The little things...

That's what this post is going to be about....little things (not me though)
It is the little things that make a difference isn't it?!! Although Ade won't be agreeing with that on his birthday in a couple of weeks time when he doesn't receive anything big this year.

This LO has been scraplifted from Cocoa Daisy's Anna. It's this months scraplift contest.
If you want to join in the deadline is the 10th August and a CD prize is up for grabs. Visit here.
I've been wanting to scrap this photo since December and it just hasn't happened, so I'm pleased to finally have the story on paper now.
I feel this is one of those moments when I think....'this is what scrapping is about'. It's about all the little things that would usually get forgotten about. But it's these little things that brighten the day and make you feel so warm and loved. These are the things I want to remember.

I've used lots of sassafras, some making memories, other odd bits of pp found in old kits too. Lots of this moths unity stamps which I'm loving. The title has been handcut from corrugated card. There's also bits of Love Elsie,Jenni Bowlin, Scenic Route and dont you just love the red alphas (mylittleshoebox.com)

Onto my next LO.
Now this one is a mystery to me. I had the photos printed for something else, but I'm sure my creativity played tricks on me last night.
I had a tough day yesterday , so when the kids were ready for bed, Ade was clearing away the dinner things, I snuck in here for some peace and quiet....naturally the phone then rung, it was Mum. So whilst chatting, this was made.


I've mosting used Cocoa Daisy bits. I used a page of a mini book to draw around and cut out the pink pp.
Do you not find that odd though, I made this without really thinking about it. Not really my 'now' style. I kind of like it though.

We are going to a big wedding style party tomorrow. Not a wedding but a close friend is having a blessing with a big reception party after. I'm feeling really nervous. Just not used to going out and dressing up anymore. I hope the kids will be on their best behaviour. The kids are all on tables together. Sounds like trouble to me. Wish me luck xx

My Weekend Makings

Hi!!!
I was in much need of a lazy weekend. The kids broke up from school and as usual I got poorly. Not bad poorly, but just felt exhausted and again, lost my voice. This seems to be a regular thing for me. I work all hours like crazy and then it catches up on me.
We stayed in for the weekend, apart from a nice walk on Sunday. Kids were happy playing and I was happy crafting (can't remember what Ade was happy doing).
I made this reward chart. Something I've been wanting to do for a while. I think Cocoa Daisy's July kit spurred me on. Take a look and see why...cocoa daisy. Gorgeous isn't it, and crying out to be cut up.

These owls and the tree are papers from the kit cut up. The tree is hand drawn and cut and everythings been laminated.
I've used the box the kit came in (and painted it) for the sun and clouds.


I'm really pleased with it. Ready to hang on the kitchen door.
The kids aren't actually naughty these days, but just need reminding at times, so this will hopefully help. Louis gets a red pen and Hollie a blue. The chart has also been laminated so the pen can be rubbed off at the end of the week. As they do things like make their beds, brush teeth, they tick them off. I want to encourage them to help out more at home now too. This is also where the chart comes in.

I also made this LO of Louis using the latest Scarletlime kit.

I love that photo, but can't believe I actually painted my lounge that colour !!!! I was about 8months preganant when I painted it. Think I'll put it down to hormones.

And the journaling.

I made my first DT LO for The studio yesterday. But you'll have to wait until the 1st August to see that. It's a cracking challenge though so tune in to join in.
See you soon xx

I Made a New DT !!!!!!!!!

How exciting eh?!! I stumbled across a new challenge blog not so long ago. Take a peek:

http://thestudio.scrapbook-101.com/

I think it was the paint splashes and bright fun look that sold it to me....you know how I just can't resist a splash of paint.
Amanda was just starting out and looking for a new DT. I thought I'd give it a whirl and so chuffed when I received an email this weekend offering me a position on the team.
(Above is one of my DT LO's I submitted - you can click photo to see closer up)

The team has 5 other designers who I'm looking forward to getting to know. Their work looks stunning. Want to meet them?

Elina (I already know Elina from Cocoa Daisy)
Andrea
Diana
Bianca
Melissa
and here's Amanda

I need to get cracking on the first DT challenge LO. I have a head full of ideas.
The very first challenge is still open if you want to join in. There's a pack of Basic Grey papers up for grabs for the winner. The challenge is open until 31st July, so there's still time.
July challenge

Hopefully see you there : )
xx

Miss IndependEnce

I'm so addicted to scrapping right now. I'm just in this place where LO's are forming so quickly and effortless. I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head, I love it!!
This one is Shimelle's 'Scrap Like you Mean It' (SLYMI) weekly challenge over on UKS. This weeks challenge is to scrap your Independence. For me, my main Independence I guess is driving. As much as I hate it, I would also hate to be without it.

I've used October Afternoon/Scenic Route papers (I'm a big fan of both), this months Unity Stamps and AC Thickers.

