Recent Layouts

Right as promised, the layouts done at the Exhall Green Christmas Crop and designed by Cleo Jarvis (Bellaboo)

This had alot, and I mean alot of detail, the tree shape was done using the chipboard tree below, and traced on to a sheets of Kraft cardstock, then the all of the back of the cardstock was covered to bits of patterned paper and lace, left to dry, then machined sewed all over, tree shape cut out, and heart shapes, adding some hand stitching here and there, and but together. The shape around the edge was done using a shaped cardstock and handstitched. Absolutely FAB-U-LOUS - as Craig Revel Halwood would say.

My Mind's Eye - I do believe that Cleo has a passion for cutting out details from patterened papers, which works really well. The white cardstock has various size circle printed on it using bottle cap, cutters and pearlesent ink.

This tree she designed herself and got them made up. Again loads of details, painted white, stamped on top with ink and pattern of your choice. heart shapes cut out from the kraft cardstock, beads, threads, etc, etc. On her original one she had but photos onto the back of Bottle tops, but I've not round to doing that yet - and I doubt it I will at this stage.

And this one is the only one I managed to do on Saturday at Bromsgrove - its a sketch challenge

October Afternoon - Report Card


added a journalling card behind the main sheets.

Rights that all for today, will have to finish sorting out my Journal Your Christmas 2009 album and get them photographed and uploaded.

Thanks again for stopping by...

Major Catch up ... I'm a Winner

I'm back, well I never really went away, just been extra busy.

Well I'll start with my 1st trip down to Wvyerstone - which is the base or the Scrapagogo crop, I went with Sheena and we had a wonderful day, but shock, horror - I forgot to take my Camera :( - so no pictures - I was so busy checking and rechecking the route and yes a bit panicky about the long drive down, I forgot to take my camera - but I did pack a big torch, my thick coat, a blanket my walking boots just in case - LOL.

Anyway it was a great day and we had a wonderful meal at the 3 horseshoes pub, which was very oldy worldy and the food was just brill.

We had booked to stay over a a Premier Inn so off we went and "Mrs SatNav" gaves us a guided tour of the local villages - not a good idea to do in the dark and when its raining anyway ended up stopping a taxi driver and asked for directions and 10 minutes later we arrived, just in time to watch I'm a Celebrity ... LOL. On the way back we where planning are route down for next year, keeping out eyes open hotels along the way and my task for the new year is to find any craft shops that open on a Sunday between Wyverstone and Coventry so that we can break the journey - well that will be our excuse.

Then the 29th was the Exhall Green Christmas Crop which we arrived back in Coventry for about 10ish, which was good going considering we stopped for a break and fill up with some petrol. As this was the Christmas Crop and the crops 1st years birthday Tracie & Claire had provided lunch, image how surprize when we had a full Christmas Dinner - which went down really well, and what with Cleo Jarvis bringing her shop - Bellaboo - and doing 3 great projects, it just rounded the weekend off, but I must admit my 4ish I was beginning to flag so we set off earlier.


So on the crafty front - I did a few cards at Julies last week, but wasn't really into it - forgot most of my things so had to finish off at home.


Using papers and cards from my Scrapagogo Greetings kits and Tilda stamps

Some simple boy cards - Elzebell boy stamp.


Saturday 5th - was The Bromsgrove Christmas Crop run by Liberty, Debs and Rachel. Liberty had also organised Cleo/Bellaboo to come over with her shop. Again another great day, but my day was spolit by my consent sneezing, the crop started a 11ish and I think I finally stopped sneezing about 4pm, it left me completely drained and at about 2pm I was even thinking of going home - but I struck it out. I started the day by taking Cold & Flu tablets, then I took a hayfever one, then I took some hayfever nasal spray but nothing worked, by the time I got home I felt awful and ended up in bed even before my son.

Anyway, the girls had organised a great day, Deb/Rachel had set some challenges, Liberty had provided a great buffet lunch and she had even organised Santa to make a special visit (her brother really - and he did a great job)


Santa & Deb - sorry not a good photo.

