Sally's Scrapping Stash

Older pictures.........

2012-01-28T14:56:00.000Z

Pictures I was sure that I must have scrapped, then looked and found that, shockingly, I hadn't!

You ever find this?

You look and think , blimey, these are a few of my daughters very first pictures and I missed them out!!

Its OK though, I knew I had them, but didn't realise I hadn't documented them as I had wished.

So last week I decided to rectify this.

Its a shame that there isn't more journalling about the feelings at the time, I can remember the moment, but I cant remember everything, just because some of the little things fly out of my head.

But what i wanted to detail I have.

Like, this is the time when normal visitors are not allowed to come onto the ward, this is the Daddy's only slot, 10am-12 noon, just daddy's and as the ward was a 4 bed ward with only me and another lady, it was lovely,

It felt like it was just Jack Bella and I!!

Daddy had gained a life time of confidence in baby holding since leaving the night before and was bursting to hold Bella and be there, be her Daddy, such a wonderful time.

The time before we shared her with the world, the time when she was just ours,

iIloved to share her, but i also loved this time.

I love that i can still see her red eyelids, a sign of her rapid entry into the world, and her now super tiny looking, then huge looking babygro. the bibby that looks like it would be too big forever, that i now would now only just fit.

I love everything about these pictures.

The newness. The start.

A whole new journey to embark on.

As a family of 3

Wow!!

( and now 2yrs 3 months on, how much have I learned, HEAPS!!! and there is still a gazillion more things to learn too!!, maybe that's for another post!)

i wonder how many more of these type of pictures i might have missed, I challenge myself to look back and make sure they are doumented.

How about you??

Happy Saturday everyone, I am now off to put my freshly printed pictures into my PL folder and get scrapping.

Bye xxxx

SOS

2012-01-21T22:22:00.001Z

I nicked this from my good friend Leanne!

The theory is SOS means Show off Saturday .
If you know Lea then you know she has a beautiful little boy who is all kinds of cute ! Well he & my little Bella are almost the same age , and being the worrying mums we are we tend to share a LOT of concerns with each other but we also share the positives & boy does it feel good when we do! Today we have awesome positives to share!

So if you drop by Leanne & see what Little M has been up to you will know why I am super pleased for him! And over the moon for one of my favourite girls. (she is crazily lovely)

I thought I would share a showy moment too, just to round of a quiet day, it would be fun right?

So this is today

My little girl sat on her bumble bee cushion, grabbed its antennae and said ooooh giddy up Gaston! (gaston is a ladybird in a toddlers tv program, it's close enough for me!)
I was so pleased with her imagination skills that I quickly lifted Bella & the cushion & 'flew' them around the lounge! *fun*
It's honestly crazy how much they are growing & developing, but it's brilliantly amazing & I love it!

So what did you see today?

Happy Weekend!
S xxxx

What is next?

2012-01-21T17:04:00.000Z

{a picture-less post, but one i need to make!}

After sorting out all eleventy million scrapbook pages of our Family antics over the over 3 years I now feel a sense of relief. I don't generally panic about scrapping, but I do fear missing something. So getting this task, which had been bothering me for some time, under my belt meant I could move right along to the pages of the future knowing pretty much everything i wanted to document had been done.

~( and in this i don't mean i have to get things DONE, like its a chore, i know this is how it sounds, i cant make it sound better, but well i just like to be up to date really)~

I have spent a long time being sure that I am happy with my Document 2011 album, and there are some months that I look at and think, hmmmmm not too keen on the papers, or the journalling cards, but that is OK. I have decided that those were the supplies I was happy to use at the time and I am NOT going to change them! Who would care anyway?

So, with almost all of Doc '11 wrapped up. ( I got the last picture printed last week so i can go right ahead and scrap it.) I am raring to get it all on here and let you see it all in its glory!
That is a task for tomorrow ands the hope of good light!

Now i have been taking some advice from a friend about writing and I am trying diligently to progress with my style! So if I appear out of character then, be warmed! I am hoping not, I simply hope that my style in blogging, as with scrapbooking, is ever evolving.

So what are my aims?

I will always keep this place light hearted. No!, my life is not perfect, perhaps, in some opinions, far from it. But i don't feel this is the place to air grief with people or situations., I am truthful and honest here, but i tend only to share the positive.
This way is right for me and that's the way i want to go.

I do however want to share more real life, the every day, the way we as a family go about our existence, routine, opinions on popular culture etc.
So there may well be a few oddity stories thrown in to check you are listening!

I happen to love my little spot on the web, I really love blogland. Its a place for 'me' I love to be encapsulated in the goings on in other peoples lives. So I aspire to write more of my life and thoughts more frequently. This is mainly due to the realisation that as i sit in hope that some of my favourite writers have written something that day,i really should write something too!
Even if,at times, its just for me!

So where did all this come from?

I have been reading a set of posts by a lovely lady named Sarah. She has shared a great deal of her life with us, the blogging community, over the past month and I am inspired to do the same.
She did however be more brave than I am, she asked her readers to prompt her with questions relating to things they would like to know about her. My reason for not asking this is fear of response, or lack of , so i wont. But i will say that i would love to carry out something similar and to do that i will choose the content, or take inspiration from blogs i have read recently!

So with a new blogging hope, the aforementioned elevently millions pages sorted and a plethora of new albums to fill. What will be my scrappy goals for this year?

Simply......

Have fun, complete Project Life, scrapbook the stories I want to remember and blog about as much of it as i feel is warranted!

Starting with a (i totally stole this idea from Leanne) post including every page of Document 2011.

Here's to a more varied and frequent set of posts.

Thanks for sticking around.

Happy Saturday

xxxxx

Project life week 2!

2012-01-21T14:00:00.002Z

Hi!
Where did this month go??

So I'm up to date!!!

I plan to be creating this weeks pages later on this evening!

There is so much chat about PL going around that it's hard not to stay focused. So many of my friends (scrappy) are doing it too, so having their inspirational pages around too is helping loads!

So this week has been a real 'back at work week' where lots of our life has revolved around the normal. But that's ok these bits are those I want to remember.

As I have a core kit, having the journal cards to hand is awesome & great for keeping the theme running. But I have been seeing some fab freebies out there too & have pinned a ton. I have printed & used a few this week & plan to do more next week too.
If you are in doubt because of buying all the supplies I would urge you give PL a go. It's not too late & you can do it with whichever page protectors you have handy.

So week 2!

I am super super happy with these. There are details of events , but also lots of everyday details too.
I also liked adding some history in here too like the bunny you can see , the story is 3 years ago on the 10th of Jan I found out I was pregnant with Bella & I wanted to pick up a gift for my new bump so I got Flopsy & he has been with us in Bella's room ever since.
I love him & so does Bella!

Oh! oooops! I still need to mount the last picture, doh! I messed up on that with some mist so reprinted!

Looking back at these I think I'll use more patterned paper next week too!! Fun !

So who else is playing along ?
I'm crazy addicted to reading PL posts & seeing people pages I just love this project!

Im excited to get started this eve !!

Xxxx

Project life week 1

2012-01-14T16:01:00.001Z

So I certainly hit the ground running this week. I am so far up to date & going well with my ns for PL 2012.

I work my pages Sunday to Saturday. Purely as that's when the new year started.

I have included lots of bits & piece from last week & am very pleased with it. I made this last Sat night (7th jan) so plan to do this weeks tonight!

Having a little one around means Saturday nights are usually spent at home!

So wanna see a quick picture?

Sorry it's only small & an iPhone snap but it's all I have for now!

Hope you have a great weekend.

Much is love

Sally xxxx

Sorted!

2012-01-07T00:07:00.001Z

Happy new year !! I decided that I wanted to start 2012 with a fresh scrapping mind. So what does this entail? Well being up to date on all my pictures! Yes! That's me saying I wanted to have scrapped all my pictures from the past. Well I kinda have! I have been cheating slightly though! I've been using the AC divided page protectors to do mini layouts on pictures I want to keep but knew didn't need a whole layout. So with a lot of perseverance I got there. The reason, I don't want to feel weighed down by 'having' to scrap occasions etc. it's a self inflicted pressure. But I wanted it away. It's gone! Yes there are a million images on my pc that I have not scrapped, there are puck urea I live that remain un scrapped, but each detail, each milestone, each occasion has been lovingly documented & I am ready for the new way. What is this way? Project Life! Indeed it is! I hope to keep up, I am sure I will. I want to get it all in, & I think this is the way! I adored document 2011. More on that in another post. So ur seemed perfect to do something similar again.I bought PL from a uks member. It's a few years old but pristine & awesome! So I'll be sharing weekly just how far I am going with PL I'm excited. Fact! So to ensure I was totally ready to move on I sorted all if Bella's layouts into a systematic form, rather than just places in an album when finished & where there is space. They are now in date order. This was my pile. I tool them all out of the albums they were in.

Sorted them into . Right pile positive test to 1st birthday.Middle pile 1-2 years.Left pile 2+ Then these went into month order. I didn't take a picture if the millions of piles! Doh!! They then went into these albums with space left in them for title pages for each month should I wish to do them.

Look how neat they all are! I am super pleased. They are now upstairs in a cupboard giving me more space in my expedit for current projects. But still accessible for looking at. Adding to (if I went crazy!!!) So there you have it. What are your plans for 2012 & scrapping?? I'd love to know!! TtfnSally xxx

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T23:28:00.001Z

I'll be one busy mummy this Christmas. So I just wanted to drop in now and wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Thank you for popping by, I genuinely hope you have a wonderful time!

Love & kisses

Sally :)

Jyc 11

2011-12-04T19:48:00.001Z

So I'm sorted & on track to have a full & fab Christmas journal this year! I have always finished the past years so I am hoping to keep the tradition going!!

So far this is what's going on .
I'm using an 8.5x11 AC album.
Shimelle's kit & a Ton of other christmassy items I have picked up like Holly jolly (echo park) & Bella Blvd.

So my inside page/from cover! Kinda!!

Page 1. Our plan! (manifesto!)
Do you like my improvised picture?

I plan on printing in batches! Or maybe at the end! Either way I'll take a picture, save it in project 365 & then print later!! ((it's cheaper this way!)

& this is 1/12/11 photo

Dec 2nd

Bella & I were poorly on Friday so here is a page all about that. We stayed home & did painting crafts & snuggled!!

Oh and the face the weather is massively different to last year!!

Dec 3rd

Wonderful day. Trimming and decorating our home :)))

This is a decoration from last year, but it means a lot to us. How lucky we are to have our little girl. Thanks Santa!

So far so good!

I am feeling very very festive. Lights. Scented candles. Hot drinks & yummy food! I feel very lucky!!!

So I'll leave it there & share the next few days soon .

Happy December everyone :)
Xx

''Cottage in the Country mark 2''

2011-12-02T15:18:00.000Z

So this time last week i was somewhere on the M1 making my way, with Rach and Nat, to our awesomely fun weekend away at Crafty Cottage!

I got to spend the weekend with most ( i say most as Laura and Chloe were absent this time kinda) of my scrappy girls. I tell you every time how fab these ladies are, but seriously they really are, and this time was pretty damn amazing!!

I love these girls, i really do and I am so pleased to count them as friends.

The weekend was a well needed ( if not snot filled) get away from the crazy times that are upon us!

I adore Christmas that's a given, but it was so nice to switch off for a few days and be encapsulated in fun and friendship!! ( i am soppy, but i don't care!!)

The usual gang were there, including, Leanne, SJ, Jen, Shim, Katy, Katherine, Rach and Nat. Laura did pop along though! i would have been VERY sad to have missed her all weekend, and, and, and she brought along the cutest bundle in the form of Lady Abi, she is the most adorable little cutie. Its safe to say we were all smitten with Miss H !

(oh my broody ness saw new heights!!!)

We honestly had a fab time, and we got to exchange out secret Santa presents!!! I totally love love love my gifts, they are perfecto!!! I know my Santa put a LOT of time, thought and effort into my gift and its not wasted for sure!!! I am a lucky girlie!!!

Thank you Santa :))))))

I saw my receiver get her gift and she was thrilled too!! Sooooo yay!!! brill or what??

Amongst all the fun and gossip. Oh and filming!! ( more on that later!!) I actually managed about 17 layouts in total! i was really pleased as i only did one on Sunday, so the rest were Friday night and Saturday!

I am really pleased with that effort as i talked A LOT!!!!!

(Thinking about it makes me wanna be transported back there, RIGHT NOW!!! lol)

So here are a few of the pages I made. Maybe ill split the rest over a few days. Interspersed with some JYC'11 pages!! and maybe another film!! yes, i am getting very brave!!

These are in no particular order:

Stunning!! Enough said really !!!

Chatting, Bella is talking so much now, she has like a gazillion different words that she can say, and I fall head over heels in love with her again and again each time she finds a new one!! It's crazy how quickly she is developing, its almost an overnight occurrence!!

My favourite so far is her way of saying, absolutely and definitely! Such big words for a little girlie!!!

Grandpa pigs train! Oh how she loved Peppa World, and still chats about it now!! I think she felt rather regal riding around and waving at the other people!! cute!!!

Ah my all time favourite thickers!!! I love them!!!

So on our last weekend away we ( I ) coined the phrase love in a bucket, so i figured it was only right to scrap it!! This picture was the most awesome for this title, and i was thrilled that it fit so well!!! SCORE!!! it's a quick layout, using a small amount of supplies, but i still love it. Maybe there is a technique in there somewhere?

I have used gro bags since Bella was 10lbs, that's quite a long time!!

I was so excited to use them , I had planned to, right from learning of them, but once she was here and rapidly approaching the ideal weight for them i got a little nervous, i think i just got used to her little blanket!!

Well there really was nothing to worry about. We both loved them instantly. they made night feeds easier, as they kept her warm so no cold basket to return to!

This one is my favourite as it matches her lovely room, it's roundabout girls by mamas and papas. HEART!!!

I admit to still having 2 that still fit, they are both 18-36 mth ones with a beautiful butterfly design on . They are not used that much anymore as Bella is in a bed now, but i just cant bear to part with them!! True Story!!

I genuinely think Bella thought she was driving the whole ride around whilst sat in the little van. She was totally in her element. She kept asking, Bella Drive Mummy?" to which i was happy to reply that she was in deed driving. She was thrilled bless her!! and thanks to free ride wrist bands Bella went back on this a million times more!!!! YAY!!!/

So there you have them. I will be back soon to detail the front cover and first page of my JYC 2011 album.

xxxxxxxx

Sarah's Cards Guest DT... that's me !!!!!

2011-11-22T23:03:00.001Z

A few weeks ago I got the most awesome email from Lianne at Sarah's Cards, asking me if i would like to work with their November kit, as a guest Design Team member.

Seriously?

Whaaaaat?

I almost jumped off the sofa with excitement! SCORE!!!

Of course i said YES! i was thrilled, I replied straight away.

i was so lucky to get to work on the Crate Random kit. It's really gorgeous, full of a real mix of both masculine and feminine papers. It's so versatile. I really loved it.

Fun!!!!!

So i really wanted to display my own style in the pages i made, as that was what won me the place, but i also wanted to challenge myself too.

Have a look and see what you think!

---------------------------

This first one is my little girl Bella, on our summer holiday in the Canaries. I wanted to reflect the bold bright colours in the picture, so i chose the papers and embellishments to suit. This kit is full of lots of lovely little bits that really make the page come together. I love, love,love the butterflies they are so cute! They rub on really easily too.

Bunting bunting bunting!!! It's always a winner in my eyes!

Bella on her 2nd birthday in her party frock. she looks grown up and so cute and tiny all at the same time. The bunting was really simple to make, just rectangles with a 'v' cut out of the bottom. ohhhh and those resin flowers at each end?? lucky to get some of those!! YEPPO!!

Now, this picture is darling to me. My lovely little family, after signing happy birthday to Bella at her awesome awesome party!

I wanted to make this one a little different to my usual style, I wanted to push myself a little further. I am really happy with it. It's girly and cute, to reflect the theme of the day, but also has masculine elements to reflect Jack.

i like the concept of making some of my own embellishments to allow my stash to go further. So I went ahead and started punching out shapes, inking edges and layering up the pieces until i got some elements i was pleased with.

i am really pleased with these! :)

Don't you just love the jillibean soup letter stickers?? Brill, cute, pretty!!

Finally, I made this last layout to show how much you really can get out of one kit.

There is still loads left to play even after all of these!!

So strips of paper layered up to form a mat, and whack on top a cute pic! ( thanks Katy!!)

Then i used a ton of elements from the embellishment collection, and the stickers to make a second focal point away from the picture. I Love to layer. It looks interesting and fun.

Plus who doesn't love an Instagram picture!! Wooop

So there you have it. I had a great time working with the kit, I feel so fortunate to have been asked to be a GDT member.

i hope those of you who subscribe, have a fab time playing with your kits, and those of you who don't, have been inspired to pop over to Sarah's, pick up a kit and have a play!

Here's a pic of the loveliness :)

Happy scrapping :)

Sharing.....

2011-11-14T13:23:00.001Z

This weekend was crazy but I'm not so sure why!
U think working on Friday was the problem, I'll not be doing that again in a hurry, although the money is nice :)

So we spent most of Saturday morning trawling around town picking up Christmas presents. I have been saving my vouchers from food tasting to put towards the mountain of gift I next get. I live buying & choosing gifts, but it really does all add up! So with boots 3for2 and the vouchers I got loads of gifts for only £10 of my own money! Score!!

Lol anyway. Ramble over! We then relaxed in the afternoon, whilst Bella napped, and I sorted more layouts from last weekend. So I thought I would show you them!!

This is my lovely group of scrappies. Taken at Leanne's wedding back in August. I really like the layout & love the picture although none of us can remember what we were giggling at :))).

Next up Brave!!! Lol me in a swimsuit with my cutie Bella whilst on holiday in July ! I totally love the look on Bella's face here!!! :)

..and finally, last years Halloween picture! Clearly I like the pumpkin theme, and I love the papers from the Oct Studio Calico kit toowhich really lend themselves well to Autumn :)))

Clever Daddy took this picture last year (oct2010) whilst I was away & I was so pleased to come back to find it on the camera :))).

Ok lunch is almost over so I'll get back to making pretties with the kids!!!

:))

Xxxxxx

A few of last weekends creations

2011-11-12T07:56:00.001Z

It's been a crazy week. I am tired, so very tired! I thought (foolishly) that the retreat would allow me to sleep in & rest! Sadly not! Ah well. I need to go to bed early, that's the plan anyway! Although, as tonight is date night, it's not looking all that likely!

I digress, do you like Echo Park?do you follow their facebook page? Well I just started following & they do this thing called facebook fan Friday, essentially you post your work on their wall & on Friday they pick their favourite & that person wins a collection pack of their choice!

So i decided to upload this one.

The picture is dark on the lo, but I am happy that using the zingy paper brightened it up lots! Ooooh. & don't you love the thickers? Wood grainy joy!!! :))

This next one is an older picture of Bella. She was still in her car seat so she must be around 8 months.
But this is not so much about the picture, but more about my feelings for Bella. The title is, 'Being your mummy' I wanted to record some thoughts. & this paper lends itself well to that!

I really love this page, it was quick & easy, but soooooo fun :)

Right, today is busy. I had better go!

Thanks . Bye!!!!!!

I heart these girls

2011-11-07T13:28:00.001Z

Just sayin'

There are more pics, but i am waiting on those being sent!!
;)))))))

Retreat a rooney!!!

2011-11-07T10:44:00.001Z

I'm baaaaaaaack, after a fantastic weekend away in Warrington with Sarahs Cards!

I had the best time, laughed sooooo much, met some fab new people & caught up with my awesome scrappy friends. (jen, nat, rach & carla). We had a total blast!

