Howdy partners!

I have started a new little mini book made with the kazzoo kids K&Co range in Sandra's store (http://pandorasandra.typepad.com/) I brought the mini chipboards a while ago but have just realised she has HEAPS of the gorgeous 'retro' - ish papers and I love them. I have also ordered some funky fabric to go with it... So i'm gonna make a little bag for the mini book to go into and try and get a little cowboy type hat for Ben to wear and then take piccies. He's gonna be my lil' cowpoke!!!
For all you Basildon/Essex gals my class still has spaces - it's Fridays 12 noon til 2:30pm and it's £10 per session. You can 'free' scrap or have a custom kit made for you (at an additional cost)... I can sketch any size layout for you to use or help you make and decorate mini books/binders anything you wish!!! Or show you new techniques and new ideas... And Sandra runs a Saturday workshop - this Saturday it's making cards using iris folding techniques... last Saturday was an exploding box and there are peel off techniques and alsorts of FABBY things in the pipeline too!!! Go in and have a peek! There will also be a sale next week too - and I know there are HEAPS of goodies in that! Leave hubby and the kids at home and go and pay a visit...

Because of the postal strike, I had no packages today - booooooo! Hopefully tomorrow my funky fabrics will arrive. I have heaps and heaps of scraps and pieces coming and i'm soooo eager to get my mitts on them. I am getting into fabric again, especially the cute prints...

Sunday is 'THE' day ...

...when this kit is released for me- so no lie in that day!!! I am really pumped to get the stamps - as always they are, for me my fave part of the kit! So cool, so originally and i'm so pumped that Sara is so creative to design them. That is a SUPER fabby part of this kit. It's why it's my favourite and the one I buy every month without fail. It's beautiful. Wanna grab your own??? They are at www.story-kits.com and Sara is super efficient at packing and sending them -wraps them in brown paper with kitsch Japanese tape... I love that gal!

Woooooo HOOOO!

I have made something...!
But I am not posting a piccie as it is a gift for someone and I know that they look at my blog. Once i've given it to them I will post piccies...!
Other than that I haven't got my sewing machine out- We went a did a weekly shop instead! (oooh the excitement of it all)... But at least my kids can eat now. Emily had a treat for tea and Ben chucked up while we were all eating (great!) That really sums up how productive I have been today.
I have had problems buying stuff too - I brought some crafty/scrapping stuff from a blog back in April (23rd) and paid straight away via paypal... Well to cut it short I still haven't got the stuff and she hasn't issued me a refund. After over two months of emails I have put in a claim via paypal for the amount. I also found out that someone else has had exactly the same done to them but for a higher amount - so now i'm not doubting that she didn't even bother to send the items at all. Feeling pretty miffed about it really. It's a pretty mean thing to do.

Slowly but surely...

... things are coming together... I had my first little package today and am still waiting on a few other bits to arrive but I know that they will be here next week at the earliest. I am just SUPER eager!
I have begun to start slowly working through my to do list - starting with the banner last night and then I plan to try and get my sewing machine up and running tonight at some point. I have a cute little top I plan on making for Emily which I have been meaning to do for like, forever... I plan to do it today... (we will see if I actually achieve it!)
I also have a belated birthday gift to make... which actually I should be doing now while Ben is in bed and Emily is supposed to be having a nap in front of the tv... she's quiet so she's either asleep, up to mischief or curious George is on. She adores that monkey! I have ordered some banana fabric and monkey fabric and plan to make her a little sundress with it, paying homage to her fave cartoon... I know she will be way to excited by that and I love making her happy...

...back later with piccies and stuff (and maybe i'll tell you i've actually achieved something!)
xxx

No scrapping today and suffering withdrawals...

.... you know the kind... the need to stroke beautiful papers and pretty ribbons... but i'm too busy. I have heaps of little and BIG jobs to do. I keep putting off actually drawing out my own custom stamp sheet and HAVE to do it... I have to sort my stash mountain out! I have so much and need to de-stash (sad, but I just need to)... and I have a few other ideas floating around in the pipeline. (I know, I ALWAYS have ideas knocking around... it's if I actually do anything with them)
And i'm trying to make a banner for here (my blog) and a few other places - can I do it??? No! hmmmmmmm, me thinks I will have to buy one if I want to achieve anything half decent. Have made one but think it just looks far too simple...

