Curry Fingers

Hi,

As it's Thursday, I have my Sketchy Thursdays LO to share with you first.
I took this photo of Hollie starting her first day as a year8 back in September.
My big girl.

I used Octobers Cocoa Daisy kit.
I adore the apple stamp designed by Ronda. There's more in the CD shop here if you love it too.
Here's this weeks Sketch from Sketchy Thursdays. Another sketch that I just love.
Some stunning LO's again this week.
And this week we are sponsored by The Paper Bakery. What a cute name!!


Tomorrow night is the reveal night at Cocoa Daisy.
Here's a sneak of the November kit, Bed and Breakfast.


And here's a couple of small sneaks from me.
The fun starts at 4pm EST (9PM UK time) here.





Ade and I went out for a curry date last night.
It was ok.
I have to say the company was far better than the curry.
I did just finish up my aloo gobi and my naan though and now my fingers are all yellow.
Looks like I'm a serial smoker, but better smelling.

Louis is back from his sleepover at his Dad's in a bit and he then has 2 friends for a sleepover.
When I asked him what he wanted for dinner he said a buffet.
I swear my kids think of this place as a hotel/restaurant at times.
Hopefully piri piri chicken, fries, garlic bread and pudding all laid out will be good enough : )

I've just been soring out his room.
2 bin bags and a very large charity bag later.
Always feels so good. That's both their rooms sorted this week.
I even washed their walls down and the doors upstairs too.
Brownie points for me!!

I have 30mins before he gets home now.
See you tomorrow xxx

Summer 2011 Mini Book

For those of you who haven't heard, sadly, there was a fire at the Papermaze premises last week. You can read about it on their blog here.
Thankfully no ones was hurt, but due to the loss of stock, the website and shop are closed whilst they get themselves sorted.

The blog is still running though.
I made this mini recently using the Accent Cards which come in a 12x12 sheet from Crate Paper - Emma's Shoppe. You can see it on the blog here.


I've used 2 sheets of this paper and cut the cards up and backed them up with the doubles. The sheets are double sided, this this way you get to see both sides and it makes the mini book feel sturdier.



This is a gift for my neice Millie after she came to stay with us for a few days in August.


I love that these cards offer plenty of space for journaling.



But not too much that you feel you need to write essays.



Ans space for photos too.



And sweet picture cards.



I teamed this paper up with the alpha sticker sheet that matches. Giving lots of alphas and cute stickers too. The perfect ingredients to make a quick mini book.



Thanks for stopping by xxx

Ways to use Stickers

Hi!!!

I hope you've had a good weekend.
It was a busy but fun one for us.
More about that in a bit.
I have some Fancy Pants LO's to share first.

It was my turn on the Fancy Pants Blog on Friday.
I was asked to display 2 ways of using the OCT 31 Element Stickers.
You can read the full blog post here which includes 'how to' instructions.



I created this LO using the OCT31 papers. I backed some of the stickers onto black card and stuck them on to the LO using 3d foam tape to help them stand out more and add depth to the page. (I played with the photo in picnik.com to give it a spookier look)



It really gives the stickers a bit of life. They can just look flat otherwise. Which is what they really are I guess.


After making that LO I was left with the negative strip of stickers and decided to use this too by turning them into masking stencils. Again if you haven't done this before, take a look on the FP blog.



I also used some of these stickers from the 'Off to School' range. I cut them in half and stuck them on to white card before cutting out again. Then by punching 2 holes into each flag I could turn them into a string of bunting.
You can see above the bunting here how well the masking works.




So the weekend.
It started by me teaching at Sparkle Dreams in Swindon which was such a lovely day.
Does it get any better than meeting new people, talking craft and making too??

