Venice!!!!

Well, it has finally come around! We are off to....... We have had it booked over a year! On wednesday, we will have been married 20 years, so we planned a short break to coincide with the date, actually returning on our anniversary!!! I've checked the five day weather forecast here and tuesday is going to be fab! 17 degrees and sunny! Great for photo's so hopefully will have lots to scrap when I get back! I bought a new memory stick for my camera, that will hold 1500 photo's!!!! Have also found this web cam site which is fab!! so check it out and I promise to wave at the camera when I get off the water bus!!!!! You cannot do much in three days, but just intend relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere! Bought a travel guide and have been reading up a bit, hope to get a ride in a Gondola at some point, but wont bother if they are Mega pricey!!! Another great web cam site is here! We are in a hotel just round the corner from St Marks square, so should be there often!

As some of you know, I started this blog when I was suffering with stress and it has been essential to my recovery, however I feel on this occasion, although I vowed I would post every day, it is just going to be impossible! So, there will be no posts on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and I will report back on Thursday.

I have ordered my scrapbook papers ready to get to work on my return, but hope to find a few extras whilst I'm out there to add dimension to my LO's. I am not one of the world's great travellers and have a bit of an issue with flying, so I will be fine when I get there, but Rescue Remedy will be required!!!!! As it is the first time we have been on holiday without the boys in twenty years, this is going to be a whole new experience!!!! TFLx

Back to the 60's

Forgot to post this LO for today, which was for this week's challenge over at UKs.

Use ovals on your lo 10pts

use pastel colours 5pts

Use flowery pp or blooms 5pts

Use only B&W photos 5pts

Add a bit of bling to your lo 5pts

I used a black and white photo of us, taken last year when we went to my son's dance teacher's ruby wedding fancy dress party! Because she was married in the 60's we had to dress in 60's fashions. I shaped the photo into an oval using my photo editing software and added an oval journalling tag from Jenni Bowlin. I cut the title using the Craft Robo and a font called 'bell bottom laser' This was an American crafts floral paper and I punched flowers from the extra, using my x-cut punch. I arranged the flowers around the photo and added some Papermania adhesive gems. The chipboard tag is from a Brenda Pinnick set. Lovin' the hair!!! Thanks to my nieces for the hair and make up help! TFLx

I slept like a baby!

I don't know why we say that! In my experience my babies didn't sleep! Anyway, I did have a good sleep, got to bed about 10.30 and don't remember a thing! I have been sleeping well this week anyway, since my sister very kindly leant me a special neck pillow because I have been experiencing a lot of pain in my neck! Lol! The children will say I am a pain in the neck, however, this little pillow has made a world of difference for me and I have had much more restful sleeps! I probably slept well knowing my Studio Calico goodies were saved just for me! (Had a fab piece of news on the acrylic album add-on!!!! So excited!!!)

So, here is today's LO, which is for a monthly challenge over on the do-crafts forum. The rules, use;

3 papers plain or patterned

3 photos

Eyelets or brads

Ribbon

some hidden journalling

and if at all possibleThe Title from a Song!

Here is my page using some more photo's from my summer holiday last year with my sister and her family - hence the song title 'we are family.' I used Basic Grey Periphery papers, 3 out of the set and the matching alphabet. The title is using American Crafts foam thickers. There is a hidden journalling tag, which is a postcard tag from 7 gypsies. Three tiny MM button brads are in the top left. Coming to the end of these papers now, but have been perfect for this French holiday feel to my snaps. They would be perfect for Venice too, but more about that tomorrow! TFLx

Ok, it's official! I'm mad!!

Well, at least that's what my husband thinks! Why? Because I got up at 5.00 am to try and buy add-ons for next month's kit, when this month's only arrived two days ago!!!!!! I think I must have gone on about this too much, because even when I logged in at 5.30am, one for the add on kits I wanted had gone and so had the pack of extra paper! Was lucky though and got a Dandelion add-on which was one I drooled over!!! So been trawling the net for things I missed out on and tried in vain to order paper three times and keep getting chucked out and to cap it all the SC forum wont let me post now!!! DS1 been for a driving lesson and come back and me still sat here on the PC!

