all about cards!

Thursday already, where do the days go? And I am blogging again, that is twice this week :) Mindful of the fact that the days and weeks are flying by I was inspired by my Ally Pally visit to make some Christmas cards. I loved the new Simple Stories paper pad I bought. I also purchased some diddy little 3 x 3 cards and this is what I came up with.

Simple Stories Handmade Holiday

I then made some more from my enormous stash of Christmas paper I have - not really sure why I bought more - still I don't think you really need a reason do you?

I have also made some cute little patterned paper envelopes to match!

I then moved to 4 x 4 cards - and made more. I really enjoyed making them guess its because I haven't made cards for ages. 

getting away from it all

Well yet again it's been awhile. Mainly due to the UK finally having a bit of a summer and then me making use of these sun beds and pool in Moraira, Spain. We had a finca way up in the hills, we could just see the sea. We really did get away from it all it was gorgeous. We missed the drive that led up to the finca several times as it really didn't look like anything could get up there, but like everything once we had done it once we were fine. There was a small shop 10 minutes away so we had fresh bread and amazing pastries every day.

We spent every evening in the sweet little town of Moraira eating fabulous food and tapas. I loved this restaurant where they had adapted (added big blocks of wood) on all the tables and chairs so we could sit on a slope!!

We loved the fresh grapes and spent hours sitting here in the sun. Totally relaxing.

                   

So now we have been back a week its back to normal. By that I mean its raining!!!

I have been a little crafty since returning and made these  

Lovely Bag!

Doug messing around with my camera bag!!

Butchers Boy

filling the freezer - now just waiting for some more

Echo Park - For the Record 2

Saturday I made an unexpected visit to Ally Pally - hopefully will be back soon to share my makes! I bought some gorgeous stamps and want to have a play!

Surprise Surprise

me again, unheard of 2 posts in one week :) I just have some LO's to share as - it is so nice having time to scrap. It seems once school kicks in my time just disappears so I am making the most of the last couple of weeks.

My Best Friend

and a couple of close ups

Echo Park - Note to Self plus some Stamping - Up Script paper

and finally one that I have been meaning to do since - ermm January!!!
Twenty11

wouldn't mind but it wasn't even worth the wait!! Not one of my better efforts at all!

Summer Vacation

....well part of it is right - it is summer but I haven't been away just been doing other things and yet again have neglected my blog!

I have been scrapping, quite a lot actually.  I have also been reading lots, relaxing and spending time at home. Plus I got unexpectedly hooked on the Olympics - that was a real surprise as I didn't think I would. Its lovely as David is around (school hols) and Dan is doing some shift work till the end of the paralympics so is also at home on somedays and Doug has been working from home a lot, this means we get longer evenings as there is no travelling. 

Here are a couple of LO's, this one was for the circle challenge on CBC

Really?

a Royal Visit

Mum found these papers for me - they work so well with these photos that I have been waiting to scrap

Other GOOD news is that David did marvellously well in his exams and got 4 A's - totally amazing I am so very proud, and I have an early birthday pressie of a Kindle Touch, LOVE it read a whole book yesterday now off to order some more.

Picture this

My last couple of weeks in pictures. I know I felt sure I would blog more often but it never happened!
Firstly THIS arrived from the lovely people at The Craftz Boutique. I have used them  couple of times now and each time they were so efficient and so quick. The parcel was wrapped in tissue and labelled beautifully. I now have card stock to match my patterned paper! It took me a while using the Bazzill colour matcher but it was worth it.
I then booked into a daytime crop - its next week actually but decided I wanted some new photos to inspire me, so I started off asking the boys to pose - this was the result!

Doug and I had a lovely day our in Norfolk, breakfast here - Holt

 a walk through Blakeney- watching all the crab fishing

 ending up at Wells for a cream tea

and then onto Sandringham

the weather then turned FABULOUS so we did some of this

 Then this 

 turned into this!!! and I have a VERY full freezer

and finally yesterday good news this happened

I will be back soon with some scrapping - maybe lol

back again

mainly because its peeing down again!! and the I was supposed to be outside and as with most events this summer its been rained off!!! Its getting a little boring now.
So a quick re-cap of what I have been up to in the last 3/4 weeks
**  University visiting with David - mind boggling so many students for so few places. On the upside we did end the day with a little shopping, a meal and a show, The Jersey Boys which was a mad fast paced start but settled down into a great show. We took full advantage of this years GILT - Get into London Theatre well worth it
** The Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club AMAZING Go Hitchin weekend - thought I would share this in pictures

DUCK RACE 

fantastic weather for Ducks!!

PARADE 

amazing band and dancers!      

HITCHIN HARD HALF MARATHON 

Doug did really well and managed to raise loads for The Rotary Club

Then I got back to some scrapping, which I have to say had been really neglected. I did this for the challenge over on CBC - I chose to use script paper.

