Gifts

It's so nice to look out of the window and see blue sky! It has rained so much, I had forgotten about the sun. It's been a peaceful weekend here, post mock GCSE's, youngest son has almost put them behind him, last 2 today.
I went to my regular Scrapaholix class on saturday, 10-4 of pure craftiness! Then spent the day in my PJ's yesterday! My friend Kirsty said I hadn't posted any thing crafty in a while, so here's something I made earlier.
This little beauty was made using a Papertrey Ink Timeless Template, which you download and print for a couple of quid. Cut it out, stick it together and decorate in your chosen design. I stuck with Cream and red all the way through.

I love the flourish detail, with the sentiment stamped over the top in a darker ink, courtesy of  Dawn mcVey.

I even stamped some envelopes to match.

I embossed the background using a Cuttlebug folder. I added a stamped Butterfly form the Amy Butler range and a gorgeous coral flourish, using PTI Fancy flourishes and Stampin' up ink.

This card is lifted from Dawn McVey, it's so lovely I didn't want to change anything. I used Text style stamps, and real red ink.

I won't show all the cards today, it would take to long, but hope you like it so far.

This little cutey is also a Timeless Template, easy to put together, and fun to make. I stamped the cardstock with Polka dot basics, in white Stazon. I then punched out a window with my Nestabilities scallop circle, added a stamped acetate inside and decorated with snowflake die cuts. this will be nice with a small cake or some Florentines inside.

These are for Hubby's secretaries, I hope they like! Have a fab monday, C x

Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for people who give second chances x

I got an award!!!!!

I had a really lovely surprise today when checking google reader, the lovely Leanne had left this for me!

I've not blogged much this last week, and this has given me a real boost, thanks Leanne!

It comes with a catch, I have to leave 5 random facts about me, and present this award to 5 other bloggers who inspire me. Well here goes:

1. I had my first baby at 17 years old, he's now 21, 6ft tall and has a beard!

2. When pregnant with bubba number 2, I ate bags and bags of tomatoes, he did not come out red!

3. The hubster and I renewed our wedding vows 5 years ago, 'cause I needed a new ring.( not as slim as I used to be!)

4. Have Bad thoughts about Gary Barlow! (don't tell hubster!)

5. Will be 40 next year, sadly :(

I would like to send this award, and throw down the challenge to:

My baby Sister Beki

The amazing Dawn McVey

My brand new friend Kirsty

The very talented Kate

and this superwoman Ruth

This has been fun, and random. I should be doing the ironing....

Where did my babies go?

Hubby got these cute little fellas out of the loft a few weeks ago for a photo shoot, and it made me all nostalgic. I kept picturing my boys (21 & 15) as toddlers and how much they loved Red Ted and Floppy Ducky, how Dan had Scott the Scotty dog when he had his tonsils out. I was really sad to learn that Wes had since disposed of Dertie Boggy, he loved him so much! It got me thinking of cuddling my babies to sleep in my arms, and wanting me when they were poorly, or hurt themselves. I have to keep reminding myself that I was once the most important lady in their lives! Just half an hour with each boy, at around 2 years old would be nice, just for a cuddle, to smell their young skin and have them fall asleep in my arms one last time. Is it just me?

                                 Blink

Scott

Red Ted and floppy Duck

If I were a rich (wo)Man

People are always talking about dreams and goals, things they are working towards, a career, planning a trip of a lifetime, even emigrating. Not me. Sadly, at this point in my life (careering at high speed towards 40!) I have no dream. Well, apart from the one where I am able to get my kids through difficult times in their lives. Wes to get more work, get his car on the road, meet a nice girl... feel good about himself. Dan to find a really good mate, someone that understands the difficulties he's had changing from boy to man, and getting him through the pressure of GCSE's. I guess these are not bad dreams to have, and because of the turbulent times we've been through recently it's understandable that they are at the forefront of my waking moments.

So, what about me? Well, the other (day) dream I have is, What would I do if I won the lottery?(Come on, we all do it!) Don't get me wrong, I'm not a greedy person, I like to work out the minimum I would need to make life comfortable. After I have given a chunk to charity (action MD), I give a chunk to our church, this seems somehow to make it justifiable, then I start from the roof down.

Now we were led in bed a couple of months ago, listening to the rain pouring down outside, when we realised it wasn't just outside, but pouring in through our ceiling, He was in the loft at stupid o'clock with a bucket or 2 catching the drips. So that would be a priority. Then a few weeks later something similar happened in the kitchen, so to be minus a gaping hole in the ceiling would be good.

