Cocoa Daisy Challenges

As you can probably tell, all these lovely holiday photos have sent me scrap crazy. Good job we have over 6000. Should keep me busy for a bit longer : )

I got busy on a couple of Cocoa Daisy challenges.
This one is the March Scraplift. Deadline is 31st March. Click this link if you want to take part.
The story to this one goes like this....
I've always had a saying when out with the kids. 'Only looking, not touching' Louis now 8 yrs old, you think it would have sunk in by now. He's still hands everywhere. I hear myself constantly saying 'Do Not Touch'.
These photos were all in Epcot. Cheeky Monkey he is!!

A yummy bit of Sassafras there : )

And this one is Louis again. His monkiness gives me so much to scrap about.

Another Cocoa Daisy challenge. Sue set a daily prompt to scrap using strips of paper.
I came to a standstill with this LO over night and then yesterday remembered the prompt which sent the design off in a whole new direction. I think it needed it though. The prompt really helped. Thanks Sue x

We were in the Jurassic Park play area at Island of Adventures. We love this place. It's a fave space in Orlando. This park is so much fun with rope bridges, netted tunnels, slides, water fountains and lots of dino noises.
It wasn't until I looked at the photo this week of Ade and Hollie on a bridge when I noticed that Louis was up in another area on his own.
What was he doing???

You can see why I always dress him in bright colours when he's out.

Nothing exciting for me today.
Work, bit more scrapping and salmon for tea.
I quite like normal days sometimes though : )

Have a good one xx

A Sketch, 2 LO's, Pizza & Muffins

What a lovely morning here again. Blue skies are the best start to a day.

Here are a couple of LO's that I made at Sue's this weekend.
This weeks Sketchy Thursday Sketch

I've used some bits from my Cocoa Daisy kit. Lashings of Heidi Swapp paint and some Primas that I inked slightly so the colours fit better.



Here's a cheeky one of Louis. Mist spray and doodling on this one.

When I got home and showed Ade my LO's from the crop, He looked at this one (the title was Atittude ) pointed out that actually I'd mispelt Attitude and how bout adding an H. COOL!! So it's now Hattitude.


Hollie and Louis both have friends for tea tonight. Friends that they've recently become close to and neither have been to us before. So they are very excited. I'm making pizza dough whilst they are at school so it can rise in time for them to shape into their own pizzas and dough balls. And I'm going to bake banana & choccie muffins, serve them warm with choc ice cream. Hopefully that'll be a winner.

Enjoy your day xx

Starbucks @ The Studio

I had so much fun making my latest challenge LO for The Studio.
It goes down as one of my recent faves.

If you would like to join in and try to win the March prize, it's simple.

Scrap a page and include on it some memorabilia from the time you are scrapping about!

Then link back to The Studio so you can be in for the win....here

(click to view close up)

I've taken a Starbucks paper bag. Anyone who knows me well, knows I'm a complete latte addict. We had googled before going to the US this time to find our nearest Starbucks which was 8 miles away. I was so chuffed to see not only had a Super Target been added nearby since we were last there, but they had a Starbucks too and it was on the route we used to go anywhere just 5mins away : )


I've inked lots, added a distresses look. Holed through and threaded some hemp cord.

And made real coffee rings : )

Remember to visit The Studio with your LO's. It's a really friendly forum with lots of scrappy chat.

Lots of love xxx

Scrap with Sue

I think going to Sue's is better than any imaginable scrap retreat. I love going there.
Steph, Sue and myself scrapped for near on 12 hours, with the obvious cake and dinner breaks
: )
The company was perfect, the setting perfect and the LO's just happen so easily. I love these days.
Thank you Sue, Doug, David and Daniel x

Above is my first LO I made.
A piccie from Epcot. It's all about how Ade winds Louis up all the time. Here by putting his hand over his face just as I take a photo.... so not funny Ade!! You know how serious I take my photos.



I used and painted on an old piece of crate paper. I'd forgotten what great quality this stuff was. I've gesso'd over and then used a Cocoa Daisy stamp as a background.
I love the bunting. This was cut from a piece of Studio Calico PP.
I used a Sketchy Thursday sketch from earlier in the month as my inspiration.

This next one is made on this beautiful Prima paper. I bought this in Orlando. Gorgeous eh?!

It's so good having Hollie taking photos now too.
She's pretty good.

I continued with the stitching around the photo.

And I made another 3 more too .
But I have kids in and out and a promised coffee to make and a house that really really needs a hoover and a kitchen tidy and lots of clean washing that sadly won't put itself away, 2 loads of washing to put in, plus I promised Hollie I would watch Twilight with her today and of course all my scrap stuff from yesterday to put back in it's home. Who said Sunday was a day of rest??

