soon, we have just found a Saturday morning class nearby so I am going to contact them about it :o)

Have a good day everyone.

Mini Maze Book

2007-09-06T15:33:00.001+01:00

Ben and Charlotte have been really enjoying their first week back at school. I think that they really NEED to go to school after such a long break - they miss it.

I have been scrapping over the last couple of days. I did a layout yesterday which I can't show here because it is an upcoming Wednesday class on Mojoholder. I will let you know when the class is online but for the moment here is a sneaky peak of it!

Today I have been getting some washing done and having a bit of a tidy up. Mind you there wasn't much to tidy because although I planned to sit and do nothing the day the kids went back to school I actually gutted the house and cleaned right through (even sweeping up the front and back garden) - I was shattered at the end of the day lol.

This afternoon Mark had an afternoon off but he has gone to play golf so I had a little play and made a mini maze book. It is so cute - only 2" square. I made it by using a piece of 8" x 8" double sided Scenic Route patterned paper (cardstock weight) to make the book instead of a piece of 12" x 12" cardstock.

Mark and I are on a bit of a healthy eating drive at the moment and I want to make some kind of chicken and vegetable risotto for tea so I am off the browse the net for a recipe now. I will probably end up making it up in the end! I hope it is edible lol.

First Day of School

2007-09-04T14:21:00.000+01:00

Ben was back to school today and it was Charlotte's first day of school ever! She didn't want to wear her uniform, she didn't like her shoes and she refused to have her hair done! She was not happy about having her photograph taken this morning either! Little madam. Anyway, I took her to her classroom as it was her first day and she saw her best friend Faith and that was that - she was happy to stay. She is only half days for the first three weeks and then she goes full time so I picked her up and 12.20 and she absolutely loved it. She didn't stop yapping about it all the way home. When we got home she started being very bossy - is this what she has learnt already?

Now she is sat quiet as a mouse doing her jigsaws - bless my little schoolgirl.

I am picking Ben up in 45 minutes and I hope he has had a nice first day in Year 1.

Don't Be Fooled By The Croc's That I've Got...

2007-09-03T18:43:00.000+01:00

Well Ben and Charlotte go back to school tomorrow. Well, actually Charlotte starts school tomorrow so I have spent this morning ironing 12 white shirts and countless skirts, pinafores, trousers and jumpers! Also name tagging everything as I went. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute, after all I have only had six weeks to get this all sorted out lol. I went into town this afternoon as I needed to get their gym kits so everything is sorted out now.

I also bought a laminator today. I don't know why really, I just wanted one lol. It is only a cheapo one from Wilkinsons, it cost £9 and it works fine! I tried it out by laminating a spiderman sticker to put on Ben schoolbag - Charlotte's bag is going to be exactly the same as they get them given to them by the school on their first day. I will laminate something for Charlotte when she get's hers tomorrow.

Talking of reading, I finished One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson the other day and I totally loved it, I think I will be seeking out another book of hers to read soon. I am reading Fallen Angel now, there was a drama on tv recently which was based on part of this book. I enjoyed the drama but this book is a trilogy and I think the ITV drama was only based on the first book in this omnibus.

I must say, I can't wait until I get home after dropping the kids off at school tomorrow morning. I am going to make myself a proper coffee and sit and read my book or watch telly all morning. I just can't wait for some absolute peace and quiet! I say this but I will probably just wonder around the house tidying up and wondering where everyone is.

I finished this layout last night. I love the cheerfulness of it. I really enjoyed making it and I think it shows!

The photo of me laying down opens out to reveal the following journaling:

"Mark always used to sing J Lo’s ‘Don’t be fooled by the rocks that you’ve got’ to me when it came out but he used to sing ‘Don’t be fooled by the rocks I haven’t got, I’m still, I’m still Sarah from West Park’.

West Park is where my Mum lives and where I grew up but we have bought a house across the road from my childhood home and so I still live in West Park.

When Mark bought me a pair of Crocs this year he started to sing ‘Don’t be fooled by the Crocs that I’ve got’.

I just had to record it!

These photographs were taken whilst laying in a field at the China Fleet Club in Saltash one beautiful summer day in 2007. We had an awful summer and it was such a shock to see such beautiful blue skies that I was laying on my back with my feet in the air and thought what a great (if strange!) photo it would be."

I used loads of watercolour paints and tons of texture. My sister gave me the 'Follow Your Dreams' charm a couple of days ago and it goes perfectly with this layout as this was the day I decided to go back to university to finish my degree.

All done!

2007-09-02T09:16:00.000+01:00

Well all my work for next issue of Craft Life & Home magazine is winging it's way to Scrapgenie! I hope they like it. I got a little bit carried away with all the lovely stash they sent me and did a little bit more than my commission asked for so I hope they can use it all :)

I also did this layout for Mojoholder this week. All I can say is wow, you really need to check the site out this week as the DT have come up with some amazing layouts based on a lovely layout by Cheryl Mezzetti. If you want to take part this week don't forget to link your layouts in our comments section, they will then be added to the readers gallery and you will then be in with a chance of winning a RAK each month.

My Layout

Cheryl Mezzeti's Layout

I am concerned that readers don't really know what Mojoholder is all about! We are an inspiration blog and by this I mean you use the layout of the week or one of the DT's layouts as a springboard for your creativitly. There is no need to scraplift entirely you can just use the layouts as inspiration and take one or two elements from it to create your layout. For instance, this week I took Cheryl's use of an overlay and the her flowers as inspiration. Notice that I didn't use a circlular frame as Cheryl did. Actually I used one of Kirsty Wiseman's fab free digital overlays which I changed the colour of in Photoshop. I resized the overlay to 8" x 8" so that I could print it onto an A4 transparency. I made the acetate flower by drawing around the Queen & Co large plastic flower and cutting out, the pink edging is pebeo volume touch and the center of the flower is a pom pom cut off some Rusty Pickle Grinch-Mas trim. Anyhow, have a go it really will get your mojo up and running :o)

I also did this layout this week. I wasn't sure about it really it was a very quick one but when I put it in my album it looks really striking so I am pleased with it now.

I am half way through another layout and I am going to finish that one today, it is one I have been wanting to do for ages but I just needed to get the appropriate photographs for it so I am excited about getting it done.

Mark has just gone off to play golf and I think I need to to make sure all of Charlotte's school uniform has name tags in it as my baby girl starts school on Tuesday!! I can't believe it.

I am really enjoying Cheryl Johnson's photograph course, it is great fun and really gets you thinking about different ways to use your camera. I am still taking part in HS:MS too but not everyday at the moment because I just don't seem to have the time. However, I will be doing the new challenge they have set to take your self portrait every Saturday because I think it will be great to have weekly photographs of yourself so you can see how you change over time! I do have a separate blog for my HS:MS photos which is Sarah and the Camera but for those of you who don't visit that one here is this weeks Self Portrait which was taken yesterday with my self timer. The colour didn't come out very well so I altered the levels in Photoshop and then applied a couple of free actions to get the different effects. If you want to know which actions go to Sarah and the Camera.

Playing with my camera

2007-08-28T22:06:00.000+01:00

I am really enjoying Cheryl Johnsons photograph course and we are only on week one. It has made me play with my camera and get it to do things that I would probably never had the time to read the manual for unless prompted like this - it is fab. I have been playing this week and these are a few of the photographs that I am happy with.

Telephone Wires

The allotments behind my garden

I made Chicken Ceasar Salad for tea last night which Mark and I love but I have never actually given the children just salad for their tea before (usually they have cucumber and tomato etc with lunch). Charlotte loved it as salad is some of her favourite food, as is chicken but Ben, well his face was such a picture that I had to grab the camera which was on the side and take a couple of photographs. Can you see the attitude in his face? He was NOT impressed and he had a complete strop about it. We stood our ground and said it was that or nothing for tea so he begrudgingly started to eat. Ten minutes later he was munching away dipping his salad in Marks ceasar dressing (which he wouldn't even taste to begin with) and asking me if he could have it every day as he liked it so much. The moral of this story? Persistence pays off lol. I have to add here that Ben is usually (and obviously still) a fantastic eater who would eat all day if he was allowed to!

What's THIS?

I am not eating it!

I have made a big decision this week and I am even scared to say it out loud but in three weeks time I am going back to University!!!!!! I have only got my final year to do in BSc(hons) Computing Informatics at Plymouth Uni but I have had a three year break because of the kids and I am really nervous. My reckoning is that about 8/9 months of running around like a headless chicken is well worth the degree I will get at the end of it! Wish me luck.

Where did the week go?

2007-08-25T21:58:00.000+01:00

It is so hard to keep up to date when the kids are on holiday, Mark is on leave and I have lots of DT stuff to do!! Especially when the weather is gorgeous and everyone would rather be outside!

I enjoyed laying in a field today!

First of all let me show you this layout that I did for this weeks challenge over at Mojoholder, we were permitted to lift a layout of Elsie Flannigan's this week and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed doing this layout.

Mark's baby sister moved to Leeds last weekend so his big sis Debbie had a little leaving do on Friday night where everyone congregated and ate some lovely chilli. The kids had a nice time too, they love it when they get to go and annoy all their cousins!

I had a bit of a organisation day yesterday and I think I pulled out virtually every cupboard in the house and rearranged it and then in the evening I sorted out the filing cabinet so everything is tip top now, just the way I like it!

Today we took the kids over the China Fleet Club and did the park, swimming, driving range (Mark - not me!) and then had our dinner there. After our dinner the kids ran around in the field for a little while and I collapsed on the grass all fat and full!

Tomorrow holds a whole day of scrapping for me - I want to finally get all the DT stuff done and also another top secret projoect that I need to do because I am absolutely dying to use a massive set of watercolours that Mark bought me last week and I am not going to touch them until I have got all my commitments sorted out!

Oh, and I started Her Space:My Space again today so if you want to see my picture for 'Self Portrait Saturday' click HERE!

Girls Night Out

2007-08-17T09:34:00.000+01:00

I had a lovely evening out with my Mum and my sisters on Tuesday. It is not very often that we can all get together with Debbie living in South Africa so it was a really good evening. Firstly we went to see Hairspray which was so funny! I didn't even know that John Travolta was in it so when he turned up as Tracy's Mum it was hilarious. in fact, every time John Travolta was on the screen it was hilarious. The we went for something to eat but after all the popcorn and coke that had been devoured in the cinema I was not really very hungry so we just popped over the road to Pizza Hut and I had a small 'Hot Chick' pizza which was very nice!

Debbie, Carol and Me

Mark and I went into town this week and I got some plastic drawer units to store some of my scrapbooking stuff in. Obviously I then spent the afternoon trying to sort everything out. It has made a huge difference to my little scrap area. I haven't really go a scrap area I just had a little cupboard in the kitchen and I use the worktop to scrap on (standing up) - the rest of my stash was upstairs so scrapbooking involved a lot of trips up and down the stairs. Now I have a couple of drawer units under the worktop and I just pull them out when I want to scrap and I feel like I am creating a little area for myself. It's much better and no more running up the stairs for double sided tape or acrylic paint :o) So this is where I scrap:

I have done my layout for the Mojo Holder blog which will go live tonight and I have been scrapping for CL & H mag too. Here is a sneak peak of my Mojo layout.

Tremendous!

2007-08-13T10:31:00.000+01:00

We had such a great holiday that I don't think I can put it all into words! We went to the Seaview Haven at Weymouth and I have to say that it was worth every single penny. In fact, if I had more pennies I would go back again today!

