Shimelle's sketch of the week

Here's what I did with Shimelle's sketch from last week.I used Jenni Bowlin Coredinations for the background and some Girl's Paperie papers and embellishments

This is an older photo that I have scrapped before but I love it - it was taken a while after my mum died and I'd been feeling really sad and down in the dumps- but as always -they made me giggle and laugh and it did me a lot of good- a really special memory for me that I wanted to use again with a bigger photo.

Sunday scrapping

I had a really nice day yesterday - although  I really missed my usual scrapping buddies Deb and Jane. I went to the Craftystash crop about 15-20 mins away.We used the Echo Park For the Record range of papers and the layouts were designed by Tracie Hudson.
I managed two layouts and did another one last night.

I love cutting out,so this one was right up my street as I could sit and snip to my heart's content cutting lots of flowers and leaves out.I added a few of my own flowers too.

The next one involved a tiny bit more cutting,making the flags and punching the little flowers out.  I really like these papers - they are lovely and bright and happy..

The last one Tracie had used lots of black and white photos - which I didn't have,but then last night when I was looking for a normal sized photo or two to use,I came across a couple of photo collages I'd made in Picasa - so bingo-I cut them up and they worked out well !
The time went really quickly and I managed two layouts in class-might be something to do with the fact that I didn't chat lots like I normally do when Deb and Jane are with me !

All together

It was Grandad's (my Dads) 83rd brithday Tuesday - so we all had a take away chinese at home. It was so nice to have all the boys here together for his birthday.

and I got snuck up on while I was having a sneaky snuggle on the sofa ....

I'd forgotten that I'm not the only one who sneaks up with the camera when the boys are around.

Then,suddenly and for no reason at all on Wednesday evening - our broadband went kaputt..After me spending nearly all evening trying everything I knew - I received a text message from O2 to say there was a line fault and they were dealing with it.How annoying is that when you haven't got the internet? We were all lost !!

So with the spare time I managed a couple of layouts...

This was using the latest Jenni Bowlin kit...It's Jane and me at Eclectic Keepsakes crop munching one of Karen's yummy cakes..

and this one is using some of the gorgeous yummy Girl's Paperie papers and embellishments and is of Deb and me taken one year apart, look at our changing hairstyles! I wanted to call it something like 'changing hair ' but I just couldn't for the life of me think of a good title-so it ended up being Good Times !
I'm writing this in my lunch hour and it's time for me to whizz back to work now, have a nice Friday,I'll catch up visiting blogs later .

A Royal Invitation

Well, how excited was I when grandad phoned me at work the other day to say he had received a very nice letter in the mail that morning.
Off I went home in the evening and there it was- my garden party invite. So I am now officially going to London to have (sort of ) tea with the Queen...well, at Buckingham Palace - in the garden with the Queen present !

Cue excited little noises and photo with my pathetic attempts of concealing my address - but you get the drift!

I agree with Ruth when she said on her blog the other day that there must be something in the air as she had scrapped up a storm last week. I've done quite a few little layouts too. Probably because I have a few photos from Somerset to use and also some of the gorgeous Bo Bunny Gabrielle range ( you might remember I was given them last month to use by the ladies at ATDML when they asked me to be a guest designer for them - shown on this post. I absolutely loved these papers and after I'd used the ones they sent, I bought the whole collection !

Anyway, I used one the other night to scrap a photo of Grandad in Somerset...
Right then, time to away to have a shower,we are off out to dinner at our friends house so enjoy your evening whatever you are up to ..

Silly Faces

I wasn't going to scrap this photo as my two had to go and spoil it by being silly and pulling faces but I figured it's what they are like most of the time when Mum gets her camera out, so why not make a layout anyway..
We only had two of them here on this particular day over Christmas but we did have some of the other members of the family together with two of the girlfriends- and the dog of course !
I used the May Gottacraft kit and just added a few of my own buttons,a bit of orange ribbon and a couple of vintagey brads,and a couple of mini roses which I'm liking at the moment.

I'm sitting here in the armchair with the laptop on my lap and in the background on TV is 'Made in Chelsea',I find it quite watchable in a weird funny sort of way - anyone else watching it?

Eclectic Keepsakes Crop

What on earth has been happening with Blogger this week??
I've been trying to get on and comment on blogs and post but keep getting various messages saying 'Blogger not available ' or lots of gobbledeygook. It's also chewed up a post I made and wiped all my comments...
Let's hope this one works...I'm not sure if I'm up to date on people's latest posts - so don't think I'm abandining you if  I haven't commeneted- I'm just not sure it's taking me to your latest posts...

