Monday, June 30, 2008

More from the poppy field...



These are two of my favourites from Saturdays visit :) The one of Holly isn't posed..it was windy and her hat was about to blow away! And I had to do a bit of crawling about to get the one of the poppy against the sky! I'm tempted to go back and get some of the poppy heads so that I can scatter the seeds in the front garden for next year!
>

And this is one of the layouts I did yesterday.And yes, it does looks very Anna-ish, I used a photo she gave me! I didn't bother with a title as it's to go in Holly's room.I also did one for Em ,of her & her best friend so I won't be putting that one online.
Tomorrow Em is off to do an IT Masterclass at her future senoir school,she is really excited to have been picked :)

Haven't started on the stash sorting yet...I am the queen of procrastination!!
Excuse the photos being all over the place, they don't look like that when I preview the post!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Scrapping away...

Today was crop day...and guess what - I actually got loads done!I don't know who was more shocked,me Anna or Kerry!Poor Kerry sits next to me and usually has to put up with me shuffling my papers around non-stop and muttering that I don't know what to do;)I came home today with 5 layouts,and a 'thing' done :) Okay, so four of the layouts were 6x12's but that's still an achievment !I've been feeling a bit unsure of my scrapping this week, but then yesterday afternoon when Em had a friend over, she and Holly got my albums out and went went through them all,telling the stories about the pages.And it brought it home how worthwhile it is.Okay, so a lot of my pages aren't about a specific 'memory',and more often or not I just scrap a photo because I like it...as long as the girls enjoy them and I enjoy doing them, that's what is important.
Yesterday I went back to the poppy field with Holly as she wanted to pick some and of course the camera came too.I got a few really nice pictures but they are on the main PC which keeps throwing a hissy fit.The afternoon was spent sitting in the garden while the girls were in the pool:)It's a good excuse for just sitting & relaxing for a while!

And lastly,this is my Pencil Lines layout this week.
I used
October Afternoon & Scenic Route papers
Prima crystals
Scenic Route journalling spots
Heidi Swapp chipboard
Prima flowers
Love Elsie chipboard frame
Hambly overlay

This week I am hopefully going to make a start on sorting my stash out, I am sick of everything falling out of the cupboard everytime I go looking for something!And the fact that I can never find what I'm looking for..wish me luck...

Friday, June 27, 2008

Inspired by Lyzzy...


I am such a copy cat that having seen Lyzzy's gorgeous poppy field photos on her blog earlier in the week,I made Anna drive us there today (it's only 5 mins away so she didn't take much persuading!)so we could take arty photos !The poppies really are breathtaking,it's like standing in a sea of red.


After hitting the poppy field we went into town for a browse around the shops.If you have girls that are into HSM, pop into Claires as they have lots of bargains at the moment!Though Anna was a little puzzled at how she came out of there spending about 5 times as much as I did!
My sweet peas have finally really taken off so I sent Anna home with a bunch:)I don't like cutting them, but I guess you have to,to make them flower more!
Holly came home from Brownies today with her first badge ,her hostess badge :)They have lots going on this term and she seems to be really enjoying it.
Tomorrow Em has a friend coming over for a sleepover ,if the weather is nice Holly wants to go to poppy field and on Sunday it's crop day.As usual I'm not at all organised and will be faffing around with my stuff very late tomorrow night!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

First splash of the season!

Today it was finally warm enough for the girls to go in the pool! Well, I don't think the water was actually that warm, but they were determined to go in!They enjoyed themselves anyway, though Holly's lips were a bit blue when she came out!
Today the man of the house has his birthday, so large (for us anyway!) amounts of alcohol were consumed last night, as we have work tomorrow!This morning we tried to fly the kite he got for Fathers Day ,but it continually nose dived into the ground despite it being mega windy so we gave up and came home!We also squidged in a quick photo shoot,a major achievement as Geoff hates them as I 'take too long' to take the photos -cheek!As he isn't really a cake eater we made a batch of fairy cakes ,iced with candles in :)
This is my Pencil Lines layout this week:) I used Scrap Diary paper,

Prima swirls
MM Delaney journalling paper
MM brads
Doodlebug Loopy Lou aplha stickers
Photots are of Izzy and Holly , who are always happy to pose for us when the cameras come out!

