Exhall Green and more GoGo talk ...

I was very tired on Sunday, but went to the Exhall Green crop as planned with Julie, where I did the class designed by Sarah Palmer (DT designer for Sarah Cards), she had produced 2 layout, both sizes not what I would normally have done.

I will upload the photos later.

It was great to meet up with Di and Jo again who will be going to the ScrapaGoGo retreat in October. Jo & Di are planning to stop off at some craft shops on the way down, which will add to the excitement of the weekend, especially as ScrapShed and Scrap Revolution are in that area - Lucky them eh ... but I did spend far to much at Ally Pally so not too jealous - LOL.

So after talking about the Retreat, it was great to get home and find that the Retreat forum was up and running, with all the class information on and the team that we are in, and of course the new challenge. So I'm in the Emerald team - again....

Over the past few months, I met/chatted to several lovely ladies who are going to the Retreat and it was great to see that most of them are in the same team that I am. So glad that I'm traveling light this time, and will only be taking the basic tool kit, has I'm going down by train, because I know I will spend the best part of the time chatting and getting to know them abit more - LOL.

And of course my "Scrapping Buddy" Sam will be their and who I've not see for a while, and she will be doing a Class. I'm looking forward to catching up with her, and of course doing her class. As well as being with the lovely Sheena again, we get on really well and I'm looking forward to spending some time with her too, before our other Retreat in November - but thats another story.

So now I'm armed with the class requirements I need and my basic tool requirements I can start to get myself sorted - after all its only 31 more sleeps so I better get a more on eh !!!

xxx

Road Trip to Ally Pally

After an early start with Julie picking me up at 7am we headed over to Liberty to meet the rest, so car was packed and off we went, Liberty in the driving seat, Dee, Julie, Dee, Jan and Maria and little old me.

The journey down went quite quickly, its alot easier to get to, then I would have throught of in the past.

When we got their and after a quick cuppa and waiting for Rachel to arrive, we went into the hall, I not sure what the 1st stand we went to, but it was next to Scrap Revolution, then onto Scrap Shed, Capture the Magic, Sugar & Spice, then we stopped for lunch and then did the other stalls.

So the photos are my stash for the day, I did say that I wasn't going to get anymore stash until I'd get to my 50, but eh ho, never mind eh LOL.

I got this great 8 x 8 album from ScrapShed along with the accompanying Making Memories - Mistletoe Collection to do my Journal Your Christmas.

Making Memories - Mistletoes Collection

In this pile somewhere is a lovely Christmas stamp which will be my Christmas cards for this year, which hopefully I'll be starting soon.

Little Yellow ShoeBox, Bo-Bunny, Fancy Pants - Rough & Tough, Cosmo Cricket Chipboard, Heidi Swapp Masks, Tim Holtz mask, Inkadinadoo stamp, Martha Stewart punches, Autumn Leaves Buttons, Jenny Bowlin, Nestibilities, to name but a few of the things I've got.

We had a bit of a de-tour on the way back, even with following the SatNav instructions we ended up missing our turn off, it put an extra half hour on the journey home, but we made it back in one piece, to be met by Liberty 3 kids all dressed up in fancy dress and whizzing around the front of the house. What a cheerful welcome.

Then it was home to sit and ponder at what a great day I'd had, and also to get ready for the Exhall Green crop on Sunday.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Layouts 20 - 22

So after the fun day on Saturday with the Scrapagogo girls, it was time for my crop. As well as finishing off the 2 of the classes from Saturday, I managed to do these.

The title read - Attidude - courtiously of Julie

I was very tired and having a cold didn't help, but I did manage to stay to the end.

Also met two ladies, who will be going to the GoGo Retreat, Sue and Barbara, so this time I will know more people than the two people I know at the last one - LOL

TFL

x

Scrapagogo - StoryTeller - Bristol

I spent a fabulous time in Bristol on Saturday with the Scrapagogo Team. It was lovely to meet you with some of the girls from the forum and finally meet some of them in person - IYKWIM.

