Update

I can't believe that it is nearly a month since I last wrote on here!! Anyway I thought I had better put that right and update my blog life. A lot seems to have happened in the last month some of which is top secret and I am not allowed to disclose.....yet....watch this space!!

One big surprise was that I was asked if I would like to produce some cards for complete cardmaking, I have made the odd card but scrapbooking really is my passion but I am always up for a challange so I said yes please. I have to say I have made the cards and really enjoyed doing them so I think I may be doing more in future, I only wish I had discovered that I liked making them a bit earlier and then I could have made a lot of my Christmas cards. Oh well never mind there is always next year!

We had my works do on Saturday and as I had organised it I was a bit nervous that everyone wouldn't enjoy themselves. I need not have worried it was a fab night, I was dragged up on stage with one of my colleagues to perform a S club 7 routine with the DJ!! For anyone who knows me then they know that is totally not me and I hadn't even had a drop to drink but I have to say it was so funny!!

Marie and I doing our s club bit!!!

Justin and I decided to book a room in the hotel for the night to save having to get a taxi home in the early hours, we managed to up grade and got a room with a fab view over Weymouth Bay. On Sunday morning we had a lovely walk along the prom into town, it is lovely to spend time just the two of us sometimes.

Me on our balcony at the hotel on Sunday morning.

It doesn' t seem like I have had much time to scrap lately but when I was thinking about it I have done quite a few layouts that need to be added to this. My scrapagogo November kit got cut into quite soon after its arrival, I loved all the different papers and I find it so much more of a challange to put layouts together using papers from different manufacturers.

Emily with my cousins little boy Harry, he has red hair the same as Emily and when we went out and she was pushing him in the pram she did get a few comments!! I know kids have kids young but she is only 13!!!

I decided to give a layout a go with photos that didn't have people in, a first for me. I choose some favourite photos of where I live and the colours of the gogo kit were a perfect match. I am quite pleased with the result, I have added some extra stitching on the top left hand corner since I took this photo.

Sarahs Cards scrapbooking kit last month had the most scrummy papers from fancy pants, daily grind. I am so loving this paper range, I think I have bought everything you can possibly get now!! The colours of these papers are just gorgeous, I have bought the covered chipboard pieces which are just lovely and a lot of them coordinate well with the crate paper range lemon grass.

In the October half term I bribed the girls with extra pocket money to let me do a "photoshoot" with them. I ironed a sheet and hung it over the garden wall got them to dress in various outfits. They did really well (not too many arguements!!) and I was really pleased with some of the results, this photo was one of them.

Rebecca was such a gorgeous baby ( I know I am biast!) she was so laid back and funny it is unusual to have a photo of her looking so serious. I haven't got a clue what she was looking at but it obvioulsy had got her undivided attention!

New Kit!

I was a happy bunny yesterday, I had a lovely yellow box delivered. I have just re subscribed to the scrapagogo kits and I am not dissappointed! The box was full of lovely goodies, I just have totry and find the time to play with them now. I also had a delivery from Craft Boutique of some gorgeous October Afternoon papers, Hometown and I can't remember the other range!! I will take a photo of my new stash tomorrow and upload it so you can join me in dribbling over it :

I seem to have been really busy lately and not had much time for scrapping, I am feeling a desperate need to go and shut myself away in my little room and cut into some paper!! Hopefully over the weekend I will get a few hours to myself.

I did set the class for the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog last week, I always worry that no one will do it, but I needn't have worried this time around as it seems to have gone down well. I used some of my new papers, crate paper lemon grass, they are just scrummy. Here is my class layout, if you fancy doing it all the details are on the scrummy stash cafe blog.

WOW what a view!

For Sale!!

I am selling the October kit that I had from Sarahs Cards, it is a lovely kit but I have got so many unused kits and lots of other things that I want to buy so this way I can justify buying some new stash!! I am asking £25 including postage as it includes two add ons, the cardstock alphas and rub ons both costing over £3 each. The kit contains Piggy Tales Itsy Bitsy spider papers with co ordinating cardstock and embellishments.

So Chuffed

I have finally finsihed my article for the Scrapbook Magazine, I won't tell you what the topic is so I don't spoil it but I will say it was challanging! I sent all the layouts last week and emailed the written work on Monday. I have really enjoyed doing the magazine work and the kids have all really enjoyed being in print. My little nephew Josh told all his friends he was famous as he was in a magazine and he took a copy in for show and tell. I know that there are so many talented scrapbookers out there that I really didn't expect to be asked to do anything else for the magazine but I was so excited when I got home from work yesterday and there was an email from the editor asking me to do another article!!! I am so chuffed and it gives me a valid reason to buy some more stash! My deadline this time is in just over a month so I need to get myself organised, I have done one of the layouts today. The topic is one that I love which is fab.


