My latest projects :)

So, here are my most recent layouts.

Candy Girls is using Scrapagogo kit - I love it but need to really get stuck into it. Not keen on this LO at all!

You and..... well I think I need to add an I.  This was Ifa's first class.

Wow I did this one ages ago! Scrapagogo again :)

I think this one is a Sketchy Thursdays sketch.  Scrapagogo again...

And again......

 Oh and one more time!

 Hmmm this will be Gogo again.  Sketch by Sketchy Thursdays I think.  Need to get around to adding a bow of twine around my bunting.

 Ifa's second class. Love this one.  Look how little paper paper we used!

Thanks for looking :)

Let's not dwell....

...on the fact that I haven't blogged for almost two months.  There's no point me apologising, since it's my prerogative to blog or not to blog, and listing the reasons why would just bore you.  Let's just say I'm in a phase of my life where scrapping and blogging come a long way down the list of my priorities.  Sad, but true.

So, since I last popped on here to say hello, alot and not alot has happened.

We survived the remainder of the summer holidays and continued to have a whole heap of fun.  Including such things as a Bank Holiday picnic in the park, where it rained, but we continued to sit, as only us Brits do, in the raining, cold, wet and yet still persisting with our picnic.

We extended our little family a little more, and welcomed Galaxy and Orbit into our lives.  We love them more than we thought possible, and think our family is now finally complete :)

Bella started school and looked super-cute in her uniform.  She didn't settle at first, I'm guessing because she found it hard to be one of 23, rather than the whole universe revolving around her.  She's settled now though and loves school, and is already reading little words!

Jon took me to see Madam Butterfly at our local theatre, a show I've been wanting to see for ages.  Lisa and Ralph arrived, and we went to a wedding, all in one weekend.

I went back to work and am now working pretty much full-time.

We have started looking at new schools for Cam and feel very confused about it all.

Half-term soon came around, and we spent a lovely week relaxing, walking, playing, swimming.

Then we went to Centerparcs and had a wonderful time there.

In amongst all this Maddie left gymnastics, joined Brownies, went on a Brownie Camp, left Brownies and re-joined Gymnastics.  We had a day at the river, a day at the sea, a day by the lake and some days in the garden with a slide and paddling pool.  Cam started rugby and made the first team. Jon got down on one knee and proposed another ten years with me and presented me with a beautiful ring. That reminds me, we celebrated our tenth weddng anniversary.  My baby brother turned 18.

I had a sad couple of weeks but know that life goes on.  News came which put our money worries and cold house/dead boiler into perspective.

We had Halloween parties, Parent's Evenings, trips to the cinema, some meals out, some poker, various social evenings,

Last weekend we had our bi-annual Cropaganza, this time with Ifa Zainon teaching us three lovely classes, and we had a great day.

Today I went to a cupcake decorating workshop with Deb and Julie where we had a lot of fun, but have not left as Cupcake Connoisseurs.

Very little scrapping has been done, and my stash is piling up.  Life is hectic and busy but I'm hoping to get back to it soon.

I'll leave you with these family pics, and tomorrow will upload some layouts that I've done over the past two months.

Feeling the love baby!

Oh yeah, I'm feeling it!
Now that my children are all wrapped up in their new Spy Club (named MIC), they are happily plotting and playing during the evenings (yes I know now I've said that, that'll be the end of it!), and so wine in hand, TV on, I've spent yet another evening scrapping.  Go me!

Not only that, I've also been in and out of my room, digging out little bits and bobs I've recently rediscovered, and really forced myself to take a little more time, and not just use what happens to be in the box.

And yes, the mists are well and truly being used up. I know.  But I did tell you that these Maya Mists are fantastic, didn't I? So to prove my point I went and bought another four shades.

So my first LO is Daydream.  A photo of a rare moment of Bella sitting still and being quiet.  I wonder what she was thinking about..... I've used a Tattered Angels Chipboard shape as a mask, and then rubbed a little ink on my finger and over the chipboard to pick out the embossed design.

I've used a rub-on frame here too, which I've had for well over two years!

My second LO is Funny Face.  Yes, those mists have been at it again. I decided to go for a theme of circles and turned my punched circles over to use as circles. Couple of rub-ons again! I also thought, what's the point of chucking that piece of paper which I've punched from? I think it looks quite cool!

Oh, and sketches? What sketches!

Thanks for stopping by!

I've remembered that I love scrapping.....

Recently I have contemplated giving up scrapping.... I mean, the pressure of knowing I have all those kits backed up and all that stash, sometimes it's just too much for me, and knowing that I'm not going to get more free time anytime soon, I had actually thought about giving up.
But this week I've powered on through, I did a couple of layouts without using a sketch, and last night I managed a LO while the kids were actually up and awake, and then this morning I had the adrenaline rush of opening new stash, so I've decided, i'll stick with it a while longer......

From September I'll be working five days a week, which will really cut into my time, but I'm good at juggling, i'll just have to juggle some more.  I'd really appreciate you all spurring me on though!

So, here are my latest layouts.

So the first one, "splash and run", well I know that was a sketch but apologies I can't remember whose.  It never ceases to amuse me how kids just want to chase the waves but then run away and scream.  And they can do this over and again, and it continues to happen!

