First and Last Day of Year 8

I decided to take a last day photo of James, partially because it will be the last time he will be wearing this uniform, the school is changing uniform as from September, but I also wanted to see the difference a year made made to him.

So this was my little boy on 3 September 2010, looking forward to starting Year 8. Nice new hair cut, smart uniform, and eager to have his photo took.

And this is my teenager at 7am this morning, 21 July. Still smart uniform, hair grown, and planning what he wants to do this Summer, not too keen of have photos because 'it is 7am Mom' - lol

The changes over the past year are:

• He's now taller than me, something that I won't admit to him but is quite obvious - lol
• He has moved into Year 9 and started his GCSE.
• He is more independent and confident.
• He is now a teenager and at times acts like it.
• He looks like a teenager and not a 'little boy' now.

But the best thing that hasn't changed, he is still our loving son that we are so proud of.

And a quick one of us.

And a quick one of me, 5 weeks after my Operation and feeling alot better.

Come back soon ...

Twisted Sketch No. 108 - Water

I've missed a few weeks of the Twisted Sketches, so I hope this week I can now get back on track.

I did do this one over the weekend.

This is the sketch and the twist is 'water'

And here is my take on it using Sassfrass - Sunshine Broadcast

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I made it ...

Yah !!!!! I attended my crop this weekend, big thanks to Julie for picking me up and coming home early. I set about getting a few page kits together and trying to use up my Studio Calico June kit.

It was great to start to get back to normal and see all the Solihull girls. The crop re-introduced me to stamping, well I must give credit for this to Morag, she had a couple of layouts that she was finishing off, that were full of detail, especially stamping. Now, I've got hundreds of stamps, but when I use them I only seem to be using a few at a time, but Morag, just adds loads, from different sets, at different angles, cut out, you name she just seem to have the knack of adding stamped details to all her layouts that looks just fab, so has I love to follow designers (yes Juile, I admit it - lol) and get great hints and tips from them I embraced this one with open arms.

So my two layouts that I produced at the crop had more stamped details on than I would normally and I love them, so thanks Morag for the great inspiration.

For my first one I used a photo of my 2nd girly holiday, which was a long weekend in Dublin in 2005, not sure why I've got my jacket on in the bar (complete with fur collar !!!), but we did have a great weekend. As you can see I did use loads of stamps on this layouts, incl. Pink Paislee, Studio Calico.

I also added my punched out owl (punch from Stampin' Up) - just love this punch and you will be seeing more on layouts.

I've also been blog hopping and came across a new sketch blog, well new to me, Got Sketch? , which has some great sketches and some great DT inspiration. So for the following layouts I used Sketch No. 121 which can be found here, and thanks to Ann-Marie for the inspiration, actually check out her blog she has some amazing crafty ideas. I mainly kept to her design but added a few bits.

I misted the background paper, using 'pinked nestie shapes' as masked and my Mr Huey Bonny Blue mist.

I even embossed my SC 'ray gun' stamps, using Demin zing.

This next one was meant to a a quick one, but it ended up taking me about 1 week to finish it, not really sure why but love the end results.

Beachcomber - a photo I took of James in April at the beach, just love how deep in thought he looks and lost in his own little world ... I would love to know what he was thinking about, and I know even if I asked him, he would just say 'nothing mom' ... which always makes me smile.

I've not forgot about uploading my Document 2011 pages April to June, just trying to finish off my June pages so hope to uploading soon.

Have a great day

Getting back on track ..

with my June Studio Calico kit.

I've been able to get into my craft room and produce some layouts, even though I found it difficult at times sitting in one place I've enjoyed getting back to normal. I can't do any housework, so what can one do, but spent time crafting and watching iPlayer. My room is not perfect to say the least, but it set up so everything is in easy reach. I just used things that are on my table, and I don't bend or stretch, and having my June kit on my desk has really helped, along with the punches, mists, inks etc.

Looking through some photo envelopes I came across these photos that I've printed out but never used, so they are all in 6x4 and I've either used them as is, or cut them down to fit.

I also found some photos from my first trip to Spain in 2006 with the girls.

This one is all about the fact that I insisted that we go on the 'Rail Road Ride' its designed like a train and goes up into Benidorm town (I will have to find the actual photos of the train), the journey took about 10 minutes, and we could have walked it, but where would be fun be in that. I treated this holiday like I wouldn't be going back again, but we have a few times since, so getting them to go on this was a one off.

