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 :(

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!

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:)

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..!

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!

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...;) !

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 :)

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 :)

Half term happenings

I did mean to blog the other night but as I was watching Greys, I decided I couldn't do two things at once and abandoned the blog post!
So what's been happening...not much ! On Thursday Anna,Izzy & Lilly came over for the day and whilst the sun shone in the morning, we got caught in the rain walking back from the lakes! I finally got my mitts on some of Anna's brownies and they were so worth the wait!!The poor kids haven't really had a look in where they are concerned :)Whilst at the lakes we had the obligatory photo shoot for which the girls were rewarded with ice creams ;)Love the photos we got,and have printed a couple off for the crop on Sunday.
I am off to sort out my tote and reduce the amount of unused stuff in it,before heading off to Anna's for the evening/night ,before cropping on Sunday :)

Rainy Sunday

Well, the weathermen got the forecast right for today sadly!Still, the hanging baskets seem happy with all the rain and look quite good!
As I only posted late last night I don't have much new news to share other than my Pencil Lines layout for this evening :)

I feel a little bit guilty as I promised myself I'd use these papers on a layout of Em...but I have loads left so I should still squeeze one of out of them!
I used
Bo Bunny Teen chic papers
Basic Grey Sultry buttons
Maya Road sheer
Heidi Swapp bling
Doodlebug rub-ons
Pink Paislee alpha stickers
Ki Memories Softies swirl
Angel Kiss flowers
It took me ages to find the right title with the number three in it - I didn't think Anna or Annie would be impressed with three wise monkeys!!
This week we'll be seeing Anna ,Izzy & Lilly on Thursday (cupboards are stocked in preparation :) )and on Saturday I get to stay at Anna's before cropping on Sunday.Seems like ages since the retreat so I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again :)

Shiny happy Brownie

Yesterday evening Holly had her Brownie Promise ceremony :) A big thank you to a certain Mrs Bowkis for ringing her up beforehand :) I was the only mum who made her wait til her Promise meeting to wear her uniform (the Rainbow one is now in the hands of Lily after a quick dash to St Neots via 1st class post!),so she looked all bright and 'new'!Prior to the parents arriving,they had spent the evening making cakes which they then served to us as part of their Hostess badge -so sweet!Tomorrow I need to sew her county badge, pack badge plus her hedgehog badge on to her sash :)This sort of thing takes me right back to my own childhood.I loved Brownies but really wasn't a fan of Guides :(
Yesterday I started the painful task of trying to buy new summer clothes for the girls (yes, I'm probably far too late and we've had our summer for this year!) A note to those who design clothes for children(not that they'll ever read this!)....I do not want slogans written across the bum of their trousers...neither do I want their butt cheeks and bellies permanently on show..I just want nice,easy to wear, non sexy clothes for them...got that?! I did eventually manage to find a few nice things for them but it wasn't easy.
The weather forecast for half term looks pretty rubbish so far, but the girls have a long list of cooking they want to do on the rainy days!

Bleach fumes

After a measly four hours sleep last night (I finally removed the temptation to put a pillow over Geoff's face by sleeping on the sofa!) I've spent most of the day on the dreaded HW..what joy! I have a hit list of stuff to tidy away over the rest of the week!

Today Em started a Cheerleading course at school which went well,even better is that there's a group run at the senior school she's going to in September,so it's something she can carry on with if she wants to. This Friday Holly has her Brownie promise,when she becomes a Hedgehog!(Whatever happened to Gnomes and Pixies...oh, am I showing my age again?!)



This is the card I made using the March Scrapping Angels kit.Holly thought she'd missed someones birthday when she saw it on the shelf, until she realised it was just for 'demonstration'!
I have been playing around with my profile page following the changes on UKS, this evening and looks quite tasteful at the moment after a brief brush with lime green and pink earlier on!

Whoops...

