Christmas Journal

I'm hoping to complete this journal this year as last year I only manged the cover and first two days last year.
I've gone a bit mad on the stash but I really couldn't decide which to go for so I bought all of the sets. As Shimelle's class is free each year once you have signed up I can use any left over from this year for next.



















This is the album cover - I'm hoping to add memories of my childhood and also past Christmas' of the children's so I've gone for a heritage look.



















The first page and a Manifesto which declares I am going to complete it each day. Let's hope I manage it keep it going. I'm trying to be really strict with myself and creatively I'm focusing on my daily book readings and posting, this album and DD's book. I also have my twice weekly choir and some events to organise for my Mum (carol concert and a card making session at an old people's home). Emm I also need to fit in pressie shopping I suppose :)

Happy Birthday Don

It was my Father-in-Law's birthday recently and I didn't get chance to upload his gift














and card . The card was made from the Scrapagogo Greeting's kit and was designed by one of their DT. It doesn't show very well but the squares are actually glitter card (and I really hate glitter! It get's every where!)

What have I done?!

I really don't know what I was thinking! I blame Lemon she told me about it and knows I have no will power. I've signed up for this. There is no way on earth I have time for it - but I suppose the ideas can sit for a year and still be wonderful.

I just hope they are not too wonderful that I'm tempted. At the moment I'm doing my daily reading and posting for the Purpose Driven Life, trying to finish DD's Faery tale book, trying to finish Mum's Home Sweet Home Canvas, trying to finish Dad's pressie (can't post what it is as he does read here). I've also not started all these projects I bought - my Godson's book, neice and newphew's books and my children's godparent's pressie(can't post what it is as she does read here sometimes).

Plus tomorrow the above class and Shimelles' christmas journal starts!

I also purchased the Bubbly Funk Kit but I'm definately not touching it - honest!

A purpose driven life

Another project! - I think I'm drowning in them but this is something I felt I really had to do. I'm adding daily posting on Faithscrappers based on Rick Warren's book for open discussion. I'm rather excited but also daunted by this - I'm really out of my comfort zone but sometimes these things just have to be done.

Another page

Page 5 of my DD's Faery tale book

More pages - Once upon a time

I am really pleased with how this album is coming together






















This page is actually only half size and ends at the ribbon























Hopefully DD will love it - but it is taking ages and I have loads of other Christmas project to be getting on with.

Once upon a time

This is the first page of the Faery Album for my daughter's Christmas Present. I'm really hoping I will have time to finish it along with the projects for my Mum, Dad, books for my niece, nephew and godson, project for the kid's godmother and my brother! Eeek it's only just over 5 weeks.

Dear Father Christmas

Talk about being prepared - as I'm getting ready for Christmas, DD thought she would too and she did her letter for Father Christmas. I've taken out her name and that of DS

Accents and extras

More doodling - again we were encouraged to copy images and ideas from the book. I still haven't had the courage to actually doodle on a layout yet but I'm sure I'll get there.

For those of you who love Christmas check out Shimelle's site - she is taking sign ups to her Christmas album. I signed up for this last year and although I only managed to do two pages the prompts were brilliant. The added bonus is that once you sign up you automatically receive the prompts each year. So I have my album from last year and I've bought loads of Christmas papers, stickers etc and I'm ready to go.

Whilst talking about Christmas - I will have a very excited DD as I've agreed for her to bring home the school Degas. No it's not a painter/sculpture but an animal! I have no idea what it looks like or how to look after it but the school assure me that DD will know what to do well before we bring it home! As a member of the animal club, DD will learn what to do in plenty of time. I really hope this will not cause problems with DSs asthma and DHs allergies as it took some serious pursuading with DH.

Shopping

I'm getting ready for Christmas already and hope to make loads of pressies this year. I've loads of ideas and just hope I get around to starting and finishing them. I've nearly finished the first and hope to post a picture of it over the weekend.

Anyway yesterday I went to Topaz Crafts with my crafty friend Carol to buy some 'Once upon a time' papers for DH's present. These are beautiful papers and I ended up buying the paper pack, two sets of ribbons and chipboard shapes from the range - plus some glitter glue, dragonfly brads and unicorn stickers.

When we were leaving the Mill Carol spotted a quilting shop. "Do we have time to pop in" she asks - emm be quick was the fatal reply. I've looked longingly at quilting and decided I should stay well clear as I dodn't want another hobby. Well the quick look for Carol ended up with me buying two projects! A patchwork bag and Autumn Angel. Why oh why did I let her pop in?

More doodling

I'm really enjoying this BPS class and the book that came with it is such an inspiration.
With this simple doodle I drew the swirls in pencil first then dotted over the top with a soufle pen. If you haven't come across these brilliant pens you are really missing out. They create a raised texture on the page and even write well on dark.



Flower practise.

I've been practising swirls and threw in a flower which I copied from the book cover (we are supposed to be covering flowers this week - but I'm a week behind).

Doodling fun

I had forgotten how much I love colouring. As a child I would sit for hours colouring in - M & D often bought me A2 printed pads I would fill. Well on a smaller scale I've been working in my doodling journal and really need to catch up - so here are some frames I copied and adapted from the book


















We were also encouraged to draw around chipboard and fill the shapes



















We then moved on the swirls and vines - now this I felt much more comfortable with (not a wonderful picture as the flash lit up the green gel pen :( but it gives an idea what what I was trying to do).














