Give your loved ones a hug

As well as church today I have been to see a lovely friend whose husband died in his sleep this morning. One of the things that was upsetting her was not being able to kiss him goodbye while he was alive. It reminded me how important it is to keep telling those we love that we do love them because we never know what life will throw at us.
Norman was an amazing man. He was interned in a Japanese POW camp in China as a child (his parents who were missionaries in China managed to escape but he and his siblings did not). He was a Minister, an evangelist and an accountant which makes for an interesting mix!
we did not always see eye to eye but respected each other. Although he could seem quite stern he loved children and babies and they responded to him. He will be much missed - both here and in China where he was so loved and brought many people to faith in Christ.

I was able to give my loved one a hug yesterday as he came back from Prague having had a good time. He even fitted in a bit of sight seeing.that put the lid on a good day for me. In the morning I went to Imagine That and helped design a class on improving your journalling. I so enjoyed the brainstorming session. It was a good distraction ( I think) for Emma as her sister was getting married that afternoon and things were NOT going to plan (I'll find out tomorrow).

In the afternoon Carys and I did some scrapping together and I managed not to interfere with what she did (major achievement!)
She didn't want to use patterned paper (I couldn't choose between fainting with shock that someone didn't want patterned paper or thinking all the more for me!)
and she really does look like that when she is angry...

I finished my last NSD challenge for Bex forum - we were given an extension!
This challenge was to scrap and inspiration. I was going to go worthy with a page about Jesus - which i think I shall still do sometime. But went for something light and cheeky.
Its a Letter size page using SEI background paper and spotty paper.
I also used some bits of bazzill, April SA kit paper and arrows; ribbons, safmat and doodlebug buttons that i doodled on (yup, can't stop now). Scalloped edge done with giant scalloped scissors that Jo recommended. They are fabbo.

Just been called for lunch (love that DH) then more work this afternoon!

Full on Friday

Got heaps of proper work to do today so i am going to make this a rather brief blog entry. Just the facts (ma'am) on the cards for this weeks Daring Cardmakers challenge.
Kathy set the dare which is all about food and the results are mouthwatering!
I was s inspired I made two and have thought of lots of other fruity cards which will probably never get made now. maybe just as well.

The one I put on the blog was actually the afterthought which now I prefer!
Piggy tales patterned paper. Printed text boxes (so excited to have mastered white writing so expect more of this). The apple looks scrummy in real life. It is strips of various patterned papers glued onto card and cut out in an apple shape then triple embossed using UTEE. One of the buttons is a doodlebug spotty one. The others are plain doodlebugs which I have added to using a cheapo paint pen from Wilkinsons. It is pants for writing but the bizz on buttons. So expect to see more of these soon too!

When I was first panicking about the dare I suddenly remembered an old SA kit with lemon paper and lo a card was born.
(ah flashback to Hywel aged 2.5. we walked past some houses and I said that while I was pregnant with him those houses hadn't been born. The precocious cheeky brat looked at me with scorn and said "houses aren't born!" . Those of you who may wish to have children who learn to speak early, trust me. it is never good. it just gives them more years of putting you right)
Papers all from that SA kit - April 2006 - there are still some for sale. Printed out words. Lemonade glass is white card behind vellum and a tiny piece of one of the small patterned paper behind. Loads of black pen. The lemons have got some glossy accents on them to give a bit of depth.
Must fly now!

WIIiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Guess what arrived at our house today?
The kids had a wii on order since january with no sign of coming. i started to haunt the wii locator blogs and finally struck lucky on Saturday. I kept filling in the form wrong in my haste to purchase the thing before it went out of stock again. (I've kept missing them by a couple of minutes apparently).
Honestly I am so proud of myself, I'm like a caveman who has hunted down a mammoth all by himself!
Haven't had a go yet - but will soon. And take photos natch.

I have had loads of parcels arrive in the last few days - I have to stop spending now! I bought two new albums as I have completed my 12x12 and you can't put any more pages in. (I have finished 2 8x8 as well but they are extendable). I bought some more bloomers in black and especially white so i can paint them. My cool Blue kit arrived which is awesome and as it was Scrapbooking day on Saturday Scraptitude offered 50% off everything so i had to get a kit from there which includes Hambly screen prints wot I have always wanted to try.
And I went to hobby craft and bought some more felt because suddenly it is lovely again. The spotty ones were bogof so i did. Oooooh and then I had to get my new diary in Smiths and they had sharpie pens for £1.
Its better than clothes... or food.

well maybe not chocolate.

