Cherish Always

Morning all, something different from me today !


During recent chats with Jules she has encouraged me to have a go at scrapbooking. It's not something I have ever really tried and if I'm honest it didn't really interest me - I just didn't 'get it' !


Well, while tidying the bottom of my wardrobe (I did get round to it eventually) I came across a bag of photos and one photo in particular jumped out at me - yes I did think Baja Breeze lol !!


It's a picture taken a couple of years ago and is one of my favourite ever photos of Isabel. When she is a rebellious, gothic looking teenager I will be able to look back and see how sweet and innocent she was once !


It was taken at Discovery Cove in Florida during a fab day when we swam with the dolphins and holds very special memories.

The swirls on the Elegant Soiree paper are perfect to represent the sea. Hearts are from I {heart} Hearts and stamped in Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake.

I used Tiny Tags and a marker to add the date and do you like my ribbon ruffle..............?

A bow just wasn't right ! Few gorgeous pearls to decorate.

I was going to save this for my next post ( amazingly my 100th ! ) but I was so excited I just couldn't wait ! I really enjoyed making this and hadn't realised before how powerful it is to create with a special image and memory.

If you 've never tried scrapbooking , choose a photo that's special to you and give it a go - I know you will be amazed !

The sentiment is a mixture of Baroque Motifs (again ) and Always Elegant but is so apt as this is a memory I WILL cherish always.

Off to find some more photos x

SAB Quickie !

Happy Saturday, are you doing anything nice this weekend ?

I've just spent a lovely morning meeting a new customer -so hello Alison if you're reading ! I get so excited talking about all the Stampin Up products and I think it makes a big difference seeing them 'in real life'.

If you live in South Staffs/ West Mids area and would like me to bring some products for you to try please get in touch.

Todays card was a result of Sophie asking yesterday if I could make a quick card for one of her friends. (that's daughter speak for I need it NOW lol )

I immediately turned to the Punch Bunch set, with the matching punches it really does mean you can make an extra quick card.

Colours are Concorde Crush, Rich Razzleberry and Perfect Plum (and my fave stamp from Sweet summer ) and because it was quick I even decided to gift wrap the present for her too - colour co ordinated of course lol !

That's what Moms are for !!! Enjoy the rest of your weekend x

This weeks post

Hiya all, hope you are well.

I know a couple of Stampin Up Jems have been suffering this week so here are a couple of cards I popped in the post this week...........

This one uses the Sweet Summer set ( only available for a few more days ! ) and I just love making a matching background with white ink. Hope you will soon be up and about Chris !

Melon Mambo, Concorde Crush and of course Baroque Motifs again lol ! Hope you are feeling better Shazza.

On to happier occasions, there was also a birthday

Hope you had a fab day Sarah- Jane !

Hopefully they all arrived safely, better go and check the calendar to see what I need for next week !

No time !

Wow, what a busy week !

Mistakenly, with it being Half Term and not having the restraints of the school run, I thought I might have a little extra time this week and maybe (okay it was a big maybe ) I would get round to some of those little jobs I keep putting off for ages. Tidying out the bottom of my wardrobe was top of the list !

However, I seem to have less time than ever and this morning the girls didn't wake up til 10 oclock so I was trying to be quiet - perfect excuse for not hoovering !

Yesterday we had a girly shopping day and left home at 8.30am for Merry Hill shopping centre and got back at twenty to 7 !!! Definitely 'shop til you drop ', hence their sleep in this morning ! In all that time I didn't buy anything for myself - oh except some deodorant , exciting eh ?

The girls enjoyed it though and spent some of the money/vouchers they had for Christmas/birthday .

So not much crafting going on but I have had a little play with something silly for the girls using these...........

As soon as I saw these stamps from the Sweet Summer set I knew I wanted to make a little person from them and although I'm still not happy with the final result the girls think she is cute

Remember the Weebles, or am I just showing my age lol ?

Anyway, to serious matters -there is only a few days of Sale-a -bration left !!!!! So if you want to get hold of one of the FREE sets please get in touch quickly. If like me, you've got all the sets ( oops how did that happen ? ) then it's still worth ordering because it would make a perfect gift for a crafty friend.

Better go, we are now about to make choc chip muffins - yes real ones ! x

Greenhouse Garden

Hello everyone hope you are all well

I am now ready to show you what I was making with all those millions (ok slight exaggeration ) of Greenhouse Garden flowers.

Regular readers will know this was one of the first sets I bought and I have definitely had my moneys worth !

I have used it in a variety of ways but todays effort is something a bit different again.

I wasn't able to get to floristry yesterday as the girls had a teacher training day ( when we were at school weren't the teachers already trained ? ) but the project was to make a topiary ball so I decided I would make a paper one !!

It was definitely a labour of love because I stamped and cut out 6 layers for each flower

I am quite pleased with the end result and it makes an eye catching piece on a table to show off your cards.

I also made a few matching projects - the paper isn't Stampin Up but as soon as I saw it I thought of my beloved Baja Breeze and it became essential lol ! If anyone from SU is looking I NEED some pretty pastel vintage papers !

Sorry about the light in the pictures but it has been a very dark, dreary and wet day here today.

Hope you think I kept my promise of pretty and girly - now thinking about some Christmas topiary balls ................... x

For the boys...

Evening all, hope your week is ticking along nicely.