Another lazy day planned for us. It's rather overcast again. I think we'll end up on a walk somewhere. The kids fancy the disused runway. It's fab for their scooters : )

BTW....I have some exciting news to tell very soon : )
Enjoy your Sunday xx

Cocoa Dasiy & Sketch 144

I made this LO yesterday using the new Cocoa Daisy kit that landed on my door this week. I just love it and could easily use it all up x2, that's how fab it is. I've made 3 LO's already using it.
This LO is for a cocoa daisy weekly challenge. It's a design challenge set by Christine. Take a look: CD weekly challenge

I've painted through the lace cardstock we received with our kits last month to get my white daisies. And had added primas beneath my chipboard to give a more 3d effect. I'm really pleased with the result.


This next LO was a visit to the Pencilines blog. It's been ages since I joined in with their sketch challenges, so as I was having so crafty me time yesterday, I thought I'd see what they were up to over there.

A bit funny making a Christmas LO in July, but I've been wanting to scrap that photo for a while. I was such a lovely day and I'm pleased to be able to finally add it to my 2008 album.

Right, Hollie is calling. She has set a beauty boutique up in the lounge and wants to give me some treatments. ....who am I to say no : ) I wonder if she will want paying though??!!!

A Scrappy Morning...

Well, day 2 of the summer hols and so far so good.
The kids have played like little angels this morning whilst it rains and blows outside, so I snuck in here and have been playing : )

It's been quite a while since I visited 2sketches4u but I needed to make a card, so thought I'd pop by. Here's my take using the old sassafras papers again and a combo of stamps from this months and last months unity stamps.



Sue at Cocoa Daisy set a prompt at the beginning of the week to scrap an old photo. Whilst going through some older ones I when I was making Louis's mini book I found a few and printed them off including this one I'd taken 4 yrs ago.
I've stitched on the sewing machine, painted and stamped. It's really good revisiting some older memories.

Time for lunch now I think. The kids are singing their hearts out to Disney Singalong on the singstar : )

TOOT TOOT!!!!!

How thrilled was I to see this in this months Scrapbook Inspirations??!!
It was really nice as it landed through the door whilst I was on the phone to my little sis and the story to this LO is about how we used to sit looking for pretty shells when we were little girls and now I do that with Hollie : )

My Latest Mini Book

This has to go down as one of the quickest mini books ever for me. I find if I keep my head down and just do it I'm fine, but when I take my time and do them over a period of time they just don't seem to get finished. I started this one Sunday evening and it was finished yesterday (Thursday) ready to take to Louis's school for the teachers to sign.

The cover idea came from the very talented Ronda. I thought it was such a good idea using up lots of alphas, especially seeing as it was a school project...the whole abc thing. I was in my element ...glue, gesso, paint...would more could a girl want : )

There's many more pages than this, but they all involve lots of other children. A class photo for each year, a photo from each assembly, Christmas play etc... Here's just a few.

Thanks for looking : )
xx

The End of an Era

The day has come. We no longer attend Yateley Infants School..sob..sob. I love this little school dearly. We started back in 2002 with Hollie at the pre-school there and have been there until today. We feel sad to say goodbye to all the lovely staff, but I feel happy that my children have had such a good and also caring start to their education. Both have left achieving top grades and with lovely memories. What more can you ask for at the age of 7. Here is Louis is we left following our goodbyes this afternoon.
The children had T-shirts made with their little 'me's' on and all their names are printed on the back. They each wore their shirt to school today.
I managed to finish Louis's special mini book intime to take in today for the teachers to sign. I will photograph and show tomorrow.

I had to suddenly rush and make the cards for their teachers yesterday....why is everything left to the last minute, no matter how hard I try that it isn't?!
I manged to make all 4 cards in 1hr30.





Fight breaking out, better go x

If I Could Turn Back Time

(click the photo if you want to read the journaling closer up)

I have found a new challenge site this week. Take a look : The Studio
This is the first challenge. To join in you need to use papers that are older than 6months old, use something pleated and the title must be from a Rock song.

So....I got out an old pack of Sassafras. I had forgotten how much I used to love these papers. I thought of a couple of titles, but this one seemed so appropriate with Hollie turning 10 last week and the kids suddenly feeling so grown up and independant. I do love the way life has become easier but at the same time, I do miss those younger years.
I used some Love Elsie ribbon with xxoxxo on and pleated it in amongst the title and below the journaling.
TFL XX

It's been a really busy week again with school coming to an end. Lots of things going on. I have still managed to get some LO's made though. This is the Butterfly Crafts latest challenge. To scrap your quirks and what makes you 'you'. Here's one all bout me.

I've also done a couple of the Cocoa Daisy daily prompts.
This is one framing the photo. Using my favourite thing...paint : )

This is Hollie back in April after receiving the Gold award at school.

And this prompt was to make LO using large alphas. I enjoyed this one.

