flower power

Thanks to Kim for texting me to let me know I’d made a mistake in my last post with the year.I put 1973 instead of 1993.That would make my daughter nearly 40 and God knows for me.I often make this mistake as the years have just flown by.

Then my daughter informed me she was shocked to read my blog to find I’d written her name as Tamsin instead of Tasmin!One of her pet hates is being called Tamsin she has spent her life being addressed by the wrong name.So for her Mum to do it is a punishable crime.

At this moment I have the carpenter drawing up some plans for my scrapbook room.So I’m hoping he’ll be able to keep to the budget I’ve given him and then it will be all systems go.I was so pleased we finally contacted him,as I was off on a trip to Ikea to buy some alternative furniture for the room.So instead I just came home with a metal rail for my punches.

We resold the bed I’d bought for £9,for £82 on ebay.So a slight profit there.As I said before I LOVE ebay.

I spent a lovely day at Anna's crop.Check out her amazing mini book she’s made.

Today's kit was full of Cosmo cricket papers.I decided to have a play with them myself .And I still have loads of papers left.I got to work on it for Shimelles prompt to use flowers

This is a photo of my daughter at Sea World,Florida.We had warned her not to go down to the front of the tank where the whales were performing.We warned her she’d get wet.But of course she wanted to join her big brother and didn’t listen.

Part of the whales act was to create a huge wave that drenched people at the sides.Ryan was wise enough to run away in time,but Tasmin took the full brunt of the wave.

Some Mum I am because I get the giggles every time I look at this picture.

The next one was supposed to have some of my flower stash on it.But I kept it simple with some cut out paper flowers.Oh and note Hilary's fab new bird border punch.

Talking of Hilary she came up with a fab layout with 9 photos on it.The photos really make me laugh.They were taken on our trip to Bennington Lordship to see the snowdrops.Me and Sandra were like women possessed with our new cameras.

mon amie

I finally got to scan some old photos and resize them.This layout was for Shimelle’s prompt to use up stickers.I had a whole pack of Parisian inspired stickers and papers.We used to go to Paris every other June for the Paris air show.So I had bought them in anticipation of future trips.But with the recession these trips have unfortunately now stopped for us.

So I pulled out some pictures of us from 1993.We had taken the children to Euro Disney for Tasmins 3rd Birthday and couldn’t resist taking them into Paris to see the sites.I don’t think my children realise how lucky they were to travel to so many places when they were young.

I used up a lot of oddments of stash for this layout.I even used a metal P I had bought for a Paris title for whenever I got around to using  these papers.The black word fabric stickers were a freebie from a scrapbook retreat. In fact for some reason I have two lots,I have a feeling these will be in my stash for a very long time.The buttoned flower I made out of some prima ribbon I bought this week.

Shimelles next prompt was to use up our ever increasing garden of flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another scanned photo from the French trip from 1993 was calling to me to be scrapped.So I have pulled everything out of my stash that I hope could be used and I will get to work tomorrow.

I had an email from the freaky eaters site to say they are asking people to start writing blogs about their SED problems.A lot if not the majority of people keep their disorder hidden from everyone but close family.So they never get to talk about it.The site is hoping that by talking about it,we could all get help,hope and just realise we are not the only weird one in the World.They are hoping to set up a weekly challenge,where together we will all try and attempt to eat a certain food and write about our experiences.So watch this space.

Spring has sprung

I feel like I have found a four leaf clover.I seem to have been incredibly lucky in the last few months.I keep winning things.

Imagine my delight today when in my inbox was a comment on my blog from Tracey Clark saying I’d won a place on her upcoming e-class Picture spring at Big Picture Scrapbooking.Here's how Tracey explained the class on her blog.

It's 30 days of soulful, seasonal celebration. It's an email from me in your inbox each morning for the whole month of April encouraging you to look at the world around you a little differently. It's about using your camera as a creative tool to help you translate the magic of your life into images. It's about changing your perspective and seeing (and capturing) the beauty that can often be overlooked everyday for 30 days. It will be a perfect way to start a photography practice of both mindful and celebratory creativity!

