Getting back on track

Yes, I'm back on track and feeling alot better about things. I've deleted my previous post but thanks everyone for all your lovely comments.

So to start with whilst shopping with Jon and James in Debehams last week, James spotted this hat, and wanted his photo taken, not sure whether it suits him or not, but we had a laugh.

So whilst in the Bullring, the league cup was on display, the queue was too long for James to wait in to have his photo taken with it, so I took a few snaps - I wonder if Aston Villa will lift it up on Feb 28th, when we go to Wembley. Yes that right, I'm hoping to go to Wembley with the boys to watch the match - well thats if I can get a ticket. The tickets go on sale on Wednesday for season ticket holder then on general release after that, so fingers cross that I can get one for myself as well.

Then on Sunday I went with Julie to the Exhall Green Crop and produced these class layouts, which was designed by Claire, it was great to start to get back to normal and having a laugh at the crop was just what I needed.

Diane brought some Martha Stewart punches that QVC had sent her to test for an upcoming TSV (10th Feb), and they were brill so spent last night trying to find them on the net. There was about 8 of various sizes, and she wasn't sure how they would be packaged on the show, all together or split up. I did manage to find a couple of them, for not the main one that I wanted out of the set, so will continue to look on the net. I've not brought anything for ages from QVC but these will be ones I will be watching out for, unless I can find them before then - LOL.

Also, at the crop another lady, Claire - had a Martha Stewart punch that was a button, marvellous, so if anyone reading this know where I can get one from please let me know.

So my request to tidy my craft room is still ongoing, managed to sort some of my patterned papers/cardstocks the other day and even put together some page kits. Whilst sorting these papers I found several layouts that I've not finished so they are my next project before I start to do other things. Still got loads to do, but I'm doing little and often and will get their in the end.

Thanks for stopping by ...

One to Watch ...

While blog hopping, I found this from Shimelle - great video - worth a look ...

Use it Up ...

As one of my goals for this year, is not to buy any new products and use what I have, I produced this one and I just love the papers in this kit, another one from Scrapagogo January 2009. So my challenge for this coming year is to produce at least 1 layout per month from a past kit. The only thing I added to this layout was the Making Memories - Mini Alphas.

Used the stamps that came with the kit as a border , also stamped on blue card and cut out the star details.

I decided to use the negative of the alphas. And I've also doodle around the edges of the page.

Hope you like it.

TFL

x

My Word of the Year is .....

BELIEVE

Well, I know it abit late in the month, but I've finally decided on my word for the year. I've been thinking over the past few weeks about what I want to achieve this year, in a multitude of rolls, eg as a wife, mother, friend, scrapper and it all boils down to this one word.

The fact that I need to believe in myself more, and stand by my decision and believe that what I'm doing or have done is for the best at that moment in time.

So a short list, I need to:

1. Believe that I can make my family life even happier this year.
2. Believe that I can get organised even if it takes me a while - after all Rome wasn't built in a day.
3. Believe that dreams and wishes can come true, even if it takes a while.
4. Believe that the glass is half full NOT half empty.
5. Believe in myself more.

I'm sure that I could add to this list, but these are the main ones at the moment, I've got some personal ones but not putting down on here.

Anyway will be back will a layout I did last night for my crop on Sunday.

Thanks for stopping by ...

1st Layouts of the Year & Decision Time

I've finally been able to complete some layouts and come to a decision, which I'll explain later in the post.

This is one that I finished off, I didn't put a title on it, because I keep changing my mind, so I've left it at Soar -as in - you make my heart soar - something that I often things when I see James.

Die Cut with a View

October Afternoon - Very Merry

A few weeks before Christmas I found some negatives and got them added to a CD and they are of James early years - brilliant, alot that I had forgotten. On looking at this I not sure about the buttons, but its too late now.

Scrapagogo November 09 Kit

Scrapagogo Dec '09 Kit - me and James at my MIL, and using some of the December GoGo hybrid - I love using these, just need to find out out to change to colours and I'm sure I'd use them more.

Scrapagogo December '09 Kit - This is a first for me - doing 6 x 12 layouts. Don't get me wrong, I have done them before, but they have always been done from a class and I must admit I love them - will be doing more this years.

And my final thing is this MDF minibook by Kaisercraft, I got this before Christmas specifically to add some photos of James. All the photos are ones I've printed off thoughout the year and not used and where just hanging around, so what better way then to add them to a mini book.

I used Fancy Pants - Rough & Tough Collection and other bits and pieces.

Which brings me onto my decision - I've got so much paper supplies, that I'm going to try and not buy anything for the next few months. I was in my craft room over the weekend, and looking at all the lovely papers etc I've got and made the decision to either use it or lose it ... and has I don't want Jon to throw it out, I better use it - LOL.