This next one, about Cam, was done without using a sketch!!! Go me!!!  Having recently tidied up my craft room, I found some bits and pieces i'd forgotten about and this inspired me to have a dig around and not just use what's in the kit.  I love this lo.  I love doing boy layouts and love using black.  Like my bubble wrap stamp?  Some of you might not understand this LO, but believe me, Cam is a different boy from a while ago, and truly Jon and I never thought he'd get to where he is now.  We love him so much.

This next layout, "the drop" was done with the Sketchy Thursdays sketch.  Cam and Maddie think that there is a big "drop" in the sea where it goes from shallow to deep, and they spent every day of their holiday inching closer and closer to the drop.... You may know how fixated Cam can be, and this was his fixation for the two weeks we were on holiday.  Lol.  Again, I've used some bits and pieces not in my kit and this has really helped me get back into enjoying scrapping.

This layout here, is all about Maddie at this point in time. She needs to fill in the journaling prompts.  I think this was a Sketchy Thursday sketch too.

I love this photo of Jon and Bella.  They have a real connection. Funny how people can just get a real bond.  This was another of my non-sketch layouts, which feels like a real achievement and is just another way to help me feel like i've got back into it.  I've used the packaging of one of the kit items on here, and dug out my rub-ons too - which I have a box-full of, but never use!

Finally, this layout of Jon.  Again, no sketch. I love this photo of him, he looks so handsome.  Jon is not happy with my journaling on this, so I added the little sticker at the bottom! Basically, I have written that I don't really believe in "soulmates" but that we do ok.  Ok, maybe it's not very romantic.  But we're about to celebrate our tenth anniversary so it's not all bad!

You may notice I've used misting on some of my LOs.  I can't recommend enough the Maya mists.  They are really great, much better than Glimmer Mist.  The paper doens't warp and the colours are really bright and vibrant.  I shall be investing in more colours soon.  And lastly, all LOs are done using Scrapagogo kits.

Thanks for looking!

Told you I'd be back!

So these are my latest layouts.  When it came to it, I only had three to share since two still need finishing.  The first layout here comes from a sketch Lisa did here.  As you know, I'm a huge fan of sketches, and although there's no shame in it, I do wish that these days I could do a LO without relying on a sketch.
All layouts are created using Scrapagogo kits.

Thanks for looking - I'll be back!

Yes it's me, it really really is!!!

I know that far too often I start writing a blog post about how long it's been since I last posted, and how busy I've been and blah blah blah.... And I admit I've been putting off writing this post for a while since I just don't know where to start.  And then I read this post here and thought how her post could almost be mine, and that in fact Sarah's post before inspired me to write a list of everything I've done in the month and somehow maybe I should try and combine the two methods.  And breathe!
So, the reason I haven't been blogging so much is that I've been working a lot, and scrapping less, and doing more (other stuff) and so I have less time for blogging, and also less stuff to blog about.  Well, crafty stuff anyway.

Now, I know I always say this, but the past month has truly been ridiculously busy.  I'll start by doing a quick run-down of the past month's events and then cover some in a little more detail for those family members who may just be a teensy bit interested.

• I spent a weekend in Brighton on a hen weekend.  I had chips on the pier, chilled on the beach, mooched round the shops in peace and enjoyed sending my oldest friend off to get married!
• I went to see Take That - in Amsterdam!
• I was a bridesmaid for my oldest friend.  This was my fourth time as a bridesmaid!
• My girls were also bridesmaids - their first times
• I went for a meal with work colleagues - yummy thai as per usual.
• I met up with my scrappy friends and had lots of cuddles with my new honorary neice Mya.
• My boy went on his first cubs camp
• I had a fantastic afternoon with work colleagues at the staff celebration
• I went on a great photography course with Deb and Kerry and took my camera off manual.
• My baby spent a whole day in big school
• I had a Stampin' Up workshop which of course went on far too late ;) Jon enjoyed this too!
• I went glamping with my girlfriends and our children and had a lovely, if emotional at times, time.
• I had a girly night with the bride in a gorgeous hotel followed by a night with my family in a luxurious suite
• I went to Amsterdam on a four-day mini break and laughed just far too much.
• I caught up with an old friend who I haven't seen for a while, and was pleased to see her life is getting on track
• I caught up with her again and we had a great night out with pints, wine, and a curry
• I slacked off my exercise regime but got back on again and it feels great to be back!
• I finished work for a few weeks, but heard that I will be increasing my hours from September which I'm excited about.
• I did about four layouts and various cards.
• My two children got fantastic school reports.
• We threw away the stabilisers from the smallest bike,
• My son went to the park with his friends on his own - no mummy or daddy!
• The kids took up street dancing - and then it was cancelled after four weeks.

I don't know what the next few months will bring in terms of blogging and scrapping.  Other things in my life are more important at the moment. But in between work, crops, family, kids, friends and exercising, I will try to keep in touch.  But I am often checking out your blogs too. 

Here are a few photos from the past month...

I have a day to myself - well, ish, tomorrow, so I will post again with my latest layouts - I do actually have some to share!

Thanks for stopping by :) (and not forgetting me)

CROP CANCELLED!!!

UNFORTUNATELY THIS MONTH'S CROP IS CANCELLED!!!!!

PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH FOR AUIGUST'S CROP WHICH WILL DEFINTELY BE ON!!!

I AM HAVING A STAMPIN' UP DEMO EVENING ON FRIDAY 15TH JULY FROM 7PM - PLEASE COME ALONG AND TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE LOVELY PROJECTS AND PRODUCTS, PLUS TAKE PART IN DEMO DEB'S CARD CLASS!!! LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME..

XXX