Wow what a crop

I have to admit to being more than a little nervous when Liz, Joanne and I set the challenges for today's Christmas crop. Forty two layous plus some more in Christine's bag were created and most of those layouts fit at least one challenge. Here are the four layouts I made.

Crafty Sunday

Whilst Matthew is at ATC, I've had some time to do some crafting which needs to get finished this week:
* First I sewed the borders onto a baby quilt for one of Nick's colleagues. We are going to a housewarming next Sunday so I have a deadline. No backing big enough to fit the quilt so:
* Dyed a backing to match the quilt, dyed four T-shirts that Elizabeth and Matthew are tie dyeing, overdyed a bag I've made for a challenge. The colour was described as burlesque red but in actual fact it's a gorgeous purple, which I hope works well as I didn't like the colours of the bag originally. I'm going to let them set until tomorrow as Turquoise takes 24 hours for best effect and I can wash all of the projects together. The bag is for our quilting lunch on Wednesday - so another deadline!!
* For WI (tomorrow night) we have a competition and I usually forget to do anything for it. This month it's a place card - for which I've made the attached stack of presents with a tag. I used the Cricut tags Bags and more cart - thanks Lorraine for the loan. the idea came from a video on leah Fung's blog - see sidebar

Nick has gone to collect Matthew so I'm just blogging and cooking lunch. Elizabeth is making the dessert. Matthew has a short Big band performance at the Opera House this afternoon, so I may quickly go and buy one last present and pick up some photos for next weekend's crop.

The old ones are the best ones

Matthew's 13th birthday party is almost over. They watched Quantum of Solace, ate rubbish, enjoyed the chocolate fountain and finished the evening playing Crossfire. Ching made a layout of Matthew's ninth birthday, I think, and they played the game then. Mostly the same boys again, so I must print off a photo of both parties. The boys are definitely MUCH taller and smellier.

Poor Elizabeth spent some time at the dentist today under Nick's supervision. I haven't spoken to her yet as she's getting lots of attention sleeping over at Bronte's. We didn't want to risk her having dental problems whilst we are on holiday so she has had some of the nerve removed and a filling poor thing.

What have I Done?

I had a call from the Weakest Link to ask me to keep 2 February free. They'll confirm next week whether I am needed on that date.

Countdown to the Christmas crop

Less than two weeks to the Christmas crop and we have some special fun and Christmas giveaways for you. To win extra tickets for the draws you can participate in one or more of our challenges:

1. Joanne’s sketch challenge – uses five portrait orientated photos – 1 4 by 6 and 4 smaller photos. Uses scraps of patterned papers 5 extra tickets for participants

2. Completed layouts 1 extra ticket for each layout

3. Product challenge 1 extra ticket you will be given the product when you arrive (and it's gorgeous, I might keep them myself)

4. Packaging challenge use the packaging from one of our prizes in a layout or card 2 extra tickets

5. Sue’s Inspiration / sketch challenge Original layout uses two 6 by 4 landscape orientated photos, but you could also use one large portrait photo too. Circle punches and buttons might be useful

6. Liz’s challenge 5 extra tickets for participants – details to follow


So pack some extra photos in your crop bag and be prepared for fun, participation is entirely optional but there are some lovely prizes – some of which are new products to me. Everyone will get two tickets just for being there. Gingerbread muffins are in the freezer, so the countdown has begun.

Last Blues Brothers post

Well at least for this year. The show was brilliant, I had no idea what to expect. A minor blip in that I hadn't made it clear to Joanne where the show was being held. She was at the Opera House and we were at Fort regent. Joanne made it to her seat with two minutes to spare, both amazing and worrying!!

The school band have been asked to perform again next year and also do four numbers. They have been renamed the Black Rhino Orchestra. They got a good write up in the local paper too. I would recommend seeing the show next year.

Time to get ready to go and see Beaulieu Year 6 sing at the Soup Kitchen in the Royal Square. Elizabeth has raging toothache despite having a temporary filling put in yesterday so is not in the best of moods. However I have an appointment for a proper filling for her with my dentist tomorrow. I don't think toothache and Caribbean islands would be a good mix.

More Blues Brothers

Well the day has arrived and in 30 minutes the Blues Brothers Xmas show will start with the Beaulieu and De la Salle Big Band doing two numbers to open the second half. here's a link to the local paper of a photo they published last week with Matthew in it. Can you spot him? http://www.thisisjerseyphotos.com/cgi-bin/store/imageFolio.cgi?action=view&link=2008/October&image=0596893.jpg&img=0&search=blues%20brothers&cat=all&tt=&bool=or&tfile=tn_0596893.jpg&numtolist=45&sortfiles=1

Getting ready for Christmas

At our quilting group which meets on a Wednesday we have two Christmas lunch traditions -
1. a handmade gift swap and
2. a challenge
I was feeling very pleased that I had finished my gift pictured here, when Matthew brought home a letter asking for us to make up a goody bag for a lady at the Jeanne Jugan residence. Another job to add to the list!! Fairy cakes are already baked for tomorrow's Beaulieu Xmas fayre and Elizabeth has just asked if she can test them - NOOOOOOOO was my immediate answer!!

I just need to find the pattern for my challenge item which I have started but mislaid the pattern for it. Just 10 days left to find the pattern and complete the bag.

