Keeping in touch

One of the thing I decided to do this year is try and keep in touch with my friends more, whether it meeting up for a coffee, shopping or crafting - I do need to be keep in touch and make more of an effort.

So with that in mind I spent today here

with Sheena. It was good to see her in her new home, it has been along time re-building - but it was so worth seeing her back and looking happy again.

We spent the day chatting and laughing, well mainly laughing. I love spending time with her and look forward to spending longer at the end of February.

I did take some crafting to do, but it never came out of bag - lol - maybe next time.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Child Challenge Blog - DT Call

Recently I got a lovely email from Tiffany asking me to join in with the DT call and the new challenge blog that she was setting up. The challenge was to use this child's toy as inspiration for your layout.

And this is my take:

You can find further information here

Twisted Sketches No. 136 - Fabric

This weeks sketch is up over on the Twisted Sketches site, you can find it here, and here is my take on the sketch.

I use Studio Calico Fabrip for the twist of my sketch (woodgrain effect - pinked circles).

also added a few flowers for extra detail.

Thanks for stopping by ...

A Happy Morning

Just spent this morning at my 1st 'Knit & Chat' - well should I say 'Crochet & Chat' - the 2 hours went really quickly, roll on next week.





Now I just need to practice till then.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sarah's Cards Blog Challenge - Jan 2012

Another blog challenge from Sarah's Cards, you can find it here.

Its about your Creative Intentions for 2012. So has my word for the year is Appreciate, I decided to do a layout with this in mind.

Products used:

Cosmo Cricket - Odds & Ends, Crate Paer - Random.

Thanks for stopping by.

My Mind's Eye January Challenge

I'm back into scrapping, I've finally finished my Document 2011 and even though I've not finished my Christmas Jourmal I'm putting it to one side to complete some layouts. So I thought the best way to do this is by joining in with some on0line challenges.

So this is my first one, over on the My Mind's Eye blog there had set this sketch challenge,

And this is my take on the sketch. I've used this photo before and just love how James looks different in his new school uniform.

I've used MME Kraft - Fun Day Collection.

As well as the cut out circles, I hand-stitched around the circles to give it more texture, using the colours of the school houses.

Thanks for stopping by.

Twisted Card Sketches

This weeks Card Sketch is up, and you can find it here. And here is my take of the sketch

Please hop over to the site and join in, I'd love to see what you come up with.

New Snaps

At my crop on Sunday, I took my camera and asked the lovely Morag if she would take some photos of me, which thankfully she agreed, these are a few of the shot she took. I only wanted one or two, but she was more than happy to keep snapping away.

And a few with Julie.

On the way to the crop I spotted these - just had to stop to get a photo.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Looking Forward and One Little Word

(Apologies a long rambling post)

At the beginning of 2011 I would never have thought that my life would be so different, with lots of highs and lows. I've tried my best to over come some the lows - but this time of the year it is very difficult - not going into too much detail on here - but it has been hard these past few weeks.

So here are a few things that happened to me in 2011 and my thought process to looking forward towards 2012 and how I chose my 'One Little Word" ...

Health

Finally getting my health problems sorted, after years 'making do and trying to get on with it' , I'm on the mend and looking forward to a happier 2012 health wise. Having my Op and the lead up to it, has shown me how I have 'made do' with things, how hard some days/weeks had been just doing the basis of things. Yes, I looked 'OK' I even acted 'OK' but just because someone doesn't have a bandage or plastic on show doesn't mean that they are not hurting inside.

Then after having the Op, I finally woke up to how I have been treated by people over the past few years. It's really easy to 'just go along with things' for an easier life, 'not say things' because their trauma is 'always alot more important than yours' , but why is that, why do people dismiss how you are feeling and what you are going though is relevant compared to theirs. Why do I worry about these things, why do I constantly think about how others see me, how they might react to what I say, why do I think I need them to like me. I don't want to be dismissive of their traumas big or small, but some times, just sometimes, it would have been nice to have them listen to me, and not change the subject back to whats going on in their life, but I'm know its only human nature to do that, but it has been hard, listening to others when I needed them to listen to me.

Well, being house bound for 7 weeks after the Op and having plenty of time to think about these things, I came to realise that some of the people I call 'friends' are no more than 'acquaintances' and once I got my head around that, I'm realised 'I'm OK with it'. I can survive having 'acquaintances' if our paths cross, and it is something that I want to happen, then that's fine, but I will no longer be going out of my way to 'just go along with things' because they want me too. I will endeavour to do what I want more, not what others what me too, what if it doesn't suit them? well, I'll just have to cross that bridge well I get to it.

