Its raining, its pouring, I wish that I was snoring.....

Yesterday I was moaning because it was too hot and I was feeling grumpy, today its just plain wet and soggy! I wish I was back in bed, hiding my head from the gloomy day. A trip to the ball pool with about another million kids and their parents who have the same idea as there is nothing else to do in the rain is in order I feel!

Havent done much crafting yesterday except Claire's Circle Journal, just got a little of this and a little of that and it will be winging its way to Helen! Must get going on the one that I need to send to Nicola too!

Anyhow Ive cracked the BIA problem I had with thanks to Gina and Ann from the DoCrafts forum, which reminds me I must get on and use some of the products that Emma sent me. I did use the stamp block yesterday when I was doing Claires cj entry and was really impressed, but Il do a proper review on it later and show you some of the things I used it for (will have to be just sneaky peaks though as I wouldnt want to spoil the surprise for Claire of whats in her book! My card keeper for MIL just needs the cards making now, but Im not that good at making cards, wil have to go onto some websites for some ideas! I on;y ever seem to use a bit of patterned paper and a stamped image on my cards of late, bit boring I feel.

Oh I did make a 50th Anniversary card too yesterday, so I guess that you could say I did do a reasonable amount of crafting! Ohhhhhh 3 more days and I will be a full timer again, please go slowly till then so I can scrap lots!!!!!!

Peace and h****w**k

OH has take DD to the 'sandpit park' aka Sandhurst Park giving me at least an hour and a half of lovely quiet in order to get on an do some H****w**k which desperatly needs doing everything is soooooo dusty! So Im prioritising and updating my blog and watching a recording of this weeks 'Bill' inbetween dusting and floor washing!!! If it was later in the day (say after lunch!) I would have had a glass of wine too, but its a bit early for me.

I have had some fabby stash delivered yesterday and today including the most huge pile of ric rac, blooms and a fiskars threading water punch which I have been eyeing up lately. I got a little bit of overtime money so decided that I would splash out. Ive some more blooms arriving from scrapping angels soon, I hope and then I am going to stop because Im back to working full time from wednesday and I know that I wont have much time for scrapping in the evenings and at weekends.

Anyhow I am hoping that once a month I am going to be able to get to a crop and hopefully the first will be on wednesday, but that depends on how shattered I am on my first day back.

I spent last night starting to make a card keeper for MIL's birthday in october, nothing like being ahead of the game! I didnt do too badly but did mess up a couple of pages, Im going to use it anyway she will never notice the mistake anyhow! Ill upload later when its complete. I also want to do a couple of pages using my new punch and also some clear stamps that i got in a kit I bought!

Birdworld today!

Charlotte won some free tickets to Birdworld so we decided to use them today. We had a great time, despite the clouds it was lovely and warm. We watched the bird show, petted baby animals, charlotte held a mouse (urghhhhhh) and watched the owl feeding. At which point Charlotte said to me 'Mummy, why do they eat dead baby chicks????' Well what could I say, I think it was along the lines of 'Because they do!'

Anyways will add some pics tomorrow of those when Ive sorted them!

I didnt add any pics of our trip to Lowestoft so am going to now, the first few are of All Saints and St Margarets church and their resident natural grass cutters, Flymo and Chalky! Yes I double took when I saw them in the graveyard, MIL explained they have been there years! I can't wait for my snapfish order to arrive so I can scrap these!

Tiny Funky Fairys and Elves

Charlotte is very proud today as we checked the Tiny Funky Fairys and Elves blog and she has won their challenge, you can see her card in the blog archive. Anyhows she cant wait to get on with the next challenge, which is to use animals so thats just what we are off to do now!

So what were you doing four years ago today?

Me well,

I was up at 6.30, at my parents helping to blow up about a million balloons, checking my dress was crease free and preparing for the registry office. At 11.00am I was married and by 12.25pm I was having my weddng breakfast of 1/4 pounder and chips at McDonalds - romantic arent I!

