A little bit of comfort....

Thought I'd share another layout I did whilst we were away. I had to wait until we got home to add the butterflies and I didn't take the stamps away with me. Sorry the photo isn't the best.

This one is about Rosie sucking her thumb, something she does when she is tired or upset.

Think I'm going to have to find a source for those Maya Road pins, I just love them but only have a couple left. The stamp on the photo is Ali Edwards from Technique Tuesday.

The butterflies have been stamped onto patterned paper, cut out and then stamped on the reverse and finally directly onto the background paper.

Thanks for stopping by for a look!

365 #241

This morning I had some time to myself and popped into York to sort a few things out. Whilst there I paid a visit to Duttons for Buttons. I've never been able to go in on my own and have a proper look through all the boxes, but today I did and spent about twenty-five minutes having a mooch. It appears I have expensive tastes even when it comes to buttons. I think I'll be back there another day.

So, that layout then....

Home sweet home, and a chance of getting some better photo's of it.

I wasn't sure about this paper when I first saw it, but having sat for a while staring at it I though it should look like my pin board, so I chose a few photo's of Jamie and some random bits and pieces from a box of embellishments I took on holiday with me and just stuck them on.

I decided to include that gorgeous Melissa Frances frame from scrapagogo, by using it to frame a scrap of paper that I liked, so now you know what I've done with it. I also adore that tiny key from 7 gypsies from the IM kit. Think they go really well together on the page.

Thanks for looking.

365 #239

I just loved the colour and shape so got down on my knees for this one.

365 #238

Just outside our patio door was a beautiful Honeysuckle.

365 #237

And it looks like they had a nibble here as well!

365 #236

The red squirrels may have stayed well away from me, but each evening we did have rabbits munching outside the door.

365 #233

I'm back and I'm now going to start playing catch up with some 365 photo's.

I love little feet and when Mummy was running round like a loon last Friday, Daddy was chatting with Rosie. As I walked by I saw this and then made a mad dash for my camera to get of a shot of her sitting on her feet. I realised afterwards it was over exposed but somehow that seems to add to the shot (and detract from the grotty yet to be vacuumed carpet).

A little holiday scrapping

Good morning all. I'm still on holiday, but you may well notice that that hasn't meant I haven't been around in the old tinterweb.

I have my tote with me, packed to the brim. It's soooo heavy, but I still don't have everything with me that I want, or rather need. I've decided to post a sneak peek of a layout that I have managed to finish while here though. It's only a peek as the light has been terrible and I can't manage a decent photo of the full thing just yet, but I will post it later on.

I've used a mixture of embellishments from Scrapagogo's August kit and Indigo Mill's Mischief & Mayhem kit with a little Jenni Bowlin and some pearls.

Right - better get on with the business of being on holiday before it's time to come home again!

Thanks for looking!!

365 #232

Along side my currently flagging 365 project, I'm doing my best to remember to take shots of the kids on or around their birthday date, so 18th for Jamie and 20th for Rosie. I've just had a little photo shoot with them. Only managed 108 shots, and as we all know it can take a lot more than that to get a good one, especially when they are only 2 and 4 years old, but I love this one of Jamie so it's my photo of the day.

365 #231

Yesterday I went and sat in the garden with my camera in the hopes of catching some shots of butterflies. It was extremely frustrating, and I'm not sure I used the best lens for it, it does remind me of how much I want a macro lens. I didn't manage many shots, but was pleasantly surprised when I found this one amongst them.

Where'd the week go....

Firstly, an apology for my absence. Life has been getting in the way of blogging, and 365ing for that matter. I've been the family chauffeur recently as Chris is currently on crutches. So a few days of him working from home (which stops me getting to the computer...and guilt that I'm not doing household duties if I use the laptop - which died last night btw), and a few days taking him to work, the doctors or physio. Don't get me wrong, I can see how much pain he is in and I'd rather do that than have him make his injury worse. He's badly pulled a tendon in his foot, and as chief ironer in this house it means that it's not being done unless I do it. I hate ironing. Enough said I think - same t-shirt again then....