So, here is today's crafty item. A page I made the other day using this weeks Pencil Lines Sketch.
More holiday snaps from France last year, this time from our day trip to Nimes to the Roman Arena. Used some more of my Basic Grey Periphery papers.
The city where denim originated!!! (De-Nimes!) TFLx Will be having an early night tonight!!

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy again!

It's taken a long time to arrive, but worth the wait! My monthly kit has arrived yesterday and it is , once again, gorgeous!!!!! Here it is "Fly a kite!" and also one add-on "Chimney Sweep"

Can't wait to get cracking with it! Have been on a roll the last two nights doing lots of LO's with the last of my February kit, but still got some left!!!! Think these papers will come in handy to scrap some of my Venice pictures! Tonight is reveal night over at Studio Calico, so we will get to see the kits for next month in full, but to be sure to get an add-on kit, will have to set the alarm for 5am!! Now that's dedication for you!!! If you can't wait, there are sneaky peeks available here! It is acalled "Hand picked" with add-ons called "Dandelion, Snapdragon and Forget-me-not." Even the names sound gorgeous!!!

(No connection with this company other than one happy customer!!!!)

Decorative borders and edges

Here is a page made for the Scrummy Stash Cafe challenge over on their blog. It was to use decorative edges and borders. I used some of my Junkitz Flowerful papers and cut one of the papers into decorative strips. I arranged the strips and edged the photo with one of the scallop borders pieces. I cut out some words from the word backing paper and then used a rub-on on the photo itself. The quote is from a Brenda Pinnick kit. I did fake stitching with a white Sakura gelly roll pen. A small piece of adhesive ric rac just adds a bit of texture. An old picture, but one of my favourites!! Been having a productive time, did another three pages last night! TFLx

The saga of the "Not crossed buns!"

On Thursday night, my web shop came,
but things went wrong, Oh what a shame!
The hot cross buns, I thought I'd bought,
Were all sold out, so we had naught!
Tomorrow was Good Friday too!
What were we now, going to do?
No buns for breakfast? Woe is me!
What could I do? I'd have to see!
I got up early, half past six,
My hot cross buns, I'd have to mix,
Got out my 'Kenwood', flour and yeast,
We would not miss our usual feast!
I duely mixed the hot cross dough,
and left to knead, ten min's or so,
Then shaped and left them there to rise,
At least an hour I thought was wise.
I duely took hot tea to bed,
And woke my husband then, who said -
"Do you want breakfast?" "Not yet dear!"
I said - "Not ready, but have no fear,
our Easter breakfast, is in hand,
But not as great as I had planned!"
I went down to check those buns cross hot,
Had they risen? NO! The'd not!!
Thought we had waited long enough
Put them to bake, thought, 'they'll be tough'
Still, have done my very best today
To eat 'cross buns on Good Friday!
I baked them for the time they stated,
Hoping they'd become inflated!
When I opened the oven door,
They had not risen off the floor!
We all sat down to our Easter treat,
To eat a whole one - quite a feat!
The children, faces began to pull!
"Mum, I've had half and now I'm full!!"
So, there they sat, for two whole days,
on the side, amid full gaze,
of everyone who passed and said,
"Those buns look as heavy as real lead!"
On Sunday last, we woke, 'twas snow!
I thought, 'the birds'll be starving, so.........
I broke one up, threw it on the grass,
And guess what then did come to pass!!!!
They sank in the snow!!!!! Just like lead!!!
Hubby then piped up and said-
"Stop making craters in my lawn!!
If the birds find it they'll be torn,
If they take off, I'll be amazed!!
I f they use their beaks, they'll be dazed!"
So my original good intention,
Is now the subject of "cruelty prevention!!!!!!"

These are what they should have looked like according to BBC good food magazine!!!!!!

A cat lovers card!