We were so well looked after, Sarah & Lianne , along with the DT worked tremendously hard to provide us with a fantastic experience! I Loved it!!

We had 6 amazing classes , great challenges, make n takes & awesome prizes! I actually won a raffle prize (thanks jen!!) it was a fab set of pebbles papers & embellies!!! Yaaaay!!

We stayed in lovely surroundings, were fed fantastic food, and treated so beautifully, i simply cannot wait to go again!!

Layout wise i managed 5 of the 6 class layouts (arriving late meant i missec the first!) and i did 9 in my cropping time!! I managed to gain the title of scrapping ninja for creative speed!! Lol cheers girls!!

So as you will see loadssssss of pics over tge next week, i'll share some of my faves a few at a time!

Now biased as i might be, i am being honest when i say 2 of my fave class layouts were from Rach & Jens classes. They were though & its obviiysly cos we like the same thing so here they are;

Rach's class using Pink Paislie daily junque:)))) look you get a whole pack of thickers!! To keep!!!! ( & at least 2 more pages worth of stadh in each kit!!)

Jen's beautiful class! More tjickers, beautiful pebbles papers, and those cute MLS flowers! *win*

I'll share more later, but i just want to thank my girls for an awesome time and i can not wzit to do it all again with the rest of my scrappy girls at the end of the month! Wooooop!!!!

Xxxxx

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T17:57:00.001Z

How adorable does my little girl look ???
Any excuse to get dressed up, be creative & have fun! I do like halloween !

This years costume, sticking with the pumpkin theme for the 3rd year running, less scary & soooo cute. Plus i often refer to Bella as pumpkin, so *win win * really !!

This is a picture taken on Friday at music but rest assured Bella has also worn this ALL DAY today too! It was certainly party time at nursery :)))

Lastly our pumpkins, we had 3 but the smiley face on the 3rd upset Bella, so we binned it!!

Inspired by pinrerest & Disco balls this one was sooooo simply done, using an apple corer!!
I reallllllly love it :)))

And for Bella.
Daddy carved this little beauty! & she loves it !!! Happy face!!!

Happy Halloween:)

Cropping Friends

2011-10-29T20:56:00.000+01:00

Last night i met with 3 of my local friends to have a good old catch up and an evening of food and scrapping. I don't get to see Debs, Carla and Lisa altogether very often, but when we do catch up its always great fun. Thankfully we know each other well, so tend not to take offence at some of the remarks shared!!! Maybe that's something to detail on a layout soon!!

I was brave, i decided that as i had a zillion images of Bella playing with some of her birthday toy, i would have a go at a DLO! I know, scary stuff. I was keen to make the pages look alike, but i didn't want to make 2 pages the same, nor totally different. I think i am pleased with the finished result and at the end of the day, the memories are scrapped and that makes me REALLY.

I also kept with the theme if presents for the second layout, but worked on just one page this time. I used a recent Studio Calico kit and very little else for all 3 pages. i do get lazy and times with kits, I like the ease of just bringing things to the page from the same pile of bits, knowing they will match. Cheating really!!!

In other news i am NOT at all ready for the weekend away, i am in mind, but not in organisation. I will sort those things over the week. I popped onto the UKS thread for the retreat earlier and the girls on there are all ready and put me to shame, although to be honest i have the whole of Friday to get ready so not to worry!!

Any tips on what to take and what not to take would be great. :)))

i have a chocolate pudding in the oven that's waiting for me to release it and be eaten so i will bid you farewell.

XXXXX

Excited much??

2011-10-26T10:50:00.001+01:00

There has been so much going on recently its just crazy & there is so much on the Agenda in November I can hardly wait! I am shattered but all the fun makes it sooo worth it!

Over half term we went to tge super fab awesome Peppa Pig World in the new forest, it was so exciting! I think jack & i loved it as much as Bella did!! So if you have little ones that are big fans of Peppa or George then i highly reccomend a visit!!

Bella really believed that all the characters were there & totally real !!! I love the innocence in this age & the excitement! Its just amazing to see :))

Daddy & Bella very excited to see Mummy Pig on top of windy castle waving at us :)

I have a gazzillion real pictures but for now iphone ones will do & ill post the rest via layouts soon :))

Next weekend its the Sarahs cards retreat & my first time there. To say i'm excited is an understatement, ive stayed at de vere hotels before & they are very fancy, so there's a treat in itself. There is also tge serioys amount of me time to be had & the awesome catching up with friends side too :) i have seen the supplies list & sneaks from lianne so my appetite for the classes is truly whet! Woooop!

Then in a few weeks we have the girls weekend away with my scrappies, these girls seriously are so awesome, i have made a bunch of lovely new friends & am so pleased to know them all , i honestly miss them at times! We live further apart than i would like , but are all in touch most days which is lovely. I am so pleased to be seeing them really soon, the last time was my beautiful friend Leanne's wedding, so with more time to catch up at the cottage I am sure to get my dull on scrappy girls fix!! Ohhhh & maybe catch a new baby cuddle too! Now that would be fab :))

So i'll leave you with a little sneak (kinda) of a project or 4 i have been working on for something realllllly special!!

Ttfn

Mwah!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Beautiful Girl is 2 !!!

2011-10-14T14:54:00.004+01:00

Time travelling fast and all that!!1 seems to have been my reoccurring statement over the last few weeks, i am still in shock that Isabella is 2!!! It's crazy!!

But my oh my is she showing us that she is more grown up! In more ways than one, her speech is coming along great guns, her understanding of what we say and ask her is brilliant, and her motor skills are crazily developed, she can pop a screw driver into the head of a screw!! ( whilst "helping daddy" and whilst daddy was watching her like a hawk i might add!!!) We are both so proud of the little girl our tiny baby is becoming, its just so wonderful to sit here and think back on all the wonderful memories we have of her already and look forward to all the wonderful times ahead. I know, we know, that we are very lucky and blessed to have such a daughter as Bella, and for that i will always be grateful. *Sigh*

I thought i would share with you a few pictures of how we celebrated Isabella's 2nd birthday this year.

It was a relatively large affair given that it took place at home, but thankfully the sun shone (and was actually hot! kin October!!!! and all went swimmingly.

So we went ahead and chose a sweet shop theme, and this is what it looked like;

The pick n mix bag style cake. Made by Jack and I.

We put up a huge gazebo type thing in the garden and filled it with all the food and decorations, hoping to keep as many people in there and outside as possible!

Jack made the background pink stripes from crepe paper and lining paper. I think it looked fab!!

The bunting was made for Bella's christening over a year ago, so i felt i got my use out of it using it a second time. The sign was a quickie on some card, but the bit that all the kids (and adults) loved was the selection of sweets. We borrowed a friends cash n carry card and went and filled our boots with boxes and boxes of haribo!!! It went down so well and those Kilner style jars from Ikea were a steal at £1 !! brill!!!

We even managed to get those blue scoops from Amazon ( thanks Leanne!!) and some old style sweetie bags too,i stamped these myself, so quick & easy & saves a fortune !

Oooh & on the door was this, to help Bella's little friends find the fun :)

The party bags, green for the boys and pink for the girls :O))) more sweets in there!!!
Inside the tent.....

Don't you just love those lanterns? They were interspersed with tissue paper pom poms too!!

Oh yeah and there was also quite a lot of real food too, not just sweets!!!

It was honestly an amazing day, it took a lot of hard work and planning i some respects, but it was more than worth it. Bella had an amazing time, playing with her friends on the bouncy castle and with her garden toys. I can safely say we are both so pleased we decided to throw her a party!!

I have more pictures to share of the happy 2 year old herself so i will post those separately later, I am aware that a lot of the party shots contain other children and am less keen on posting those on here, so whilst i filter out those, I'll leave you in peace!!

xxxxxxxx

Weddings a hoy !!!

2011-08-30T20:41:00.002+01:00

So i was kindly asked to guest design this month over at Shimelle.com and i was really really pleased to oblige, I love Shim and her work so getting the chance to scrap for her is awesome.

My brief was simply to create and example layout for the 6x4 photolove class that is going on, via Shimelle, at shimelle.com and over at 2peas.com. Well it was a bit more than that, it was also to include 8 photo's, as we are at the end of the 8th month, and also to sew another page protector to the original one to make more space. So i had a good think how i wanted to lay it all out and i came up with this.

(you know, creating a wedding theme and it being wedding week was by total fluke, but then what makes it more funny??? Shim and i pretty much cut our 2nd page protector to the same size too!!!- Cooooool but freaky!!!)

Anywhoo, here is my effort, I am SUUUUPER pleased with how this layout turned out. I hope you like it too.

Why not pop over to Shimelle's website and have a look at her 2 beautiful layouts that she has created for this class?

oh and if you want to play along there is also the chance to win prizes too !.

SCORE!!!!!!!

Front page, not a HUGE title, i really wanted the pictures to stand out!!

the join, very simply a zig zag stitch down the left hand seam of the two protectors, simple and effective. You could go to town more on the sewing if you wanted, i just went for ease.

it opens out like a DLO which is so not my thing, i tried one a few months ago and got so stuck that i gave up!!! i think workin in these individually helped, and also making them all really similar made is simple too.

I love loads of the things about this layout, the colours, the Elle's Studio cards, the thickers (ooooh) the sassa letter, CUTE!!!, and the abundance of layered stickers !!! yay!!!

Here are a few close ups of the layouts, i think this process is one i am certainly going to repeat!!! Woooop

~Thanks so much for coming on by and checking out my work, if you came over from Shim's blog why not say him, i would love to pop on over to your blog and have a read too!!~

See you later skaters

:O)

sharing sharing sharing

2011-08-01T11:44:00.004+01:00

Howdee bloggers and Happy August!! Can you really believe that its the 8th month already??I seriously can't!

Honestly, its the 3rd week of the holidays for me and it only feels like the first. I think come the end of the month I am going to be in shock about going back to work! booo

Anyway lets not dwell on that! I have more and more layouts to share , I am still really liking the plainer backgrounds, but Ithink maybe I need to branch out a little more??? we'll see.

OK so I have scrapped like a TON of wedding pictures already, but as i looked through the album I saw there were gaps in both pictures and journalling so I went back and printed more pictures and got right on it!

Jack and I have been married for 3 years now ( ok so where did that time go??) but it still feels so close, so I feel lucky that I can still journal things that feel fresh. Although I must admit I really want to get the rest done soon as I don't want to forget key points.

Here we go....

My best friend, ( who was not a bridesmaid, long story!) conducted our reading for us and she did the most AWESOME job! She was brilliant, having Bec there for us on the day was just so wonderful, I love her so much, she is the bestest friend I could ask for.

She read 1 Corinthians, a typical wedding reading, but one we loved all the same, and I just wanted to remember how we felt when she read for us. "Love is".... is part of the reading and really love to me is having a best friend like Bec!! Loves :O)

My dad and his sister are still very close knit and its so lovely to see how well they get on, they are in constant contact and I hope that in years to come, my relationship with my siblings is just the same. although I think it might take a bit of work !!! Eeeek !!

You really cannot forget the awesome details, the cutest confetti cones and the beans on the tables. Jelly beans are out signature sweet, I call my lovely hubby Bean, ( i rarely call him jack, unless i am speaking of him) so these were so fitting for our favours!!! and yummy too:)

Ok so pretty much the reason we chose Kelham Hall was this Avenue of trees. Iknew when I saw it what I wanted photo wise, how it framed the hall ( looking the other way) was just awesome. You can walk down here from the church and out guests did just that it was brilliant to see. Simply perfect!! I love it when a plan comes together:)

OOOOps the O fell off the page!!! eek. Ah well, I'll have to hunt for that one!!

So I created this page for a challenge set before the Nottingham Crop Retreat. The plan was to not include a picture of yourself, but instead 4 pictures of things that you like or represent you!! this is me!!! *shock*

Jack made me so proud when he took part in and completed the 60 mile Notts cycle ride a few weeks ago. He has only recently taken up cycling and is so blinking good at it already. He completed the cycle in a brilliant time too!!! honestly watching him ride over that finish line made me cry, I know how hard he worked to get to that stage and he deserves so much credit for it. Bean you make me the proudest wife EVER!! xx

I don't think that it matters whether or not the pattern is Cath Kidston, to Bella, i think she just likes the apron. But mummy loves that we have a matching set, so that's all cool. my girl loves to create, paint, stick, cut, bake, do play dough so why not do it in style??? cutes!!!

This is quite similar to the one above in terms of design, I think I will pop them together in the album!! Bella and Noodles (the cat) get on really well and although at times Bella can be a bit boisterous, noodles is so calm and good with her, she lets her stroke her and feed her biscuits(although i don't think that's any hardship!) she is patient with her and looks out for her. In the night if she cries you can hear noodle downstairs meowing and as if to tell us "hey look she is crying!!!" I hope they continue to have a great relationship as Bella grows.

The title says it all. My two favourite people. :)

and finally, if you are still here, Thanks!.

More Juice "Peas". ( Bella's way of saying please, obvs) Her little way of asking for a drink. Bella lovely to slide under her cute blankie and sip juice. She is a guzzler though and will get through as many cups as you can fill. I am being careful as this is leading to her not wanting too much food!!! hmmm. How cute is she though????

Ok so before you all nod off, I am off. This afternoon I am off for a special birthday treat with my friend Carla, I wont say what it is in case she reads this before she gets here. Its a surprise from me to her. I am wearing a dress though and there will be cake involved!!! BRILLIANT!!!!

I'll pop back with pics soon as she is a scrapper too and I am sure there will be a million pictures taken to scrap!!! YAY!!!

Happy Monday !!

Sal xxx

Holiday a rooney!!

2011-07-28T20:41:00.001+01:00

For the last 7 days, my beautiful family & I spent our time here ...

Looking at this view

Lounging on these

And generally having a lovely, relaxing holiday!

It was Bella's first abroad hol, and her first time on a plane (or Ayo-payne, as she calls it) and she did brilliantly, she was just so excited!! Which made for a very relaxed, easy flight!! The bit in the middle was a bit dull, but crayons, stickers & a dvd player worked a treat until landing!! Phew!!

Honestly I worried about everything, but there was no need, all was perfectly fine :))

So if you fancy a relatively reasonable all inc. holiday for your family i would totally reccomend the Melia Gorriones on Fuetaventura! With a, pretty much private, beach to rival the Carribean! Crazy amazing food and drinks, and a view that NEVER gets old it's so worth a visit!!

Go, enjoy :))) !!

I have more scrapping to share so i'll do that tomorrow! But for now the next load needs to go in the machine (borrrrring!!)

Happy Summer bloggers!!

From one very relaxed Sal :)))
Xxx
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Family Shoot

2011-07-10T20:15:00.004+01:00

About 8 weeks ago we went along to Love Photography here in Nottingham to have a lovely family photo shoot session. We were really looking forward to it and were not disappointed. It was a steal too, we booked through groupon, WIN!! So today we went back there to pick up these beauties.

As a scrapper and an avid fan of pictures, i had some ideas in mind, but decided that we should just go with the photographer and not worry about a thing, and I am so glad that we did, because without thinking oi doing very much on our part we got these beauties! I am so pleased and I cannot wait to get scrapping them soon.

First though I must print and frame ASAP!!!

I think this one is my favourite, it really shows how i feel about us all! LOVES!!

How crazy beautiful is she????

Bella's favourite toy at the moment is her "baby", so it was key that we captured her too.

Boo!! . This blanket, is her favourite, i have to say its mine too!!! i almost tried to knit it and then Jack said, hey, you love it that much, lets buy it!!! It's been a firm fave ever since!!!

My girl and me!!! Beautiful :) I have a picture very much like this one from when Bella was about 2 months old, it's so lovely to see the difference, in both of us.

Finally, 3=LOVE! there really are not the words this evening to describe how i feel about these pictures and the feelings they convey to me, to us. I am so pleased that we got these done. I love to look at other peoples shoots and I dream of what we could have, so for now, her have these. A freeze frame of us in summer 2011.

Forever they are ours!!

So I have a ton more layouts to share and a heaps of scrapping i want to do. So I'll pootle off and leave you all to your evening!!

Oh 4 more days at work then its the summer holidays!!!!

EXCITED doesn't even come close!!!!

XXXXXX

As promised

2011-07-06T20:49:00.001+01:00

I return with birthday & take that weekend pictures:)))))

It started out on birthday morning looking brilliant!!! Ooooh

And soon, after much unwrapping help from Bella, it looked like this

With a super cute cake made by my dh jack , it was super yummy too :)

Apparently its based on a Cath Kidston style bag :), how lovely !

Then came the magic! They speak for themselves!!

..and we're in , we opted for a simple not being too keen in standing for 6 hours approach & got some cool seats directly in front of the stage !! And settled in with wine, chocs and chatting oh and a support performance by the Pet Shop Boys, who were actually quite good!!!

Then came the magic, the jumping, the screaming & singing at voice killing levels!!

Oh and the breath taking 5 songs from the Robster himself!!!!

It was out of this world AWESOMESAUCE!!!!!!!!!!

I will NEVER FORGET (sorry!!) that amazing night!!

So after a lovely overnight stay in Manchester, we headed for Birmingham, (in laws) where Bella was being spoiled!!, for dinner & more presents:)))

Again more than lucky, I cannot believe how kind people are!!!! Amazing :)))

Geeky me!! With my cake, some candles & lots of fun !

Sunday consisted of a mum cooked beef roast! Mmmmm presents, pimms & plenty of Birthday cake ! Oh how can this get better???

A totally RAD!! Weekend, i can't wait for the next one!!!!

Huge thanks to my darling husband for organising such a tres fabulicious time :))))) love you Bean xxxxx

- Posted using BlogPress from my pretty fly iPhone

Oh hai

2011-07-03T22:22:00.004+01:00

Geeeeez, so i didn't blog in June!!! My word that's so lame!!! So I'll do a brief round up if that's ok?

~My birthday falls in June and I was the luckiest girl in the world and spoilt rotten, thats for sure.

My gifts included, muchos Cath Kidston goodness, in the form of an overnight bag, 2 pencil cases, a make up bag, a smellies gift set, a handbag and an apron!!! Cath o rama!!!

I also got a picnic hamper ( not Cath but still awesome) a popcorn maker!, retro but cool and so needed in our house, some GHD straighteners and the biggest and best of all................ a weekend away to Manchester to see TAKE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was beyond amazing, i laughed cried and lost my voice so bad. But Jack and I have the most amazing time!. Blimey I am so grateful!! Oh and i got cash too!!! how lucky???? Suffice to say that has now been spent!!!

I'll pop back via the iPhone and post pictures of Take That later on!!

there has been much more goings on , but the other big happening this month was the annual Nottingham crop ( thats no longer exists) Retreat . This year it was held at the YHA in Moira in the National Forest. i had a great time and got to spend my weekend with some lovely people. I did think i would be more relaxed on my return, but I was totally shattered. On the upside i did manage to make a staggering 25 layouts , ( and win the prize for the most completed LO's!!)

So i think so prevent you from being bored of a post without pictures, I'll share a few now, and

then share the rest over the coming week or so ( like normal)

A real quick one as i have like a million pictures from the scrappy girls weekend still to scrap. Simple and pretty , finally finishing off the last of my Sassa mix & mend.

right at the end of May, perhaps at the start of June, jack and I spent some time over in Southwell at the vicarage boutique hotel enjoying some much deserved r&r time, taking afternoon tea. It was so relaxing and fun, a truly beautiful way to spend an afternoon. :))

i am still really keen on documenting the information side of being a Mummy, so i don't forget the little things. Here i wanted to talk about how tired i get, but how amazing my mummy job is, and a little about what it going on right now, words, sayings etc.