And also fitted in a great Elders Meeting at one of my churches. And planned a Bible study series called "My faith Scrapbook". Yup what could be better than combining the two loves of my life (outside the family) Jesus and patterned paper? I think it will be a lot of fun!

I leave you with the canvas Carys made at her friends party at imagine That. I have finally taken a photo to put on it. In some of the other shots she looks a little girl but she is a bit of a glamour puss in this one which is rather scary! I straightened her hair on Saturday which helps with the grown upness!
Must go to bed as Phil goes off to Prague at 5 in the morning. He is back Saturday night and as he is at a conference probably won't see much of that beautiful city. But he is flying business class on the way so I expect lots of photos of the comfy chairs

Creative Ups and Downs

well I've had a good weekend really!
worked hard and played hard which is always a good mix.
Didn't spend enough time with Carys (the boys are quite happy being left alone thank you very much - but she needs company) but I am slowly getting her into crafting so that she can come and sit with me rather than watch tv. I will have to change what I listen to while I craft (audio books have a lot of swearing you know!) but that is really no hardship.

Saturday morning was spent sorting out my evening service for Sunday. Saturday afternoon was the Romford church craft club. Now this has got quite successful - we get about 8 people coming and more adding on - not all church members which is great. BUT I provide all the stuff (from my stash which still doesn't get any smaller). I try and bring a limited range of things and show them a technique - but they mostly just like doing their own thing which means bringing oodles of stuff which I have to pack and unpack - taking away my own precious crafting time. I think I will have to buy another box (!) and just leave a set kit in there so I can simply add a few basics and something new to try (most are very stamp resistant but I am determined!)
At the other church the club is teeny - although someone else is starting this week. I have decided there that I am going to be more prescriptive and make up some kits so we can make one card and then if time, work on some other bits too.

Saturday evening I did my fastest layout ever. I have joined Bex's forum and the fun and enthusiasm is infectious! There are some National Scrapbooking Day Challenges and one was to take inspiration from an ad. I started the page just before Dr who and completed it just after so it was about 20 minutes in all ( and don't you dare say "and it shows") Its my first 8.5x11 (Amercian Letter size I think) layout and I love this size. I can easily print directly onto card stock too which is something I plan to use in the future.
Papers are from the April SA kit. I used a Stamps Away journalling stamp, Doodlebug rubons and SEI letters plus three pink gems.

Sunday I squeezed another challenge in the space between morning and evening worship! This was to use a half page map. I found 6x12 a struggle but I think this is becasue my photoprinter had died and I didn't have time to set up the new one until Monday. I had to use prints which meant all the photos were really too big. I shall do another one though (why? So can can store two side by side in my 12x12 album!)
BG Phoebe papers and letters (mmmm my fave) Doodlebug rubons (guess what I just bought?), primas, brads, chipboard flower from SA kit.
family wise we watched the Return of the King. Once more the kids talked ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

Monday I spent wrestling with new printer (no probs really just me being dense!). My old one was less than a year old but as we used "compatibles" when the print head went wrong that was it. Decided to upgrade while Phil looked on ebay fro second hand ones. He skyped a printer then forgot to unskype it. so we now have two new printers. (If you don't know what skype is, it means that you can jump in with a bid at the very last minute)
Monday afternoon I did a chipboard class at Imagine That and great fun it was too. Emma is such a good teacher and the time flew by. In the evening I finished a layout for a compy and we went for a meal to nando's. Which i have decided is really a slightly more expensive macdonalds with more chicken. The kids love the unlimited drinks and frozen yogurt though!

I also discovered I didn't win Kirsty's scrap your hands comp. The one I thought would win did and I can totally understand it. it is powerful and honest as well as being good to look at - which sums up a good page to me. And though I would have loved to win all the prizes (natch!) looking at all the entries I think mine was a contender and as I have been scrapping less than a year I think that is an achievement. (Now that sentence sounds a bit full of myself but I am working on trying to praise myself becasue find it hard to do)
PLUS - it was the first scrap compy I have ever entered - and at least I did.