I would like new carpets, we've had the same ones since we moved in 9 years ago, no underlay and a (bearable) shade of green. I would also get the kitchen sorted, we had to take the whole thing out a couple of years ago, to get damp proofing done, and it never really went in the same way again. (I would probably get the whole thing extended and reconfigured at this point) and finally, a dream I have always had, to get the decorators in, that would be amazing, not only would it look fab, but it would actually get finished! The only problem with this whole idea is that I don't actually do the lottery! In all the years it's been going I may have bought about 10 tickets, so all of this is just wishful thinking, C x

How old are you now?

A big Happy Birthday shout out for my baby Sister Beki, who is 20(something) tomorrow, Whoop whoop!! Can't believe where the time has gone, and how old that makes me! Have fun lovely lady xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Can you guess what it is yet?

A few of my favorite things

This is a current list of a few of my favorite things, quite difficult to keep it to 5, but here goes!

1. My new papertrey Ink stamps! Especially Damask designs. Waited a couple of weeks and paid ridiculous sums to the tax man, but so worth it!

2. This has to be Ugly Betty, especially Daniel Meade (yum!). I love this cause me and my boy snuggle up on the sofa with ice cream and munchies.

3. Long walks with our doggy Stella. She's mad and loves to run about, chasing Rabbits and the odd Deer or two! She just loves the freedom and is at her happiest when running of into some hedgerow or stream. She has been with us through some tough stuff and has kept us laughing.

4. Strictly come dancing Love it!! The dresses, the glitz, the sexy men! We get together most Saturdays with the family to watch it, we all sound like ballroom professionals, but we don't have a clue really! In the family sweep stake I have Ricky Groves, who happens to be fabulous.Go Ricky!!

5. Dawn McVey's blog 'A few of my favorite things'. She is an amazing card maker and designer, I love her blog and have taken much inspiration from her. She is also the designer of the Damask design stamps at the top of this post! Check her blog out today if you need cheering up!

This has been loads of fun, can't wait to go check out other bloggers doing Shimelle's class to see what's on their lists. Have a great Thursday C x

Day 1 Blogging for scrapbookers

My intentions.

Why did I choose to do this class, Blogging for scrapbookers? Having already done 'Home is where the heart is' I knew that Shimelle's classes were brilliant, but this one came along just when I needed it. I have been blogging for a little while, but know I have not really scratched the surface of it's potential as the journal of a scrapbooker. I love the idea that blogging and scrapping are linked, minus the mess and expense.

From the first prompt I was struck by the whole idea of journaling my photo's, and scrapping later. I can upload my photo's within hours of taking them, put my thoughts and feelings down at the same time, and then, when my creative juices start flowing, I can make actual layouts! So inspired!

At this early stage in the course, this is my intention, to develop my journaling skills, to capture the thoughts and feelings around my photos before I forget them, (I have a terrible memory anyway, so this will be a great way of documenting our lives). I am sure that as Shimelle sends more prompts this could change and develop further, but for now this is good.

Even at this point I am feeling really encouraged by some of the others in the class, and the lovely comments they have been leaving, Thanks guys, keep 'em coming!! C x

Quality time

Arlington row

Him

Hubby and I are starting to realise that the kids are no longer kids. Wes is 21 and has been fairly independent of us for a few years, but Dan at 15, is becoming inter-dependent too. He does not always want to do what we are doing (unless it involves Starbucks!) and wants to make his own plans. When you have been married for ever, and built your lives around your kids, it's a scary time. What do we have in common other than the boys? What will we talk about? Do we even like each other? (he's alright!) So we've decided we need to find things to do. We set off, with our guide to the Cotswolds, and eventually found ourselves in Bibury. It's a lovely little Village on a river, has a pub/hotel, a shop, a church and a trout farm. You couldn't spend a whole day there, but a couple of hours was good. We took pictures of ducks, a row of old cottages, still lived in, that are owned by the National Trust and the lovely old church. We drove back through Cirencester and Tetbury looking for somewhere to eat (Charles and Camilla weren't at home) and stopped in a lovely little bistro called The Blue Zucchini, I had a Bacon and leek Risotto, and Jon ordered the Seafood risotto, unfortunately a seafood chowder arrived by mistake, but he said it was lovely anyway. Mine was gorgeous, and Jon got 2 free muffins! I would still recommend a visit if your passing through Tetbury! Anyway, hope you like our pictures, have a great Monday!! C x