Bella has a real thing for lying her dollies on the floor and covering them with her "snuggle" ( that's her quilt that i made from her gro's etc) grabbing her cute blanket and a cushion from the sofa and cuddling with them. But this time and a few times since, Bella has insisted that Daddy be a baby a lie down and be told what to do too!!! FUNNY!!!!

.... and finally i have been meaning to scrap this topic for a while, but i didn't really have the right picture. We were kindly bought a cuddledry bath towel by a friend when Bella was born . I have to say it's been so useful, it's a medium sized towel, with an apron style tie/ press stud fastening around the top, that allows you to "wear" the towel like an apron so that when I pick Bella up out of the bath i can cuddle her and wrap her in the towel and cuddle her dry. Keeping my hands free to hold her tightly. She looks so cute wrapped up in it and is so cute and warm, i could snuggle her all day. :)

OK so that took like an age and a half to write, so i am going to run, grab a squash and jump into bed, its late and i have work tomorrow!!! Only 2 more weeks then its the SUMMER HOLIDAYS!!!!!!! woop woop wooop!!!!

Happy July guys

Sal xx

doing it for the girls

2011-05-31T12:42:00.003+01:00

So if you are here to see the seriously awesome stuff i talked about yesterday, then WELCOME!!! and thank you for returning. Have you been along to Shimelle's blog today?? well if you haven't then you need to go over and check out the fullness of what i have to say.

You see as you are here you are fortunate, not just because you get to read my blog, dear reader, oh no! but that you are in a developed country, you are educated and you are free, free to read, write have education and be the person YOU want to be.

We all know this is not the case for every person in the world, and sadly some women and girls in developing countries don't get the opportunities we have, that perhaps some of us take for granted.

So in partnership with Plan UK , a charity very close to Shimelle's heart, she is setting out to help in any way she can. This is where you come in. If you buy a class, say i duunno JYC 2011 today, then all the proceeds from that sale go straight to Plan UK, AWESOME right???

YES!!!

Shim is donating all of her takings for today, that's a 24hr period. !!! This , in my eyes, makes her even more AWESOME than i already think she is!! So if you are after learning something new, working on plans for your blog, or getting into the swing of the festive season later on in the year, then drop by here and share some love. You know you want to!!!

Thank you kind reader i am grateful that you even got this far , so anything more is a bonus!

I really wanted to create a layout in honour of this, but sadly my girl was poorly so i didn't get the chance, but i will share this with you.

This layout was going to be titled , the girls. But i changed my mind, hmmm kinda wish i hadn't now!!! although it is all bar one of the wedding party girls !! ( Jacks mum isn't in it!!). I love this picture, it was taken by the carriage driver, after the photographer had left for the church. It's us, THE GIRLS, the lucky ones!!! the ones that got the things we wanted, worked for, were given!!

I know i am lucky, and i am sure you know you are too!!

Have a lovely day ladies. I will now get down from my soap box.

Love and hugs

Sally :)

a bump to the head

2011-05-30T13:01:00.003+01:00

Pah!! this weather is so tremendously pants!! I was hoping for some lovely sunshine, so we could feed the ducks, go to an outdoor place, walk, play games and enjoy the fresh air!!! Errr no, the GB weather was thinking otherwise. hmm!!

But we weren't going to let it beat us that easily, we opted to take Bella to an indoor play barn. Now these places are generally not the place i prefer to go to, but Bella likes them and with limited options this fit the bill!!

Oh dear God i wish i had stayed at home, Bella was having a lovely time and made a little friend, who kindly i might add, wanted to hold her hand as she went down the slide!!! EEEEK i tried to shout LET GO!!! as i saw it but there was no time, she had dragged Bella with her and Bella flew head over heels down the slide all the way to the bottom!!!!!!!!

I couldn't have moved faster ( i think i might have actually screamed!!!) It was gut wrenching , she was crying so much and the other girls mum came flying at us too, the other girl crying because she had been involved ( although it was actually an accident) Blimey my heart was in my mouth! i had to fight the tears.

Thankfully there was no damage done and Bella was fine, i was looking for bumps and bruises all morning, but Bella was just wanting to go back and play, phew! I am still uber worried, there seems to be no problem now, but after seeing poor Finlay's war wounds last week( SJ's little man) I was fearing the worst. I am still on Bella watch, Jack thinks i might be going a little crazy,, but I can't settle!!!

Damn you weather its all your blinking fault!!!

I guess this is motherhood, the worry and the fear will never go away!! I still feel sick now!!

Sorry for the lengthy out pouring, i just needed to get that out!!!

-----------------------------

How about i share some layouts to cheer us all up???

So, I sat and made 4 layouts last night, one of which i will share at the end of this post and the other 3 I will share later.

These are the last remaining May layouts:

Date night with the hubby.

Jack and I are really getting back into date night, thanks to my babysitting swap with Carla, it works so well, although sometimes, we are like hmmmm what shall we do???? Sad right?? being on a diet isn't helping as dinner out doesnt always seem right!!

So bowling it was, this was last month, and we had a fab time!!! we had two games and both won one each. Typically Jack is awesome at bowling, but i won fair and square!!! happy dance!!

ooooh and to follow it up we had tasty ice blasts too!! I guess they are relatively fat free.

Are you a fan of ice blast?? i LOVE! them.

Check out the cute echo park paper too!!! bright much?

Seriously though how can one little girl love ducks so much!!! Well i think it stems from a book Bella had last Easter, it was a flip book that had a duck on the front and whenever i would say Quack Quack she would scoot on over and get it and waft it so it looked like the duck was actually quacking!!!

We have always encouraged her to learn the animal sounds and i think this one just stuck in her head, so when she meets any ducks she is in her element!!! ( you know i kept that little sassa duck sticker for ages, with this layout in mind!!!) I think we need to take out shares in the duck feed company, we get through tons i am sure!!!

OK so this is the KI page that i needed to do to complete the April Doc2011, I was stumped as to what else i wanted to talk about from April, but then i remembered this picture. I have blogged the picture before. I was so happy with it and astonished that it looked so OK even though i had no makeup on *win*. I really like this one, although i do now see it looks like i am "feeling April good" lol !!! ah well!!! cutes!!

The last two are the scrappy girls.... both layouts are from the weekend away at Jordan's last October. I really love both the pictures but i think the paper dolls is my fave layout of the two. I really like that i have found these girls and that we can stay in contact so easily through instagram, and other social networking services. They are an awesome bunch, such lovelies and i'm so chuffed to know them! :O) I cannot wait to go away with them again later on in the year!!!

In fact i have quite a few scrapping "away" weekends coming up ,- there is the Nottingham girls retreat in June, the Sarah's cards retreat in November, and then the scrappy girls one too!!! EXCITED MUCH????

OK if you are still here then thank you !!

Please pop back tomorrow as i have a really important and exciting piece to share with you all. It's in conjuction with Shimelle and the other scrappies and soooo awesome. :)

Have a happy Monday bloggers

TTFN xx

more to share.... i have been playing with

2011-05-29T13:21:00.003+01:00

the washi tape the i talked about in the post below.

I am trying to not put it on ALL of my layouts, buts it#s a tricky one I'll admit!!

Its a good colour too, its quite translucent, but i like that about it, and you can always double up if you want it darker!!!

i am so pleased with it ! can you tell??

So i thought i would share a few layouts with you that showcase my clear obsession at the moment!!! oh and then woodgrain too!! cute? muchly!!

This is the SC woodgrain paper, and i am loving it just as much as the MME woodgrain too!!

So these layouts are quite similar really huh? well i really like grouping the papers and pictures in rectangle at the moment, not too sure why this is, but its working for me, its quite quick and i am making a huge dent in my picture pile. So much so I need to do a huge photobox order again in a few days!! ( as i also need to print may doc2011!)

Please excuse the face in this one!!! I really love the essence of the pictures but i am clearly not looking my best!!! Bella is soooo loving being able to comb my hair!! I really like letting her do it too, its really relaxing , i could fall asleep, that is until she bops me on the forehead bu accident!!

I wasn't sure whether to blog this one or not? its not one of my favourites, its a little too bland for me even though its quite full on, but i do like the sentiment on the right which i found on pinterest and had printed. Well its there now and its OK really!

We have been up to quite a lot this weekend, including a trip to Biscester Village to the cath kidston outlet, dinner with the in laws, a lot of sleeping! and some swimming this morning. Oh and this afternoon we are off to have our viewing of the photoshoot we went along too a few weeks ago. We got it through groupon and it was such a bargain, we get a print and 5 images on CD oh and the 1hr shoot session for about £30. We can buy more discs/ images if we want to which is great. So here's hoping they are all lovely !

What are your plans for this bank holiday weekend, its a shame the weather is lame, but i think we lucked out over Easter and the sun is having a rest!!

I have four more layouts to share so i will do that over the coming week.

Have a lovely day all.

TTFN

Sally xxx

Washi Washi Washi & layouts

2011-05-20T15:27:00.004+01:00

I ordered some, i really did.

I have been looking on Etsy, Folksy the WWW for AGES!!!! but i couldn't find any that i really liked that much, you see Washi tapes come in packs mostly and i wanted a real mix of colours, but the packs tend to be tones within a colour, so i was coming up blank. Until last weekend , when i found this awesome site. Not pages and pages to trawl through, simple, easy to view, cutes tapes, sold as you want them.... in singles, doubles and triples!! FAB! and such great service, they arrived in a day, and the postage is a flat rate £1.99 and there is a free roll with your first order too!! AWESOME!!! you really must go check it out!

I used them as soon as i got them, but i'll share those layouts later, as i have some others that need talking about first.

I am so trying to keep up it's crazy. But i think all the recently made layouts are photographed now, and the best ones are edited and ready to be blogged. Phew!!!

------------------------------------------

I was pushing this piece of AC paper around my stash pile for ages, i like it, i really do, but it was the last paper from the kit and i had nothing that went with it. until i thought about the dudes sat in the bag, the huey's and the sassa stickers and voila... ( inspired by SJ) i really love it!!

On my "titles to scrap" soon..... I have avoided doing this layout for fear of not saying the right things, not using the right pictures. Panic over, when i saw these shots that Jack too, i was so pleased, yeah they are a little blurry, but i can see the love, feeling and emotion in them.

They fit so well with the subject.

i used the back of the KI calender paper on this one and mostly the April SC kit, i have quite a collections of KI calenders now, and certainly enough for the year so i am allowed to be a little frivolous!! *smile*

The first cut, was the scariest that's for sure. i was so convinced that i would still have super curly hair after the treatment that i was almost shaking as the hairdresser took the towel off my head!!

No need to worry though, it had worked, and she cut it so blinking well. I seriously love my new hair!!! it's everything i wanted and imagined, for so long!!! Joy of joys chic hair at last :)

i think this one looks a little unfinished, but i don't want to add anything more to it, so its done!!
JBS flag stickers are the cutest and there are like a million on the sheet right?? I think i have used them on almost every layout since i got them!!

Ok. So. this is a total inspired by Laura's layout , layout! ( i love her style )

These are the echo park papers and the bright funky patterns work great for Bella's layouts, as with loving yellow, i am really liking orange lots at the moment too!! Works great for spring bright shots :)

We have been through the mill so to speak, with Bella's teeth, obvs she felt the pain, and i am hoping that we are now over the worst. There are still some gaps, but we have a good regime in place for pain combatting when it occurs, so lets hope the rest are less of a nightmare for out little squidge.

looking at the file in my pictures marked May Scrapping, I still have 10 to show you, and i plan to scrap tomorrow night too. Babysitting means scrappy time!!! oooh and looking at Doc 2011, i have another feature layout i need to make for April, ( busy month) . Although i have done 3 already, there isn't one done on KI calender papers. Does this make me behind??? hope not!!!

I'll pop off and decide which picture gets the spot!

Have a great weekend

XXXX

Seriously Cool !!!!

2011-05-14T12:15:00.002+01:00

Right?

I mean having 5 items that I ( yes me!!!) created, made, love etc, being posted over on Shimelle's blog. That's pretty awesome!!!

I was so thrilled to get this gig!

i am so thankful to Shim for giving me the guest spot. I loved making all of these projects, and i think my favourite has to be the Stepping Out layout, from my wedding!! I adore the pictures, which i think aids the creativity, right?

( my apologies for this not being here yesterday, but i think you know blogger )

So why not pop on over and have a look through the 5 ways with the Fiskars Border punch and see if you like them??

Oh and a big HELLLOOOOO to my new followers and lovely commenter's, thank you so much for popping by, its mean a LOT!!! to know you are there. Be sure to stay in tough and i will pop by your blogs and share some love too!

I'll be back soon

xxxx

Heartful.....

2011-05-09T21:14:00.004+01:00

...... of love (I stole that quote from Steph Howell, cos i love it!!!)

Seriously though, that's how i felt after a beautiful Easter Sunday. I didn't quite know how to sum it up, so my 365 picture was simply two words.... awesome day! That is all!!

I feel really fortunate to have such lovely in laws, they treat me so well. They by no means take the place of my mum and dad, who I love dearly ( obvs) but they are the next best thing. Just yesterday my FIL gave me a huge hug to congratulate me on the weight loss, Bella looked as if to say, hey that's my mummy, i hug her not you!! lol and he kindly bent down to her level and said, its OK, i can hug Mummy she's pretty much my daughter you know!!! That was so wonderfully lovely!! He is such a kind hearted warm, gentle man, a great Dad to Jack, Sarah ( my SIL) and I and a wonderful grandpa to Bella!!

They really do treat me like a daughter (they refer to each other in conversation with me, as mum and dad, although i don't call them that) I couldn't ask for more!! They are so very supportive of everything we do and are there for us no matter what!! They welcomed me into their lives and their hearts and I am ever thankful for that! ( maybe i should do a lo on that!!!LOL)

So to see them being so hands on with Bella and seeing the joy all 3 of them bring each other, fills me with pride and love. I knew they would be awesome , but they have out done themselves! They adore Bella and she clearly adores them!!

Although she gets confused, as they are known as Grandma and Grandpa, she only really gets grandpa as a word and refers to them both as grandpa, much to all of our amusement!!

Hence the layout!

( i have a strong feeling that i have to say I will talk about mine, jacks and Bella's relationship with my folks soon too, i just felt a bit guilty after gushing so much!!! )

I really love the cosmo salt air and upcycle lines, how bright and fun are these??? perfect
for summery days and play days!!! :O)

I comitted the cardinal sin with this Sassafras mix and mend !! yes i hoarded it!!! I was late to the party in buying it, but then i kept it ( cos it was new!) now though i have remembered that my rule is not to hoard pretty stash but use it ASAP!!! So i got right on it and created this. A lovely farm picture of the 3 of us from over the Easter break!! I am still stunned that i am back at work, where did the holidays go. They were wonderful, i don't think i have felt so relaxed and great in such a long time, its been the break i needed.

So here's Crazy Love, quickly documenting my adoration for the 3 of us!

.... and again the 3 of us, but this time just our shoes. i really like shots like this, they allow for any form of journalling. i chose to talk about standing strong together, being a team , looking out for each other and hopefully ensuring Bella has good qualities, morals, balance and a sound guidance throughout her life. I want her to always know that no matter what, we will always be there for her, all of us together!!

In no time at all, i know she will be 14, going through an experimental phase and quite possibly driving me and her daddy crazy with worry. I want her to know exactly how we feel about her, so that in her mind there is no doubt!!
But I just wish there was a pause button you know , one you could use every so often, just so i could really inhale the moment more. I like to think that through scrapping and blogging I am making a concerted effort to take stock at every available point, but i still worry time is passing us by. This picture was taken on April 1st, and already another month has gone past and more has happened, she is chatting away like a little pro now!!! seriously!!!!!!! i mean come on, let mummy catch up!!!! Geez this girl is so clever, so bright, so with it!! She is my pride and joy. Bless her little heart, although she is growing crazy fast, she is doing it so well and I am so proud of the little girl she is becoming!!!

*heart full of love*

All gushing aside, thanks for popping by. Have a lovely evening, and I'll be back with April's doc 2011 soon, they are all done and up to date, i just need to remember to photograph them !!

Oh and one more thing, we are having a family photo shoot on Friday, so any tips/advice would be great. Cheers

Sally :) xx xxx

Fancy a Few Layouts ???

2011-05-03T11:29:00.003+01:00

Hi all !!

As promised I return with some of the layouts I completed over my awesome weekend away.

I made a total of 15, but I wont share them all here today, I'll try and spread the joy over the next few posts.

I am so lucky to have today off work!! As the Royal Wedding fell during our Easter Holidays, we were granted an extra day off and that is today!! Wooop!! So i get a day to myself to do just as I please!!!

There are a few things I needed to do, that i can't really do whilst i am trying to entertain Bella, so i thought i would crack on whilst she is out at nursery. I had a few ebay listings to make, and i still have a million more, its takes an absolute age!!! Clearing out all of Bella's too small clothes and toys that are not being used!! Fun but kinda sad too!! I looked through her memory box earlier and it really choked me, to think she was ever tiny enough to fit into first size vests and gro's!!! awww.

I do plan to craft today too, after this blog post!! woooop!!! I am challenging myself to make another 5 layouts, ( i wanted to do 20 at the weekend, but was having too much fun!!)

I placed a huge couple of orders before going away, so have a real mix of things to scrap with again now, alongside my Studio Calico kits too.

Notice the running theme of REALLY plain backgrounds, i really like Kraft, vanilla and white backgrounds!! I did a couple of colours and they just don't sit too well with me!

This is the crate range from my Studio Calico kit, I really like how this is different to most of the other layouts i so, I think this will be a new angle for me!!

Echo Park here, I invested in some lovely papers from them and this is the little girl range a totally perfect set of papers for my little Bella and all the bright clothes she wears !! Here I really wanted to document how she is constantly rubbing her tongue over her gums where her final few teeth are coming through!!! She also sings la la la whilst she does it!! so funny!

I plan to use this as one of my Doc 2011 feature pages. Initially is was not meant to be the plan, but i think its a perfect one for the project. Look at that crazy Afro!!!

Awww don't you just love the bright colours in this?? We all had such fun over Easter and the play barn at the farm we visited went down a storm with Bella, but it was empty, as the sun was out all the other kids were outside, so we took the chance and went in with her, oh what fun we had, and to be honest i think it gave her the extra confidence to push herself , going down bigger slides, climbing through tunnels, it was BRILLIANT!!! and we got some pretty awesome shots!!

Finally, this is just 'cos she is so darn cute and photogenic, I place her on a rock and bam, a beautiful picture, Man she is stunning!

Don't you just love the woodgrain??? Cute right??

I sincerely hope she can remain as carefree as this for as long as possible. I want to shield her from the world, i really do and so long as i can allow her to grow, flourish and become a well rounded person, then i will.!!

Right so I will leave you and go off and indulge myself in more crafting!!

Love to all

xxxxx

Love in a Bucket.......

2011-05-02T15:41:00.005+01:00

My new catchphrase & the title of a layout coming to your google reader VERY soon!!

So this weekend I spent an AWESOME 3 days with the most wonderful group of girls, The Scrappies. We had a very girlie scrapping weekend in THE most beautiful cottage in the middle of the countryside somewhere off the M40! I have to say I had the most brill time, I have not laughed this much is an absolute age! These girls are fab!! If you don't already you really should follow their blogs, you are missing a real treat indeed!! (if you do then i am sorry you have probably read all about this and seen these AWESOME shots already!!)

We had such fun, normally we go to the cabin in the woods, but that was not possible this time, so CLEVER KATHERINE chose the Cottage in the Country and blimey did she do a good job, it was great! There was everything there that we needed and more, lush lounges, many bathrooms ( great for 11 girls!) lots of scrapping space, a cosy snug and such lush weather meant we could enjoy the huge garden and take a beautiful walk across the fields too!!