This week is a bit busy - and Phil will be away so i don't know how much scrapping/crafting time I will have. Plus the boys have run out of undies so I need to do some washing etc (or buy some new ones). I am trying to organize the house too - very slowly one drawer at a time. And I need to do a bit more of that (most satisfying!).

Don't forget to look at the DCM blog - and especially the comments this week as all the cards sent in are amazing!

Some more of my stuff

This time it is the scrap pages I have been doing.
I also taught a class at Imagine That which was brilliant fun (squeezed in between a school assembly and a service at a nursing home followed later by a baptism visit). Still need to work on my timings though. This was a clipboard class using Basic Grey Phoebe papers and some bazzill bling. (The other) Emma (hmmm must ask for their surnames...) designed it and it cleverly teaches using loads of patterns together, alcohol inks and painting with pigment powders all in one class!

As to my layouts
I think this layout is still a work in progress.
My mum still has all my childhood photos but she found a few doubles. Including this one. Of all the pictures to have two of... Although as the journalling says "its not a terrible photo. i really did look like that. The hair. the teeth. the glasses. the dress. the 70's"
The idea was to make everything else look rich and gorgeous with that ugly mug there in the middle (well the side) so i think it is going to need some more bling put on it. Any suggestions?

Credits:

• Basic grey Urban couture (still love it so) Don't you think the stripe echoes the one on my "lovely" dress pretty well?
• banana frog stamps
• some ribbon from an SA kit.
• Auntie Sarah's bloomers plus one from Dunelm and one from the may SA kit painted with Blonde Moments pigment powder
• "go" is BG letters covered in Jo Sonja opal dust
• "on then" letter stickers from stash (7 gypsies?)
• "laugh" are qvc chipboard box letters painted with pigment powders and opal dust
• gems coloured with alcohol ink
• journalling spot is a purple onion stamp.

Phew if I add anything to it, 'twill be the longest credit list I have ever done!

this one is much simpler
(for some reason i only took one photo and didn't straighten the page. Doh!)
Bazzill card stock and Piggy Tales papers from Imagine That. The ready covered chipboard letters were a bit of a luxury - but they are so substantial and well made (may cut up what is left or use it for stencilling as the letters are so clear) I cut up a sheet that already had circles on and then punched circles out of 2 others. All are double sided so you get these gorgeous toning palin shades too. Then I realised that I could use all the middles of letters as well so there are chipboard circles for extra dimension. all inked and gone round with black pen for extra "pop"

And finally...
I entered Kirsty Wiseman's competition to scrap your hands. Nearly copped out because I am not very good with competitions. But I am pleased with the end result as a page for my scrapbook so that is the whole point really! (although the prizes look tempting!) the results aren't out yet but I am pretty sure who is going to win. Plus people on UKScrappers have already shown theirs - so here is mine.

• bazzill card stock (love this white stripey one)
• BG lollipoppe shoppe
• junkitz flowerful
• Provocraft itty bitty pad scrap (now there's a paper name quote you won't have heard for a while) (incidentally I have loads of papers. these are some of my fave colours so why only 3 pieces of paper that went anywhere near going together?
• anita's acrylic paints
• Ranger alcohol inks
• Ranger paint daubers
• Heidi swapp (so called) self adhesive letters
• letter stickers from April SA kit
  
• prima flowers
  
• acetate/brads/gems/black marker pen
  

NB: do not attempt to paint your hand with dauber inks and then stamp it on a page becasue they dry too fast. even wetting with water does not help and it is then a b****r to wash off. Bottom layer was hands done with less dense paint!. then I alcohol ink and paint daubed layers of acetate. I then cut round a template of my hands and attached the layers with brads. You can "peel back" the layers to read what it says about my hands and me on the different layers
And this is what it says
Top layer: These hands hold my children when they are sad or ill
These hands break bread and pour wine at communion
Layer 2: These hands fill up the washing machine and fold clean clothes
These hands hold people in prayer and in greeting
Layer 3: These hands tap endlessly on computer keys
These hands fiddle with my hair constantly and end up in my mouth as I bite my nails
Layer 4: These hands lovingly caress my husband
These hands create art with paper, ink and glue
Layer 5: These hands no longer itch to do so far not succumbed to damage
And hope that they never will
These hands still hope that God has a purpose for them and that it involves creativity

Now i have services to prepare, a card making class to lead at church, Dr who and Casualty to watch, a full days work tomorrow. And lots of scrapping ideas in my head. One of which my DH is very much looking forward to helping me with!
Have a good bank holiday weekend
and don't forget there is a Prize Draw on the DCM blog this week!

