Sketchy Thursdays

I love Sketchy Thursdays. Nothing like a good sketch to get the scrappy mojo going.
Hope you like this weeks:



I played around with the sketch a little and came up with this:



This LO is all about my fussy eater. It's a strange one. Louis is fussy, although he has improved alot, I must say. But take a look at his favourite things to eat.
I do find getting him involved with meals really helps.
This was us cooking whole mackeral last week.



I've used some stamps again. More that have never been used.



Don't forget to link up if you join in. Visit Sketchy Thursdays here.

xxx

Scraplift Time

At Cocoa Daisy

Anna gave us this beautiful LO of her's to scraplift this month.



My Cocoa Daisy kit arrived last week, so I decided it would go great with these photos I took just a few days ago.
Louis is book crazy right now. If he's not reading then he's writing his own. Before getting up in the morning (I caught him reading at 4.30am last week as some new books arrived from amazon the day before, he said he was so excited he couldn't wait to start reading)
He brings books to the breakfast table and has to be pestered to get ready all morning as he keeps going back to his book. It's under his arm on the way to school, he comes out of school holding it...it's all the time.

I took this photos before school recently. He's rearranged his book shelves recently
too. This one is just above his bed. He's put all his favourite ones on there. I thought this would be good to record.(click photo to view better)



I used a stamp that came in an older Cocoa Daisy kit, painted it and used as my background. I then hand stitched around in red.



I've made these embellishments using pp, a book page and these gorgeous prima pebbles that came in the kit too.



If you want to join in with this scraplift contest,the closing date is May 31st.
Click here
to join in.

That's it from me today.
Lots of love xxx

Old and New

Nothing new to share today.
I'm really busy with work right now and unfortunately I have no time to scrap. I'm in the middle of a LO for this months Cocoa Daisy scraplift, but I'm doing lots of hand stitching, so it's taken a while. Plus I'm also in the middle of a huge canvas for my sis.

I needed a few minutes out of work though, so I've had a pot noodle : ) and thought I'd share this.

A recent Studio challenge. Scrap old with new.



I selected Love Elsie papers (the turquoise graph paper) and used these Bo Bunny papers that had arrived the day before making this.



This is how we start the day in our house, everyday.
Louis comes in for a cuddle. (there is a nightie on under there btw!)



I just can't get enough of these fabric primas lately.
Take a look at them here. There are loads of colours to choose from.



Maggie is doing well.
She's squawking to be fed now and no longer timid with us. She's so funny. Ade took her out the tree last night and placed her in the garden. She's got these huge long legs when she stretches. She's getting better on her feet too. But no feathers on her bottom. And you wouldn't believe the size of her tongue. I didn't even know birds had tongues.

Back to work, but thanks for stopping by.
xx

Meet Maggie

I have nothing crafty to post today, but we have had an exciting weekend.

We realised Saturday morning that we had magpies nesting in our bay tree.
Our neighbour then later told us that a baby had fallen out and was in their garden.
They decided not to intervene, but sadly despite keep flying by the parents never fed it and by dark it was dead on their patio : (

Then Mum came over for a birthday bbq yesterday,we were all sat chatting and lots of rustling started going on in the bay. We expected to see another baby on the ground, but instead the baby was inside the tree sitting at the top of the trunk.
We read up on the rspb site and once we realised that the parents weren't going to feed the baby we decided to try and feed her. It did say on the site that birds do have a poor sense of smell and can not detect humans if the babies have been handled. This was something that worried us before if we decided to feed her. We didn't want her completely abandoned by the parents.
Here's ade going in with a wooden skewer with food for her.



We last went out to her at 11pm last night. She'd moved onto a thin branch and looked so uncomfortable. She was trying to sleep but kept rocking forward and waking herself up.
We were very surprised this morning that she was still there.
She did fall out of the tree this morning, but has happily taken a variety of food now. She's so sweet little maggie. We are worried about the cats and foxes getting her so we've popped her back up in the tree now that we aren't in the garden with her. I'm going out every hour or so with the big tweezers to feed her.



Last night I decided to given rag curling a go on Hollie's hair. She's dressing up as Victoria from Twilight on Friday for a school 'dress as a book charachter'day.
I've followed my friend Sue's help and this was Hollie last night.



They came out really this morning,but she was in abit of a girlie mood this morning. So this is the best photo I got.



Then she went the rest of the way to school ahead of me. Apparently it's my job in life, to embarress her.



They look cute together in their uniforms : )

Here's a little video of maggie we took this morning.

Featured LO at The Colour Room

I was so pleased to get an email this morning telling me that my LO this week is one of the featured 5 at The Color Room. Take a look at the 5 LO's that were picked.
I was pleased with this LO, but the other LO's over on this challenge blog are just something else. I don't think I've ever seen so much talent all under the one roof.
It really does feel like an honor to get this mention. Thank you : )

Here is my LO. I couldn't get it to upload earlier this week, so I needed to photograph it again for some odd reason.