Have a good one.
Love lis xxx

TFI Friday !!!!!

My Rodeo LO. Do you likey?

This was such a fun thing we did on holiday. One of the most surprising but fun things. I've made another page to go alongside this one with lots of mini pics and journaling.
My colocombo comes from Colorcombos latest challenge. Which are Khaki, whitey/cream, red and black. Perfect for this subject.

I included our tickets from the event too.

And most of my stash has come from the recent Cocoa Daisy kit.
mmmmmmmmm is all I can say.

And then last night I made this.
Ade and I were feeling really tired. I'd had a very broken nights sleep the night before. Lots of waking and Louis was up twice too.
I attended an Indian dance class session with Louis at school (please don't ask.....all in the name of a mother and how much she loves her child!!) so we got home late and we all felt shattered.
We had dinner and all 4 of us vegged on the sofas and played our fave family game Jungle Buzz on the PS2.
We decided we'd have an early night and watch TV in bed for a while.
Instead Ade sat with my pc in my studio and I scrapped. I do love it when we do that, It's so relaxing. I'm happy scrapping at one desk whilst he's online on the other. We chat, listen to music, it's great. But I have no idea where the time goes. This room seems to swallow it up.
Anyway, this is what I made. And we didn't realise the time until 10pm.


Not fantastic, no real techniques, but bright and fun. And I felt incredibly relaxed whilst scrapping, which makes a lovely change from my usual grab 5 mins here and there scrapping.
I used a sketch from Inspired Blueprints. I often mean to join in with theirs, but don't always get around to it.
The kids loved this table of Mr Potato heads in Downtown Disney. Could have easily left them there, gone shopping, had lunch and come back to them still playing. Obviously we didn't though, not really the done thing!

I'm really looking foprward to tomorrow.
Steph is picking me up at 8am and we are going to scrap at Sue's for the day. I can't wait. We only managed to get together twice last year. Sadly Nicky can't make it as little Max is 5 tomorrow, she will be missed, but she has a lovely day planned.

Have a lovely weekend whatever you are doing scrappy friends xxx

I Spy....

click the photo to see closer up

with my Disney eye....Someone who found the perfect t-shirt for themselves whilst on their Orlando holiday

That's what I've journaled inside my misted circle.

This is a take on this weeks Sketchy Thursday sketch.
I've added the sketch above if you fancy joining in too.

I've used my new Maya Road Mist spray twice now and LOVE it so much. It came in this months Cocoa Daisy Kit. I prefer it to the Tattered Angels sprays. I think I may need to add some to my birthday list.

I've also added some stickels glitz to the LO to give it that Disney sparkle. And 'YES' that T-Shirt suits him so so well.

Hope you have a good day xxx

My Latest DT Announcement

Whilst I was on holiday, I received an email from Karen at Butterfly Crafts to say that I'd been picked to join their Spring DT. I was so excited : ) Espcially as a couple of friends made the DT too. Emma, Fabi and Tracy-Lihanne. So well done to you girls too x
A sketch has just been launched today if you fancy taking a look or playing along.
Just click here to see

This is what I did with the sketch.

This photo was taken as Hollie and I came out of the loos in Magic Kingdom.
To find the boys yet again waiting for us, map in hand.

I did most of this LO infront of the tv, that's why there's so much stitching. It was so easy to do and I couldn't be bothered to get up and find anything else to put on it, so I just carried on sewing.

Glorious weather today, yay! Off to pick up the kids in a moment on foot. I'm sure they will be so pleased about that : )

We are back.
We got back Thursday and have been busy since. Unpacking, school and yesterday we had a full day out at my Sister's and Mum's.
I thought the kids would be cream crackered what with the whole jetlag thing, but after midnight last night they were still pestering.
We all slept until 10am, so today has felt very short.
Managed to get all the homework done, the kids built a lego city and I've baked bread, rhubarb and mazipan muffins, made a big batch of tomato sauce up for pastas and then made meatballs for supper with the most delish cheesy garlic bread using some of the fresh baguettes I made earlier. There's nothing quite like the small of fresh bread.
The kids joined in too and made little knotted loaves for break time at school.
We've even manged to fit in a family game of jungle buzz on the ps2 after tea. Feels like quite alot has been done in this short day.

Kids are now bathed and in bed....I wonder how long for??? Please no repeat of last night.

