I'm so excited ...

I just have to share. When I got home last night I found a padded envelope on the mat. I love opening post - but this was addressed to DH. Turning it over on the back was a label from A String of Beads. Oooooo do you think DH has taken note for my (not so) subtle hint email?
I had actually checked out the site yesterday to find my favourite bead Rahul had been sold - emmm I wonder if he managed to get it? Obviously I left the parcel where it was and tried to ignore it. Well I did have a good swidgy feel - but the padding was too thick. It promptly disappeared when DH got home. Only need to patiently (emm) wait 10 days until my birthday.

Retreat LOs

First LO from my scrap retreat, DD and her Godmother sharing a cuddle :)I have titled it simply 'Girls' as the two of them often share Girley times. Papers and embelishments are all from Scrapagogo May kit. It's my first LO using chipboard and I now I see what all the fuss is about. This is DS wandering off in the woods at Lyme Park. Really takes after his Granddad who is always so far ahead when we go on walks. I've had the papers for ages from the 12x12 scrapbooking mag. The blooms are from Sarah's Cards.
I love this photo which was taken by Jane and I'm really pleased with the LO which is a lift from Mel @ ATDML. The doodles are done with a stencil, which along with the rubbons and letters came from a
Scrapagogo kit. Final one for today was lifted from Lianne's LO I'm not sure whos kit this was. More chipboard, the heart - this time painted with H2Os - although the photo doesn't show it, it actually sparkles.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

What a weekend - my first scrap retreat. DD had a great time at the UKS kids crop and I had a brilliant time too in the adults room. I scrapped and chatted to my hearts content over the two days. It was great to meet and spend time with so many wonderful people who share my interest in scrapping.

Today its back to the grind and I'm exhausted after burning the candle at both ends and so much driving.

I WON!

I forgot to mention that I won the Cyber crop logo challenge on Faithscrappers. Although I can't take part in the actual CC it's great that Abel's Army (as in Cain & Abel) will be using my art work :)

Busy busy busy

My life has gone mad! I'm busier than ever - its like the run up to Christmas with something every weekend. Tomorrow I'll be singing my heart out with an all afternoon practice and concert in the evening. It's my first concert with the Marple Choral society and we have some tough works - Bach Magnificat, Purcell Anthems (including I was Glad) and Purcell Rejoice in the Lord All Ways. There are soloists and a mini orchestra. Should be fun but exhausting.

Plus is DH gets himself in gear and DS is good my DD will get chance to play her oboe with the BBC Philharmonic. Sounds impressive eh! Actually they are running a touring scheme with their TV programme about getting back to playing.

New Team

I've joined a new team on UKS after bumping into the girls at the Bolton show.
My Dad will be proud that I managed to get on their photo! We have a family tradition of trying to get on other people's photos without them noticing :)

Please join me in praying for a happy outcome

Share the love ...

During May Shimelle is encouraging us to share the love and make it a month of hearts. I've managed to make felt hearts which hang around
my car rear view mirror. Plus I had a disaster with the Mango cupcakes hopefully I'll get chance to try them again. Although they look silly they actually taste great :) I'm also busy with an online photography course being run by Cheryl I'm hoping I can learn more about how to take decent photos. Cheryl actually says "at the end of this workshop you will be able to take creative shots with confidence that have the wow factor" emmm not sure about that but time will tell.

The only LO I managed to upload :(

Well the CC was not as productive as I had hoped. I loved most of the classes presented but time was the missing factor! DH had to work Sat so that was out and Sunday was limited as I had a house full. Although I managed 3 LOs every time I tried to upload to the gallery to obtain points it was blocked due to too many users. But I did have a great time Sunday sharing the day scrapping with friends. when it comes down to it - it's the fun not the points which are the important thing! :)

Today's the day

It's Cyber Crop mania again on UKS and everything starts at 6.30 this evening. Unfortunately it starts in the chat room which I can't access so I can't start until 7pm when the first class is posted. I'm really looking forward to the first two classes which sound really different.

Tomorrow is Shimelle's class
and thanks to Lemon I have one of her kits which are so cute. Apparently I'm not to say any more as it will spoil the surprise.

As long as I'm not rushed off my feet tomorrow I'll pop on and post any classes I manage to finish.

The rules have changed this CC and we have to upload each day's classes or challenges by midday the next day. I assume this saves the server being over worked on the last day with everyone leaving uploads until the last minute.

Here is the timetable -
6:30pm -Welcome chat
Come and join us in the Chatroom as we kick off the Wonderland Weekend

7:00pm - Class 1 - Ace in our Heart by sugar almond
a stunning class using paint with Em

8:00pm - Class 2 - Through the Keyhole by Margaret, Artbase *kit class*
an adorable tag and key class from Margaret

9:00pm - Chat
time for a short break and a cup of tea

10:00pm - Class 3 - Curiouser and Curiouser by Mystik Nat
dust off those unloved scissors for this class in decorative edging with Nat

11:00pm - Challenge 1 - The Dormouse

12:00midnight - Challenge 2 - Don't Lose the Plot



Saturday 28th April


7:00am - Early Bird Chat

8:00am - Class 4 - Love Life with Lianne
needles at the ready for a stitching class with Lianne

9:00am - Class 5 getting ready for a... Tea Party - whatkatiedid
have you always wanted to try digital scrapbooking? then who better to start you off with an amazing layout than Katie

10:00am - Challenge 3 Time for Tea (Chase the Ace or FlowerPOT)
Hysteri-CAL has set us this fun challenge, you'll need an old teapot for this one!