Hollie and Louis messing around at the beach over Easter.
Lots of layer and masses of hand stitching on this one.


I love these primas that I bought in Orlando. I wish I bought all the other colours now too. (and a pot for you Sue!)



Thought I'd show you these cards I've made too.
This one comes with a tutorial on getting that 'vintage look' over on Papermaze.
See here.
With links to buy the ingredients too.
And by the way, not a card I made for Ade. I haven't gone soppy in my old age. I made this card for my sis to give her hubby. It was his birthday the day after they got married last week.



And then I knocked this one together for Mum yesterday. It's her happy birthday on Saturday. I found these old crate papers. Really not keen on the patterned sides, but do like the plain sides and always love the quality of crate. And Unity Stamps too.
I've been trying to stamp alot more lately. I have such a lovely collection of stamps and so so many, the majority infact have never been used. The Unity stamps, just stamp so clear. They are lovely to use.



Weekend time again and the forecast is HOT : )
We are going to tidy up the garden tomorrow as the kids have been invited out for a bbq and pool day and then we plan to chill and have water fights on Sunday : )
Have a lovely weekend xxx

Sketches, LO's and Muffins

That's what's on offer today.

To start with, what's up with the weather forecast today??
Sunshine and up to 22oc was said for today. It is only 9.45 as I type this, but it's so so overcast so far.
Hey ho, washing is on the line, 3/4 length jeans and pretty vesty top along with flip flops with freshly painted toes. Positive thinking !!

Are you ready for another Sketchy Thursdays Sketch? It's all about 'doubles' this week. Lots of requests for some double LO sketches, so here you go:



Double LO's just aren't my thing anymore, but there are times when they are required I think. I have so many of these silly photos taken in a restaurant in Orlando. We had the silliest meal ever. We all had the giggles, the food was fab, the server just lovely. It was such a good evening out. I did want to include lots of little photos, so this was actually the perfect sketch for me. (click photo for a better look)

/>

I painted a background with a grid roller and added squares cut from pp that came in this months Studio Calico Kit.
This is my new favourite way of using patterned papers. And some old stamps came out too.



If you really don't want to do a double LO, still join in and use the sketch as 12x12 if you wish. Just squish it down.



I made this LO yesterday.
I'm loving these colours right now. I love how the red just brings the page alive.
This is this weeks Studio Calico Sunday Sketch. See here.

This was my niece at Marwell Zoo in the Autumn. We all went when my Dad was visiting. At only a year old she just loves animals. She got so excited by this penguin : ) And as far as she's concerned. All animals say 'meow'.



Most of these bits are from last months Cocoa Daisy kit. I am currently postie stalking for this months.



I've been Super Mummy today. I got up early and baked 'Very Berry Crumble Muffins'.
I loved the idea of the kids waking up to the smell of muffins. Full of fresh raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, a great start to the day.
I made them similar to those cream cheese,raspberry & white choccie muffins I made last week. The cream cheese makes such a difference. I also made a small mix of crumble topping to sprinkle onto before going into the oven. The kids love that crunch.

Enjoy your day whatever you are up to.
Lots of love xxx

Guest Designer at Twisted Sketches

That's what I am this week.
I was sent this sketch at the weekend. This weeks twist is old.



The rules say that I can't post the LO, so here's my favourite close up. I'm really pleased with that flower I made.



And you can view the LO here.

Here's this weeks challenge to link back to and view the DT LO's too.
Twisted Sketches

I found out some old piccies. This was a trip we did when we lived in Germany. We went down south for Easter in 1990 and went to Neuschwanstien Castle. The original Disney Castle.

I did this LO yesterday for the Colorroom challenge. But can not for the life of me get it to upload correctly. I've given up now. But it's one of my fave LO's I think : (

Back to work for me now xx

Bedroom Canvases

Morning,

Day 2 for our county 'walk to school week'. So please it's dry and sunny again.

Here are my bedroom canvases that I've been working on.
It's taken me ages to decide how to do them. Our wall are completely white and the bedlinen white with a few big flowers on the left side in deep orange, deep red and turquoise. With 2 big cushions to match in the orange and various little ones to match. So I picked out the orange for the canvases.

This is how it looks walking into our room.
(Our new bedroom mirror)



And up close






Now we've been doing our room for a couple of years now. I love Ade, but things take him forever. So after a week or so of waiting for the canvases to go up, I've blue tacked them. They are up for the 3rd day now. Not bad. Saying that, the canvases by the front door have been up with blue tack for about 3yrs now : )
Just a little tip for you, fabric bunting does not stay up with bluetack.

