Must try better to keep this blog upto date, I did start the year thinking I could blog each day, but has things go, I should have know better. This is a long one ... I hope you enjoy it.

Anyway, I'm bearing in up with my loss. Why is it people see you smiling, laughing or just generally getting on with things and remark how well I look in the circumstances .... what should happen .... should have turned green and produced 2 head or what ... too the outside world I look "normal" but inside I'm in bits and some days are better than others, some I can go all day without thinking about it, others I just want to curl up in the corner and pretend it's not happened. But the saying goes, "life goes on" and I know I've got a long way to go to feel better and I want to thank my friends for being their for me.

So has life goes on, here are my "Crafting Buddies" Bev & Julie, we meet up most Wednesdays to craft, either layouts or cards or some mini project we might want to try. Anyway, on 20th decided to go and do some stash shopping instead and ended up at Gardenlands, were we stopped for coffee....



The photos were taken especially because we have a coffee cup chipboard shape, and we can do a layout at one of our meetings- LOL

Followed by lunch at the Vineyards, after more stash shopping at Mountain Ash Crafts.

Then on Sunday 24 May we had the "1st" of the year Street BBQ's. We only decided to have one on the Saturday, so the bouncy castle was booked and off we all went to get the food and drink. I love living here, we all seem to get on, we are not in each others pockets, but we do enjoy each others company. One of the neighbours has a massive BBQ which is ideal and we all contributed to the bouncy castle and the coal for the BBQ, with money left over to buy ice lollies for the kids.

The bouncy castle was delivered around 10am, but we hadn't planned for the BBQ to start till the afternoon, so the kids were well impressed having this to bounce on all morning, whilst the adults got thing ready.

We even had a water fountain and cordend off part of the road. This is mainly to stop the kids going passed a certain point throught the day, has the ages ranges from 3yrs to 11yrs.

The buffet table

Jon & James missed a few hours as it was Villa last game of the season, but their was plenty of food and drink left for when they got back. I love this shot of Jon just chilling with the lads, I think he was abit sorry to have missed the afternoon, but has we didn't pack up till 11pm I don't think he missed out.

Jon (black tee-shirt) relaxing with the neighbours.

The weather was fantastic and we all have a great day, and are planning our next one a bit better, so that we don't all buy the same food and drinks and make the same things for the buffet, but has this is only the 2nd one we've had, we think we have done really well.

So I've got plenty of photos to scrap - I didn't get on any shots, so will have to make sure next time that I do.

Talking of scrapping, I getting ready to go the Scrapagogo Retreat on the 5th June for the weekend, oh I'm so looking forward to it. Theres 4 structured classes over the weekend, a photography workshop run by Cheryl Johnson (Scrapbook Inspiration) and I'm having a photoshoot with Cheryl , which when I booked was looking foward to it, but has time gets nearer beginning to have my doubts, but I will give you more details after the weekend away.

Also, Julie and me are going to a new crop on Sunday 31st May, in Coventry, apparently only 45mins drive away, and has I reguarly go to Shropshire it shouldn't be that bad a drive. Not sure what the crop is called but it is organised by "Crafty Stash" who will be bringing her shop. I've talked to Sue (the owner) and she is really nice and friendly, I don't know why I'm surprised because every crafter I've meet over the past 18 months has been "nice and friendly". The price of the day is £15 and includes 2 layouts.

I've also managed to get onto the "Tracey Hudson Workshop" organised by Sue over in Coventry as well, which is at the end of June, and unfortunately I will have to miss my regular visit to Solihull Craft Club crop.

And finally, took this photo over the May Day weekend when I visited my MIL cottage in Derbyshire, in the village where her cottage is, they have baby lamers - cute eh! - again more LO opportunities.

Thanks for stopping by, and I will try and not leave it too long next time ....

Finalling got around to photographing my other layouts that I did over the week-end. I know I say it every month but I do love the GoGo kits, they put together paper and embellishments that I wouldn't think about putting together and the end results are amazing.

We Won! - Bellaboo April Kit , I did a layout of my sons winning football team, again. This time it was the Easter Football Camp.



A technique I learnt from Cleo Jarvis - distressing the edges and making a small tear and putting some stitching across.


Again used some stitching down the side of the paper.


Added some rub-ons over the paper.


I Love to Scrap - this is a layout for the June Gogo Retreat Challenge, using some special edition hybrid elements. The remit was to use at least 3 of the elements on the layouts. I've managed to use 7. I must admit that I like the hybrid ranges alot, and the fact that you can use it over and over again is brill.

The photos where taken at my Skrapztacular 2 Retreat in November organised by Skrapz.



Wednesday was our craft day at Julies this time, where I did some thank you cards and a couple of birthday cards. Julie even provided lunch which was great. Bev eventually turned up at 11, she always has a tale to tell, but she did bring some wonderful homemade biscuits, which when I go shopping will give the reciept ago.





On Thursday evening it was the Bromsgrove Crop, I'm so used to calling it "Belleboo crop" so this will take some use to. Well, I managed to complete 8 No. 8x8 layouts for my neices Prom album, which I'm trying to get completed for the weekend has her aunty is visiting and it will save me on the postage - LOL. It was good to get back to normal and have a laught with the girls. I just added a few of the pages.







