2 Little Boys and 1 Skateboard

This was Louis (under there somewhere) and my nephew Charlie.
We went to Mum's for a BBQ last Saturday and the kids LOVE Mum's garden, they can play for hours with little to amuse them. The boys were happy with this skateboard and the girls like to go right down the bottom of the garden out of sight with paper and pens. Who needs tv's and computer games eh!!?

So I had this odd photo of the boys that I wanted to scrap, I used this weeks Studio Calico sketch:



Once I had most of it laid out on the page, I decided it was a little plain for my liking, so took it all off, reversed the larger piece of patterned paper and lightly sprayed with lime and olive tattered angel mists. That made such a difference.
I think that's what I like about spray misting the most, you can add a dash of colour to the page without it over powering and taking over the LO.
(click on photo)



Most pieces on this page are from various recent Studio Calico Kits, but the green gaffer tape and the Tim Holtz ribbon are from Cocoa Daisy kits. Aren't these alpha's cool : )




The gaffer tape wasn't quite wide enough for what I needed, so it's layered up to make it look wider, but the join is under that linen tape.



I seem to be making mostly boy LO's again recently. I guess it all depends on what comes in my monthly kits. I started another one last night of Louis.

We haven't decided what to do yet today. It's sunny, Ade's home and we want to do something. Maybe the Wetland Centre in London, the beach or just local and go fruit picking instead. Haven't quite made our minds up.

Have a lovely day wherever you are xxxx

Sketchy Thursdays

Ready for a Thursday Sketch?
Straight from Sketchy Thursdays, I offer you the brand new sketch : )



I love this sketch so much, it leads to so many possibilities.
I made this using the sketch as my inspiration. (click on photo)



I started by placing some circles on the bazzill and spray misting using tattered angles lime, olive and also dreamsicle. That was then my base for the page before I started with the layering.



I added a couple of Sassafras stickers and printed off all my journaling and trimmed down. The majority of the bits and pieces and the papers come from the July Studio Calico kit 'Continental'. I've made quite alot using this kit so far. More than I thought I would.



I love how this simple photo of Louis captures the so many sides of him. That's what got me into this LO. Seeing him sat that glued to the tv, completely concentrating in his own little world, but with a silly 'Where's Wally' hat (he seems to have a thing for silly hats) looking so serious and the a soft little bunny he had been cuddling. I guess he's at this inbetween stage now of growing up and being so influenced by friends but still be little and needing lots of hugs. It's a nice stage : )



We are really enjoying the first week of the school hols so far.
We've been to a family bbq for the day last Saturday, the Farnbourough airshow on Sunday, had a fun day at home Monday, they went to their Dad's then overnight so I could work for a couple of days and today we are visiting a close friend for the day. I'm so looking forward to it. My friend has a daughter of Hollie's age and a son Louis'age. They went to Infant school together and all get on so well. It should be a good day : )

Have a good day too xxx

Junior School Mini Book

I've finally photographed Hollie's mini book that I made for her last week with her finishing Junior School. She was there for 4 yrs and over the time I've kept certificates, memoribilia and taken lots of photos to remember these school days.
Here are a few photos:





















Some of her teachers have written in the book too.

Before I go back to work, I just wanted to mention that if you are wanting to use some old stash, then I have the perfect challenge for you.
The Studio are having a challenge this week to use old stash with new stash on the one page. By joining in and posting your LO, you will be entered into the prize draw at the end of the month. This months sponsor is Cosmo Cricket : )
Visit here to see more. The Studio.

Thanks for stopping by and thank you for all the lovely comments yesterday xx

My Exciting News

I've been dying to announce my exciting news.
As you know if you read my blog, these past few months I've really been enjoying the Twisted Sketches Challenges. I love the LO sketches and have even been making a few cards again recently. So when I saw the DT call a couple of months ago, I thought I'd give it a go.
This sketch was given with the twist of music.



As we'd just been to the Green Day Wembley gig, it's seemed so right to scrap a couple of our amazing photos. You know how much I LOVE this band.
So I came up with this. (click on photo)



Lots of paint, journal strips, my usual thing really. I'm so happy and comfortable with this style of scrapping.



I was so excited when I got the email inviting me to join their team. The sketches are wicked every week and I love the extra of having that twist.
Please pop along to the blog and see the whole new DT.

