Design Recollections

Easter this year saw no rain so the egg hunt was on! I tend to make paper eggs for all the nearby kids to find, each their own colour and a suitable number for their age. When all are found they are exchange for a chocolate version, works well and keeps them hunting for a while This layout is from Easter Sunday when they found bonus eggs hidden by my firend, oh the delight!

This was a cyber crop sketch by Lousette, a most inspirational scrapper! Thanks Lou x

These papers, ribbon and rubons are Mommy & Me from Prima, known as ’scary busy’ but most cute

Happy National Scrapbooking day one and all. 

This layout was a class by Anna Bowis at ATDML and here am I with one of my favourite Scrappers, Donna Downy. She was as cool in real life as I imagined and I did all her classes at the Scrap-A-Ganza in Stratford. I only went because she was there teaching and although not my favourite scrapping event, my friends, Donna and a certain Mr Pickle made the weekend

Anyway, I did very much enjoy this class with Anna, even though she was very poorly on the day. Thanks Anna, lovely class. (This layout still needs a title though :lol:)

The Ribbonrie is giving a FREE Ribbon goodie bag to all who place orders from today until Sunday to celebrate NSD. There is a lot on re-stocks and new stock landing over the next week so don’t miss out and you can follow all the Ribbonrie news now on Twitter.  If you sign up to follow on Twitter, leave a comment here or Tweet the Ribbonrie and you can have a goodie bag too I will be in touch.

Hope you get to Scrap today,

Until later xx….

40 today!

 

 

I really hope you enjoy the day (week) and all that lies in store, love you xx

Until later xx …..

 

Supplies: Stampin’ Up! Swirling Stars Roller, In the Stars Stamp Set, Taken with Teal and So Saffron Cardstock.

 

This was Debbie Jewells class at ATDML retreat last month. I promised him  indoors that I would scrap the ‘one’ picture of me in Florida last summer hahah! Same old….too much behind the camera and not enough in front! 

Anyway, this class was great. I had already used a set of these papers on the pencil lines sketch challenge layout but hey, that is life! We cut the border off the circular paper and then sewed around 3/4 of it and pulled very gently to get a ruffle not easy with paper I tell you.

A little patience and we all got there in the end. I splurged out on the gorgeous Prima flower stem seen it was one of the very few layouts I am actually in Well, that is my excuse and I am sticking to it. (Lets not talk of the 2nd one I bought :o) Click the images for a closer view, I love the flower stem a lot!

Thanks Debbie for a fab class

All a little mad here today as lots of running around was done buying 40th decorations etc for Andrews party this coming weekend. He got back from work tonight and its all hidden away for now heehee! My youngest daughter left for a 5 day trip with school to an activities centre so it was most quiet without today  School back tomorrow which saddens me, I like the school hols. Still this last term is a short one whoohoo! I have lots of new stock arriving for the Ribbonrie this week, not the best of timing given what scheduled already but my lovely shop needs attention and its going to get it so watch this space .

 

So much to do as always.

Until later xx…..

My DS is 16 today (pics later) so Happy Birthday James

When I ask Nicholas to pull a sad face for me this is what I get. When I ask him to smile, he grumps! Go figure!!

 

A simple layout using the challenge kit at the ATDML Retreat a few weeks ago. I took things so eay during the retreat and mainly was easing myself back into scrapping. I was sure I had left my mojo on a previous visit

 

Until later xxx

14 today!

I do so like Annie Hefferman and was delighted she was teaching at ATDML. I wish I had broken my rule and done her 2nd class though Last March I did a class with her and loved that, its here.

This time we got to play with BG Marrakech and I was sold! I had taken this lovely picture of my eldest girl from our Florida holiday last year, I thought it just right and that turned out to be true, hoorah!

We pottered around layering up the purty papers and I was so content just to sit there and carbon copy the layout LOL! I added my own touches and changes here and there but more or less this is it. I love not having to think sometimes Makes me very happy!

 

Thanks Annie for a great class and thee most amazing chocolate Brownies!! I think all teachers should implement this as a RULE in all scrappy classes

Until later xx ….

Well I am almost recovered from a fantastic weekend at the ‘A Trip Down Memory Lane’ retreat. It was fantastic in every way, organisation, classes, shop and wonderful company. 

I stuck to my plan of only doing 5 classes, 1 Friday, 2 Saturday and Sunday and that way I planned to bring home all 5 complete and guess what?…………It worked! I also got a few challenges in, something I never do or if I do I stick them away without entering them This time I was so chilled and enjoyed just pottering without pressure and searching for my Mojo that was left there last November! 

Mel & Gill are just fantastic hosts and really go a way to make everyone welcome and comfortable, love you guys!

This layout I did from the Pencil Lines sketch given to us as a challenge. These photographs of my daughter were taken just the week before as she walked the cat walk at her Guide Company fashion show fundraiser for Camfed. She was so thrilled and excited, such a BIG deal to her. It was a true scrapping ‘moment’, even if it was tough to catch any decent shots lol! It was a great success and I was very proud of her.

