Well after the multitude of parcels that arrived on Wednesday I decided that I had to have a play with all my lovely new stash. I went to Sasha's house, which has become a Wednesday ritual, one that I really enjoy. I made this fab (even if I do say so myself) little mini book using 3 sheets of 12x12 folded. Let me know if you want to know how to make one. I think they are better than Paper Bag Book (which I love) because they are acid and lignin free, unlike paper bags. I used K&Co Maison Papers, plys 7Gypsies 97% complete stickers and hardware. I wanted a new brag book for my handbag so that I can carry around pictures of my school girl. So here it is...









I have yet to make up the cards to go into the 3 pockets. Georgia is going to write and draw pictures on those pieces of card for me to look at when I need a boost.

I also started a LO that evening, but the amount of cutting that was needed meant that I run out of time.cutting out the design...I even got my craft knife out. And here is the finished LO. Those of you that know me, know that my husband David works nights so I have to be home by 9pm every night...poor me! Anyway I was home early from work yesterday, and I only had 30 minutes before I needed to collect Georgia so I didn't want to start working on another clients books...so out came the unfinished LO. I finished I am really pleased with it, and feel my scrapping style has changed slightly. I credit the change to Elsie Flannigan and her book "52 Scrapbooking Challenges". It has inspired me so much, and I try not to over think a LO and try to just go with the flow. You will have to tell me if it is working... So here it is...

I also started to make another mini book for a dear friend. We met online through a shared passion for collecting Toys "R" Us Cabbage Patch Dolls. When the scrapping bug got me, I stopped collecting. She has been kind enough to "adopt" some of my kids from me. In the CPK collection community, you do not buy a doll, you adopt a kid. Anyway she was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer, I have been trying to offer support and encouragement for her to remain positive. Thankfully she has been given the good news that it had not spread to the Lymph Nodes, and she now just has to go through a course of radiotherapy. I wanted to make her a little book, so that she can put pictures of all the things that are important in her life, so that when the treatment gets her down, she can look at her little book, and all the reasons why she must continue the good fight. It is lovely citrus colours with a splash of bright pink...and is delicious. I will post pictures once it is complete.
I was described by a friend of mine recently as the Mini Book Queen, as she thinks I have a knack for making them. Not so sure about that, but I do love to see the face of people when you hand them over. I also need to make another book for a close friend whose Mum lost the battle with Breast Cancer earlier this year. I want her to be able to put all her keepsakes and notes that her Mum wrote her when she was nearing the end. I am sure I will end up in floods of tears while I make this one, as I had known her Mum, Jan, for my whole life, and she was more like family.
Better leave it at that for now, as I should be on my way to a Clients already.

Christmas has come early to MK...

Well I had a note from the Postman through the door last night, so I went straight to the collection office to see what I had. Well there were two sacks, one for me and one for Bex. I received my Jenni Bowlin kit, Canvases & Alcohol Inks from Kate @ Scrapcanvas, some 7Gypsies bits from Lyn @ Craft Emporium and my Crop A Dile from ScrapMad. Then this morning Parcel Force delivered me my 3 sets of Autumn Leaves stamps, and the "Crazy in Love" clear Fontwerk stamps designed by Elsie Flannigan, from the US. Will have fun tonight playing. I made a little brag book last night, all I need to do this evening is put some pictures in it. I am off to Sasha's tonight...so I will take it with me. Oh well, best get off to see my Client...have 2 to visit today, but should still be done by about 3.30pm...plenty of time to get my stuff sorted for this evening.

Will Blogger play nicely and load.....

I did this LO last week. Blogger will now let me upload. I really love this cute picture of Georgia, such a little poser when she wants to be LOL. Used lots of stash some old and new, including Scrapagogo Stamp, Fontwerk Happy Corinna Alpha, Junkita Blossom, Doodlebug Button, HS Bling word and frame, Bazzill Large Heart Brads, Rusty Pickle PP, Bazzill CS, plus the smaller text is the Rebekahs Birthday font that you can download free.

The other LO was the one I did with the Scrapagogo September Kit last night. The papers are not all ones that I would normally choose, but the colours went well with the photo...and sometimes a challenge is good.

Another week flys by...

Not had a chance to do a single bit of scrapping over the weekend...I do hate a weekend with no creativity. David's Mum & Dad were visiting us on Saturday. We had a lovely day, just mooching around the house playing with Georgia, a quick walk for everyone except me as I hurt my back trying to lift my little Heffalump!

Sunday we went out for a drink with an old friend of mine. Our parents had been best friends so we spent most of our time together from the time we were born until we hit our teens. Kyla & her Hubby Neil and a couple of their friends were up in Milton Keynes for a couple of days as they had tickets to see Robbie Williams at the MK Bowl on Monday night. I hope they are enjoying themselves as I am sure the concert is almost finished...not sure as I can't hear it tonight...which is the first night that has happened...maybe the wind is blowing in the wrong direction tonight!