Happy shopping...

...I have been buying a few bits... and pieces which are super super smashing - little owl beads, tickets and cute fabric squares! Yummy. Now I will be waiting for them to arrive - how annoying that we have a postal strike on Friday!!! As they are coming from the states i'll expect them towards the end of next week - but, of course will stalk our postie from now until they arrive!

It has rained here for the majority of the day and I MEAN rain! And today Ben went to sleep in the afternoon in his cot for the first time!!! Usually he is rocked - by me - in his pushchair until he is asleep (usually about five mins) but it does mean that often he wakes and needs re-rocking off again/constantly... so I was pleased to see he took 'ok-ish' to his cot. He was up there an hour before he started moaning... and he really needs longer than an hour... but for his first time he was a good boy! Yay! Will be glad once these bloomin' teeth are through though!

For all of you who wondered about My/Sandra's classes... my time's have changed to 12 noon to 2:30pm on Fridays... So you school mums/dads can come and join us now. It's an informal class with the maximum of 5 (so nice and personal) and I can either 'set' creative projects OR you can bring your own to work on and I can help/show new techniques etc... Sandra's shop is in the first floor of the galleries in the Eastgate centre in Basildon. It's a lovely friendly, clean and welcoming environment to scrap in! And of course stash to buy too! lol....

Another creation!

This LO is a photo I have used before but I just love it soooo much. I love seeing Kev and Ben together like this, it reminds me of how small he was and how cute the pair of them used to look asleep on the sofa together. It's another using that same old cocoa daisy kit. (Lovin' the see d's stamps that were in that kit and just wanting to emboss in gold with them)

Went to my MIL today and Emily saw her cousins there... she was super cute telling them 'i love you Holly... i love you Aidan... i love you Dan' ... she really really really cried when they left to take Aidan to his diving lesson. And then tonight Ben went to bed before Emily! It's the first night and I don't anticipate he will again any time soon but he did wake at 3pm and so by 7pm he was absolutely shattered. Emily was as pleased as punch to have a later night!

Also check out http://pandorasandra.typepad.com/ and see the fabby kit pics she has posted!!! I was sooooo shocked that she has all these kits that she never uses... ooooh they are super gorgeous and if I thought I would have time to use it I would sign up ... but I know I wouldn't.

Happy Sunday!

A little something for you to see...

This is a LO I have had finished for a while, although I haven't actually added on my journalling - I will now I have my book from Michelle! I made it with an old cocoa daisy kit I had hanging around... i'm lovin' fabric on Lo's at the mo!!!

And it was crop today - we made an altered letter 'H' for home. I'm pretty pleased with mine but really just enjoyed a good natter. I loved hearing about Sarah's wedding in October '08 and Jo telling us about her first class flights! OOOH I love crop, though we did miss Dee and Nina!

Pass me the paper bag...

...i'm about to hyperventilate! I saw SHIMELLE today!!!!!!!!! While I was teaching in Pandora's papercrafts - she came in with her buddy and brought some of Sandra's goodies! I was teaching and spotted her! I whispered to Sandra to make sure it was true and yes it was. I was so pleased. Woweeeee Shimelle. One of my all time scrapping heros. You made my day. Along with having another great class!

Onto my classes -we may be changing the time to accomodate you school run ladies (and gents!) if you email Sandra (you can get to her on http://pandorasandra.typepad.com/) she will let you know all the changes that are afoot!

WOW, just have to tell you again... I saw SHIMELLE!!!

My creativity is boooooooooming!

This LO i've had done for a while but have just been flat out this week with things to do and stuff that really I have been neglecting my creativity uploads... if you get me! I'm busy with housework (boo!) ... And just when you think life is turning out just fine something knocks you back and you realise - or at least I have that maybe i'm a little too trusting and wear my heart on my sleeve alittle too much... in someways it's a good thing but i'm finding out this week it maybe isn't. Hmmmmm serious stuff, eh!
Well... I made this LO for one of our team challenges on UKS ... hope you girlies like it!

