Layouts and Early Birthday Present

Whilst away last weekend I managed to complete 7 layouts, 2 months entries of the GoGo Yearbook, and 1 month entry for my Document 2010, which brings me upto date.

This one is of James on his 1st day of term Year 8, using Studio Calico Elementary Collection, Tim Holtz Rosette Die, ticket; Maya Road Chipboard Houses, coloured with Promarkers; Jenni Bowlin - Bingo card;

punched the edge of one of papers - binder punch - Stampin' Up

Maya Rd Chipbroad House, coloured with pro-markers

Tim Holtz Rosette Die

One of James showing me how to exercise on the beach, needless to say I'm sitting on the sand just watching and saying 'yes dear' - LOL

October Afternoon - Seaside Collection

Photo of my 1st school, taken on my last visit to Preston.

Crate Paper - School Spirit

Studio Calico Oct '10 kit

Wall design mask, sprayed with Glimmer Mist

Studio Calico Oct '10 kit -

MME - Lost & Found

There are 2 layouts missing that I will add later, one I'm entering it into a competition, so when the deadline of that passes I upload, and the other need some journalling adding.

And this is my Birthday present from DH, it will look lovely in my craft room when I can fit it in - LOL.

Apologies for the quality of the photographs.

Thanks for stopping by...

A Weekend of Crafting at Toad Hall ....

I have spent a lovely weekend with these bunch of girls, we eat and laughed until our sides ache, and I for one truely hope that it something that we can repeat for years to come.

I just love the name of this place

the bottom room was Sam, Sheena and Mine.

So here are a few of the snaps taken over the weekend.

Ann & Caroline from Skrapz, Sam and Sheena - taking a break from scrapping to get some fresh air.

At the bottom of the drive was a lovely local church ...

and some great views ...

Our crop room.

Over the weekend we had some ferral cats visiting, now I love cats - but not wild ones - but it didn't stop Sam and H picking them up and wanting to take the kitten home, thankfully both their hubbys were dead against it.

Teddy Edward - named by Sam

But by the Sunday I did surcome and ended up feeding them.

Nicki & Teresa organised outside catering as well, with a lovely range of home cooked food

and of course, yummy cakes ...

Now I don't see these girls as much as I would like, but spending this weekend with them both was just brill, thanks girls for all the laughs, especially the spotlight episode - love you both ...

So thanks girls for making a good weekend GREAT ... here to next year - love you all.

Do come back to see what layouts I made, thanks for stopping by ...

Hobbycraft, Bonfire Night and more ...

Sorry blogland for my absent, but family life has been very stressful since I got back from my Retreat, so I've not got around to blogging my final layouts from my Retreat, which will be added next week, mainly due to the fact that I've not finished them - LOL.

So my day working with Craft-u-Love at the Hobbycraft show on Saturday 5th went really well, the time went really quickly and Geoff, Paula & Tracey were really lovely and made me feel very welcome, and I hope that I get the opportunity to work with them again next time.

But by the time I got home my legs where really arching but after a shower I felt abit better and I went over to Julie's to watch the fireworks. The first few went really well, then there was one that didn't go off correctly and hit the fence, before hitting Paul, Julie's Hubby on his back, he wasn't hurt but it burnt is jacket. Well, they carried on lighting the rest and a few of us stood in the alcove when it happened again, but this time it came toward the alcove and we were trapped, to say I was scarred is an understatement, it just bounced off the walk and in between our legs, after that we watched them from the sitting room. We did laugh about at the time but it could have been so much worse.

Anyway, here are a few of the photo I took of the fireworks.

After all the excitement of the mis-firing of the fireworks, the kids ended up with some sparklers, which they did various shapes with, heres Izzy with a smile.

A few of them trying to make '2010'

After finally for today, my photos taken by Kirsty Wiseman at the GoGo Retreat, yes I did get the jumper to blend with the autumn colours.

I'm away tomorrow for a crafting weekend with friends and lovely placed called 'Toad Hall' in Shropshire, so looking forward to meeting up with them because I not seen some for quite a while and it will be great to catch up and have a laugh.

Right, better go and pack, thanks for stopping by,

NEC Hobbycraft Shows

If you are planning to visit the Hobbycraft Show at the NEC Birmingham on Saturday come and say hello, I'm working on the 'Craft u Love' Stand D03, Hall 20.

Me and Julie are going on Friday to do some shopping not that I need anything, or should I say that I can't fit anything more in my craft room but I am sure that I can fit some of the new Magnolia Stamps, Martha Stewart punches, Tim Holtz dies, charms, Paperarsty products, etc.

So if you are there on Saturday please come over to say hello, or if you see in me passing on Friday please remind me that I DO NOT, repeat DO NOT need anymore paper - LOL

3rd Day, Teabags and Stash ...

So the rest of Saturday & Sunday classes were just fab, as I came to expect. But what I've decided to do in do a separate post with all the layouts I've done over the weekend, included the ones I've already uploaded, so this one is just that I got up to on Saturday and Sunday.

Kirsty Wiseman was on hand to take our photo, my time was on Saturday afternoon, which I will add when I get them, I'm so pleased with how they have turned out, but more on this soon.

One of the great things about going on retreats is that you get to meet up with 'online' friends, people that you don't see regularly but 'chat' to often.

So meeting up with Beki was just great, we laughed, and laughed and it was just great to meet people that you 'talk to' on line regularly.

And Jackie, what can I tell you about Jackie, she so rocks and is one of the nicest, caring person I've every met, you know when people say 'they have a heart of gold' well that definiately applies to her, and its such a shame that she lives so far away because I would love to meet up with her again, and also a shame that she won't be their next year.

Jackie added this to me door at 2.30am on Sunday morning.

Basically it represent the laughs we had in our final class on Saturday evening, taught by Helen, to say that we had about 10 minutes of 'madness' is definiately an understatement.

Briefly - Sue Chip described something, I didn't understand, Helen tried to explain using football terms,

I had got the complete wrong end of the stick, and told them what I thought it was, the class was in an up roar, Beki & Claire were both crying with laughter, and said that I had described something else, which Rachel and Sarah went straight onto IPad and googled. Laugh is the best form of medicine and typing this is just making me laugh even more. I do hope that no one was affended and just enjoyed the cameradory of the class.

Then on Sunday, it was time for the 'team' photo shoot, has it was raining we decided to get some done inside, these girls are just amazing, they made the whole weekend so much better and we had such a laugh.

The lovely Barb and Sue - this is such a great photo.

I do hope that some of the other girls have taken single photos of me.

Then it was off to lunch, which was a Cravery,

Followed by a selection of desserts.

Now for my stash shopping, like I upload before the Shop was so lush I could have had one of everything,

There was meant to be new ranges of October Afternoon, but they had let them down, but they did have the newest range of Cosmo Cricket - Circa 1934 - lovely

American Craft - Dear Lizzy Thickers, Glitz Design - stamps, mini alphas, embellishments; Elles Studio

American Craft - Dear Lizzy - Christmas Range (not that I needed anymore Christmas papers but I just couldn't resist)

The new Jenni Bowlin Ink Pads

So I hope you like what I got up to over the weekend and call back and check out the layouts I did.

Thanks for stopping by ...