I knew this was perfect for me the second I saw it.The fact that she says “Seeing and (capturing) the beauty that is overlooked.”This is exactly what I have been trying to do this year with my new camera and my word for  the year “capture.”

So lets hope the weather doesn’t let me down and I am going to be one busy little bee in the month of April.

Mmmmm yummy ……………………..

Hilary and I had a spot of lunch today in our favourite restaurant,Yuva

We cannot recommend this restaurant enough.If you live in Cambridgeshire or Hertfordshire,it is well worth a visit,especially for their special lunch deal(£5.95).Yuva can be found at 51 old North Road,Kneesworth.

Its a beautiful 17th Century ex pub that has been given a modern opulent twist.It has three seating areas each decorated in a different colourful style.

The food is Indian Nepalese fusion,although I have only ever experienced the Indian dishes.Everything I have eaten here has been exquisite.

There is always lots to choose from on the special lunch menu.As I was on a “diet” I plumped for the chicken tikka mosala instead of the korma,usually my first choice.But it had to be the peshwari coconut rice and peshwari nan to accompany it.So to show I’m willing on the calories front I had a diet coke!

The curries are always so fresh and are full of spices.There attention to detail and presentation is superb.But one of the things I love about this restaurant,apart from the food,is the staff.They have some lovely Nepalese men working for them who always remember us.Hard not to with Hilary as its nearly a weekly thing for her.

Hilary's dish arrived making so much noise.It was sizzling away so loudly and the smell was amazing….

Mine arrived much more reserved and didn’t feel the need to shout its arrival.

Yes that looks very slimming.I will be practically wasting away soon.

So it was lucky for me,I had just enough room for a delve in the brandy glass for a chocolate.Hilary thought it would be great filled with champagne -The old lush.Me I’d prefer the chocolates any day.

I can't urge you enough if you are in the area to try this place.

We worry that if these little,of the beaten track,gems don’t get used and appreciated they will disappear.

And if it disappeared what would Hilary do for food!!!???

No doubt she’d have time to start using and organising her scrapbook room instead.

I need to take her in hand and get organising.A trip to Ikea is imminent I feel.And I may have to ban her from the Chicago scrapbook shops in June.There really can’t be anymore this lady NEEDS or could possibly have the time to use.I only wish I had taken a photo to share.

Shimelle latest prompt was to get started on the stash of stickers we all seem to have in excess.I thought I’d start with these Paris inspired ones.

The day before I had searched through some old albums and had come across these pictures of us taking our children for the day to Paris as part of a trip to Disneyland.

I pulled out everything that seemed appropriate to a Parisian layout.

and got to work.But I can’t get our scanner to work because of the new wifi hub.So I'll have to wait for hubby to return from Madrid tonight so that I can scan the photos and print them in a smaller size.

So watch this space.

Happy scrapping.

slight cheat

I have been without the internet for the last few days,due to the dust in our hub.Caused by my hub.

So I have been making daily trips to a local Starbucks with wifi.This was the only way I could keep up with Shimelles class,until my new hub arrived.(the computer one not the one I’m married to)

Prompt 5 from Shimelle was to get to work with page protectors.I had some ideas ,such as rivet  a piece of plastic to a punched cycle .The technique worked but I couldn’t think of anything to put in it.

I wanted to finish a layout I had started at Anna Bowkis’  last crop,as the next crop is this weekend,it was time to get it finished.So I made a compromise on the plastic pocket.

This plastic tag had been tucked away in my stash for ages.I have no idea where it came from.I added a journaling tag  to the inside,along with some punched hearts and snowflakes.

 

My word for the year-Capture

bliss

Its finished…………………………………..

No not the scrap room,Sandra,he’s working on that….