At 1pm my flowers arrived at the house, they were the wrong colour, so I was probably having a paddy!!! The right coloured flowers arrived at 1.58pm 2 mins before the ceremony (we had a humanist ceremony which is recognised as a legal ceremony, hence the registry office first thing)

Round about now, the photos were finished and balloons were released and evening guests were arriving for the wedding ceremony. Seems like a million years have gone by since then and my life has changed so much even in 4 years. Funny isnt it, the difference a few years makes!

So what have I done today, well spent this morning at the ball pit and this afternoon at the park feeding the ducks! Roll on this evening when we can crack open a bottle of wine and chill out with dd in bed!

Question is what will I be doing in another 4 years on this day?????

Back home again, and Im sooooooo glad!

Well, MIL's, why do we have them?????


Anyone know????

She spent most of the weekend screaming at her husband, or us for that matter, the other part moaning about how spoilt my dd was and the other but about , oh Idont know what, so I was glad to get away from them.

We went to Great Yarmouth yesterday afternon after al the shouting and moaning and had a fab time, Ill pop some pics on in a bit when I get a chance!

No crafting for me today

Spent today doing the dreaded H********k! We are off to Lowestoft tomorrow so I wont be posting for a few days, but keep crafting! See you when I get back with lots of photos to scrap!

Lucky me!!!!

I really was a happy bunny when the postman delivered these gorgeous new papermania goodies, that Emma from Design Objectives kindly sent me. I can't wait to get playing with them, however it will have to wait until after the weekend as we are going away but, I shall let you all know what they are like when I have had time to play!

The acryllic album looks fab and I cant wait to get going on that. The sparkly trims will look fabby on an girly album and the green ones I think will have to be an xmassy project!

Im always loosing my clear stamp block but this one is a perfect fit in my papermania craft tote pocket, so I know that Ill never be lost anymore when I use my clear stamps at a crop!

Lazy days!

Today we have done nothing at all, Im still getting over my stomach bug so have spent the day sitting round watching tv! I started another notelet set last night using anna griffin papers and will give those to MIL as I like my Sassafrasslass ones and want to keep them for me to use!

Ive also started covering a cd album which I am going to turn into 'our garden flowers book' I have about 3 more cds to cover then will bind it and start putting in the piccies!

I did pop out briefly yesterday to get moonsand and as ever Steve is soooooo romantic and sent me off money in hand to buy myself something for our anniversary! Ever the romantic!

As I type dd is out in the garden killing ladybirds! Isnt she lovely, now she is squashing him ever so gently!!! with her trainers whilst laughing, kids are horrid arent they!

I just ordered some Basic Grey Cupcake papers and embellies, cant wait for them to arrive, I love the glazed brads they do and their chipstickers, which reminds me I still have some two scoops to use up!

We will be away for a few days over the weekend so tomorrow will be my last post for a few days, right best go rescue the rest of the garden bugs!

OMG, I made some cards!

Now Im no card maker any more! but I ordered a Sarahs Card Kit the other week and decided that I needed to try other things than putting a stamped image on a card, so guess what Ive ended up with blooms covering everything! I do wish that there had been more blooms in the kit as there werent very many, however, thats lif
Anyhow the papers are Sassafrasslass and they arent my usual sort of colour scheme but I did find that that the colourbox fluid inkpads I had went fairly well with them!

So the first set are some DL cards, which have to be my fav size of card and probably the one I use

the most of if I ever card make! These cards are

just awaiting some sentiments and if I could remember where the new clear stamps I bought where then they would have those on too!

Finally I have made a little notecard set and envelop box to take up for MIL at the weekend, again these are using just contents from the kit, I just need to find my basic grey magnetic snaps and the envelope will stay shut!

Moonsand Heaven!

Well it is for DD, she has finished her jobs chart, a whole week of not having to pick up her clothes from the floor, not having to lay the table for meals and not having to tidy her mat during the day has been bliss,. so we are going to start again tomorrow!!!

Im feeling a bit better today so we are off to town to get the moonsand that has been the bain of our lives for the last month, still her behaviour has been much much better and I dont feel like I am pulling my hair out all the time with tantrums so its been worth it. Wonder what the next pressie will have to be!!!!lol!

Hopign to get some of my Lola rose images coloured today so that I can make a little notelet set for MIL as we are going to stay there this weekend, fortunatly we are only doing one night with them and then the other 2 nights we have booked into a Premier Inn, not that there is much premier about them usually, but we shall see!