There is plenty of spaces left at this crop, which is every 3rd Thursday of each month at Fairfield Village Hall, I sure you would be more than welcome, cost £3.50 inc. refreshments. So if you are in the area, and fancy crafting for a few hours, pop in and meet us girls - we don't bite (honest) - LOL. Liberty also runs a Saturday all-day crop which is the 1st Saturday of each month. The June one has Cleo Jarvis (new owner of Bellaboo) doing a few classes, pop onto Bellaboo web-site for more details.

Also received on Wednesday, May Gogo Kit, another one that I love, hopefully will be cutting into on Sunday at my Solihull Crop. Had a Grab It - project kit - the example was done by Laura - I just love the way she added the photos - will hopefully be doing mine - eventually ...

Thanks for stopping by ....

Spent yesterday afternoon scrapping, and my on going battle of tiding my craft room, the more I do the worse it seem to be, but its getting better. Anyway, these are a few LO's and mini book that I produced

Walk This Way - Scrapagogo April 09 Kit with Hybrid Element. I just love the fresh colours of this kit and it is very "spring like". the title was going to say "A Walk in the Woods" but when I put some of the letter down and wanted to remove them, the "Walk" had stuck down and would have ripped the paper, so I change the title, which I think works better.

Cardstock - Bazill; Paper - MME, Penny Lane; AC - Thickers:

The tree and the "Spring is Here" label are from April Hybrid kit, which are from Scrapagogo. Which I printed on to white cardstock and cut out, wasn't so keen of the idea of hybrid, but now can see the advantage.

Bright Eyes - Scrapagogo April 09 Kit

Cropped this photo from one of my Son taken over the Easter holidays. again used the Hybrid Elements.

Cardstock - Kraft; paper - MME- Penny Lane; overlay - MME - Penny Lane.

My Football Star - Bellaboo April 09 Kit - I don't subscribed to this kit, but I do try get it most months, depending on my funds (LOL) this one is 1st kit that Cleo Jarvis has but together since she took over the ownership of Bellaboo, and was definiately more Boy orientated and which some of the new Cosmo Cricket paper and embelishments in.

I cut out the red shaped using a "Colour my World " template, added a few button (not included in the kit).

And finally, my mini house book - I got this project kit from Scrapagogo in Dec 08, and its been on my shelf ever since. I have added photos taken in Feb when we had the downfall of snow in the Street, it mainly photos of my house, garden and the street.

Maya Road - Chipboard Mini Book; Papers - October Afternoon (OA), Kei Memories; stamps - OA - Home Sweet Home, Hot off the Press;

Thanks for looking ....

I'm back ....

Well I'm back, a bit battered but coming through it OK. I want to thank all my friends for their kind words and sincere thought in my loss, they have been much appreciated and I love you all.

This is a long entry, got alot of catching up to do ....

Like I said previously I'd attended the PaperArts - Cleo Jarvis Workshop on 25th April, took me just over an hour to get there, and 2.5 hours to get back - but that another story.

The workshop included two projects one LP layout with mini book attached, and a 1/4 circle mini album, both looked very complicated,m but has with anything once you sit down and you have been given instructions, its not that hard really.

Cleo runs and owns Bellaboo online store, which I'm a frequent visited to, and she produces some amazing layouts, so here is the first one - done on a old LP.

I choice to do photos of my son from a recent visit to Webbs Garden Centre, and print them in black & white.

She incoproated a mini book on the front, which had more photos and the journalling.

Another thing that she love to do is add texture, hence the lace and distressed edges, stitchings.

I added the grudgeboard elements when I got home, and I think it just finishes it off. Have you also noticed the "Wicked" punch - got from Stampin'Up which looks like your torn the papers from an spiral bound book - very easy to use.

The next project was a mini album, again Cleo style is different, why do a square, when you can do a circle, with scallop endings and all the trimings eh!

Well this is what the end results looks like. Again I printed my photos in black & white and used some pink to give a bit of colour.

front cover

My next entry is my Circle Journal (CJ) which I signed up for before Easter over on the Scrapagogo site, (I just love this site and their kits that they produce). Wasn't sure what I was signing up for but throught it would be interestingand fun and would give me something else to introduce into my scrapbooking/craft.

The idea of the CJ is to pick a topic, my is "A Proud Moment", and produce a layout entry based on your views of the topic, but using Scrapagogo kits for that month and then pasting it onto the next person to complete their entry. Ending up with a CJ with 10 entries with various views on your choosen topic - IYKWIM.

Front Page

You have to write an introduction, and put your likes and dislikes down, has this was my 1st CJ I didn't put any dislikes down, because I wanted the others in the group to be free to use what they wanted, and has the main elements are from a Scrapagogo kit I know that I wouldn't be disappointed.

My entry - Wehn I won a trip to France with Virgin Vie, and my team mates who also went.

On the tag, I put my journalling.


At the back of the book their is a section for the girls in the group to sign in, I die-cuts some tags added corresponding ribbon and slotted them into the pages.

Thanks for stopping by ... have a great weekend