Have a great Sunday.
Lots of love xxx

Sketches on a Thursday

Hello Hello Hello,

It's Thursday again and Thursday = sketches.
I have 2 to share today. One for the scrappers and one for the card makers.

My first is our brand spanking new sketch from Sketchy Thursdays.



I found this photo of Louis taken whilst we were in Florida this year. So clearly up to something. I just love these natural shots. They beat the posed any day in my book.



I tried abit of a sweeping action with the mists across the page to keep in with the sketch. I kind of lost that though by the time I added the papers and photo.
My photo and strips of paper represent the boxes of the sketch.
This was made using the June Cocoa Daisy kit.



And this next sketch is from Twisted Sketches.



The twist is metal. I've used 2 pins on the butterfly.



This is the Thank You card I've made for Hollie to give her teacher tomorrow.
It's all made from my new Studio Calico kit.



One more day to go until school finishes.
I'm feeling very mixed about it all now. Another chapter finishes tomorrow with Hollie leaving Junior School : (
I having another one of those times where I want to freeze time again.

xxx

More from Cocoa Daisy

Hi, I'm sharing the rest of my makings from my July Cocoa Daisy kit today.
You can see how much I've enjoying playing with this one : )

I picked up this frame at The Range. I took out the glass and took some willow twigs to stick to the front using glossy accents (and some patience holding it in place).




I've used the flowers from the kit and made up butterflies, leaves and curly twines from the papers in the kit. Clear stickles glitter has been added throughout. A bit of sparkle makes all the difference in my eyes : )



This LO was to record an L day that we recently had. The kids and I decided it would be fun to only eat food beginning with the letter L. We had so much fun putting this menu together. I made fresh lemon muffins for breakfast.
Louis choose Laughing Cow cheese and breadsticks for the mid morning snack.
Louis and I made Lebonese Lemon Chicken for Sunday Lunch. It was so different from anything I'd ever eaten before and surprisingly the kids loved it. We ate it with linguine pasta, leeks and lambs lettuce : )
And we made a lemon tart for pud.

We plan to do another one of these days very soon. It was so much fun.



I folded up this strip of paper, stuck in place before piercing and hand stitching. What did I do before my paper piercer????




And this last one just before my baby turned 11.
I really enjoyed this kit and loved designing along with the Cocoa Daisy DT : )

Hollie has her leavers BBQ at school today. She's gone with 2 outfits to school to change into later. A pretty frock and matching hairband with ballet style pumps and a pair of jeggins, top and sparkley blue pumps. Decisions Decisions. She really wants to wear the pretty dress, but I think she wants to wait and see what the other girls are wearing : )
I don't mind though, in such a short space of time she's gone from being smelly, in sweat pants and not really caring to a young lady who takes an extra shower after school, does her hair nicely and always caring about what she wears. She's growing up : )
And both kids have discos tonight.
It's all go this week.

Thanks for stopping by xxx

Cocoa Daisy Show and Tell

Hello.

I hope you are having a good start to the week.
We are on count down in this house. We finally break up from school on Friday at 1.15pm. Yipppeeee. It feels like it's been a very long term and both the kids and myself are in need of this break now.

As I was the Cocoa Daisy Queen of the Crop winner, I was lucky enough to win the July kit and design along with the DT.
Here's the Kit:



It's so summery.
Here's some of the bits I made using it:



I used this sheet of Hambly and cut out the doilee shape, distressed the edges and using my big bite punched holes in the centre keeping in with the doilee look.
I used the alphas that came with the kit and roughly drew around them a few times, moving the letter very slightly each time to get that effect.



The layered flowers and words are 'K & Co Handmade Die-cut Cardstock Embellishments' that were part of an addon. I've brushed some white paint lightly over them.

These photos were from a family holiday back in 2004 in Lanzarote. We went with another family. My friend and I took a day out on our own and had the best laugh ever. This was us during our camel ride in the volcanic national park.



I also scrapped some of my fave photos from the recent Green Day convert we went to. I still can't believe how close we were : )
I love this 12x12 sheet. It has a real linen feel with a stitched border all the way around which I painted over.



And lastly a little card that I knocked up.