One taken when we got to Benidorm town

Me, Jayne & Chris - Benidorm town

So in 4 days I've managed to do 5 layouts, Shimelle Sketch of the Week, here and the above 4. So I hope that I can produce some more over the coming week, especially when I'm expected my Studio Calico July kit this coming week and need to make room for it - lol.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Shimelle Sketch - 6 July 2011

Another great sketch from Shimelle, this is the sketch

And here is my layout, used photos of James 'Log Stacking' last weekend at Nana's. I love how I have used 4 photos, all the layering.

I used Studio Calico June 2011 kit - Log Stacker

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Document 2011 - Jan - March 2011

For some reason I've not been uploading my monthly document pages, so I've finally got around to taking photos and will upload in two parts.

Firstly, apologies for the glare from the camera on the page protectors, but I think you can still see what I've done.

So this year I decided to use my monthly kits from Studio Calico for that month, and also add any stamp which came with the kit on the pages.

So for continuity in my album I've used my KI Memories Calender pages, month stamp from Studio Calico, Jenni Bowlin mini Calendar sheets, envelope to hold bits and pieces , (NB - not got much for most of them)

The other things I've done this year is to use different sizes of photo/pages protectors for each month. I got a selection of American Craft and WRMK ones, and decided to use American Craft 6x4 landscape and 6x4 portrait, and 4x4 WRMK.

Behind the tag, I've added a few things I would like to complete by the end of the year.

January - Jon's birthday, seeing the Chatsworth deers, Bakewell,

meal out with Julie, visiting the City early morning, 12 hour crop at Skrapz.

February

February - trip to cinema with James, Valentine's Day muffins, new photos of James and me,

My Tim Holtz day, I need to download some more photos for February when I get round to it.

March

A great group shot of the GoGo Getaway at the end of March.

March - Details of my 1st Sarah's Card Retreat, and of course winning that lovely quilt.

My GoGo retreat, and my two fab 'GoGo'* friends - so looking forward to getting out and about and seeing them both again; photo by Kirsty Wiseman (sitting on steps, amongst the daffodils and Census envelope.

Will be uploading the 2nd part early next week.

* I re-read this and thought to myself "why do I call them my 'GoGo' friends", when truth be told I didn't meet either of them on a GoGo event, but has they are both 'GoGo' designers and think that why. I meet Sam at my first ever Retreat way back in 2008 run by Skrapz. Sam did introduced me to Scrapagogo kits and mentioned the GoGo retreats that we booked onto that year (she then became a designer shortly before we attended). I met Sheena at the Exhall Green crop where she heard me raving about Scrapagogo and going on the retreat which she had booked on and we got friendly from there.

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A Summery Week-End

Just a few of the photos I took over the weekend.

It was good to get away and just sit, well that what I've been doing here at home, so it was nice to be able to just sit somewhere else.

And look up at the blue sky ....

Watch the birds come down to feed - I love this bird table.

James in the pool, the water was freezing but he seemed to enjoy it.

J&J playing abit of footy.

I also visited Nana, it was great to see her and she even remember about me having my op. and was asking me all about it and telling me to take it easy, which made me feelso much better and she made me laugh when I said I was going into the garden, she went right back to being my old Nana's and told me 'make sure I do the gardening properly and not pick her flowers' ... which is another story and one I will have to scrapbook ... I couldn't believe that she remembered.

James is getting more hands on now hes getting older, and did a spot of log moving, getting them in order to take to MIL to use on her open fire in the Winter.

Jon digging up some spuds at Nana, which taste just amazing, will have to try and grow some of our own at home next year.

Me picking some raspberries, to think that 2.5 weeks after my operation I would be picking raspberries

OK, did too much so had to sit down and watch the others - LOL,

but most of all admire the view ... So this the view looking down Nana's garden towards the valley at Matlock, not a bad view to re-charge my batteries eh !!!

and finally my one and only layout, which took me 8 days, can you believe it ... 8 days to complete this simple layout ... but I found that sitting for longer than 1/2 hour hurts, so it was a long haul but I got there in the end.

Used Studio Calico June 2011 kit.

The story behind the photo, is that James insisted that he needed to wear his sun glasses to bed, when I went to check on him, he was fast asleep, lamp on, book open and shades on his head. I just had to take a photo and scrap it.

I even stamped and embossed the film strip and the ray gun - I didn't think that I would use the 'ray gun' but I quite like it. I stamp the film strip and cut out the centre

Thanks for stopping by ...