Long time.....

A belated Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas break, I can't believe we are now into 2012!
2011 ended up being a great year for me & my girls, we are happy and settled at last... I've finally started scrapping again & am really enjoying being creative once again.

This Christmas saw the arrival of our "elf on the shelf" - Santa wrote a letter to Mads & Tigs telling them that he would be sending them an elf to keep an eye on them in the run up to christmas, all they needed to do was name him & sprinkle magic dust on him & he would come to life when they were asleep... the letter did warn them that elves can be very naughty.

3 days later, the elf appeared on our doorstep... he was sprinkled with magic dust and named..... Fred !!
Fred??? Really???

Actually after a few days the name seemed to "suit him" - and so Fred became part of the family, every mornng the girls loved finding him in different places, where he had been up to no good. He was found in the bath, in the fridge, laying on my bed watching tv etc etc.

The girls were a little sad that he left with Santa on Christmas Eve, although he did leave them a note with their presents to say that he hoped he might be able to come back next year....

Here's Fred in the fridge...

I took lots of pictures of Fred... so I have lots to scrap!

I spent the whole of December making my own wreath... it took forever, but I'm really pleased with the results! I used a polestyrene base from hobbycraft, lots of plain copier paper and some gems, and thats about it really, other than lots of blood, sweat & tears!!!

I also made our crackers this year - hobbycraft do a fab kit to make them, you just add a little decoration & your own presents. I got the girls a lipgloss keyring each and Paul some cufflinks, he got my a necklace & put it in my cracker before I tied them up. The decoration was so simple, a journalling stamp, little flower embellishment and a thicker for each of our initials.

I also got on with my mini-book to journal December, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with the December Daily project like I had the year before, so I just made the mini-book and printed off my photos at regular intervals... I just need a couple of hours to print off my journalling now to put it all together; bit of a blurry shot, but you get the idea...

A fab photo opportunity arose on new year's eve; my brother had a fancy dress party...

the girls looked fabulous;

I cant believe that I managed to get Maddy's hair to go like that with a bit of backcombing & some coloured spray!

Paul & I also joined in, not sure what I was meant to be but he looked rather debonair!!

And I actually got some layouts done!! I haven't uploaded the photos yet so will share later this week...

My new year's resolution is to scrap more & blog more!!!

Life is good at the moment, just great... my heart feels full and I feel happy. I feel very, very blessed.
Thanks for popping by
Claire xxx

New layouts

So I finally got down to some scrapping over the weekend! I did some crafting with Tiegan which is always fun as she's actually pretty good when she accepts that everythign doesn't have to be perfect!

This first layout is a photo that I've wanted to scrap for ages, and I used papers that I've been holding onto for ages, not wanting to cut into them for some reason!! The papers are Websters and I've also used a Prima mask, a prima vine, and of course the obligatory mists & distress ink; The photograph is of my brother and nephew with my new baby neice when she was just a day old. The look of wonder in Daniel's little face is just lovely.

The next is a layout using an old kit from Sarah's Cards - I thought I would try a different style, with cleaner lines & less inking & distressing. I really dont like how it turned out!!! I guess its a lesson learnt, but its  another layout for the album & another memory captured!

See? Not one of my best at all!!! But its good to be scrapping again, I still havent solved the storage issue or whether to scrap upstairs or downstairs so I'm kind of doing both!!

Thanks for popping by xxx

51 sleeps... really?

Is it really only 51 sleeps till Christmas? Where on earth has this year gone?!!

I'm feeling very envious of all the ladies off on the Sarah's Cards retreat this weekend.... I soooo enjoyed myself in March, but I promised the girls a firework party this weekend... ho hum! Still, I consoled myself by ordering some lovely stash online, cant wait till my pizza boxes arrive!

I ve been finding lots of craftign time lately, and seem to have several projects on the go, so very little completed as yet; a holiday mini-book, a christmas wreath, some paper shoes, 3 circle journals, a layout that is taking forever with tons of fussy cutting, but I'm loving it... so lots to share soon.

A few bits I can share now; the photographs are really bad for some reason?

The first is an old layout I did for SBM of Maddy in the snow last year; love these prima blooms, yummy!

This one is another old LO for SBM, I was provided with these papers, and decided to amke a collage of photographs of a holiday in Kefalonia;

And finally a birthday card I made for Mum using an older kit from Sarah's Cards, as you can tell, I'm really not a cardmaker!!!

Well thats it for me, I'm off to buy fireworks and yummy food for tomorrow night and a well deserved bottle of red, it is the end of the week afterall! happy bonfire night all xxx

Long time no blog.............

