Sarah's Card Retreat - March 2012 - Part 1

Better late than never, this past week I've been really busy with school meetings, so even thought I had planned to get this post done at the beginning of the week, it has taken me till today (Friday) before I could finally get around to it.

But less of my mundane life, what a great weekend it was.

Me and Julie set off up north

and stopped of for a coffee on the way, and of course a couple of Krispy Kreme wouldn't go a miss - lol.

Then we were off again to visit the village near the hotel for lunch.

we didn't stop at the place we had last time, but found another country pub about 5 minutes away. The weather was really nice, so we sat outside and enjoyed the weather and the peace and quite.

Outside the pub was a phone box, that was a library - such a great idea.

And then when crossing the road we saw these lovely chickens, in a field beside the car park.

Then it was onto the hotel to start a weekend of crafting - yah. I didn't take half the photos that I usually do, not sure why not, but when you have been to a venue a few times, there is only so much you can photograph right?* Anyway, these are a few that I did manage to take.

We were welcome by Lianne, Sarah and the lovely DT girls it this large spacious scrapping room.

One of the great thing about this retreat is that you can start to shop as soon we arrive, no waiting/queueing for hours before we can get our hands on the lovely goodies. And yes, I did buy a few sheets, and more thickers, well it would be rude not to.

Sarah & Lianne have worked out a great system so that the designers move between the class rooms and you have your own delegated space in the class for the whole week end - making it a lot easier when you arrive in the class room.

As I've mentioned before at this retreat we do 6 planned classes over the weekend, which i will share with you in my next post. We also had make & takes, which for some reason I didn't do any - must try harder next time. Challenges, bingo and raffles - which was all really enjoyable, especially the bingo called by the lovely, Tracey.

Has you might know, I just love going to retreat, I love the whole process, the build-up online before hand, meeting old crafting friends, making new ones, learning new techniques, buying new stash - the whole process, so it was great to meet Rachel Elliot again, I just love her work and what a beautiful and friendly person she is, if you haven't seen her work, hop over to her blog here to see how talented she is.

So it was good to get a photo of us together. I didn't get to do my usual photo shot but that OK, again it something I don't know how I didn't, but eh ho - will just have to make do with what I have got.

Also I met Carla who was at the retreat on her own, but was one of my table buddies. what a lovely warm and friendly person she is, and I do hope that we can meet up again in the future.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back tomorrow to see my class layouts and the layouts I managed to do.

* when I wrote this post I didn't think I had many photos, but I guess I was wrong - lol.

Child Play Blog Challenge - Candyland

This weeks challenge can be found here

and this my take.

My Inspiration: was the colour tones taken from the example and of course the candy in the title.

Photo: taken at the Sarah's Cards Retreat - Nov 2011.

Products : October Afternoon - Sidewalk Paper Collection

Why not hop over the the blog and take part in the challenge, I'd love to see what you come up with.

Thans for stopping by

Happy Birthday , Julie

Today is my lovely friend, Julie's Birthday.

Here is the card I made and a little gift. (Gift bag from M&S isn't it lovely)

So wishing her a very happy day with lots and lots of happiness and hoping that she has a great day,

Twisted Card Sketch - N0. 98 - Green

This weeks card sketch can be found here

and here is my take

Products used : Echo Park - Charming 6x6 pad, Stampin' Up - kraft card, stamp.

Why not hop over to the site and take part, I would love to see what you come up with.

Thanks for stopping by

Twisted - Layout No. 143 - Wish

This weeks sketch is up here

and here is my take.

I've used a photo of my son at his 9th Birthday party, and the American Craft 'Chap' Paper collection.

When not hop over to the site and take part, I'd love to see what your take on the sketch is.

Project Life - February 2012 - part 2

So finally my weekend away. As I said previously I don't stress about only choicing one photo or have more that one photos to represent that day and this is why. I had a fab weekend away with my Solihull crop and wanted to document it by using more than just a few photos, and choose to use 4 different variations of the page protectors I have.

Much Wenlock - just documenting us all meeting in Much Wenlock for lunch, having a walk around the town, seeing the Olympic Museum.

Toad Hall - A few photos of Toad Hall scrap room - well actually a large lounge area with plenty of scrapping space as you can see, Julie & I - taking a break from scrapping and enjoying a stroll around the church yard, me getting messing with paints. (since taking the photo I've added my voucher to the top left pocket).

Then I added a 6x12 - photos of me and me scrapping friends - journalling just says how I enjoy spending time with Sam & Sheena, and how we always have such a laugh and it can be months between our meeting up, but it just seems like the day before.

Then on the back of that I added photos of me and Julie - I don't know what it is, but when ever we are together you can bet we will have a laughing fit, its normally me being my Northern -self and saying things out loud before I think about what I'm saying and then I get that disapproving look from Julie when I ask 'Whats wrong - what did I say now'. Sometimes I know what it is, but I've said it, and the more I try and flower what I say the worse it gets - hence the giggles.