Happy birthday to one of the ladies on my craft forum, can you guess her name????? (Bubbles is her cat by the way!!!) I found this font for sale on an American site and downloaded it as a gift for Sue. Just checked it worked! (I am a dog person not a cat person - but they don't seem to do one for dogs!) I printed this and coloured it with watercoloured pancil crayons, then used my waterbrush to blend. Just topped it off with a couple of flowers and a jewelled brad, so she can turn it into a nameplate for her craft room wall if she wants to!!! have a Happy Birthday Sue!!! TFLx

More dance pics

More pictures I have found of DS2 from a few years ago, two of the early cups he won and a photo from the first BBC panto he was in. I thought the panto photo toned nicely with the Hambly woodgrain paper! I experimented with some bronze paint on both side edges, applied with a dry brush, but not sure I am a paint kinda gal!!! The papers and embellishments are all from my Studio Calico February kit. (Except the black foam thickers!) IAm expectimg the march kit any day now!!!
Have just been playing with the Craft Robo to make a title for page I want to do this afternoon - letting myself play as I have taken all morning cleaning the oven!!! Been out for a long walk with Barney and his friend Lewis. Had an update from the vets this morning to say Barney's blood test results were fine! Hooray!!! Poor Barney, his hair on his front legs is growing back slowly!!
TFLx

Orange and Green!

Here is a page I made for a weekly challenge over on UKs this week. Some photo's I found of my son when we toured the Werder Bremen Stadion in Bremen Germany, where my SIL lives. The colours of this team are orange and green, so go perfectly with the Studio Calico kit I got last month, called "Sherwood forest."

• to represent the 3 leaves of the shamrock for St Patrick’s day then have 3 of any kind of embellishment - 5 points

• To commerate the patenting of the rubber band then make your title stretch across the whole page - 10 points

• To celebrate the anniversary of the Dark Side of the Moon release then have either your patterned paper or photo cut into a circle - 10 points

• Spring or Easter colours - 5 points

Claimed full points for this one!

I made a collage of my photo's in my photo editing software and then printed them off, so the arrangement was already done. The "scary" paper from the kit - as I call it - was the hambly screenprint woodgrain effect paper, which I cut into a strip following the grain. The challenge for me was to leave the centre in each of the letters and am still very tempted to remove them!!!!

TFLx

Snow on Easter Day!

Papertake weekly challenge

Just about made this weeks Papertake challenge before the next one is set tomorrow! This week, it was to make a crad reflecting weather in some way. The only weather related stamp I could find in my stash was this one I bought at the NEC last year, and it is quite relevant this morning, seeing as we have woken up to a blanket of snow!!!

I used a Marvy marker to ink up the stamp and stamped onto watercolour paper, so I could use my waterbrush to blend the colour. I used my little Aldi stamp that you can reset to the phrase you want (quite fiddly though!) and made the phrase for a get well card. The background card is a Papermania designer card and I mounted the stamped image on some white glitter card to reflect the cold! (used silicone glue to make it stick!) The mirror embellishment was to reflect the circle and add a bit of bling! TFLx

Happy Easter!

' Egg'ward The St'egg'asaurus (my decorated egg) wishes you all a Happy Easter!!

Here are my three entries for the photo scavenger hunt over on UKs. The words were egg, yellow and new (my new Easter table decoration.)




Going out for a big family lunch today. Hope you all have a wonderful day! TFLx

VW factory

This is using Pencil lines sketch #76

Here is a photo, I managed to get printed off last night, of the VW factory at Wolfsburg at dusk! I am proud of this photo! I think the light levels are great! Can't see the people in the foreground very well though! I have used some of my swap stash goodies from Naomi, including the trims and the circle from a sheet of Cosmo Cricket Dutch girl paper. The trim is embellished with adhesive gems and the journalling is handwritten in white Sakura gelly roll pen. I used some blank chipboard letters for the title which I painted with cream acrylic paint. I inked the edge of the page with an ink pad and stamped a border in Versamark ink using a clear stamp swirl.