Todays cards are for the male of the species, always seem harder to do - give me girly and pretty any day lol !

The design paper in this one is from the Elegant Soiree set which is so versatile because there are some gorgeous ones which are very feminine but there are also patterns that work well with masculine cards and some that could go either way !

Have added a cute Tiny Tag and the blue is Marina Mist.

Bright colours of the Celebrations papers for this one. I think 'Ollie Owl ' looks even cuter with wings (just stamp twice, cut off the sides and re attach ). Good old star punch to make the bunting again -I haven't used it for stars yet lol !

Before I go I have a little teaser for you - a picture of work in progress...........

What do you think I am going to do with these ? Answers on a postcard please ..........

Here's a clue - it will be girly and pretty !!!

Off to do some more cutting out x

With Love x

Happy Valentine's Day to you all

Warning loads of pictures today lol !

Todays card is of course Hubby's Valentine card. This was one of those cards that evolved as I made it. I used I {heart} Hearts stamp set and Love Letters papers, predictable I know but despite doing well with my Christmas cards (up to 23 now ! ), my Valentine was still lastminute.com

I decorated the inside too and also made him a cute little pizza box to match

Love that tafetta ribbon -think I'll ask him if I can have it back lol !

What did I put inside the box? Some cute little Valentine coins that I attached to the scallop circle punch shapes to make them co ordinate

I even lined the inside of the box- I must love him to use my precious papers !

The eagle -eyed amongst you will notice that a Melon Mambo one has snuck in there.

Well , he was pleased with my efforts this morning but I think the romance of the moment was lost slightly when I said I needed to make something to show you lot on my blog lol!

Couldn't leave the girls out so I made them a little bag of coins in various shades of pink - that's where the Melon mambo one escaped from !

Thank you for looking and staying with me. I really appreciate every comment that is left so please show everyone some love today and if you read a blog leave a comment.

Enjoy your time with a special someone whatever you do xx

Evening all,

Well the peace is shattered and the washer's on - yes, she's back lol !

Tired, dirty and hungry but she has had a fab time and wasn't at all fazed by being away. Definitely think it's been harder for me - can you be homesick when you're the one left at home lol ?

Hubby is off to Arsenal tomorrow (another miracle needed) so between feeding the washer and the dryer I suppose I need to get round to making him a Valentine card. Think I might do a bit of blog surfing later for inspiration.

Todays card is from my Baroque motif period last week and one that I made for Gemma's birthday on Wednesday.

Colours are the gorgeous Cherry Cobbler (not just for Christmas ! ) and Chocolate Chip . Hope you enjoyed your special day Gemma !

Thought I would show you todays floristry effort- we had to make a 'collar' for round the top of the vase so I chopped a few twigs from up the lane cos I prefer the natural look.

Let me know what you think. Off to feed the washer its third course of the evening x

Bliss -but it's not !

Hello all ,

I have managed to drag myself away from Baroque Motifs and todays card is using the Bliss set.

I love how the butterflies look like they have just landed and are about to flutter off again lol !

I couldn't quite bring myself to use the Bliss word stamp because everyone has been saying I bet it's bliss in your house this week but it's not. The reason - Isabel has gone away on a residential activity week with the school :(

I waited at school and waved her off yesterday morning but although she is 9, today is the first day of her life I have EVER not seen her ! Also no phones are allowed so there is no contact at all until she is back on Friday.

I definitely feel like there is something missing even though I know she will be having a fab time and won't be missing us at all.

Yes, it has been quieter,

Yes, it has been lovely spending some one to one time with Sophie

Yes, it's been great not to have to act as referee between the 2 of them when they decide to have a 'moment'

Yes, there wasn't toothpaste left in the basin

Yes, we were ready quicker this morning - but even so I can't wait to get my 'baby' back on Friday.

Bliss.

Wolves have won !!

Hiya all,

I have some very happy bunnies in my house tonight as Wolves have beaten MAN UNITED !!!

Top of the league v bottom of the league with United going for a club record of not being beaten in the Premier League since April 2010.

Bet they thought the record was guaranteed on their way down to the Midlands (so did the Wolves fans!)

But football is a funny old game and although Wolves are still bottom that is forgotten, for tonight at least lol !

Hubby has even stopped moaning about his trip to Bolton on Wednesday when Wolves lost by conceding an own goal in injury time !

No doubt he will be recording Match of the Day and watching it again...and again...

Todays card is Baroque Motifs and a little thank you I sent to Jules

Love this colour combination Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette and Baja Breeze

Thanks again Jules and keep supporting the Wolves - they need all the help they can get !!

Baroque Motifs

Hello all,

Would you believe I still have some of my Christmas pressies that I haven't used yet ? How bad is that ? And what makes it even worse is that I have got my next order on the way lol !

Todays cards are made with a new stamp set for me - Baroque Motifs

Do you ever find you start playing with a new set and it instantly becomes your favourite ? This has definitely happened with this one.

I love the large flourish motif but decided to use it today in little bits

Colours are Rose Red, Melon Mambo and Marina Mist

Small flower (from same set ) I have punched out with the smallest flower from the Boho Blossoms punch - no fiddly cutting but still looks effective lol !

The 4 main embellishments for these cards were made from just stamping the large motif once and I'm sure with a little practice I could get another couple out of it !

There are still plenty more stamps in this set for me to explore so expect more soon ..............x