Wow its been ages.... I haven't blogged, haven't scrapped or been on any online forums for soooo long.

Its for good reasons though mostly, life has kind of taken over again & the girls and I are happy and settled in our "new" life. We've finally moved on & put the past behind us & been able to forget all the horrible things that the last year threw at us. The past rears its ugly head now & then but we are able to stamp on it when it does!!

So I've now started to get back into my scrapping, I've done a few layouts & am halfway through a minibook about our holiday... so I will post some pictures later this week, but I thought I would summarise the last few months with some iPhone photos;

Tiegan in her high heeled boots; she really is a diva in the making!!

The girls on the way to our holiday.... are we nearly there yet?!!!

 Oh dear Tigs had an accident running around with a yoghurt drink in her hand.... oops!

 Maddy joined a football team, team shot after the first match - yes she is the only girl!!!

 I got my tattoo done finally ! Ouch - 4 hours of hurt!

 I celebrated 5 months with my Mr M - he buys me my favourite pink roses every month to celebrate ... sweet eh?!

 I took the girls to see their first pop concert; Katy Perry at the o2;

So its been a busy few months, yes I plan to try to blog more, and now things are settled I plan to craft more.... here I face a dilemma; do I leave my craft things upstairs in the spare room... this means I dont so as much as I am there on my own while Mr M & the girls are downstairs.... or do I move it all into the corner of the dining room which will mean I do a lot more, but will then be moaning that the hosue looks untidy?!!! hmmm!

Thanks for dropping by, have a fab day xxxx

One sleep to go .....

Just one sleep left then we're off on our holidays!! Woop woop!!
For the first time in over 20 years, I'm not having a holiday abroad... we are off to Woolacombe Bay tomorrow & the forecast for next week looks awful!!!

I'm not stressing about it, there are lots of lovely things to see and do and I sooooo need a break from work & the mundane things at home.

I've scrapped lots lately - I had planned to submit an entry into the design team call at Sarah's Cards, but I didnt quite have everything ready by the deadline so never mind. I need to photograph my layouts & share them; this is one I've done;

The stamped title hasn't photographed very well, its an Ali Edwards phrase - "loving life with you by my side." Papers are all Prima Pastiche collection, yummy scrummy!!!

This is my Mr M, the reason I've been taking a back seat from my scrapping, blogging & forums etc. I'm happy, the girls are happy & life is generally pretty good just now. A week of girliness in Devon may have him running for the hills though!!! We'll see!

So I may be back this evening with more layouts to share or it may be after a rainsoaked holiday in Devon!!

Thanks for popping by! xxx

You Two .....

How many ways can a Mother love their children? How can you possibly ever describe how much you love your children? Its not possible is it?

You two:

Are my world...

Tiggy; you are;

A total poser!

Very short tempered;

Have your own (strange) sense of style!

Look beautiful when you laugh;

And when you smile, your eyes sparkle;

I love you more than words could possibly say;

Madison, you are;

Football crazy!



Such a brave little girl after you had your tonsils out;

Grandad's girl!

Addicted to taking your picture on my iPhone! Such a crazy chick!

Give me a lump in my throat when I look at your pretty little face & dimples;

Are just soooo cute!

I love you more than words could possibly say;

If I had to choose between loving you and breathing, I would use my last breath to tell you that I love you...
Love you both always
Mama xxx

Manic Monday

Where do the weekends go?!

It seems five minutes ago that I was excited about it being Friday & now here we are at the start of another week!!!

The July kit from Sarah's Cards came on Saturday & I am a very happy scrapper... lots of lush girly papers & embellies that I cant wait to start playing with!

A couple of bits I havent shared yet; the first is my name badge from the retreat earlier this year;

loads of Websters on here, I just love their papers as there is so much to cut into ... yummy!

Here is a LO I did for Scrapbook magazine, the theme was scrapping punk style;

It was quite a challenge as its totally out of my comfort zone, I enjoyed making a mess with the pink acrylic paint though!!!

Now I have something quite exciting to share... my Mum (Scrappyjan you may know her as) has been selected for the DT for Scrapgirlz, an American site for digital scrappers and her kits are now on sale on the site!!

Here's a peek at the first couple;

Scrummy arent they? Take a look at Mum's new blog to see her work, she's very clever! http://scrappyjanstudio.blogspot.com/

If I manage a who LO with the lush July kit I will be back to share tomorrow :)

Happy Monday everyone!
xxx