I'm a winner - yes little old me, won a challenge, I don't always entry challenges/competitions, because I never win and get so dissapointed when I put a lot of effort in and I feel that the same people always win, so image my surprise when I got home and opened an envelope with these in - I won the November Use it Up Challenge over on Scrapagogo Clubhouse. I hadn't even checked the Clubhouse site before then to see who had won. So I take back what I say about the same people always winning, and will be entering more often - LOL

Prize from Scrapagogo

Winning Layout - using November 2008 kit - Did you notice that I've spelt Swing wrong - anyway the orginial has been rectified now - LOL

Right will be back later with the layouts from Cleo class- when I get around to taking pics - LOL

Retreat layouts

OK, so I had a some spare time and managed to photography and uploads the layouts I did over the weekend at the Cronkhill Retreat. Really surprised on how much I managed to get done, but as well as these I did some 8x8 pages for the Journal Your Christmas album which starts on 1st December.

This is one from the Scrapagogo Retreat that was designed by SJ.

Cosmo Cricket - Nutmeg Collection

Cosmo Cricket - Nutmeg Collection

October Afternoon - Farm Fresh

October Afternoon - Report Card

This is for a Sketch Challenge over on Scrapagogo using Prima Marketing Papers

Scrapagogo November 2009 kit & Hybrids

Scrapagogo November 2009 Kit, Stamp & Hybrid

So at the moment that all I've done in the scrapping department, but hope to have some more to upload next week, after another 'scrappy' weekend.

Cronkhill Retreat

This last weekend I was away again at a Retreat, I was asked by Chelle, a friend of Sheena, who runs the Nuneaton crop to join her and a group of friends for a crafting weekend away. She had booked this lovely cottage in Shropshire.

So off we went, in total there should have been 9 of us, but one didn't make it due to illness. But what a fun time we had, late nights, laughing, eating, and of course scrapping all made the weekend so great.

The Cottage

View from one of the windows. The water you can see is a waterlogged field, not the river.

This was one of the bedroom - actually the one that me and Sheena shared.

A large spacious kitchen

A very large scrapping area

The gang sitting down for a meal.

We also had a few challenges over the weekend, one was to decorate a cupcake then we voted on the one we liked the best.

Then there was "Hunt for Bob" - which I only managed to find 4 times, but at least I found him eh!!!

Bob hinding behind the curtains ...

We also had "Bitchy Raffle", which was such fun and we all had a great laugh "stealing" each others raffle prizes - but we did all manage to get at least one prize each.

And if all that got too much we had a "roaring" log fire in the lounge where we could get away from it all and just relax and of course watch Strictly Come Dancing, X Factor and I'm a Celebrity .....

This was a weekend away that I was not sure what to expect, has it's not a kind of Retreat that I've been on before - but it was a complete different experience for me and one that I really enjoyed and look forward to going back again next year.

I've got loads of pics to upload, especially of our 'Supendity Day" on Sunday, were we all dressed up in a particular colour and spend the day just laughing, so please pop back and see what other fun we got up too.

I will try and upload them as soon as I get copies, but I'm away again this coming weekend, going with Sheena to the Scrapagogo Christmas Crop, staying over then going to the Exhall Green Christmas Workshop Crop on the Sunday, but between then and now need to get some housework sorted.

Thanks for stopping by ....

Update on Layouts - Use it Up Nos. 32 - 33

A few of my layouts that I've done over the past few weeks, but only got around to uploading. I'm counting a couple of these has my Use it up total, bringing it to 32. But I really think that I've done my 50 total because I've been doing loads of Christmas cards, and using up my old papers, I think I've done about 70 cards as far so definately over my mark.




No. 32 - This one of of me and James in our Garden - just messing around with my camera - Cosmo Cricket - Earth Love





No. 33 This is one I did at the Getaway - using the Lovely October Afternoon - Farm Fresh


Scrapagogo October 2009 kit



These last few shots are of toadstool that a friend and I found whilst on our daily walk, we finished the walk then got into the car and went back to take photos - I know, I know it defeats the object of getting some daily exercise but it was raining, and we did get some funny looks from cars passing of us trying to get as far down as possible on the ground without getting completely wet!




There were loads of these types and they are something that I've never seen before in real life only in books or photos that other people had taken, and one garden not only had these, but some that looked like upside down coconuts.

I have got a few more layouts to share with you, but I've not taken the photos yet, so please pop back and check them out over the weekend.

Almost ... but not ....