On the first night Ben and Charlotte were chosen to go on stage for the kids gameshow and we spent all our time laughing our heads off. The kids were great and the compare was brilliant. The main compare there is called Lee and Charlotte took a real shine to him, she keeps saying that he is her boyfriend, ahhh first crush.

Charlotte and her new boyfriend - Ben watching

There were kids clubs everyday and they were making all things crafty most of the time so that suited Ben and Charlotte down to the ground. They made kites, spirals, pictures, postcards, hands on sticks and hats. The kids had so much to do that it was a little overwhelming. They saw a circus (twice) and took part in a circus workshop, there was a bouncy castle and pony rides, we saw caberet acts and pantomines, went swimming and used the flume hundreds of times. We spent time in the arcade and the kids loved the 2p machines. On the first day Mark won a cuddly toy from one of those grabber machines which is a feat in itself.

There was one afternoon where we went to watch the wrestling and Ben absolutely loved that, Ben was also called on stage to help out in the Mad Scientist show so he was beaming like a cheshire cat when he got his prize of funky glasses. Charlotte was called up to the stage one evening for a dancing competition and that was the highlight of the holiday. Although she didn't win (there was a 6 year old boy doing rock and roll and he was amazing) she was definitely the star of the show - she is so funny and her new boyfriend took a shine to her too (telling me the next day that she was gorgeous!) so she had a nice interview which went something like this:

Lee: Whats your name
Charlotte: Charlotte
Lee: How old are you?
Charlotte: 4
Lee: Where do you come from?
Charlotte: Yeah

lol - it was so funny. I am gutted that I didn't take my camcorder but I did get a little bit of video on my camera - it's not great quality but at least it is something.

If you have been to Haven you will know that they have their own characters, Ben and Charlotte liked Rory the Tiger and Anxious the Elephant best. Mark bought Charlotte a cuddly toy of Anxious which was bigger that her!! She had been particularly good that day and deserved a treat and she fell in love with this Anxious.

Anxious the Elephant

Rory the Tiger

On the Thursday night we bought a raffle ticket and we won the prize which was loads of kids stuff so Ben and Charlotte went on the stage to collect that and Ben got a Rory the Tiger which was brilliant because they both have their favourite character now.

Mark's mate Jim lives in Weymouth and he owns a fire engine which he has had converted into a limosine so we got a free trip in that one evening. Ben and Charlotte took turns in the front and they both had fireman helments and jackets on. Jim was playing the Fireman Sam theme tune at full blast and pulling the horn - just great. I don't think the kids know how lucky they are. You can hire out the fire engine and if you live near Weymouth you must do it - it's great.

Fireman Jim

Jim invited us all around one evening for a barbecue and he has a swimming pool in his garden so Ben and Charlotte had another great day there. I think they want to move in with Fireman Jim as Charlotte calls him.

Some afternoons the kids went to sleep for an hour or so and I did a bit of scrapping - yeah!!! Nothing I can share though because it is all for the next Craft, Life and Home Magazine.

Needless to say, we did loads more than this I just can't take it all in myself and will keep remembering things. I am going to do a mini book diary of the events so I need to sit down and think about what we did each day - I did start doing this whilst we are there so I need to get it done soon before I forget as I have some commissioned scrapping to do before I can do the mini book.

Since we have been back I have been visiting my sister over at Mum's as she is only over from South Africa until Wednesday. We are going to the cinema tonight to see Hairspray with Mum and my other sister Carol so I am looking forward to that.

Phew! What a week. I am just trying to sort out all the washing etc and settle back down to normality.

I'mn Baaaaaaaaack

2007-08-11T12:40:00.000+01:00

I got back from my holidays about an hour ago :o) We had a great time and I will update fully later on.

Out and About

2007-08-02T16:52:00.001+01:00

We went to see the Simpson movie the other day and it was quite good. I wouldn't rave about it but I suppose it is worth seeing. I think sometimes you get hyped up about a film and it just doesn't live up to you expectations it will probably be better on a second viewing.

Also this week we went to the Barbican and had a little walk around and ate the obligitory bag of chips. Mark and I took some photographs of the Mayflower Steps so I could put them on my blog for any American readers could see where the Pilgrim Fathers sailed from. A lot of people who live in Plymouth moan about it and I agree that there are things to moan about but I love Plymouth. I think when you live in a place that is on the coast on one side, has moorland on another and is the gateway to Cornwall you can't complain about your location - it is only the weather that spoils it!

The Mayflower Steps
Me pointing at the actual steps
Ben and Charlotte Posing
the Plaque

We are all getting excited about going on holiday on Saturday. I can't wait as I love staying in the big mobile home type caravans and Haven is such a good place for the kids (not that I have been before but I am sure it will be great fun for them). It is just nice to get away for a little while.

I had a lovely box of stash from Scrapgenie the other day. I am packing my tote express and taking it with me to the caravan, you never know I may get some scrapping done! I can't stop looking at all the goodies and I just don't want to leave it all at home.

I have completed my DT layout for Mojo Holder and the new layouts will go live tomorrow night so be sure to take a look at everyone's layouts. Here is a little sneaky peak of mine.

Sneaky peak of tomorrows Mojo Holder layout

Mojo Holder DT Layout

2007-07-29T22:33:00.000+01:00

Just thought I would share my first DT layout for Mojo Holder (see link in right hand menu). This is my first time using the Love, Elsie papers. I only bought three sheets but really wish I could have afforded the whole range, they are so gorgeous!!

I have been playing with felt lately and I made some flowers. The center of this flower is just one of the things I have ready to put on the appropriate layouts :o)

I have been crocheting again and playing around with the little flowers. I have adapted it to have a six petal flower and they look great. I haven't taken a picture yet but I am sure you will see them on a layout sometime soon!

Just watched Love, Honour and Obey with dh and really enjoyed it. We are going to the cinema tomorrow to watch The Simpson Movie with the kids - I can't wiat.

I am also getting really excited about going on holiday on Saturday. We are going to Haven in a caravan and I just know that I am going to love it :o)

Lessons in Crochet

2007-07-27T19:35:00.000+01:00

I had a crochet lesson yesterday. Mum is brilliant at crochet having done it for years and when I was a kid she obviously taught me the stitches but it was just one of those things that just wasn’t fashionable at the time so I didn’t really pick up on it. Mum taught me loads of crafts as I was growing up such as knitting, calligraphy, dressmaking and basic sewing and I picked these up fine, but not crochet – there was just no interest there.

Anyway, yesterday was different my ever so multi talented mum showed me how to make a crochet flower and look what I did!! I am so excited as I have been wanting to put these on a layout but my lack of knowledge prevented me. If I put them on a layout I want to know that I made them all myself. Well, now I can.

I haven't sewn the ends in yet though!

Mum went into town the other day and came back with this gorgeous felt alphabet for me. Aren’t they cute?

I have done my first layout for the Mojo Blog, I can’t show it to you yet but it will go up this evening – here is a sneak peek.

The guest this week is a very talented lady who you will all know very well. In fact, this lady created one of my all time favourite layouts, it is the layout I always think of when people ask for your favourites – it was called ‘Honouring Dandelions’ – do you know who she is yet?

I am excited because my sister is coming over from South Africa to stay with Mum on Wednesday for two weeks. Unfortunately, we go on holiday for a week on the Saturday but I will still get to see a lot of her as she is only going to be across the road whilst I am home. I haven’t seen her since last year when she came all the way to Mullion to stay with me for a few days. I can’t wait to catch up with her properly :o) Ben and Charlotte are looking forward to seeing Mummy’s Auntie Debbie too (Mark has got a sister called Debbie as well and she is called Daddy’s Auntie Debbie!).

15 Years ago today.....

2007-07-24T22:33:00.000+01:00

Fifteen years ago today I was marrying Mark! Where does the time go? I am sure some little imp has come along and stolen all those years because it honestly feels like it was yesterday! Well, maybe not yesterday but certainly not fifteen years ago.

I am sat typing this blog entry at the China Fleet Club in Saltash watching Mark and Charlotte in the swimming pool through the window – so cute, especially when he kisses her nose lol. Ben is in a club here running around the hall like a loony, he will be in the pool in half an hour with the rest of the club so I can watch him from here too. I am typing this in MS Word ready to copy and paste in my blog later because the promised wireless connection in this coffee shop doesn’t seem to be working today – typical!

I have been tagged - twice! Beckie and Gem think that my blog is rockin’ lol – Thanks! This was started by Roberta.

I am going to tag the following five ladies who I think rock:

Mum
Carol
Fiona
Tracie
Sandie

Today saw the second issue of Craft Life and Home magazine being issued. This is a fab magazine that you can read online, there are also paper copies that may be popped into your order at certain scrapbooking stores – did I mention that it is free!! This is my debut issue as part of the design team and I couldn’t be happier to be part of this gorgeous handbag sized magazine – it’s delicious. Click the link in the right hand menu to go and have a look ----->>>>>>>

I had a mad panic today because I just was not organised regarding last day of school cards and presents. I dropped the kids off at school and literally ran home to make two teacher cards, I then went to the shops to buy gifts, back to Mum’s to wrap them and down to school to pick Charlotte up and give her teachers card and present and give Ben (during his break time) his card and present for his teacher – all this by 11am. I am still whacked out from it lol. Anyhow, here are the VERY quickly made cards. The pencils and apple were hand drawn on watercolour paper and painted with my new watercolours that I really love at the moment. The word thanks on both cards was stamped with ‘lil Davis Bonnymede foam stamps.

I did this layout last night. The photos are old ones from our first foreign holiday with the kids in 2004. The pictures are of Ben and Mark walking through Torrevieja Market.

Well, I am going to go and ask someone if the wireless is working here. Mark and Charlotte seem to have left the pool now so they will be up here in a minute. Mark is going to the gym and I am sat beside a fun zone where Charlotte will be going to have some fun. It’s 5pm now and I think when we have finished here Mark is going to get us a Chinese for our tea :o)

New Design Team :o)

2007-07-23T13:54:00.000+01:00

I found out last night that I made the Mojo Holder design team. I am so excited, there are some truly great scrapbookers on the team (new and old members) so I can't wait to start creating stuff with them all. I love Mojo Holder because scraplifting someone elses layout is a brilliant way to get yourself motivated if you are stuck in a rut - if you haven't been over there to take part you should have a little look, you won't be disappointed. It really is a great inspo blog which is why I am so happy to be part of it.

Here are the two layouts that I submitted for the DT entry. The requirements were to scraplift two layouts by the current DT members so I have put those layouts on here as well to show you what I scraplifted (Kelly and Jakey please tell me if you don't want your work here).

Fairy Girl

You Rock

It was really welcome news as I spent most of yesterday feeling really bad with a stomach upset, I think it may have had something to do with a curry I had on Saturday night but I am not sure. I feel fine now though :o)

I started to stitch a little design last night that I have been wanting to do for ages. The design is by Judy Dixon of Sew to be Seen Designs - I love her stuff. It is going to be really pretty when it is finished with all the beads stitched on.

Judy Dixon Fairy Dust - Progress So Far

I can't wait to sit down and stitch a bit more tonight. Mind you, I kept stopping last night to play tennis on the Wii with Mark!

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

2007-07-22T10:34:00.000+01:00

I can't believe I forgot to put this layout on my blog. it is a really different style for me but I had great fun doing it and I love the result.