A family evening infront of XFactor and then yesterday my Hollie went off on her school trip to Bude in Cornwall. I miss her but I know she'll be having so much fun.
We had friends over in the afternoon. Their son is close friends with Louis and their older son is on the same trip with Hollie. So I did a full roast. Whole leg of lamb, roasties, yorkies, roasted root veg, honey roasted carrots, minted pea puree and tons of homemade gravey.
Louis and I also made our Christmas Brownies. Made with best choccie, orange zest, with cream, ice cream and hot berries. Yum!!
I still feel full today. (it's been a fruit only day so far today)
Louis went back to theirs for a sleepover, so Ade and I did what any normal parent would do with an evening to themselves. Fell asleep infront of the tv : )
I had a crap nights sleep though. The rain and winds were so hard. I always get scared that the neighbours trees will fall on us so I tend to sit up and watch. Then I lay there worrying that we had packed Hollie enough warm clothes. I know we have and she has more that was advised to take, but I will worry all week anyway. What if she gets wet and soaked through each day??
I hope she's enjoying it.

Louis is at a friends today til later, so a work day for me. Tomorrow it's just the two of us. I quite fancy the movies.

Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by xxx

Inspired by Sketches

Happy Friday to you!!

Some bits and pieces today.
First up, priorities.
Coffee Machine.
As mine is in for repairs the in laws have leant us theirs.
This means I have my morning lattes again : )
This obviously makes me happy and a much better wife, which in turn is better for their beloved son I married.
Everyones a winner : )

Next, my Sketchy Thursdays LO.
I made this at Sue's last weekend.
I've been so busy lately that my mind hasn't totally been on the scrapping. It isn't flowing and coming effortlessly as usual. I do find having a good sketch works wonders for my mojo.
(click to enlarge)



Here's this weeks sketch if you want to play along.
We are sponsored by 'Let's capture our Memories' this week.

I didn't totally stick to the sketch this week. I started that way with the Hambly Rubbons in the background, but kind of lost myself a little. I think that can be a good thing sometimes though.
It's about taking inspiration after all isn't it?!! Not copying.


I used a whole load of mish mash on this page.
Some bits froma summer Cocoa Daisy kit.



Some really old stash.
Some Sassafras stickers and that bunny is years old Sassafras.
The journaling is all about Louis being a nightmare at bedtime right now. Hardwork!!


Tomorrow I am at Sparkle Dreams in Swindon 10am-3pm.
Have you time to pop in and say 'Hi'? if you are local?
It's a demo day with lots going on.


I need to get back to prepping all my stuff to take.
It should be a fun day : )

Lots of love xxx

Embroidered Wall Art

Life isn't slowing down here.
Still going 100mph and not stopping.

Today I have some embroidered wall art to share.
Although it isn't my week designing with LESSology, I adore making Wall Art so wanted to play along too.



I took an old haberdashery ring and covered it in bakers twine. Then took one of Hollie's old school shirts and sewed the word 'Love' across and finished by using some mini alpha stamps. Quite simple, but I like it.



There's loads of different Wall Art projects to see over at LESSology this week. All shapes and sizes, see here.
This challenge is sponsored by Trade Fish Designs who have kindly offered a $20 voucher to spend with them.
Play along and add your wall art here.

So far this week I have...
broken the coffee machine and now await a replacement (thank goodness for warantees)
worked til midnight twice this week
stood on a freezing football pitch for over an hour
finished an art journal that I adore
got rained on when collecting from school yesterday and didn't take a coat or brolly
missed my lattes LOTs
we've had a good tidy at home and the house feels lovely
and have made a beef stew this morning which is in the crock ready for tonight.
it smells YUMMY!!

Have you achieved much this week?

xxx

Wall Art

It's just a quickie from me today.
I've had a super busy weekend. A fab day at Sue's with Steph on Saturday. Lots of scrap, chatter and giggles and then a wedding fayre yesterday. Long, quiet and boring only to leave and want to pack up the car but had left the lights on and instead had a flat battery. Not Funny!!

As usual I'm snowed under with work. Not complaining mind. I's rather it this way.
But I've popped in with a sneak of what's coming up this week at LESSology.




It's not my week to play along but I do love to dabble in a bit of Wall Art, so I had to play along too.

Keep an eye out here for more details.

I'm going to grab another hours work before bed.
Catch you tomorrow xxx

Gotta Laugh!!