 

Supplies: Papers -My Little Shoebox (ATDML), Lace (Ribbonrie) Thickers (ATDML)

Until later xx…..

  This is one of the early shots of my Great Niece Leah. It was sometime after before I discovered that she had my name (and her Gran’s more to the point) as her middle name. I thought that a most cool name but of course I would :lol: 

Today Leah and Chelsea continue to thrive. Chelsea has her ups and downs but is a great Mum and I and all her family are very proud of her.  For one so young so is doing really brilliantly. I need to be getting my butt over there and get some up to date pictures of her myself.

  These papers are Making Memories Noteworthy with Prima Whispers flowers among others. Some of my favourite staples.

Until later xx ….

My friend Clare sent me some Laura Ashley stamps and papers an AGE ago! The shame is they sat there teasing me for months before I finally got around to doing something with them. This cards is one of those efforts. Not sure if that in the long run they are 100% me but they are lovely and suits some people specific projects. They were fun to try in any case.

Thank thee Ginger one

Until later xx

This cute boy of mine was snapped on our Florida Holiday last year and its my favourite picture of them all! He either won’t pose at all for me or I get this cheeky look

This was a kit from Scenic Route and was Tracie Hudson’s class at last November’s ATDML retreat. I never got to do the class but the lovely Jill sent it and all the others I missed so I could at least have a go at home. I never saw the original class example from Tracie but I more or less got it following the paper circles as my guide LOL!

I love the colours of the paper from the collection and the add ons was really cool, especially the rubons.

Cheers Tracie

Until later xx…

Its been a long and tough ole ride getting to the end of March but here we are! Things have settled in many of the roller coaster areas of life and I think the whole family are the better for that.

Mum is still settling into her new home, giving them some hell but hey there is nothing new there

I am preparing to go to ATDML retreat next weekend…YEAH! Last one in November was rudely interupted by Mother collapsing and the 5 months since have been…well……they were what they were..

But now I move on and to kick start by abandoned craft projects and find my missing mojo (I am sure I left it at ATDML last time) I am raring to go I have booked in for some cool classes and I can’t wait to catch up with some good friends and maybe make a few new ones too.

All that has really been created around here this year are a few layouts and a doz cards Not like me at all and I miss it so I am hoping for great things (too much I suspect) over the weeks ahead. The card above uses some fab new clear stamps from Hero Arts, I love these Japanese girls and I got to play with my H2O’s and stickles, always a good thing! I have several unopened new stamp sets to play with so no excuses lol!

I also signed up as an independent demonstrator for Stampin’ Up! I wanted to do this when they landed in the UK but didn’t and well now I am and that will kick start all the other delayed plans for classes and crops FAB! I will blog separately for Stampin’ Up! and all related chatter and you can find that link on the right “Stampin’ Up!  & On is its name. Opens April 1st (no joke lol)

So…much to do…much to create…much to tell so……missed this!

Until later xxx

Its the 2nd March!!!

I am alive, I am ok, working out the snags of the new ‘norm’ that is life, back soon

 

Until later xx……….

 

Hello world….anyone there?

It has been some time since my last post and in fact a long time since I felt able to say anything that was not a bit doom and gloom!
Let me start by saying a very belated Happy New Year, I do hope this year is good for all. 

On the home front all is ok. Kids back to school and settled and my little one back in Nursery and much the happier for it (long story) Moving him was the right thing to do and we have no regrets. He trots out happily each morning and we do some home schooling in the afternoon and he loves it and is making great progress.

Eldest son seems to have had reasonable preliminary exams results so its heads down and hard work for the BIG ones from here. He is a tough nut to keep in check but we are trying. I have my whippin stick at the ready

The girls are well too, youngest daughter is now 12 (wow) but still as young and daft as ever LOL! She has a lot to look forward to as she heads into this term, I hope everything works well for her. Eldest daughter is still working hard at school but oh boy is she a stroppy teen!! Does not take much to turn her face into a lemon I assure you.

On the paper craft front not much really happened in the last quarter of last year. All my time was taken up with Children and trying to sort things as well as visit my Mum who is still in hospital. I am in the process of trying to get her moved near me and have made some progress this week with that. Fingers crossed that she is moved soon and my endless long journey’s can end. She is much improved in so many ways but in others is much worse and requires 24 hour care. I was going to take on her care until the last set of issues meant she needed care through the night as well as during the day and that was the rock I perished on. I can do many things but I can’t be on call 24 hours a day every day. I still have a husband who works away half the time and 4 children to care for, super woman I may wish to be but certainly am not.

So as we do the best we can with what we have I am trying to find a way back to ‘normal’, whatever that is. I have scrapped some time aside from sorting all that I must to play with a little paper for some much needed therapy. I have made a pledge to myself to get this years Christmas cards done before the spring and I have made great headway with that.

I even found myself scrapping!! What a shocker eh? Loved those few hours and fully intended to get back to the place where that was common place.

I still have a small business to run although I will admit to not pushing it at the moment as time just does not allow for anymore work but that will all change as soon as Mum is settled near by and I have my rhythm back…

Wish me luck…

Until later and not to long one hopes xx