Chelle, Patrice & Sheena were their who are from the Nuneaton Crop, and who I will going away with at the end of November. (yes, I know I get around ... LOL). Also Jo who I meet at a Workshop at PaperArts in April and who will be going to the October Retreat as well.

So after a early start, picking Julie up at 7ish am, we set off with AA Map, and Sat Nav and headed to Bristol. It only took 1 hour and 40 minutes, and we found it at the first go, especially good when I was driving.

So Lorriane and Janice came with the shop and other goodies as well as some of the DT girls who were doing the classes. SJ - 8x8 Minibook, Laura - 12x12 layouts, with enough papers to do 2 layouts, Lisa - a 12x12 Circular layout, Helen - a minibook using a past greeting kit, and Nicola - a 12 x 12 layout involving stitching. So the 5 classes were set and the day started 9.30am and finished at 6pm ish. Obviously, with break in between.

So here are 2 of the layouts that I've managed to complete so far.

A lovely minibook, designed be Helen Miles using envelopes and cards from a past greeting kit - great idea and fabulous class.

I've added photos of my recent trip to the Zoo with Julie and the Kids, got a few bits to add still, but the bulk of it is complete.

There was even sections, that lifted up, and flapped open.

This one was by Nicola, which involved stitching, and making some "Suffolk Puff Ball" - really easy and I thing I would definiately do again. She had even added an crochet flower that she had done herself.

I included some of the layouts that I had used stitching on, just to show how I love to "hand stitch"on my layouts.

"Suffolk Puff Ball"

I had such a good day, it just makes my look even more forward to the Retreat at the end of October.

I will upload the rest of the layouts later.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Getting there - Layouts 16 - 19

I'm getting through my layouts bags nicely, managed to do 3 at last weeks crop, and well on the way to complete my 50 layouts/projects, I won't get them all done by the weekend, but should make a fair dent in them.

So at the Bromsgrove crop last week, I managed these:-

Cosmo Cricket - Earth Love

Bo Bunny - Rough & Tough

Bo Bunny - Rough & Tough

So at the crop we organised what we were going to do when we go to Ally Pally, which basically is have a laugh and SPEND, SPEND, SPEND.

I've made a small list of the things I want, notice I put want and not NEED - LOL. and I will try my best to not deviate too far from it. But for thoughts of you who know me, will know it will be really, really hard.

We also started to talk about our all day crop to be held in Feb, and who we could ask to do some classes. We have one local designer lined up and hopefully we will be able to get another. BELLABOO will be coming with the shop and I know a great day will be had by all, so if you are free on 6 February 2010 and want to spend a day with like-minded people please get in touch, you will be more than welcome.

Back shortly with my Scrapagogo "Story Teller" layouts.

More Use It Up ... upto No. 15

The rest of the layouts I've done,

My Little Shoe Box

I cut these from the sheets for added interest.

October Afternoon - Cherry Hill

Cosmo Cricket - the Boyfriend & Earth Love

Use it Up ...

Today I've done 10 layouts, so I'm on my way to complete the 50 layouts/project I've set as my target for my "Use It Up' Challange.

Pink Paislee - left overs from one of the GoGo Retreat classes.

October Afternoon - Cherry Hill

Fancy Pants - Summer Soiree

I used a photos that I'd made into a collage using Picasa of our recent holiday in Norfolk.

Scrapagogo August 2009 Kit

Fancy Pants - Summer Soiree

Fancy Pants - Kraft

Sassrafrass Lass - Bungle Jungle

I will upload the rest later.

Thanks for stopping by ...

LSNED, Use it up No. 5 and another 1st ....

So on Wednesdasy I spent the day with Julie crafting, it was good to have a few hours just crafting and catching up.

I have finally done my LSNED album which was a Kraft one from Paperchase and it measures approx. 8.5" x 6", and the pages are cardstock that I got ages ago that had a punched out design down the side, which I cut off and cut the card to side, the papers are Cosmos Cricket - Early Bird. All the pages are the same and some will have a small photo on - when I take them.