Anyhow off to town now so will pop up pics of anthing I create later as well as the moon sand efforts!!!! Not sure who will have more fun with it, her or me!

Tiny Funky Fairys and Elves Challenge

Charlotte has been busy creating cards for the tiny funky fairies and elves challenge, the challenge this week was to
create something with flowers, I think that she has managed that!

The card is one from a Sarahs Cards Ltd kit, the flower stamp that she used is one from Whispers that I got free when I sent back some duff rub-ons its actually a reall ycute little stamp. The ribbons are some from 'Snip' a cheapy shop in Fleet and the gems and rub ons are papermania. The large green flower from Angel Crafts and the other smaller ones are from my stash, which could be from anywhere. Anyhow she had great fun and cant wait for the next challenge!

Feeling Yuck!

Im feeling absolutely horrid today, Ive been up most of the night with an upset stomach and today is no different. Fortunatly my darling daddy took dd this morning first things when I was feeling the roughest and has just bought her back, im beginning to feel a little bit human but not totally!

I got Steve's anniversary card done last night though, penny black stamped heggies with stazon inks, pm cardstocks and qvc tsv peeloffs (how I hate peeloffs but they look ok on here!) and finished off with some papermania red gems. I really like it, just hops that he does, Im trying to decide on what I should get him for our anniversary, I know I have made him our book, but I feel a bit mean not having bought anything! Ill have to think about that!

I love my bind it all!

I just had to let you know how wonderful this little gal is! Ive called mine Belinda! I have a habit of naming all my tools for some reason! I know Im mad, anyhow, this little lady is my fav peice of scrapping equipment at the moment and will be for many, many months I feel!

Firstly this machine is compact and it doesn't take up a whole desk while being used. Secondly, it does both the punching and the binding and thirdly, its so easy to use, even without instructions. I have carpel tunnel and was worried that it would cause me a problem as I have had with some die cutting machines, but this little lass gives me no problems at all, even my 3 year old is able to punch the chipboard covers of a book with ease!

It has a practically fool-proof slide to adjust the settings and allows for a freestyle sort of punching, continuous punching, and depth adjusters so you can create books with pages that nestle perfectly inside the covers. For me its more useful than old robbie robo!

This is a high quality, heavy duty scrapbooking tool with a lifetime warranty. and it retails for a mere £39.99 at craftsuperstore making it a very affordable investment!

To be honest I wasnt sure that I wouldt use it that often often, but the more I think about it the possibilities are endless, it is perfect for mini albums, which I make a lot of these days.

But then ... why stop at mini albums? It is simple enough to put scrapbook pages in page protectors, decorate two chipboard covers and bind the whole set together to make custom albums! Im really keen to try scrapping in 12x6 so this little tool will give me the opportunity to without spending a fortune on albums which I think are highly overpriced!

The Bind-It-All works with cardstock, chipboard, acrylic... even as thick as a standard CD.All in all, I think it's a great product. It was easy to figure out, easy to use, and created a professional-looking binding in seconds. It's a quality tool at a reasonable price and everyone I know that has one loves it to peices too!

The finished book!

So now the book is complete here are the final few pages, Im pleased wtih it!

All done!

I finished a couple of projects this weekend, the first being my 07/08 journal, hubby went off down the pub last night leaving me peace and quite to work on it! Ill upload the final lot of pics later today.

I also completed the inspiration book that I was making, I used Belinda, Daisy D's paper, america crafts thickers and Sarahs Cards blooms. Im quite pleased with how its turned out, its to jot down all my scrapping ideas and sketches that I find/come up with. Something to give me a boost when my mojo leaves me!

We went over the 'The Jungle' in the leisure centre in Farnborough this morning and picked up a few extra bits of shopping in Asda, then fed the ducks with the collection of stale bread that has built up this week! Whilst we were there we met one of Charlottes little friends from preschool and she had a nice time playing with her, we are hoping that they can get together in the week as Charlie is sooooooo bored at home!

Her jobs chart is working well and she hates getting sad faces on her behaviour chart, lets hope that it sorts her out!