Friday, June 20, 2008

The early bird..


doesn't always get the worm!I thought I'd start early and try and get some of Em's school uniform this afternoon.There is an open evening in a couple of weeks when you can order it all but I thought I'd try and get in first before the other 150 mum's start buying it up.And we came home with...one polo shirt,the only one in the shop -great!So much for beating the rush!But does this mean that unless you buy your uniform at the beginning of term you have no hope of buying it the rest of the year?!
At last there are flowers on my sweet peas! They are no where near as high as last years, but there seem to be lots of buds on them.
We have no major plans for the weekend,just a lazy day on Sunday as it's Geoff's birthday :) His pressie pile is looking a bit small but then he has no idea what he wants other than stuff way out of my price range!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Hmmm


So I've sat down to blog...and I'm not sure I have much to share :( Today I have had the interesting task of shredding paperwork,old bills etc and lessening the piles of junk in the kitchen - fun!At least I'm no longer being hit by things falling off the shelf though, which can only be a good thing!
The printer and PC still aren't talking to each other but hopefully it wll get sorted out tomorrow evening :)
Today I got a new recipe book with some nice things in.At the weekend I need to buy a new flan dish.I did buy one last Sunday but it fell off the drying rack and smashed before I'd had chance to use it - I was not happy!
I've no new layouts to share so here's a pic of the little book I made for Geoff for Fathers Day :)I put his favourite photos of the girls in it and they each wrote on a page for it too.I was going to use different papers, but I have so many scraps and small pieces of Loveland left over that I used some of them up instead.!

These chalk drawings make me smile :)These are Holly's drawings of me & Geoff that she did at the weekend.Oh to have a waist like that in real life!She is in need of lots of cuddles at the moment,it's no fun being seven sometimes :(

Monday, June 16, 2008

Technology hates me...


I was late starting on my PL sketch this week and when I finally chose the photo I wanted to use...the PC decided to fall out with my printer big time :( Geoff must have spent about two hours trying to sort it out,to no avail.Hence why I have no Pencil Lines layout to share this week! The stupid thing is still not working, but hopefully I'll get the layout done once it is.
On Saturday we had the girls school fete.Anna ,Peter & the girls joined us and arrived just in the nick of time to wactch Em in the line dancing display :) Holly & Peter won coconuts,Lilly & Holly had pony rides and they all went down the huge inflatable slide!(The girls that is, not Peter!)After that we headed back to ours (well we did, Anna ended up at John Lewis ;) !)as Anna had some bits and pieces to pick up.The girls bounced a bit more energy off on the trampoline while we sat and chilled!It was a lovely day :)
Yesterday the girls gave Geoff a dragon kite for Fathers Day and the little book I made up for him.They both wrote a message for him in the back of it:)The rest of the day was spent around the house and the pool is now up and ready for some sunshine :) The day finished with a roast and I ate far too many potatoes!

This is the other layout I did with the Scrapping Angels kit, I went a little bit mad with my circle punches!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Fifteen years late..

When we got married nearly 15 years ago, we had the usual things on our wedding present list,one thing being a pair of kitchen scales from Argos. We got given some vouchers to buy them with but they got spent on something else,and we never got round to buying any others.So for the last 15 years I have used a tiny set of Weight Watchers scales to do any measuring (which shows how much cooking I do really!)Today when we were out I saw some rather sweet pink retro weighing scales for a bargain £4.99...so 15 years on, I finally gave decent weighing scales! Yes, I know, very long winded and boring but that's the story behind them!

This is one of the layouts I did with the June Scrapping Angels kit. I'm guessing I will run out of steam soon as I've done more scrapping this week than I have in ages! Yesterday I made up one of Anna's mini books made from one sheet of bazzill,as a pressie for Geoff on Sunday from the girls.I've also done my fathers Day card and the two kit layouts.
Today we made the most of a rare day on our own and went out for lunch at Frankie & Benny's -yum! Following that we had a wander round the shops and had a nose in Aldis.We came home with an inflatable mattress so that Em can have freinds round to stay without Holly being turfed out to her Nan & Grandads so that we can use her mattress!
Tomorrow we have the school fete.We have made cakes, filled jars and donated bottles! Em is manning a stall and doing Line Dancing so hopefully the rain will hold off:)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

On a roll...

..thanks to there being nothing on the TV and Geoff watching dvd's that I don't want to watch,I've spent the last two evenings scrapping in the kitchen :) First off I got a CJ entry done that has been scaring me for ages! In the end I really enjoyed doing it and love the final result.