I have managed to spend some time painting some more canvas though for another project, and making these little flowers from some scraps of patterned paper I have in a bag at the side of my desk. I've done a quick tutorial for them over on The Mill Pond, the new Indigo Mill blog. Feel free to pop over and take a look.

You'll also notice that I have added a list of fellow DT'ers to my side bar. Take a wander around them, these ladies produce some lovely work. I feel a little shocked that I was chosen when I look at them. Maybe Steph will realise and change her mind. LOL.

Well, I need to be getting on with "stuff" as we're on holiday next week and I have a ton of things to sort out between now and then. Where does the time go?!

I've made a start....

I just couldn't leave those lovely Caludine Hellmuth products alone any longer. I've played, just a little bit,and loved. They are just beautiful, really creamy and good vibrant colours. I decided to paint and stamp a piece of the sticky back canvas to use on the cover of my Learn Something New mini book.

I haven't added the title to the book yet as I haven't got as far as deciding how I want to do that. I have about five idea's running through my head at the moment, but I'm ready for the class to start though as I have now cut all the pages.

TFL!

365 #227

This afternoon, with a little help from the kids, we made lemon and raspberry muffins. Not sure if the left over mixture in the bowl, or the final muffin went down best with the kids. Suffice to say they loved both.

365 #226

Although my scrapagogo kit landed yesterday I have only had chance to have a good look at it today. Much to my surprise this frame from Melissa Frances is my favourite piece this month. I was dying to get my hands on the keys, but fell for this little beauty when I saw it. I wonder if it will ever get used or if it will stay forever something to stroke...

365 #225

I've gone and done it now - spent a small fortune on more stuff "to try!" I do have plans for this lot though, problem is I just couldn't wait to get hold of them. I doubt I'll get chance to have a proper play with them before we go on holiday. I'm supposed to be being strict with myself and getting unfinished projects out of the way first. That's the theory anyway.

365 #224

On Wednesday the kids and I went off to the McArthur Glen outlet. I went looking for a new teapot, I came back with brads. Now how exactly does that happen. Well, I didn't see a teapot I wanted and I went into the Papermill. Embroidered brads from MME. Oh - just too nice. I picked up a couple of other things as well as you got 10 sheets of 12x12 cardstock free if you spent £10 on MME products. As we crafters are fond of saying - it would have been rude not to!

A very quick "Toot toot"!!!

Look - over there - a new box "I design for..." wow. I've never applied for a DT place before, so you may guess that I am super excited to have been offered a place on the Indigo Mill Design Team. I don't normally toot myself, but I just had to share the news with you. I'll be linking up to all the other talented ladies on the DT on my blog later on today, but you can find a list of everyone on the Indigo Mill blog.

Right, fun bit over, back to the housework for a while anyway. Well, as long as my urge to hop holds off. LOL. Better get the vacuum cleaner out pronto then!

WOYW errmmm, Tuesday?

Are you impressed? Apart from the fact that it's Tuesday! I'll be busy tomorrow so getting early! A tidy desk - again. I'm trying to get into the habit of tidying up when I'm done. Last night I worked on my New York mini book and before I went to bed I cleared all the bits away! Woooooo - get me! LOL.

So, this is the next mini book I'm going to work on. I plan to use it for Learn Something New which starts in September. It's a Maya Road book with chipboard tab pages and envelopes. I'm waiting for some kraft cardstock to come and will use the chipboard as a template to make more pages. Not sure what the class entails yet as it's my first year, but I've decided to keep it small anyway. Hope I don't change my mind.

365 #221

After spending the day looking after a sick Rosie and all that came with that, it was lovely when they were tucked up in bed and I dug out an unfinished project. In September 2008 Chris & I went to New York for a few days and as you can imagine came back with one or two photo's. Luckily (or not) I didn't have my canon at the time. Anyway, I've had the this book ready to go and photo's printed off for months, so last night I sat down and just got on with it. It's not quite finished but it's a lot closer than it was.