The ensuite is finally all completed.We had to wait 7 weeks for the shutters to be made and they were finally fitted today.Unfortunately its a dark drizzly day so the light is crap for photos.

Its been bliss for me without the shutters.Hubby obviously hasn’t wanted to share his stunning physique with the neighbours,so he’s avoided using the shower or bath in our room ( he uses sons) So I’ve had the room to myself everyday and its stayed immaculate.No tidemark around the bath or splatters on the shower glass.

I don’t care who gets to see me naked,as you may have noticed from my previous post about the notice board.So I’ve been stripping off and strutting my stuff for everyone to see.So the neighbours will be relieved to see the windows are now covered.

I am really pleased with how the room turned out,especially as it was all my design.OK, Hubby did a bit of donkey work,but its all about  the design……

 

Above mentioned Hubby knocked a doorway through from our bedroom,to make an unused spare room into our ensuite.I bought a Victorian door at a reclamation yard and then Hubby made it perfect.

I HATE tiles so I decided against them above the bath. I had three mirrors cut and bevelled to act as a splash back.Now when I have a  bath the water stays in the bath.It doesn’t go on the floor or on the walls.But God help me when Hubby hits that water .Lets just say I make seal noises at him…..

The only real problem for me with the mirror is you get a full unedited shot when you sit on the toilet opposite.As I said I like to be naked ,so suffice to say I am now dieting.So maybe the mirrors are a great idea after all.

 

This is the other side of the room.This whole wall is Hubbys handwork.It never used to exist..(clap here)(this is an in house joke)

But of course its about the design.I LOVE the little cabinets I bought from Ikea.They are perfect for the spaces.Each one is for a different use in the bathroom.

You know me and organising…

 

 

 

 

The one thing that gets people oohing, is the floor.Its exquisite.Yes it was an arm ,leg and a bit more ,but it was SO worth it.Its hard to photograph as it twinkles.

Yes twinkles.

It looks amazing in any light.It has little crashed pieces of mirror in it which catch any light.Plus Hubby has laid under floor heating so its stunning and cosy all at the same time.

This picture does not do the shower justice.It was the largest one we could find for the space.

It is sooo powerful and its a doddle to wash my bushy hair.Its done in seconds.It takes me a tad longer to clean and dry it though…

Teddy keeps trying to get in with me,in fact I’ve just realised I can now shower him when he’s covered in mud,which is a daily occurrence.

 

 

 

Whilst the two men where fitting the shutters,I got busy making some chocolate Guinness cupcakes with chocolate frosting.I had finally managed to get a large size piping nozzle so I had a play and I picked this recipe because I had some Guinness left over from a meat pie I made.

No doubt the men will find something wrong with them.

They ALWAYS moan about something.They don’t realise how lucky they are.

My son gets excited when he has a reheated supermarket meal!!!!!

Tonight I will hear”what's for tea?”from him

“homemade chicken (i don’t eat mince) lasagne with a spinach ricotta sauce (instead of a white sauce)and a double cheese flavoured tomato sauce with salad and garlic bread”

“groan” “ I hate pasta,I’m not hungry” will be the reply.

The salad has to be undressed and the garlic bread wet and limp for him to even attempt to eat it.

Anyway,I was one of the lucky winners of the weekend challenges on Shimelles class.I win a class of my choice and one for a friend.So Sandra will no doubt get as much enjoyment out of it as me.A little bird told me Shimelle is thinking of doing a photography class so I may hold out for that.

This layout was for Sundays challenge.Some of the flowers were from the first ever patterned paper I ever bought.

Because I have used up a lot of stash I treated myself to some newly released bits.

Plus I think I know what might have been aggravating my migraines.I had started taking iron tablets and they can do that in weird people like me.I remember thinking they were a cause years ago when I had a spate of taking them.So fingers crossed……

I confess….

I love peaking into other peoples craft spaces.

I have been doing a lot of research lately for my own room.Sadly I still haven't had a return call from the carpenter.