I'm about to take part in a treasure hunt that Hollies made for me, better go xx

This weekend Crafty Goings On....

Wow,haven't blogged for a week and now 3 times in one day!!!

Well, it's been a pretty non productive crafty week apart from a couple of birthday cards I needed to make. I've just blogged all about our busy goings on (see below).
So This last 24hrs, I made up for it.

Here's my Lipgloss LO. This comes from a Cocoa Dasiy prompt to scrap an aspect of your life....this aspect goes on several times a day in my life.


Here's this weeks Colorcombo challenge, and what a bright and funky one it is this week.
A florida a LO from me this time.


And finally OLW ...the word being 'Joy'. This challenge deadline was the 10th, the photos have been printed all week and I knew what I wanted to do...just needed the hours to do it. I used an old Cocoa Daisy kit. Something good about using up an old kit.

Hollie's Birthday Week

My baby is now 10. How on earth did that happen??? Everyone says how the time flies by when you have a child and they grow up so quickly, it didn't think they really meant it though.
It's been a busy busy week, not too much crafty stuff to get done.
Here's her birthday card that I made from us though, using my new toy. I finally bought a cuttlebug which arrived this week. Just love the embossing folders and now I need more, more, more : )
So busy week here.
Monday, Hollie had a day with her class at the comp, which she loved. Wednesday Louis went to Marwell zoo with his class, which he loved. We then had 2 of Hollie's friends and a friend of Louis's over for a birthday tea. I made menus and waited on them. It was really fun. I also made this cake for Hollie.
I do tend to buy cakes but have been making abit for of an effort lately. This one was going terribly wrong, so I headed for my crafty stash and did what I do best.....pretty papers. Ta...daaaaaaaaaaaa..... Sassafras to the rescue.


Thursday was Hollie's birthday. But she was at school all day. Ade came home from work early and we ordered in pizza for tea and then we all went out in the evening as the comp school had an open evening. We really enjoyed the evening and was very impressed with the school.

Friday was Hollie's sportsday. Hollie had been hoping it would be rained off, she hates sportsday and comes last at everything. Surprisingly though she came first in the skipping race, first in the sack race and second in the egg(spud) and spoon. So she enjoyed sportsday after all.

Saturday was her party. We had a bbq singstar party. We all had lots of fun and Hollie said the same thing as she does every year 'Thanks, this was the best part ever'.

Here's her birthday cakes I made.



And here's Hollie winning in the sack race. I feel so proud of her as she's so much smaller than everyone else in her year.


And to top it all we had school reports. Hollie's was excellent. Lovely things written about her with a note saying her artwork is outstanding : ) everything was average and above.
We also got Louis's end of school test results through and he got top in everything. He's a bright little button, I hope this continues when he goes to junior school in September.

Suppertime now, I'm starving xx

Rainy Walk

Right, this is for a Cocoa Daisy prompt.....to use your phone to take a piccie.

Ade and I went on a walk last night in the pouring rain. It was really funny and we had a good laugh. I didn't take a photo of Poppy as it looked like we were walking a little wet rat rather than Puppy Poppy Dog.

Dizzy Brunette?????

Well, I don't think I'm a dizzy brunette, just busy with a very very busy head. There's a difference. You know when you make a LO that you are really pleased with, that's how I feel about this one. It was a cocoa daisy prompt to scrap landscape for a change. This will be perfect for my A4 lisa album.

And a close up of my 'dizziness'

I needed to make a card for my friend this week. She's a Mum at my son's school and had a mild stroke last week. Thankfully she's fine with no after effects it seams. I'm going to pop over today and say 'Hi'.

I found this card blog on Audrey's blog....if you need inspiration go take a sneaky peek : )

The blog is Mojo Monday and they offer a sketch each week. Fab DT too.

We finally have rain this morning it feels so good and cool again. Yay!!!!!

Lotsa Scrap and a Flour Baby

Meet Simon, Simon the flour baby. This has been Hollie's school project this week. Having to learn the responsibility of looking after a baby. She's been breastfeeding it, taking it to school in a dolls pram. I think the nolvelty is wearing off now though....Day 6 in the flour baby house..... I found him left on the stairway after school yesterday and last night he slept on her desk rather than in his cot.....not terribly motherly.

I've managed to get quite a bit of scrappin done lately (speed scrappin I might just add) I've just really felt on that mood this week and found it hard to keep away from the pretty things.
This LO is a daily prompt over at Cocoa Daisy. Scrap how you are feeling or what you are doing today.
I've been missing my Dad lots this week, so thought I'd scrap him for a change.

And this morning I've scrapped some old pics I found of Hollie last night, taken almost 5 years ago. The cocoa Daisy prompt was to matt your photo (s) I used a hambly transparencie to do this. A couple of unity stamps in there too.

Well, I do hope you haven't been suffering during all this hot weather.

speak soon xx