Since getting back I've been itching to get back into my scrapping. I had lots of Christmas money to spend in Florida and spent it on scrapy stash and my Cocoa Daisy kit arrived the day we got back.
By the way, my friend Sue recommended this store in Orlando Scrappy Boutique. It's the best scrap store I've ever been in. The lady working there was English and so so helpful.

The first LO I made of our trip for the new album was this one.

I didn't mean for it to be of me, the first one but it was a CD SCRAPLIFT which you can see here
And I wanted to use my new kit and this photo went so well.
Some painting and hand stitching.

5 Things I Loved on holiday were:
Reading by the pool, in the sun, with my book, my cuppa tea, whilst the kids played and laughed.
So relaxing.

The second holiday LO.
This is another Cocoa Daisy inspired LO. A prompt created by Sue, to create sections.
I've got my 4 photos blocked together, with my title being another block, then the block of journaling and then the block of embellishments.



The kids were happy playing in the play area and then decided they wanted to paddle in the kiddie pool. No one else was around, it was bliss. But we were going out in a bit, so we said they could as long as they didn't get to wet. What a thing to say!!!

This kiddie pool wasn't heated, so after lots of screaming and splashing in and out they were drenched, but had loads of fun : )

I made some bunting at the top and stitched again. Really loving all this stitching right now.

I seem to be back on the scrappy roll again. I'll post another LO tomorrow.
Hope you had a good weekend xx

Day 9 - Magical Day at Magic Kingdom

Finally, Magic Kingdom in the sun.
We didn't get here until after 3pm and had a wonderful time.
We explored Tom Sawyers Island.

Went on an old fashioned Paddle/Steam Boat (like Huckleberry Finn)

Went on the Thunder Mountain Roller Coaster after dark.

During our supper, Hollie went to town at the Dessert Buffet.

The Wishes firework display was beautiful.
And we thoroughly enjoyed our late supper in the Crystal Palace Restaurant with Pooh Bear and friends.

Day 8 - The Tower of Terror

Day 8, We decided to visit Disneys Hollywood Studios. It was so busy, but it was a sunny day and we managed to get a fastpass for the Tower of Terror.

We ended up finishing the day with the parade. Hollie got pulled in and danced with the Disney Girls (much to her horror and embarresment, just so not the done thing when you are 10 and a half) Can you spot her in these 2 pics ( green t-shirt with white sweater round her waist)

We got in a starwars ride, a stunt show, the biggest cupcakes I've ever seen, a play in a huge kiddies play area and the Tower of Terror ride.



Louis was nervous but wanted to go on the Tower of Terror. We went on the ride which drops you 13 floors whilst you are sat in a lift. You zoom back up several times, the doors fly open at the top and suddenly you fall again,.poor child was completely terrorized, swears never to ride in a lift again.



It's now getting on for 1am. We haven't long gotten back from Magic Ki ngdom. We've had the best afternoon.
I'll share tomorrow : )

Lots of love xxx

Day 7 - Islands of Adventure

This was our day at Islands of Adventure. A Universal Park. It was our favourite park last time and a fave again this time too.

Since watching The Grinch at Christmas the kids have been crazy about him. They really love the Dr Suess stories.
They couldn't wait to meet The Grinch, Louis bought this Grinch hat espcially for this meeting and its hardly left his head since.

The Marvel Super Heroes are always a great part of this park. I love it when the sirens start and the music begins ready for their arrival.

Jurassic park is one of our fave places in this park. Unfortunately though the 2 dinosaur rides were closed though. Louis was so upset.
We did enjoy the big play area here though which involved climbling through these netted tunnels. We only lost the kids once!!



Click the little triangle to view the video.
We are all having a great time and enjoying the sunshine xx

Day 6 - We meet the Simpsons

Day 6 - A morning of shopping and then an afternoon at Universal Studios.


The kids were so excited to meet The Simpsons.



We finished the day with the new Simpsons ride. It was amazing, one of our faves so far.

Louis visits Mexico

Hit the triangle to view this video.
This was in Epcot whilst in Mexico. Makes me laugh.

Day 5 was a more relaxing day.
Ihop for a late breakfast (are you jealous J?)
Then we wandered around Downtown Disney all afternoon in and out of Disney shops.
Finished the day off with a lovely swim at the resort .

Universal is planned today xc

Day 4 - Epcot

We had a great day at Epcot . Here is the first and last photo of the day....a very busy day.

Carry on readi ng down and here are some of our fave pics. xx

Day 4 - Epcot

In Italy. It's so nice having Hollie to take photos too.

Ade and Louis in Canada.

Louis fooling around in Norway with a local troll and then messing around in Mexico.