Check out Donna Downey's amazing studio here.She even has a cute video on the net showing the making of the room.God knows why she changed the original one,it was just as good.

I have been busy again putting more furniture on ebay for sale.I have no idea where it all comes from? I have a loft,summer house and cellar full,and both my sister and sisteri-n-law have lots of my “spare” pieces.

I have been busy dressing this bed for its spot on ebay.

I was shocked to win it a couple of years ago on ebay for £9!!!!!!!!!!

Hubby moaned about putting it back together in the dining room,but I’m sure you’ll agree it now looks worth more than £9?

I sold a pine table and chairs last year that I won on ebay for £21.We used it for over a year ,why we restored our house.It became obsolete when we had our kitchen fitted.So back it went on ebay,and can you believe it I got £220!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We sold a very old worm eaten wardrobe this week,for more than I bought it for over 10 years ago.My husband thought it was only worthy of the dump,but now I have a nice three figured sum of cash!!!!

I LOVE EBAY……………………………………

The conservatory is a dumping ground at the moment for furniture we’re selling.Its full of space now the dresser & workbench  are upstairs.So out came this gorgeous chest of drawers that has sat in the summer house with no home.

 

I hadn’t wanted to give it to my eager sister or sell it,so I’m so pleased to see it back out again.

I can fill it with the stash that is all over the place until the scrap room is finished.

 

 

 

 

 

Shimelles set another challenge for Saturday.I knew exactly what I’d like to finally use.

I was desperate for these spinners when they first came out.But they have sat ever since in my stash.In fact they were right at the bottom.When I dug it out today,I knew that I had to use a picture of Teddy.The words were so apt.

The two backing papers are yours Hilary.You may have recognised them.

Hilary has enough stash to start a shop,believe me.I am very jealous of all the lovely kits she has.

So I hope you think I put the papers to good use…………..

My word for the year-

Capture

happiness

Fridays challenge

I still have a migraine after 4 days and I’ve been awake since 5am,So I feel a bit punch drunk.I’ve had some Ben & Jerry's ice cream with a lemon curd meringue as a pick me up.

I was looking forward to feeling better so that I could complete Shimelles new challenges for the class.I waited all  day and then just dosed myself up with some medication.

FRIDAY'S CHALLENGE:
Can you use metal, cardstock, patterned paper and ribbon on the same project???

I decided to use a photo I took of my children against a mosaic wall in London on Mothers Day.

I tried to replicate the tiles using  a pile of plain cardstock pieces I bought in a supermarket in the States

I then machine stitched them to a piece of cardstock that I rescued from a clearout my friend Hilary was having a while back.

So I am also using up someone else's excess cardstock as well!!!

 

I added a couple of metal brads and some ribbon.

This layout is much more me,I just prefer working with lots of colour.

I finally chose some photos to go in my album for the class.

 

These are the first few pages using all scraps and unwanted stash.

Its only a small 6 x 6 chipboard album so I can’t go to town on it.

 

 

We moved my dresser upstairs today.I say we,when I mean my husband and son,with me pulling faces as  I did my best.

But as soon as it was in place I had a brainwave.I have been trying to work out how we were going to accommodate  all the pipes we have to hide.Then it came to me,to get in the fabulous person who handmade all my kitchen.He has since branched out on his own and had popped in with a business card for me last year.So I’ve rang and left him a message so fingers crossed my troubles will be over.

Whilst in the loft sorting out the next piece of furniture to sell on ebay I found this forgotten magnetic notice board.I had had all my favourite photos copied onto this metal board as a Christmas present years ago.

So I may ditch the whiteboard and  put this up instead.

(Sandra and Hilary-near the top left, you can see that naked photo of me sat on a bridge,I told you about!!!!)    

(Oh,whoops just noticed another of me naked top left  with the children enjoying the VIEW from our Spanish apartment) How brown are we,we’d been there a month and in those days you tanned.Plus how big had my bikini bottoms been??

Word for the year-Capture

21st Century

19th Century