What? No Patterned Paper!

I bought some really cheap watercolour paints the other day (£1.49 in WHSmith) and I decided to have a little play with them. I drew some flowers onto watercolour paper and then painted to my hearts content! It took ages to cut them all out so I was determined to do a layout with them. I also made the photo mats and title out of watercolour paper and painted them. The result is sort of cartoony with the black outlines and I just love how fresh and bright this layout looks.

Loving my watercolours!

Yesterday was a challenge day on SIStv and I really wanted to take part but family stuff happened and I didn't get around to it. I did manage to do this digi layout for the digi challenge in between everything else.

Digi Challenge on SiSTV

Mark was duty on Friday and someone in his mess brought in a Nintendo Wii, Mark was very taken with it!! So much so that we went out and got one yesterday morning and spent the afternoon and half the evening jumping around the lounge playing 'sport'. It is brilliant, so much fun and the kids love it nearly as much as we do lol. I will have to take a video of Ben playing the boxing, it is hilarious to watch. In this house we now have two playstations, a playstation 2, an xBox, a gameboy and a Wii! It's ridiculous.

Anniversary Gifts

2007-07-20T14:32:00.000+01:00

It's our 15th wedding anniversary on Tuesday! Where does the time go?

As I said Mark brought me some presents back from his wanderings which were presents for our anniversary. Well, true to form, he couldn't wait until Tuesday to give them to me so I got them the day he came home. I love my rings, they are so chunky. They are white gold which a love as I am not really much of a yellow gold girl although I do have some beautiful pieces that I love. Ever since about 1993 Mark and I have wished that we had bought our wedding rings in White Gold and now for our 15th anniversary we finally have them (Mark bought himself one as well). The watch is a Gucci and there is a reason for this, Mark bought me a Gucci watch for the first Christmas we were married and last christmas I tried to get a new battery for it and the old battery had leaked into the movement and rendered my watch irrepairable so he has replaced it! Here are the photographs I promised to post, I took them in Mum's garden yesterday whilst playing around with the macro setting on my camera.

My beautiful rings

My New Gucci Watch

My sister Carol came over so it was nice to see her for a little while. The kids played in the garden with Grandad so Mum, Carol and I actually managed to have a bit of a chat for a change.

When Colin (Carol's dh) came to pick Carol up he brought with him a digital aerial for Mark and I so I am looking forward to Mark getting that set up this weekend. I may actually get a decent picture on the tv in the kitchen which is very important and that is the one that I put on when I scrap. I am going to do some scrapping out there tonight but I will have to make do with the fuzzy picture for now as Mark is duty today so he will not be home until tomorrow morning. I think Charlotte is a bit concerned that the 'big ship' is going to sail away again tonight - I keep telling her Daddy will be home tomorrow but she is a bit unsure about it all.

We are going to the China Fleet Club tomorrow. We became full members last week and it is absolutely fabulous for the kids, so many things for them to do. Mark and I also love it over there and I may even start going to the gym one day. There is a little fun zone for the kids which we took Charlotte to the other day whilst Mark went to the gym, I sat in the coffee shop and read my book with a nice coffee - it was heaven. Whilst I was there I noticed that they have wireless internet connection in the coffee shop so when we go tomorrow I am going to take the laptop and browse blogs and forums for an hour or so. When we were living in Hong Kong in 1992/3 we were invited to the closing down party of the China Fleet Club in Hong Kong along with all the rest of the Royal Navy there at the time. It was a great night and the proceeds from the sale of the Hong Kong Fleet Club financed the China Fleet Club that we now attend in Saltash, Cornwall.

China Fleet Club Hong Kong - 1950's

Quick Post

2007-07-18T15:04:00.001+01:00

I have to pick Ben up from school in about three mins so this is a quickie post with a couple of layouts.

This layout of Ben 'The King that never was' tells how he refused to go on stage in his first school play!

This is just a layout of Charlotte at my desk. I love this picture.

Right, I had better go.......

Daddy's Home

2007-07-15T13:47:00.000+01:00

Friday was a good day!! Mark came home from deployment and we all went down to the dockyard to watch the ship come in and collect him. The weather was horrendous and we all looked like drowned rats by the time Mark got off the ship but who cares he is home now and that is the main thing.

Whilst we were waiting Charlotte got interviewed by the BBC and had her photo taken by the local paper so that was exciting. However, neither made it into the media which was a shame. When the reporter was filming Charlotte she asked her what was the first thing she was going to say to him and Charlotte said 'I lub you Daddy' it was so cute.

I got a few (not so great) photos of the ship coming in and even though we were not sure which person was Mark as the ship was coming in I did manage to get a photo of him waving :o)

We came home and Mark dished out all the presents so we had very happy children. Also a very happy Mummy! Mark has brought home a new wedding and engagement ring for me, they are gorgeous. I haven't taken any photos yet but I will post them when I do. He also bought me a Gucci watch which is gorgeous and some shoes, perfume, jeans and camera cases - talk about spoiled and everything fits perfectly!

On Saturday we went into town and then on to Central Park to play baseball and have a general run around. I was shattered last night and spent most of the evening with Mark watching films but missing them because I was falling asleep lol.

Charlotte having a little sulk!

Mark has just taken Ben over to the driving range and I am going to pop over to see Mum with Charlotte because she hasn't left Mark alone since he got home and I think seeing Nanny will keep her happy for a while whilst Daddy has left her side!!

I made this....

2007-07-11T00:32:00.000+01:00

I wanted some way to store my 6 x 12 layouts. Well, I had only done one 6 x 12 layout but I wanted to make an album and I thought that this would be as good a size to make as any. So, from this:

The Supplies

I made this:

The Album

The Inside

The inside of the album is has strips of 3 x 12 inch card with holes punched in them so that the layout can be stuck straight to the card and is then in the album and the pages can be turned. I wasn't worried about page protectors or anything like that because I just want to use the 6 x 12 size for quick layouts or layouts where I want to try something out, you know what I mean. Anyway, I set out to achieve this tonight and I did.

Just showing how I am attaching the layouts

Also, I had to do a quick 6 x 12 layout to put in the album so that there was more than one layout in there so I did the All About Eve challenge to scrap your age - eeeeek.

Quickie Layout

I managed to get quite a bit done tonight considering I was yapping to the lovely Kirsty until about 8.30pm. She kindly remembered that her daughters now unwanted cuddly toy is the same as my daughters beloved and ragged cuddly toy and is going to send it to me as a spare (although I am sure it will be loved together with the current one!). The toys were both bought in Spain so I cannot get a spare, I had noticed it on Kirsty's blog in February and she remembered it and got in touch - I am flabergasted!! Thank you Kirsty, Charlotte is going to be beside herself with joy!

Congratulations to Beckie Dreyer and Kimmy Sonksen for making the Rusty Pickle DT!!!

Sooo excited that Mark comes home on Friday - it can't get here quick enough.

The colour of my soul

2007-07-08T10:44:00.000+01:00

I just popped over the Tracie's blog and she had this little quiz on there. Apparently my soul is purple.... very strange as that is my favourite colour (well one of them lol).

What color is your soul painted?

Purple

Your soul is painted the color purple, which embodies the characteristics of sensuality, spirituality, creativity, wealth, royalty, nobility, mystery, enlightenment, arrogance, gaudiness, mourning, confusion, pride, delicacy, power, meditation, religion, and ambition. Purple falls under the element of Earth, and was once a European symbol of royalty; today it symbolizes the divine.

Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

Not a lot...

2007-07-07T10:08:00.000+01:00

That is what is happening around here at the moment! But this time next week Mark will be home and life will be much more fun.

I haven't even done any scrapping for a few days, I just can't get motivated. I am determined to do some today because I made some gorgeous little felt flowers the other day which just need to be used on a lo. I have to find a photograph though.

Mum is still poorly but she is getting better.

The kids are currently in the hallway with a couple of those massive balloons and it is driving me mad. They are not being naughty, they are having great fun but I get absolutely driven mad by the noise of the balloons being banged around and their screeching!! Me thinks they will be confiscated in about 10 mins for a little while so that I can think straight!

We had a school fair yesterday - hence the balloons. Nightmare, why do kids always want more, more, more. I lasted 40 minutes at the fair because although they got two goes on the bouncy castle (amid massive tears from Charlotte for various reasons, none of which warranted any tears), a bun from the cake stall and a lollipop, a go on the win some bubbles thing and a massive balloon they weren't happy. They just wanted everything and went mad when I said no so I went home! Great fun, not. It was just hard to deal with at the same time as dealing with another problem in the school playground, that of the girl who was my friend before I moved to Mullion being there with her new friend (who she hated and bitched about pre-mullion). It has been a nightmare since I got back as she has been so rude and obnoxious to me and I just don't want anything to do with her now. We talk, it's civilised but quite frankly I would rather pretend she doesn't exist after the treatment I have had from her. Honestly, She is acting like we are 12. This is very difficult as Charlotte is best friends with her little girl. So you can see, I would rather have not gone to the fair at all, and I wish I hadn't.

On a better note, the mirrors are up! Yippeeee. We only had to wait 6 months for them to be delivered.

Yay, mirrors!!!

Right, off to have a better day than yesterday and forget about bitching playground Mums. I am a nice person, perhaps that is the problem.

Get Well Mum

2007-07-03T17:23:00.000+01:00

My mum is poorly! I took her to the doctors yesterday and he said it was a virus. It has hit her hard and she was up being sick in the night and can hardly talk, lift her head today so pop over to her blog and wish her well!

I haven't got anything to say really lol. Just worried about Mum and trying to keep the kids in line! I did this layout a couple of days ago:

I am going to sit and watch the tv tonight and make some little flowers for a layout I have in mind :) I am having a computer free evening (Shock Horror!).

Even more scrapping has been done!

2007-06-30T16:21:00.000+01:00

I seem to be getting loads of scrapping done at the moment - it's great. It's only because it was all over the kitchen and I didn't put it away for a few days, it makes me do it if I haven't got to drag it all out each time. My scrapbooking stash is kept in a cupboard upstairs and I have to scrap in the kitchen so it is not ideal and sometimes I just can't be bothered to get it all out. I have just put everything away now though and the only thing on the kitchen worktop is my cutting mat and my AMM tote bag :o) It looks lovely and tidy and I am happy!

I am also happy because I did a layout of Ben last night and I have just done a very quick one of Charlotte whilst I was cooking Spaghetti Bolognaise! It only took about 20 minutes and although it is really plain it looks beautiful in my album, I love it. Mind you I always love my most recent layout best!

Still not much going on here! Charlotte seems much better which is a relief but Ben is coughing now and I think he may be getting poorly!! If it's not one it's the other.

I was supposed to be having my mirrors fitted today but it is 4.30pm and it doesn't look like that is going to happen! We haven't been anywhere today as we had a lay in this morning. The kids were in Ben's bedroom trashing it and I decided to lay in bed and read a chapter of my book. Bliss! I had to get up though because Noodles (the cat) started crawling over my head reminding me that he, if no-one else, really wanted to be fed! I got up and sure enough Charlotte had taken every one of her teddy's to Ben's bedroom and they were having a tea party with Ben's toys, bless them - but what a mess lol.

I am going to take the kids to Jump tomorrow as they have been stuck in the house all day. They can't even go in the garden because it is so horrible and rainy outside!

