Happy Monday

Finally managed to do some more scrapping, on Saturday, was getting my bags ready for my crop on Sunday, and found myself completing two layouts.

The first using the lovely Cosmo Cricket - Garden Variety Collection

I know, I know I said that I wouldn't be getting any more papers, but you know me I'm so weak when it comes to lovely papers.

This one was just put together, I didn't do much thought to the papers I choose, and to be honest, I think has worked really well.

Then on Sunday woke up to this, about 4 inches of snow had fallen overnight.

James did say that I had to stay in because it had snowed, don't know where he got that idea from - LOL, anyway did leave the house, but I did give my self plenty of time to get to my crop, and driving at 20mph down the back streets made the journey 45 mins long, but I got there in one piece, which was the main thing.

Finally cut into my January and February Scrapagogo Kits.

Scrapagogo January Kit and Hybrid

Scrapagogo February Kit

This one is the last time me and James spent with my brother before he died suddenly last year. Wanted to keep the page simple but recorded the event - IYKWIM. Used Scrapagogo - Sept 09 kit.

And my final layouts for the weekend, got these papers last year, Dream Street - Sam Collection - I think I got them from ScrapShed and they are lovely with owls and trees.

And my little purchase of some owl bags from Paperchase, saw the small one at the Bromsgrove crop, I think Claire had it, and immediately wanted one, so when me and James went to Solihull last week, got both bags and of course the same for Julie. Not sure what I'm going to use them for, but they are cute !!

Thanks for stopping by ...

Credit where Credit is Due - Rachael Elliott

Do you sometimes get the need to send a thank you or a well done message to someone?

Well I did, the other day to Rachel Elliott, for her lovely vintage layouts in the recent copy of Scrapbook Magazine, they are just lovely and I wanted her to know that. It must be nice to know that your hard work is very much appreciated by others, an that you are doing something right. Well with these, and any of her layouts that are just perfect.

Here are her layouts, full of details, using vintage and current photos, layering, distressing, inking just lovely.

I did say that I was a Stalker when it comes to her work, and now she know I am - LOL.

Will be scrap-lifting these when I get round to it and will be giving her full and well deserved credit.

Thank you Rachel for your inspiration and for sharing your talent with us all.

Keep smiling

A Very Wet Day in London ...

So on Tuesday, me and James went to London, not to see the Queen, but to hopefully see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.

So the day started off great, James settled into his seat with his ipod and the journey down was very pleasant.

No rain yet, so a few snapped while we walked to the Tower of London over Tower Bridge.

But then it started to rain, and has Peter Kay would say "fine rain - the one that soaks you through"

So all my big plans to take loads and loads of great photos to use, went out of the window.

This is the nearest we got to having our photo taken with a Beefeater, did see another one doing a very rushed guided tour with a large cloak on.

Even the Raven's looked miserable.

We didn't get to see the Crown Jewels, the queue was about a mile long and we should have been standing in the queue for about 1 hour in the rain, before we even got to the door so after spending a few hours here, we decided to head over to Big Ben, which was a very long walk in the "fine rain" and we were so soak that we both wanted to go home, so a quick photo shoot here and we headed home 2 hours before we had planned too.

At Westminster Tube Station, came across these fancy tiles in the ladies toilets, was going to use the facilities, but didn't have a 50p for the privilege - LOL.

So even through it rained, and rained and rained, we had a good day, and are planning to go back at the next holidays.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Weekend in Derbyshire

Just trying to catch-up with this blogging lark - so a couple of post to be added today.

First of all, a big thanks to everyone who email me with suggestions for kits clubs, retreats and workshops, all of which have been gratefully received and enquiries made. So hopefully if fund are available next year will be travelling far and wide.

So for the start of the half term, we went to Derbyshire to stay at my MIL cottage, which is always good, even if there is no internet or mobile network connection - LOL. Jon and me pick James up straight from school and we stopped off at Ashborne for Tea, and we enjoyed a some lovely fish and chips.

Then it was the chance for James to get another new bike, hes growing so quickly that it seems that every month (well 18 months) he has to get a new one, the problem now is, what do we do with the old one, the shop that he got is new one from, doesn't do part exchange so when we bring it back to Birmingham its either Ebay or Cash Convertors.

So off we went for a bike ride, well they did, and I had a lovely walk, but being on my own wasn't much fun, but I enjoyed being out and about.

I always marvel in the beauty of the countryside, and when I'm here I want to be here everyday, just enjoying the beauty and nature around me,

and of course, the sheep ...

Over the weekend it was a chance for me to visit Nana who is still in hospital, she looks very fraile, but she still had here wits about her, and told me it was about time I got a job so that Jon could cut his hours at work - LOL. It has been decided that she can come home soon, provided that she can manage on her own, still think its not a good idea, has she been in hospital for over two months and has had 24/7 care, apparently, the hospital take her home and sees how she copes, if it doesn't look like she could manage on her own, then my MIL and uncle will have to re-think the options.

Anyway, for the time being she is happy and being well cared for, and that all we can ask for.

Check back for our London day in the rain.

Whats out there .... Kits, Retreats, Workshops etc

This post will be kept at the top of my blog until 12 February 2010, new post will be added underneath.