I had a blitz of all my photo's from old CD roms that I have never printed and tried to select some of my favourites, unfortunately the printer has been unhappy with the thickness of the new photo paper I bought from The Range. It has been jamming each time and then I ran out of ink!!! Then it forgot the photo setting, then ot printed the align new ink cartridge page on my glossy paper!!!!!! I had just about every variation possible! Thankfully sorted it now and seems to be just about ok!! There is a lot to be said for a dedicated photo printer rather than a printer scanner copier!!!! But trying not to be precious about the quality of the photo's too much and scrapping them anyway!

Had a tragic discovery too last night! Realised I have deleted the photos from my camera of my son's prom!!!! Thought they were backed up on the PC but must have been lost when that was wiped! Have sent an emergency email to SIL in Germany as I emailed her a few shots and hoping she still has them!! Have a couple - one of the limo and one in his Tux so not a total disaster but almost!!! He is so not bothered!! It's a woman thing apparently!!!

Boys birthday card

Here is another card I have made this week for my nephew who is 6 next week! I have made another nameplate card, with a detachable nameplate for his bedroom door or coatpeg etc. I used Brenda Pinnick papers and chipboard letters and some of the alphabets out of my new BP kit! The last card I made like this, shown here, was one of the most popular items people have commented on! TFLx

Been rushing about completing my Easter cards ready for delivery and then been out with my son for a driving lesson and to deliver chocolate chicks! Had a real problem with the gusty wind, as it blew the L plate off!! Just been to buy more and new wiper blades, as they were rubbish! Bought DS2 a large Galaxy egg - his favourite, but asked DS1 and he said he would rather have money towards his moped service tomorrow! He is learning that owning two vehicles can be an expensive business! We have his theory test booked, so have been looking through the multiple choice questions in the book I bought on Wednesday! I have done well so far!! Although some make me laugh!! I think the most difficult thing will be completing them against the clock - this is always a problem and also converting the vision of a road hazard into a click of the mouse fast enough - another problem for Dyspraxics - processing information takes them longer. Anyway, we will have to see how it goes. Got a couple of weeks to revise first. He is going on his first test route with the instructor in a while so that will be interesting. Drove very well this morning.

Laura Ashley

Just found some of these scrummy papers in stock here (no connection, other retailers are availbale). Ahead of schedule but selling out fast. Some of the embellishments have been delayed until April due to some manufacturing issues with the tins apparently! The range includes papers, albums, crystals, ribbons, brads and stamps! Enjoy!

Stash goodies!

Here is my parcel of Easter swap goodies from Naomi! They are super! I like the way she has made little page packs with card paper and hand chosen embellishments in! I love the 'Woof' chipboard book and the Heidi Swapp stamp - that's funny because I bought her a Heidi swap stamp and a butterfly mask! The chipboard C is fab too! I love that she included something handmade by herself, as I did the same for her! I included a dragonfly envelope book that I made some bare scrapbook mini albums and an Easter card I made myself! I wrapped all hers in pink tissue and she wrapped all mine in blue tissue! So Thank you swap partner and I can't wait to get started!

Stash alert!

I know today is going to be a good day as I have a red ticket to pick up a parcel from the post office!!! It is my Easter swap from someone at Studio Calico!!! Also my Studio Calico 'Fly a kite kit' is due any day now, so could well be today in time for the holidays!!!!
I broke up from school yesterday, so I have two weeks to play - hopefully! Although I will be away for a couple of days on a trip!!! (Tell you more later!)
Must take Barney on a long walk today to compensate for the rubbish day he had yesterday! It is raining here at the moment and he doesn't like wet, so will have to wait a bit!!