It's Friday 5pm and I'm only just blogging my Sketchy Thursdays Challenge.
That's what this week has been like. If I had a tail, I would be chasing it!!
All good stuff, just super busy.

Here is my take.
(click to enlarge)



I first had the idea of printing on the side on my pp, but then whilst going through some Fancy Pants papers for another project I saw this paper from the 'Summers End' collection and though 'BINGO' . It was perfect! I also had a mask that I han't used before. I won some vouchers from scrapbook.com a while ago and got it thinking it would be small. But its a biggie, but I like it. It's been sitting here some quite some time waiting to be used.



And now for the story.
My sister is stupid. Crazy stupid. We laugh so much when we are together. I really do pee myself at times. The tears stream and I can no longer stand. The kind of laughing that makes you ache. We were already at that stage in a garden centre in August and then I came around the corner and saw her like this. She was just hanging and completely silent. I still giggle now when I think about it.
I love being a kid again. I love sillyness.

So here it is, this weeks sketch.
You can play here.


I'm off to Sue's tomorrow with Steph and Nicky. It's become a twice yearly meet. I love it.
I must get my arse into gear now and decide what to take. I feel like I have a ton of deadlines looming. A lovely new CD did arrive this week though. Along with addons and full of scrummy yummyness.
LOVE!!!!
I must print off some photos and think of some stories to scrap.
I fancy doing some funny ones.
I love laughing whilst scrapping : )
There will be plenty of that tomorrow.
I shall try not to be too rude. I forget myself sometimes when I am with these girls. I've become slightly too comfortable. I think they are used to my sense of humour now though : )

Talking of laughing tis The Middle and Modern Family tonight Yay!!
We've become so addicted to Modern Family the kids and I.
We watch them over and over and still laugh.
Louis does a wicked 'Cam' impression.

Well, enjoy your weekend.
I'm doing a wedding Fayre on Sunday, so a busy one for me.
Bye
xxx

Life

We've launched a new challenge over at Cocoa Daisy this morning.

We are calling this challenge 'LIFE'.
We are challenging you to get your life down on paper.
You can document a day in your life.
A week in your life.
Even a year if you wanted.
You could docment your work day.
A special day.

Get it down on paper :)
It's not just about the photos this one, so don't panic about going around photographing.
It's about looking back one day and seeing a snippet of a day of yours right now.

I scrapped a regular week day of mine using the Canned Peaches addon.



Come and see what Anna and Denise have come up with here and play along too.
The winner will receive $10 to spend in store.

I hope you are having a good week.
I'm feeling soooooooo tired today.
Muzzy head tired.
I've planned for a group of us with our kids to meet up at the woods after school today. We are packing up a picnic tea. It just feels like so much effort right now though. Hollie has a friend joining us and I've promised to make giant choccie chip cookies to take.
Right now I just want to lie down and sleep but I have so much work to do and lots of deadlines coming up over these next few days.
It'll be fun when we get there : )

Have a good day xxx

Demo Day at Sparkle Dreams

A date for your diary.

I'm pleased to announce that I'm going to start teaching at Sparkle Dreams at Studley Grange Craft Village in Swindon.
I'm really looking forward to it.
It's a lovely store in a lovely setting and I'm looking forward to getting to know shop owner Solance and Sandi who also teaches.

My first teaching event is coming up on Saturday 22nd October. 10am-3pm
We are holding a Demo Make and Take Day.
I will be running 'Tag Art' makes and takes throughout the day and there will be other crafts going on too, as well as cakes and lots of other fun things too.



Come and pop in and say 'Hi'.

xxx

Arty Crafty Workshop

Hello Monday Morning!!

I hope the weekend was a good one for you.

I'm really excited to announce today that I'm teaching at Arty Crafty in Goldalming, Surrey on Saturday 12th November.
It's a wall hanging workshop.


