Lovely Sunny Sunday

Yes I know its Monday today! This was yesterday at Alexander Palace. I went with Nets and Sarah. It was a glorious sunny day. Sorry completely forgot to take photos while inside..was too busy shopping and looking :) . The stash I bought was mostly basic stuff like DST ( 10 rolls for £4 ) and inks , re inkers, and stickles ..although I could't find anymore Rhinestone stickles , so if anyone knows where you can get some, I would be very greatfull. I also bought some card making supplies for the girls. Here are links to my stamps and the shops I bought them from, just click each link. Two stamps from Lavina stamps ( LOVE that shop) and one fairystamp from Lili of the valley

We met up and had lunch with Samm. We also saw the lovely Jackie. We tormented Ginger on the crafters compaion stand.

Even though there were not too many people inside , and I think, less stands than last year, it was blinkin hot, so and ice ream was called for as we left to go home :)

Till next time xx

Been playing with ink and paint

And made a card..you should SEE the mess though !

MME paper is ideal for the scrunched flowers as they are so absorbent. I think i need a better camera as my pictures just don't look anywhere near as good as the real thing..or maybe i need to go on a course. The light in this house is great first thing in the morning but awful after that.

Right off to cook a sausage casserole for tea ( cept for Dan who still won't touch sausages!..he will have to have fish fingers).

A Scrap lift

While blog hopping the other day, i found this amazing inspirational blog

Stacey Cohen has some fab layouts and for the one above, i was inspired by this Layout

and did my own version. I don't own shimmerz but used cosmic shimmer golden mint and then a little antique brass glimmer mist to spray the card stock. Green is my fave colour so i just used green p.paper and distressed each piece slightly, by either embossing, adding glitter or sanding and inking.

This element was totally copied from here . I love the idea of using the waste from the chipboard punch out.

If you visit Stacey's blog i highly recommend you also look at the older posts too....Just stunning!

I just need to pop on some journaling along the bottom.

Have a great day xx

Cocktails With My Sisters

This was the first time,in the Winter, we have since had another evening a few weeks ago. I found out that i don't like Margaritas but i LOVE mojitos :) I WAS going to enter this into the ATDML challenge where the LO had to have something to do with education but i think the link is too weak . ha ha !

The vines along the side are stamped and embossed, then i punched out some leaves and stuck them on and finished with some "stickles" grapes.

Aren't glossy accents fab?! the lime is just some clip art with glossy accents added.

Bottle of Rum is also clip art

I used Tim Holtz rock candy crackle paint on the label

and the distress stickles to look like salt on the tequila.

This week is going FAR too fast! I really need time to stop for a little while..i have so much to do. I still have a bad bad from my bout of flu a few weeks ago. The doc think i just pulled a muscle. I think i need some warm sun on it and although it IS sunny outside ( I saw a ladybird this morning) , it is still too cold.

I AM looking forward to going to London on Sunday with Nets and Sarah to Alexandra Palace for the big scrap booking and stamping show. My list is getting longer though :D

Till next time xx

Uk Scrappers weekly challenge

Not done a team challenge for AGES! You had to use a sketch, distressing, journaling and things beginning with "B". I enjoyed the distressing :) that strip of card down the middle was just plain white card stock to start with.


Can't resist a bit of glitter.
Have cut Meg and Nats hair today, Meg was just a trim oh and a fringe that she crazed for and now hates! Also did her eyebrows ( again at her request )..will take some photos later.

Happy Easter and......

Happy 15th Birthday Meg!!

Just after blowing her Egg Candles out :D That cake was very messy to make!

Oi minx...that's MY wine!

The Cake

Easter Eggs .....Piggy!

Nets and Rosie came to play :D

Nets with MUCKYFINGERS !!...he he

A completely natural pose from Rosie.

Homemade hot cross buns for brekki

Can't have Easter without Flowers!

hope yours was great xx

Very lazy day

I did make a card for MIL though :)

The rest of the day has been just pottering about, catching up on all the blogs i love to read as well as this list to the right, i also have a very long list saved to my favs.
It has been a busy week, work was MANIC yesterday and i stayed an extra two hours to catch up for the hols.
Nats has gone off with girls group to the circus in Gt Yarmouth this evening ( nice way to start Easter) . I have a birthday to prepare for as Megs 15th falls on Easter Sunday this year.
Derek has bought himself an XBox 360 and has reverted to being a child again..all i can hear is gun fire at the moment...he is not going to be Happy when i tell him his tea is ready in a little while!
I am planning another lazy day tomorrow although the house desperately needs hoovering and the living room is staring to look like a laundry again.
Have a good weekend

Last Post for This Weekend

Not Brilliant light I am afraid. A layout of some of Megan's Art Coursework. She has loads to do
and its hard work getting her to do it sometimes. I can't understand why she is not so excited about it!