Lastly we were encouraged to lift a swirl design (again the flash has picked up the gel pen - in RL this is less harsh).

Doodling practise

One of our first assignments was to copy the lines and examples from the book. DH noted that my border and circles spell LOO - trust him!

We were then encouraged to copy some of the images on the cover of the book ...



I think I need to space my practices more and decide when to stop so things are not so cluttered. Any way I'm slowly catching up with the homework. I now need to find an old LO which needs peping up and add doodles to it for the weekly assignment then I've done all last weeks classes.

My first doodling LO

This is my first go at doodling - although it's a scraplift (yep, that was the assignment)I'm rather pleased with it. Now I just need the confidence to do the other challenges/assignments.

So much too do and so little time

My DH says I don't have hobbies I have obsessions. Well my current obsessions are getting out of hand - what with two choirs, two courses (doodling and the digi one yet to start) and two paper kits arriving each month life has gone mad. Then UKS go and host a 3 WEEKS CC!









Is this crafters heaven or overload!

Yet another digi - I'm loving this

DS looking cheeky. Papers and embelishments all freebies from Shabby Princess plus swirls by Rhonna Farrer.

I'm really getting into this digi lark

OK it took me ages but I'm so pleased with the digi LO. It's actually a scraplift of Gabrillep but I'm still really pleased with it. I can't wait to start Kirsty's class and learn the proper way to crop the papers and overlay etc.

I've also signed up for the BPS Doodle Day Class which also starts in October so I'm going to have a busy busy month. The book which comes with the class is so inspiring.

First PSE Digi Layout

I'm so very pleased with this. Although I mainly followed the ShabbyShoppe tutorial I did personalise it a little. PSE is so easy to use. Thanks to Lemon for pointing me in the right direction and all your help :)

I've signed up for Kirsty's Digi class which starts in October. After having a play with this I can't wait.

Originally I thought Digi scrapping would be a cheap alternative - but looking at all the downloads I want it could end up being expensive!

My little girl has started big school

This was taken the on DD's first day at Senior School,which was last Thursday.

This time last year I learnt

I can get ahead with my studying if I apply myself! LOL I was studying my the second part of five courses to get my Financial Planning Certificate. I had 6 weeks to study, started slowly which increased to manically by the end and got a narrow fail :( I still need to do these exams if I am ever going to be a Paraplanner - the next step up the working ladder.

Now I have finally found the little book I'll try and get some decent sized pictures uploaded.

Learn something new pages

Ok I'm behind posting these already but here is the cover to my book


this is the intro/ first page


2nd September page






as these pages were done last year it's really odd looking back. It seems such a long time ago.

Learn something new

This September, I'm going back to school. In my own little world. I've got a book and a pen and I'm going to record what I learn from life. I believe I really can learn something new every day. I'll share what I'm learning in the form of pages from my book, posted right here on my blog.

I'm not alone: lots of crafty ladies are learning and recording right along with me. See their work here and here. Learn more about our project here.

Losing/gaining weight ...

As I seem to be on a constant diet and getting no where fast - this made me smile

Learn something new

Yay Shimelle is starting this class again in September. I can't believe its been a year since I started this and - surprise surprise never finished! Those who took the class last year can sign up again for free this year so hopefully I'll get my little book finished at last :)

A brilliant weekend

We had a wonderful break down in Buckinghamshire - we visited here ,










and also here













and finally here

My new dolly

I've just bought my first dolly bead, imperial






















- I should say my first purchase. DH bought me Rahul for my birthday. Can't wait for it to join my troll bracelet. Which reminds me I haven't uploaded a photo yet.

What a buzz ...

We've just returned from a very wet Keswick! But what a week:) The Convention was brilliant as always and meeting up with everyone again at Crosthwaite Campsite was great too. The weather was terrible with mud everywhere but we didn't let it spoil our enjoyment.

Kirsty comes up trumps!

What a brilliant day we had yesterday. I visited Kirsty Wiseman for a photo shoot. As I drove over the Great British weather did as expected - drizzled!

But Kirsty was full of enthusiasm and started taking shots in her scrap room/ studio. What a room - scrappers heaven!

DS was his usual self saying no to everything - even the chocolate bribe. Then suddenly he joined in and smiled so sweetly. Kirsty was so patient and let him come and go as he pleased.


Then surprise the drizzle lifted and we were left with reasonable weather! So off to the local park and more shots
DD posed to her heart content


even I didn't escape!


DS continued to sulk now and then












but in the end played along
















DD is over the moon at being 'famous' as Kirsty's blog is viewed world wide and all these photo's are on there.

So I now have the difficult task of whittling down the hundred or so photos to the number I can afford to buy :(

I need....

Following some of the posts on UKS I typed my name 'needs' into Google these are the web prompts that came up -

I need -
to have a marriage licence from County Clark
help
both bread and roses
an angry expresssion
a small car with air (?)
to steal it too
real mom opinions
to accept that no one is self-sufficient all the time

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.