Twisted sketch #23

Just a quickie post between nose wiping (mine, Bear's and Drew pot stew pot's). I started this LO at the DT retreat a couple of weekends ago... well I selected the papers and the photos to use but that was about it! I sat down this morning to actually get on with the LO and based it around the latest twisted sketch... a simple LO but sometimes photos don't need oodles of fuss. I used a notebook effect punch and a martha stewart 2 dot punch.

Back again soon...

Worlds Worst Blogger!!!

I am, it's true... I just never seem to have the time to blog anymore... or maybe it's the fact that I don't have anything interesting to blog about!

So what have I been up to since the last time I posted? Not much to be honest... although I did have a fabulous weekend away last weekend with the Sarahscards DT. We were treated all weekend by Sarah and Lianne and just got to chill and play with beautiful stash. The team are such a talented bunch of ladies... it was great to be able to see how others work, and to learn new techniques. We stayed in this stunning converted barn... how nice is that?

I got a few LOs done... probably not as many as I should have done considering I had the whole weekend... but to be honest, I made the most of being able to sleep in as there was not a child in sight...lol!

This LO was done as part of a speed scrap challenge we did. We all gave our photos to someone else who then chose at least 3 papers for us to use to scrap those photos. Then we only had an hour to get the LO done... quite a challenge for some of us slow scrappers! Rachel chose my papers for me... and I have to say even though I probably wouldn't have chosen these papers to go together myself, but I really, really like the LO.

These are the other LOs I did... I like them all apart from the pink one.... I guess I just don't feel that comfortable with so much pink!

The LOs are straight in real life... I just rushed to take the photos this morning!!!

Right I absolutely will make every effort to try and blog every week... and to visit the blogs I have been neglecting recently.

DT LOs to share.

I actually wrote a whole post yesterday went to upload and realised I had cleared all the photo from the pooter!!! Stupidly I also didn't save the post to draft so I am having to type again.... if I had a whole brain I'd be dangerous!!!Not really much to say to be honest. Not done any fun stuff, just same old same old, take some kids to school, stay at home with others, go and fetch kids from school, entertain children until the parents come to pick them up!

Pretty much sums up my Monday to Friday...lol!!!

Last night I did scrap which felt good. I played along with the Twisted sketch 16 the twist being to use stickers. I really like the LO and the use of stickers, even though stickers aren't usually my thing unless they are alphas. Rob pointed out last night that my LO doesn't really look like the sketch... he may have a point but it was used... honest it was. The photo was taken last weekend in the park over the road. I just have to get used to having pics of me taken... it's a bit strange scrapping pics with me on!

These LOs were done using the September Sarahscards kit. The colours were right up my street, although I thought I'd struggle using the kit as it was retro kitchen themed. As I didn't use the really kitcheny stickers and papers I have loads left to make a wall hanging thingy for my nearly finished kitchen.

I think I probably say it all the time, but this really was my favourite kit yet... gorgeous colours, gorgeous papers and lovely embellishments... and a few left over bits from previous kits were also perfect to be used too. There are a few kits left available to buy as a single purchase here. Or you could just sub here, you won't be disappointed.

We've spent quite a bit of time in the local park over the past couple of weeks since Oliver learned to ride his bike without stabilisers. The first thing he asks in the morning when he gets up is 'can we go out on my bike today'. I can see me getting fed up with Thornley Park very soon. Anyway here;s a pic of the boy on his bike... I might scrap this one tonight.

Right better go and do something boring like ironing so that I can justify playing tonight.

Upside down.... Inside out....

Well the title of this post pretty much sums up our house at the moment! We are in the middle of having a new kitchen fitted, so everything is in turmoil. It's looking good though, but is still a long way of finished as we have to have new floor put down and new tiles and a new blind... but it's mmmmmmm shiny with more cupboard space than you can shake a stick at. When I started to put things back we had a whole cupboard just for angel delight!!!