We spent our time doing lots of things, mostly scrapping, but actually enjoying ourselves doing other activities too. We ate, drank ( far too much in my case hic!!!) watched movies, went to the pub, walked in the country, chatted, laughed, cried ( at laughing that much!!!!) and had a total ball!! I really did have a fab time and I cannot thank my lovely girls enough!

These are the beautiful girls i spent my time with...

Sj, Shimelle, Me, Natalie, Jen, Chloe, Katy, (no blog!!sadface!) Katherine, Laura, Rach & Leanne.

Don't you just love this picture, i really do, this is Father Tree and its beautiful, shaded and so perfect for group shots. Thanks Laura and Shim :O) x

This is where we stayed, the Cottage de Scrap , just look WOOOP!!!!

( thanks for the pic Rach, i nicked it!!)

Don't you just love the scenery :O))))

And these beauties!!!
10 awesome people i know, girls I call my friends, who I am lucky to share so much in common with, and whom are so lovely in every way :O)

Finally I shall stop gushing and leave you with this DUDE!!! of a shot, I am crazy happy that i have this, it will appear in canvas form, in my house VERY soon, i think it sums up our love for beautiful pictures.

I will return with some of the 15 layouts i made this weekend! I did set a target of 20, but missed it due to far too much wine ( i think i must have drank Laura's share!!!), and laughing.

Seriously, sooooooo much fun, there must be like a million other things i want to shout about this weekend, but i will keep those for the layouts to come

Oh and we took 900 shots too!!! Imagine that!!!

Right i am going before i say too much!!

I hope everyone else has had a great weekend.

Love and hugs

xxxxx

Happy Easter Chickies

2011-04-25T20:19:00.004+01:00

It's been one awesome week of loveliness so far. There is so much to tell, but i wont go into too much detail, but suffice to say, family, friends, food and fun were high on the agenda and lots of eggs for all 3 of us! This little list fills me with such joy!!, I have had such a brill time, i could burst!

Today we spent the day having much fun at a family farm park, local and new to us so amongst the gazillion pics we took, we managed a rare one of all three of us, its not well composed etc, it's just us 3, relaxed, and together. *yay*

Onto the order of the day, sharing some much needed scrapping with you all.

Since meeting and becoming friends with 'the scrappies' I have been more and more inspired in the way i produce my layouts. The girls are so very talented and this has helped me progress heaps. *thanks girlies*

These layouts are mostly using the Studio Calico kits of late. These tend to be the only things i have used recently, and have managed to weedle down my stash considerably!! Here are a range of pictures from the last 12 months, I am still trying to get through all of the important pictures and activities that have happened.

Being a seasoned snowboarder (and pretty damn awesome at it) Jack was keen to get Bella on a board as soon as possible, this is a quick 2 minute ride at the local park, and she loved it, I think the only thing that cut it short was the chill!

I really do adore us, we work well together and are a great team. *heeeee*

Perhaps the best invention for little ones in the bath is this Aquapod, its a mat and seat that stick to the bath like you would not believe!! Its a nightmare to get out when you want a shower!! This was revolutionary in turning Bella's bath time around she became more independent and able to play with her toys, she stopped screaming and started to have fun. Which came as a relief!!

Little Bella, I love this paper, the bunting, but i found it really hard to use, i like this though, i think it came out well. Oh and those thickers, suuuuuper girlie!! yay!

Yellow seems to be my favoured colour to scrap with at the moment, which is lucky as SC seems to be including it as a main colour in most kits of late!! Tummy time seems so long ago now, now that my girls can almost run let alone, shuffle, crawl or walk!! eeeek!!

Another snowy layout, I think I am starting to get the hang of more than one picture on a page.

.... and finally, if you are still here!! This is a scraplift ( and i cannot find the link i saved to quote the original...sorry) i like it and i like this, its girly but not over the top pink either.

have you noticed a running theme??? I am using mostly neutral backgrounds, kraft, white or vanilla, i was always a coloured background user but since SC i have found that I LOVE a neutral base, so much so in the last kit i got 24 sheets of background papers in various neutral tones!!

So i probably wont be back for the rest of the week, and if i am then i will pat myself on the back big time!! its another busy week, jack is off work, we have an "us" day tomorrow, Bella is at nursery and we are going to do fun grown up things, like a posh restaurant lunch!! (and other treats that are harder to do with a little one in tow!) so i hope to share that soon.

And at the end of the week I am off with the scrappies on a jaunt south for a lovely weekend away! I am tres excited about this, WOOOOOP!!

Hoping all is well out there in blogland.

TTFN

Sal :)))

A little free time

2011-04-18T16:17:00.002+01:00

During the holidays, as i am sure i have mentioned before, Bella goes to nursery for one day in every week. so today was that day, I generally choose the first day, as it means i can get the house straight and things sorted ready for the week (s) ahead. Well today was no different and I spent the morning doing boring obvious things. then i watched some ( SUPPER CRAPPY!!!) daytime tv and ordered a few new ( smaller sized... wooop) summer clothes! yay!!

my biggest hope was to get some scrapping time, and luckily i got just that.

I am working on the new Sketches App so needed to created 2 layouts for that, which i am really pleased with, although at first i really wasn't!! So as i cant show those to you yet,m i though i should carry on with my scrapping and make another one!! heee

I am loving the calender pages from KI, I got 12 all ready for Doc 2011, but those clever ladies over at Studio calico have included some in my kits too, so i am up by 2!! woop, this means i can use those spares just because i want to!!

This is what i did with this one, and a few bit of cosmo salt air, from the march kit too!!

( I LOVE KITS!!!!)

We are both so desperately proud of Isabella, and i wanted to share this though with her through scrapping the subject!! I love the bright summery colours. this is using some of the add on kits pieces too.

i have made 3 layouts with this kit and still feel like i have not even made a dent in it!! WINNER!!! which is good as i am off for a scrappy weekend away with the girls soon and need to not run out!!

(soz about the flash glare, but the camera battery went after i took this!! POOP!)

I am still waiting on my Studio Calico order, its taken an absolute age, i am hoping its just a mishap with the PO over here and it will be here soon. My friend Lisa lives close by and she had hers last week, so did the rest of the UK girls!!! hmmmm feel TRES miffed!!! Poop!!

Lastly i will leave you with a VAIN!!! shot of myself from this morning, sans make-up and having only ran a quick comb through my hair, I am feeling better about myself thanks to new hair and losing some poundage!!! Wooop

Happy monday bloggers

mwah xxxx

She is.....

2011-04-15T13:32:00.001+01:00

Beautiful. Cheeky. Kind. Fun. Happy. Energetic. Loving. Adorable. Fiesty. Easy going. Messy. Fickle. Brave. Shy. Confident when with us. Stunning. Bright. Inquisitive. Chatty. Trying so hard to talk. Getting frustrated with wanting to do more than she is able. Growing so crazy fast. Learning new tricks daily. Running, not just walking! A kind soul. Determined. Stubborn. Aware of what she wants and tries hard to get it. Currently cutting 2 more teeth. Needing a fringe cut. Loving putting everything in the bin. Smart. Responding to directions so well it's crazy!. Ready for new shoes(pair nunber 4). Shoe size 5. Wearing mostly 18-24 month clothes. Tall and slim. Making me crazy with pride. Getting up early. Loving making music & sounds with everything. Photogenic. Kind to her friends. Making lots of new friends. Loving in the night garden (i'm not!!). Rediculously cute! Dancing to music at evety chance. A good dancer (am thinking classes when she gets older!). Agile. Strong. Best friends with the cat& cuddle enemies at the same time!. Loved by all who meet her. Progressing well at nursery. Making us both burst with pride!
The most wonderful little girl.
Ours!!

--------------------------------------

Ut's the furst day of the holidays today, we have 19 days off , some of this time will be at home, some visiting, some spending time away, (hopefully!), catching up with friends, feeding ducks, playing in the park, scrapping with the scrappies, eating eggs, having an egg hunt party, and being together!

I so need this break, i'm so excited!!

In othef news, my look is changing and evolving, one of Bella's nursery teachers saud i looked different every time she saw me!! Lol

So i currently have shorter, straightened hair! , i have to say i totally love it, its been on my *wish i had the guts to do* list for years, and now its done, i am doing one huge happy dance!!!!

-----/-------------/------------/-----

Scrappage.....

Last night i got out the old box o tricks , i worried as i cirrently have very few supplies, i have used most up, and crazy old stuff has been taken into work!! I am a thrower not a hoarder so this suite, but i reallllly need to shop soon, otherwise ill have nothing gor our retreat! Booo!!

So i decided that , although i needed to do March doc 2011, it had to be in a frugal sense, so here is what happened!!

Only about 1/3 of a sheet usef here plus kraft! Win!

Bella dressed as a Ballerina for world book day !

... And the calender page and one sheet of SC pp, versatile cutting meant it was easy to be frugal!! Heee!!!
I loving these photo's!! I ordered th on 12x5 paper from photobox and they look great!!

And my split pages!! Using 2 pieces of cardstock and some really old sassa letters and stickers!!! Easy simple & clean! Win!!

Actually they do need more detail, they are looking too bare compared to the jan&feb ones!! Oops:/

So ill leave it there so you don't fall off your chair!!

See you later skaters!!
Xxxxx

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone i am that awesome ;)

My girl is getting so grown... i am so thankful

2011-04-04T23:25:00.004+01:00

I find it hard to believe (mainly because i am in denial) that my beautiful girl is 18 months old!! When did she become a toddler???

I got an email from a baby site today saying that i would no longer receive updates as she was no longer a baby, but a toddler!! i was a little stunned, to be honest this is obvious, but the clarification made the pill all the more hard to swallow!!

There is so much truth in "every stage gets more fun" and there is no denying it does, she is talking, has been walking for months, can react to a request, clearly understands a LOT of what we say, but its still crazy to think, when i look back at our first family shot on the wall, that the little bundle in out arms is the very same raring to go toddler i am now blessed to share my time with!! i am in no way complaining, we adore our girl, she is bright bubbly and full of love and fun, she brings us so much joy, but please don't let time run too fast, i want to absorb all of this, every little element of her personality , her spirit, her perfection, before she has grown up, gone off to uni and is making her own way in the world.

I thank goodness that i scrapbook, there are things that i am sure i would have forgotten had i not scrapped them, or at least journalled them ready to scrap!! Geeking has its rewards indeed!!

just look how insanely beautiful she is.... *sigh* Model looks??? without a doubt, people often ask if i would allow her to model, i looked into it ONCE!! briefly, i googled it and was like errrr NO!!! i decided that was an area that could lead to a whole heap of trouble, competitive mums, makeup on babies, arsey photographers, weirdo's, a scene i would not want her to grow up in. nah, not for us!!

For now, i'll be the one to take the candid shots, and enjoy her pure, innocent un made-up beauty.

A little scrapping now for you all... I am so in love with my studio calico kits, i missed kit scrapping, i may have said this before, so having the luxury of not having to search for items that work together, really helps, especially when i have limited scrapping time. i used to be a sit and make 7 layouts kinda girl, and sometimes i can still do that, if i am at a crop or work into the night, but mostly i make 2 layouts in one sitting now, so SC kits are my saviour. This one i am really pleased with. It is one of my doc2011 focus pages, Bella and I are on Romney Beach in Kent , check out the wellies, crazy choice but fun!! As a mum i know i will always be there for her, but i wanted this to be clear, you know, so that when she gets to 14 and perhapsshe is finding her way, then she still knows that no matter what, i will be there for her, to love, support and care for her. She is my girl, our girl, and I will always stand by her!! Finally side 1 of Feb doc 2011, lots went on in Feb, so much so that the other side is packed and so is the calender page. This one includes things like 1. Date day : 4x4 driving lessons and cheesecake eating with jack. 2. Bella getting her first passport. 3. My cousin had a little girl called Ava. 4. i went on a cupcake decorating course. 5. Carla and i had fun ( on the course). 6. Jack spoiled me with lovely gifts for valentines. I'll try and pop back with the others soon. I did read earlier on Katherine's blog, that you tend not to vocalise too much of the really happy times, but i think sometimes that shows through lack of blogging, life has seriously got in the way, which is awesome, I love that!! there is so much good going on at the moment. I am happy and i don't want to miss any of it. So if blogging takes a back seat then so be it!! i hope you are all happy out there in blog land and enjoying the spring, here's to more fun, memories and happy times. xxxxx

more from the Danes!!

2011-03-04T14:17:00.004Z

So i started to write this on Friday, so excuse the jumping backwards and forwards!! Life gets in the way quite a bit around here at the mo!!

Really, I actually have more to share today!! I am very pleased with my past weeks progress, and really at this point should be scrapping as her little self if napping, but, the carpets are due to be steam cleaned in an hour or so, so i figured i didnt want to make and more "oooh i must hoover that up" kinda mess!! so i am adding things to my basket at amiilionlittlethings and i am reading many blogs! Its nice to sit here, hoc choc in hand and relax! Brill!!

layouts then.....

Can you tell which film this title is from??? as soon as i saw the pic i knew instantly what i wanted the title to be. i adore this film and the stage show is beyond awesome, so much so that i have opted to see it twice and on both counts was blown away!! yep thats right, its the Lion King... The Circle of Life scene!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!! so the title is in Swahili, it means "here comes a lion father" I think it's so fitting!! Again using lots of my Studio Calico Kit!! Win!

I was really keen to use this sassa paper when i saw it, but i was a little stumped as to how, as i had seen so many ways and i wanted to not make my layout look the same as the others that had used it already. i think i did ok, its quite busy and full on, but i like it. I did have a yellow bow in the bottom left corner, but i changed my mind and took it off when photographing!

My all time best friend... Bec, she really is, she knows me so very well. Quite often we are mistaken for sisters, ( poor Bec!! ) We don't look alike, but i think its when people encounter our personalities, they realise we are the same!! lol My wedding dress maker always referred to us as the tweedles!! ( dee and dum!) as she was so sure we were the same person!! lol

i love her so very dearly and we have been through an awful lot together, happy and sad. But one thing is for sure, we will stick together forever!! Love you Bec xxx

This is more of scraplift!! the one above was also based on Leanne's layout too, but this one is more like her's, the plan was to do a total lift and suprise her, but this went a little off track. You see when i was doing this layout we were chatting about a few things, and i thought it would make her smile, to know i had done this!! Ooops I didnt even tell her!! ah well ill let her know!! lol!!

As with all parents, it can be hard to find time for us2! you know, like when there are not other jobs to do etc!! I think its key to staying sain, and silly time makes things all the more simple. This is us playing with a new app on my phone!! Laughing together makes my day!

Dont you jsut love the background paper!! I was sure i was in for getting a second sheet of this but thats not the case!! hmmm maybe thats ok really.

( really green isn't it?? hee)

OOOh in more scrappy news i have some lovely pictures that have arrived from photobox, and some brill new sassa letters and banners from Sarahs. Although i was sure that when i put the order in that i had ordred more, obviously not!! oooops!!!

... and finally, watch out for some exciting fun happening around here on Friday!!! there is to be a big reveal and maybe one lucky commenter on Friday might well win some goodies!!!

TTFN maybe see you before friday?

thanks for stopping by!

muchos love xx

Blimey... i made quite a few pages!

2011-02-28T19:35:00.003Z

I spent the day, as i think i told you, scrapping away to my hearts content, last Monday. It was my day and I spent it doing just what i wanted to. It was brill!!!

I have been looking at my pile of photo's for some time now and have been getting, at myself to make the layouts that i need to , want to even!! so i got right on it and did just that, i made a list, i got my scrap on, and with most of the outcomes i am pleased!!.

I will share a mix of the layouts over the next few days.

The first is another misting win!! i am loving the Mr. Huey mists, as are most of my scrappy friends, so i am feeling super inspired to use them lots!!

This details my thoughts on us becoming godparents, to our lovely little Oscar. Even though we are parents, its still a special honour to be asked to do this special job!!

Poor Boo and her chicken pox!! Simple plain, yet I like it. All of the layouts I have made are using my Studio Calico kits, both Jan and the add on patterned paper collection and Feb and the add on PP collections. I found I really needed a boost in paper, so this seemed the best way to get a bunch in !! Fab!
I am super pleased with this one, I think its really lovely, but super simple. I wanted to talk about our journey in becoming parents, and I am trying to stray away from typical this is me here style journalling, so i think this pic works well for that!! I love those sassa letters and the AC thickers too!!

... and finally i will leave you with my first feature page of Doc 2011, for Jan... I can't tell you how excited I am to get my hands on these KI calender papers. I have seen them around, but they just done seem to be available over here. There are some coming over in my SC kit this month, but as a new plan i fancied making one of the 2 feature pages a little differently. So i got together with some craft friends and we split the postage from Custom Crops in the US to get 12 sheets each for a bargain price!!! I am sooooo pleased!! wooop!! although i did the order so fast, i really wish I had looked around the website and got more stash, there are some more things i liked, such as the KI ledger pockets!!! ho hum, I will wait and maybe do another order just before i go away with the girls!! ( which i am also super excited about too!!! ) As Rach says... Sally is always excited about something!! So true !!! lol

So this is not always the way I plan to make the pages, I do plan to add lots of little pics to the days, with journalling here and there, but for this one i picked out the special day! Jack's 31st! and i still love it!! Who wouldn't on that paper!!! heeee

Right this has taken AGES!!! not sure why really lol

Ill be back as the big guy once said!!

TTFN

Sally xxx

layouts and cupcakes, what more could i ask for ???

2011-02-13T21:01:00.002Z

I have spent the weekend in girlie crafty heaven with a bunch of very lovely people.

Early saturday morning i awoke and RAN!!, well drove realllllly fast to pick up my studio calico kit from the PO depot and i was not disapointed. This months kit is jam packed full of pretties and lovlies. I did order a whole heap of other stuff too, which i plan to show you in finished products really soon. I am feeling the hype of SC kits so much, I am so pleased I subbed, it's brill waiting on a kit to arrive, I had forgotten quite how much!! But, it's crazy on the forums so i think i might have to be very careful with getting over excited indeed!!!

My box of goodies (not all mine, some are Lisa's lol)

I felt like a kid at Christmas!!!

I spent the rest of Saturday morning with Carla on a cute course learning how to decorate cuppies!!! Now this was fun, Carla is like Awesome at this i on the other hand was just OK!! Lol we had tons of fun, my next plan is to pick up some cool piping nozzles, my current ones are clearly poo!!! I need much bigger ones!!

Me & Carla .... Such fun!!

Bella clearly enjoyed the fruits of my day!!!!

Seriously, this was a busy day!!!

In the evening i was treated to a home cooked feast by my darling husband, he is an awesome cook. I love that he likes to cook, we work well as a team, and cooking/ baking together is great fun, although this time i was allowed to relax with wine! Win!!

So after discussing the no gift rule, he broke it and got me these beauties!!! I was awe struck, seriously Bean you are amazing!!!!

I feel tres guilty that i only got him a token gift, its cool, but still not as cool as these!!! Hmmmm bad wife!!!

You know, i am sure he reads my mind!! Lol

So there is still much to tell about Sunday's antics, scrapping at Rach's , but I'll come back and talk more about that later. Oooh and show you my creations too!

Happy Valentines bloggers

Sal xxxxx <3 <3 <3

Doc 2011

2011-02-09T21:55:00.004Z

I really missed the boat last year with this truly awesome class/ project by Shimelle, I was so gutted to have not taken part. The worst thing was there really was no reason, I think I just forgot that it was going on and it was only as I saw peoples albums develop that i actually realised what I was missing. But I thought it was too far into the year to make a start, so instead I promised myself that I would start in 2011, and that it was I have done.

