3 Little Explorers

One of my "aims" for 2013 is to do more scrapping for me!

Last year I seemed to spend a lot of my scrapping time making layouts for challenges, on line classes, blog hops or for magazine work, so this year I plan to do more "Just For Me" scrapping alongside the "work" stuff!

I started off with this one!

A layout to record a lovely day out to a local farm last summer with one of my best friends and her two daughters. The girls all get on so well, despite the age differences and had lots of fun running about, playing and exploring the farm.

I used some white mist on the background, washi tape, various stickers, punched butterflies and a few brads!

I love days out like this ... being with friends ... enjoying the outdoors & having fun!

I had a fab day at the crop yesterday, catching up with scrappy friends and even managed a couple of layouts so I'll show you those just as soon as I can get them photographed.

Hello 2013

Goodbye 2012. Hello 2013!!

A very Happy New Year to all my lovely blog readers!

 

We didn't go out to celebrate the New Year. But it was nice to just stay at home, cook a lovely meal together and enjoy a glass or two of red wine. I just about managed to stay awake until midnight to see the New Year in! If you celebrated, I hope you also had a wonderful evening.

 

2012 certainly had it's ups and downs. We had a few sad times, some difficult times, plenty of fun times and lots and lots of happy times.

 

Bring on 2013!!

I'm looking forward to the next 12 months and whatever they may bring.

 

I wish you all much happiness, good health and fun times in 2013.

Christmas!!

Things are slowly getting back to normal around here. Our visitors have gone home. H can sleep in her own room again. All the turkey has finally been eaten and my fridge is no longer crammed with food.

 

Christmas was lovely. We had quite a houseful. 7 of us on Christmas Day for a traditional lunch and 9 of us for dinner (a huge buffet) on Boxing Day.

 

I ate far too much chocolate, cooked lots, played games, watched rubbish tv, received lovely gifts, drowned in giftwrap and enjoyed having all my family around me.

 

 

Hannah left out her sack and some refreshments for Santa on Christmas Eve.

I love that she woke early (just before 7am) and climbed into bed beside me but waited until 7.30 before whispering to me "Can I go downstairs and see if he's been?" She still loves the magic at 9 years old!

 

 

Later in the morning we opened our presents with my in-laws. I love this photo of H, looking so grown up. Yes, that big bag was full of pressies for her!

And this pic just captures the delight on her face as she opens her gift from us .... a Little Mix Annual and tickets to go and see them in concert!!

What more could a 9 year old want?! Oh yes, a One Direction annual and CD!!

 

Sorry I haven't been around much lately - life and all the Christmas prep just took over for a little while.

 

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas time too.

Frosty Festivities Blog Hop

I am delighted to be participating in Jennifer's Frosty Festivities Blog Hop this evening! 

Jennifer is hosting a fabulous blog event all this weekend with posts every hour all on the theme of winter including tips, tutorials, challenges, crafting, and lots of giveaways!!

Hopefully you have have arrived here from Gallo Organico where I hope you enjoyed your visit to Rinda's lovely blog! If not, welcome and if you want to join in the blog hop from the start there is a complete list over on Jennifer's blog. 

If you've been following the blog hop, you will know by now that one lucky winner will win this amazing prize. At the end of this post I'll remind you how you can win it! 

Carta Bella Winter Fun and Basic Grey Aspen Frost Goodies to be won!!

When I started thinking about Winter and Frosty and planned this blog hop post, my mind went back to one of our visits to family in Northern Ireland when the weather was particularly chilly and "snow was in the air". My daughter was 6 at the time and hadn't really seen a lot of snow up until then. We live on the south coast of England, very close to the sea and even when the rest of the county, further inland, is snow covered we might get just a sprinkling if we're (un)lucky!

A few days before Christmas Day, the white stuff started to come down thick and fast and H wasted no time in getting wrapped up and went out in Granny's garden to play.

I used mostly Carta Bella's winter fun collection for this layout, adding just a few buttons and white brads, Studio Calico aqua thickers letters, Mister Huey white mist and faded jeans distress ink (to ink the edges of my papers).

I've been wanting to use my sewing machine and hexagons for a while and recently came across this layout by Pam Brown and took my inspiration from it to combine the sewing and hexagons on my layout!

A few days later, still in Northern Ireland, as we sat down to our Christmas dinner, fresh snow began to fall again and we had a true "white Christmas"!

H was back outside in the garden as soon as dinner was over!
She didn't even stop to change out of her Christmas party dress!!

A White Christmas!

So details of how to win that fabulous prize!

To be in with a chance of wining you will need to comment on all the blogs in the hop, finishing at www.jennifersjumbles.blogspot.com and let Jennifer know you've been all the way around. All entries must be received by Monday 19th November 10.59pm GMT. Good luck!

Thanks for hopping to my blog today .... your next stop is with the lovely Sian at From High In The Sky

Sarah x

Frosty Festivities

4pm - Friday 16th November ... Yes, tomorrow!!

Go mark it on the calendar now!!

Because that's when all the fun starts over on Jennifer Jumbles with her Frosty Festivities Blog Event!

There will be posts every hour 4pm-10pm on Friday and 10am-10pm on Saturday and Sunday, all on a Winter theme. 

There's going to be tips,tutorials, challenegs, a blog hop, crafting and prizes to be won! I can't wait! I hope to see you there!

Before I go, thank you so much for all your kind words on yesterday's post. The house seems very strange today without Dougal. For the last 2 years he has been a house cat and so I kinda got used to him being around - he would often curl up in a favourite spot near me whilst I work or craft. Thank you to those of you that have e mailed me - your kindness is much appreciated. x

RIP Dougal :(

RIP My beautiful Boy!

Dougal 

July 2001 - 14 November 2012

Taken very poorly yesterday teatime and sadly lost his fight at 8am this morning! 

We all loved you so very much!

Tree Decorating!

Hello Sunday!

A very quick post from me today - whilst dinner is cooking - to show you another Christmas layout!

*Tree Decorating*

I used lots of pop dots to give some dimension!

It's tradition in this house that we all help to decorate the tree and H loves to carefully hang the decorations! I love the look of concentration on her face in these photos.

They're not the best photos but I think they capture the moment perfectly!

The papers and stickers are a mix of Simple Stories and This & That Christmas. The tag is Jenni Bowlin and I've used my gorgeous woodgrain thickers for the title. I added a few Jenni Bowlin red rhinestone stars scattered across the page to finish.

Very simple page!

Right, must go and check on that dinner!