* A Layout....Step by Step*

I managed to fit some scrapbooking into my manic week and as I was busy choosing papers and cutting and sticking I started thinking about the process of scrapbooking and how I go about it has changed recently. When I first started scrapboking I would spend ages choosing papers and embellishments and then shuffle them all about a bit, before deciding it didn't look right, so I'd choose something different and shuffle around a bit more. Nothing actually got stuck down until I was happy with the postion of everything.

These days I have less time and tend to work quicker, make snap decisions about what stash to use and stick it down as I go along!!!

So, I thought it might be fun to take some photos of my layout in progress, at each stage to share with you.

First I chose my photos, I had taken about a dozen of H playing "Wash Up" in the garden a few years ago but I thought these 4 worked well together. I picked out a sheet of kraft for my base cardstock and considered a few patterned papers but quickly decided on this sheet from Crate's Neighborhood Collection. I trimmed it so it was slightly smaller than the Kraft. I had a quick rummage through my stash and came across some thickers and a journalling card which seemed to go nicely. Decision made....no messing about like I used to!

I cropped my photos and arranged then in a block in the centre of the paper and stuck them down, something I would never have done a year ago. I do leave the edges free though in case I want to tuck anything in behind.

Next I punched a border using my new Fiskars Bracket Border Punch using the strips of paper I had trimmed off the first sheet, just the reverse side this time!!

and attached it to the top and bottom of the photo mat.

I stuck down the journalling card to the bottom left

I had some stickers near at hand which I used as a base for my title which are Glitter Thickers. I rarely spend long thinking about a title, just something obvious really. I'm sure there are better titles but I like to keep it simple!

Next I wanted to frame the photos so I added a K & Co border sticker along the bottom and wrote my journalling with a Sharpie Pen. There wasn't quite enough space so on went another journalling spot!

To finish I had a quick look at the sticker sheets on my table & one saying "Little Sweetie" went in the top left corner with a couple of dots from the Thickers Pack. A handy scrap of the paper was just right for a few punched butterflies. A tiny flower, some gems and I'm all done!!

I know of scrappers who take longer choosing supplies and thinking about the design and producing beautiful pages but for me I don't have as much time these days and with so many photos to scrap and stories (and details) to get down on paper before I forget I find working quickly and making decisions quicker works for me.

Do you scrap quickly or take time considering your options and ideas? Has your scrapping process changed since you started scrapping? I'd love to know!

* Big Bath *

There hasn't been an awful lot of scrapbooking on my blog lately so today I am really happy to actually have a layout to show you!

As a newborn my daughter had one of those little plastic baby baths. She loved bath times from the very start and would smile and giggle when she felt the water on her baby skin. After a while I started putting her little bath inside the big bath, mainly because she kicked and splashed so much water went everywhere and me, the cat and anyone else who ventured near would get a shower too!! Putting the bath in our main bath stopped the floor getting a soaking each time and also she got used to sitting in the big bath. Then as she outgrew the little bath we got one of those little seats that have suction thingys on the base to hold it still in the bath. Bath times became even more fun, as the seat freed up our hands (as we no longer need to support her) to play and splash and make funky hairstyles!!

I've used Girls Paperie patterned paper, Fancy Pants Rusted Sun border sticker, October Afternoon & Crate stickers, Jenni Bowlin label, Cosmo letter stickers, My Minds Eye letters and buttons from stash.
Hope everyone has a lovely day in the sunshine! Thanks (as always) for popping by.

* My Little Shop *

Those of you that have followed my blog for some time may remember that I used to own a craft shop, which sadly had to close in March last year. For a long while I missed being my own boss and missed the huge satisfaction of running my own business so earlier this year I decided to start up my own business again. Shop premises are ridiculously expensive around my area so I decided it would have to be an on line shop (certainly to begin with anyways!) so to cut a long story short I am busy setting up a new website which is almost ready. I'm uploading stock as fast as I can, making the last few tweaks to it and also organising an Open Day/Crop. Oh, I almost forgot ... we also have a new name ..... S J CRAFTS .

I have sorted through the shelves and boxes of stock that I still had left from when I moved out of the shop (it filled my spare room) and have put a few bits on E Bay to clear some space for new stock.

** Look @ the views!! **

Happy Good Friday to you!!!

I hope you are enjoying the lovely, long Easter Weekend.

I have been away from Blogland for a while as we have been away to stay for a while with our relatives over in Northern Ireland, but I'm back now and having loaded up the hundreds of photos that we took I thought I would share a few.

Look at these amazing views over Lough Eske. Hubby and I treated ourselves to a night in a hotel overlooking this stunning scenery.

On the way to the hotel we stopped in the famous pub, Biddy O Barnes. I loved it, a roaring fire, old flagstone floor, traditional decor & furnishings and fab coffee!!! Hubby had to have Guiness of course!!