Because of the upheaval of things being everywhere and the kitchen fitter being here, and then having to clean up each day after he'd gone I have had pretty much no time to scrap... until last night. I actually made myself sit and do the latest Twisted sketch in an hour or less, and I really quite like the end result. I bought the Look at Me transparency way back in the day when I bought everything that was going, and found it hiding amongst some really bad dated papers... though it went pretty well with these photos.

Dinky isn't so dinky anymore but the name has stuck.... he's so going to hate it when he's 18...lol! He is really into everything at the moment and just loves playing with new things... well new to him things.

Oliver has learned to ride his bike with no stabilisers and we have gone from screaming at him to pedal, to screaming at him to slow down... it's scary how fast he whips round the park. Bear is still very 'bear like', probably the most awkward/defiant/grumpy but at the same time adorable/lovely/sweet 2 year old ever. At the moment fast asleep clutching a chocolate snowman.... yes the Christmas confectionery is on the shelves already!!!

Right, I am off to upload and sort some more photos, before I get tea in the oven for the boys.... because mummy is out tonight.... woooohooooo!!!

It's been a while...

Just where does the time go? The past month has flown by in the blink of an eye... it only seems like yesterday I was planning Oliver's birthday, now we are thinking about his return to school next week!

We went away for a week to Butlins at Minehead which was fantastic. I have to admit I had a few preconceptions of what it was going to be like.... I'll be honest and say that I thought there would be some 'rough folk' there, and that it would all be a bit naff... but I put my hands up and say I was wrong. The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we had gorgeous weather all week. From 10 in the morning to we dragged them (Harry kicking and screaming) back to the apartment they were entertained and busy all day. Dinky was calmer than he has been since he was born and loved looking around taking it all in. I took so many photos, but won't bore you with too many...
We only made it to the beach once, even though it was a stunning beach and only over the road.

Excuse the slap head... I was trying to get a bit of colour on the deathly white, always hidden by a fringe forehead.... it didn't work!
Harry discovered he loves rides. Good job they were (almost all) included in the price or we would have been declared bankrupt by the end of the week!Titan the robot was a big hit with the boys... you can see his routine here.... a different Butlins but pretty much the same thing. Since we found this clip, Harry insists on watching it every lunch time whilst he eats!

The weather was so nice we spent quite a bit of time at the lido... Oliver loved playing with the inflatable, although Bear spent most of the time trying to drag him off it!

I asked Rob to make sure he took photos of me with the boys as I have very of me with them. There were a few I liked, and there were lots that were terrible. I found my 'before' photo to use when (and I say when because I will get to goal this time) I get to my WW goal.... I'm not sharing as it is truly hideous!

When we got home (after a nightmare journey) it felt like I'd never been away as I then had to get all the washing and ironing done....bleuuuurgh!!! You need a week off after a holiday just to get yourself back to normal.

A week back at work, then it was off again to see my best friend Annie and her lovely family. We met at Warwick castle which is just stunning. Oliver has already asked if we can go again, so it must have been a hit! Oliver enjoyed watching the jousting, but when asked what his favourite part of the day was, it was playing in the trees with Harry and Lola!

Lola is just the most adorable little girl, bright as a button and so funny with a dirty laugh that should be bottled. It was the first time we met her little brother Jonas and he is just gorgeous.... so much like his mummy, so that can't be a bad thing. I just love these pics of when Drew met Jonas.

I am so, so lucky to have such a fantastic friend, ]I just wish that we weren't so far away from each other :(

So busy busy busy with no time to scrap for ages. I was going to do a LO tonight, but this blog update/photo overload has taken way longer than expected... so tomorrow night, who knows! I haven't played along with the twisted sketches for ages.... so maybe that will be the first thing to get on with!

Back soon...

Summer Holidays

Oh how I used to love summer holidays when I was teaching... they have very much lost their appeal now I am a childminder... especially as one of the children I look after is VERY weird and high maintenance!!! Roll on September...lol!!!