It's a 2hr tutorial in the store. (very limited spaces)
£17.50 per person which includes the full kit.
Nothing for you to bring at all.
You will make this lovely wall hanging and be able to take it away on the day with you.
Tea/Coffee and homemade cupcakes too.
If you are local and interested please call up Arty Crafty on 01483 427133
For more details on the store, take a look here.
The time still needs to be confirmed, but it will start sometime in the morning.

I've been making some LO's for the store this past week.


I love these foody/kitchen themed papers from Kaisercraft.
They are so fun to cut up.


I used a journal note from a little journal tag book to match and ran it through my printer to print the recipe on.




Lots of Crate Paper in this store : )
And I love Emma's Shoppe. So pretty.



Fancy Pants, Saint Nick is one of the newest collections to arrive.


More pretty papers to cut up and I added some stickles to this LO to bring some Christmas sparkle to the LO.


More Kaisercraft.
But not quite so busy as the first : )

If you are local, pop in and say 'Hi'. Its such a lovely store with a lovely collection of scrappy goodness.

xxx

Man of the Match

It's now definitely Autumn, don't you agree?!!
It's chilly and blowy and I just want to stay in and be cozy.
Ade has just bought me a latte. mmmmmmmm

I meant to post this Sketchy Thursdays LO last night, but I ended up with a horrible headache yesterday. I even went for a lay down after the school run to try and clear it.
So here it is this morning instead.



I've used the Fancy Pants 'to the moon' line. I hardly have any of this left : (
It's funny, I would never have picked out this line for me, but being on the Fancy Pants team and just being sent it back earlier this year, I would say I have made some of my fave LO's with it. I often find that, lines that I wouldn't neccesarily pick out myself often end up being a fave of mine.


I love Louis' attitude when it comes to footy.
He's by no means a natural sporty person, but he never gives up and never complains.
I felt when he was awarded the Man of the Match award a couple of weeks ago that it was really deserved.
I've teamed the patterned papers with the journal emellishments to match, some chipboard, stickers and the alpha's. I love having everything matching. It all comes together so nicely.


This week we have the whole Sketchy Thursdays Team playing along as it's the first one with the new DT members. Come and see.
Ashley Horton is this months Guest Designer. I love her blog : )
I always look forward to seeing her work when she's played along with us.
And this week we are sponsored by Paper Lovelies.
They have kindly donated a kit this week.


Now for other stuff.
You know I said I had a headache yesterday. Well it all started when I visited a little store that I hadn't been in before.
My friend Steph popped over and we took a drive over to Holme Grange Craft Village.
I hadn't been for a year and I was so excited to find this store.
Shirleyz

A little loft room in a barn. Painted white inside and just full of the most fun and funky household goodies. I wanted to move straight in. I was giddy with excitement and wanted to buy everything. (the owner is the sweetest lady too)
I came home with this little house (and a headache through all the excitement)
It's very 'lisa'.



Look how cute!!


And this is now the home of all my mini books : )



I also picked up the cutest tea towel.
It has crotched cherries hanging from it.
It's home is on the range and everyone has had strict instructions not to use it.
It's there to look pretty and nothing else!!

Steph and I popped into a couple of thrifty stores then.
Vintage cups and saucers for Steph and this mini wooden drawer sate for me.
Ugly isn't it?!! But in my head it's a mini piece of art waiting to happen.

I have to get on now.
I have a mini workshop coming up next month in Godalming on Sat Nov 12th.
Let me know if you are interested. The Craft Store is super cute but not too many spaces unfortunately.
I will announce full details next week.

Have a lovely Friday and thanks for stopping by xxx

Doggy Bag

Do you keep your paper bags?
What do you do with them?

I love spicing them up and giving them a new lease of life.
This week at LESSology we are transforming our browm paper bags.
I turned mine into a house warming gift for a sweet friend.


I used the Cocoa Daisy Farmers Market Kit. And baked Choccie Chip Cookies to go inside the bag.
Pop on over to LESSology. Amy's bag is up with mine today and Julie's and Yvonnes were yesterday. I love how different all our bags are.



I have something nice planned this morning and I'm expecting a scrappy package too
: )

xxx