The general gist of it , for those of you that live under a stone and don't know, is you are simply documenting the everyday parts of your life. You do the big things too. But on the 12 x12 split pages like the ones below you can add as many or as little pics as you like that you perhaps would not dedicate a whole page to, from that month, but still want to remember. You then decorate, jazz it up and make it all fancy like you would you 12x12 layouts.
So alongside these you then scrap 2 12x12 pages, one page detailing the most significant occurrence during that month, or your fave picture, and a second page which contains an envelope for you to put all the bits and pieces you have collected that month into. Like theatre tickets and receipts etc.

Now my concern with the second page is that I am ridiculously rubbish at keeping that sort of thing, so rather than have some months really full and others looking pants, I plan to make 2 feature pages for the month instead, which i am sure in within the rules!!

Enough rambling. Here is side one of Jan 2011.

Including...1. using my new AMAZING mixer to make a cake for Jack's birthday.

2. Sledging on the indoor slope on his birthday

3. The big 31!! old man, blowing out candles.

4. Bella after her MMR jabs, looking quite happy, she was very brave

5. Booking our first abraod holiday since having Bella! *win*

6. Bella made cute cookies at nursery!

I am really pleased with it. I am so excited that I got to use my Jan studio calico kit on it too, I am saving some of it as I have a scrappy day at the weekend so I want to get as many layouts out of it then as I can. It was so hard not to scrap away after making this!! There is another side but I can't seem to find pics. I will re post that side when I post the feature pages after the weekend.

In other news there is little going in here of note, apart from a very poorly girlie and some time off work for me ( looking after little Bella) it's tough going when they are so small and ill!! what also sucks is that now she is better I am starting to get the germs!!! errrrr no thanks!

OOOh yeah, I am on a cupcake decorating course on Saturday morning which I am SOOOOOOO looking forward to, and then as I mentioned scrappy day on Sunday!! wooop lovely creative weekend me likey!!

Double "Oh yeah , just a thought, I do have some more split pages like this to share.... i think i might have mentioned them before, but if not the thing is that I seriously cannot scrap all the lovely pictures i have of Bella, but I really want to. So with the theory of Doc 2011 in mind, I decided to pop a load of pics in wallets and add some journalling/ details/ pretties as and where i wanted.

Here they are...

Sorry for the crappy iphone pictures, but the light is not great , I just thought I would share anyway!

Cute huh ??

I have been busy scrapping away, and have a lot to share so once i have some actual daylight then I'll shoot them and upload!!.

....and lastly i think I am allowed to share the layout I did for the sketches to scrapbook winter app too!!!

(Picture of the dessert table at Bella's christening)

I really was not sure about this one as it was developing and was even considering not submitting it, but once I got the title on it all came together a lot more. The flowers are not very me, but they were a part of the sketch and I think they look ok. I can't share the sketch, but feel free to pop on over to the app store and download yourself the cool app. Great when y
you are out at a crop, or simply don't want to trawl the Internet for ideas. Go for it, treat yourself!!

I think that's all for now.

Be back soon

Byeee

xxxxx

Letterpress Blocks

2011-01-31T20:33:00.003Z

Trust me you will totally LOVE!!! these!!

So, like a few weeks ago i was roaming the web when i found a fab post (now not so sure where) on letterpress letters that had been painted and altered with scrap booking papers, and i was like huh i could do something like that, and they would look oh so awesome on my photo wall/ anywhere in my house!!. Then i got onto thinking, you know what, i wouldn't actually want to cover them in papers, or paint them, for that matter,. No no no my friends, instead, I would make some blocks and I would leave them pure, just wood , you know what I mean?

Well I spent a little time on the CAD program i work with and a little more time faffing on the laser cutter and the band saw and then sander!! ( during free's/ lunch times/after work time) and i finally came up with something that i am really pleased with , in fact, that i totally 100 million percent LOVE!!! ... you know what... so do other people too!!! *WIN*

LOL in fact I have had so much interest that i had to go and buy extra materials and have now made loads of these blocks as gifts for friends! Cool right? Those friends are super duper pleased with their blocks too!! So much so that I have had enquiries from other scrappy peeps as to whether or not i could make them some too!! Which of course i said Errrr YES!! to! So i thought i would share them with you, lovely lovely bloggers!!

These first ones are mine. I like the alternating sizes and upper/lower case mix. They now reside on the picture wall and look AWESOME!!

Aww these little cuties were a gift for lovely Jen and her beautiful little man Benjamin. ( call it a late congrats on your little man gift!!!)

These were my first real commission, they are crossing the border and are on their way up to Scotland to meet Emma and Ethan!! I hope they like!!

.... and lastly ( as i know she won't see them as she is not a blogger, but is a totally awesome scrapper) these are for Katy and her boyf .... I love these, that little "&" sign melts me every time i look at it!!

As i have to buy the supplies and pay to post (obvs) therefore I do have to charge people now ( as the first test batch were pressies) so if you are looking for something to brighten up you mantel piece/ picture wall/ bedroom dresser/ give as the MOST AWESOME GIFT, ....( the possibilities are endless) , then get in touch and I will see what i can make for you!! how exciting???

OK, so I think i have gushed and self advertised enough. I will leave these with you!!

Have a lovely evening, I have finally come around to putting my iphone pics on my laptop!! All 858 of them!!! So over the next few posts I think I will share some with you!! relevant ones too!!

Happy Monday bloggers!!!

man!!!! it's been a while

2011-01-23T22:05:00.005Z

i won't apologise, as life tends to get in the way a little here and that's OK, I guess it's all the same for parents out there. To be fair i have a lot of evening time, in which i could blog, but i just feel knackered, crappy i know, but true I am afraid.

I have been reading loads though (blogs) through the magic that is feedler on my lovely phone. It's kept me up to date with the latest CHA sneaks, and i must say there is a real mixed bag out there.. I like the upcycled and salt air ranges being released by cosmo,

i also like some of the American Crafts releases, but not all, not a fan of the camping range much..

but these i like.

Cute momentos, tres heart!!

The hello sunshine range, i love most of the papers in this range and some of the embellies too. This is probably my favourite too.

How awesome are these???

The JBS bits are looking pretty but i do wonder where some of them are to be used? i think they look more like decor objects, which is great but being sans craftroom they are currently of no use to me. Sad face!!

Oh and in BIG scrapping news.... I have finally got around to subbing to Studio Calico!! hoorah! i am awaiting the January kit as i managed to get one of the last ones before they sold out and then its onto the Feb one. I already have my eye on the add kits i would like to get, having only seen sneaks so far, and there are a few other things i want to throw into my basket too. It's great as they don't charge any extra shipping, how amazing is that? All i do is wait and order on reveal night and things all come together. Plus a few friends have said they would like to order things so I get a reduction on the postage too!!! WIN!!! To say I am excited is an understatement. I have seen so much lovliness being made with the current kit, I can't wait to get my hands on mine!!

Wooop ... sorry i was trying to upload a pic but blogger is being a pain!!!

Hmmm i think that's all i have to bore you with for this episode!

What else is out there in sneak land? anything you have seen that you think i might like? Would love to see!

good evening all

Xxxx

Happy presents...

2011-01-06T10:24:00.001Z

I know Christmas feels like an age ago, but i thought i would cheer us all along with some present sharing!!

I truly believe that my husband can read minds. For like ever i have wanted one of these, they look cute, they work likr a dream and they produce awesome goodies!! That's right, I am talking about my beautiful, brand spanking new cherry red Kitchen Aid Mixer ... Do you love it??? I certainly do, she has been named kitty and she takes pride of place in my kitchen!! Lucky or what???

.. My family know me soooo well, besides this cutie i also got a huge heap of cath kidston goodies...

Pin cushion, sewing case, smellues, wash bag, notelets and a wallet too... Seriously this Christmas rocked, for so many reasons, I simply can't wait for next year!!

So what did you get?? I must admit I am Super Jealous of Laura who got an ipad!!! Wow how amazing????

Oh, i scrapped last night too, i only managed 2 layouts, which annoys me! I wanted to do more, i had the time, i need to do more!!! I have so many pics to get through and i need to order more , but i want to get through these first. I am falling seriously behind!!! I need to sort out a way of keeping on top of all my images, maybe I need to really only print super duper images??? Or work on some multi photo layouts? Any tips would be great thanks!!!

Have a happy Thursday bloggers xxxx

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Oh Hai 2011

2011-01-01T17:20:00.002Z

Happy new year guys!!!

Did you all have awesome Christmases? I have to say ours was amazing!! I won't go on but I will say that although my lovely little girl was a little ill over the festive season she really got what was going on, really loved opening all her presents, watching the 'pretties' twinkle and taking n the magic of the season. She really is one lucky little BellaFran she was so spoilt bless her!!

Oh i cannot WAIT!!! for next year ooooh the excitement!!!

New years was pretty chilled for us but you know what? I am so ok with that! I am kinda over new year!! ( i think i am old!!!) We popped to a party at my mum's for a few hours and came home to allow Bella to sleep!! it was lovely to take in the new year and enjoy it in my comfy Pj's sipping champagne with my hubby and eating luscious cheesecake!!! *win*

2o1o was awesome for us, it saw some amazing times that i will treasure forever including my tiny little baby girl becoming a walking talking (dare i say it??) toddler!! 2010 has been kind, it really has, I so cannot wait to see what 2011 brings, although i would like 2010 to keep one thing, well 56 things actually!!! ( 4 stone!!!) that's what I want to shift by the summer cheers 2010!! I didn't gain all that whilst pregnant or since having Bella, only about 1st 10lbs of it eeek!!, but thats the rest I never lost whilst on Lighterlife!! so I don't resolve to loose weight, it's just on my to do list!!! I don't like resolutions they are so final!! LOL

the biggest thing on my to do list this year is to EMBRACE life!!! there is so much going on that i want to be a part of. With my family I hope to embrace all that we can to enrich our lives as much as possible!

So happy 2011 bloggers, here's hoping it brings you whatever you may dream of!!

I will return with the last few days of JYC2010, I stopped at Boxing day this yea,r!! I am ok with that, I love it so much that i don't want it to become a chore. So after printing some pics and sticking, I'll share!!!

I hope to craft very soon too!!! woooop!!!

much love

Sally xxx

Season's Greetings

2010-12-22T21:34:00.001Z

Hey bloggers!

3 more sleeps!!! That's all!!! Wow! I am super duper excited!!! We all are, although I'm not sure Bella is quite aware of the impending craziness!!! I'm really hoping it will be a beautiful one! Filled with live, happuness and heaps if memiries, For Bella at least! ( hey Santa if you can hear me, that would be awesome!)

Jyc wise i am on it!! Had a good blast at the few pages i was behind with last night, and today, whilst Bella played at nursery, I did todays entry! ..... and i prepped the next few days pages too, i know we will be super busy so i wanted to get ahead! I'll show you those when they are 100% complete! Sneak info though! I am doing a double pager for Christmas day, the thought is lots of pictures journalling striaight onto them!! Simple yet hopefully super lovely!

So what I can show you are these ....

Some are quite plain, I am ok with that though, i am used to scrapping jyc smaller so it's taking a while to fill the page, silly as I normally scrap in 12x12 Hmmm!!

This one and the next need pictures, clearly very bare!!

Really??? All done?? Yep!!! So glad the planning and early prep was done! It's really paid off. No stress and lits of time to relax and enjoy the season! Yay!!

So just in case I don't make it back before saturday please have a Wonderful Christmas and here's to a fab new year!!
Love and Best Wishes

Sally, Jack & Isabella

Xxxxxx

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Oooh more jyc

2010-12-19T22:23:00.001Z

Happy nearly christmas peeps, it makes me giddy that we are almost at the 20's! seriously it feels like it has taken an age to get here and now we are a mere 6 ( almost 5) days away!!

I plan to be back before the big day so i'll save the glad tidings until then , who knows i might actually blog from a real life laptop too! ... Iphone blogging is so much quicker though!

So jyc '10

I am relatively up to date, i have added pictures to previous pictureless pages, and i just need to do the last few days printing and i'll be on it!!

I like this, we were really worried about how Bella would react to a tree, would she pull ut over? Would she rip all the baubles off? We went through other options, but we decided to stick with our smaller, less harmful if topples on you kinda tree and see how she was, you know what??? Totally fine!! Phew!!

This lacks a picture, but really i just wanted to get down all of my current feelings snd i like that about this prompt!! Yay!

Ok so i used the "c" as it still looks like an "e" winner!!

We are so into jingle bells and rudolph as festive tunes this year, out go the nursery rhymes (except twinkle twinkle, thats quite festive still!) and in come fun christmas tunes we can all sing along too in the car!!! ( and bath time, change time, general singing oppurtunities!)

All about our secret santa at work, it was awesome, £1 limit and it had to be funny !!! Sooooo much fun!!

This needs a pic too, just need to take a good one of the 3 of us by our tree!!

I really like this its one of my faves, both in terms of emotional content and the way it looks!!

I am so thankful for my family, my darling husband, my wonderful daughter and for such amazing friends whom i could not be without!! Also for being where we are and being surrounded with so much love! To everyone who is on that list. Thank you!!!

Soppy but lovely!!

Ok bloggers i have some festive baking to plan so i shall be offski!!
Be back later in the week!!

Mwah xx

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Jyc

2010-12-11T12:41:00.001Z

So i am up to date woooop!! Life got seriously in the way this week, but I am all back on track!

I have some pages to share , some are only half finished, as i need to orint picture and still have not managed to, but the journalling is there and thats what matters, right?.

Wanna see?? (note; iphone post, low quality images, soz)

Manifesto, messy but important!!

This really needs a snowy pic but i really like how its looking.

Woooop making my own cards feels good, even though it took AGES!!!!!

Insert a pic from last christmas of the 3 of us!!

I just need to add bella's calender shot, well the pic of her ripping into it!!

This one i found hard in years past, but this year was easy , i plan to add a christmas day picture from 2008, of us2 and one from 2009 of us3 and detail the fun and excitement that having a little one around brings.

Not much left to do, and actually most of that list is now done!!!

8&9 are missing as they are mostly photo pages!!!

Cute paper, we decided to have paper just for Bella, everyone else gets a different style but this roll is purely for Bella and her gifts look amazing wrapped and piled. Ooh just noticed i think it matched well with the echo park papers. Cute!!

So thats it from me, I am nursing a sore head after going out with the Nct girls for our christmas mummies meal, its so lovvely to catch up, dress up and not have to worry about the babies. I am so lucky to have such a lovely bunch of NCT friends.

Right i need food, nothing new there, lol, hoping it will cure the head!!

Xxxx

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Infinicam

2010-12-10T10:19:00.001Z

So i was reading Sharyn's blig and she was chatting about a new cool app, Infinicam. You know me, sucker for a camera app so i popped along to the app store and got it, it was like £1.19. It's really cool, a bit like instagram where you take a pic/ upload one then choose how it looks with filters etc, but there are loads of other choices on this too, so between the 2 i think i am pretty fixed!!

I uploaded this little shot of Bella, had a scroll through the effects and chose this one!

I like it and i think i will be using this app tons , woooop!

Any of you guys out there use this? Have any tips???

Xxxxx
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ah man!!!

2010-12-08T21:05:00.002Z

Glass of wine in hand, reader on the laptop. I stumbled across these beauties. Do you love them??? I am really liking them. They are quite valentines esq in one sense, but in another i think they are so versatile. I really like them and I can see them being used lots in my future scrapping. Let me know what you think.

Right am off to wrap a few more presents. I know i had bought them all and wrapped them all like 2 weeks ago!!. The downside of being organised and having everything bought and wrapped before Dec 1st means that when you see things that look nice in the shops, you tend to just get them, cos they are lovely. hmmmm maybe i should stop looking!!!! LOL

love and hugs

Sal xxx

Win a mini bus.... We sure want to!!

2010-12-07T21:27:00.003Z

I NEED YOUR HELP BLOGGERS!!!!

So what am I asking you for? Well my arty crafty friends of the world, I am asking you to go here and vote for our school ( Castle Donington Community College) to win a new mini bus.

Why? you ask how so?

Well, one of our VERY!!!! talented year 8 girls designed a new mini bus for a Berol competition and she got right through to the final!! That's right, there are 9 finalists across the UK and she/ we are one of them. It would be so awesome if we won. She is such a lovely girl and SOOOOOOOOOO arty, she is such a future scrapbooker too ( i will make sure of it!!)

Pretty please , VOTE for us, it needs to be done by Friday too!! oh and if you do, let me know so i can pop over and thank you and share some blog love.

This is the Design that we would have on our bus if we won it. It's Amazing right? The girlie is like 12!!! ( not sure i can say her name here so that's why i keep calling her girlie, sorry!!)

I know i can count on you all, lovely lovely bloggers.

Happy Tuesday my lovelies.

Thickers.. Sharing...

2010-12-06T14:52:00.001Z

So i am really trying hard to print my jyc pics and its not working :0( hopefully ill get them sorted later so i can add them to the pages and share them on here with y'all.

I do however have this to share from the crop yesterday.

Using mostly the alphabet soup line, and some thickers. I am really getting into using my punches again, they seems to have endless possibilities!!

I am however drawing conclusions on the thickers front. I love them, obvs!, but only some. I have come to find (about 8million years behind!!) that i only really like simple fonts, thus rendering some , even full packs redundant!!!
Hmmmm so do i use them and think "well they are not wasted" or do i sell them/give them away! Answers please!

The thickers used above are one of the "hmmmm" packs, girly, pretty even, but really as my style is evolving, my thickers choices have to also! Any good reccomendations of fonts would be awesome!

Cheers bloggers. :0) ill try and pop in later with jyc, if this printer ever works!!!

Xx

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Hi there peeps

2010-12-04T11:21:00.001Z

So last night i got some time for me!! Crazy as it sounds because, I was babysitting for carla's mini harris marsh's. But the thing is you dont have all the other jobs to do when you at someone else's house so you can craft away!! so in usual style i hauled my stash down a Very snowy hill and got comfy in carlas scrapping space!!!

You know what? I was quite productive, i made a layout and a tag, both for my challenge (will share later) and i collected my album which i had left there after the crafty evening.

I had a lovely evening, the kids slept (bless them) and i watched the filmed version of the michael mcintyre show that we saw at the ice arena, whilst playing with paper. Win!!!!!

Wanna see some craftyness???

This layout is the one i made on the crafty evening last week, and is one i can share.
I love that Bella is so determined, i'm not hugely sure where she gets that quality from, but its great!!! Here she is ploughing through the park trying to get to the birds!

I used mostly the mme alphabet soup range, i really like this cute girlie range it wirks so well with Bella, and am still loving those tiny thickers!! Yummo!!!

Oh and these little cuties are this years christmas cards, simple yet lovely , well i like em'. I have been using kraft like its going out of fashion recently, but hey!! One day it will and i would have a stack left otherwise lol!! You lkke??? Am a bit concerned though, i still need to out tofether the rest but i am over them already!!!! Hmmmm !!

Today sees a Huge photo op, my dad is getting married, i have talked about my feelings over this new chapter in all our lives, and today, although i know i will cry with mixed feelings i am happy for Dad. :0)

Better get going and get ready, happy saturday people, i'll be back tomorrow after the crop with more to share.

Xxxxxx
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Jyc.... So close!!!

2010-11-30T09:06:00.001Z

Last night i sat and made another layout for my secret assignment, which i have to say i am super pleased withit. Unlike my normal scrapping time this one took about an hour and a half to put together, totally, like ages for me!! So wanna see a sneak??

and as i was in the zone, and all my stuff was out i thought i would make my jyc cover, well i say cover its kinda the first page of the album..... I like this lots too i must have been on a roll. I didnt get out any christmas supplies so i just used what was on the table, and it worked well, oh apart from getting to the end the word christmas and realising i had no "s" !!!! Oooops enter an 8 cut up.. You know i'm ok with that!

Looking forward so much to playing along again this year, this is my 3rd album and Bella's 2nd Christmas and to say i am over excited by the season is an understatement!!!!