Got to start swatting up on my driving theory test! Not for me, for DS1 who is hoping to take it in the next couple of weeks. Bought a book from the book club at work yesterday and have been flicking through the multiple choice this morning! So far, got 23 out of 25! Not bad! Going to have a go on the hazard perception CD rom later! I promised I would help him and as I took my test MANY years ago - I know nothing about it! For a Dyspraxic child, even knowing what to expect on arrival at the centre and how it will be conducted are crucial. Any familiarisation with proceedure is beneficial. We watched the CD that came with his test booking last night and it was fab! I highly recommend it. Even discussing the fact that people will come in and out during your test, means he is likely to remain more focussed because he knows it will happen. Also being able to wear headphones to have the questions read to you is a good idea for a Dyspraxic.
He is doing very well with the practical too! He is going on his first lesson around a test rout tomorrow so has to be an hour and a half to get into the city centre!

Poor Barney!

He has been to the vets all day for blood tests, to see how his Addison's disease is progressing, to see if we need to up his tablets! Doesn't he sorry for himself! I could not take him this morning, I made hubby do it or I would have cried!! He's my baby really! They make you sign this disclaimer thing saying what you want done with the body incase anything goes wrong and I could not cope last time!!! I'm so soft! Anyway he's home and we just took the bandages off and he's had scrambled eggs and some milk followed by a bonio!!

Just been for a mega facial this afternoon at a very expensive Spa near us!! Hubby won the vouchers in a charity raffle! I am the charity he donated his prize to!!! (no connection to this business) So a £55 facial cost me £5! Excellent!

Lost your Mojo?

Have you lost your scrapping mojo?? Then why not visit the Mojo Holder for a sketch to give you a bit of inspiration! This is a LO I completed using this weeks sketch, challenge no 55, and some of my Basic Grey Periphery papers and some chipboard shapes I coloured with some ink pads. The lettering is from some matching Basic grey sets! Buttons from Basic Grey are added as a finishing touch. TFLx

Album cover inspired!

The Scrummy Stash Cafe Blog challenge was to use an album cover as inspiration for a projest. I had noticed this in Scrapbook Inspirations magazine, but had not really thought of an album cover to use, so decided to take a look in our drawer od CD's. I came up with this! One of hubbys favourite albums! I turned it into this!

A card for a friends birthday! used my Junkitz flowerful papers from a Scrummy Stash kit and a piece of Bazzill cardstock. Highlighted it with a few gems. Just goes to show, you can get inspiration anywhere! TFLx

I think I'm missing a gene?????!!!!

I think I must be missing the Magnolia/Tilda gene! I keep looking on other people's blogs and entering challenges and just about everybody has a least one Magnolia stamp or Tilda stamp or Papernation stamp - but me!!!!! It was actually specified in a challenge the other week, not to use one! I do like cute, don't get me wrong, the card I just posted is cute! It's just these little characters are not my thing! It would not do for us all to like the same thing, but so many are liking these right now, it's hard to find anything else! Was just worried I was the odd one out!!! Penny black is another range of cute stamps I don't have either!!! Just have one cute duck and one cute dog!! Maybe it's just stamping is not big for me! Just like doodles and flourishes!!!
Just an observation!

Easter Swap


Anyway, today was the posting day for the Easter Swap over at Studio Calico. The idea is you enter your details and are given a swap partner and you provide new goodies in a mystery box, based on their likes and dislikes. The difficulty was knowing how much to spend! I'd love to carry on spending! Anyway, I have put together a great package I think for my swap partner, including goodies she wanted (hopefully) and a few hand made goodies by me, as well as some choccies for Easter in a little basket I made! I packaged it all up in a pizza box that a lot of goodies came in, but took the time to wrap the inside gifts carefully, including a handmade card with my wishes. Hope she likes it!!!!
Happy Easter!!

DCM challenge

This weeks DCM challenge was to make a teen card! Quite tricky! Not easy to please these teens! 13 is special! A big step!

I have used a Pink Petticoat Lola Rose picture, which I printed off and watercoloured with Marvy Markers and a water brush. This I have matted onto a printed backing paper from the CD and then on to a Designer card from Papermania. The trims and the brads with the alphabet and stickers are from my new Brenda Pinnick kit.