We've had a busy time just lately. The kids broke up from school last Wednesday so Thursday and Friday were mad busy entertaining a house full. Saturday we went to Mablethorpe for the day which was fab. The sun shone, but not too hot so Bear could enjoy himself too without fear of getting too 'over done'. We spent a small fortune on sand toys, donkey rides, the fair and the arcades.... you wouldn't believe how fast my eldest two can burn through money!!! I was very impressed with how brave Oliver was on the rides.... he went on some big ones with me, but of course there are no photos of those as Rob didn't think to actually use the camera he was holding!!! I did get this pic of him with his dad on the umbrella ride though.... very high! A very late night for all followed by an early start as it was Oliver's 6th birthday on the Sunday, and it would be rude to sleep in or allow others to sleep in on your birthday wouldn't it!!! He got way too much, again.... and his treat for the day was a trip to see Walking with Dinosaurs at the Sheffield Arena. He absolutely loved it but is now more than ever convinced that he is a velociraptor!!!

Back home on the Sunday evening to a house we left in a tip and more dirty laundry than you can shake a stick at!!! And of course it is raining pouring so now we have wet washing draped everywhere!!!

Tomorrow is Oliver's birthday tea, which is not to be confused with a birthday party but seems to be fast turning into a party with more and more children coming!!! how did that happen?!?!?

Last night we had a kitchen designer/fitter round to plan our new kitchen which is going in at the beginning of September.... hoooray!!! no more wood, wood, wood everywhere!

Anyway, with all this going on I haven't had chance to scrap... although I am planning to do a couple of LOs tonight. I can share these LOs with you now... they were created using the Crate paper Orbit collection from Sarahscards. Lovely papers to look at and stroke, but quite a challenge to use... although now I have used them and am happy with the LOs, I think I need to buy more of the papers, as I can see the potential for them for future LOs.

And these LOs were done using the July kit... The reason the snail was called Denys is because that is our neighbours name, and Rob gas told the boys to put any snails into next doors garden so they can eat their plants instead of ours!!! There is no hope for my boys!

At the weekend we are meeting up with my best friend Annie and her family. It was meant to be a zoo trip/farm park visit but it looks like plans may need to be re-thought due to a lousy weather forecast. Could be a visit to Cadbury's World or Think Tank then!!!

Right better go and detect which child is emitting a rather unpleasant smell.... back soon.

I'm so old!!!!

It was my birthday on Thursday... 21 again!!! I wish... 33, another year away from my 20s *sob*. I had a great birthday and was spoilt lots... Rob arranged a lucky dip present box, filled with polystyrene bits.... a good idea, until Harry decided to tip them everywhere... about 10 minutes after I'd hoovered up!!! I swear I am still finding bits now. My main present was new point and press camera as mine had slowed down so much it wasn't worth taking anywhere as by time it took the photo the moment had passed. So now I have a snazzy little thing which will be taken everywhere. I also got quite a few bottles of wine from various friends which has not helped at all with the weight watchers plan this week... but hey ho it was fun drinking it!

So what will my 33rd year have in store? I am determined that this year I will get to goal at ww, and continue to be more active. Recently I have been doing workout dvds and been jogging and using the outdoor gym equipment at the park with friends, I can tell a difference but there is still a long way to go....

I also plan to start a 8.5x11 scrapbook that is all about me, after being prompted by the lovely Jems to tell my story. Not sure how into this I'll get, but anything will be better than nothing, and as yet there is very little about me in my scrapbooks. So all I need to do is order a new size album and I'll give it a go...

Last night I played along with Twisted Sketch 6... this weeks twist being to use stamping. I used 2 journal stamps,a date stamp, a ledger tab stamp and a number roller thingymajig. The photo is one taken of drew with our very good friend Sarah and her children Hannah and Adam. Sarah was great when I was expecting Drew and was on call for when things kicked off.... she came to look after Oliver and Harry whilst Rob and I went to hospital. It was only right that she was the first person outside of family to hold Dinky when he came home.... and he has lots of cuddles since. I used a mix of papers to pick out colours from the photo, and although they may not 'match' I think they work well together, and I am quite happy with the LO.

I was really pleased to learn that my Bear has a bubble gun LO was chosen to win a RAK for sketch number 3... it made my day.

Right better go and put away all the ironing that I did this morning before my Sunday night jog in the rain!!!