Am also really looking forward to seeing everyone elses journals too, its such a warm and fuzzy time, i love it!!!

See you tomorrow for prompt one!!!!!

Mwah xxxxx
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Which side of the fence do you sit on ?

2010-11-27T20:25:00.001Z

With regards to snow! Seriously, it looks cute, and with the right lens can photograph really well, pretty even? , but after the initial fun i really think i am over it! Is this bad?

Today was Bella's first proper snow, well the first she could go out and play in. She was really intrigued by it and not at all phased, but really 15 mins outside for this 1 year old was plenty, man it gets cold quickly!!

So i figured i have to be excited for longer now i have a little girlie who wants to play, and that's fine. Just so long as snow only comes on the weekend when i don't have to travel to work!!!

Here are a few pics i took this morning before heading into town to get the last of the presents. I have more on the dslr using a cool lens so i'll upload those later!

Our garden and missy's swing first thing this morning..

Cute baby girl snuggly and warm.

Pretty path to the park.

I am half way through a really exciting project that i will share with you as soon as i can, its great fun, but taking a lot of forward thinking!!!

Happy snow day all xxx

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Man it's cold...& other stories

2010-11-21T20:10:00.001Z

Chilly huh? Can't complain too much though, i love this season, it holds Christmas, hot drinks, log fires and quilts yay!!

This week has been different to most, but good, really good actually. I spent lots of time at home doing very little except catching a mamouth cold, but to be honest apart from said cold, I really could get used to this being at home business! Oh the simple life!!

So, last night i spent some much needed scrappy time with some really lovely girls , carla, debs & lisa. We scrapped, chatted and ate yummy food until gone mid night and i really enjoyed myself!

Although i did only complete 2 layouts, which in 5 hours is really really really slow for me! But i love both of them so all is good! I can't share them yet as i am a donut and left my album at Carla's oops!! So the only pic i have from the evening is this one, its lisa's cute sign!!

In other news if you are after some cheap simple shaped punches then you might want to check out hobbycraft, they have all of theirs on reduction, so i decided they were too good to miss at all under £5 and picked up these

A 2" scalloped square, a 1" circle and 1/2 " circle. Ooohh and a blending tool, so i can now use my distressing inks, whick i am slowly getting used to.

I will leave you with something tasty, i got the recipe for these yummo cookies from SJ, it's near as damit to the actual millie's cookies recipe as you will get, and let me tell you they taste devine!!

So why not pop over to SJ for the recipe and have a go for yourself. Yum!!!

Now its time for hot bread, cheese and wine ...... Yum!!

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Wooooop.... New lens o rama!!!

2010-11-17T12:13:00.001Z

I am home with my still poorly girl today :0( which allowed me to avoid the annoyance of getting post then having to drive to the depot to get it!!!
Yay within about 10 mins both DPD & Royal Mail arrived to bring us 2 new nikkon lens's!!!! & to say i am over the moon is an understatement. I have been ever so lost without my Dslr.
So these are what we got

A new 50 mm everyday automatic.

& this, its a 35mm f1.8 lens, but this one is Jack's christmas present so has to stay out of my grasp at least until jack has played with it.

I am looking forward to using both and a "real" camera again!!

Be back soon with some shots to show, but for now i am curling up on the sofa under Bella's quilt giving her lots of cuddles and making her feel better.

Happy Wednesday
Xxxx

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Monday monday ( as the song goes)

2010-11-15T10:00:00.001Z

Its been a funny ol' weekend mostly filled with a poorly baby and a bit of retail therapy ( which i have to add was for Bella & Christmas etc)
But i had a lovely day all the same and snapped some cute shots using instagram (new best friend!!!)
So thought i would share

Feeling super festive and all tradtional *cuteness*.

I have not shared this yet so here is the gorgeous quilt i made for Bella's birthday using her 0-3 vests & grows. I loved making this but wss not hugely happy with the finished result, then when i got it out on satursay i wax like "seriously i LOVE this, whats not to love ????" win indeed :0) xxxx

This has had muchos use this weekend helping my little squidge recover.

Finally asleep after a few rough hours :0(

So thats it from me for now, am hungry (obvs) so off to grab some breakfast *yay*

I promise to return with crafty goodness later.
Love
Sally xxx

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... the final installment

2010-11-13T21:52:00.003Z

Thanks for bearing with me and my iphone posts you are all very kind :O)

The last of my "jordans" layouts are here, its been 2 weeks since i was there and I am missing looking forward to going so am looking forward to the date being set for the next one!! WOOOOP

I am hooked on apps and have found tons that i totally adore... without doubt my favourite is Instagram... but i do feel the need to photograph and share almost every aspect of my day LOL

Layouts then..

This is perhaps my most favourite picture of the two of us from our wedding, I have had it enlarged to 20"x30" and framed to put somewhere in the house, although it currently resides in our room, it looks awesome though!!!

Much Kraft love again and a range of Bella Bella papers from MME too, see i am also doing well on the embellie clustering etc Wooop!!

The look of love ... we really wanted to capture this shot and spent a while talking to the photographer about it and she did us proud. Although i am not too sure about the acutal layout, and its a shame that the corner got torn in tansit on the way home :O(

Cutebaby girl and some lovely OA seaside papers, i love how little she is here and how she looks so excited for her first outing to a hot tub. She really did love it too :O)

This slide was beyond awesome ... it was part of Bella's birthday weekend celebrations and was at the local farm park.. Thankfully there was no one around at the time because i screamed like a little girl!!! It was super fun, although i am sad that i didn't have enough E's as i wanted to call the layout weeeeeeeeee. I think woop is still good though!!

... and finally the epic find layout. Danes is our surname..and when we went to look at Bella's nursery back in Jan ( hence the snow) we saw this on the way home and were like WOW THAT'S AWESOME!!!! clearly a photo op if ever there was one... but from the warmth of the car!!! and with a camera phone too!! hee hee. So pleased we got it... so too was Jacks dad when we told him. It's not the most common of surnames so to see it like this really made my FIL pleased!! *cute*

My weekend is going well so far, but there is still much to do on the Christmas shopping front and I would ideally like to get it all sorted before the end of November if possible. So that's the plan for tomorrow along with a visit to my mums too. Busy bees we are.

Om so its time for sleep... i really am so bad at getting up when little miss decides its wake up time at 6am ( on a weekend... i ask you!!!) so I'll love you and leave you.

until the next time my lovelies
Au Revoir

xxxxxx

2010-11-12T18:27:00.001Z

So this is the decision for jyc 2010 . 6x12 ac album, filled with kraft. I plan to use the new everybody loves christmas range from echo park too . I got the idea from sj whom i am sure did something like this last year on a much grander scale .

What do you think ? Am now on the look out for embellies so any thoughts let me know please.

Right i had better get back to painting some more canvases xxx
Posted from my iPhone how fab ???

I am here

2010-11-11T21:33:00.001Z

I have been getting to know the new addition to our family ......the lovely little iphone 4 and i am really really hooked. All of the scrappy girls have them and i can now join the fun !!!! Woop !! And oh mai it really is fun :0) although i think i might need to get a different blog app as this one is text only ....and everyone knows those posts are not so good!

In other news i have made my decision on my jyc 2010 album and papers so i will share those tomorrow oh and i have the most super exciting challenge to complete (scrapping based) and i will share the details with you when i can...but watch this space its awesome
Right i am off to find more apps
Hugs
Sally xx

Told you there was more...

2010-11-08T21:00:00.002Z

Here is the next installment of layouts... I don't know if i mentioned it but a while back i ordered a whole heap of prints and they came, i filed them away and when i came to look for them they had gone. I literally turned everything upside down, and eventually resigned to the fact i must have thrown them away by accident!!! So i re ordered most of them for the weekend away, no pics, new stash great inspiration Right?. Then half an hour ago i was looking through a basket in my expedit for a random piece of info i knew was in there ( found it by the way!!) and there they were, as bold as brass sat right at the front of the basket. I actually swore... i mean seriously!!!!!!! I had that basket out like a million zillion times and have looked more times than i care to remember ... Ah well all is not lost and this means i can now give some pics away to family without thinking, Ah i need to re print that now!!! Winner!!! Kinda!!

Layouts these are all about the same style really, i was clearly in the mood to embrace wither the top or bottom of my page and not the middle!!! Odd, but after a few layouts you need a change.

Old picture of Jack... a picnic in the car as it was raining, we were heading north to visit a friend for her wedding and then off the Edinburgh to celebrate out wedding anniversary, so we decided to stop off for a picnic at Chatsworth ( the place of his proposal!!!!) to reminisce and be us!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this one, meeting Grandpa... such a little lady. As I have mentioned before all the grandparents adore Bella ( its their job!!!) and this is such a lovely moment to have captured :O)
Cute pic taken by Lisa when on my first Sheen retreat with the Nottingham girlies. I wanted to remember how i felt about leaving Bella for a whole weekend, it was not as bad as i thought and i really enjoyed myself.

Down at the patch... i LOVE the autumn papers i have used here, and a huge thanks to Rach for the Carve bingo card... clearly it makes the layout awesome!! xx

The 4d scan we had of Isabella, this was at 25 weeks and i think really we should have waited a little longer, but we were desperate to confirm her sex, as the hospital were not 100%. We were so lucky the scan lady spent ages checking re checking, before letting us sit/lay there and just watch out little lady being herself all cosy and warm. Honestly it was the most amazing thing to lay there and watch her. *Love *

The official picture of the weekend away with the Jordans girls..... with the obligatory title. I really like this layout and love the polaroid shot. Thanks Laura:O) Using some more of the lovely Autumn papers from Bella Blvd ( i think!!!!)

This picture was on our picture wall for ages before i took it down to swap it... and i have looked at it and looked and kept thinking darn it i must scrap that.... so i but the dear bullet and went for it and i love the outcome. Cute!!

This is the second 10 things LO i have of Bella, my plan is to do one every so often so i can document all of the new things she does/ says/ develops. Using some of the count me in range from sassafrass, i really like this, its great for girls :O)

Right I have a list as long as my arm of things i really want to achieve, Jack is still out at the supermarket and I wanted to organise another batch of pictures and also have a look at sorting out my JYC.... am wondering about Kraft as a background to ALL of my pages, i have a ton of it in 12x12 and I am planning on using Kraft to wrap pressies this year again too, so maybe that's the way ... hmmmmm off for a lookie.

Happy scrapping

xxxxx

Heaps to Share

2010-11-07T19:54:00.003Z

Sorry... know i said last week that i would share these over the following week, but i never got any good light to snap them until Friday.... then life got in the way... well more crafting actually. So here are some now.... I plan to share them over this week in batches of about 5 or so. I may talk about them, i may not, its all time dependant.

In other news i popped over the the NEC hobbycrafts show on Saturday which i have to say was a mixed bag, but as i got a free ticket ( thanks Fiskars) and was on a mini course run by Shimelle, all was not lost and to be fair, i still picked a few things up.

I have been after a 6x12 album for like ever and after hearing that they are to be discontinued I thought it was best to pick one up now.

I had fully intended on using my green 8x8 AC album for JYC2010, but now i am thinking that i will use this and maybe save the other one for another year or indeed another project. One of which i am currently mulling over.

I was also after a new batch of punches and there were loads to be had, you just had to look around for the best price, the best one i got was £8.50 for the starburst one( which apparently are out of stock in most UK stores) and i picked one up for Rach too! The butterfly and button had been on my list to get for a while too, so i saved the postage hassle and picked them up.

So in all a lovely day really, and it was finished off by a Red Cupped Mocha from Starbucks and more yummy food at the inlaws!! BRILL!!!

Onto the layouts then....

Old hambly meets ,MME life stories on Kraft. Celebrating the choosing of Bella's godparents, i think we did a good job!!

This range i found hard to use so I decided not to be specific about it ( picking a sewing theme) and i just went for a lovely picture. Bella's paternal grandparents and us3 Love this one :O)

An old pic and some random papers from a mix of ranges including Cosmo i think (eek!!) I have loved using other peoples punches, it really got me into wanting a selection of my own! ...I really needed to get more wedding pics done, I wanted too, but i also felt the pang to scrap Bella too. This weekend away really helped with that problem :O)

Thanks to SJ for this title!!! LOVE IT!!!! and so does my DH too!! A lovely shot of him and his family just minutes before I became a Danes too. MME here too.... told you I love it!!!

My sister and I are always told we look alike, but i think this shot shows how different we are too, more MME with some AC and Prima thrown in for good measure.

Thanks for popping by, I am now thinking that the next task for me is to organise my JYC for this year, although i did that in advance last year i found that i changed it after a time, so i am not too sure what is best to do.

Any tips would be lovely!!

Mwah and happy Sunday to you all :O)

XXXXXXXXXX

Awesome Weekend....

2010-11-01T20:43:00.003Z

I was the newbie, the virgin if you will, the novice amongst the experts, the nervous one and the SUPER EXCITED ONE!!!!! ( although everyone else was super excited too LOL!)

I went along, as I told you i would, to a weekend away to the Cabin in the Woods with a lovely gang of wonderful girls from all over the UK... and you know what I had the most awesome tastic weekend *Obviously*.

We spent time, scrapping ( i actually managed 22 layouts!!) drinking wine and fizzy pop ( Rachie also calls it pop!!!LOL) eating scrummy takeaway, concuming vast amounts of baked goods, taking part in the use of MANY buzz wordy catchphrases and having a brill time. I got the chance to meet and befriend 8 great people who i really look forward to seeing again soon. I learned so many new things, new techniqes, new ways of doing things. Chatted about all kinds of topics, relaxed and embraced our shared passion of beautiful paper.

Laura, Katherine, Shimelle, Katy, Rachel, Leanne, SJ and Natalie

were the lovlies that made this so fun...

I didn't take my DSLR ( broken! ) so i am using the group shots taken by SJ, Laura and Shim. How lovely are these? In years past there has always been a a ton of fun shots taken and this year was no different and I love the plan the girls came up with for this years shoot.... fun huh??

This is real clever i think :O)

... and the holding hands shot, which just evolved ( nand i think was also partly enginereed by clever Laura) fills me with joy, i love it trillions, I like to think of it as 9 girls all joined by paper... like Laura says paper dolls indeed!

I have so much more to share from the weekend but i am super pooped after a long day at work, so I plan to share most of my 22 Layouts over the coming week.

Thanks to all of the girls for asking me to come along and have such a fantabulous time, I am so pleased I came along and am already looking forward to the next one.!!! Wooop!!!

xxxx

True Stories....

2010-10-27T20:00:00.005+01:00

I was super, uber fortunate to be gifted a place on Shimelle's fabby new journalling course by the even fabbier super talented ( can you tell i am creeping!!! lol!!) SJ . It was the huge kick in the right direction that i needed to help move along my journalling skills ... thank you my lovely :O)

Now i don't necessarily plan to blog about each prompt but i am pleased with my results for today's prompt at least so i thought i would share it.

In our family there is a really odd sequence of birthdays... most of us share the same birthday number ( ie the day, not month or year necessarily) now i appreciate this may seem normal but for us its always something we look for now when a new arrival is due... which number will it fall on... whose date will it match???

So Me...9th June

My cousin Billy 9th July ( 13 years after me!!)

My cousin Ryan 9th August ( 2 months after me exactly!!!)

Mum 16th Jan

Auntie Gill 16th Feb ( 4 years after mum)

Sister Sarah Jayne 7th Dec

My cousin Bobby 7th Dec ( 23 years later)

My wedding day 26th July

My sisters wedding day 26th June

Bella's birthday 3rd October

Jacks Birthday 3rd Jan

So as you can see there is a bit of a pattern, and i REALLY love that Bella was born on the 3rd the same as her Daddy... the trend keeps on growing... I think i will definitely be making a page on this one.

I too love the page Laura has made about her wedding and I feel inspired to scraplift the idea and do the same for a wedding layout of my own, so it think that might be one i try at the weekend. :O)

So because i don't like posts without pictures i thought i would share this one.... I made these like AGES!!!! ago at work... I have a little club that i run on a Monday lunch time called Stitches and it's for anyone that would like to come and make funky things from fabric... So I made this bunting to hang over the entrance to my classroom to inspire the girls ( strangely boys are not that interested in Textiles) and to make my room more Me!!!

Sorry about the rubbish shot but its a phone pic staring towards the windows :o/

Right i need to get off and have a look at making a cake and pack some more for the weekend. Woooop!!

.... whats new pussy cat....

2010-10-24T15:07:00.014+01:00

a bit of a life post... hope you don't mind

There has been very little scrapping going on over the past week as its been half term... why i hear you ask did you not scrap??, well my lovlies we have been here there and everywhere...

Spending lots of fun times with my 2 favourite people...

Oxford, ( for my SIL's birthday, we ate at very relaxed country gastro pub, where we were the odd ones out without our Hunters on... the food was ok but the company was fab so we can't complain!!. My FIL ( along with the other 3 grandparents) totally adores Bella and I am really pleased i got this shot of Mel ( FIL) and Jack with Bella, they are both so proud of her, and she is very happy to be spoiled by them too!!!

Biscester Village to the Cath Kidtson shop and the Radley store!!!! ( yes i bought things in both of them!!!!) There are Christmas presents in here, some of which are for my friends who read here, so sorry i can not divulge anymore!!

The Cotswolds for a family (the 3 of us) mini break and it was devine, including a day in Bath and a trip out to Longleat Safari Park ... happy days indeed..

The in laws, ( Solihull) on the way home for a super yummy dinner including the most yummiest food of all ....... CAMEMBERT and prosciutto delish!!!

Dinner with yummy mummy friends , at The Riverbank... I really need to make more time to spend out with the girlies, sadly i forgot my camera as i was in too much of a faff with wet nails . Pah!!

Lunches out, * i dare not even think about getting on the scales any time soon!!!

Bella was so well behaved sitting in the high chairs in the various eateries *cute*

Numerous park trips to feed the wack wacks ( ducks!!!) ... with the almost walking duck stalker!!!

Oh and home too!!! to snuggle under the quilt, with still runny noses, play with xylophones, cuddle dollies and relax together.

I simply cannot believe that we got all this done in a week .. but now i have a SAD FACE!!! i have to go back to work tomorrow... it still feels like i should have another few days!!! harumpff!!! ... i really adore being off work and when we are all together its perfect!! ( especially when little miss stays asleep until 9am!!! WOOOP!!!)

I have a ton of pictures to upload and edit, I have held back in some places on taking pictures and just enjoyed the moment... i think sometimes its best.... like when Bella is squealing with delight on the swings... i think wow that's a good shot... but then i think i want to enjoy that now with my eyes not through a lens... so the holding back feels good.

Oh and on a naff note... the DSLR is on the blink... ( which is why most of the shots in this post are from the mini camera or my phone :O(! ) there is an issue with the lens, not sure what and that bugs me as i am away next weekend ( more on that to follow)

and i would really have loved to take it with me... but i think thats when it will need to go to the camera hospital!!! POOOOP!!!

I mentioned a few posts ago that i was to be going away with some new friends... well i have not met these ladies in real life before but I am super excited to be going along to the cabin in the woods with 8 other super talented scrappy ladies...

Source

Laura H mailed me a few months ago and asked ( as i was a young scrapper) would i like to join them?? uhhhhh YEAH!!!! ( oh mai!!!!) of course. seriously i was like WOOOOOP out loud ( and i was sat on my own!!! LOL!!) .. i read many of the blogs of the ladies who are going and I adore their work... they have modern and fresh ideas, but always stay true to themselves and their subjects and that's what i love about scrapping, so i hope to learn lots at the weekend and also have a blast and make some new friends, :O) Can you tell i am excited??? I have a pile of stuff that's been sat ready to pack for about 3 weeks... mostly stash, so now i need to think about other stuff like, food, blankets, REALLY warm clothes and pj's etc... i think i will treat myself to a new pair , although i am not too sure when i will get into town to get some! eeek!!