11:00am - Class 6 - Queen of Hearts by Sarah, Jillybeans *kit class*
keep those needles handy, as Sarah has you stitching some more in this gorgeous class

12noon - Class 7 - A Great Big Squeeze by ria979902
hang onto those scraps, and Maria shows you how you can use them to create a fabulous layout

1:00pm - lunchtime chat
time to grab some lunch and catch up with team mates after a busy morning, but hurry... you won't want to be late for this afternoons activities!

2:00pm - Challenge 4 - The Cheshire Cat

2:30pm - Kids Game - Scavenger Scrap
A very fast fun game for the kids which starts off in the chatroom - its important we start at 2:30 so don't be late

3:00pm - Class 8 - Drink Me by Shimelle *kit class*
Shimelle's first class today is a teeny tiny little minibook to shrink all your memories

4:00pm - Class 9 - The Box of Sweets by Shimelle
staying with Shimelle, we now do a layout gone BIG!

5:00pm - Teatime Chat
You've been working hard so time for a tea-break

6:00pm - Class 10 - Where does the time go? by Rebecca, Rebecca's Scrapbooking Stash
Rebecca takes those daily routines and creates a treasured layout

7:00pm - Class 11 - P for Princess - debly
Deb has a fantastic collage layout for you to have a go with

8:00pm - GAME - Bingo

9:00pm - Tweedledum & Tweedledee

10:00pm - Challenge 5 - Painting the Roses Red

11:00pm - Late Night Chat
burning the midnight oil? check out the chatroom for some catchup chat

12midnight - Challenge 6 - Empty Me



Sunday 29th April


7:00am - Early Bird Chat
wakey wakey rise and shine, one more day in Wonderland

8:00am - Challenge 7 - Mad Natters Hat Party
a fun little project set by Nat

9:00am - Class 12 - Shrink Me by Jean, 3djean
a totally cute class from Jean using shrink plastic

10:00am - Class 13 - Tea Party by Sarah.W
big bold patterned paper is the order of the day with Sarah's class

11:00am - Class 14 - Balloony by Mole
ribbons galore in this class with Gill

12noon - Challenge 8 - Off With Her Head!

1:00pm - Challenge 9 - Garden of Live Flowers

2:00pm - Kids Bingo
its the kids turn to play BINGO!

2:00pm - Quiz

3:00pm - Challenge 10 - an Unbirthday Celebration

4:00pm - Challenge 11

7:00pm - Kids Chatroom Party
clear the chatrooms and make way for our mini mad hatters to get in there and Party!

9pm - Chat Room Party
meet your Queens in the chatroom for a farewell to Wonderland party

Bramhall Park

We recently went to Bramhall park and had a wonderful day and the children were great fun. I was inspired by Kirsty Wiseman's class from the Design Collective and created this

Red Nose Day

As promised here is my finished LO based on Sketch 24 from pencil lines.

Thanks to The Design Collective I've a few ideas milling around in my head and hope to scrap some of the pictures from our trip to the park last weekend.

First classes from The Design Collective

I recieved the first 3 classes and they are brilliant. I am hoping these will really inspire me to get scrapping again. I'm setting myself a challenge to scrap each event I take photos of this month. Instead of just uploading the pics to the computer and adding them to the 'I must scrap these one day' file I'm going to print them and add them to my TDC folder.
Hopefully this will become a habit by the end of the month as I can get used to scrapping regularly and I may even get round to reducing the IMSTOD file!

I managed to pop out at lunch today and get those buttons - so here's hoping I get chance to finish my LO tonight and upload tomorrow?

It's all happening in April!

The Design Collective classes start tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to these and hope they give me loads of inspiration. I discovered pencil lines over the weekend and this really inspired me - I did a LO but need more red buttons before its finished.

Also UKS are telling us to keep the weekend of 27th free! Now I wonder what that could be - CC? Not sure how DH will react.

Better late than never ...

These are some of the LOs I did during our 'at home CC'

Sick as a parrot ...

The home CC went really well but I've been so ill since. Mum says it's a rather drastic way to diet! I'm back at work today but still not eating properly :(

'Cyber' Crop

DD and I prepared our kits over the weekend so we are now ready for two days of scrapping :)

I've sourced classes from UKS CCs and Fairies with 'tude. DD picked the class names out of a hat and we have planned one every 90mins. I've given each class a score and DD gets 1.5 times the points if she has no help. Hopefully this will encourage her to just get on with it and leave me to scrap too.

Home 'CC'

It's half term next week and I've two days off with DD. Between us we have decided to have our own Cyber Crop. So I've printed the pdfs from old UKS CCs and I've prepared a supply list for each class.

Tuesday we will be getting our kits together and Wednesday we are having our CC. I'm really looking forward to it :)

Different Focus ...

Well I am using my new 2007 word but in a completely different direction to that intended. Following a school advert requesting people to join the parent's choral society I signed up and started practicing Faure's Requim. I love this work and realised how much I'm missing my singing. At last weeks rehersal flyers were put out about a concert of Karl Jenkin's Armed Man.
I know very little of this work - I love 'Palladio' and DH bought me a compilation of Jenkin's work which had this track and 3 tracks from the Armed Man. I liked them and couldn't believe a local choir was singing it. Anyway the end shot is I've joined that choir too and now sing twice a week. The school concert has about 6 rehersals and the Jenkins concert only 4! Plus at the first Jenkin's rehersal another choir in Prestbury were asking for people to join a singing day - this could spiral and loose focus but atm I'm really enjoying myself.

Free class ...

Not often you see free classes, but Shimelle is offering one this weekend. Pop over to her blog and check out her post on the 13th Jan.