Today I was expecting my Scrapagogo Kit. I sat patiently at home expecting the Postie to knock on my door....and nothing. I tried calling the collection office, but they seem to have some kind of allergy that means they cannot pick up the bloody telephone! Anyway, I decided that I would take a quick drive to the collection office. I knew our regular Postie was on holiday, and they never seem to cover any of the rounds here. So I walk up to the desk and explain, and tell them that I am waiting for my "Yellow Box of Joy"...LOL out the back he goes...and a few minutes later he comes back with mine and Bex's kits. He tells me that they have a pile of parcels and he thinks we both have some more in the parcel mountain. I offered to go and sort through the boxes....he did not seem all that keen...can't think why! Anyway I have to make another trip there on Wednesday morning and he has agreed to put all our parcels into one of the sacks so that I can take them all away....Christmas is coming early...roll on Wednesday!

Burst of Creativity

Well Saturday has become my creative day. I finished a canvas that I started (painted) months ago. After playing around with the photo for a while, I finally came up with something I liked. The canvas is for my Step Niece, she loves pink, so there was really no other choice than Blonde Moments as they are the most lush pink papers in the world. Here is the finished canvas.....hope she likes it!

So I have been moving things around my new Ikea Cube system that I bought for my craft room come office, and came across the photo tree that I bought from eBay a few months ago after seeing one that Bex had done. I had also bought a metal bucket for 99p from Asda, and the photo tree was sitting in it...I realised that it really looked good in the bucket and decided that it would have to stay like that. Feeling so inspired by the hearts I cut from the Blonde Moments paper...I carried on cutting, adding some from the sheet of Suet Pudding hearts that I had left from a previous LO. I also added a reel of ribbons that I bought from Instore for £1, some free Pebbles Real Life Dymo Words that I was given by Becks Faggs in the Li'l Davis class @ Bonanza in May, and the whole thing just seemed to come together very quick....so here it is...
I am really pleased with how it turned out. I love the contrast of the pink and black...they always look so lush together.

Tomorrow we are off to my Sisters for lunch with her and the rest of the family... Haven't seen them for about a month, which is a long time for me as I usually visit them every couple of weeks. We are having Roast Lamb for dinner...one of my favourites, Dad watched Saturday Kitchen this morning and saw James Martin cut slits into the skin and add garlic and rosemary....so he decided to give it a try...founds fab and I can't wait to try it.

Been pretty quiet here today. I love it when I get a couple of hours to play in my craft room...I am often to distracted by the Computer and UKScrappers to get anything creative actually done.

My Baby is a Baby no more...

Wednesday marked the end of an era with my baby Georgia starting school. She is now officially a big girl (or so she tells me). She went part-time on Wednesday, and when I went to collect her at lunchtime she didn't want to come home. When I collected her on Thursday lunchtime she told me that she wanted to stay all day. So Friday she went full-time, with her decorated lunchtin in hand. When I went to collect her at 3pm, her teacher told me that she had been a great help. She even told me that she wished all the children were like Georgia. Georgia had listened and done as she was asked, played nicely and even tidied away after doing her picture, without being asked...she even got a "Well Done" sticker. Here is a picture taken of her on the first morning as we were about to leave...

Best Laid Plans...

OK, so the walk was abandoned due to bad weather. It would have been more blown along than walk anyway. So I have been having a play in my craft room with Georgia. We have finished her Asda Kitten Lunch Tin. She says she wants to use it for her lunch when she starts school on Wednesday. She is a chip off the old blog as she asked for "More Ribbons". So now it is adorned with masses of ribbons a couple of Li'l Davis Jewelled Blossoms, and I used my Ellison Twang Alpha for her name...she thinks it is the bees knees. I didn't cover it at all as the kitten and the pink polka dots were so flippin' cute. The one on the left is for Georgia. She decided what she wanted on hers, and when she saw mine she also wanted the heart jewel and the jewels for her kittens tiara. The one on the right is mine, and will hold my photos awaiting scrapping, that I will take to crops etc. I really love how they turned out, and hope some turn up in my local Asda, but I don't hold out much hope. The ones here came from a lovely lady in Northern Ireland (SharonNI) on UKScrappers.

Autumn is on it's way...

Today is my little (or not so little) Sister's Birthday. I phoned her up this evening to wish her Happy Birthday and Georgia sang Happy Birthday down the phone to her...it really was heart warming, and bought a lump to my throat.
I was traveling down to see them in the morning, but the trip has been cancelled until next weekend, when we will have a lovely family Sunday Roast all together.
Tomorrow's day has been planned. Weather permitting we are going for a walk in the park, play "Pooh Stix" on the bridge over the stream, look for conkers, and generally get some exercise and fresh air.
Georgia starts school on Wednesday part time for the first three days, and full time the week after. We are already planning what we will be doing on those afternoons, it is called "Mummy & Georgia time". While I am not at all worried about her starting school, as she is bored at Nursery and very excited about going to school. It makes me sad to think that my Baby turned Toddler has now turned into a lovely Little Girl. With every passing day she grows more independent, and her dependence on us as parents lessens. I am excited for her, but sad at the loss of my baby. She likes to tell me " I am a Big Girl Now Mummy, not a Baby"...Can someone slow down time a little for me so that I can keep her as my Baby just a little bit longer.

Sunday is the Milton Keynes Crop. I really look forward to seeing all the girls and having a good old natter, and eating Gill's delicious cakes of course. For the first time in ages I will not have to pack in a hurry, taking everything I have because I don't have time to sort it all out properly. My intention is to try to pack light. Now my light and your light are going to be very different. What I mean is my rolling tote, one small bag and my AMM Tote....So not that light really.

Oh well, almost midnight. I better get to bed before I turn back into a Pumpkin!