And the beautiful beach at Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal. which has to be one of my favourite places ever! Not the best photo due to the overcast skies but I love the way it captures the waves crashing in and how there is hardly anyone else on the beach.



We had a fabulous time catching up with friends and family, shopping, walking and generally relaxing and chilling out. But after almost 2 weeks living out of a suitcase we're now happy to be home and enjoying the wonderful sunshine.

I'm sure I'll be scrapping some of these very soon!

* What's On Your Workdesk *

I haven't joined in with WOYWW for a while, but this morning as I was sat doing some scrapping I thought it would be fun to participate this week so grabbed the camera and took a few pics to share with you. So this is a pic of the table in the dining area part of our living room which is as it looks most days .... a mess! We rarely use the table for eating, although I do clear it from time to time but I will admit that most evenings we eat our dinner sat on the sofa in front of the TV. I love working at this table as it's beside the patio doors so I get lots of daylight and today was lovely with the sun streaming in. So on my table there is the obligatory cup of coffee and the new issue (purchased this morning!) of Scrapbook Magazine but more interesting are the 3 storage boxes/baskets that you can see at the back of the table. I have a set of shelves just behind the table which stores some of my stash, with the rest upstairs in the spare bedroom. But I like to have the things I use the most close by. It's a case of if I can see it I will use it! So I have these 3 on the table whenever I'm scrapping.

• The cake tier stand which stores my favourite punches in the bottom and glues, adhesives and my acrylic stamping block in the top two tiers.


• The little white basket holds some of my stickers and embellishments.

• This plastic storage box is overflowing with Thickers, alphabets and more stickers. Anything new goes into either this box or the little white and lilac basket.

Thanks for stopping by and if you want to know more about WOYWW pop over to Julias blog to see more crafty desks.

* House Renovations Part 2 *

I had hoped to post Part 2 yesterday but just didn't get chance. The day started very early as I was woken around 7.30am with pressies, cards and flowers. Then it was off to the Dance School as H had a tap dancing examination. Fingers crossed she did okay! It was such a lovely sunny day we decided to go out for a walk on the beach and I was treated to lunch out as it was Mother's Day. Hope all Mums had an equally fabulous day!

So, anyway on with Part 2 of the lounge renovations!!

Once all the replastering was done, our builder fitted a new radiator!!

With the structural stuff done it was time for us to take over with the painting and decorating. We painted the walls, wallpapered the feature wall and painted the fireplace white! A new electric stove finished the fireplace and looks really cosy with the flame effect on. If we had known how difficult it would be papering around a chimney breast we would have had a rethink but it was a case of now we've started .... we have to finish!

So, now that the walls are painted, the feature wall done, window frame painted .... we could start laying the new wood floor!!

This is about where we are up to. It's a long, slow job as we only have the weekends and hubby has managed an hour or two some evenings.

We STILL have to finish the floor, fit skirting boards and the door architrave, put up the new curtain pole and ceiling lights. I'm sure it will be worth it when it's done!

* House Renovations Update ~ Part 1!! *

When I said to Hubby back in January "I think we should decorate the lounge" and he readily agreed, I honestly never expected it to become the huge renovation project that it has, and to still be going on in April! Initially we thought we would just paint the walls, put down new flooring and curtains/lighting etc. We liked the idea of a wall papered feature wall and maybe a new fireplace if our budget would allow.

It all started here and then we started stripping off the old wallpaper which you can read about here and see the "Before" pictures. Once we had got all the old wallpaper off we could see the room really was in a bad way and we had some decisions to make, do we try to patch the plaster up, hang lining paper, paint and hope for the best or do we get the walls and ceiling replastered and "do a proper job"? Decisions!!

We got some quotes for the work, priced up the materials and after some serious number crunching and a generous input of cash from a lovely relative we decided to go for it!!

So the old red brick fireplace was ripped out, I think my hubby enjoyed the demolition! The skirting boards and coving had to go, the horrible ceiling wall paper ripped off (why on earth did people put paper on a ceiling in the1970s & 80s??..Pointless!!)

Then, the builder/plasterer came in and quickly got started. He pulled down the old window that previous owners had put into the wall between the hall and lounge (where originally the door was), which so many visitors commented on as it looked so odd.

and replaced it with a door (yes, back to how it was orginally!)

He sorted all the walls out, repairing the holes and loose plaster and replastered all the walls and ceilings. The replastered chimney breast and fireplace was already looking so much better.

He sorted out all the odd jobs as well, like removing old, disused wall lights, put in a new TV aerial socket as well as repairing the archway through to the dining area, which once a spirit level was used was clearly not straight!! I'm pleased to say it now is definately straight!! lol! It was a lot of work and our house resembled a building site whilst it was going on.

As this is a long post, and photo heavy I'm going to be back with part 2 over the weekend! If you've got this far, thanks for reading and have a great evening!!