There are lots of new characters appearing at Pink Petticoat, I like the Easter chicks and there are some called 'Dad's Taxi' and 'Just for Ewe!' I have bought the 'big dots' download which is easy to do, to get some extra backing papers. Some of these mini downloads are very reasonably priced and because you download it to your PC, you don't pay extra postage! Great idea! There is a competition running at the moment using this download, so I will have to see if I get time to enter that! Have a go! TFLx

P.S. Just re-read the challenge and I am not sure this is right now as they didn't want girly teen!! Whoops! Never mind. Will have another go if I find time!

Reminder - I have backed up my photo's today!!! Have you? Having recently lost things when it all went haywire, I am now trying to back up my pictures and scans once a month to CD. Take it from me, it hurts when you lose things! Think I may have lost my son's prom! So back up today!

Pencil lines sketch #75

Here is my last minute entry for the sketch over at Pencil lines, before a new one is posted tonight! This is a photo I have wanted to scrap for a while, it is of my friend who I met walking the dog, who is fighting cancer for the third time and I just heard this week is in a hospice now. This was taken a few years ago on one of our walks, when we found this wild flower patch that has not been there since! Life seems so unfair sometimes, she is such a strong, brave kind person and I want to have lots of happy memories to cherish. I made the Park buddies album about Lewis and Barney, as they are best friends!!

I used my Studio Calico kit from February, called Sherwood Forest. Even the watch face was in the add on kit and I felt it appropriate, as time is sadly running out for her.

I must admit I do find circles a challenge! The scallop edge is some packaging from some chipboard letters that I have recycled! TFLx

Easter card

Here is another Easter card I have made for the Papertake Weekly challenge. It had a fab tutorial here on how to make a box frame card, so I decided to make another Easter card as I still have not got enough and I am running out of time! What a great idea this is and how versatile, it can be used for any occasion! I made mine using a half sheet of Bazzill card stock and scored it with a ruler and scoring tool. I stamped my easter chick stamp on some lemon Brenda Pinnick paper and used some of my new chipboard flowers from My Brenda Pinnick kit I got this week! I added the bumble bee to a piece of acetate so that there is movement and stamped the greeting on a tag from this set too. The brads and paper flowers came from the kit aswell. There is so much in it, I don't think I will ever finish it!!! The chipboard flowers and leaves were glued to cocktail sticks with silicone glue and I pierced hole in the frame to push them through and then secured on the inside with the glue gun. I really enjoyed this and will definately make another! This frame is great! TFLx

Weekly challenge over on UKs

Here is a LO I made last night for the weekly challenge over on UKs. We had to scraplift somebody else.

LO on the theme of Friendship = 10pts

Scraplift the LO of a friend = 10pts

Include one or more Circles , to represent the circle of friendship= 5pts

Include something Metal on your LO = 5pts

I scraplifted this LO from the gallery from Naomi (with her permission!) I used 3 photo's of Barney taken yesterday on my walk. I used a metal rimmed tag for the title faithful friend, because I thought it looked like a dog tag. The doodles are drawn with a Sakura Glaze pen. The paper flowers were from my Little Silver Hat kit, with Papermania brads. The chipboard initial is from my Brenda Pinnick 'Initially yours' set from QVC. The metal photo anchor is from Papermania.

I love the simplicity of it, the fact there is a lot of empty space, which I would not normally dare do, and the fact that it is on plain Bazzill cardstock, something else I find hard! I found a quote in my new Brenda Pinnick set that arrived yesterday that says "One of the secrets of a happy life, is continuous small treats! (Iris Murdock)" This is so apt for Barney! I am, at the moment, dwelling a bit on his mortality, due to these frequent visits to the vet! He is my faithful friend! TFLx

Stash alert!!

I did get a stash delivery today - but not Studio Calico - more Brenda Pinnick!!!!!!!!! I ordered the album in a box with loads of extra goodies from QVC that has been out of stock for ages and I am thrilled with it! Well done Brenda! What a cracking kit and very reasonably priced for all the stash you get. In fact to coin my brother in laws new word, it is "bargainous" (we think it should be in the dictionary!) What isn't there in it!! I needed a new album anyway!

