Busy. Busy. Busy.

I am not quiet sure how I managed working full time and fitting all this in... okay maybe not so many T.V programmes....! Well, anyway. I have been busy. Life is busy. I have the renovations going on at my dads  MY house. It has literally nothing in it any more. Nothing. It moved really quickly but it has now slowed down and it is stressing me out a little! Waiting on architects, it's no fun. 

I also sold the morris minor, the bikes and trailers are still there. Hopefully next weekend they will be gone....?!! And then all the tools. All the tools! Oh my! Well, it's a job that needs doing. 

So as I have been job hunting, builder managing, car selling... I managed to squeeze in a little making. 

 I made this. Over Christmas we went on the Harry Potter studio tour and this was my favourite bit... the Yule Ball model! It was gorgeous! I used pearlescent embossing paste and a stencil to make a snowy pattern background. It has all sparkly sequins and gems on. I love that photo.

 I also have done this.... I rekindled my love of sewing. Emily brought this with some of her Christmas money. It's a young Ana from frozen.... minus her dress as I made her a little red dress (and cape - not pictured). Emily was astounded. She was super pleased. It was a simple make... we plan on a whole wardrobe for her! Time permitting!

And I found this oldie on my phone. Ahhhh Leanna and Scott's wedding... nearly 2 years ago!!! What a lovely day it was.

When you were little...

I found these old photographs when I was searching on the laptop the other day. I can't believe how little you both looked! They were from our first visit to legoland - which we loved!

I also used this embellie that should of been... I think a garden water feature.

I cut it apart and sanded it down, so it made like a little wooden trophy. Rather like the one in the photographs that Em and Ben were holding onto.

I lastly painted it with paperartsy gold paint (a few thin coats,as it sunk in quiet quickly) and then pop dotted it on.

I love using things in a way they weren't intended for. I would of never used that garden ornament embellie... but chopping it up and changing it made it the perfect addition to this layout!

Beautiful things

I have been making madly. Using up all the goodies I have stored, you know... those things for a 'special' project. Every project is special. Use it. Don't store. Use, enjoy and make pretty things!
I have been working hard to get my 2014 album finished. It's a mixture of Project Life and 12 x 12 LOs. I like the variety. I hope to of finished it this weekend.... No pressure then.... ;)

This baby is now sold. My little inherited 1968 Morris Minor Traveller. My moggy. She really is so beautiful. Simple. She smells old (think a fusty old museum smell) but simply because she has been shut up for 13+ years. Today someone bought her. She should go on Tuesday. I am sad. I cleaned her up today. I wanted to keep her. It's just not sensible. She needs to be loved properly. Driven. Taken care of.

I did this a week or so ago. I like the reminder of A-L-L the tv series that I've watched. (Lots). I like the idea of year on year documenting this type of thing. I think it shows change. It is true documentation about my life, my time, my tastes... just me.
It's one of the reasons I love project life so. The year on year changes. The documentation. The extraordinary ordinary things we do. The yearly changes. The yearly similarities. Life. Our life.

Documenting in any form makes me happy.

A late hello to 2015

Hello 2015.

I hope you're kind to me this year. 2014 was not as quiet as kind as I would of liked but then we don't always get what we need do we?

But 2015, I hold out a lot of hope for you. 2015, you are full of promise, wonder and hope. Life in 2014 changed immeasurably for me. I finished working and still am waiting for another job... I lost my dad. He wasn't a dad. He was just my biological father. Life changed. I faced up to all demons I had in my past. I dealt with it. I moved on.

I inherited a lot of rubbish. I also inherited a lot of good stuff.

I wore a lot of rubber gloves. I used a lot of black bags. I had a few more (okay, maybe a lot more) hairs turn grey.

I still stayed strong in 2014. I got through it.

2014, you did bring some wonderful things though. I grew even closer to my wonderful sister Jill. I found friendships flourished with my nieces and nephew. I realised this time, when my children are small, I can never get back, so cherish it.

2014, you were bad at times but sometimes you were good too.

I do though, hope 2015 just is ever so more lovely, wonderful and special.

2015, I need you to be. I am holding out all hope for you.