Well, Mum is coming over tonight for a scrappy evening so I am looking forward to that :o)

Two Weeks To Go!!!!!!

2007-06-29T11:03:00.000+01:00

I am so excited because Mark comes back form his three month trip two weeks today. In fact, this time in two weeks I will be in the dockyard and the ship should have come in. Ben and Charlotte have a calendar in their bedrooms where we cross of the days each night and it is getting really exciting now.

Charlotte is STILL a little bit poorly but she is getting better all the time. I have never had a problem getting them to sleep in their own beds but since Charlotte has been feeling bad she has insisted on sleeping with me. I am constantly reminding her today that she has to sleep in her own bed tonight and I know there are going to be tears at bedtime!

Ben was supposed to have sports day today and the school sent home a letter the day before yesterday to say he had to wear a yellow t-shirt for his team! Well, he hasn't got one and I am certainly not going to buy him one just for sports day and at such short notice - doesn't it make you mad? Anyway, the weather is still like winter so it has been cancelled anyway. He has got a class assembly this afternoon that I am going to that - I love them, they are so cute!

I have done my other layout for the design team call and here is a sneaky peak.

Also, I have finally done a layout that has been in my mind since April of the kids playing Swingball in Uncle Roy's garden.

I don't know if you have noticed but I have added galleries on the right hand column of my layouts and my stitching. I may have said this in a previous post but I can't remember and I can't be bothered to go and check lol.

Sneaky Peek

2007-06-27T20:49:00.000+01:00

I kept Charlotte home from School today because she is really poorly, poor little thing. Her nose is red raw from rubbing it and she breaks her heart when I try to put some cream on it because she wants it wiped off. Also, she did get a spot on her arm today which means it could be chicken pox but it has gone down now so maybe not!!! If she is still bad tomorrow I am going to take her to the doctors because she has got a terrible cough as well.

Ben has still been going to school, but he is not happy about it and keeps trying to convince me that he is poorly as well! What is it with boys? He is coming home from school every day at the moment looking like someone has dragged him through a muddy field! He is only five, it can only get worse than this! My washing machine is going to overheat if I do any more washing!

I have just done a layout :o) It is for a design team call so I can't show it all to you but here is a sneaky peak. Actually, I am not convinced I am going to be successful with this as I am still having problems with my scanner and the colours look all wrong and mismatched on the scan which they aren't :o( I have taken a photo of it on the easel so I hope that will suffice for the submission - it is a shame because the layout looks really pretty in real life. As you can see I have used Basic Grey's Tutti Frutti paper for this. I know it is an old one but it is my favourite ever patterned paper in the whole wide world, so there! lol.

I have to do one more layout for this dt call so I had better get cracking!!

Windswept and Wonderful

2007-06-25T17:04:00.000+01:00

I have just done this layout but OMG what a pain it has been to get onto my blog! Do you ever have certain layouts that just don't scan properly? I have spent ages today trying to get a good image of this one but to no avail! In the end I have just put it on an easel and taken a photograph. Not great, but you get the idea. The layout is called Windswept and Wonderful because it is about a windy day at the beach!

Not a lot going on here today. Charlotte had a temperature of 38.8 last night and I was worried she may be getting Chicken Pox because her friend has it but she was fine this morning so I send her to Nursery. I was changing her trousers when she came home and I noticed a tiny little blister on her leg so I will keep an eye on her for further spots!

The Dora the Explorer umbrella!

And... the weather is terrible! It is supposed to be June but it is tipping down with rain, really windy and cold - just horrible. Charlotte was excited to use her umbrellas today on the way home from playgroup. I don't feel like going anywhere in this weather. That's what you get for living in England in the summer lol.

Apparently....

2007-06-24T11:12:00.000+01:00

....all the layouts on the catwalk were SUPPOSED to be using the Kelli Crowe collection this week. I stand corrected lol. However, I wish this had been made more apparent and then I wouldn't have been disappointed! I just want to clarify that I don't dislike the KC collection, I almost bought it! I just feel like it is all I am seeing at the moment!

Well the new Pencil Lines DT members were announced last night and there were four of them! It must have been so hard to choose but I must admit I was just waiting for Tracie Hudson's name to come up, I said to my Mum last week that I was sure she was going to be one of the new members - well done Tracie! Obviously I didn't get it lol or else I would have made it the title of my post! I didn't expect to be chosen anyway but congratulations to those that were you must be so excited today :o)

I did a bit of scrapbooking yesterday. I finished this layout of Mum which looks much better in real life as I just couldn't get the scanner to get a good image of it.

Mum at 21

I also did this one.

My step dad is coming over today to fit some mirrors in my lounge. There is a saga about these mirrors! We ordered them in February and they didn't arrive until May. Then they have been sat in the hallway all boxed up for a month waiting to be fitted. Well, last weekend Geoff said he was going to fit them for me so I opened the box to make sure they were ok and it didn't even have mirrors in it - it was a sunbed! I don't think THAT would look very nice on my wall so I phoned the company and finally the mirrors are in my possession and will be fitted today - hooray!!!! I still have a box in the hall with a flipping sunbed in it though.

A Busy Blogger

2007-06-22T19:03:00.000+01:00

Well I have to say that I am really enjoying taking part in the HS:MS photo blog. I t is great fun trying to think of something to take a photo of that fits in with the word of the day! In case you are wondering where my photographs actually are, I created a separate blog for them as I didn't want this one to turn into just a photo blog. You can see my pics at Sarah and the Camera - there is a link in the right hand menu.

I have also been sorting out a gallery for my layouts. I was getting fed up of the slide thingy scrolling on my site so if you want to see my layouts you can click the layout animation at the top of the right hand colomn of this blog. Or click HERE.

I still love the SIStv forum but I was a little disappointed in the catwalk this week. Not because of the people who were chosen but because 18/20 of the Fashionistas had chosen a layout using the Kelli Crowe collection that the site sold last month. I got bored about half way down the list and stopped looking. I saw dozens of absolutely fabulous layouts being uploaded last week that didn't use the KC Collection! Something like the catwalk should surely show a variety of talent, it is there to inspire people who are viewing it and not to promote products the site sells (well, maybe that is what they were doing so that people buy the next collection). I am glad I didn't buy the KC collection, I am sick of it already!

I don't like being controversial but this really bugged me this week as I look forward to seeing the catwalk so much!

Her Space My Space

2007-06-19T19:41:00.000+01:00

I just love Her Space My Space! I have been wanting to join in with this photo blog for ages and today, prompted by my Mum who also started today, I have finally taken a photo based on todays word!

The word today is MILK and here is my offering:

HS:MS - Milk

I went to the zoo with Ben and Charlotte today for a school trip. Well, at the risk of not being able to perpetuate my perfect little family blog - it was an absolute nightmare and I feel like I am never going to go on a school trip again!!! That said, I got a few good photographs (not many!) in between the whining and moaning and the kids got their faces painted and looked (LOOKED!!) gorgeous.

I want to be a fufferbly when I grow up...

...and I want to be Spiderman

Curly Tongued Giraffe

Did I mention the Rain, Thunder and Lightning?

Off to do some blog hopping now.

I am not going to get it all done!

2007-06-18T20:06:00.000+01:00

I have cleaned right through today! I love it when everything is perfect :o) I just have a few bits of paperwork to sort out and I am done...

...however, it is 8pm and I haven't had any tea. I am going to Paignton Zoo tomorrow on a school trip with Ben and Charlotte but I need to sort out everything for that - which is like preparing for a major expedition. I had better not stay on the computer too long that is for sure, but I needed a quick coffee and a five minute rest lol.

I just wanted to share this layout. I did this a couple of weeks ago but I haven't posted it before now as it is part of my submission for the Pencil Lines Design Team call. On the Pencil Lines blog it says that 166 have applied!!! I love this layout, it was a great sketch to work with. I just love the central photograph of Mark and Charlotte, it is my favourite!

Daddy's Little Angel

Well, I had better get a wiggle on as Mark would say!

Feeling better today :o)

2007-06-16T20:16:00.000+01:00

I had a good nights sleep last night and sort of had a lay in this morning - that's if you count laying in bed trying to snooze whilst your 5 year old in 'playing' with your hair. His playing is actually him pretending to cut it with his fingers - really he is pulling my hair and banging on the pillow about every 10 seconds!

Anyway, I had a bit of a rest today and didn't do anything very much. I had a lovely surprise in the post, it was my free bead for my troll bracelet from Manda at Mango Beads. It is absolutely gorgeous :o)

The new bead is the pink one with green flowers on

I have been scrapping today. Just playing around really but I did this layout and I quite like it!

That's all for today, short and sweet.

A Poorly Little Poppet

2007-06-15T17:53:00.000+01:00

I am feeling tired today.

Charlotte was terribly sick last night, poor little thing! I won't go into detail because it would be too much information and not pleasant reading for you. Thankfully Mum popped over to help me clear it up but I didn't sleep great as Charlotte then shared the bed with me and kicked me in the back all night!

Anyhow, I haven't done much today and don't plan to do anything this evening. I am just going to watch the telly and browse the web on the laptop so that I can relax on the sofa :o)

I have been sorting out my favourite websites today and categorizing them a bit better. I have so many scrapbooking sites in my favourites that they are now in sub-categories (Blogs, online stores, inspiration etc). Talking of inspiration and challenge blogs I found Mojo Holder this week and it is fab - if you like Scrapjacked then go here (especially if your mojo needs a kick up the butt).

Yesterday Jakey was teasing us on her blog and on SIStv about some big announcement that she had to make. Well it was worth the wait because a new challenge blog was launched and it looks great. Go and have a look at All About Eve (have the love it as it is a Marilyn Monroe film title), it looks like it is going to be a great inspiration for all those layouts you have been meaning to do of yourself!

However, my mojo has been fine lately and I have done loads of scrapping over the last couple of days - it is best to do it when you are feeling creative isn't it?

I need to get my submission of for the Pencil Lines DT call tomorrow. I don't know why I am bothering to enter really but loads of people are so I may as well give it a go - you never know. I would love to be part of it, it has such a well respected team and exciting challenges and guests - I love it.

Didn't We Have a Lovely Time...

2007-06-11T10:55:00.000+01:00

...the day we went to Cornwall!

We have had a lovely weekend! On Saturday it was a beautiful day in Plymouth and the kids just ran around the garden all day demanding ice pops and drinks.

Yesterday we went to Cornwall with Mum and Geoff and we did loads! First of all we went to Flambards and Ben and Charlotte had a great time. They played in the ball pool and then went on all the rides and looked at the animals. Mum and Geoff had never seen the Britain in the Blitz exhibit or the Victorian Village so we spent some time walking around that. It is amazing, if you have never been it is well worth a visit!

After we spent about 3 hours in Flambards we drove to Marazion. Mum was born in Marazion and grew up playing on the beach every day so it is a place very close to her heart. The weather wasn't great but it was quite warm and that didn't deter Ben and Charlotte from having fun on the beach. They are used to going on the beach in all weathers because they used to visit the beaches near us when we lived in Mullion come rain or come shine!

Ben and Charlotte loved the 'castle' in the water - otherwise known as St Michaels Mount.

They built sandcastles with grandad, we collected buckets of water from the sea (or ocean and Ben kept saying!), searched for creatures in rock pools, ate food, drank juice and played ball. It was fantastic.