Have also been testing out my binding machine that my husband bought me a while ago from Aldi! I have never got around to using it but decided to give it a go today and made some mini scrapbook blanks as a small gift for a friend! I used some of my Brenda Pinnick papers and chose 10 that went well together. I trimmed them with my Aldi guillotine and put them in a carrier in the thermal binder and hey presto, it's fab! Gave the extra cut off pieces with the scrapbooks so they can be used for matting and layering!

Think this makes a super little gift for a scrapbooker who like to make mini albums as gifts!

P.S. The vets visit turned into another visit next week, when Barney has to stay for a full day while they take his bloods to assess the progression of his Addisons disease. Will not be good next Wednesday! TFLx

Studio Calico kind of day!

I am hoping it is going to be my day today! My March kit should arrive today fromLast night was sneak peek night for the next kit and it looks fab too! The best thing I did was join this monthly kit! Lovin' you ladies out there and your selections! If you click on the link above, the new kit peeks start at the third slide and are called "Handpicked, Dandelion and Snapdragon." Hope I can afford both add-ons this month but, will have to wait and see. There are still a few march kits by the look of things, so if you are undecided, wander over and have a look. (No connection to this company by the way, just lovin' what they're doing!)

What did I get scrapped yesterday???? A big fat nothing! My first full day off and thought I could move mountains and it all went pear-shaped! I was a bright morning, so decided to take Barney for a walk on our local common land called the Westwood Pastures. Overlooking the race course.

It was so windy!! We climbed the hill to see the black mill and the view of the minster and nearly got blown away!

Got one of my photo's for the scavenger hunt over on UKs! "Game"

My old lad! Wanting a game of ball! I didn't realise how much he had aged recently until I saw this photo! Have just been chasing him round the garden in my dressing gown trying to collect a urine sample for the vet in an old margarine tub!!!! Lol! They give you a tube the size of my little finger to put it in!!! have they any idea what they are asking????

So when I got back, I thought I will just nip over to the 'Range' to get some crafty goodies, drove 15 mins there, my mobile rang and it was my hairdresser saying I should have been there at 11am! Would not get back in time for my highlights, so just dashed back for the cut and blow dry!!! This meant I would not be able to be at the vets on time so had to ring up and move that to today! When I got home, made the tea quickly and shot off to pick DS2 from school, as he needed quick tea and back out the evening of dance, so did not start the ironing until 5pm! So what time off?? What scrapping time??? Putting the finishing touches to my Easter swap goodies over at Studio Calico forum. Made a couple of things last night to pop in the package!

Just had a phonecall to invite me to go shopping in York! Just declined, said I must get on here to catch up! Just had another phonecall, inviting me to the pub for lunch! Fab! Could do that and still get some work done! Better get the washing on and the dog walked and meet Jonni up at school to sign the form he should have given me last night to sign!!!!!!! Then out for lunch and back just in time for the vets at 3pm!! Scrapping time?????? Hoovering time???? School work????

On no! Just thought, what if I miss my Studio Calico parcel?????? Should I stay in, incase it comes???? That well known stash dilemma!!!! Better crack on! be back later with a stash update if it arrives!!! TFLx

P.S. Don't know why the photo's don't open up in close up anymore? Have tried various photo sizes? Anyone any ideas?? I am lucky to live here! This is my town.

Anybody tried alcohol inks?

Not had a go yet myself with these, but was reading this tutorial today and the results look fab, so I am now very tempted! Will have to add this to my to-do list, but don't posses any alcohol inks yet so that could be a draw back!! As I like altering tins etc. think they could be very useful to have when I get some spare money!! (When!!!!!)