The blank book is a 7 Gypsies one and I've distressed the pages and stamped on them. 99.9% of the journaling is handwritten. Pockets in the book hold extra maps, tourist guides and tickets from the trip.

365 #220

Finally we have collection bins for garden waste! Hurrah. With the weather having taken a turn for the better we actually out in the garden on Saturday for mowing and dead-heading and a small amount of tidying up ready for the collection on Monday.

365 #219

Ummmmm, chocolate cake. This evening I finally made a lovely sticky moist chocolate cake. It has to cool in the tin and is best eaten the following day. Roll on Saturday!

365 #218

Ah, bath time. That fun moment when the kids try to turn our bathroom into a small swimming pool, then complain if the slip on the floor when getting out. Sometime you just can't win, all I know is bath time uses a LOT of towels in our house.

365 #217 combined..

That's to say combined with WOYWW, thereby killing several birds with one stone. So here is my desk today. Note that it must be tidy (for me anyway) as I can see and easily get to what I am using.

The results of what's on my desk... I'm making Jamie's Thank You cards, finally. I've used October Afternoon stamps, bazzill cardstock, thread, distress ink and a punch. Sounded so simple but they are taking me ages with all those holes and stitching to do. I was just going to add a button to the top, but no, I had to stitch. Still, I always get a nice feeling when I'm done.

That journal tag

In the previous "happy" post I've had a couple of you ask where it's from, well, it was in a scrapagogo kit, but Lorraine tells me its a Colorbok Lucky You journal form.

I really hope that helps.

Happy...

With both the kids off at nursery and me on strike regarding the housework (just for the morning sadly) I had chance to scrap again. I've had this photo of Jamie and Rosie sat on my desk for a couple of weeks. This morning I had a stash delivery containing some BasicGrey Lime Rickey glazed brads, and I knew I wanted to use them with this photo.

Just wish we had better light today to take a photo of it. Ah well.

Thanks for looking!

365 #215

Books. How do you read yours?

In my case either quickly or I take forever... This is my current read, and has been for a couple of months. I get tired, or distracted by other things and they end up sitting on my bedside table looking longingly at me, waiting to be pick up and enjoyed. It's not even the case that I don't enjoy reading this one, Tall Stories, (an omnibus edition containing "Expecting someone taller" & "Ye Gods!") by Tom Holt. I love it and it is has become part of my light therapy. Each morning I now spend my twenty minute light therapy session reading. I'm finding it a nice way to start the day. Oh - and for those of you interested - yep, it's working already. I no longer feel ready to crawl into bed during the day.

365 #214

Sunday - it could have been better. After spending the best part of the day with a woman I am not exactly fond of , I was in need of a crafting fix. Too tired to scrap I opted for pawing through the September issue of Scrapbook Trends. As you can see it now has a collection of sticky notes attached to it. I'm generally not one for sketches or scrap lifting, so what I did (chocolate mini roll in hand) was go through it and highlight elements on pages or subject idea's that I liked and could envisage using in my own work.

Circle Journal sneak peek time....

Ahh, that time of month when the journals start to wing their way around the country. This month I had Christina's to do (Corrina on UKS). Her theme is Made With Love. As always I am stumped for ideas, then wham - one pops into my head and away I go. Last night was my "Pop" moment, and at 11:00pm it was finished. Just in time as it's posting day tomorrow!

As this is a Made with Love journal, I'd added a little extra something for Christina, which I hope she likes. It's all wrapped up to protect it until our journals all come home in November.

Thanks for looking!

365 #213

Off we went, in the pouring rain to pick up a package from the post office. My new moo cards, and as the wrapper say - I was very excited. I just love these little cards which I have had printed for a new venture I'm going to try. More about that another time though as there are still things that need to be in place first.