7am, shower time.
Have a good day xx

Starting the week with a new recipe

To start with, I want to tell you about the latest challenge at Butterfly Crafts.
We've been given a recipe to play with:
Here are your scrappy ingredients of which you need to use at least 3:

Yellow
Red
Bee's
Buttons
Brown
Glitter
Pearls
Banner
Ink
Stamping
Any Nikki Sivils product *

Don't forget to link to the gallery for the chance to win a fab prize of Nikki Sivils goodies, this months sponsor.

Here's what I came up with.
Another Florida photo.



These are buttons that I used for bubbles. I managed to pull the loops off the backs with pliers.



I really enjoyed getting the stamps out for this one. Whenever I do stamp, I always think that I should do it more often. I just seems like an effort each time.
For my glitter I used some shimmer sand that I sprinkled into the gesso.
And the LO is about how Louis will still happily pose for me. Hollie these days is a very reluctant model.



We had a lovely weekend. We split yesterday afternoon. The boys played on the wii and Hollie and I made flowers (Hollie's request)
We set up a production line. Die cutters and punches on one desk, all the fabrics and papers came out and sewing was done on another desk.
It was so much fun and we listened to the Sunday charts at the same time : )
I like our grown up time now she's that bit older.

Here's what I made:



And this is what Hollie made. Naturally Twilight had to get in there. This is her first obsession. As sweet as it is, I'm getting very bored of it coming into every conversation. Now I know how my Mum must have felt about Wham when I was the same age.



I've now finished my bedroom canvases and they are up. I'll get them photographed and blogged tomorrow.
xxx

A little bit of 'Me' time

That's sometimes all a Mum needs.
That's what I needed on Wednesday early evening.
Me, a bath full of bubbles and my book.

I've scrapped about it using this Twisted Sketches Sketch. This twist is 'Colour'.
I've used colour in various forms, card stock. patterned papers, 2 types of spray mists and chipboard too.



The photo was taken in Florida whilst on holiday this year.
I've used my new Studio Calico Kit, with a piece of Basic Grey Basics as my background.
And yet again that new border punch has come in handy again. I need more of these.



(Click piccie to read journaling)


Enjoying the weekend.Although yesterday I didn't feel right. Just hazy, achey and odd. I even had an afternoon siesta, which is unheard of for me. I feel much better today thankfully. We've had a lovely family breakfast, I've watched Sarah-Jane Adventures with Hollie and Hollie and I have been pottering in my studio. She's making the most amazing layered flowers. She's come up with a fab technique for the centres.
I found out something exciting last night.
I won the Cocoa Daisy 'Queen of the Crop'. Take a look here.
I was surprised just to be nominated, so to win was 'wow'.
Thank you to those who voted for me.

Right, Hollie has her hands on my glossy accents, I think this is time for me to go.
Happy Sunday xx

Hotdogs and Monsters

A super quick one from me as I'm just heading out to school.
Don't those 6 hours fly by?

First up, here's the next Sketchy Thursday challenge.
Time for a multi photo sketch. This is when I love editing and printing my own pics.



I went back to last summer. Our first camping trip.
I've used Love Elsie camping papers and fabric paper too. Perfect for these photos.
This weeks challenge is sponsored by SRM Stickers. I've used a couple of their stickers on this LO.



We had a row with my brother. He reaconed he could eat 15 hotdogs is 1 minute (including buns) Yeah right!!!! So he proved to us.....



.....and managed 1 in 1 minute : )
SRM Stickers are offering a prize to a random crafter if they join in this week.

Louis is off to a birthday party this afternoon. So I've quickly made young Eriq a card. A lovely little boy, so worthy of my precious Sassafras stash.

I've played along with 2sketches4u with this one. It meant I got to play with one of my lovely new punches : )



Running late now. Bye xx

Another Recipe

I hope you are having a good week.
Blue skies and sunshine here once again : )

I printed off this sketch from Studio Calico on Sunday.
So when I made those yummy muffins on Monday, I knew I wanted to add a second page to my new recipe file.




Then yesterday this little lot arrived **smiles lots and claps hands with pure glee**.

My studio calico kit plus the Trinkets addons and a huge amount of stash from Papermaze. My DT stuff, the new Basic Grey Basics ranges, a couple of Martha Stewart border punches. This one and this one. Plus a restock on paint dabbers and a few extra bits too : )
I was very well disciplined. I let the boxes sit there for over 2hrs whilst finishing a job I was working on and then opened.
I instantly altered a picture frame with some of my DT bit whilst on the phone to Nicky Noo .....



.....and then got in from school and finished my Studio Calico LO. I had already printed up the recipe and photo. So then just added the pretties from my new kit.



If you fancy giving these Cream Cheese, Raspberry and White Choccie Muffins, here's what you need. (click photo for close up)



And here's what to do:



I love this kit so much. I can't believe how many pretty things there are to play with.



Have a great day xxx