In September after spending the day in Bristol at the ScrapaGoGo Day Event, I received an email from Scrapbook Inspiration saying that a LO I'd submitted was going to be published in Issue No. 61. Well as most of you will know by now, SI have stopped publication of the magazine from Issue No. 60. Just my luck eh! one of my aims this year was to have a LO published and when one finally get accepted then the magazine folds, so here it is - I hope you like it.

October Afternooon - Road Map Collection

The one is from the Getaway designed by Sam (who just happens to be in the photo) and used alot of Gems.

So over the past few days I've been trying to get back on track with my "Use it Up" challenge, but the temptation of my new stash was just too much and I've cut into some of my new stash now, but hopefully I'll get back to completely my 50 before the end of November.

October Afternoon -Farm Fresh - photo of my Son and nephew - who even thought theirs 7 years age difference between to two they get on extremely well and enjoy being together.

Cosmo Cricket - Nutmeg Collection



A selection of the Christmas cards I've done from this year.

Big, big apology for the quality of the photos, I did take them in daylight, but they seem to be very dark, when I've upload them.

Thanks for stopping by .... I'll be back with more shortly.

Back to normality ...

but before I get completely bogged down in 'stuff' need to update you on the last day of the GoGo weekend.

So Saturday night Laura did a class called 'Date Night' where we put together a desk calender, which was done in three separate parts as shown, and you can change to picture and the left hand side when you mood take you - great idea.

Then on Sunday morning, it was my friend Sam turned to do her class 'What a Gem' sorry not taken photo of this yet, going to change the photo I took, but a great class, she didn't let herself down - love her and it.

Followed by lunch, more laughs and the the final class of the weekend with SJ, using Cosmo Cricket - Boyfriend - cutting, tearing, inking, distressing, mini books, mini envelopes, I really don't know how they think of all these things and all on one page - fabulous, as this was only an hour class I need to finish off a few bits then I will upload.

A final farewell from Lorraine and Janice, after taking these photos that will no doubt appear in some layouts over the next few months.

Meeting up with Sheena and Sam again - what a great pair of girls - they made my weekend and I just love spending time with them both - roll on March 2010.

Me and Sheena - I'm sure that I'm not alone when I say that sometimes you meet people that you instantly connect with and Sheena and Sam and two that I have, and I thank them for their friendship and all the laughs. Love you both.

This is "Symbol" formally known as Jane Dean or Anne (depending on how you spell her name - LOL) - with a great pop-up Haleoween Minibook.

Angie, Chloe, Rachael and Vicki - Chloe and Vicki I've chatting to over on the Clubhouse and UKS, and I'm in their CJ groups and they are both great. Angie and Rachael are both very talented Scrappers and I have, I think most of their layouts in my favourites over on UKS - so I did confess to being abit of a stalker of their work- which they found highly amusing - I really do hope that they can make one of the Getaways next years because it would be fantastic to meet up again.

me and Rachael - this will definiately appear on a layouts - title 'Stalker meets Star"- sounds good to me - LOL.

Di, me and Jacqui - what can I say about Jacqui - she was an absolute SCREAM and and mean SCREAM ... she had us in stitches the whole weekend - what a wonderful lady - I will be waiting for my phone call from Gok!!! Di thanks for the laughs and looking forward to the end of month - keep smiling girls.

I sat next to Ally (AllyCat) - and I do hope that someone took a photo of us together, thanks for the laughs - speak soon.

My Stash shopping from the Getaway.

And finally the journey home, well just has we got onto the motorway Sheena heard a noise so we pulled over and her car had a flat tyre, so after over an hour wait the AA man, we finally got home 2 hours after the schuduled time. But it all adds to the weekend right - but maybe the next time I'll drive. Hubby suggested that I go on a Car Maintenance course - what is he thinking of - spend money on something other than craft - he must be mad - LOL

Right thanks everyone for making this weekend so much fun, I so enjoyed meeting you all, sorry if I've not mentioned you on here, but I will do over the next few days.

I know over on UKS and ScrapaGoGo I mentioned a big, big thanks to Lorraine and Janice and and all the DT girls - the weekend was fun packed, inspirational, and very well organised. Looking forward to meeting you all again and L&J thinking about the format for the 'fan club' LOL.

Hope you enjoy my insight into the weekend, I will be uploading more photos over the coming days.

Thanks for stopping by ...