Fancy That

 MME on the Sunny Side

Hope it fits the challenge? Right really have to go now as I have a meeting will be back soon as I have done loads of scrapping

rocking on

is exactly way I have been doing this week. Kicked off with the AMAZING stage show of ROCK OF AGES, it was brilliant not like anything I have seen before funny, rude, loud and well rocking'. 


The rest of this week has been pretty rocking too - starting off with Mum and Margaret popping round to scrap - although really I should be moaning about how ill I feel cos Margaret had a nasty cough and cold and was worried about passing it on, however if I did I would be lying!! and Margaret would feel terrible :) I did scrap quite a bit and loved it.


I used this sketch on Sketchabilites #73 couldn't wait to use my new paper

I love you

 Basic Grey - Whats Up

I then got a bit bogged down with various meetings, reports and event plans and so on. However have a look here its all coming together so well.


Then tonight I am out with the girls, tomorrow I am at a cocktail party, then it's the weekend when I am going to a picnic :) - not bad huh

Normal service has been resumed

and I am back to being a very slow blogger! Probably because it has been a bit of a week for meetings - boring to write about but interesting for me, even if it does mean I have work to do afterwards. 


We have had a right mixed bag weather-wise. One day I was sitting at Mums in the garden having lunch and the next day I tried waiting for a gap in the torrential rain to run down the garden to feed the pigs, needless to say I got drenched and its been on and off like that all week. Today is bright and sunny, bet your life tomorrow when we are heading to London the heavens will open. Mum bought Doug 2 tickets to see Rock of Ages at the theatre so that is where we are heading.


Scrappy wise I finished this LO over a few days just a very little everyday as there really isn't much to it. Thought I should document the pigs first few days

Pig A & Pig B

 American Crafts  - Neapolitan 

Yesterday between the showers Mum and I went to see Lorraine at Scrap Revolution  I didn't want anything as I have loads PLUS I have looked at the new Basic Grey collections on line and I wasn't that keen!! WRONG I looked at them up close and personal and they are gorgeous, so I now have, Whats Up and pb&j plus MME - On the Sunny Side. Here you go see for yourself my buys :)  

Have a good weekend xx

a Royal Visit

Was scheduled this week in the little market town of Hitchin where I live. The Queen was popping by as part of her Diamond Jubilee Tour to present an award to the volunteers at the British School. Wilshere-Dacre, the school I am a governor, was privileged, to not only have a select few children dressed in victorian clothes and form park of the British School presentation, but was also in pole position the barriers.
There was LOADS of this

  and some rousing singing of Jerusalem with a fab choir and band

and you can just spot her in lilac

and she walked closer

chatting as she goes

and my fave photo of the pupils and too

Have to say she looked so young and elegant, hard to believe her age really. It was a fabulous day full cheers and red white and blue flags so patriotic felt good to be in town :) Plus THE SUN SHONE!!!


As it did the day before when we took some children as part of Kids Out 2012 to Whipsnade Zoo 

Finally a LO - which came together very quickly

So Young

very old pictures of Doug

Pink Paislee - Indigo Blue

have a great weekend xx

Surprise Surprise!!

me again!! Not blogged twice in as many days for ages, don't suppose for one second it will last hey ho. The reason I am blogging is that I so enjoyed my scrapping yesterday I have rushed around to get the errands and 'stuff' done so I could do more today. I have even braved the cold - not raining ...yet and fed the pigs and the chickens. It tales a while as we have 3 new chickens and they are all settling in OK ish except at feeding times,  I have to stand down there and ref for a while. One of the new ones is so friendly I have to watch her as she follows me everywhere including out of the run! We 3 new white chickens, a Silver Nick called Nick a Coral called Coral and a White Star called Star, do you get the feeling we are over the naming chickens stage lol

This is Coral - the others are, well much the same with less of a fan type tail!!

This is my LO - inspired by Sketchabilites Sketch #72 

Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks

Pink Paislee - Prairie Hill

and finally my invites, considering I stopped making Wedding Stationery I actually enjoyed making these

Crafting in the rain!

Blogging again on another wet Monday morning! Getting a little fed up of this weather to be honest, yesterday I  was sitting having lunch in the sun and today well its cold and very wet! I guess it won't change as Wednesday I am helping with Kids Out - we are taking some children to Whipsnade Zoo and Thursday the Queen is visiting Hitchin and again I am helping with the children so at least another 2 more wet days guaranteed! Plus number one son has gone to brighton with some mates so all in all reckon the rain is here to stay lol


So I am taking the sensible option of scrapping - and listening to music. Ed Sheeran and Jason Mraz are my current faces with a little of my old faves of 10CC and Wings thrown in - yup I am that old.


One LO completed although to be fair it has been started oooo so long ago and I haven't had time to finish it. 

Relaxing in the Florida Sunshine

all that lovely Florida sun shine! Need to go back :)

MME - Follow your Heart

Christmas 2011

yup so far behind still scrapping Christmas pics - and using up old papers :)

Basic Gray

Now back to scrapping and some wedding invites to make, mmmm which to do first?

Hope you stay dry!!