That's it for the crafty makings today. I still have a few more bits that I made from this kit and will show tomorrow.
If you really like the look of this kit you can buy one here. Cocoa Daisy.
You don't have to subscribe, one offs are available. Although I've been subscribing for coming up to 2 years now I think and have never been disappointed : )

I now need to announce the winner from my giveaway last week.
Thank you for all your comments. It was really fun reading through.
I got Hollie to select a number between 1 - 30 to find our winner.
And the winner is Yyam : )
Yyam, please can you email me your address and I'll send the goodies over to you in sunny Singapore.
lisa@funkyfairies.co.uk

Have a good day xxx

Bright & Cheery Weekend

Thank you so much for stopping by, I've loved reading all your comments : )
I'll let you know tomorrow evening who has won the RAK. If you haven't joined in, please read my previous post to join in.

I made this LO today.
I've used the new Color Room combo.


I'm really pleased with this. The color combo is so pretty.
I found some photos from a walk in a local woodland park back in 2006.
(Please click on photo)



I bought these white flowers really cheaply from a local craft shop. They are really layered up, so I've taken the top part off these and sprayed.



I cut the leaves and I must say, I bought this ridged bazzill cardstock by mistake, but I'm loving the textured of it.



I also need to mention The Studio.
Our new challenge has gone live today. Something abit difefrent this week. It's basically anything off the page. I altered a frame and chocolate chip pot using some My Little Shoebox papers.
The DT have come up with all kids of things though. Go take a peek, especially at what Tessa made. You'll love it.
There's also a vote on over there for 3 new DT members. Please stop by and vote for your favourite.
My lovely friend Sue is one of the 8.



It's been such a lovely weekend. After having so many busy weekends in a row, it's been great to be at home.
We started yesterday with a trip into basingstoke for some shopping. Hollie had birthday money to spend and we had a costa treat. We took Hollie to a friend's for a sleepover at 4pm and stopped off at a really nice garden centre on the way home. There was a great farm shop which I can't wait to go back to. It was the kind of shop that if ever I took part in 'COME DINE WITH ME' (my secret wish) you would see me shopping there first : ) We picked up a free range chicken and some fresh to-bake pastries. We took some time around the water part. Looking at all the fish. Louis enjoyed the reptiles and got to stroke a snake. We got KFC on the way home and had that in the garden with Louis.
We then took Poppy-dog and Louis (and the scooter) to the common along the disused runway. I love it up. Such a vast open space. It was a perfect evening and we got some really good photos.
Ade and I watched Bruno last night. I understand this isn't everyones cup of tea, but we laughed and laughed. So funny.

We baked the pastries for breakie today, collected Hollie at 11am and spent the day at home. Nachos in the garden with olives and wine, we let Hollie sleep for an hour (they didn't get any sleep at the party last night) then it was very amusing trying to wake her for Sunday lunch. She was so out of it.
We used our rotisserie for the first time on the bbq. I made up a marinade for our chicken, it was the best chicken ever. I mixed a cup of oil, a good splash of dark soy sauce, good tbsp of honey, 1tsp chinese 5 spice and hot paprika. I seasoned the chicken well first and finely grated nutmeg all over it before marinading. It was lush.

To try and keep Hollie awake for abit longer we had a long walk and then I baked banana bread and also strawberry, cream cheese and white choccie muffins with Louis.
Then to finish off the day we all played footy in the garden.

Kids are now in bed and kettle is boiling : )

Hope you've also had a good weekend.
Lots of love xxx

An Epic Post and Giveaway

Do you have a word that really grates on you?
A word that you truely cringe at when you hear it?

We do in this house, that word is 'EPIC'. It's driving us crazy. Everything Hollie says and does right now is 'EPIC'. It means really really good for those of us who aren't quite 'down with the kids' : )

So, this weeks Twisted Sketches LO, is in honour of the latest 'in' word Epic.
Here's the latest sketch.



And my Epic LO : )



The twist this week is Texture, here you can see the textures I used.
I pulled out some old Scenic Route that has been collecting dust for ages. I thought it went really well with the photo. I love those large chipboard alphas. They came with my Cocoa Daisy kit last month.



So when Ade and I saw this 'Epic' cd advertised on TV this week, we had to buy it.
Hollie found it very funny and it's a really good cd too.



I've never done a giveaway before, so have decided today to do one.
Please leave a comment telling me which word really really drives you mad and please become a follower of my little blog and mention it on your own blog too with a link up to here. I'll randomly pick a winner on Monday then. I'll happily post this prize off any where in the world : )



Today I really must get started on Hollie's end of Junior School mini book.
I really can not put it off any longer.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by xxx