A good thing is that I'll be away for the NEC in March and Ally Pally in April, which will make sure that I don't spent money that I've not got, thus avoiding temptation. Over the past few days, I've been thinking about this, and checking out peoples blogs, and noticing 'old' layouts with papers from 2008/2009 most that I've got and realised that even if the papers are last years the layouts are still good, so why not use what I've got.

So I'll be checking out all the new products from afar and waiting for my Scrapagogo Kits to arrive, which have always got new releases in.

Back soon ....

Stampin Up Sale-ebration Special Offer 2010

This post will remain at the top until the end of the promotion - 28 February 2010, please scroll down to see other posts - thanks

Yes that's right - you can get stamp sets for free!
Do you want to get your stampin' fingers on these four fab sets of limited edition stamps?

This fantastic Sale-A-Bration offer runs from 30 December 2009 - 28 February 2010


Stamps for free, easy as 1,2,3

Simply shop - grab one of these gorgeous sets of stamps for free with every product purchase of £45. There's no limit to how many sets you can have whilst the offer is running. Splurge on some goodies you've been after for a while or take the opportunity to stock up on basics and tools - it's up to you. Just place your order with me here.

Hostess with the mostess - in addition to the usual hostess benefits you can get a Sale-A-Bration stamp set of your choice if you host a party with product sales of £300 or more, this is in addition to the sets you can get by spending £45 on products yourself. Email me now to book your party.

Join Team Jelly - If you fancy yourself as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and sign up to join Team Jelly during Sale-A-Bration, you can choose a free stamp set up to the value of £38.95 from the current catalogue! Email me for more information.
The goods....

Whimsical Words - a set of six sentiment stamps that can be used all year round. Fabulous for adding those finishing touches to your creations.




Vintage Labels - a stunning set of six stamps including frames and sentiments. The ornate circle co-ordinates with the 1" circle punch and the scallop circle punch. Several other stamps from the catalogue fit inside these frames too, so great for combining.




Good Neighbours - 10 great stamps ideal for creating scenes, borders or features. These would look great combined with the Trendy Trees stamp set.


Happy Moments - four images and three sentiments. Build a tower of presents with this versatile set or layer up the cake!

Tempted? Email me now jackie.ashton1@btinternet.com to place your order or to book a party.

Remember this amazing offer is only available until 28 February 2010, once they're gone - they're gone!

HAPPY NEW YEAR - Let the New Year Begin ...

Hi all, well I'm back and hoping that this year brings me some good fortune.

As for Christmas, it was a bit different this year, my Nana was taken into hospital on 19th after having a fall, so things didn't look too good for us all, and we were on standby to make a quick rush up to Derbyshire, but we managed to stay until Christmas Day and went up as planned. So my Birthday, our Christmas was all done on Christmas Eve afternoon, because we felt that we had to be in Derbyshire 1st thing, we eventually got their about 10.30am, were in the past we had got their about 1.30pm, anyway the day was very subdued and me and DH went to visit Nana in the afternoon, James couldn't go because they don't allow children on the ward, the 1 hour journey to the hospital was done is silence, both os us not knowing what to expect, but she was sitting in a chair, and even thought she looked very weak she talked and we had a bit of a laugh - which was just great.

Jon sees his Nana every 2 weeks and is really closed to her, so I was dreading how he was going to react - but he was OK.

So the holiday was spent going to the hospital and taking it in turns to look after James, he wants so much to see his Nana so much and can't wait for her to come home, but has I write this she still in the hospital and they are still doing a series of test on her, trying to stay positive about it all, but she is 92 and lives on her own and the more time she spends in hospital the harder it will be for her to go back home - but we will wait and see.

Right back to it ... I did managed to complete a small mini book while away, with photos of James throughout last year, got a few embellishments to add now that I'm home and will upload hopefully later this year. I actually used photos that I had printed off but not used and were just in my folder waiting to do something with, and also used some papers that I got way back when, I think in April at Ally Pally - Fancy Pants - Rough & Tough, so making use of the stash as well as odd photos.

Over on UKS - Bernice has set up a chat thread about choosing a word for the year, via Ali Edwards, so I'm pondering on Organisation or De-Clutter - both within my personal life and my crafting life. I do believe that the two go hand in hand and both I need to embrace whole heartedly. So by the end of week I will have a list of what I want to achieve in this year both personally and crafty and will let you all know. Apparently if you write it down you have a better chance of achieving it.

So I'll be back a few days with my list of goals and hopefully have some ideas on how I'm going to achieve them.

Thanks for stopping by ....