Gold embossed some of the mini bazill boarders that Nets sent me for he top and bottom photo.

Doubt I will get chance to blog again until next weekend.

A busy week at school and then two weeks off ..yayyyyyyyyy.

Have a good week xx

A Quick and easy Scraplift

The Original and BEST is by the fabby Kirsty Wiseman HERE.
I saw it on her blog and thought I'd have a go.

Used my new Rock Candy crackle glaze on the lettering and then
just picked out bits to highlight in the pattered paper.


I am finding it hard to believe that Meg is 15 next week!!! I am soooooooo old! As usuall she has asked for far more than we can afford ,from a complete new outfit , to an iPod touch ( that she wants to take to school, to listen to on the taxi!!!) Ha Ha!

Another Rosie Layout. And.........

I NEED these gladiator sandalls :) so I have ordered them ( don't tell Derek!)




Just A very simple layout as it is a stunning photo that really doesnt need any thing else.

Altered embellishments, painted, sanded and rubbed over with perfect pearls.

A stamped, painted poppy cut out and raised with 3D foam.

Finished off with a poem :)

Off to do some more xx

Recovering

From flu. Spent most of last week in bed with awful fever, headache etc etc. Just left with a cough and a bad back but have a docs appointment on Tuesday. Managed to go into work this week but it has worn me out. NO scrapping :( :(
Two nice pieces of news ..my "Yummy " Lo below, won a £25 prize to spend at ATDML :) fabby , love the look of this months comp too! Also, Nat's is off to see Westlife with a group of her friends (and carers and ME) in the Summer, we are really excited about it. :)
ohh i almost forgot, i pre ordered Tim Holtz TSV on QVC last month as it sold out. Nice surprise when it arrived this morning as i really had forgotten all about it :)
Hopefully back later with actual "STUFF" to show you xx

An "ode"on Mothers Day

I found this while looking for inspiration for a scrapbook title, while its a little sugary, i thought I'd share as i know SO many mums who ought to read it ..if you are one (((((((((hugs)))))))))


Ode to Special Moms
(by Erma Bombeck)
Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?
Somehow I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger."Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint, Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint, Cecilia."Rudledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint, give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."
The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."
"Exactly," says God. "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."
"But has she patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it."I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."
"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."
God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness."
The angel gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word.' She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations."I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."
"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, pen poised midair.
God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

A bit of R and R

On the cards this weekend..good job its Mothers day tomorrow coz I intend to do very little ! This week has been all meetings at work and in my free time. Daniel and Megan's annual review in a week. Dan's last one at high school ( children who have an educational statement of needs have to have it reviewed - usually yearly - hence the "annual" bit ). It was a good review, they are happy with his progress and maturity. He seems to try hard in most lessons and his social skills are getting better. Dan has been at a special school 35 miles away and has weeks left...scary! He has also been to look around a (much nearer) college that is very geared to helping pupils like Dan. We will find out in a few weeks if he has a place , so cross your fingers please. He seemed to like it.
Meg is in year 10 , so has another year left ..before I panic. Her numeracy and literacy skills are very weak and she will continued to need lots of support. She is ( as you know) doing an art GCSE - the only one of my children to do a GCSE so far..no pressure girly ;) :) ...If she only manages an "E" grade , there will be a party!!!!!
In other meetings, after school a meeting for the "girls group " that Natalie attends, for young women with additional needs. They take place on a Monday evening usually twice a month and also do trips like the Butlins weekend she recently went away on. Problems with people leaving and needing parents to take a more active part. Thankfully some of the parents who don't work are helping out as I doubt I would be able to commit to much.
A parents support meeting ( that I help run now) after school at the high school, seems to be going well.
And with work being manic - I AM getting better at doing half a dozen things at once LOL. So sad that there are so many angry children about..spent quite a bit of yesterday talking to and calming pupils down :(.
So you can see why I shall be chilling this weekend.
Might even mamage some scrapping ..watch this space.

At Last Sunshine!

ATDML have a challenge to use three or more patterned papers on a LO or card. I think i managed 6 in the end. This is Gorg Rosie and again the photo is by Nets friend Foss.

The cutout butterflies have DST on the bottom and lots of 3D foam at the top to make them look like they are about to "take off".
Its been a busy week this week , lots to do at work (even went out to a Christmas meal on Thurs!?!). This coming week is no better with Dan's last ann.review at school and a visit to college. Lots of meetings in the evenings too, so looking forwards to another quiet weekend already LOL.
Nearly Finished without wishing my Darling sister Steph a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Miss her loads and hope its a fab day.