I'm hoping to get this LO finished tonight!!! I am just loving the SoML kit this month. I love the love,elsie stuff but especially love all the little quirky bits Sara has added. The super cool tape gun thingie and the black velvet shaped ribbon... and all the litte pieces. Truly my fave kit ever!



I am digging deep into my old piccies - that are before my digital camera days. This one was taken in 1999, when I was just 19! It honestly seems like yesterday in some ways but a life time in others. As you can see I did hide the journalling - I feel my life back then was probably alittle too wild to write it all down anyhow (I still have all my diaries from back then and they ARE cringe-worthy!) ... Just thought the elsie stuff went well with those wild and carefree days...




Here is a LO made with the storykits stuff - you know I ordered super loads because I didn't even know that they exsisted until about a month ago... I have had this picture for an age... well, since my mum died i've had it and i've always wanted to scrap it. I just don't think I was ready until last week. You know my life had been a little low of late - it had gotten pretty stagnant and things were just running on a level. Then things changed, things started looking up and you know - I felt ready to open my heart and do this picture that I absolutely cherish justice (I hope I have, anyhow)... Things have taken a down turn since and not anything really dreadful just my hopes and dreams are gonna have to be put on hold maybe because I feel that a few setbacks might be coming my way, but hey life is like that and i've looked back on this picture and remembered what a fighter my mum was, she survived two abusive relationships, breast cancer twice with two mastectomies and had three girls who are strong and independant women.
I am so proud to have had her as my mother, she taught me alot. And I super love how absolutely cool she looks here - all Audrey Hepburn-esque.

This is the LO I made yesterday with my brand spankin' new SoML kit! I am just lovin' the kitsch little Japanese stickers and bits! WOW! I am just loving it all - Sara you ROCK GAL! The sequins and everything are just so bloomin' cute.....

It's here!!!

As you can see the SoML kit arrived this morning, after some fretting that it may have got lost! No it was just passing through customs and coming to me!!! And worst news is it came at 9am... my two littlies don't go to sleep until 2pm!!! I have a l-o-n-g time to wait until I can really get it out and check all those little details out and really enjoy it.

But it is so cool... this time Sara had used the funky tape to wrap around my brown paper package, it looked so funky! And the hambly rub ons! Wow... I just think they are the best quality rub ons on the market at the mo. They truly are so easy to use, no need for popeye muscles to rub these on!

And the stamps that Sara designs are super super super cool! I just am loving them so much - if you check out her blog (you can get to it from http://www.story-kits.com/) she has next months on there and boy, they are the best yet!!! There is a gnome! Mushrooms! and a Hedgehog!!! How super cool will they be???

And I know it's more love,elsie but it is just one of the best ranges I have seen for a long long time. This range along with the creative imaginations stationary type stuff and the cool scenic route funky bright bird paper have to be my ALL time faves...

Piccies as promised!

These are a few things I had come at the weekend...




And this came from my fabbbbbbby buddy Michelle yesterday!!! Wow! It is soooo cool and has brought a tear to my eye a few times with the journalling bits. I'm hoping it's gonna make it easier for me to journal from my heart... Thank you Michelle!!!

This is the little book I have made for baby Ruby - well ok Baby Ruby's mummy and daddy...I am so so waiting to see her on the third!!!

It's in the country...

My SoML kit is in this country... wow, I cannot wait for it to actually arrive and for me to peel back that brown paper wrapping. When I see that label with Sara's writing on it just makes me go giddy!!! I just love what she does and next months has a cool hedgehog stamp in it! Yes, a hedgehog!!! Just how cool will that be???

I feel i'm being abit of a poor blogger ATM ... what with a load of posts with no piccies but I simply haven't had the time. I am busy preparing my class for Friday and then it's the Billericay crop on Saturday... I have a busy few days ahead of me. I am also trying to finish my CJ entry in Gina's album, really all I need to do is print out a couple of piccies, her CJ has a cool theme and so I have been enjoying putting in my 'simple pleasures' and the things that make me happy... I also have a cute little metal sonwman charm going on in there - but will wrap him in bubble wrap (I don't want him to damage any pages in there) before his journey to Michelle in Las Vegas... Guess it will seem weird for her, a snowy piccie in the middle of the desert!