Last night I sat down and did a layout using the June Scrapping Angels kit.Whilst I like the papers I had not a clue what to do with them! But again, once I got going I ended up with a layout I am really plesased with :) Plus, the benefit of using just a kit is that I make a lot less mess as I'm not rummaging through all my other stash, I have to work with what I'm given! As I can't really show the CJ entry, here's a peep at the layout.The gallery goes live on Friday :) I still have a couple of other bits to make with it too .



I have finally achieved a tiny personal goal today too..not going to say what it is as it'll probably curse it !! But I am happy about it!


Today we received the information pack for Em's new school...it's all becoming very real and a little scary now :( And can you believe they charge to hire a locker for a year?! What's that all about?! I think we are resigning ourselves to the fact that our bank balance will never be the same again..!

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Summer time

and the living is easy! Well, lazy anyway! Decided that as yesterday I didn't sit down all day,I'd make up for it today!
Geoff was working today so I packed us girls a picnic and we went down to the lakes to watch the Race for Life.It is really moving seeing the names on people's backs and though we are lucky enough not to have lost any friends or family to cancer ,the girls have asked if they can take part next year.We won't be running (I don't think I'd make it past the starting line!)but walking.As we live so close, we should be able to get lots of practice!
Once back home we sat and chilled in the garden, Em read, Holly painted and I ..did nothing :)I had planned to do cottage pie for tea but we decided to have a bbq and make the most of the sunshine,so the mince got made into burgers instead!
Here's my Pencil Lines layout for this week :)

I used Making Memories Garden Party paper
Ki Lace cardstock
Prima swirls
Loads of Angel Kiss flowers
Heidi Swapp bling
Queen & Co felt
Pink Paislee letter stickers
Maya Road sheer
Pink Paislee stamps
John Lewis butterfly

I'm sure you're bored now of me putting those butterflies and swirls on everything ,but they are my faves right now!
Both girls are off on school days out this week, Holly to the zoo and Em to see the Tutankhamun exhibition.Blast from the past as my mum & dad took my sister and I years ago when the exhibition was over here...all I remember is that we had to queue for hours to get in!

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Gorgeous Girlyness


I got round to putting the transfer up on Holly's room today :) I decided to wait as the instructions said it was best to put it up with two people,and much as I wanted to do it sooner I didn't want to risk ruining it!

So...ta da! It's a really nice plum colour and though it's not as big as I expected (no, I didn't bother looking at the measurements!) it still looks really nice.The lettering isn't really wonky, I had to take the photo at a strange angle as the room is so small !

We've just been pottering about the house today, clearing more stuff out in the garden,doing a bit of weeding and a whole heap of ironing -what joy!

Tomorrow the weather looks good so we might head down to lakes for a wander (and a photo session !)

I'm a little bit worried about my Pencil Lines layout for tomorrow as Anna's checked if I'd used the same sketch as everyone else !! I didn't think it was that unrecognisable...;) !

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

In Love with Pink Paislee


This company definitely makes my my favourite papers, stamps and letters at the moment!I did this layout at the crop on Sunday ,I love this paper and it went really well with the photos we took last week when Anna was here.I'm not sure about the title on it, but it's done now.
I've been feeling pretty yuck since yesterday but think I'm over the worst now,which is good.
We had our first letter from Em's new school yesterday..hello, welcome and there's a trip away in November ! And so it begins.. They've started planning their year 6 leavers assembly, guaranteed to have us all in floods of tears no doubt!
Tomorrow I am meeting Caz for coffe/ Diet Coke ;),other than that I will attempting to put up a gorgeous transfer on Holly's bedroom wall :)

Monday, June 02, 2008

All clear

Today we had Em's appointment at the orthodontist,and she has been given the all clear and needs no further treatment,so she is very happy :)We then went for a lunch before doing a quick whizz round the shops.I picked up another fab High School Musical scrapbook kit from the Works so that I can use it for all the HSM related photos I have of Holly, as well as a couple of funky orange buckets for Anna, to go in her scraproom.
Yesterdays crop was good, I got a layout done, though I still have to do the title.I also packed kits and washed up,I didn't spend the whole time on one layout! I've got two kits to get started on, as well as Izzy doing a fab sketch for me to use :)

This is my Pencil Lines layout for last night,I know I say it every week but it really does look better in real life!
All the papers are Pink Paislee Office Fling
Various ribbons
Butterflies from John Lewis
Prima crystal swirls
Pink Paislee letter stickers
Angel Kiss flowers
I love this photo as it wasn't posed, I was just following Holly round the garden as she picked flowers :)