And Wednesday, was also the first day that James came home from school on his own, arrrrggggh ... and met me at his old school because he wanted to show his old teachers his new uniform, and he got their before me. Apparently they are a quite a few pupils from his school who get the bus so hes not on his own.

When he was in the playground he looked so different and more grown up even the other mothers said that he has changed over the summer holidays. Some of his old school mates had turned up as well, who have gone to other schools so it was good to see them all together, even for 5 minutes, having a laugh and running around the yard.

I spent Thursday trying, and I mean really trying to sort out the garage, theire was boxes and bags all over the place, so I set to, and sorted out, things to be dumped, things for charity, and things to sell on ebay. TGhere still is a lot to do but I'm slowly getting their.

I can't believe that we have so much stuff just laying around, and has my DH always saying it mainly mine - LOL. So over the next few weeks I will be seriously decluttering the whole house.

Not much crafting done lately, but I have a weekend on my own and have set up some layout bags and hopefully be able to complete.

Use it up ...

At the Bromsgrove crop of Saturday, Debs mentioned that Lisa (Liberty sister) had set herself a challenge to complete 50 layout/projects before she got any more stash. What a brilliant idea, so I checked her blog out and she is well on her way. So this evening I've been sorting out, and making page kits to do over the coming weeks.

I've not had any new stash for a while, I'm waiting for the new CHA Summer release to hit our shores, especially October Afternoon, so I hope to make a dent (all be it a small one - LOL) into my current stock by joining in with this. Not sure how I'll get on, especially has I'm going to Ally Pally at the end of the month, as well as going to the next Scrapagogo Day Event in Bristol before then, but I'll give it a good try.

So I'm going to include the 4 layouts I did yesterday, so only 46 more to go.

Wish me luck ...

Got my MoJo Back ....

I started the day by doing bridal make-up on a lovely girl called Lisa and her mum, Chris, we had a laugh and a very happy morning, and they did look lovely when they were ready to leave.

Then I went over at the Bromsgrove crop and managed to do 3 layouts and even did another one when I got home.

We had a laugh, and did some planning about our trip down to Ally Pally, there is 8 of us going on 26th Sept, with Liberty driving, I will be trying my best not to spend to much money when I go - but I know it will be hard with all the new products becoming available. We also started to make some planned about a "bumper" crop in February 2010 which should be alot of fun.

I've finally used the Scrapagogo August Kit - and has usual love it, hope you like what I've done.

Then I did this one of James in his new school uniform, using Cosmo Cricket - Earth Love. The layout is broadly based on a sketch challenge set by Debs at the crop, and I kept the layout kept very simple.

Much go now, planning to seriously de-clutter the whole house, have done part of the garage and now need to tackle the rest, alot of things will be going to the local charity shops, the rest will be dumped. I've got a lot of Virgin at Home products that will be going onto ebay, when I get round to taking the photos.

DH said I should start on my craft room - I don't think so, because everything in here is soooooooo much needed - LOL.

!st Day at School

Today is the day, my baby started his secondary school, he looks so grown up has the photos show.

I really don't know where the time has gone, and how quickly he has grown up and what a gorgeous boy he has become.

This photo was taken this morning, before he went to school, minus his tie that will be issued today when he finds out what "house" he will be in. He was so excited and met up with some of his friends he had made at Summer school, the mothers (and some fathers) at the gates all looked really worried, but the majority of the kids looked ready the tackle whatever they ha in store for them. I was left wondering how I could sneek in, to see what he gets upto on his first day, but alas will have to wait till he gets home to find out - thats if he can remember when I go and pick him up - LOL.

So I will be taking some more photos later, or even in the morning when he has his tie.

1st day at secondary school

Another thing this week, I've joined Shimelle Online class about learning something new everyday throughout the month of September. The prompts and the forum are really good so far, I've not got any layouts done yet, but have got my little notebook with my ideas in. So hopefully next week when I get back into scrapping, I'll be in the mood to complete some of the pages.

Thanks for stopping by ...