Catching up

Here are a few layouts from the last two crops. The colours are a little poor but most of you have seen them in real life. The time for sax is a grey background but doesn't look like it. I must keep up and file these soon, as I reprinted the photos of Elizabeth playing her new sax because I had fogotten that I'd already scrapped them. Never mind I will file them a la Stacy Julian for use some time in the future.

I have added a blog list on Ching's recommendation which automatically tells you when the blog was last updated. Very clever and very useful

I'm back

Where from you may ask. For the last two weeks I've been focussing on finishing a quilt for a wedding gift for my best friend, Jean. The wedding was on Saturday at Hotel l'Horizon and I finished the quilt yesterday. I had it washed this morning to remove the markings and here it is. I need to add a label which is my job for tonight's Caesarea Quilters meeting and then wrap it and deliver it to Jean's home.

Today I've been working through my pile of piles and the desk is looking much clearer. I hav even photographed some layouts ready to show you tomorrow.

Blues Brothers

Today has been quite busy with an audition for the weakest link this morning and this afternoon Matthew practiced with the Beaulieu & De la Salle Big Band after school. They practiced with the Blues Brother tribute act who are appearing at the Fort on 29 November. Excitingly the Big Band has been asked to open the second half of the show with two numbers, one of which is Johnnie Be Good. A photo or two may appear in the JEP as a photographer came and took a few photos. Other forthcoming preformances include the Fete de Noue.

Shaker card

Time to make a quick card this afternoon from the Ustamp class. I didn't have any microbeads so used some fine glitter, hero arts stamp and my new scallop punch.

Caesarea Quilters are celebrating their 10th birthday tonight with a talk by visiting quilter Anya Townrow followed by drinks and nibbles. Elizabeth is coming with me as she was about 10 days old when the inaugural meeting was held. Joanne was also at the inaugural meeting and her idea for a name of Crapaud Quilters didn't receive much support for some reason!!

Another nice SU blog

I got some lovely SU goodies today. The stamps have been mounted and put back in their box whilst I tidy the office and catch up on my own bookkeeping. Another nice SU blog with a giveaway http://juliesjapes.blogspot.com/Julies Japes

Stampin Up

I've joined the Ustamp holiday class and am loving the Stampin up scalloped punch. I came across this card set on Gadget Monkey's webiste which is lovely and you can win it. Go to purely stamping blog

I have made a lovely waterfall album from the Ustamp class which I'm hoping Elizabeth will choose the photos for and I can add a picture by the weekend.

Christmas card with a little help from my friends

Feeling a little sorry for myself as I have a stinking cold which ruined our weekend. Not well enough to go to work today, I have done some sewing and started planning my contribution to next Monday evening's WI Christmas Crafts. No matter that I keep telling the organiser I don't make cards, I still get roped in. I took my first effort to Lorraine's this morning and the resulting card as redesigned by Lorraine, Jenny and Jean, is finished. I now need to stamp and emboss enough baubles and backgrounds for 15 ladies. One job off my list, just need to buy some red card next. Thank you ladies for your input the card is much nicer than my prototype.

SU scallop instructions

I know some are impatiently awaiting their SU scalloped punch. Here is a turning the corner tutorial http://www.kathysstampingniche.com/kathys_stamping_niche/2008/09/scallop-border-punch-tutorial.html

Yet another Egypt layout

Created from a sketch for the Scrapagogo 3rd birthday celebration. I completed a few more on holiday and will post those tomorrow.

last minute again

I have eventually managed to print about 100 of Nick's photos that he scanned from slides so I have photos to take with me on holiday and scrap. I know that sounds like sacrilege, but Nick isn't a morning person at the best of times. Even on holiday I'm up at least an hour or two before him. This is the third year I've taken some scrapbooking, the first year I finished my Peru album and this time I'm hoping to finish my Egypt album. I don't think there are many pages to finish so I will take the album with me.

ALL I need to do now is to make up some page kits. I always procrastinate and avoid what I should be doing, so at the moment I'm blogging and downloading games onto my ipod touch. If I actually did what I need to I would be less stressed and ready to go!!

See you soon.

I just couldn't resist

My new Threading Water punch arrived today from America, just as they're starting to come back into stock in UK stores. Anyone who has one and wants to know how to turn the corner should watch this video on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV4Z1xjHOPA


So I did a layout today using some Scarlet Lime kit and my new punch. The layout is very loosely based on a ScrapMaps sketch.

work in progress

There's a new sketches site being launched on 17 August. Can never have too many sketches. http://pinksketches.typepad.com/pink_sketches_blog/ or click the link in the bar on the right hand side.

Last night I decided to spend half an hour filing my six inch pile of layouts from the last six months / a year. Got myself into a right mess as to what went where, so have pulled all of the matching albums out to sort them out today and will need to order some more albums. This time I must label the albums.

I've also ordered some 3 up photo albums to sort my photos along the lines of Stacy Julian's system from Photo Freedom. Though a tidy floor might help so I can get to the photos , but that won't be today. Joanne has offered to look after my Cricut whilst we're away on holiday, which is very generous of her. I still need to try out the Sure Cuts a Lot software, but at least the office desk is almost clear, especially as my layouts are now in the lounge!!

A lady on 2peas, Toni, had one of these very elusive punches and offered it for sale. she very generously found another in Michaels or Joanns for me, so hopefully they will be here very soon. She even managed to post it on a Sunday as her local Post Office is open on a Sunday.


Post Offices in the US are few and far between we've found. In Orlando we only found one in Celebration and similarly in LA we only saw one in Venice Beach.