Will add piccies later .....

We saw little Ruby!

Ruby was an absolutely gorgeous little doll! She was sooooo beautiful. She also was so tiny. I can't actually remember Emily being a whole 1lb lighter than she was because she was so tiny and so dainty. She really did look like a little china doll. She was realllllllllly adorable!

It seems too that Kerry and Ben are adapting well to a new addition and all the sleep deprivation a new baby brings. I really do feel for them. That wonderful yet very very apprehensive time, where you question every little detail and thing. It's very very hard but oh so worth while! I think with no parents close either it's hard to rely on just your own instinct when you are so very tired and worried about how well you are doing as parents. But baby Ruby is VERY happy and contented. She looks like she is thriving and looks rosy and healthy. She was truly beautiful. And Emily simply adored her. She was so taken by her and spent most of the afternoon besides her moses basket or holding her hand. she loved baby Ruby (la, la, la, la, la, laaaaaaaaaaaa - as the song goes)...

I did though, forget my camera!!! Arrrrrrgggh, you know how much did I want to take a hundred pictures of her... but they are coming round on 2nd so I will have a huge photo op. then!!! No doubt she will have changed so much! Oh, newborns as so bloomin' gorgeous!

Emily sobbed when we left, she didn't want to leave 'Rooooooooobieeeeeeeeee' and I think the fact that she ate all of Kerry's choccie biscuits, strawberries and grapes added to the pleasure of being there. She was distraught wen we had to say goodbye and keeps asking when we will see Ruby again...

Poop!

Have been to the post office... it WASN'T the SoML kit. BOO! Why, oh why was it not that kit. I just want it in my hands... feeling the papers and all those extra embellies... yum. But it's not here.
Consoling myself with the fact it's QVC craft day so watching the Brenda Walton hour i've recorded.

My class!!!

Wow! What a day!

I taught my first class at Pandora's paper crafts today and loved it. We had a fabby time and I cannot wait for next week and all the good stuff we will get up to!!! Yeah! (I also got some Jenni Bowlin chipboard birds too - YAY!) We really had a good natter about scrapbooking, what it means, what we all want to get from it and all the other stuff that goes with it... and most of all we all (I hope) enjoyed it!

The kids had a nice time with their Nan, although I did feel super guilty leaving them, Emily took it in her stride and Ben was too little to understand but it's the first time i've ever left him with anyone other than Kevy and just felt pretty weird... driving along with no kids, no chatter, nothing... except the radio real loud and me singing along - surprised it's not rained, lol...

No piccies today - sorrrrry but tooooo pooped to do much.

Had a card from our postie though (!) my SoML kit is at the post office!!!!!!! Will be rushing to get it tomorrow as soon as they open!

One of my own...

Today's one is boat. Seens as we don't actually have a boat (surprise that, lol) or even a toy one - i've made this one up. I love the piccie... taken this morning and it's gone alittle overcast now...

This just arrived and I am PUMPED!

Woah! lookie at these goodies. I am almost shaking with excitement. The smell of our lounge is of new paper and card. Oooooh these moments make scrapbooking super exciting!

I ordered these from Jessica at yourstory kits so long ago now (well, ok the third week in May, for a scrapper though...that is a long time,right?). The box had the wrong postcode on so it had gone to Wickford and gotten alittle lost... but it's here now and i'm so excited. Do you know how much is in that box???????????

The scenic route new birdie papers are to die for and by far my fave... even better than my beloved love, elsie. You know what I love it all! I'm too excited to speak.

A big THANK YOU to Jessica who usually did not post to the UK! Thank you!

Gardening Hands...

This was Emily yesterday..

Enjoying the sunshine and our garden... running free in a summer top and knickers (we tend to find skirts/trousers make her forget that she has no nappy on...!) and her crocs - which are too big but you know what a girls like with new shoes...

The mood soon changed though and she was off sulking... the life and trauma's of being two. It's a hard life. I don't even know what it was about but she sure was cross!