Oh yes and another bit of exciting news, I emailed a layout to Cheryl from scrapbook inspirations in response to an email and it is going to be published in the reader gallery.


I haven't managed to fit in much scrapping lately which is a shame, I really want to get on with some of the great classes and challanges set on the scrummy stash cafe blog. I have done this layout of me and the girls. It would be lovely to have a photo of the four of us for a change!!

This photo was taken on our fab weekend away at Saunton Sands, both the girls looked so beautiful. I used October afternoon papers. Oh yes and I did this layout of me about aged 7, prepare for a laugh...............................

Told you! This was taken in the New Forest in 1978 on our first ever Jones Family Picnic, we all met in Bournmouth and then hired a coach which took us all the the forest. We still meet in exactly the same place every year, this year there was nearly 50 of us. It is such a great family tradition and one that will hopefully be kept up. I used Sarahs Cards kit for this layout which had some of my favourite papers, Scenic Route!

Saturday already!

I know I say this all the time, but where do the weeks go!!
I have managed to fit in some scrapping this week around the cleaning, washing and ironing etc. It has to be done or I would develop withdrawel symptoms I think! I did two layouts one that I am really not that happy with and one that I love.

This is the layout that I am not happy with at all, it was inspired by a great scrapbooker, Angie. Her layouts are just amazing but I don't think this one is a patch on her creations. I wanted to document Rebeccas attachment to her two soft toys Piggy and Bunny, both of which she has had for years and they have travelled the globe with her! Think I might have to give this layout another go.

This layout I do like and it came together so easily! I have used the same papers as the other one, October Afternoon Daydream range which I just love. The photo is of Emily after she had been playing with her hair and she actually let me take her photo which is a very rare occurence now adays.

I feel the need to buy some stash, there is something great about waiting for the postman to bring that pizza box packed full of goodies. Trouble is I am still trying to be good! I have got my Sarahs cards kit to look forward to but I need more!!!! Might just have to sneak a few bits.

There is a great class on Scrummy Stash Cafe this week, Angie has done an amazing layout using a pizza box, loads of paint and chipboard. I am definitley going to give it a go!

Scrummy Challange

It was my turn to set the challange for the scrummy stash cafe this week and I decided to get people to look at using diferent edges on their pages. There are so many differnt looks that you can create by inking, tearing, rolling, distressing or simply just cutting. Here is my example layout. I have used the Scrummy Stash Cafe August kit plus a few extra bits.

I had a delively from the Scrapbook Magazine today, five of the layouts that I had sent in for published had been returned. Seems ages ago that I sent them must be six months or more so it is lovely to have them back and I have to say they have obviously been looked after as they are in perfect condition.

This layout was for the designers gallery with the topic being holidays. I had two photos almost the same with the T-rex. One photo had Emily and Tommy in and the other Rebecca. I only wanted to use one large photo so I cut Rebecca and the T-rex out of one photo and stuck it onto the other photo. I was really happy with the result. I finally used some of my Love Elsie Toby kit which I must have had untouched for about a year!!

This layout is one of Justins favourites, I have to agree I think. I just love this photo of him and Emily, it was taken on holiday in Cormwall and it just demonstrates the bond that exists so well between them. Sadly Emily is no longer so little and cute!

Trying to be good!

I am going to try this month to be very restrained with the amount of stash that I buy! I find it so hard looking at all the lovely kits online I just have to have them, not sure that Justin agrees though!! It will be interesting to see how many days my resolve lasts, I have had to pay for my sub kit and the add ons but that doesn't count!
I have been busy trying to put together some layouts for the magazing article that I was asked to write. I am finding it really challanging and haven't even started writing the actual article although I have made lots of helpful little notes.
I have set the challange for the scrummy stash cafe blog for tomorrow, I am so enjoying being on a design team and feel so privilaged to have been asked to do it it has been a real boost to my scrapping confidence. Loved this months kit, cosmo cricket be happy, such great bright colours. I will add my challange layout tomorrow if I remember, I have to keep it under wraps until then!
I did manage a layout just for me the other day, mum came over and while she made cards I scrapped and we chatted which was lovely. I managed to scrap a photo of the girls from our trip to Saunton Sands in September.

