Surprise Birthday Meal - 14th November 2014

OMG! OMG! OMG! where do I start with this post, I will try and start at the beginning.  A few weeks ago Juile said she was taking me out for a meal for my birthday, which is not till December but due to all the Christmas hype we where going out earlier, which suited me just fine.  That was all she told me, she said it was going to be a suprise and that she would pick me up and not to have any tea.

So I was completely in the dark about where we were going! who was going to be there etc, etc.

So when she arrived I even tried to get it out of her where we were going but she still didn't say anything.

Anyway, we arrived at ASK Italian and to my utter surprise the gang was there, I really don't know how they managed to keep is so quite is beyond me, but they did and I'm so glad they did.

I was with Sam and Sheena the week before and had talked about Julie taking me out for a meal, but they didn't say a word and it was just lovely seeing them there, and being part of my birthday celebrations.

So after the shock of they all being there we had a lovely meal and a laugh.

 So after the meal we order dessert and the waitress brought me this

The lights went down and the whole restaurant sang me happy birthday.

Then Julie said let go over the road for a coffee, so we crossed the road and ordered some coffee, and we where just settling down and them Julie gave me a present and said it was from everyone.  

It was a struggle getting into it. but as soon as I took the paper off I started to cry, it was a album -

- why cry at a album you ask??  - well each one of my lovely friends had done one or two pages about our friendship.

Now people who have met me know I love to talk, but truly I was speechless, I wanted to run and hide and have a good cry, a very, very happy cry, but I wanted to cry, well I did cry but I kept it contained, but at the same time I wanted to hug and kiss each and everyone of them for this album.

It was Julie's idea and she has done me proud, this is just spot on, something that I would never have done myself or even thought of, but somethings that they each had a hand in doing.

I remember reading somewhere about the power of having handwritten journalling on your layouts … and to be honest I never really understood it, but sitting here and reading these little notes … I now know what they mean … these messages are very personal from each of them just to me and they all have true meaning … I'm so grateful for these friends.

Love this photo of Sam and I at a Scrapagogo retreat

and Julie had even added some photos of my Preston friends, which was just lovely.

Whilst there I couldn't read any of the words has I know that they came from the heart and would be very touching, so when I got home I read and cried and looked at every photo, embellishment, sticker etc with the delight of knowing I have made some true friends that I will treasure for ever and ever and so thankful that they feel the same way about me.

Both Jon and James enjoyed looking at it and they loved it, not as much as me, but they both said it was fab.

It now has pride of place in my living room, it won't be in my craft room, because I need to look at it and ponder from time to time, and also show it to everyone who visits - lol.

I thank Julie for my night and planning and all the hardwork in organising it, I thank all the girls for sparing some time to celebrate my birthday, but most of all I thank each of them for being my friends.

I end with this lovely photo of Julie and I - thank my love, it was very much appreciated, you are a star and one very special lady, thanks for being my friend, love you loads xxx

I will share a few of the pages shortly.

SCR@P Retreat - 7 - 9 November 2014

Well what a weekend I had at the beginning of the month.  It was only a short journey over to Coventry for a weekend of crafting fun.

Ansty Hall, Coventry

Jean Dean, Tracie Hudson and Celine Naverro - our lovely teachers for the weekend

A lovely place setting - it was full of prima flowers

Not only did we get the table place box, but Kirsty had made these lovely bags that holds loads and again was full of goodies

Lovely stash ...

A welcome glass of bubbly

and if having the goodies bags and all our kits wasn't enough then we had Jane and Charlotte from Crafty Charlie bring their lovely shop.

These are my table buddies, and what a laugh we had - I meet them all at the Moxley crop so it was good to spend more time with them and more so have a really good laugh.

As usual the weekend went far to quickly and before you know it its over till the next time.  I will be taking photos of my layouts, well the ones I've finished and hope to upload next week. 

Till the next time.

Let it be Merry & Bright by Pink Paislee

Hi everyone, yes I'm still here.  just a quick head up that my November blog post is now up on the Hey Little Magpie blog here.

I used the lovely christmas collection from Pink Paislee - Merry & Bright - which was just so lovely I didn't want to cut into it, but once I did it was really fab to us.

I got a selection of 12x12 paper, 6x6 pad, ephemera pack and sticker sheets.    

This is one of my layouts which includes a mini book attached to the front.

Please hop over to the blog, and leave a comment I would love to know what you think about my designs.

Thanks for stopping by.

Another week by the Sea

We have just returned for a fab week in Norfolk, Sheringham to be precise I really love this place and when I'm away I think oh we should go here, or here then when Im there I just feel so relaxed that I forget about all the other places I want to see - lol.

So we set off and headed toward the Sun

Whenever I see these in the fields near March, I know we are nearly there

Took this photo on Saturday afternoon, and even thought its half term it was relative quite the whole week

I always visit the Lifeboat Station on the Sunday to watch it being launched and its practice run.

We had long walks family along the beach

And the 3 kids on the rock

James giving his cousin a hug before we carried on walking towards Cromer.

Has always the boys are ahead of me, has we headed towards West Runton Beach

and I  decided to walk over the hill back to Sheringham and not along the beach, whilst the boys continued on their walked  to Cromer.

The view from the top of the hill was amazing and it never seizes to amaze me.

We visited Cromer and the pier,  I've still not plunged up the courage to walk on it yet, maybe next year.

and my week wouldn't be complete without seeing the Steam Train - I love it - for some reason there was about 10 carriages attached so no one could get a good photo of the actual engine - not that I need anymore  from all the other times I've seen it - lol x.

Well that was my week, I really loved it in Sheringham and always start the week feeling stressed and under pressured, but after half an hour sitting on the beach listening to the tide roll in, I feel so much better, relaxed and stressed free - being able to focus more on what I want in my life without the added doubts I'm forever having.  I love living in the City, but I could do with visiting the seaside more often to keep me focus.

On a negative note, once again I had 'No Service' on my phone - so annoying and even thought I was expecting it did get on my nerves, I think I could have just about cope with no wifi connection, but to have neither was just was not on.  My Norfolk library card came in very handy - I've even got it renewed - lol x.  

Thanks for reading my rambling, and I hope you had a fab half term.