New stash!

New stash! Who doesn't love new stash? The new Maggie Holmes range is gorgeous and coupled with the new Heidi Swapp goodies too! *gasp* it is really lush.

So I spent Saturday afternoon making this layout and watching Orphan Black. (And washing as our washing machine had caught fire last weekend!)

What is your fave new range (or old range)?

A day in the life... of me.

06:30: First alarm goes off. Go back to sleep.

06:40: Second alarm goes off. Usually at this point, I will hear Ben scuttle downstairs for his iPad.

06:45: Get up. Shower, teeth. Get ready.

07:00: Get kiddos up. Breakfast for them.

07:20: Tell kiddos to hurry up eating. Usually they are fiddling with stuff left on the table or day dreaming.

07:30: Do hair, make up, make sure kiddos are getting dressed, doing teeth etc...

07:50: Leave for school drop off.

07:55: Drop at breakfast club.

08:05: Drive to work. During term time I sit in a lot of traffic.

08:15-08:45: Dependant on traffic, arrive at work. Let myself in and start my working day. I don't officially start until 9am but always start earlier. I often think I am a little foolish for doing this but still do.

13:45: Maybe try and get some lunch, workload permitting. Always at my desk, always still working.

16:55: Pack up and get ready to leave work.

17:00: Leave. As it's Wednesday the kiddos are at our child minders, so head over there to pick them up. Hope the traffic isn't bad.

17:25: Pick up kiddos from minders.

17:35: Home. Phew. Start tea, wash up breakfast pots if Kev isn't already home.

18:15: All eat tea.

18:45: Kiddos flop on the sofa, usually on their iPad or iPod. Sometimes Emily might read. Kev lays on the sofa.

19:15: Kiddos get ready for bed.

19:30: Kiddos ask for a treat before bed. We usually watch the Simpsons or you've been framed. Kev is still sprawled on the sofa.

20:00: Kiddos to bed. Toilet/teeths. Emily always take a fresh water bottle to bed with her. She never drinks it. Say goodnight to Em first. Then Ben. It's always the same routine.

20:15: Flop in front of the TV. Maybe wine. Yes, quiet often wine. Maybe some making, if I am not too tired. Kev usually is now asleep on the sofa. Often snoring.

22:00/23:00: Bedtime. Always later than planned and in the morning I always wish I had gone to bed earlier....

20 Facts About Me!

1. I love anything creative. I sometimes would love to be able to make this my full time job!

2. I live in Essex. It isn't all TOWIE you know but a lot of it is!

3. I have two kiddos - Emily and Ben.

4. We have a dog called Betty, called after the TV programme Ugly Betty. She is a staff (which get bad press) and rather like her namesake - don't judge a book by it's cover. She is as soft as grease!

5. I love instagram. It has to be my favourite social media hangout.

6. I bought my first house in 2002, when I was still 21 years old for £52,000. It was a lovely three bed terraced in a small village in Derbyshire. It was on a street called Mount Pleasant Road.

7. I am studying an access course, with the hope of some day becoming a midwife.

8. I love TV. Like really love it. Favourite programmes of the minute are - Ray Donovan, Orange is the new black, the real housewives and don't be tardy for the party. (I love trash TV).

9. I love sleeping.

10. I would love to have eyelash extensions but know I would never keep up with the up keep of them.

11. I am often surprised on how resilient I am.

12. I am a crier. I cry at everything. Happy, sad, you name it... i'll probably cry!

13. Celeb crush at the moment is Live Schreiber and/or Dash Mihok.

14. I love diaries and note books.

15. As a child we had lots of animals, I love animals especially goats!

16. I work full time as a regional manager. I am not happy in my work, I feel that it's a glorified title for a dogs body job. I want to make a difference to peoples lives.

17. I love my middle sister so much. I really miss living near her. If anything, my dad dying has brought us even closer together. I love seeing her eldest Abbeygail and Emily together. They are like two peas in a pod!

18. I have a son who is obsessive like his mama. This week it's minecraft.

19. I love coffee. Especially with hazelnut syrup.

20. I drive a blue citreon c3. I love that car!