Then at bedtime she had a huge accident. I about laid an egg! She was mucking around in a blanket (as kids do at bedtime) and slipped. Her face landed smack on the skirting board and I heard the most almighty thud. I have never moved so quickly. I scooped her up and yikes - blood everywhere. You mothers know how we try not to panic our kids and so just held her close and hugged, thinking if she saw the blood there'd be even more tears and panic... So she had put her tooth through her lip and it swelled to the size of a grape on her lip. It was sore. She didn't find much comfort in her milk or doodie... Poor little mite.

This is it this morning:

Scrapping mini books are the thing!

I totally *heart* love, elsie. And I totally *heart* the creative imagination steno books (£2.99 from Pandoras papercraft- http://pandorasandra.typepad.com/). They are super super cool. I have been in love with the fabric paper too and have seen one of my SoML gals has made a pin cushion with the black sort! WOW! How cool is that...?



But anyhow, I have made this little book. I have only filled two pages because I need more piccies printed... but I love it. I love how it's fraying and looking well loved. I love the pink embossed heard cardstock that I have glossy accent-ed. I love pink! And I just think these little books are so cute. This is my third and probably isn't my last.

I have actually been managing to scrap ...

I know my posts have been alittle weird lately. Not much scrap talk going on. I have been putting all my efforts into class ideas - which start this Friday!!! I have scrapped some bits. I have mainly gone back to my kicking ideas around and doing little else stage though... brilliant for my ideas journals - I now have three full ones and a forth one started, if only I had all the free time and piccies to scrap these ideas! The love, Elsie range 'roxie' really does suit a doodling journal!

Anyhow more on my class:


Classes will be small and very personal, it's all about YOU! So you will have plenty of one to one attention and lots of help in achieving a good understanding of your style.
It is on Friday at 2pm until 4:30pm.
At: Pandora's Paper Craft in the Eastgate shopping centre in Basildon.
To book a session/s call Sandra on 01268 522823 or email her : sandra@pandoraspapercraft.co.uk

For the first week we are asking you to bring:
A steel ruler/steel edged ruler
A decent pair of scissors
An artists rubber
A note pad and pencil
Wet and dry adhesives (making sure they are acid free!)
Photographs!!!
And a paper trimmer if you have one!

Don't worry if you don't have all the kit - I know that Sandra has the things you need in the shop to buy.

What I will be doing: We will be covering everything... starting with the basics and building up to the level that you feel will suit you. You don't have to be super creative, all you need is a bit of spare time and photographs you want to make last forever! Sandra stocks a huge range of scrapbooking supplies in her shop and I know there is something for everyone's taste. We haven't created a kit, so as to keep classes free and flexible - I am excited to see what each of my ladies (and maybe men!) will want to achieve from the classes and what they envisage creating!
The first week we'll keep it simple but then the sky is the limit, scrapbooking has no bounds and we will be running through some fabby techniques - new and old faves to keep your photographs looking fabulous and creating the sorts of albums/mini books that you want to show the whole world (and best of all they will withstand time!).
I am super pumped about it all and driving Kev mad telling him about it every night! I am looking forward to meeting you all, working with Sandra and sharing the best hobby in the world!!!


Besides that I have been busy doing washing (pretty boring!)

Thinking of you Dee...

Dee, who goes to the Billericay crop with us all has been having a hard time of it just lately. I'm sending her this little message to hope her and her DD are well and doing fine. It must be one of the worst things to have a v.poorly child and i'm sending my heart to her. If there is anything you need... just ask.

On a lighter note, Nina will be pleased I have started the her space, my space thing. I had every intention of starting it yesterday but what with my lesson plan (yay!) and everything - I forgot. So here's my first one anyhow : tired...

I took these a while ago...

...when we went to the zoo back in Derbyshire, which actually was ages ago now I think about it but think they are pretty good. I read somewhere that out of about 100 shots only 1/2 are any good. I would really agree with this. I have heaps of pictures and have managed to pull out these. There are a few other ones i'm pleased with too but these three are my faves. I know the monkey one is a little blurry when huge but I still think it's pretty funky... he is cheeky! Shame this one didn't turn out...

This would've been even better and cheekier but the zoo has all perpexy type windows and so the glare is pretty hard to stop unless your lens is really level and pretty flat to it. (hardly technical but I know what I mean!) ...

He was a super poser though, that little monkey!