Here's some I made (much, much) earlier

Haven't been able to sleep properly last few nights. Not totally sure why. its a shame becasue I was tip top after last week!
But it meant that I was able to do some crafting and fit in work. Bonus!
Subsequently there is a lot to share. I never know whether it is better to have loads on one post or share them out.
Tell you what I'll do as much as I can in 5 minutes!

So firstly,
the daring cards.
And the theme is...

WINGS!

You can pick any subject, any colour but the card has to incorporate WINGS of some sort-so you can do - butterflies, angels, fairies, insects,birds........anything basically if it has wings!

Still not really sure about this one. Anyway

• ranger copper pen and doodling template base
• alcohol inked acetate attached with brads
• brown ribbon covered in opal dust
  
• squares of Heidi Grace paper ( see below if time)
• paper artsy stamp using distress ink. wings covered in glitter glue, opal dust and a sophistiquin each
• liberal use of sophistiquins and copper glitter glue

I think probably it is the background I don't like.

to make up for it, made this at 6:45 this morning

• April SA kit card and papers (the owl has teeny tiny wings see).
• Teensy diamentes
  
• a cream flower from the kit painted with blue blonde moments powder

Only time for one more this post. Another quick card - one of a pattern I use soooo much.
And even easier than usual

• The squares are all cut from the same sheet of paper. Heidi Grace new mini squares. And the best bit is, touch the bottom left hand square. see its all suedey (that's why it looks blurred in the pic!).
  
• Just added a button heart,
  
• brads
  
• safmat sentiment.

This is a great way to use up scraps and can make good mens cards for those not into cars/shirts/ darts/beer/fishing (thought I wouldn't advise the hert uness it is your boyfriend not your boss)

More new shoes

this time for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

And not quite such a bargain.
but look, see and you will understand.

Unless you hate crocs.
(strange person)

Yesterday I had a great day playing with paper with my friend Sue. We looked at each others new stash and then went for a sarnie. Is there nothing better than a toasted sarnie done in a big flat hotplate? No there is not.
Then we went to Imagine That for a class using Blonde Moments pigment powders and stamps. I love the classes and crops at IT. Emma has a really relaxing manner and makes it such fun.
first we made this card...

isn't it sweet? And thanks to sue for tying my bow otherwise we would still be there. (locked in a craft shop now there's a thought!)
then we made this

a black inked square of backing card was smooshed with three pigment powders, sprayed with water then utee'd with an inked stamp pressed in on last go with the UTEE. More powder was brushed onto the stamped image for definition.
And finally (well we made bits all through the session)


We stamped using versamark and swooshed the pigment on (can you guess my favourite new word?) Then on the cover turned the powder into paint with a little water to paint an embossed image!
Coolio!

If you live anywhere near Upminster Emma will be repeating the class in a few weeks time so check her website for details. If you don't but are keen I have a spare bedroom going at very competitive rates...
And there is a free day of crafting fun on 9th June including Mrs Paper Artsy doing a demo!

Yawn

Had a busy and long day yesterday!
Job 1 was to buy DS1 new shoes. Went to Clarks (cos I like to think of myself as a responsible mother!!!). He tried on slip ons. They apparently didn't have as much room in them as the sales assistant would like but as long as he didn't grow much it might be worth the risk. He needs to grow! I am putting spinach in his cereal to build him up! Plus they cost £36 and as I did a quick how much patterned paper is that calculation in my head I decided the risk wasn't worth taking. He tried on lace ups. Which even he admitted felt better. went to pay and the sales assistant was having trouble. She kept scanning the price and shaking her head. The manager told her it was right. They were £5.
I know.
I thought even the shoe polish was more than that. But I didn't argue.

