Giveaway for Europeans only

A lovely giveaway is being hosted at just perspective blog I particularly love the die cut paper

An oldie

I have a pile of layouts which need finishing or are from classes and need photos added, one of the challenges on the Back Porch Memories crop is to finish one. So all this one needed was a title and journalling. Matthew had fun reminiscing about it whilst, I wrote the journalling from what he told me. He was surprised to see he'd taken his teddy with him!!

If you go down to the woods today

Not today exactly but earlier in the month, I took this photo in St Catherine's Woods as Fiona was with us to go to the cinema and we had an hour spare. I made the flowers in the top left and hand cut those at bottom right.

Lapland

Last year I got out loads of holiday photos to use in a mini album at Gogogetaway. I didn't like the mini album we made, so have cut up scraps of cardstock into 8" squares and am making a one page layout with these spare holiday photos. Perfect for crops and challenges.

This layout is for a challenge for backporchmemories.com Spring Fling cyber crop. Do join in the fun. One of the challenges is to finish a layout from your pile. I can definitely participate in that one.

SU card

Just received some new punches and stamps. Elizabeth made this card for a party on Monday.

SU products: Chocolate chip ink, oval punch, oval scallopped punch, stamp

St Lucia

Another cruise layout. Using up my felt borders. I saw Joanne using some at the crop which inspired me to use some from my basket. I added some gems to the ribbon

Simnel muffins

Weren't Astra's simnel muffins delicious and filling. I have ordered more muffins for next month's National Scrapbooking Day crop.
Here are two layouts I finished at the crop today. One more needs some journalling so is ready in the lounge for me to do whilst watching TV tonight.

Another cruise layout, only about 10 more to print photos for and complete. Using up lots of turquoise scraps on a sand background.

March was the last of 12 months in which we have been taking photos on 25th of each month since April 2008. I now need to go back and locate photos for June, July and November!! How I wish I'd kept up to date.

Wild about you

I made this card for the sketch challenge over at http://www.stampwithus.blogspot.com/

Thank you to Lorraine for the loan of the stamp set. I think this is one I might have to buy for myself as I've borrowed it twice already. thanks also to Jenny for the blue ink and Joanne for the punch. Other than that it's all my own work. LOL

The stamping up products are:

cardstock- summer sun and pumpkin pie

stamps- wild at heart

punches - scallop edge and spiral

ink - chocolate chip

Just for the record

Checkpoint 6 - 18 miles at 2pm - 6 hours
Almost at checkpoint 7 at 2.36pm feet are hurting and he may stop at 24 miles.
Only just got to checkpoint 7 at 15.10. Nick has offered him a lift home if gets to Le Hocq where his office is. However I think if he gets that far - 31 miles, he would want to finish the lot as it's only five miles more.
Just left check point 8 at 16.19 and he's walking on. Doesn't want us to meet up with him.

Matthew decided to finish at 27 miles at 5pm. So we treated him to a healthy fish and chip supper from the Gorey Fish & Chip Shop.

Well done Matthew

15 miles in 4 hours 45

Going down hill into Greve De L'Ecq means Matthew's caught up some time but going up hill to checkpoint 6 is going to be hard.

I've finished my hybrid layout and I'm really pleased with it. Jessica Sprague's instructions are second to none as her videos take you through step by step and shows you her computer screen. You can stop the video as you repeat the steps and rewind when you don't quite get it right!! Jessica suggested matte photo paper. I opted for Jessops satin and I really like the texture. However I need to buy some more printer ink.

Next I'm going to try the challenge at http://www.stampwithus.blogspot.com/ whilst waiting for the next call. Matthew asked me if I knew where his friend Douglas is ???? And how would I know? Telepathy?

9 miles in 3 hours 15 minutes

Matthew is checking in at every checkpoint on the walk by ringing me on his mobile. He's done 9 miles so far and is at Jersey Pearl. He is behind the 52 minutes per 3 miles needed to get the plaque for doing it in less than 10 hours 15 minutes, but he's happy so far.

Whilst waiting for his call to go and walk with him - hopefully not until the 24 mile point, I've photographed my Weakest Link layout and I'm working on a hybrid layout. Hark at me. Watch this space, I should finish it today.