Todays project

Well I am half way through with my family journal for our anniverary, so I thought that I would upload what i have done so far! Still a few moew pages to go, but can't do much more because I am waiting on my photos to arrive from photobox! No doubt Ill go through and add niew embellishements to it over the next few days!

Aniversary book

Just realised that its our anniversary on the 27th so I decided that I had best get on with the 07/08 family journal for hubby. Im quite enjoying it as its a mix of basic scrapping but mainly journalling, which I dont really like doing on layouts as my handwriting is sooooo bad because of my carpel tunnel! Although the journalling in the book looks terrible, hubby wont mind! I have just popped photobox order through and when it arrives tomorrow Im hoping that the album will then be finished - not bad for 2 days work!

Ill pop some pics on later! Quite weekend planned this week, a bit of scrapping, a bit of playing and Uncle Paul is coming over again, so that will keep hubby out of the house this evening in order to get on with the little project Im working on. I have made a cd album too for him with Belinda, its looking ok but needs finishing. I quite fancy having a go at an exploding box too, but may cheat and buy a template for Robbie and make my life easier!

Had a letter from college again today telling me I still owe them fees, I give up, they just refunded it to me, I hope they dont want it back, as I have spent it all now!!!!!!LOL!

Malteasers cupcakes,mmmmmmmmmmm - avert your eyes if your weight watching!!!!

Over on UKs there was a cupcake swap hosted by Tcake, she sent me the most fabby recipe in the world for Malteaser cupcakes, they are soooooooooo yummy. Heres the recipe:

For the cakes:

150g soft light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
3eggs
175ml milk
15g butter
2tablespoons horlicks
175g plain flour
25g sieved cocoa
1teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the icing
250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
45g horlicks
125g softened butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
2x37g bags of malteasers

Preheat the oven to 170c/gas mark 4

Whisk together the sugar and the eggs.

Heat the milk, butter and horlicks powder in a pan until the butter melts and it is hot but not boiling.

When the sugar and eggs are light and frothy, beat in the hot horlicks mixture and then fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Divides the mixture between the cupcakes and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, by which time the cakes should have risen and will spring back when pressed gently (the mixture will be quite wet!)

Sieve the icing sugar, cocoa and horlicks into a bowl. Add the butter and mix, then add the hot water.

Swirl the topping onto the top of the cakes, sprinkle with crushed malteasers and then add one malteaser to the top of each cake!

Eat and enjoy!

Peace and tranquility!

Well thats how its been in my house today! Its gone now of course as DD is back, but I have loved having the day to myself and just mooching about. I went to 'Holme Grange' craft village today and had a wander, there is some lovely stuff there, but soooooooo expensive. I started my xmas shopping though and bought my mum a bookmark made out of beads, its really pretty! Might have to have a go at one myself I think!

I also made some yummy malteaser cupcakes, they are a bit special, and not really a good idea as Im supposed to be on a diet!!!!!!!!! Ah well, one more wont hurt!

So thats the extent of my day, Ive really enjoyed doing nothing at all its been great, could do with a few more days like this.

An award and a bit of family stuff!

Sarah sent me this lovely award, for which I am so touched and very grateful, huge thanks Sarah. The rules are:
1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you have nominated
It's always a difficult decision to choose only a certain few blogs to pass awards onto, wil have to decide later today whose blogs I will send it too, I have so many that I love!

Not much crafting going on here today as I am working this afternoon and there really isnt time this morning as I start at 12 and I still have to dd's packed lunch too! Granny is having her to stay tonight so hubby and I are going to have a night in together, we do it so rarely!

We made dd a chores chart yesterday and she has picked 5 tasks that she needs to do each day, she chose:

• Feeding the cat
• Putting her washing in the wash box
• Laying the table
• Washing down the table after tea
• Clearing her mat before bedtime

Small steps but she needs to learn to take some responsibility for things herself, when I go back to work full time in september Im not going to get much free time at all and if we can give her litle jobs it will help.

We also have a smiley face chart too as her behaviour isnt fab at the moment, typical three year old behaviour, but Im fed up with the arguements and stress its causing, if she fills it then she will get some moonsand, which she desperatly wants! We shall see!!!!!