We got back home quite late so they didn't get to bed until about 9pm! I caught Ben still playing with his gameboy under the covers at about 9.40pm and took it off him lol. I told him he was going to be very tired and sure enough he didn't want to get out of bed for school this morning! Now he knows how I feel.

I am so glad they had a good time and it was wonderful to spend so much quality time with Nanny and Grandad.

I Love It!

2007-06-05T14:38:00.000+01:00

Well yesterday was my birthday and it was great :o)

Mark bought me my Canon 350D SLR for my birthday but I got that in January so he got me a troll bracelet as well! I absolutely love it. To be honest, I think I was a bit spoiled this year but I am not complaining :o)

Not a good photograph, can't get the settings right and the flash keeps bouncing off the beads

I went to Mum's for most of the day but I couldn't go until after I had picked Charlotte up from Nursery because Mum said she had to go into town to pay some bills. Well she is a big fat liar!!! Mum and her dh actually went into town to buy me not one but two troll beads for my birthday. I would like to add here that Mum already had my present wrapped up and waiting for me at home, the troll beads were extra! I think they felt sorry for me because Mark is away. So from Mum and Geoff I got a new scrapbooking album and page protectors, some gorgeous scrapbooking papers and TWO troll beads. Oh and I musn't forget that Mum made me the most amazing Marilyn Monroe birthday card - I love it!

Had to hold the vellum overlay to the card to get a decent photo - this is beautiful in real life!

My sister came to see me in the afternoon and she had also bought me a troll bead. Now, can you believe that out of the hundreds of beads you can buy Mum and Carol had bought me the same one! Mum and Geoff drove straight into town to change my bead so that I could have them all on my bracelet for my birthday - how nice is that? Carol had got the gorgeous pink bead with flowers on - I love it! (Am I beginning to sound like those awful twins on big brother?). Carol also had a little extra for me, well I say little, she had made me this gorgeous pin keep. It is so beautiful and Carol's stitching and finishing is absolute perfection! Guess What? I Love it!

Isn't it gorgeous?

Mum made a birthday party tea for me and the kids, I felt about five years old again with all the party food all that was missing was the jelly and ice cream lol.

My sister Debbie rang me from South Africa so it was lovely to speak to her on my birthday and I also got to speak to my brother who rang from Malta where he and his wife are on holiday :o)

Mum popped around in the evening for a few hours and then Geoff turned up at the door to drop off a couple bottles of my favourite red wine which he had just been up to Tesco to get especially for me.

Do you think I was spoiled? I also got some money, underwear and PJ's - oh and I got flowers and chocolate from Mark - I was so happy.

Just Beautiful

To top off all that, I checked my emails in the evening and I had won the monthly draw on the Buddy Bead site to have a bead made especially for me for my troll bracelet. Talk about being a good birthday!

Also, I had my school reunion on Saturday night and it was absolutely brilliant. Not a lot to say apart from that I had a great time, too much to drink and chatted to loads of great people. I also now have a huge unexplained bruise on my right knee which is causing much pain!

Oh and I scrapped on my birthday :o) I did this layout of Ben while Charlotte was at Nursery in the morning.

Today the kids and I went to Mum's (again lol) after school and they played in the garden :o) I took some pictures!

Scooter Boy

Sweetie Pie

Yum Yum

More Yum Yum

School Reunion {again}

2007-06-02T11:41:00.001+01:00

I am looking forward to this evening as it is my school reunion. We had a reunion last year to celebrate 20 years of leaving school and we had such a good time that Paul (who organised it) has decided to do it again! It's really strange that I am sat here at 11.30 on the morning of the reunion and I haven't yet done my nails, or decided what I am going to wear. Last year I had everything planned down to the finest detail so that I would make a good impression, this year they can think what they like I am not going to stress about it I just want to have a good time. Obviously I AM going to do my nails and wear some clothes lol.

I have been MIA on my blog a bit this week because of half term but I have managed to do some scrapping in the evenings when the little scamps are in bed (or rather, running around upstairs!).

Ben on a BIG slide in Spain

I had to scrap this picture of Charlotte's doll because it is the spitting image of her!

No Difference!

Well, I had better make the little monsters some lunch :o)

Just watching some AVI Files..

2007-05-29T00:55:00.000+01:00

I was just going through some AVI files on my computer and I thought, I wonder how YouTube works. Well, I went and created an account and it is so easy! All you do is upload your file and it gives you the code to paste into your blog straight away, you don't even have to 'work out' how to do it! Simple.

Anyhow, a little video of Mark and the kids on Plymouth Hoe a couple of years ago. It's only a snippet as I was just practicing.

I stayed up to watch the Lisa Bearnson TSV on QVC but it's a cardmaking kit so I am not that interested :) I did like the pack of 30 American Crafts slick writers but it was only ten different colours with each colour in three different thicknesses. I would rather have 30 colours.

Anyhow, I am going to bed now else I will never wake up in the morning. I am taking the kids to Jump tomorrow - it's like Playzone. In fact, the one I am going to used to be a playzone.

Ready to scrap!

2007-05-27T14:02:00.001+01:00

That's right! The housework is all done, the ironing is sorted, the washing is in, just fed the kids and cleaned that mess up so I am going to scrap for the rest of the day (well until tea time!).

I did some scrapping yesterday as well so I am feeling really lucky to have the time at the moment.

I have just been up and down the loft about a hundred times trying to sort out the tv arial. We have cable in the lounge so that picture is perfect but the kitchen tv is atrocious. Anyway, I have given up now as I can't get it right and the kids think I have gone loopy! I have just attached a little arial to the kitchen tv now but the picture still isn't very good. The reason I am trying to do this is that I scrap in the kitchen! I think we have to invest in a decent arial.

It's half term! I have to think of some things to do with the kids for the next week. Obviously, gluing and sticking is high on the list but I need to get them out. I am going to take them to Jump on Tuesday (big ball pool like place) which they will love. If the weather improves I will take them on Plymouth Hoe for a run around and an ice cream. I must check the cinema too, that may be another idea and of course I will take them to the local park on days that we are not doing much. They always act like loonies if they are couped up inside!

Here are some pictures of them making birthday cards for Mum last week. I am going to get their craft stuff out now and they can join me in the kitchen! I have got some papermania paper and they have loads of foam shapes, feathers and things so Ithought they could do a layout :)

No blogging today

2007-05-25T20:03:00.000+01:00

I have a headache! Have slept most of the day. Just checked emails and forums and now I am going to sit on the sofa with a glass of red (not advisable I know - but nice!) and watch the final of American Idol :o)

For Mark :o)

2007-05-22T00:46:00.000+01:00

A silly little layout to make you smile!

That's all!

Happy Birthday Mum

2007-05-21T20:08:00.000+01:00

It is my Mum's birthday today, I won't reveal her age as she probably would not appreciate it. Anyway, I couldn't wait to go over and see her today (she lives just across the road) as I had made her a card and a mini book. I also made a gift bag to house the mini book out of matching papers.

She loved them which is what I was hoping but I always have a glimmer of self doubt when I create something - especially if it is for someone else!

Card for Mum

My mum loves Mary Englebreit so, as you can see, I created this ME inspired birthday card for her. The little maze book is full of photographs of my children and the tags have little notes on them detailing little things that the kids do and say at the moment. I thought it would be a lovely way to record those little things that we tend to forget over time. I have written how Charlotte wants to be a butterfly when she grows up and how Ben truly believes that he will be bitten by a red and blue spider and become Spiderman when he is bigger! As for the gift bag!! I didn't have a template and wanted it to be a particular size so I just guessed how it was made and whipped it up this morning.

Mum's Maze Book

I have been at Mum's most of the day which was lovely and awful in equal measures. Lovely because my sister, my nan and my auntie (who share's a birthday with Mum - but they are not twins) were there and it was great to see them. Awful because I have had a really bad headache all day. The headache is easing off now the kids have gone to bed - funny that :D

I had an email from Mark today :o) He said that his Mum (who lives in Alicante) has managed to get us a villa near her for two weeks in August! I am so excited about a summer holiday when he gets back, it will be great! Now where are those diet books?

Ben and Charlotte have got a healthy schools week this week so I have to write down everything they eat and any exercise that they are getting. I feel like a single parent at the moment with Mark away - don't they think I have enough to do / remember without this. I shouldn't complain, it is a great idea to get the kids interested in nutrition and exercise but to be honest Ben already is. He loves fruit (Sportacus has helped out there) and wants to drink milk all the time to make him strong. Wanting to be Spiderman when he grows up has really helped in this department and he would rather have good things than bad these days. Charlotte needs work however, she would eat sweets all day every day if she was allowed!

Back to scrapbooking. Have you been over to the Scrap In Style TV website / forums. You should go, it is great - I am fast becoming an addict! Also, if you have missed the launch of the One Little Word challenge blog go there right now! The first challenge is to scrap a layout based on the word 'Go'. This is my attempt:

My 'GO' Layout

The journaling reads:

"When Mark goes away - due to his work in the Royal Navy - I am strong! I think I cope incredibly well.

I can’t stand the wives who spend the entire time moaning that their other half is working away. You know the ones who make it sound like it is their husband’s choice to go, as if it is done to deliberately cause them distress, extra work with the kids and general loneliness. Surely they knew that their husband was working for the armed forces before they got married! What do they expect to happen when their loved one is drafted away from home?

I am not saying that it is a bed of roses, or that at times I don’t feel exactly the same way. I am just saying that the whole world does not want to hear this and that their husband does not deserve to shoulder the blame for their sadness. All of us in this situation have to suffer the same consequences of our husband’s profession and even if I don’t show it, inside I GO to pieces."

Well, I think that's it at the moment. Byeeee.

A Bit of Fun

2007-05-19T10:32:00.000+01:00

I saw this on Karen's blog and I just had to have a go. Apparently I belong in 1983 - I am not THAT old fashioned am I?

You Belong in 1983

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What Year Do You Belong In?

I also saw this on Elsie Flannigan's blog and had to try this out too :)

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Have a go, go on you know you want to!

Bam Pop-ping

2007-05-17T14:00:00.000+01:00

Last night was the Plymouth crop. It was lovely to see everyone but, as usual, I was yapping a lot and only managed to get one ATC done. I gave that to Anna so I actually came home with nothing lol. Well, Anna loved the ATC and tried to steal it so I thought it would be nice to let her have it :o)

When I went to the Little Cottage Crafts workshop in December I won some Bam Pop papers in the raffle. Well these have been in my stack of papers ever since and every time I take them out to use on a layout I find something that seems to 'go' a bit better. It is not that I don't like the Bam Pop papers, in fact I really love them I just haven't had the right layout for them. Well, last night I set myself a challenge to use the papers on my next layout. I have done it today so here it is!

These papers really do 'pop', they are so bright and colourful!

Ben is home from school today. He felt really hot this morning and was complaining of feeling itchy so I thought it would be best to make sure he is ok. Actually, he seems fine now. I was probably being a a bit over protective but better safe than sorry. He is laying on the settee watching Spiderman and routinely sniping at Charlotte so I don't think there is much wrong with him now.

ETA: Here is a pic of the ATC I made last night. Anna kindly scanned it for me :o)

What do you think?

2007-05-14T21:34:00.000+01:00

I have gone for a new look blog! I love it, what do you think? I have had great fun this evening making my header and other graphics and editing the template!