I made a *bit* of a mistake with my Pencil Lines layout this week...in that I did a layout for the wrong sketch and didn't realise til it was too late :( Which is a bit of a pooh, beacuase I really like the one I've done and now I can't share it for another two weeks!
So instead I'll share a layout I've done with the Scrapping Angels May kit,which is now available. To be honest, I am very bad at using the coloured Bazzill in the kits ,so this time I made a conscious effort to make sure I did!I outlined the patterned paper with a black pen to make it stand out more and used the reverse side of the KI Lace paper so that the stars were white.I've also made a card so I'll share that tomorrow.Please excuse my rubbishy photo, the colours are much brighter in real life :)
I have nothing else interesting to report,I've spent most of the day traipsing up and the down the stairs putting stuff back in Holly's room and chucking out rubbish!As well as three loads of washing and cutting the hedges in the front garden!Just a shame I now actually need to iron said three loads of washing...
After SATS week last week, the girls are back to normal again, and I think things lighten up a bit for Em.Tuesday is class photos day..Em's last one at Junior school - sob!

Chaos reigns

in our house at the moment! Yesterday I painted Holly's room and Geoff put up her new bed.To do this, we had to empty the room out completely...not an easy task.There is very little room to put anything in this house, and believe me, I cannot beleive how much stuff a seven year old can cram into a small room! Hence, every other room is filled with stuff from hers during the the redecoration/organistation.There are dressing up clothes in the bathroom, I can't get to the airing cupboard,and Em can just about find her bed in her room!We are getting there slowly and hopefully tomorrow (Em is having a sleepover in Holly's room tonight!) I'll be able to get everything back in there...
So, no photos ro share and the only scrapping has been for Anna so I'm not sure if I can show it yet :)

Little Miss

..Hippy Chick! I got some gorgeous photos of Holly this weekend (Em wasn't interested, she was concentrating on her revision!).I love how her hair goes so wavy when it's left to dry naturally,and it happens a lot once we get into paddling pool season! So here are a couple of pics of my daisy chained hippy chick :) I feel some Flower Power layouts coming on!

Sats seem to be okay so far, though I have just realised that I have completely forgotten to do the sausage rolls for tomorrow.Looks like I'll be getting the oven on early in the morning!

This evening I have actually managed a layout ...without a sketch! Which is a major miracle at the moment believe me! Can't share it yet as it's for the May Scrapping Angels kit and I need to send it to Anna first!

Tis the season

..for barbecue's, daisy chains and filthy feet {from walking barefoot in the garden!}
More lazy days this weekend,I try not to go anywhere in this heat!
Yesterday morning we were up bright and early to go and see 'Horton Hears a Who' at the family theatre showing.Both girls loved it and Holly giggled her way through most of it! After that we went and finally managed to get Holly a pair of trousers for Brownies that fit (3rd attempt!) We then went on to Tesco's for the food shop before heading home to set up the paddling pool and the barbecue.We've also done a lot more tidying in the garden too.I sometimes wonder why I longed for a garden so much when they are such hard work!
Today Geoff's been in work ,Em has been revising for her SAT's which start tomorrow,and Holly has come down with a cold :( We have made ice lollies and lots of daisy chains and have enjoyed the sunshine ,even though we spent most the day sat in the shade!
I was very late with my Pencil Lines layout this week,and I'm not sure that I'm happy with it :( It didn't help that although I'd cleaned the mask, it still merged black ink in with the green I used to make it a murky colour!

I used
white bazzill
handrawn borders
Prima Crystal swirls
Heidi Swapp mask
Heidi Swapp bling
AC Vinyl thickers
KI softie button

This week sees both girls doing their SAT's, though Holly's are a lot more low key than Em's.I'm also clearing out and decorating Holly's room this week so that we can put her new bed up at the weekend.I have a heap of scrapping & CJ's still to do too which I really need to get my butt in gear and do!

Lazy blogger...