Binding everything with Belinda!

Had a good weekend, been making little notebooks today with Belinda..

Not wishing my life away here but on thursday I have the day to myself, I cant wait, I just want it to be thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DD is off to a friends house, so I am going to make some little post it holders with my Belinda and have a look for some more things to do with her.

I am also going to make some more malteaser cupcakes as they are soooooo yummy!

It's here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The last bit of scrapbooking kit that I really wanted has arrived this morning! Im really pleased with it and can't wait to get on a bind loads of books together. Im desperatly trying to encourage hubby to go out with his best mate this evening so that i can play, its a bit tricky trying to learn to do anything with a 3 1/2 year old in the house so it will have to stay in its box till later!

So now I have all the essential bits and bobs I need to scrap to my hearts content. Im going to lay off buying other stuff now as I have sooooooo many embellishements, alphabets and flowers I really should be stash dieting. Now I have my robo and bind it all I should be set for life!

Not much planned for the weekend as it doesnt look too fabby, although Ive put washing in it looks like Im going to have to tumble it as it wont stop raining!

New Stash!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dont you love it when the postie rings the doorbell and hands you lots of parcels! Well mine only handed me one, but it still made me smile, it was my card kit from sarahs cards ltd and some blooms as Im running low (well Im down to my my last 100!) I can't cope without lots and lots of blooms!

So this is the kit the postie bought me, and its fab, I havent ever bought a card kit before, only scrapping kits so this was a nice surprise to unwrap. It was well packed with a neat little book of ideas too! Can't wait to have a play!

So all Im waiting for is my little bind-it-all and Ill be all set, oh and my Theresa Collins tavellogue papers ready for my America album, the pics arrived this lunchtime from Photobox (we only went in 2002, and Im just going to start the album. Might make my own in a 12x6 size, which always looks good on Lauras blog!

Right the kitchen is calling, must be nearly dinnertime for dd as she is getting naughty!

TTFN xxx

Ta Da!

Here is my graduation acetate book! Its 6x6 and I think I need to add some ribbons and fibres to disguise the book rings a bit but here we go! Check me out with my best mate in the whole wide world Sir Trevor McDonald in picture4!

Mini book heaven! and more blog candy!

Yesterday was the start of the UKS Summer Sultry Stash Bash - yesterdays prject was to make a minibook, which suits me fine as I love my mini books at the moment, I find them more satisfying than a LO. So later I will show you my offering, as I have started it,but do need to get it finished!

I did manage to get my graduation mini book done last night, Im fairly happy with it but could do with some black and white blooms at the moment! Ive used some felt flowers on it but Im not happy with the results so may change it! Its the first time I have used acetate for a book so its not the best, but I will try and do another one soon that I can be a little more adventurous and leave more clear space! I would also like to try an acrylic book as they are a bit more robust than acetate, but it will do for a first attempt!

Michelles blogoversary round 3

Michelle has some delicous candy up for grabs as part of round 3 of her Blogoversary. So when you get chance nip over and pay her a visit, her cards are simply stunning.

Fancy a bit of blog candy????

For all those who fancy a bit of candy check out http://meholder.blogspot.com/
and Bev has some available still.

Pink Petticoat

Just ordered my first ever download from Pink Petticoat, I love the Lola Rose images and decided that it was about time I had some of my own! So I am off to have a play now!

Havent done very much today, got my white stazon for my acetate book, so going to go and ink the edges after playing with my new images!!!

Here are the recipe cards that I did for the latest swap!

The theme this month was recipes fot the BBQ!

Basingstoke Balloon Festival

We spent last night and today at the Basingstoke
Balloon Festival, the night glow wasnt as spectacular
as usual, there were only 2 balloons up as the weather wasn't spectacular! Still it was good fun. We went into Basingstoke for dinner and had a fabulous meal at the 'Red Lion Hotel' The food was very good and the hospitality fantastic! Will definatly visit again soon!


Today was the turn of the London Fire Brigade parachuters, they were pretty good, so it was worthwhile going today. There were no balloon launches because of the wind, but we managed to see a couple up throughout the day.

Here are some pictures from friday nights night glow, a bit pathetic after last years show, but worth the wait!