The rest of the afternoon was spent beginning a compy layout and making a card for DS2 to take to his friend's baptism party. I was thrilled that his friend was getting baptised; that he was having a party and that E had said yes as he is notoriously cripplingly shy. And doesn't like new situations. So over the last few days I have talked about the party and buying the preset and making the card and that we would start our grand family movie night when he got back.
Or so I thought.
I asked him 10 minutes before we had to go to sign the card.
Then I lost him.
He turned up in his sisters room saying he wasn't going. A "full and frank discussion" ensued when he claimed he knew nothing about the party, i was springing it on him and he wasn't going. My heavy arsenal of threats (which I will follow through on usually) was spent. I wasn't sure what was happening at the party so decided that the only thing to do was to take present and card and explain. The parents were so nice and understanding (we'd never met before) and I stayed for ages. Which helped me see that
1: E would have hated it (there were girls there and everything. And boys who care about their clothes and hair. I dream of having one of those)
2: Obviously all the conversations I thought we had either we didn't really or he didn't hear what I was saying
3: he can't help being cripplingly shy and ill at ease in new social occasions and I shouldn't punish him for that

And as I had been away from home for an hour thought that was long enough and we had a good talk and he even said sorry (which is quite something). I did first but hey, I'm the adult and I have to give ground sometimes (shucks)

So Dr who and grand Family Movie night were back on. Our plan was to watch all three Lord of the Rings films in one go.
Now there are two things you need for that
1: lots of time
2: the dvd's

We didn't really have either. But I went to Tesco and lo a hugely expensive set was there, (plus some bright pink pants and feminine hygiene products). I loaded it all onto the conveyor belt and then noticed that the cashier sharing the cubby hole with mine was one of my church members. Cue Lythan trying to hide the several pairs of bright pink nicks and panty pads under the rest of her shopping...

And really 8:30 is not the time to start watching the trilogy. It was only 15 minutes in that I remembered how long the first film was...
And readers, the children talked the whole way through it. Cheering characters on, laughing at the silly elves hairstyles, spotting Gollum etc. For. three. hours.
By film 2 they were not as talkative - because I brought out the snacks. At 1:30 when that finished we decided that was enough as we had the Baptism service to go to today. we will watch the other next Sunday evening as it is Bank Holiday Monday next day!

The baptism was intensely moving and it was lovely to go to church as a family (sometimes we are in 3 different churches on a Sunday!). Our yawns were not to do with the quality of the sermon but the late night!

I haven't told you about the chicken rescue Phil and Carys did, but will save that for another post
I leave you with a few of the cards I made using old Self Addressed kits!

Did you miss me?(yeah) while I was away?

Did you hang my picture on your wall?

Ah.. innocent days when Gary Glitter was just fun.
Anyway I am back. Again. Phil did go to the loo first but I did smile to note that both of us headed for the computer before doing anything else. Not that we are addicted...

So our time in the Clacton caravan is over. We worked. I slept a lot. I ended up thinking about taking some cardmaking stuff and took my tote stuffed to the gills! And made a few cards in the evenings. Phil did loads of work on his NVQ. I read a lot of books I have bought and put on the bookshelves. We watched Little Miss Sunshine - brilliant film. And have come home to a lovely clean house. My mum is fantastic. Or to use my dad's favourite adjective - tremendous.

Because of going away I had to do this weeks dare last Sunday. So to be honest I had almost forgotten what the cards were like!
This week's challenge was a little different for the Daring Card Makers- as it was completely sponsored by Self Addressed.
Self Addressed very kindly donated papers, cards and envelopes (from various SA kits) to the whole of the DCM team to see what we could come up with. So I (Jane) came up with the following template for you and the team to follow. We would like to thank Jenn at Self Addressed for her generous support of our blog, we really appreciate it. Many thanks Self addressed!

I have been getting the Self Addressed kits for a few years now and they are always brilliant value for money. There is so much in the kit for cardmaking and scrapbooking and I value it even more now than when I started. I was given the job of parcelling up the stash and sending it round the world (sounds grand doesn't it!) Somehow I managed to miscount the bits of stash and had sent half away before I realised it. So thanks to Kathy, who alongside me had to dig into her own stash of precious kits to do this dare.
Yes, I really am a Muppet.

To see the template - and all the other awesome cards, visit the Daring Cardmakers Blog
I am particularly excited that Lynne has joined the team as a full time member and that Tracy is joining us for a few weeks as Guest deisnger. I know it's Designer really. The alternatives spellings given by my spell check were "derringer" and "mudslinger"!

