* London Daytrip *

August, already ... how did that happen?

So the 1st week of school holidays just flew by.

I have loved spending time with my girl. We have spent our days enjoying time at home to read, draw, play board games and craft together but also we have had some lovely days out.

The very first day of the holidays we surprised H with a day trip to London as a reward for her very good school report. We got the train at 8 in the morning and on arrival in London headed to the Natural History Museum, which is somewhere H has been wanting to go for ages, only to find long queues to get in. It was worth waiting though as H loved it inside and enjoyed all the things to see and do!!

We had a look inside the butterfly house in the museum grounds, so of course I now have a 100 photos of colourful butterflies!!

Next, we headed to Covent Garden for a wander around, watching the street entertainers and met up with some friends for coffee!

Then it was Pizza for dinner .....

............... and the train home, exhausted but happy. H is already planning her next trip to London, to include a theatre show!!!

* More Cards *

I'm still loving making cards ... so I have a few more to show you. I am still scrapbooking but more in a sorting out my stash and putting layouts into albums and getting photos and papers matched up ready for when the mood takes me to get sticking on 12" X 12" again!!

So here's the cards I made...

I love the new Abrianna Collection from K & Company and made a couple of very quick cards using papers from the mat pad and my Martha Stewart butterfly punch . The butterflies are punched from the same sheet of paper as I used for the background but using the reverse side so the papers co ordinate beautifully. So simple but I quite like them!!

This card is similar to the one I showed you in my last post but this time I used fired brick distress ink and my Fiskars scalloped lace border punch. As last time the paper is from the lime twist life of the party 6" X 6" pad.

I'm really enjoying the summer holidays (wonder if I'll still be saying that in 5 weeks?!!) and spending quality time with H. So far we've had a day trip to London to the Natural History Museum and yesterday we went for a walk by the river to feed the ducks and stopped off at the play park. I took a ton of photos so will get them uploaded and share a few of my favourites on my next post.

Distress Ink and Border Punch Card

I am really enjoying getting back into my card making.

I quickly made this one this morning using my 2 favourite things at the moment ~ my distress inks and border punches!



More info of how I made it and my supplies are here.

I'll be back soon with more cards to show you!

* So ... A page to Share! *

Yes, really!! It's been a while since I had a layout to share with you! I am sorry!

Not only has tthis page been a while in the making but it's a very simple page at that! You know how it is... it's almost the end of term and that means Sports Day, School Fair, Dance Show Rehearsals, School Concerts, BBQs and the like are keeping me away from my crafting table just a little more than I would like!!

Any way .. the page is very simply titled "Making Sandcastles" because as you know I'm not one for fancy or creatively orginal titles.


I cropped my 4 photos to 4" square and arranged them in a group. The background paper is Breaking Free from MME and I also used this paper and some Echo Park "Little Girl" paper All the papers have the edges inked with antique linen distress ink. I applied rub ons to 3 of the photos which I think helps to draw the eye around the page towards the journalling. Journal card is by Cosmo Cricket and fabric Thickers, a journal ticket, flowers and gems to finish. I just need to add a little more journalling to the sticker at the top of the page!

Thank you for everyone's support with my new shop, it's certainly keeping me busy with new stock arriving all the time. I've put Grab Box 4 up today (£6.50 for 50 clearance papers!!) and I'll be doing a giveaway soon on the shop blog so watch out for that!!

Have a fabulous Friday!

* A Sketch and a Summer Weekend *

Hi Bloggers ... Monday morning again!! How did that come around so fast?!

Yesterday was very hot down here on the south coast so we spent most of the day out in the garden but I had to come inside for an hour in the afternoon as it just got too hot for me. I had already chosen a photo and some papers ready for a layout based on Shimelle's Sketch of the week so decided to make good use of my hour in the shade and finished off the page.

The photo is from our family holiday to Ibiza last October, taken on a day trip to Ibiza Town where we spent the afternoon wondering around the Old Town, taking in the sights and views!! I have used Kraft cardstock (again!) and papers are mainly Stella And Rose (MME), Thickers letters and a K & Co tag and chipboard buttons. I used a white acrylic paint dabber to apply paint with a brush to the edges and also splattered a little across the page by flicking the brush gently. It's the first time I've done this as I've also been a little apprehensive that the paint would go everywhere and make a mess but I quite like the effect!

I hope you had a lovely weekend. We were in the garden most of the day. D mowed the lawn, I did a little weeding and H played on her swing and in the sandpit. It was nice just to relax and spend time together.

And even had out first barbecue of the summer!!!


Have a great week!!

* I made cards this morning! *

What's a girl to do on a rainy, dull morning??

Shopping? (Maybe!).... Housework? (NOOooooo not if i can help it!) .... Craft? .... Yeahhhh, of course!!

So, this morning I have been making cards with one of the gorgeous MME LimeTwist 6" X 6" Paper Pads

This first one is very simple. Background paper is from the Lime Twist Life of the party pad and some kraft cardstock (I use kraft loads and I'm almost completely out of it so must remember to get some more!). I have inked the kraft with distress ink. The cute butterflys are punched with my Martha Stewart Punch and attached with a spot of Glossy Accents so that their wings are left free and a stamped greeting, Craftwork Cards candi and gems to finish.

The second card is pink bazzill for the background, to which I've mounted a piece of green spotty paper to the top half and flower paper to the lower half (both from the Lime Twist Life of the party pad ) with all the corners rounded and the edges inked with distress ink. I cut a strip of brown Lime Twist paper and punched the edge with my Fiskars border punch and added it across the join. I tied a piece of grosgrain ribbon before attaching the whole piece to a white scalloped card blank and embellishing with a chipboard flower and finishing with craftwork cards candi and a greeting attached with 3d foam tape.

I haven't made cards in ages but I really enjoyed making these two. I really should make cards more often but when I sit down to craft I tend to always reach for my photos and scrapbook!!

Right, I'm off to watch "The Apprentice" on TV .... have a great evening!

* Anniversary *

Just over 15 years ago I was at University. One evening a friend introduced a friend of theirs ... we chatted ... he bought me a drink. We met a few days later ... a date I suppose you could say!! lol!

So, we "dated" for a few years and then we took the very grown up step of buying a house together ... one evening whilst out for dinner he proposed, it was not particularly romantic and was definately very spontaneous but his proposal came from the heart. I, of course said "Yes"!!!

And this week we are celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary!!

I feel so lucky to have met and married the most kind, funny and amazing man. He is my best friend and my "rock" and we have had 10 wonderful years!!

I have spent a very happy hour or so today browsing through my wedding album, reading our guest book and generally remembering our special day.


Our official photographer had an assistant who took loads of gorgeous black & white shots, catching guests (and us) unaware and captured some lovely detail and moments.



Back then, digital cameras were rare and so the only photos I have are the originals which are mainly in albums (both the official ones and those taken by friends and family) or in frames but today I have taken photos of photos so that I can get them printed and scrap them. It's amazing to think I have no layouts of my wedding so I need to change that!

Do you have lots of wedding photos? Have you made any wedding layouts? I'd love to see them!!!