* * *

My word for this year is BELIEVE, so I believe that there are some great kits, retreats or workshops out there that I don't know about, so in my quest to add more variety to my scrapbooking, I'm starting to look for other things to try that are available within the UK (obviously.. lol Oh boy wouldn't it be great to go to a USA Retreat !!!) so does anyone have any recommendations. I'm a great believer in personal recommendation, so come on ladies, what kits do you have? do you go on Retreats? or even day workshops? I've already got a few that of my own, but would really relish some others. If you can drop me an email on jackie.ashton1@btinternet.com it would be much apppreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Bromsgrove Cropaganza & January Document 2010

Well, yesterday I spent a great day over at Fairfield at the Bromsgrove Cropaganza which was organised by Liberty, with classes with Morag and the Bellaboo shop. So before I show you what I produced I have a big confession to make, well not big just a few sheets from the Prima Marketing Range, really lovely, so my will power only lasted 6 weeks, but I think that good for me - LOL.

Liberty - Crop organiser

Morag (in the centre) - waiting to see if her ticket has been picked for the raffles.

So confession over, in my quest to use up my supplies I used up some of my Scrapagogo past kits.

September 2009 kit

I love the following two photos has they were taken on Christmas Day on my BIL mobile, he bluetoothed them to me and I bluetoothed them to my Mac - how cool is that.

December 2009 kit

December 2009 kit

Bella Blvd - photo taken when my best friends visited to go shopping last year.

Then it was onto Document 2010 layouts, I'm following Shimelle suggestions about using up old stock, so dug out my bits of October Afternoon - Cherry Hill Collection and used it to produce my January layouts.

Front 12 x 12 sheet - includes a plan pink envelope that I got ages and ages ago from QVC, when I was heavily into card making. So all my envelopes will be these, as I've now added them to my album. As well as finding these Jenni Bowlin Calendar Cards, again something that I got about 18 months ago. So I have decided to follow a theme throughout the year, by using a particular range of papers each month, the pink envelope, the Jenni Bowlin Calender Card.

I loved the suggestion by Shimelle of adding thickers or stickers to be page protector, so I did, and used Cosmo Cricket - The Boyfriend Cardstock stickers.

My second 12 x 12 pages included a photo of my roses in my garden 'tipped' with snow, a simple and lovely layouts.

My 12 No. 6 x 4 pages are added next but using 6 photos and 6 journalling cards.

I added a college of my layouts that I did for January.

Also found these in my stash, which where from a Scrapagogo kit last year.

And finally this is one of the layouts that Morag did, when I finish the other two will upload.

As well as all the above I did my Scrapagogo CJ entry, won a raffle prize, had loads of laughs and a lovely meal and most of all spent the day with some great girls. So thanks girls for all the fun I had and looking forward to seeing you next month.

Please leave a comment, it would be very much appreciated.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Isn't it Beautiful ...

Just look at this beautiful sunset, I took it today as the sun was setting over the local reservoir.

Hope you like ...

One to Watch ..

So on Wednesday, which is normally my craft time with Julie, we decided to visit the cinema, well should I say Julie said "should we go to the cinema", my reply "yes". It was only on the drive there, that I asked what we were going to see - LOL.

I'm so thankful that I can go to the pictures with someone other than my DS, that I'd just go along.

A very funny film, well worth watching. So if you're got a spare 2+ hours, go and chill out and have a good laugh. The only downside was that because the film was so long we missed out having lunch, but you can't have it all can you.

I'm curently getting myself sorted for the Bromsgrove 12 hour Cropaganza on 6th Feb, got about 10 page bags sorted, as well as the 3 classes that Morag with be running, I think next week I should have some LO's etc to show you. I know I've not been very productive this year so far, but hope this will be give the kick up the bum I need.

Thanks for stopping by.

(Sorry for the last two para, can't split them up - aggggggghhhhhh !!!!)

My Wednesday Treat, more snow and ScrapaGoGo News

Right I know it late, but this is what I got up to last Wednesday.

As you might know every Wednesday I meet up with Julie to craft. So on Wednesday, I set to using up my large amount of stash and produced these layouts.

This is a photo from a trip to Legoland in 2005. I got the 'lego' paper from my last visit to the NEC.

MME - Abbey Road Paper, with James and his new bike last Summer.

Scrapagogo December Kit, just a few photos taken around my garden.

So after finishing these and putting the world to right, Julie provided lunch, which was just yummy and very much appreciated.

A lovely bowl of Chicken and Bacon salad.

So woke up this morning to a thin covering of snow, so took this photo at 7.15am from my front door, and it looks lovely, but not so lovely when it took my over an hour to do a 15min car journey.

Then after I got back, I was able to "grab it" over on Scrapagogo - got a lovely project kit, with some great ideas from Sam, should be able to complete in 3 months for Jon's Father's Day gift - LOL

And then checking my emails found out about the new GoGo Design Team - which introduces Claire and Angie - both whos work offers a twist and always look lovely - so I'm looking forward to seeing what they will be producing with their kits over the coming months. But has 2 new additional join two leave, so its a big goodbye to SJ and Laura who are going onto pastures new, but I will be following their work via their blogs and I'm looking forward to finding out about the goings on with the run-upto Laura's wedding later this year.

So currently trying to get myself sorted for the Bromsgrove Cropaganza on Saturday 6th Feb, 12 hours of non-stop crafting with 3 classes by Morag Cutts and Cleo Jarvis bringing her Bellaboo shop, so looking forward to it.

Thanks for stopping by ...