Here are my cards then...
February SA kit papers (sold out I'm afraid). Flower stamp cut out and layered. Fibres given to me by my lovely friend Sue (they actually tone with the papers in real life but you can't see the blue of the pattern very well here. Honest). Safmat greeting. Details picked out with a lime green stickles

The card itself as well as the paper is from the same SA kit. Wooden button from same place as cute house. Little tag is from a Making Memories set I splurged on at Alexandra Palace. I couldn't beleive how well it went with the papers and stuck a safmat sentiment on top.

I've been tagged by a few people so will give it a go!
You have to do seven fact/habits about yourself .
Now because I tend to tell all I don't know what there is to say that I haven't already blogged about! but here goes

1. I bite my nails but not down to the quick, so I've always got short finger nails
2. I hate celery. It is repulsive. Interestingly Knorr stew sauces contain the warning "may contain celery" so I can't be the only one
3. I will read anything and everything. Including ingredients lists on Knorr Stew sauces.
4. I am very messy.
5. If I really were a Muppet I like to think of myself as Animal but am really more like Beaker
6. My head is full of useless information like what I was wearing on a particular day
7. I would love to be a backing singer
8. I am still a bit scared of dogs even though we had one for 14 years and I am looking forward to getting another. I am also scared of cows.

Ok that is probably enough to have me carted off.
I won't be away for ooh another 4 weeks so I promise to blog a bit more often!

Felty fun

It was Gillian's turn to set the dare this week...

Make a card and include some felt,

the theme & style are entirely up to you,

My first thought was "help" as I don't usually use felt. Then I began to notice it cropping up everywhere and I have ended up with 3 felty cards, plus loads of cut out pieces that I haven't used yet.
This one was helped along by a little make your own book from Poundland which included sticky backed felt pieces. The flower is actually made up of red and orange but they look the same in the picture. The cool corner is orange. I added a few stitches, some white and red brads, orange and yellow ribbon, a safmat sentiment and some BG Gypsy papers (inked natch) et voila!
This one was a tad more elaborate. The little handbags are QK dies cut from felt. Now not all dies will work and they don't always work a second time. I have one lovely photo corner and then had to give up on a second. Bags are fine. But nothing smaller. Some Sizzix dies will also cut in my Zipemate as well. Diamente buttons and some Scarlets Letter paper. I inked and embossed Banana Frog swirl stamps. The stamps on the paper corners are Stamps Away corner stamps. Safmat sentiment using a 2Peas Cards font (ie the word happy birthday in black is actually one letter of the alphabet)
And the only one hubby likes. Hand cut felt flowers; same safmat sentiment as above; stem done using doodling genie and a white gel pen.
No news - just work this week. Although I am off again next week - not hols but work. Study leave in a mobile home in Clacton! No internet access (sob!) but lots of reading "proper" books and writing prayers and suchlike.The Oldies are coming to look after the children on Sunday so I also need to get the house straight. And tidy away my craft stuff. Eeeek!
Have a good weekend
And don't forget to check out the Daring Cardmaker Blog for more colourful felty fun!

Home sweet home

Was the Little Extra Dare on the daring cardmakers site this week and as I have had two weeks off I thought I had better have a go!

The first card is a Self Addressed card blank from April 2006, but it is completely covered in various Stella Ruby Basic Grey papers from a 6x6 pad. Just shapes cut out and inked. This is based on a card that Netty from Self Addressed did. The SA forum and gallery got wiped last year and I did the card from memory. But I have just found that I saved her original!
so I might have to do some more cos I love her shapes better than mine! The stamps are Purple Onion but I got them with an SA kit. How cool is the kit. Stamps, ribbons and the most gorgeous papers. check out this months kit. it is a drool fest!


My other card was a simple one. A bit more Stella Ruby (I think), ribbon, a few sequins, printed sentiment, Auntie Sarah's bloomer and a wonderful button I bought at Ally Pally on Sunday.