...yep, that's me! I love this gorgeous weather we're having ,but the heat does make me relax,slow down....and be lazy!I've been making a 'little' use of the neat & tidy garden now that I have somewhere to put my sun lounger ;)
I'm afraid I don't have much interesting news to share or any scrapping.If anyone's seen my mojo ,please return it...I think it's packed up its suitcase and headed out of town :(
Weekend plans include going to see 'Horton Hears a Who' on Saturday morning whilst leaving Geoff to work on the garden (again!) And hopefully if this weather holds ,I'll blow up the pool for the kids to splash about in :)

Busy busy busy

We seem to have spent today going from Asda,to Tesco's,to B & Q - fun,not! But things are starting to come together in the garden at last.Out of bad things, good has happened :) After all the shed problems and re-siting it at the end of the garden, we now have a very nice seating area where the old shed used to be :) (Note ,we don't actually have anything to sit on yet...but we're working on it!)Geoff spent last weekend putting down some decking (with a bit of help from Holly ;) ) So this afternoon Holly has happily sitting out there on the picnic blanket, drawing :)I finally got round to planting the sweet peas I bought ages ago,though I think my wicker wigwam things I bought last year for them to grow round are a a bit worse for wear!I also planted all the others flowers, though the slugs have had a bit of a munch at most of them :( (the slugs have now been flicked over the fence into my neighbours garden !)
On Thursday I hopped on the train to Anna's and spent the afternoon packing kits and nosing through her scrapbook albums :)
I seem to write my blog about 50 times in my head during the day,but come the evening I cannot remember a word of what I was going to say!

Here's my Pencil Lines sketch for this week, which I very nearly didn't make at all :( I just cannot seem to scrap at the moment...I have no trouble buying new stash though! Our GDT this week is the lovely Debbie Jewell :)
I used
BG paper
BG Sultry buttons
Pink Paislee stamps and alphabet stickers
KI lace paper
K&Co brad
ribbon fron Ribbon Oasis

Lucky Me

I won this fab 'hanging' at the auction on Saturday :) It was created by the amazing Gigi ,one of the SIS Tv Fashionistas.I have loved her work since seeing her art journal cards for Emily Falconbridge's prompts last year.Thank you for your Gigi for your generosity , I hope you don't mind it coming home with me!I now need to find the right place to hang it out of the way of sticky fingers!

Just for Ania,here is the bag too :)

I have a whole heap of ideas for stuff that I want to do right now, but I don't seem to actually doing any of it :( I much prefer scrapping during the day ,but then I feel guilty that I should be doing other stuff ...Next on the agenda is re-doing Holly's room, as her new Ikea bed is still packed up behind the sofa!

Tomorrow I am popping over to Anna's to help unpack stuff from the weekend.

And I have to share this photo pinched from Anna's blog as I love it! I normally spoil the photos I'm in, but I actually like this one for a change!

Nice...

So I finally got to have a go on the Wii Fit last night having not had a chance on Friday and been away since.And I am obese with a Wii Fit age of 48...nice!!I am aiming to become a muscle legend a la Annie (at 1am Sunday morning!!)In my dreams....
So, the retreat....well, most of the feed back has been good as far as I'm aware so hopefully that means I haven't been sacked and I get to help at the next one!
We carried on the tradition of having more than one one pudding,the food there is wonderful and I've probably eaten enough to keep me going for two weeks (not that it will!)It was great to spend time with Kerry and Louise as well as being able to put lots of new names to faces too :)We were also lucky to have the wonderful Debbie Jewell with us on Sunday too! Oh, and a special thank you to Carol & Julie who didn't mind me occupying their table evrytime they left the room!
The auction was a success gain too, but I'll leave it to Anna to share that news :) I won something that I really wanted and will share that next time I blog.
I am now the very happy owner of this gorgeous Momiji along with a funky Momiji bag ,which were a present from Anna (and hand picked by Peter-you have great taste ;)!)
I have a bag full of lovely new stash which I bought from the shop,sadly I have to go through the task of unpacking all my stuff bfeore I get to play with any of it :( And before that I have a heap of the dreaded housework to catch up on too...

And finally, here's my Pencil Lines layout for this week
I used
Cosmo Cricket Story Time papers
AC felt shapes
felt flowers from John Lewis
Heidi swapp letters covered in Doodlebug glitter
K&Co brads
Studio G alpha stamps