I am so looking forward to relaxing and crafting again, i can't believe its almost here!! WOOOOP!!!

...I got a cheeky hour...

2010-10-15T20:53:00.002+01:00

... to myself.

Normally on my day off we go out and about doing mummy and baby things, but today Bella was not herself ( think teeth, tummy ache and runny nose!) so we stayed home, snuggled, cuddled watched Every things Rosie ( like a million times... ) she does not understand the TV really, and is probably a bit too young for it, but she seems to ADORE the theme tune, so we watched it together, sang rhymes, played with toys and ate fruit... she is off most of her food too, thanks to teeth !

So when my little lovely went down for her afternoon nap, i decided that i would ignore the unloaded dishwasher and the now clean washing needing to be moved to the dryer ( YES!!! I use a dryer and think its the work of the angels.... except when you put cashmere in by accident! OOOOPS!!) and sit down and scrap. I went through all of the stash that i had sorted out for the LSNED that had been in a box just for last month and decided that i would use that as it was quick and easy.... so i grabbed some Dear Lizzy a few bits and pieces and had a trawl through reader... and i came across the new sketch challenge over at Sarah's Cards. I do love a good sketch to aid the motivation... and the DT did a fab job in their creations... I really loved the words Jen wrote to her bump ( who is now here, by the way, and is acute little boy called Benjamin!!!), so all inspired i set off and this is what i made....

I am actually quite pleased with it...

So ( to Sarah and Lianne!!!) here is my entry.... Happy scrapping

We are off to the Cotswold's soon so I will be without Internet for a few days... but i am hoping... with all hope, that my wish will be granted at the latter end of the week and i will never be without the Internet again.... unless i choose to be of course!!

Happy Friday people... am off for wine!!! YUM!!!

Wow 2 posts in 1 day!....

2010-10-11T21:37:00.003+01:00

I'll try not to talk much.... ( as if!!!!) as i waffled in the last post!!! LOL but I am back from food tasting and all i can say is... I will be glad when they change the flavour of this juice... 25 cups of fizzy orange in an hour makes me super burpy!!! (ATTRACTIVE!!!!!) and gives me a huge sugar rush... *YIKES* me no likey!!!

I managed a whopping 8 layouts yesterday and am super pleased. You will notice all of the papers are old lines... I am still trying to use up stash that i have been (foolishly) holding onto... and I fugured i needed to use all the Christmas stash from last year before i can order new ( and i am hoping that my email i sent this morning will be fruitful in gaining me the Echo Park everybody loves christmas pack!! )

Moving on... I have previously scrapped about 2 pages from last Christmas as i find scrapping Christmas, afterwards, feels odd ( not the case with other hols/ events though??) So i figured... its nearing festive times so it would feel ok to do it now... and man it did!!! FAB!!!

Oh and I wanted to use up old Cosmo and OA autumny lines too... so here is what i have to show you.

Really like how this turned out... working in the "using up stash" mode means i use more on the layout and am less frugal!! WOOOOP i like this method lots!

How lovely does Bellaboo look ? Prety little lady indeed .... Dear Lizzy... thats been in the stash for AGES!!!
I adore this paper and have been holding onto it ( FOOL!!) Am pleased it turned out well. I wanted to talk about how much I love to watch Jack and Bella together... they really do adore each other and that is so very special to see... *heart sigh*

We R Memory keepers... should really have left it on the shelf... but i think i made it work out ok!

A tiny amount of Cosmo.... herself and Santa... so cute if not a little premature in hindsight!

*Cuteness + dotted swiss + more cosmo = WIN*

Simple, to the point... I dread to think what the lounge will look like this year!!!

Oh MAI!!!!!!

The cutest and best tradition... I really wanted to start this one and Jack is super happy to join in so every year we will all have new christmas pyjamas ( note the unwrapped LO... those are Jacks Jama's!!!... LOVE!) YAY for new family traditions!

*bless her little self*.. she put up with being photographed so much in that hat... Super cute though!! awwwww!! xx

Thanks for coming by again...

Mwah xxx

... One Fine Day.....

2010-10-11T19:54:00.002+01:00

Wasn't yesterday totally beautifully lovely??? I was a little miffed as we really could have done with weather like that last Sunday ( On Bella's birthday!) for the bouncy castle etc... but hey!! C'est la vie!

We decided that, after spending most of the morning waiting in for the British Gas guy yo come and do an emergency repair to the heating, ( it broke down and the first guy didnt quite fix it on Friday!!! CHILLY!!!) we would take Bella out on her new trike for a stroll to the local park and have a play on the swings. I am so glad we did, we dont have a big house ( thats on the the TO GET SOON list!!) so after a while we all start getting cabing fever.. The fresh air and fun was just what we needed, Bella loves other little ones and made a little friend whilst we were there, they both just kept following each other arounf *cute*.

I quickly grabbed the camera and off we strolled. Mai! getting out of the house is so much easier without the huge buggy ( i still adore it though so we wont be seeing the last of it yet!!)

I am so glad I did cos we got some super lovely shots... so i thought i would share.

Oooh also.... whilst Bella was sleeping ( both afternoon nap and actual bedtime!!) I got the chance to scrap *hoorah* and i made a staggering 8 layouts... now , i will share these later if i get chance, if not ill do it in the tomorrow... as have food tasting in 10 mins!!! NOM!!!!

Shooting into the su... i did this with shades on ... silly huh, but thought it would save my eyes!!! LOL!! ( made me laugh when i later saw the images Laura had been out taking!!!... Great minfs hey???)

I have seen this done before and i think Rach has a few like this... just a different way of shooting he 3 of us together!! ( and it doesn't matter what we look like!!)

... just a fun one!!! We both love the slide.. TRES fun :O)

... and herself swinging along... nothing special about way its shot... just a lovely one to keep!!!

RIght i had better run... I'll do my reader when i am tasting... looking forward to seeing what you have all been up to xxxxx

A year ago on Sunday .....

2010-10-05T20:17:00.002+01:00

My beautiful daughter Isabella came into the world..... she looked like this.... so little... tiny... cute ...adorable... she had that new baby smell, she curled up on my chest, slept all day ( and night) and made me the happiest person in the world...

.... and on Sunday 3rd October.... the tiny baby above turned the BIG 1 !!!! she has grown so quickly... she is still all of the things I have described... but she is more too!!! She is bright, kind, funny, clever, loving, determined, cheeky, (less willing to curl up on my chest, owing to the fact she is less tiny!!!!) and still the most amazing thing to happen to me and I (along with my darling Jack) love her to absolute pieces.

happy 1st Birthday my darling... it's been one amazing year and i am so looking forward to the next one ( although i seriously hope it doesn't go quite as quick ....boo!)

I'll be back with more updates soon, I didn't get to the end of LSNED... i really thought I would but birthdays and life took over.... I have loved reading all of the posts from the new blogs i have found through it and am looking forward to seeing every ones JYC this year. Am still trying to decide on the format!!!

TTFN

Sally xxxx

... American Stash....

2010-09-24T22:16:00.003+01:00

This is a bit picture heavy so ill keep the words to a minimum and you can just have a look through.

I have been a busy bee this week so am sorry for lack of blogging, we are preparing for Isabella's 1st birthday, work is crazy, and I have been making cakes and cup cakes like a demon for my mother in laws birthday this weekend!! Pictures of all this will follow in due course. Including the quilt I have made details to follow too!!

So I am off on a weekend away with some new friends ( actually have not met them yet, except online!) in October so I needed to stock up on some lovely new goodies... nothing helps the mojo like new stash! I was recommended to pop over to A Million Little Things by Laura who could not sing their praises enough , and she was right, Jill who owns the shop is so lovely and helpful... I ordered last Friday and my parcel arrived today!!! how exciting!

Some of these are also from Sarah's they came super quick like the next day i think!! I forget which ones came from where as i have mixed them all up.

Lost and found i love both sides of these papers, they are going to be so hard to choose!!

Some general embellies that i wanted to grab, love these lots.

Now i blogged my love for this in a previous post.... brill for little girlies!!!

Yet more lovely extra's and so cheap from over the pond!!!

OOOOH look at these lovely things!!!

Quite contrary range.... a bit older but still lovely, i have said this before but i really do have a thing for MME... and Sassafrass!!!

... more Bella Bella papers.... for scrapping my Bella!!! Brill!!!!

Well that didn't take as long as i thought, I do however have to love you and leave you as i now have coffee cuppies to frost!!! These are the faves of my FIL!

be back soon

Sal xx

Free B.F Stamps and LSNED catch up..

2010-09-12T21:20:00.004+01:00

Well thanks to my awful planning these pics are all in the wrong order!!! Hope you don't mind too much... I suppose it mixes things up a bit!! LOL

So I am up to date with my LSNED but I just haven't been blogging daily *sorry*, I do miss having a picture to scrap around, its just such a faff getting the printer out and i have to think about it before Bella goes to sleep as its in the cupboard in the nursery!! Maybe I should learn something about that!! Choose a new home for the printer!!!

...................................................

So today's page.... I have found that i am generally creating quite 'deep' pages ( in terms of feelings)

This talks about being happy for my Dad.... he is re marrying... its a hard pill to swallow that he and Mum will never be together again but its a fact, and one that's made even more real by his upcoming wedding.... I take great comfort in knowing that he is happy... we have a better relationship than we have had in years... maybe this would have been the case anyway but who knows?? I am happy that we can be close... he can be the Dad i want him to be and the Grandpa Bella needs him to be...He adores her *who doesn't*. This feeling is not felt by all and it still hurts sometimes that my mum is hurting.. I can't make this situation change and i have to stop feeling guilty about carrying on as normal .... I was not the reason... I can't choose between them.. I won't choose!!! So i will do it my way!! For me, For Bella, for us all!!

( sorry told you it was deep!!!) This is like therapy!!

Lots.... There are a few lessons from the 11th... We have talked about next years holiday... we have thought about a cruise... gone over the logistics time and time again and although it seems the obvious choice ( i am not even thinking about flying for at least another 2 years.... until Bella is bigger!!!) We have decided to stay in the UK..,.. we are splashing out on a lovely place from Baby Friendly Boltholes... and its the right choice!! I am super excited!!! wooop!!

I do have pics of this but i will post those tomorrow.... Jack and I had a fondant challenge ( we are making Bella's 1st birthday cake ourselves!!) to see who could ice the best cake!!! That was a super fun way to spend our afternoon... our Us time!!! ( whilst the little lady slept!) I learned that those little things and that precious makes me happy!!

Oh and the 3rd lesson.... we wish we had gone to Hyde park for proms in the park... this is the 3rd year we have missed it... and it looked awesome!!! We WILL go next year!!!

10th Sept... I learned that an impromptu trip to the park makes both Bella and I happy for the rest of the day..fresh air rocks!!

... and being cheeky and asking the guy on the checkout at Toys r Us to try all the vouchers to see which work.. really pays off... most of them worked ( and shouldn't have really!!) we saved £30 on out total bill!!! RESULT!!

9th.... Be careful who you mock.... it might just be your boss.... clearly i thought it was someone else... i was mortified but apparently did a good job of rescuing the situation and my boss was fine about it!!! PHEW!!!

8-9-10 ( good date huh!!) Long story about leaving Bella at nursery.. something i have been doing since May.. but since going back after the summer hols... its been harder!! That's all i want to say about that!! ~*hard*~

7th Sept....Again a lot learned.... I am becoming a stronger person... taking charge of what i believe in and making positive decisions.

6th Sept.... bit too personal... even for this heart pouring out post!! Hope that's OK.

5th Sept...All I need is Love....Air and Blogs.... ( more in reality but this day.. this was all!!) It was a hard day.. not really sure why now ( a week later!!) but clearly some fresh air made it better... finding out I had won a prize on a blog hop ( more on that next) and lots of LOVE!! made it all better!! *brill*

If you are still here.... WELL DONE!! Think maybe a post every 3 days would be better!!!

So onto my prize... I chose flourishes.... I won them through a blog hop on Beksnormz blog last Sunday and they come from the lovely Bev over at Banana Frog!! I am so chuffed.... it was a hard choice to make... which should i choose and in the end i opted for these as they are something i have hung my nose over for a while... i have seen them used in so many different ways, so many times and am always inspired, so I bit the bullet and chose them!!

Phew!!! that took a long time!!! I am now off to have half an hour of sitting down action and then its beddies for this crafty lady!!

Take care bloggers

:O)

LSNED {Obs}.& Winning Rocks..

2010-09-05T21:50:00.004+01:00

It's about time that i actually posted this!!!

Silly Sally.... I planned to do it on Friday but then my friend had a shoe emergency ( it broke whilst in town, and as i was home and the nearest one to town so i had to run in a take her a pair of mine!!! lol) ... and then i baby sat too(baby sitting swap for Carla!! GENIOUS!!) so things kinda go in the way!! Sorry!!

Now i appreciate both of these reasons make me sound about 17!! but they are real!!!

I have been keeping up to date though, so no excuses needed there :O)

So onto the reason you popped along.....

My front cover, displayed in a very lovely fashion by my little princess :O). I have been needing to use those cork letters for AGES!!! so i took the plunge.

I went against my initial thoughts to use my 8x8 AC album, instead opting for this lovely Paperchase Kraft album, which i have been hoarding since my birthday in June, trying to think of a good use for it. Ta Da Good use indeed!

Papers used were my minds eye ( i think!!)... and very old frame from Bam pop Wow that is old!

Super Super Simple here, i plan to keep the layouts relatively simple to allow me to actually get them done. I have ( as instructed) placed a range of things in a bag so that i can just grab that and journal for the day without getting EVERYTHING out! Am thankful that i finally got around to using those sassafras letters too!! There are many more and they are THIN!!! ( so necessary for this book!!) so will be used often!

What did i learn?..... Well that going to bed at 9pm is allowed, ultra good for you and really makes you feel better. Bliss!!!

I won't go into the whole why i don't like the dentist... but what i will say is that i have learned that going more often.. having a nice lady dentist... and being open about the fact that i am nervous helps LOTS!!!! and after 3 visits in 3 weeks (my free treatment runs out on Bella's 1st birthday!!!... 4 weeks time eek!!!) I might actually be making some progress in beating my fear. I promise to return in 6 months!!!

I am an envious person ( is this a bad thing?) ... I like to have nice things and today I learned that envy is OK i think! so long as it's not jealousy ( which is BAD!!!) . I am grateful for everything I have , a beautiful daughter and a wonderful husband. A loving family and a great bunch of friends. :O)

Today i learned that not going with routine is ok... Hubby was away at a geeky TVR car day so we went over to visit my mum ( aka Nanna) We ate at random times, snuggled LOTS!! played with new toys, ate things mummy does not normally let Bella have!! and had tons of fun... with very little sleep... infact about 45 mins all day WOWZA!!! But all was well and when we arrived home at 8pm Bella was still in a good mood, but she did fall asleep super quick after a quick bath. Allowing me to learn that its not all about structure, we can be a bit more "ad lib!!" and still be all good!!

In other Super Fantastic Wonderful Surprising news... I am the very lucky winner of a set of Banana Frog stamps. I commented on Becky's blog last week during the blog hop, and i was the lucky one chosen to win a set. Which i might add I am allowed to choose!!! I have done so but will wait until they arrive before i share them!! There are 3 more lucky winners too, one of which is the lovely Sian ( whose blog i read A LOT!!!) so well done Sian!!!

It's late. I have work tomorrow.. getting used to Mondays not being my day off is going to take some time me thinks!!! ( ah well maybe i will use Friday to get over it!!! lol!!)

I do have a few layouts to share but i need to take pics and actually journal on one of them too!!

One final note.... a HUGE congrats to Laura and Will who got married yesterday... I have seen some shots on facebook and STUNNING does not even come close!! Happy Wedding Wishes to you both xxxxxx

TTFN xxxx

Promised layouts and the Monkey Forest

2010-08-30T20:39:00.005+01:00

We decided that as it was a Bank holiday and my very last day of the holidays we wanted to go out, and we wanted somewhere new and different.

We found a flyer at the weekend for this place.. Monkey Forest. We are so glad we found it, we all had a fab time and saw some really interesting little monkeys. If you are close to the midlands then i would suggest it as a nice day out. It's about an hour from here, over in Stoke and is so easy to get to. Ticks all boxes for us!!!

My lovely little Bella boo and me, oh and the ever so lovely buggy that i STILL adore!!

We were allowed within a metre of the monkeys, they are free roaming, there are small foot high guards around the grass but these are to keep humans away from the monkey's safe places. They can come over to you though!! how exciting!

This old man was not interested in socialising though, he just sat and ate his banana. How cute!

We were not sure if Bella would have much of a clue as to what was going on, but she surprised us. She was pointing and "shouting" whenever she saw a monkey, saying bababababa, her word for anything she is currently interested in. So great to see, she is really starting to change, (AGAIN!!!) It's really lovely but really scary too, she turns 1 in 5 weeks time!!! can you believe it??

Getting in was a nightmare though, these were the queues!!! WOWZA and it was hot too!! ah well worth the wait indeed!!!

Onto the layouts i promised from last night... This picture was taken at a local farm park a few months ago, i love how Bella is looking at me and is so happy and loving *swell with pride* :O)

I used up some old MME papers (ready for the next lot coming in!!!) Oh and the cheap thickers from HomeSense. ( bargain 4 packs £6!!!) I used a LO by Jana Eubank as inspo for this, so thanks Jana!!

Gotta love bunting on layout , i think this should happen more often!!

Me and He... continuing to scrap more "us" pics, taken on my first mothers day, a typical hand out in front shot, even with a remote we still have a lot of these shots. Gradually I am using more embellies, i have seen a lot of lovely layouts by some fab people and they use tons of accessories and embellies and i really like the look, lets hope i can work that embellie magic!!

I have found that although these papers are subject specific (travel) they kinda work for most things really!!

Pre Bella ( only be a few days though!!) white space is more my thing , nothing new to anyone really, but i like it all the same. More and more embellies, am getting there slowly but surely!

This is a fave of mine, using up some OLD!!! OA weathervane papers and die cuts, i am making myself use older stuff before i can buy all the new stuff for the weekend away. I actually like being in the mind set of use it up, as that way i don't do the typical scrapper thing and hoard, maybe i should just scrap like this all the time???

I really do think that my lovely hubby is awesome ( and super CUTE!!) ... he makes everything so good, he is so many things to me i can't even begin to list.... maybe thats another post!!!

So LSNED starts in 2 days and I am back at work tomorrow after 6 weeks off, it feels like ages ago since i was at work but also feels like the hols have flown. I don't mind though, i like my job ( lets hope this is still the case this autumn) so it's OK. I do keep thinking though, this time last year i was waiting to have Bella and this was maternity leave, ah well chin up! Autumn is a SUPER season. I really do love it and I especially love shopping for new autumn winter clothes, i think its cos i am not thin, warm clothes cover you up!!! WINNER!!!

I have a glass of wine to consume and a few bits to sort for tomorrow. So i will be offski.

Ill be back ( as the famous one said) to talk about LSNED soon!!

Hugs xxxxx

new header

2010-08-29T21:38:00.003+01:00

it really was so awfully embarrassing how bad the last one was.... I literally popped my title on a kraft coloured background.. thought to myself I'll make that better tomorrow.... and months later i still had not changed it. So there it's done it's nothing spectacular now but I like it, it's simple clear and i took the picture. I got the idea from Jen... I love to read her blog and when i saw her new header i remembered to change mine!!!

Thanks JennyJen xx

In other news i have scrapped. I did 4 more layouts last night and i am pleased with them all i think, but i must charge the camera and take pics in a decent light before i show you!! I promise to be back soon to do that.