Anyway it was the monthly crop at Eclectic Keepsakes yesterday .We had a lovely morning as always doing our own thing,I did a page with the boys together..I used a new Glitz paper together with some leftover Sassafrass stickers and some old letters I've had for ages.Karen made some yummy cakes as always.

She made some blueberry ones and pinepaple ones with lovely glittery icing and a bonbon on top.It was nice to spend the day with Deb and Jane too.
Then in the afternoon it was time for Karen C's class.

The brief for the layout was to have two black and white and one colour photo - which I hadn't  managed to get ready (not that DEB teased me much about it !)

Anyway, I used three colour photos of the boys which I thought looked ok in the end!

It was a lovely class and a great time was had by all .. Loved the cutting out- and did manage the sewing after pricking my finger-making it bleed  and going over the edge in the first seconds of doing the sewing! - much to the other's amusement !! Such a good job that Deb had some plasters with her ..

4 x 6 Photo Love

I'm usually quite quick to make a layout for Shimelle's Photo Love each month, I've been meaning to sit myself down and really watch her video for this month's using four photos,so I sat and watched it over the weekend - then I knew how to do the little hidden journalling bit..I really like the concept of this one.
 I've got lots of Somerset photos - and these four just seemed right to use - although I do want to do a separate album just for Somerset photos and a separate album for 4 x 6 Photo Love layouts.
I'm waffling on a bit here aren't I ? !!!

This really was the most beautiful setting to have tea and cake in.As you walk round the garden there is a little stream wending it's way down the hill with a bridge over it and a little bank leading to a wood. It really is the sort of place where you could believe fairies live.:-)

Anyway- middle son is off on holiday tomorrow so there are cameras charging,phones charging, ipods charging,trainers everywhere,case being weighed every five minutes - the dog knows something is going on -he's sulking in his basket !

Scrapping our Skype meeting

A little while ago- one Sunday afternoon,some of us in blogland got together for a chat on Skype.
We had all arranged to be at our laptops/computers at a certain time all courtesy of Deb Turtle ( I always feel weird calling her that, but her blog name is Paperturtle and I suppose we recognise who it is by saying that!) Anyway,I digress- Deb-from Deb's world and a friend of mine who lives not too far away - just to confuse the issue - came over to mine and we got ready in front of the laptop. We had a lovely couple of hours just catching up and generally chatting and I've at last done a layout to keep as a memento of it..I used some more of the papers and cardstcok and bits from the Gottacraft kit again..

Journalling reads .....

On the screen from left to right is Deb and her daughter Carrie ,then Ruth,then Rhona.Next row down is Mel and Karen .Then at the bottom is myself  and Deb..

I must say- after a few tiny little teething troubles it all went very well !

Hope we can do it again soon

Gottacraft and flower overload

As it was National Scrapbooking Day yesterday and I was home alone last night -rather than tidy up and do chores I decided I should celebrate the day by doing some scrapping...
Two or three times a year we get together with my cousin and his wife for a curry or a meal out somewhere,normally to celebrate our birthdays which are a day apart and Christmas.
We always end up having a really cheery time as he is naturally funny and makes us laugh constantly.Good for the soul..
I've had this photo of his wife and me from last November but hadn't got round to scrapping it.
I also hadn't broken into the latest Gottacraft kit either - so when I saw the lovely red polka dot paper,I knew just the photo!

The only thing is - I think I might have gone a bit overboard on the little flowers!
I've got a little (huge really) stash of vintagey lace and beads and buttony things and raided that too.I never think to use little flowers on layouts but thought they might look ok for a change.It was one of those- I'll just add another one times !

Do any of you scrap photos more than once? I've got a really good one of the four of us that I did a layout with a few years back when I first started scrapbooking and I really feel like doing another one with newer papers and bits- there are such lovely papers and bits around lately aren't there?
Right then, time for me to get going -shopping calls and then I might just do some more crafty stuff.
Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

Den's Pamper Parlour....

If you love dogs or have a dog, this might make you smile ...

Nearly Friday already

I've had one of those 'not done any scrapping or anything' weeks this week.Since I got back from Somerset I've not done one single crafty thing.
Do you ever get times like that? You go along on a really even keel doing lots and really being in the swing of it - then something comes along and kind of breaks the momentum and you lose it for a while and can't get back into it easily?
There seems to have been plenty going on around here - youngest son's birthday on Monday- we went down to see him at Uni for the day, took him for lunch and did some shopping.
Anyway, I had a little play with 'Phototinks' tonight just to get back in the swing of it and did a couple of their
quickie - digi layouts.

Still,I have got  May with May's class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking to get me scrapping now -anyone else doing that ?