Mum had to take a photo of me today and I love it so much (and I usually hate my pictures!) that I have used it on my blog header. I remember that Kirsty Wiseman gave me a little tip about looking good in photo's when I met her in December. Well Kirsty, I remember and you are right - I love this picture :)

Mum and I went to the Exeter crop (Scraps in the City) on Saturday and, as usual, we had a fantastic time. The girls there are just the BEST people you could ever meet. We were sad when we left (Mum even had a few tears) because it was the last one. The organiser Fi (you may know her as Scrappybunny on UKS) is moving - Boo Hoo! She will be setting up a new crop at her new location and I can't wait because I am really going to miss those girls.

Saturday's crop was our belated National Scrapbook Day celebration and we had classes by Shimelle, Debbie Jewell and Janice Warren so we had loads of stash to play with from the kits. To be honest all I did was Shimelle's '1 Lucky Girl' mini book because I was yapping so much and celebrating my ScrapGenie post. I loved doing this book though and I was really pleased with the result. I will take a photo and post tomorrow. I haven't quite finished it as I didn't have a decent enough photograph of myself for the front cover - guess which photo will be going on there now!!

Just so that there is a picture in this post here are a couple of Ben and Charlotte trying to kiss me through the dining room window last week. Where did that nice weather go?

Having a great week!

2007-05-10T19:13:00.000+01:00

Well you know I said I was on a high? Well, I can't seem to come down this week as everything seems to be happening to me :o)

Firstly, I got layout of the week on UKScrappers and my layout is on the front page for the entire week. Now, you would think that was enough to happen to one person who scraps wouldn't you? Oh no, not me! Someone up above must be looking after me this week because...................

wait for it................

I applied for the ScrapGenie Design Team and I got it. Yep, you read that correctly!! I am on what I consider to be the best design team going. I can't believe it. In fact I have to keep going to the ScrapGenie blog to make sure I haven't imagined it. They have announced it on there and also put a picture of the layout I submitted as one of my application pieces.

I can't think straight today really and the phone hasn't stopped ringing! So, just so there is a picture here, this is the digi layout I did with Kirsty Wiseman's new free kit 'Jolly F-Ugly Japes', it was on her blog yesterday and she didn't even know that I was applying for the same DT as she is on!

Just a Few Little Pictures

2007-05-08T19:52:00.000+01:00

I have been feeling so creative for the last couple of weeks, I love it when it is like this and you can just produce one thing after another.

I am feeling too tired to type much and I want to watch 'How to look good naked' in a minute so here are a couple of layouts I have done since the weekend. I have also done three other projects but I can't share at the moment!

I love these colours!

I had problems with the Santa layout as I have really gone off these papers but I am really pleased with the layout now.

I Had Fun!!

2007-05-07T11:13:00.000+01:00

I am definitely on a high at the moment! I have had the most fantastic weekend.

I went to Tracie Hudson's house (well beautiful cottage!) this weekend to attend the Braunton crop which she runs. Terrie and I travelled up on Friday afternoon. We made great time but we made a wrong turn and didn't find Tracie's house, we found the pub that we had been to the last time we went up though - funny how we remembered where the pub was! Anyway, we eventually found Tracies house to be greeted by Dylan her dog. Well, I am not really a dog person - I don't hate them but I don't love them if you know what I mean. Dylan loved me!! He would not leave me alone which was quite funny but I spent a lot of time screeching and jumping lol. We met Tracies hubby and sons, they are such a lovely family.

I snagged this pic from Terrie's blog but I think she got it from Tracies lol
We all went to The Rock for our tea and a *few* drinks. I wasn't until the next day that Tracie informed me that the glasses of red wine I was drinking were extra large, a fact I can corroborate based on how I felt on Saturday! We had a good natter and laugh, Tracie and Terrie are great company.

When we got back to Tracies we had a little play on the computer and the set up an kind of assembly line to pack the kits for the crop the next day. I am absolutely amazed that all the kits seemed to be in order when they were handed out on Saturday not only had we been drinking it was very late and I was tired.

The actual crop was great! Tracies class was lovely and I managed to scrap a lovely photo of Ben sticking his tongue out using her layout idea. The Shimelle book was also really good but I haven't finished the cover yet. Alison Docherty (Scrapbook Inspirations) was there and taught a brilliant maze book - the best I have seen because it is bound like a proper little book, it is just gorgeous. The other class was also by Alison and was a really pretty layout that used Fancy Pants chipboard flowers as a template to cut the flowers out of patterned paper and included some stitching up the stems. Even though I was suffering for most of the day I had a really good time :)

Alison's Class Layout

Tracie's Class Layout

Alison's Maze Book Class

Shimelle's Mini Book Class

Oh and Tracie made me a gorgeous bead!!! She's a clever b****r that one!

Polka Dot Bead by Tracie

All in all I have had a great time this weekend, I met great people, ate, drank and chatted loads. Quite simply I had fun!

And yes I do miss Mark but I am determined to have a good time while he is away and not wallow in self pity and become depressed like I have during so many of his previously deployments! I am keeping busy and passing the time, so far it is flying by so that is great!

Digi Digi Doo

2007-05-02T10:43:00.000+01:00

I forgot to put the digi lo up that I did. This was based on a class by Kate Hadfield (Whatkatiedid) - Her instructions were really great :)

There's not a lot going on here at the moment, just your everyday 'stuff'! I mowed the lawn last night and cut the edges with shears, I have only got a little postage stamp sized lawn in my courtyard so it didn't take long :) Mind you, it is the first time I have done it for years as that is Mark's job. I nearly had to phone my Mum as I couldn't work out how to turn the Flymo on - I am so thick sometimes! Mark thinks I should dye my hair blonde again when I am so silly.

Back to Normal (Kind Of...)

2007-04-30T22:21:00.000+01:00

I had a great weekend messing around with my stash for the UKS cyber crop. Mum came over on Sunday and we decided to do the inchies challenge as neither of us had ever made any before. We really had a laugh. You should have seen the state of my kitchen there was embossing powder, two heat guns, glitter, paper and paint on every surface lol, and I have got quite a big kitchen. I would have taken a photo but we were working to a deadline don't you know!!

My favourite inchies are the ones I made using a little cupcake stamp that I got this week - I think I should call them 'The Shimelles' for her love of cupcakes lol.

I can show you a couple of other layouts now which had to be kept anonymous or secret for the cybercrop. The first one is the layout I created for the mystery challenge. I have to say when I opened the box and saw the supplies I thought....well I won't tell you what my exact thoughts were but I didn't think I would be able to do anything with it. An hour later this layout was complete and I keep looking at it because I just love how it turned out. There is a tag behind the main photo containing the journalling.

The next layout was my entry for the pre-crop challenge. We had to create a layout using the title 'Once Upon A Time'. I was lucky enough to receive 17 votes for my entry which put me third, there was a tie for first place. Anyway, how cute does Charlotte look? This was on her 4th birthday a couple of weeks ago and believe me she was NOT acting very cute for most of the day!

Finally, I did this layout today for Kirsty Wiseman's 'Scrap Your Hands' contest. The deadline is tonight and I really didn't think I was going to enter it but I made a last minute layout just so I could have a go - there is a great prize and a girl can never have enough stash, in fact I haven't got nearly enough. I have looked at the slide show on her website of the other entries tonight and there really are some great ones so I don't hold out much hope of winning but you have to be in it to win it don't you?

Had a lovely package through the door today! My lovely Mark had been into a newsagent in the good ole' USA and sent me three current scrapbooking mags.

Off to bed now as I want a relatively early night, and I have got those magazines to flick through until I drop off!

Cyber Crop Madness!

2007-04-29T11:06:00.000+01:00

It is the cyber crop on UKScrappers this weekend and I have been very busy! The first few classes that went up were absolutely lovely and I had a great time creating my versions of the classes. I particularly like my version of Maria Hortons class as it is a gorgeous photo of Ben with silly bug toy on his head :o).

Playing Crazy Bugs

I even ended up doing a layout which was nothing to do with the cyber crop at all.

I loved Shimelle's Box of Sweets class using the huge photograph.

Who Wants Ice Cream?

This one is Mystic Nats class 'Curiouser and Curiouser' which I enjoyed doing on Friday night.

Air Day

Off to check out the final class :o)

Doing the Happy Dance!

2007-04-24T22:06:00.000+01:00

Woo Hoooooooooo! Just had to share my excitement!! I have just had three layouts accepted on the Basic Grey gallery on the BG website.

I just put them on there last night thinking, no way will I get on there but lo and behold I just had three e-mails from them telling me they have been accepted. Of course, I had to go and check out the website to make sure I wasn't imagining things lol. Well, there I am in the designer list lol. Click Here.

I think I deserve to buy myself at least 2 new BG paper collections for this achievement don't you? Markie, are you reading this lol.

I have been scrapping but it is the Mystery Kit for the UKS cyber crop this weekend so I can't share yet. I still haven't scanned Ben's layout yet. I don't think I like it actually, I may fiddle with it a bit more first.

My girl is famous again :)

2007-04-22T22:25:00.000+01:00

I got my subscribers issue of The Scrapbook Magazine today and this layout is on page 72. I sent this layout for publication 24 hours after I had completed it and I can't wait to get it back again and stick it in my album :)

I completed my layout for the Pre-crop challenge for the UK Scrappers cyber crop last night and I also completed a layout of Ben today. I can't share either as I can't be bothered to scan at the moment. Also, I can't show the pre-crop challenge layout as it goes up for anonymous voting at the weekend, not that it will get many votes. I haven't got any friends lol.

I will scan the layout of Ben tomorrow and upload it. I know I do more layouts of Charlotte than Ben but I just love doing the girly ones so much and I find it much harder to do 'boy' layouts.

If Terrie is reading this, I will ring you tomorrow but if I forget PM me. If not, I may read this and remember!!

Catch Up

2007-04-20T10:38:00.000+01:00

I have been trying to catch up on things this week. Mark had 2 weeks leave before he left so the I had only done general housework and none of the more tricky things like carpet edges, skirting boars and picture rails so I am happy to report that I have done all this now :o)

I have a load of washing in the machine and it is such glorious weather that I will hang it on the line! This is new to me as I haven't had a washing line for about four years!! It is so much better when it dries naturally.

Catching up on other stuff, I went to the crop in Exeter (Scraps in the City) last Saturday and - as usual - I had a fab time chatting to the girls and scrapping. The girls that go to this crop are all really lovely and we are so lucky to have such a great group of people. Mum comes with me too so that makes it even better. I finished off a mini book that I was making for Mark to take away with him which had photos of the kids and me in. He was really pleased with it. I also managed to complete three - yes THREE - layouts. Shock horror. I usually just sit eating cake, chatting and moving bits of paper around on the desk lol.

Here are the layouts:

I love this paper!
I wasn't sure when I was doing this one but now it is my favourite of the three layouts
Left it simple as I wanted to see the paper

It was Charlotte's fourth birthday on Tuesday, the day after Mark flew to America which was a shame. Anyway, she had a great day. She really wanted Ponyville for her birthday so of course that is what she got! We also bought her a Barbie house amongst other things. My Mum bought her a Baby Chou Chou doll and Charlotte really loves her new baby. You should have seen her face when it started making baby noises, she was so excited. Bless her! She even takes her baby in bed with her every night and I am constantly having to stop the baby crying when she can't do it lol.