I loved this photo of the girls they look so happy feeding the goat, I have to say they were quite cute but very strong!
Think I have got some other layouts that I haven't put on here yet I will dig them out and stick them on.

I did this layout for Angies birthday challange a few weeks ago on the scrummy stash cafe blog

Rebecca and had a jamming session on the sing star, managed to get some great photos of her, she also took some of me although they will not be making it onto a page!!!

I decided to use an older photo to go with these gorgeous papers by scenic route, they were from my Sarahs Cards Kit this last month. Emily is about 10 months old in this photo and I just love the looks on my Grandma's and Auntys face, so much love for her.

More fab prima dude papers, I just loved these so many bits to cut out and use!! When we went on holiday in August we went to a National Trust house and the girls (am I!) did some brass rubbing this is the amazing rubbing that Emily did!!

Finally getting around to updating my blog, it is one of those things that I keep meaning to do but never get around to!
Well a lot has happened since my last posting which isn't surprising as it was nearly 3 weeks ago. I managed to do two more layouts using the gottacraft August kit which I just loved. I was eagerly awaiting the September kit but it is papers that I have already used so I gave it a miss. Anyway here are the two layouts that I did.



The new edition of Scrapbook Magazine came out last week and I was eagerly awaiting my copy to see what my layouts and article looked like. I was soooo nervous in case the article wasn't up to scratch, never having written anything like that before it was a bit daunting. I was so chuffed when I saw the magazine, my article looked really good. They have asked me to do another one so they must have thought it was ok too!!
I had to include four layouts to go with my article on using colour, I really enjoyed putting these ones together but I was really surprised at how much orange there was in a lot of my papers and I had to be really careful not to repeat too many of the colours on each layout.




I have used cogmo papers from cosmo cricket. Perfect for little boy layouts which aren't something that I do very often!!




I just loved this photo of Rebecca even though it is a few years old now. She really does have such a wicked sense of humour and this photo just captured her personality.



Rebecca on her 11th birthday, she was at KFC for tea and I handed her an envelope with train tickets in. She wasn't coming home but going to London with her Dad to go and visit the James Bond exhibition. She was sooooo excited as you can tell by the photo!



Emily's 13th birthday party nearly didn't go ahead as she developed tonsilitis the day before and had been feeling rotten. We managed to start her on some antibiotics quickley and she did get to have her party although she was certainly flagging by the end of it!!

Time flies!

I can't believe that it is the last day of August already!! Where has the summer gone? We have been really busy since my last post. We all spent a week in Cornwall in a large converted barn on a working farm which was great fun despite the weather!! It was lovely to get away and relax, we still managed to get out on the farm and make use of the lovely surroundings and the girls loved all the mud!! We have also been to stay with my Uncle and Aunty in Gloustershire for a weekend which was lovely. On the way Justin took me to Paperarts which was great. To see all that stash in the "flesh" was amazing!! I did manage to stick within my budget surprisingly!

My new stash!

I have done a couple of layouts since we have been back probably my favourite one is this one, I did it using this months gottacraft kit and it just kind of evolved into this. I took the photo last weekend at the Cotsworld wildlife park, Emily and Rebecca were looking after Harry as he went off for a little explore!

It is also my turn to do a class on the scrummy stash cafe blog this week, I had bought the August crop kit which is just so yummy!! All the instructions for this layout are on the scrummy stash cafe blog.

Sketch Challange

Well I don't usually use sketches as I find them so restrictive but when I looked on the UKS home page today there were two fab ones. One of them I just had to have a go at despite really needing to finish packing ready to go away at the weekend!!

I used more of my fav papers, scenic route, Laurel. The colours are just lovely and I love the strong patterns especially the spots and stripes (got a bit of a thing for them....all my socks have to be stripey but thats another story!!)

Anyway here is my layout from the sketch on UKS. Never know might even make the time to do the other one as well!

The photo on this layout was taken in St Catherines Chapel at Abbotsbury in May.

Brilliant Weekend

Well the cyber crop is officially over and I think it went really well, everyone seemed to enjoy it. I have finished off another two layouts, one is Vanessa's class and the other is Maria's challange.

Maria's challange, create a layout about yourself and include five words that best describe you. I have used some of my favourite scenic route papers and lots of ribbon.

My class layout for Vanessa should have included some embossing but I didn't have the right stuff so I scraplifted the basic layout instead.

Another update!!

Gosh another update on the same day....unheard of!