Family/Home

Giving more time to Jon and James, I sometimes felt that I don't give them as much time as we needed as a family, I'm always going to 'a crop, 'a retreat' or on my computer but over the year things have made me re-assess what I do and how I must cut my time down away from the house a lot.

I don't have to be out every weekend at a crop, or book onto the next retreat, I can just stay at home and enjoy it. I know this is my fault has over the years I've been caught up in the whirl pool of scrapbooking that I've felt that I must do, must go, must see that next big things, but do I really need to? or more so, can I really afford to ? well the answer to both these are 'No' I have a few things booked for this year, but definitely no where has much has I had booked in the previous years. I won't be juggling my family life to fit my hobby, but the other way around.

Scrapbooking

So onto my scrapbooking, being asked to join the Twisted Sketches DT Team - something that over the past few years I wanted to do for a while is be on a DT team. I love the challenge of this site and it has given me the change to improve my scrapping and make me thing about different ways to scrap.

Then being asked to join the Twisted Cards DT Team - looking forward to starting on this team in the new few weeks. I started crafting as a cardmaker, so it will be nice to get back into card making again.

Then in November being chosen as one of the Runner Up for Scrapbooker of the Year 2011 - yah !!!! I was so chuffed. It came at a time when I personally needed a boost and it was definitely just what I needed. Now this was something that I would not have entered previously, but this past year, life has shown me that its is too short and opportunity will just pass you by if you don't give it a go.

so what in store for 2012

I don't really set myself resolutions because I know they will be broken before the end of January, but I do like to have one or two things to aim for in this coming year. These are just a few of the things I hope I can achieve this year.

* Keep a check on my health

* Enjoy my family life

* practice & master how to crochet

* learn how to use my camera

* get more layouts published

* join another DT Team

* visit New York

* spend time with my girlies

So how I choose my word for 2012

I often look at others and think how wonderful their lives are! how fantastic there homes look! how they have the perfect partner! the perfect kids! the perfect life! I don't think 'why not me' but I do wonder how come they have all this and more! Then when I stop and think, I realise that I have it as well: - a nice home, a loving partner, a fantastic kid, and even though it not perfect, it my life and I should appreciate it more.

So my little word for 2012 is APPRECIATE. I could have had several and it has taken me weeks to decide, but I ended up with APPRECIATE - I hoping it will reminds me to APPRECIATE what I have (family, house, friends), what I can do and what is around me, and be a constraint reminder to me about how to APPRECIATE life in general.

Right, if you have made it to the end of this post, thanks for staying with me and reading my ramblings.

I'll be back in the next few days hopefully with some scrapping, and some new photos from a mini photo shot with Morag.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Project Life/ Document 2012

So for my document 2012, I've decided to incorporate the idea of project life and document 2012. I've still got my document 2011 to finish, before I start on this years. Still not sure whether I will be doing it has a weekly entry but I will be changing the format more as the Project Life format.

As project life is meant to be completed on a weekly basis, it has to be a very organised album. So with that in mind I started to gather some supplies together and taking the idea from Lisa fabulous blog post (very long read but worth it) here I stamped some journalling cards to use in my album.

I love how they have turned out, and really hoping that I can finish my 2012 album this week and start this one.





I've used a selection of stamps from My Minds Eye, Studio Calico, Technique Tuesday.
I even used a Studio Calico grid background stamp on a few of the sheets.


And I got these lovely stamp set from Ebay, which has retired stamps from Studio Calico.

I know its not straight by eh oh ! only noticed when I uploaded so will have to do another one.
How are you going to document your 2012 adventures?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

CHA Preview

Yes, its that time of year again, when all the lovely must have will be showcase over in the US.

Now I know I'm in the process of getting rid of most of my stash, but there is no harm in looking eh!!

So these are a few of the new items that Tim Holtz will be introducing. These are the ones I like but you can see more on his blog here

And some lovely collection from MME

Twisted Sketches No. 134 - New

Hi all, after a couple of weeks break we are back with another fab sketch, which you can find here

and this is my take

Products : Studio Calico (SC) - Memoir papers, wood veneer house, Mr Huey - SC Mist; Maya Road - Scallop dollie; Cavallini & Co - stamps; punches - Fiskars, Martha Stewart; Alpha - AC/SC - Elf, Jenni Bowlin - Vintage Brown alpha stickers.

Why not pop over and join in, it was be great to see what you produce with the sketch.

Happy Srcapping

A New Look - Phase 1

So I've started on my de-cluttering/re-organisation of my space, and boy do I feel a lot better for it.