Here are some birthday girl pictures:

Ready
Steady
Blow

I went to the first UKS Plymouth crop on Wednesday night - with Mum of course - and it was lovely. Anna who has organised it did a great job putting together a paper bag book kit. I have yet to finish mine as I am not sure what I want to use it for yet. I need to do some scrapping! I have a visitor tonight so it will have to wait until tomorrow :( Still it will be nice to have some company on a Friday night.

MIA

2007-04-18T14:06:00.000+01:00

Been a bit manic here as usual. Mark went away to join his ship for 3 months on Monday morning and we are all sad! It was Charlotte's fourth birthday this week as well so we have been busy!

I went to the Scraps in the City crop last Saturday and did some layouts :o) I am going to the new Plymouth crop tonight so I have to go and get things sorted now.

I will blog tomorrow.

I still don't get it!

2007-04-09T10:01:00.000+01:00

As I said, I spent last night playing with Photoshop. Well I knew it wouldn't be long before I ended up creating a digi lo. I do love doing these because I love playing with graphics. However, I still don't really 'get' digi scrapping. I mean what are you supposed to do with the layouts when you have done them? It isn't the same as looking through a beautiful album of layouts is it? Even if you print them, is it the same? Perhaps I need to see someone elses digi layouts and what they have done with them to be convinced. I am sure Kate Hadfield could convince me lol.

Talking of Kate Hadfield, she is so talented and the kit I have used to create this layout is one of hers (a collaboration with Gina Miller). I saw this kit and although I don't really do Digi Scrapping the colours and style jumped out at me and I had to have it! It is called 'Colour Me Funky'.

Wellt is 10am and we are all still sat in our PJ's so I had better go and get everyone sorted out for the day :)

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T23:25:00.000+01:00

We are having a very nice Easter. The kids received an obscene amount of chocolate from family and friends which will probably last until Christmas (they were still eating their eggs in October last year!).

We have been to my brother's this afternoon for a lovely barbecue. He has the same camera as me but has a new lens so I have taken some good photographs with that this afternoon. It has a much better zoom than mine which meant that I could get pictures of the kids without them actually realizing I was taking them - this is a great advantage as Charlotte hates having her picture taken and Ben always stops what he is doing, looks at the camera and poses exactly the same way for every picture he has taken!

Anyway, I haven't put the photographs on the computer yet because I got a little bit waylaid and started playing with pictures in photoshop cutting out backgrounds, enhancing eyes and generally messing with the look of the pictures. I have loved messing around with graphics for years. I used to use Photoshop when I worked but only really used Paint Shop Pro at home. PSP is brilliant and I absolutely love it but now that I have my iMac I can't use PSP (it's only available for the PC) so I am getting to grips with Photoshop again - it's great!

Here is what I tinkered with.....

Ben - Removed Lounge Background amongst other things - still need to sort out that bit of red eye!

Aetherised the image to give it that Acid / Urban feel - I love this - Also enhanced the eyes. You can see the original of this image in the post Busy, Busy, Busy below

Boo Hoo :(

2007-04-04T15:02:00.000+01:00

I was just about to do a post to say we went to Central Park with the kids this morning and I was all happy! Now I am not as the photos I took have disappeared from my camera. There were some really good ones on there too. I am really upset.

Right off to find the kids to see who has been messing with the buttons.

Juice!

2007-03-30T16:21:00.000+01:00

I have been creating today :) I am really happy with how this one turned out. Charlotte was a real juice monster when she was smaller and it was all she wanted, all the time!

Mark and I are going out tonight to a restaurant on the Barbican called Cuisine Spontanee. We used to go there a lot before we left Plymouth and I can't wait to go back tonight.

I must, I must try not to drink too much red wine!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2007-03-29T10:54:00.000+01:00

I have just finished sorting out a load of paperwork! I have been meaning to do it for about a week but I have just not had the time. I have been soo busy. Not bad busy, nice busy.

On Sunday we decided the kids needed a day out so we just went onto Plymouth Barbican and The Hoe. We had a great time and Mark even took the kids up to the top of Smeaton's Tower. Actually, they weren't really that impressed and Ben really didn't want to walk out onto the balcony to look at the view. The kids enjoyed stuffing themselves with chips and ice cream, in fact, Mark and I enjoyed stuffing ourselves with chips and ice cream as well.

Having fun on Plymouth Hoe

They are at the top - honest!

On Monday I went to a coffee morning at the kids school. That was a bit of a wash out! I don't really like things like that but I thought I would make an effort. I wish I hadn't bothered, I am getting very fed up at the moment with a miserable, ignorant 'friend' and I have decided life is too short and I really can't be bothered with her playground mentality! Does that sound harsh? Good! I am sick of it.

I had a MUCH better time on Tuesday as I went to Fiona Beckmans house, my god, she makes the best coffee and her chocolate cupcakes (secret recipe) are divine!! I am going again lol. Bee (bertiebaby on UKS) was there too. I was soo happy to be able to have a nice chat with some genuinely nice, intelligent and friendly people. Mum picked Charlotte up from nursery for me so I had a good amount of time there. Usually I am rushing around picking kids up and dropping them off every two hours of the day lol.

Wednesday was also good :) Terrie (terriefarrell on UKS) came over to my house and we had a good old natter and looked through scrapbooking albums, stash etc. Great. I had to pick Charlotte up from nursery whilst Terrie was here, she and Ben had dressed up as pirates as part of a sea themed dress up day at their school - they both looked gorgeous! I can feel another layout coming on....

Charlotte the Pirate Princess

Messing around on Photo Booth

Ben the Mean Pirate

Miami Ink

2007-03-21T10:20:00.000Z

'What?' I hear you say. Well I don't really know myself but one of my friends has a new found love for tattoos and she loves this programme not least because of the gorgeous (her opinion - not mine!) Ami James. Well it is her birthday today so I have obliged and made her a card featuring the man himself. I hope she likes it!

And here is what I have done today...

2007-03-21T00:01:00.000Z

Just a quick post to show you the layout I created today. Actually, I don't like it in the scan but in real life I love it. It is funny but sometimes I find scans just don't do layouts justice, this one really looks 'carpenter like' (if that's an expression) but you can't see the texture properly.

Mum and I had a good time this evening, not a lot of scrapping was done (I had almost finished this layout before she arrived), but we spent loads of time looking at and stroking stash. Most of the time was spent with Mum trawling through my photographs of the kids and trying to steal them!!

<<<---- L@@K

2007-03-20T18:55:00.001Z

A new pic with my new hairstyle! I was playing around with photobooth and being very vain the other morning lol.

Mum is coming around in a minute for a cropping evening - yippeeeeee!

I am feeling very stressed so hopefully a bit of scrapping will cheer me up.

Ben's Birthday Week

2007-03-15T14:07:00.000Z

It was Ben's birthday on Monday and he had a great day even though he had to go to school and his Daddy was away at work. He had loads of nice presents and spent most of the day (when he was at home) jumping around in his new Power Rangers outfit :0) Mark and I had taken Ben to Pizza Hut and the large Playzone type place on Sunday and he and Charlotte really liked that!

We bought him a telescope and an Evel Knievel toy (which Mark HAD to get him because he loved his when he was little!) and some other stuff. He was a very happy little boy on Monday morning.

We also bought him Spiderman Operation, the quality of this toy is diabolical! How they can charge 15 pounds for what amounts to a sheet of card, a sheet of metal and some plastic bits and packaging I don't know - it is truely rubbish!

I don't really know where the rest of the week has gone, it has just passed me by lol. I went into town on Tuesday morning and had a lovely haircut at Toni & Guy, they always do it really nice so I am very pleased with it.

I did a little scrapping this morning and finished a layout that I began at the last crop I went to. I love the picture of Charlotte with her sunglasses on even though half of her head is missing.

What a Day...

2007-03-09T09:11:00.000Z

I had yesterday!

We all got up as normal and went out for the school run. Ben and Charlotte messed around in the playground as usual waiting for the bell to go and when it went they both ran away from me - as usual! I called to Ben to go and line up with his class and ... wallop! I don't know what happened as it all went so quickly but he fell on the floor - on his head! As soon as he got up screaming he had a massive lump on his forhead, a swollen eye and nose with stones stuck all over the side of his face. I have to say the headmaster was fantastic and ushered me in to the school nurse immediately. Needless to say I spent all morning at casualty with my ever patient step-dad who jumped out of bed to take me there. Luckily he and my Mum live across the road from me as Mark had taken the car to work.

Anyway, Ben is fine now and spent all yesterday afternoon playing me up which was a sure sign that he was fine :D

I have just dropped them at school this morning and Ben spent the whole time in the playground hugging me and crying because I wouldn't let him run around like a lunatic. Bless him.

I still haven't got around to sorting out my craft cupboard because I was going to do it yesterday morning so that is my job right now, I just have to print some card inserts so that I can post dh's Mums card to her today and then I am on a mission with my craft stuff!!! I bought a few more Really Useful Boxes on Wednesday so they are ready to be filled and stash sorted.

Peter and Jane Books

2007-03-07T09:29:00.000Z

Ben is settling into his new school really well which is great but I have noticed that his reading is terrible!! I went to speak to his teacher yesterday and she assured me that he is just playing me up and that at school his reading is exactly at the level it should be for his age, if not a little better. I was very relieved but I am still not happy with his progress at home so I searched the net for the Peter and Jane books that I used when I was a kid. I found them on Amazon and have order the first 12 to see how he gets on. Mark and I often laugh and say that we are like a victorian Mum and Dad and we don't agree with all this new fangled phonics rubbish, we think the teacher should point to the letters with a stick and say 'a', 'b' etc lol. Well we are going to try it at home :o) and see how Ben gets on with it. We can use them with Charlotte next year from the start so it is a good investment. I want to buy them all, there are loads of them. The Peter and Jane books and the Key Word Reading Scheme taught 100 million of us to read so I don't think you can go far wrong with them, if anything it will just reinforce what Ben is learning at school!

Well I would say that the unpacking and house sorting is all done now. All I have left to do is organise my craft stuff and that is my job for today so I had better get on with it and stop talking rubbish on here. I am determined to do some scrapping tonight and to do that my craft stuff needs to be organised, I don't know where anything is at the moment except for the things that are in my fab AMM tote that Mum got for me.

I feel fine :)

2007-03-06T10:26:00.000Z

Just thought I would post to let you know that I feel fine now. I felt awful for a day and then it passed off - luckily.

Unfortunately I then went out on Friday night and drank far too many glasses of wine and spent Saturday feeling worse that I did when I was genuinely ill!

Will update properly later :o)

New Look!

2007-02-28T21:45:00.000Z

I have been really poorly today! I am still quite poorly so loads of sympathy would be appreciated lol! Actually, I am feeling a lot better now than I was earlier, I was up with pains in my stomach in the night. Probably just IBS but sometimes I get it really bad! I am going to bed in a minute to catch up on some sleep.

Anyway, I thought I would launch my 'New Look' blog to cheer myself up. The design is based on that of my website (which I have had for a few years), I thought it would be nice if they matched. The website has only just gone live again after being out of action for a year due to our move to Mullion. I will update it sometime soon but if you want to have a look at my cross stitching, like Marilyn Monroe or just want to have a browse around the rest of it just click the link on the left.

Mark has come home tonight which is nice because he wasn't due home until Friday, he has finished work for the week. We are going to go and get some paint tomorrow to freshen up the hallway as it is looking a bit bedraggled.

My lovely Mum bought be a present yesterday, it was a AMM tote-ally cool tote! I know I am behind the times by not having one of these yet but it makes it all the more exciting to get one after wanting one for so long. Best of all it is a Pink and Brown one (my favourite). Thanks Mum.