Another Page protector - this is a WRMK one with 2 No. 6x4, 2 No. 7x5, 1 No. 7x2.

then on the back are these of me, the bottom one was a very pleasant surprise from the girls for organising the weekend. Julie made the card, and Sam go me the flowers, and they got a voucher to spend at my favourite crafting store - they know me so well - lol. (Photos of me taken by Morag)

Then a 6x4 horizontal page protector. Has scrappers we know the benefit of having loads of photos, so even though it was a bit cold we brave it and managed to get these group shots. These are a combination of Morag and mine photos - sorry not sure which ones are which has we both had the tripods up and times on - lol.

The finally on the back of these are a few of the photos I took, just around and about, with a bit on journalling saying what each of the photos are.

So there you have it, I'm pleased that I've decided to 'go with the flow' when it comes to including more or less photos/page protectors because I can now use up most of the photos I have taken instead of letting them gather dust in a box.

Thanks for stopping by and please do feel free to leave a comment.

Project Life - February 2012 - Part 1

I've finally got my February pages complete, the delay is mainly due to the fact that I had to wait to get my photos back from Photobox. I had used Photobox ages ago to have prints developed and found them really good, but the last two times I've been really disappointed in the quality and if it wasn't for the fact I had got some credit with them I would not be using them, as it is I have ended up re-doing a large amount of the photos myself at home - right rant over - here are my pages.

I have tried to keep the photos/information in chronological order, but I have also not stressed about having a photo a day to add to the pages, if I don't have a photo for that day, I can either journal about it or just miss it out, because some of the day will definitely have more than one photo - see my weekend away pages in part 2.

Big apology for the glare from the page protectors.

key points -

- receiving my PL page protectors (pp) - great having the official pages, and it will give this years album a completely different appearance than the previous ones I've done.

- cinema t0 see War Horse - good film not as weepy has I had expected.

- me & James just chilling

key points -

- early night - I normally only go to bed around midnight or later, but this night I wasn't feeling well and end up in bed before my son (always the scrapper eh! even though I wasn't feel too good, I still remembered to take a screen shot of the time).

- Read - still not feeling to good, so lying on the seatee, listening to James reading to me.

- new bike - James ended up getting a new bike, which was cheaper than mending his old one or so his Dad said.

- quick photo of James in his glasses.

- my latest hairdressers visit.

For the next page I used an American Crafts 6x4 pp to add some photos that James had taken.

key points

- Cinema trip with James to see Alvin & The Chipmunks, not sure who wanted to see it more him or me.

- James - decided that HE needed new clothes and dragging me around all the shop HE wanted to go in - now please tell me when did this happen - I feel like I feel a sleep and woke up and he's now a teenage overnight.

key points

- day trip to London, Jon took a day off work and with went down to London for the day in half term.

- Prince Albert monument - well I was in complete awe of this - never seen it before - and it was simply stunning - I was totally taken in - why hadn't I seen it before - I truly don't know - but it something I want to see again.

Please come back tomorrow and see my pages from my week-end away.

Out with the old .....

and in with the new, because today we took delivery of this

our new family car.

I did feel a bit sad this morning taking our old car for its last drive ... but it was 11 years old and had done over 100,000 miles. She was the first car that we got brand new and I think it will be the last, unless we win the lottery that is. I remember being able to choose the colour, the interior, the extra and how my DH let me drive it out of the garage, and can still remember how nervous I felt and I don't think I went about 30 mph the whole way home - must to the annoyance of the other road users and my DH - lol. She had served her purpose and it was time to trade in and move on.

So its goodbye to the old ....

Now I just need to get use to driving this one as well as I did my old one.

Thanks for stopping by ...

SJ Papercraft Blog Challenge - Feb 2012

Over on SJ Papercraft, the February challenge is now up here. the challenge was to use flower and add red/pink to the layout.

and here is my take

Used Pink in the patterned papers, the roses (flowers) are pink, and the bakers twine is a rose red colour, so I think I have the pink covered all round - lol. Oh! and I'm wearing a pink top ...

Thanks for stopping by ...

Twisted Card Sketch - N0. 96 - Woman

This weeks card sketch can be found here

and here is my take

Why not hop over to the site and take part, I would love to see what you come up with.

(and yes, it is similar to the card I made for Morag - this whats happens when you have bits and pieces left on your desk - lol).

Thanks for stopping by

Happy Birthday Morag

Today is my lovely friend Morag's birthday, and I would like to wish her a very happy one.

This is the card I made for her.

The stamp is from the current Stampin' Up Catalogue, and the mini dye from Tim Holtz.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Childs play challenge blog

This weeks challenge is up here

(Apologies for the poor quality of my layout). I took my inspiration this week from the colours of the wooden tool box. And used the new collection from My Minds Eye.

Why not hop over to the blog and take part, I'd love to see what you come up with.

Thanks for stopping by

Twisted Sketch - Cards - Leap

This weeks card sketch can be found here

As it a leap year I decided to do a leap year birthday card.

Why not hop over to the site and join in, I'd love to see what you make.

Twisted Sketches - Layouts - Leap

This weeks sketch is up over on the Twisted Sketches here

and here is my take

why not hop over and take part.