My challange has gone live on the SSC blog now, I decided to tie it in with my class and get people to use some of the same techniques on their own creation.

I have also just finished Angie's class layout, don't think I have ever done so much scrapping in one weekend!! She has put together a great class using a technique that I had never thought of, paper piercing. I didn't manage too much of it as I get a lot of pain in my thumb joint I think from years of drawing up IV drugs at work, the NHS has a lot to answer for!!! Anyway really enjoyed this class and I even used Angie's title as well. Like Mother Like Daughter, Emily and I don't really look alike yet our personalities are very similar. We are both quite shy and hate to draw attention to ourselves. I have to say I am sure I was never as stroppy as she is though, bless her :)

I have used cosmo cricket honey pie papers

Maria's class

Morning, not a very sunny start to the day but a perfect scrapping day! Maria's class has gone live on the scrummy stash cafe blog and it is just fab, she is just so talanted. She has included some great stitching which I just love and will definitely be using again.

I have used the Bliss kit

Emily looks so young in this photo, think it was taken about 2004.

Oh I forgot!!

I forgot about this layout! I just loved this photo of Emily that I took in the helicopter a few weeks ago, I have a great one of Rebecca waiting to be scrapped as well. I just had to use some of my new October Afternoon papers, they are just so gorgeous. In one of the scrapbook magazines, can't remember which, but it mentioned about making your own foam letters. I went out and bought some packs of foam sheets and they work brilliantly on my cuttlebug and soooo much cheaper than buying thickers or the like. I just need to buy a few more alphabet dies now!!

Emily during our helicopter ride it was amazing!

Samm's sketch challange

Samm's sketch challange was for a card which is something that I don't usually make so I thought I would give it a go. My old next door neighbour is 88 on Monday so I decided to make it for him.

Samm's sketch challange

I have used Bliss kit

Thanks for the inspiration Samm!!

Cyber Crop

Well the cyber crop is under way on the scrummy stash cafe blog! I have put together my first class which feels a bit weird really, hopefully those that do it will enjoy it!! Here is the layout that I have put together for it, the instruction on how to do it are on the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog.

Justin has gone to Birmingham to watch the cricket, he is back today having been away since Thursday. They wore grass skirts and bras.......I always thought that cricket was a sensible game!!! Think he has had a good time anyway, there were 8 of them that went, a right lads time away.

Emily has been camping out in a friends garden for the last two nights so I haven't seen her since Thursday! We have had so much rain I am not sure how they will have got on, I am sure they will have loved it and she will bring me back lots of muddy washing to prove how much!

Time Flies

Thought it was about time that I updated my blog! I don't know where the time has gone? The girls have both broken up for the summer now which is great it is just a shame that I wasn't able to take more time off to spend with them.

It doesn't seem possible that Rebecca has now left junior school! She will go up to Royal Manor in September, she looks too small. She did really well in her SATS getting alls 5's which is great, she was really chuffed with herself and we were really proud. Not sure if I mentioned it before but Emily won 2 awards at school as well, one for high achievement in Geography and the Howard Bell cup for high achievement overall her year group!! I went to watch her be presented with them, I was snivelling on the benches I felt so proud of her.

We had our annual family picnin in the New Forest on Saturday, year number 30, there were 47 of us which is a great turn out! The weather was perfect which made such a difference as the last two years it has been wet.

We are holding a cyber crop on the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog next weekend 1/2/3 Aug so I have been trying to put together a class and a challange there are some great prizes to be won so it is definitley worth a look!! Here is a sneak peak of my class!

Here are a few of the layouts that I have done over the last few weeks, one is using the new July kit from Scrummy Stash Cafe.

Layout using July's Kit

Layout of Justin and Emily using cosmo cricket honey pie papers

Loved this photo of Emily, I have used crate papers for this one.

Layout of Justin, I did this one from a class that Angie did on the Scrummy Stash Cafe Blog. I have used scenec route grafton papers.

Last weekend we went to the local steam and vintage fair, we had a great few hours mainly because we went up in a helicopter! I had never been in one before, the girls had gone up last year with my parents and they had promised to take me this year. It was an amazing experience, it was a timy helicopter that seated 4 passangers and I think the pilot took great delight in doing as many acrobatic stunts as he could to see how loud we would scream!! He flew all over the Island, it was great to see it from a different angel, he even went over our house.



Emily and Rebecca on the helicopter, I caught Rebeccas face just after it felt like we had done a loop the loop!!!