Feeling Creative!!!

2007-02-27T09:56:00.000Z

Well, there is nothing like being hassled to make a blog entry lol.

We are all settled now and the kids are in school, it is great! So much so that yesterday I felt relaxed enough to get scrapping, I am still feeling 'in the mood' so more scrapping will be done tonight I am sure. I need to use that new camera of mine to get some more photographs really. I couldn't sleep last night because of all the ideas going around in my head! Here are the layouts I did yesterday:

Supplies: Bo Bunny kit by Scrapagogo

So yesterday was quite productive don't you think?

All our furniture arrived and the place is looking lovely, we just need to buy a couple of mirrors and then I will be very happy :)

We're In

2007-02-11T00:32:00.000Z

Well we have moved in! I am so happy to be back in my own house again :) We have boxes everywhere and loads of unpacking to do but it will be worth it. We should be sort of straight by the end of next week as we have new lounge furniture being delivered on Monday and new furniture for both the kids rooms coming on Tuesday so we can't unpack those rooms until then. I did unpack three boxes of craft stuff today and I still have a full Tote Express to sort out and about another three boxes full of cross stitch, threads, fabrics and books etc to find a home for!!!

I just can't explain how nice it was to cook tea in my own (gorgeous) kitchen tonight - it was a dream. I was thinking that I should hold on to that feeling and remember it when I can't be bothered to cook. It really makes you appreciate the good things about your home when you have to go away from it for a while.

I will be back soon with some more interesting news but at the moment I am shattered and I must go to bed

Busy, busy, busy...

2007-02-04T22:09:00.000Z

I have been MIA for a little while because we have been busy getting ready for the move on Thursday. We are getting there! We still have to do the kitchen and to go around the house picking up all the odd bits here and there that haven't fitted into certain boxes and then we will be done. I am hoping to be finished by Tuesday night so that I have Wednesday to do the majority of the cleaning before we leave.

Anyway, I am getting scrapping withdrawal symptons and all my stash is in boxes!!! I probably won't post until I get to Plymouth now - unless I feel like doing it on the laptop (which is what I am doing now). So wish me luck for the move and keep your fingers crossed that there are no hitches!

Packing has commenced

2007-01-28T21:12:00.000Z

Well I the packing has begun! I do feel better now that I know I have started packing and I am really excited because it means it won't be long before I get back home. Here is the proof:

Mark has been away all weekend because he wanted to do Tough Guy (advertised as 'One of the hardest events the body can take') because he loves stuff like that. Personally, I can't think of anything more horrible lol - I would much rather sit at home and read a book, do some scrapping or some cross stitch! Am I old before my time? I am certainly not fit enough to do Tough Guy! Hell, I wouldn't be fit enough to an obstacle course at Ben's school :D

He has rung me this afternoon to say that he did it, I expect he will come home brandishing the medal and I will probably do a layout of it lol, He is on his way home as I write.

I have been doing a layout on and off today. I got a bee in my bonnet about the way I wanted to display multiple photos on a layout (which was inspired by a magazine ad) and I just had to get it done. I used the January Scrapagogo kit which has been virtually untouched since it arrived due to various things. I had great fun with some metallic rub ons which I rubbed all over the cardstock to enhance the texture and alter the colour, I have used bronze and blue rub ons (not from the kit), the colours don't really show in the photo. I apologise for the bad image but my scanner is packed so I will get a proper image of it when I have moved (yippee!!!).

Digi Scrapping

2007-01-24T18:02:00.000Z

I am not really a Digi Scrapper but when I saw the freebie on Kirsty's blog which she created with the self titled (and very apt name it is too!) Digi Scrapping Queen Katie, I just felt compelled to play around in photoshop :o) This is the layout I came up with, I really enjoyed doing this. If either Kate or Kirsty are reading this (which I doubt lol), well done girls and thank you very much for such a great and inspiring freebie.

There still isn't any packing happening in this house!!!!!!!! Tomorrow, tomorrow....la......la...laaaaa!!

The Crimson Petal and the White

2007-01-23T15:55:00.000Z

I just had to do a quick post today to tell you to read this book. I have only read about 80 pages so far and I love it. I love it so much that I really don't want to read it because once I have finished it I won't have it to read lol.
It is set in 1870's London and the writing (so far) is superb.

Not a lot else going on around here today. I have just been surfing the net and doing the school runs. I have still got to find that motivation to start packing for the move. I kick up the Ar*e may work, whaddaya think?

17 Days To Go

2007-01-22T20:28:00.000Z

And it can't come fast enough. I really can't wait to move back to Plymouth and be back in my own house again, I hate this renting lark. Three days ago most of the house lost electricity at 5.30 pm and it took ages to come back on. Mark was trying to flip the switch that was down and it wouldn't stay up (does that make sense?). Anyway, about 20 minutes later the switch stayed up - Hooray!! Until....

The next day it happened again at exactly the same time! The landlords don't seem too fussed about doing anything about and we can't really push them (it's complicated as we are renting this private house from them through the Navy and it is not a married quarter). We have worked out what the problem was and the reason it went off at tea time each night. Everytime we turned the cooker on at the wall it trips the whole house. What a nightmare, I haven't got a cooker now for the next two and a half weeks which is going to be fun with two little ones and a house to pack up for the move. I am so fed up about it.

The electrics in this house have always been a little bit funny, I will be glad to get out of here. Every night at about 9.30pm there is a loud noise in the house and the lights all dim and one a few occasions I have received electric shocks from running water! I was in the shower the other day when the lights all dimmed, you have never seen me move so fast lol. Oh well, Mark says I will be laughing about this in a couple of months, mmmmmmmm!

As I said, I have a whole house to pack and I really must get myself motivated to start! Once I start I will probably be on a roll but at the moment I can't get going. I was going to start today but I was awake a lot of the night with stomach ache and it has persisted through much of today so no packing has been done.

I have been playing with my new camera over the last couple of days. I haven't read the instructions or really tried to work out what it can do (I will wait till I am settled back in Plymouth for that) but I have had great fun trying different settings and chasing the kids around the house lol. Here are a couple of snaps :o)

Charging!

2007-01-19T14:28:00.000Z

I am so excited! I have a wonderful husband :)

I have just received my Canon EOS350D! I can't tell you how long I have wanted one of these cameras and now I have it. I am very impatiently waiting for the battery to charge. Why do they take so long? I want to PLAY.

Actually, I haven't got a clue how to use my new baby but I am sure going to have a lot of fun learning.

As for the crop that I was packing in the last time I posted (so long ago!!) it was fabulous as usual. I absolutely love going to the Scraps in the City crop the girls are all sooooo lovely and I love them all :) My class went well I think, here is the lo that I did for the class:

Tracie was at the crop from Little Cottage Crafts, she is lovely and I spent some time chatting with her. I really want to go to her crop on February 3rd but it is the weekend before we move house so I think I will have to give that one a miss. Coming from Mullion means that I have to stay the night and it makes a one day crop into a weekend away which I can't really afford to do so close to moving, I am gutted. Maybe next month Tracie!

Well my husband is on his way home from work and my battery should be charging nicely so it is time for me to pick Ben up from school, cook tea and then play, play, play......

Can't Think of a Title

2007-01-11T22:45:00.000Z

I have had a headache most of the day so I can't be bothered to think of a title for this post lol.

I don't know but the headache may have been caused by the fact that I started reading The Island by Victoria Hislop and I couldn't put it down until it was finished. I loved it, what a great read!

I have spent all evening trying to pack stuff for the crop on Saturday and I can honestly say that I am taking too much, this is what I have:

Artbin Tote Express
Karen Foster Carry All
Generations Scrapfolio
Krafters Purse
Handbag

I just didn't know what to take so I thought I would just take everything, well not everything I still have half a room full of stash but everything of any importance is in those bags so the car had better not blow up!!

Can't wait for the crop, going to Mum's tomorrow to stay the weekend and go to the crop together so it is always nice to see Mum too. It will be even better this time next month as I will back where I belong living across the road from her :o)

Ooooh

2007-01-10T15:58:00.001Z

I am Layout of the Day at Scrap Galaxy today :o)

A Christmas Layout

2007-01-09T18:36:00.000Z

I had a little play this afternoon with the December Scrapagogo kit which was of course the gorgeous Blonde Moments Festive Feast Collection. This is what I came up with, I am very pleased as it took me about an hour at the most.

I am getting excited for the Scraps in the City Exeter crop on Saturday as we decided to have a non-cyber crop. This means that a few of us are giving classes for the everyone which means it will be really different to our usual crops. I can't wait to see what the classes are. I have done one (which I won't show you yet) but here is a little taster for anyone who may be coming to the crop. I am going to sort out my bag and get my kits together tonight.

As some of you know I am moving back to Plymouth in February, to say I am excited is any understatement I just can't wait to move out of this rented house and back into our own! However, I am have trouble getting Ben into the school that I want to and it is a flipping nightmare.

As soon as I get back after the weekend away for the crop I need to start sorting my house out and packing, at least I will know that I am on my way then. I am dreading the move but it will all be worth it in the end.

Hello Again

2006-12-31T20:39:00.000Z

Well I haven't been blogging very well have I? I don't know what happened but I think Christmas took over. I hope everyone had a great time over the festive season.

I just want to wish everyone a happy new year and leave 2006 with a few pictures from our Christmas in Mullion.

What a weekend!

2006-11-28T12:31:00.000Z

Well it was the cyber crop of UK Scrappers this weekend so I had a lovely crafty weekend :) I didn't do as much as normally do on a cybercrop but I still did plenty and got a couple of nice layouts out of it!

The pre-crop challenge was to produce a layout with something hidden on it. I had a brilliant idea for it but I didn't really have the supplies to do it or the time as I feel it will be quite complicated to do. I am going to try and do that soon though so I am not going to tell you what the idea was. I produced this layout of my mum instead. The first half of the image is the layout and the second half shows the layout with the top photo open to reveal another photograph and some journalling :)

I also created this layout for a pre-crop challenge using a mystery kit. I had problems with this one and couldn't decide what to do but I think the layout turned out nice in the end :o)

During the weekend I did these layouts:

I did a couple of other things for challenges and also a lovely Lippy Chick book which I loved doing.

All in all it was a great cybercrop and now I can't wait to go to the Little Cottage Crafts crop next weekend :o)

Woo Hooooooo

2006-11-21T23:35:00.000Z

I have got my iMac and I am in love with it..................

She's a devil in disguise....Oh yes she is!

2006-11-19T01:52:00.000Z

Cara commented on my last post that ATC's are addictive. Guess what I have been doing this evening!!! What do you think? I am just playing really but I think they will pass for ATC's, they are mine anyway.

I also did a lo with my first ever Scrapagogo monthly kit. If you don't get these kits then you should, it was so exciting receiving the kit in the post and I am dying to get next months which has the gorgeous Blonde Moments Festive Feast papers in it!

This lo looks fairly plain but it took me ages to get it right, it goes like that sometimes, the simpler ones take longer. The 'angel' letters took a long time as I painted the chipboard in white, then overlayed in blue and pink and then covered in lil davis glitter glaze. In real life they really sparkle. I have also glitter glazed the edges of the patterened paper. The title was inspired by Charlotte's behaviour this evening which was horrendous lol. She really is a devil in disguise!