By the way, my delivery of Studio Calico goodness is due any day now!!!!! Really can't wait to see what's in it. Also got the Chimney Sweep add on coming too! This is when a monthly kit is great, as I would not have thought of buying some of these papers, but now really looking forward to the monochrome and the colour combinations! They are already tempting us with the sneaky peeks of the next months kit tonight!!!!!!

Hoping to get some pages made today on my day off, although the ironing is a must today and Barney has to go to the Vets later. (Again!) Went to DS2 evening of dance at his performing arts college last night and even though I am biased, I have to say it was fantastic and I am so fortunate. He stands there, the only boy in the year 9 dance and absolutely shines!! I am so glad he is taking Dance GCSE, it showcases some different aspects of dance that he does not get at dance school. More contemporary dance. I really did not feel like going last night as I started with a cold yesterday, but as usual, I was so glad I did! Am I surprised by him? No, just found this to scrap!!!

This to this!

And how did it start?? A trip to Disneyland Paris when he was three! He was fascinated by the parades. Here are two pages we made years ago from his favourite dancing pics!

For some reason he had line dancing shorts????? I used to go to line dancing classes with my friends at the time and we used to practice and have coffee one morning a week! Those were the days!!!! ) He had to wear his elastic bow tie on his head to be like Minnie mouse!
(Made using the very first do-crafts scrapbooking goodie box with a bit of everything in it! It introduced me to this craft!)

TFLx Hope he isn't too mad with me when he gets home tonight!

Monthly house challenge

Over on UKs there is a monthly house challeneg you can enter once your are in a team and a house! I have not entered one before, so decided to give it a go! The theme was quite simple - "to complete the challenge, you'll need to create a layout with a SPRING theme, and use STAMPS, its as simple as that!"

On Monday I took this photo of my tulips in a vase on the kitchen worktop in the sun. I tried to get various different angles and get some close up shots. I love this main picture and the colours are so zingy! I decided to print it big! 10x8! The other flowers are from two other shots of tulips, side on in the vase, in close up and I have cut these out. It looks like a gardening magazine! The background paper is Basic Grey Stella Ruby, which I stamped with my favourite Autumn leaves stamps called "Elegant flourishes. I stitched the main photo on with a decorative stitch on my sewing machine and then the cut out flowers were stitched with straight stitch. (If you stitch by machine, make sure you pull the thread ends to the back and secure, so they don't come undone later.) The velvet ribbon from American Crafts adds texture, as do the foam thickers for the title. A bit of bling was added, by highlighting the stamping with deep pink adhesive gems. Really enjoyed making this page! TFLx

Eco week!

What a time this week at work! We are having Eco week with the children at school! So far my day has consisted of writing raps, creating renewable energy windmills and fashioning garments from carrier bags!!! To top it all off, I have just spent two and a half hours assembling a wind generator that arrived at school by post today, which I thought would be preassembled!!! Not likely!!! My dad came for tea and has helped my construct this item, to an exacting standard I might add! Mid eighties he might be, but perfectionist is still a phrase I can easily use regarding his handy work! Maybe that's where I got it from, refusing to be beaten is another phrase that applies too! Anyway after all that hard work and having drilled hole in my yellow pages and fetched the workmate into the middle of the kitchen floor - it is finally complete!!! Although hampered by our lack of an extensive tool box! A bike spanner a drill a pair of pliers and a comprehensive set of drill bits, we managed to complete it! At a cost of one chuck key, which I managed to drop on the kitchen floor and it broke! So, here it is!!! Ta Da!!!!!!!!!!!! *loud fanfare*

If you turn the handle fast enough you may just catch a glimpse of the glow of light in the light bulb! I hope my pupils appreciate it tomorrow!! Not the kind of crafting I had in mind for tonight and not exactly relaxing, but creative all the same! This may well turn into a poem!!!! (At a future date!)

So here is a rap we made up today instead!

Put it in the bin

Don't be square!

Recycle your tin

Don't litter everywhere!

Rip up your paper

Squash bottles of plastic!

If you REUSE your bags

Our world will be fantastic!!

Please feel free to add your own drum sound effects within your own rapping capabilities!