I have been reading blogs in reader for a while now ( i know i am WAAAAY behind the times!!!) but it's made me want to post more often , even if it's a simple run down of current goings on!! So that's my plan from here on in... also with LSNED I hope to blog at least every other day about my page and i would like to be active in the forum too. Whether this actually happens remains to be seen. But i feel really out of the scrapping circle at the moment to the point where I was so unsure of what to even buy when i was stash shopping earlier.... and although i did get a few things into my basket the computer had issues and i lost the lot.... I do find shops without permanent carts a bit of a pain at times, cos i always seem to fill my basket and then run out of time or something pops up!!! ARGH

I have a retreat coming up in October so i REALLY want to buy some lovely things for that and try and save them too... I have very kindly been asked by a lovely lady to join her and her friends on their weekend away and they are ALL!!!! SUPER!!!! scrappers so i need to up my game BIG TIME!!!!

Oh some of the things i wanted to get are from the MME alphabet soup range ... i have come to realise that i have a bit of a thing for MME not really sure why and it's not all of their ranges but this on is one i like mostly!! ( oh and sassafras too...(obvs) but i don't know where is stocking them at the mo.... if you know can you tell me please!!!!)

Those cards really struck a chord with me and i think i will prob use them all on about 5 layouts if i am not careful as you will see tomorrow my use of embellies has gone through the roof!!!

.... and these little accents and great for adding that extra dimension that i otherwise would struggle to achieve!!! Let's hope they help me get better and up my scrapping game ready for october !!

What do you think??? They are super girlie but they will be used LOTS!!

Ok i will leave you now( if you are still here ) as i have just been passed a tub of Ben and Jerry's to consume!!! thanks DH!!!! *delish!!*

Sally xxx

.. I'm planning to LSNED

2010-08-25T21:08:00.003+01:00

I really am.... i wish i had done it last Sept too.... but being so pregnant i was sure that i would have had my baby sometime in Sept and would not finish it.... sods law she came at the start of October. I think there would have been some really interesting comparisons to draw between last year and this too. Ah well i can still draw on those but only through a blurry baby brained haze.

I am excited to start and i think there are a lot of people whom i read ( blogs) that are playing too, this always builds the excitement.. I really want to make myself work on something for myself every day. So lets see how this turn out.

I plan on working in 8x8 as i picked up an AC album kit from Homesense a while ago ( wrongly thinking it was 8.5x11.... baby brain!!!!) in green ( was planning on using it for JYC 10!!) which will be different for me as i don't EVER scrap in this size ... well not since i did a whole album for my SIL for her 21st.

Are you playing along? what is your album like? Do you have any tips for playing along?

.........................................................................

In other news I have been to the stinky dentist and have had one tooth out and one prepared for filling next week. I am a total dentist phobe hence all this work after one check up. I do find admitting this very embarrasing..but its the truth! But apart from a dull ache and an inability to eat (... and you know i like my food!!!) all appears to be well!

No pictures of this am afraid as i look like i have been stamped on by a wilder beast OUCH!!!

................................................................

so instead i will leave you with the picture I took of my beautiful (even if i do say so myself!) little Bella for her Thank you cards to the lovely people who came along to her Christening and spoiled her LOTS!!!

I am now going to look in the cupboard for something lovely yet cold and easy to eat........ wish me luck :O(

xxxxx

.... i scrapped

2010-08-17T12:09:00.002+01:00

and it was super... my time was limited ( it was nap time) i don't have a scrap room anymore so getting it all out is a faff so i had to be quick.

What spurred this you ask? well the lovely Carla returned from a month long trip to Canada with some VERY LUSH! stash for me ( happy birthday presents!!!) so i decided this was the incentive i needed to get on and get some pages made, more for me than for the need to make a dent in the pile of pics i am accumulating. It took about 1hr 20 mins with only one interruption to create this little lot. I am super pleased , and i am feeling more like me again !!! wooop!!

So onto the creations... to help get me started a i popped through my google reader and looked at some lovely layouts from other people ... this one is inspired by a LO Leanne did..

I used some cosmo and so AC oh and those thickers... 4 packs for £6 from home sense!!!( a part of TK Maxx!!!!) AWESOME!!!

Again more Cosmo and although i was going to save this for a LO on sewing etc i decided against it. Some friends and sometimes DH joke that i go off to do cutting and sticking ( with glitter and glue) with my cropping friends. So a layout on the Sheen Retreat fitted well with the papers and the title just fit right in !!

I am trying to make more time to scrap me and him still and not get too carried away with just Bella layouts( i love to scrap her but i need to do us just as much!!) This pic is OLD!!!! its from the day He proposed, the other pics from this day were scrapped right at the start of my scrapping days so its interesting to see how my style has evolved!! The papers are a mix of MME and some lovely tartan style Kraft that came courtesy of Carla :O)

And the final one.. this was the first one i made and a total scrap lift from the sketch at Shimelles online crop from the weekend. I do a lot of camera out in front and poses, quite vain really, but it's me and i wanted to remember that! I can't remember the manufacturer of this range but i know i did get them from Sarah's Cards.

Today Me and Him are off out to taste and make chocolates... we found it through a site called Group on they email you lists of days out at reduced prices and this one stood out LOTS!!! So Bella is in nursery and we are off for some Us time!! oooh and i got a lie in today and we are seeing Toy Story tomorrow and I cannot wait!!! It's a goodfew days!!! and feels LOVELY!!

TTFN xxx

....quite embarrassing really....

2010-08-06T22:00:00.004+01:00

... that there are very few pictures of Bella's christening.... well that i am pleased with anyway!! I wanted more, but i wasn't taking them I left that to someone else, as I was super busy and also having a lot of fun... so i guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles!!

So what i do have are in no particular order thanks to blogger!!!!

The amazing cake..... pink with white pearl dots and bows etc..... Chocolate in flavour. Tres Yum!!

The pom poms hanging the marquee/ tenty thing..... looking GORGEOUS and very much being enjoyed by Bella after the festivities!

Notice the bunting in the background? I made just enough to go all the way around, total fluke but it looked stunning!!!

( yes there is a tree in the middle, bu short of cutting it down it had to stay!! and i liked it actually!!)

Bella being christened by the lovely Rev. Katheryn. It was a beautiful service and Bella was good, she really enjoyed looking at the stained glass window in the background... the church is stunning.

Peepo, entertaining the guests during the service!!!

The dessert table, I spent hours agonising over how to layout the tables, and I am super miffed that i don't have more pics of inside the tent. I think my mum may have some but she is on hols so I'll wait for those! Do you like? I LOVE IT!!!! I took a lot of inspiration from Amy Atlas and a lot of US party planning blogs.... It all went down so tremendously well, i couldn't have imagined the level of WOW's from the guest.... I am indeed blowing my own trumpet, but I am super uber pleased with this i can't tell you ( do note though that this is before the guests arrived which is why there are a few things on there that shouldn't be and the missing lemon cake too!!! eeeek!!)

I am so looking forward to Bella's 1st birthday and thinking of decor plans as we speak!!!

We all had a lovely day... and still have more cake than we know what to do with and a whole heap of beautiful little girlie presents to remember the very special day. Bella was a star, she graced her public with warmth and happiness and after no naps all day she fell into bed at 6pm one very lucky little lady.

Many thanks to all those lovely friends and family that made the day so wonderfully special!

So tomorrow will see another christening... Our Godson Oscar Charles has his big day and we are very honoured to be asked to do such a job.

I will hopefully take lots of pics for Lindsay and Rich... So i plan to share those soon!!

Happy Friday xxxx

Blog to Print etc....

2010-07-29T16:09:00.004+01:00

Do you like this? The garden has taken about a year to get it to where we want it to be, after turf laying, tree felling, pruning and preening, and a big decision from Jack that the decking was a goer (i was a little unsure intially!) It's finally ready.... redy for the descending of 40 people on sunday!! eeeek!!!

I like that when my MIL came over she said ooooh it looks like a page from the B&Q ideas book!!( they have a lovely house so this means LOTS!!! to us! )

Night time with the cool lights

Also night time with lights (Obs!) but witht he flash for clarity!!

...so I sub to Design Dazzle in reader, which i have to point out is pretty awesome for ideas for parties, rooms, general decor!! I *heart* it LOTS! you really should pop over and have look. That's what i did today and they were talking about giving away one of these....

Blog2Print

I think they sound like a fab idea, very much so for scrappers, although i am not sure i would particularly go for one as i like the "no need to store this" part of a blog, i don't need to find a shelf or a nook for my little blog, it just sits there on the web waiting for me to pick it up wherever i am.

i do think it could come in handy for some people though, so just thought i would share!!

What new finds have you come across recently?

We are busily getting ready for the Christening which is finally upon us. i will share pics soon. We have taken a lot of design inspo from the Americans, I currently have a MAHOOOOOSIVE bunch of pomanders/ tissue pom poms hanging in the lounge ready to go in the tenty thing on Sunday and a tiny bunch sat in a metal jugs, looking rather peony like!!! J'adore indeed!!

Himself being very helpful hanging the pomanders to keep them safe!

OOOOhhhhh lovely jug and pom poms!

Many different colours of pink, well after all it is a little baby girls BIG DAY!!!!

Hope you are all having a happy Thurday

xxxx

2 year ago today

2010-07-26T15:04:00.002+01:00

I married my best friend..... and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. It was awesome, spectacular and everything we wanted. Happiness, is being married to this perfect man, my darling Jack.

We are as happy now as we were then and i seriously hope we are for a very long time to come.

(sorry its soppy but that's just me!)

xxxxx

2 Actual Layouts....

2010-07-17T14:27:00.002+01:00

...... you wouldn't believe it hey? These are the 2 I created at the scrapping class, the 2nd one was part of the learning curve for the students which was simply to use a sketch, and the first was one I very quickly threw together at the end as i really wanted to achieve more than just one in 3 hours. I am a very quick scrapper so (although i was working alongside the girls their pace) it didn't take long to get this one out.

The papers I used were by GCD i think, they were part of the class kit provided by Carla, but I used my own embellies and thickers etc to make it more mine! IYSWIM.

I have another one to share, but there are a few more pieces to add before i do, its based around the painting technique for this weeks class, so i think it will post that on Monday after the girls have produced theirs, I might even show you some of their if they don't mind.

Well this weekend see the prep for Bella's Christening which is in a few weekends time, lots of house sorting and putting things away . We planned the layouts of the tables last night using some great crockery, beautiful linen and fab ideas from many places, including the lush Amy Atlas blog!!! if you are planning a party you should really go over there and have a look, they think of things you might never have realised you wanted!!! ( maybe that's a bad things!!! LOL )

I hope you are all having a nice, dry weekend, we are off for a BBQ later, although the host did mention that it might take place indoors if it rains, must pack the camera!!

Summery wishes

xxxx

Teaching Scrapbooking

2010-07-15T11:02:00.003+01:00

me!! yep that's me teaching actual scrapping, my friend Carla teaches a 20 week intro to scrapping course at the Textile Workshop in Nottingham ( qualification from South Notts College) but for 4 weeks this summer she is off on her hols, and has very kindly asked me to fill in for her!!!!! errrrr YEAH!!!! was so chuffed to be asked, i know i teach everyday but not my actual hobby, so i jumped at the chance. ( and i get paid... WOOOOP!!)

o for the next 4 Monday evenings i will be working with a lovely group of ladies... am sure i will post pics, ( if they are happy with that) I will certainly post pics of my layouts created to help them.

I did pop along to meet them all last Monday whilst Carla was still there and they were fab, and i played along with their lesson so for the first time in what feels like a life time i created a page!! woooop!!!

If you are in the area and fancy having a go at a class or two or want to learn some fun new skills, then why not pop along to the Textile Workshop website and have a look around.

Hoping you are all well, i hope to post a pic of the layout when i get home!!

hugs xx

Red Cloud Photography

2010-07-11T20:09:00.004+01:00

is where i spent my weekend..... and it's been totally fab. I mentioned a few weeks ago that my DH bought me a Digi SLR course for my birthday and this weekend saw that happen. It took place here in Nottingham which was great, I hate having to travel too far for things that i am excited about, as i get really anxious on the way .... silly hey?

There was loads going on and we got to learn a whole heap of techniques and good practise and how to use the cameras out of auto mode!!! I can now honestly say i will use it out of Auto so much more, the picture i have taken this weekend are awesome. The subject content is not my usual, but we had a brief to work with and I went with it. Suffice to say i have a LOT!!! of images to look through. I like that i now need to edit my pictures less, I can (mostly) achieve the shot i want in situ rather than waiting until i get to the laptop to edit. Wahoo!!! yay me!!

That said there were a few shots that didn't work, but hey you have to learn, and boy i did a lot of fun learning this weekend!!

The main areas we covered were: Aperture, (the A button on your camera) Shutter (S button) Manual (M button) . We worked on depth of field and how to achieve it using aperture. We also worked on gaining movement shots using the correct shutter speed, i got the most awesome shot in this mode, and then best one the guy who ran the course has seen in ages ( by a novice on the course!!!) WOOOP!! We looked at composition , white balance, ISO ( and the fact that this should only be altered as your very last resort!!) portraiture and Landscape photography too!!!. It was a jam packed weekend but one I am truly grateful to have been on!!

A huge thanks to my lovely hubby Jack for one seriously amazing present!!! MWAH!!!

Wanna see some shots?

Firstly this is actually the last shot i took and the one the photographer/ instructor was really impressed with. The key is to get the guy on the bike 9 or the subject of the pic in any other case0 to appear still and in focus whilst the background is blurred to show motion/ movement.

So so so so pleased with this i woooooped when i got it!!

Fill the frame, this tree stump looks like a tongue and made me giggle!!

Leading the eye, the path leads you into some more of the detail , looking again here at composure and the rule of thirds.

Depth of field, something i really wanted to master and i did, gosh that creature is ugly, but its so in focus i am tempted to print and enlarge!!!!

Again Depth of Field, but this time a mid range shot, focus on the middle part of the shot rather than the near.

I had a super fun weekend, and i am seriously thinking about signing up for the advanced course. I can't recommend the company enough. If you fancy a day or 2days of learning and fun, then why not pop over to Red Cloud Photography and have a look.

xxxxxx

My sisters wedding....

2010-06-28T15:40:00.003+01:00

I am terribly embarrassed to say i got very few pictures from my sister wedding!! I was bridesmaid and there really was little time for me to take snaps!! Boooo *hangs head in shame* But I take relief in the knowledge that Dee the official photographer took tons and tons of shots so i hope to pick a few of those out soon.

Here are 3 of the samples she sent over to my sister to keep her going until they are all edited and the newlyweds return from honeymoon.

The happy couple

Jack , Bella and I , thankfully the dress fit! Well it was a little big in the end, but at least it didn't look like it was sprayed on!!!

... and my beautiful little girl, how adorable is this? So although i missed out on taking shots, i can't complain too much when i see this!!!

Thanks for stopping by

xxxx

... busy one hey?

2010-06-20T18:41:00.004+01:00

This week has been super busy, there has been so much going on and it's not slowing down just yet!

Jack has been away all week in Holland on business, so that left me with Bella alone, which is fine (although we missed him like crazy) apart from we were both ill!!! YUK!!

Then came the super busy weekend, Friday saw my sisters hen party, she gets married next weekend and I am bridesmaid, which is a whole issue in itself !! as the STUPID!!! ( and i mean this) woman from whom we have ordered the dresses ordered mine too small, and left it until last week to say there is little that can be done about it!! ( don't even go there , this is MY SISTERS WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!) things are looking up though and should be back on track tomorrow... I am asking the angels for some help with this and hoping and praying that there is a miracle out there with our names on it!! ( will report back soon with an update on that! ) Anyway the hen party was lovely and went really quickly, but she had a lovely time and so did all the guests so that's great!

There is only 18 months between us, but in this one i think the age gap seems much bigger

Saturday was the arrival of The Good Food Show ( NEC Birmingham) which was good, we saw my fave cheffette Rachel Allen which was awesome, and tasted some really lovely food, and generally had a great day wandering around together, just the 2 of us... as Bella spent the day with her grandparents ( Jacks folks) being spoilt rotten ( as she should be!) They all loved sharing special time bonding playing and being together without Jack or I there! She is a very lucky lady indeed!!!

..... and Sunday, the very FIRST fathers day for the lovely Daddy Bean! He was gifted with Bella made art, in the form of a car picture smothered in glitter (*cute*) and a lovely card in great boy colours, orange and turquoise! 2 books which they can read together, one was My Dad Is Brilliant, and the second ( because we all love the Gruffalo soooooooooo much) was The Gruffalo's child,very apt for today... oh and the obligatory socks!!( a tradition) and a whole heap of kid style sweets for the big kid himself.

One proud Daddy and with his special little girl and her masterpiece..

BIG NEWS!!!!.......................... Bella crawled yesterday, YAY!!!!! *insert super proud parents smile and bursting with pride face*, she has been so close for about a week now, I can't tell you how pleased I am that she did whilst we were with her rather than at nursery! wooooop for our little star. Although i am sure she will demolish everything in sight within the next week! *sad face*

I will return tomorrow with news of my new crafty mission and pics of my achievements so far!

MWAH! xxxxx

Miss Pickering............

2010-06-14T13:39:00.003+01:00

In yesterday's YOU magazine ( supplement with the Mail, i think) was an article about this lovely lady and her fabby floristry business, home and blog. So i thought i would share her with you , i love the vintage "ness" of her home pics, the way she writes, the tips she gives and the beautiful style she has and shares with us, her readers.

I will certainly be back to see her often, thanks to reader ( i am slow on the uptake!) i can stay on top of all the blogs i find and adore :O)

Just a glimpse of some of the lovelies Miss P has to offer....

hope you like x

Sally's Scrapping Stash

Older pictures.........

SOS

What is next?

Project life week 2!

Project life week 1

Sorted!

Merry Christmas

Jyc 11

''Cottage in the Country mark 2''

Sarah's Cards Guest DT... that's me !!!!!

Sharing.....

A few of last weekends creations

I *heart* these girls

Retreat a rooney!!!

Happy Halloween

Cropping Friends

Excited much??

My Beautiful Girl is 2 !!!

Weddings a hoy !!!

sharing sharing sharing

Holiday a rooney!!

Family Shoot

As promised

Oh hai

doing it for the girls

a bump to the head

more to share.... i have been playing with

Washi Washi Washi & layouts

Seriously Cool !!!!

Heartful.....

Fancy a Few Layouts ???

Love in a Bucket.......

Happy Easter Chickies

A little free time

She is.....

My girl is getting so grown... i am so thankful

more from the Danes!!

Blimey... i made quite a few pages!

layouts and cupcakes, what more could i ask for ???

Doc 2011

Letterpress Blocks

man!!!! it's been a while

Happy presents...

Oh Hai 2011

Season's Greetings

Oooh more jyc

Jyc

Infinicam

ah man!!!

Win a mini bus.... We sure want to!!

Thickers.. Sharing...

Hi there peeps

Jyc.... So close!!!

Which side of the fence do you sit on ?

Man it's cold...& other stories

Wooooop.... New lens o rama!!!

Monday monday ( as the song goes)

... the final installment

I am here

Told you there was more...

Heaps to Share

Awesome Weekend....

True Stories....

.... whats new pussy cat....

...I got a cheeky hour...

Wow 2 posts in 1 day!....

... One Fine Day.....

A year ago on Sunday .....

... American Stash....

Free B.F Stamps and LSNED catch up..

LSNED {Obs}.& Winning Rocks..

Promised layouts and the Monkey Forest

new header

.. I'm planning to LSNED

.... i scrapped

....quite embarrassing really....

Blog to Print etc....

2 year ago today

2 Actual Layouts....

I heart these girls