Yes I have broken my craft fast!
Saturday I went to Imagine That and bought some paper and card stock. I was very excited 9becasue I am sad that way) to discover that Emma stocks the Bazzill kraft paper - it is called Paper Bag and I can't wait to use it. I also bought some rather lovely Piggy Tales chipboard and paper.
Then Sunday I went with my friend Sue to the stamp and Scrap show. we had free tickets due to the failure of the scrap classes event to happen. I'm glad we did because I wouldn't have wanted to pay. I suppose I was expecting something on the scale of the knitting and stitch show with exhibitions as well as shopping. This was just shopping. I didn't let my disappointment get in the way of my wallet though and picked up a fair few bits and bobs. Paper (no surprise there then), daubers, UTEE, stamps and some doodle genies. And these wooden buttons. oooh so many to choose from. And you can see the whole range here

And before I forget I had a fabby parcel from the uber talented Tracie Hudson today. Loads of gorgeous chipboard which I can't wait to cover in my new paints and powders. Cheers me dear!

And so she's back

from outer space.

well Swansea really. A lot more relaxed than before I went!
Thanks so much for all your notes of condolence. I really appreciate it. It was good actually to go away so soon after losing Dutch. I still think I hear him round the house but not being hear immediately afterwards makes it more bearable.


Well I won't bore you with all the details of the hols - some of them will be coming to layouts near you shortly anyway. But here are some highlights.
Cousins getting together - having fun despite the age differences
Time at Caswell beach and caves
Cardiff bay
for Dr Who exhibition (not as good as it might be but still cool)
and boat trip
traditional trip to Verdis (this is cinnamon flavour with hazelnut crunch, yum!)
and walking in the sunshine afterwards
meeting up with old young friends
and old old friends (I'll send the pics pronto Sue).
Plus theatre trips and pub quizzes, swimming, going back in time at a Manor House (brilliant), mummifying a dummy (pulling his innards out and everything. Poor Jeffrey) and chilling. Bliss.
And notice the sunshine. All week. Apart from the last day - hence the trip to the Egypt exhibition.

I'll share more of my crafting news tomorrow but leave with a glimpse of my design collective class book that I did over the weekend using scrummy Scarlet's Letter paper from Basic Grey. All about our dog. Sniff. it was good therapy really. And I realised how few photos we have of him. Pet owners - take photos immediately!

Happy Easter!

Jesus is risen!

... And I made it through the week - just. Phew that was tiring. Really good. Really feel that it was full of worship. But tiring all the same.
I did manage to do two scrap pages though. I just had to. They were both using a lesson from the Design Collective. I'm really pleased with what has been sent through so far.
The first is a direct copy just about of the original idea. I was going to use other photos but then took these on Friday and needed to scrap them straight away.

We took the difficult decision to have our dog put down on Saturday. we took him to the vet on Thursday who confirmed what we thought but sent us home just to make sure it was time. So on Good Friday after the Walks of Witness (two Ministers in the family means we can never do these things together), we took Dutch for a last walk round the fishing lake. He could hardly manage which showed us how right we were. But it still hurts. i took the camera so we could have some last photos of him. Carys was really upset and spent lots of time with Phil crying and talking about what she would miss about Dutch. So that is what this LO is about. it would have been called Comfort but i didn't have any black rub ons with the right letters left and I was not allowed to buy any new stuff (til today!) so used a sticker that i have had for ages. Paper is Crate paper carnival (I think)

I couldn't sleep Saturday morning so got up early and scrapped the photos I was going to use in the above layout. I played about with the basic idea (and ruled out setting eyelets at that time of day). Hearts instead of circles and much less journalling but the idea is still the same really. Paper is Basic Grey Urban Couture, QK and Sizzlet hearts, BG & SEI letters, new Sassafrass lass bracket stamp.

So we took a very tired and in pain Dutch to the vet Saturday morning. Carys, Phil and I went. it was very quick, very peaceful and the vet was lovely. We had Dutch as a rescue dog when he was about a year old. He had 3 owners in quick succession before us. As a young dog he was bouncy, naughty, grumpy and would go for other dogs if they came near him - even if they were bigger than him. But over the years he has mellowed a lot and has just been an important part of family life. He has never been a really affectionate dog, you still had to shout at him to get him to do anything and he would latterly love to lie in the middle of an open door or anywhere that he thought he would be in the way.
But he was ours and we loved him and are all very sad.Though happy that he is out of pain and running free and happy again.
Rest in peace Dutch.