Spring is here

Love the new spring kit from http://www.houseof3.com/ And if you're quick it's now free to download. We're all up early today. Matthew is doing the De la Salle walk today. Last year he did a creditable 12 miles as we were leaving to go to Egypt the following day. This year he initially hoped to do 24 and according to Elizabeth he wants to do 36. I can see us having to walk with him later!! It's all very well run and has been going for many decades. When I was 17 I did 18 miles and then participated in a table tennis tournament in the evening. Wish Matthew luck.

I have a layout done of my Weakest Link appearance which I will photograph when it's light. I just need to re-adhere an element. I also bought a lovely wire photo display yesterday from the Gooseberry Bush which I hope Nick will hang soon but I will share with you later.

UFO day

Had a great day at a quilting UFO workshop today organised by Sue Harris of Caesarea Quilters. Nobody batted an eyelid when I pulled out this layout to add some machine stitching. I got everything that I took to the workshop finished which is very satisfying.

The layout is a scraplift from 2peas garden girl Stacey Sattler http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/cg_display.asp?g=1&seed_id=26980 I even had the right product. You probably can't see that I put a cross stitch in the centre of each felt flower in yellow/orange. I even managed to find the right letters in three sheets of AC stickers to write Eisteddfod.

Lucky me

I may not have won the big prize on the Weakest Link, but I had a great day at the studios. After a night at the Heathrow Sheraton with Janet and Ruth, I had two days in London. The weather was glorious. This layout is a 2peas free class entitled celebrate the season http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/education_class.asp?cl=2 Lots of scraps of patterned paper used and a green flower I'd forgotten I had. I spent the day in Hyde Park geocaching and did a little shopping and finished the day at White City watching Golden Balls being taped.

Two photos from my weekend

Doing afternoon tea to celebrate Mother's Day, need to get lunch on the go and then I'm going to do a lemon cake, some cheese scones and sandwiches to go with the delicious strawberry tart and fruit scones I picked up from the bakers near the Town Hall.

This friendly little squirrel came to within 10 inches of me whilst I was caching in Hyde Park.

And this photo needs no explanation, other than I didn't win the money but did get to the final three, voted for the strongest link who I thought was the Weakest Link and in a tied vote, he changed his vote to me. Which is exactly what I would do too. Never mind, great bunch of people and a lovely day.

Almost ready for the off

Send positive thoughts this way as I should be facing the Queen of Mean this afternoon. Then two days shopping, caching and generally mooching. I have a free ticket to go and see Goldenballs being taped tomorrow. Off to the airport now, I wonder what I've forgotten to pack? Medicine - check, tickets - check, credit card - check. all present and correct.

More blog candy

At http://www.sallys-daze.blogspot.com/ Do have a look at the videos.

A new blog

Monica, who I met last year at Gogogetaway, has a new blog she is a very talented card maker. The blog is at Stamp with Us I've just noticed they're going to do retreats too.

Two more crop layouts

Some more photos Nick scanned from slides. I used a page map, added some stitching. I particularly like the cross stitches on the bottom ribbon. Wasn't sure of a title so added a monogram and stamped over the cardstock with a swirl stamp.

I'd pick these photos out to scrap.The quailty isn't very good but they're scrapable. I then picked up some Scenic Route class layouts from a kit I purchased ages ago, which just needed photos. Unfortunately I had hoped to cut the lettering at the crop, but I didn't have the right platform, so it came home to be finished. Again I love the QK blossom font and love the size. Added some journalling blocks and it was finished.

K Werner has a great video on gathering ribbon on twopeas http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/cg_display.asp?seed_id=29135 I'm going to try the same technique but with glue. I'm not a big staple lover.

March crop

Here's the first two layouts I did at the crop yesterday. Two more to come tomorrow.

The photos have been printed for the first layout for some time and came to the top of the pile at the same time as this kit Joanne bought me for my birthday last year. I thought the papers went well with Fiona's top. In theory the layout went together quickly!! I've even used some more Fastenator bars.

I now have my favourite items in a basket on my desk together with other items that I just need to use. Now that they're in view, they're being used up slowly. I've been sorting my cardstock today and even most of my carstock scraps are sorted by colour in a ziplock bag in the same cropper hopper as the full sheets of cardstock. I've even found the Egypt themed cardstock from Club Scrap that I wanted to use up last year but couldn't find!!

Second is Red Nose Day which uses the dotted Heidi Swapp mask on a background of swiss dot black Bazzill. I spotted the felt ribbon in a box of threads I'd brought to the crop for Joanne to use, so I'm definitely using it up. Add a half sheet of busy Rouge de Garance paper that I won some time ago and it's almost done.