So over Christmas me and hubby discussed how I could change the room for the better, I did try and persuade him that converting the garage would be the best, but that fell on deaf ears - lol, and really the room is adequate for my needs and having even more room would just allow me to fill it even more. Anyway after checking out Pinterest (I love this site) I decided that the layout of my room was not as effective as it could be so I figures out that changing my desk and moving my Expedit units would be a start. So a quick trip to Ikea at the beginning of the week and I was set to start Phase 1 of my room.

It looked like this, at this stage I had taken all things off my desk and removed my chair (forgot to take photo) and there were sets of drawers in front of the Unit.

I must admit I liked the fact that I could sit on my chair, and everything was in a 180 degree angle that I would be using, so even though other people said 'I could never work in this' I was happy with my lot, and know where things where, but I was aware that it was getting too much and I really didn't need to be cramped in a room like this. I had about a 12 inch walkway from door to desk, and every possible space was packed with 'stuff' I won't call it stash because a lot of it has been in the room for ages and won't be appearing on my pages in the future, but you know how it is, 'it might come in one day' well no more. I so getting rid of it all.

Drawers and albums, boxes of pre-made cards under the desk.

So on Friday I set about moving all my stash into my son's bedroom and even some into our room - Even I was shocked on how much stash I had crammed into the space - definitely no photo evidence of this. When my hubby saw it all, he was very silent which is never a good sign - lol.

Anyway, after emptying the room, I was feeling alot better about how my room would look. We did have a problem getting the table down, hubby is normally very good about keeping 'Allen keys' that we get with Ikea storage, but the Allen keys we had where too small for the screws. But we did manage it, or should I say hubby did.

Then we moved the unit into the corner and assembled the new desk. We couldn't afford to get rid of the Expedit units we had, and to be frank they served my purpose, I no doubt will be re-thinking this again in the future, but for now I'm OK with these.

Photo taken with in iPhone - but was already liking how it looked.

So this is how it looks now, its by no means de-cluttered, I need to empty my units and the drawers that where in my room and re-oganisation them, and by empty I mean get rid - yes this time its all going. I am hoping that I can keep me room like this, and as my hubby said 'its all my mess' so really I've no excuse. I can't believe that we managed to sort the majority of it in a day, now it left up to me to really de-clutter and get rid. My main aim is to have the unit tidy, nothing on the floor and hopefully keep my desk clear - which has I type is not like the photo at all - got boxes with stash that needs to be photoed, and uploaded onto Ebay and my desk has small jars with ribbon and buttons that are going as well.

My stash will be going onto Ebay over the next few days/weeks : sizzix alphabet dies, punches; stickers; brads; buttons; rub-on; 12x12 paper - many in collections; Embellishments - ribbons, buttons, alpha sticker sheets, magnolia and clear stamps - sorry no Studio Calico ones; albums - various sizes (No D-ring ones). This is just some of the things that I can see I look around that will be going, but I know that there will be lots more. If anyone is looking for somethings, please get in touch who knows, I might just have that thing you need. I will only be posting to address in the UK. As and when I put things onto Ebay I will add a link from here.

Just added these - check out others via right side of the Ebay page.

Thanks for stopping by...

Happy New Year 2012

Welcome to 2012 and I wish you all good health and happiness for the coming year.

I've had a great festive season spending the time with my family in Derbyshire. The downside of being away from home is that there was no internet connection and very limited mobile phone coverage - I did spent some time sitting on the bedroom window cill, sending texts, and one evening I actually got onto the internet - only happened once - but it did work. So even though it was great to getaway having limited contact for a week was off-putting when you are used to surfing the web and keeping in touch. But that said, I did managed to go on some lovely walks, and take a few photo - some I'll share with you over the next week. I was also able to complete most of my JYC and practice some crocheting - which is still very basic - lol.

So one thing I've got planned for this coming year - is to try not to spend any money on stash - there it is - written down so I'm committed - lol. I'm determined to spend a very limited amount of any new stash, I've got so much - I swear I could open a store and still have loads left.

So my plan for each month is to only get my Studio Calico Kit, and perhaps 1 add-on, but not 3 or 4 like I've done in the past. I can live without that lovely stamp and the extra papers, no matter how nice they appear. I will be taking it a month at a time, but so far (and I know its only day 3) I've resisted the 'Sale Now on' signs in the on-lines stores. And has I said in the past, I am determined to sell a large amount of my stash. I'm going to be very ruthless and just 'get rid', so watch this space for an update.

Thanks for stopping by ... I'll be back with some photos of my JYC, my humble attempts at crocheting and photos of my week away.