Saturday 28 April 2007

Guess who got on another Design Team???

ME!!!!

Came home from mums this evening and had an email from Beverley to say I'd got on the Crop Til You Drop DT. I am so pleased, and now very eager to get creating.

Not doing any scrapping tonight... the wine is flowing, but I will be back playing tomorrow.

And as for the challenge by Jen... I may well take you up on that... using household rubbish that is, NOT giving you my beautifulness... although you know you are always welcome to use my stuff hun X (have put next Sat crop on calendar before it gets booked up for something else, and will bring all my stamps)
And talking of stamps... did I mention I had ordered another must have set from Banana Frog?

Friday 27 April 2007

Today has been a happy day:)

Peace has been restored to the Stevenson house!!! Oliver has been an angel... has he learnt from the telling off he had? probably not... I suspect it has more to do with the fact that he thinks his dinosaurs have gone in the bin...LOL!!!

Been a busy old day... doctors this morning with Oliver due to a bad case of cradle cap. I ask you, what kind of child develops cradle cap when they are 3... it could only be an Oliver!!!

Then once he had been taken to nursery I walked to clinic with Harry. It was lovely to be out in the sunshine, and not have to wrap Harry up in blankets and cosy toes. He has only put 10oz on in 2 weeks, and the stupid stand in HV, who winds me up anyway by calling him 'arry, said that they would need to keep an eye on him as he has slipped well below his birth line!!!! I stood there, naked baby in arms and just said 'does he look like he's underweight?' Honestly, how ridiculous... he has the most chubbly bubbly legs and a little buddah belly, there is no way he is underweight. Sometimes these so called professionals pay too much attention to charts and graphs and forget to use their eyes and common sense!!! Any way, rant over.



Oliver came out of nursery looking like this... I asked him if he had been painting and he said no.... so quite how he came to look like Bluebeard is a mystery...LOL!!!

Both boys went to bed at the same time, without any fuss... so mummy got to play. Did this LO showing Happy Harry when his bib goes on and he sees his bowl and spoon... tonight he woofed his dinner down and screamed for more, and I had made more than the packet says a baby of his age 'should' be having. It would seem that the boy is going to be like his mummy... a real foodie, he he he he...


I challenged myself to do something I don't usually do on this LO... so I mixed paper from different collections. There are two Gin X papers and 2 BG papers (Oh baby boy and Blush), and even though they don't 'go' I think they work rather well together. And this time I traced around 3 of the Fancy Pants chipboard shapes, but still couldn't bring myself to actually use any of it... maybe I need to buy duplicate sets to use.
Need to think of another challenge for myself... any ideas greatly welcome!

Wednesday 25 April 2007

I've been tagged!!!

Oh bum!!! so here I was just having a quick mooch about before bed... feeling a bit poop after a major kick off with Oliver this evening, tired due to months without unbroken sleep, bloated due to eating white bread (which I love but it doesn't love me) and having just created the most hideous LO ever (might share it with you tomorrow just for a laugh), and I find that a certain Miss Jemma has tagged me...LOL!!!

Ok so here goes...

The rules...
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to blog about their seven things and post the rules as well . At the end of your blog, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

My 7
1) I met my husband in an internet chatroom, we met in Chesterfield after only talking a few times and I had a police escort to our meeting place.

2) I am scared to walk on bridges over water and piers (this is not irrational.... they are dangerous).

3) My hands swell up to massive proportions within 10 minutes of wearing nail polish.

4) I have to wash my hair everyday or it ruins my day.

5) I hate talking on the telephone.

6) My favourite film is Big Fish, and I cry uncontrollably every time I watch it.

7) My favourite food is pitta bread and houmous.

Right now I need to find people to tag!!!

Coming to get you....

Monday 23 April 2007

I feel like scrappin' tonight...

but I'm cream crackered!!!

Pink.... but not pink enough!!!

Have just finished sketch #29.... and have used pink AND flowers on one LO!!! Still not pink enough though... but getting there!!!

Had a lot of fun with this, as I dug out the spirograph. I haven't played with that for years... and now I fear that anything standing still for too long will be spirographed within an inch of its life! the thing is truly addictive...LOL!!!

Not a great scan... the colours are much richer in real life... the scanner is probably tired, and so am I, so off to beddy bye byes

night night
X

Sunday 22 April 2007

BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

How cold is it today? OMG, last weekend we were nearly cooked, this weekend I am nearly frozen!!! I am sat here with a fleece on and my slippers (and other clothes obviously) and my finger nails are blue!!!

This morning we took Oliver for his first swimming lesson and I am pleased to say the boy did good!!! We had to laugh though... we were sat on one side of the pool, and Oliver was on the other side with the teacher... everyone else in his group had jumped in, but Oliver was stood shaking his head! We could see his mouth going but couldn't hear what he was saying... but guessed that he was saying he didn't want to get in!!! They got him in the pool and he managed to do all that he was told to do, and didn't whinge once, even when the teacher poured water over him with a watering can!!! By the end of the lesson he was jumping in no problems at all, and now can't wait until next weeks lesson.

It makes me really sad that we live in a world where we can't take photos of our children swimming...
Managed to get this LO done this afternoon whilst Rob took the boys for a walk... I have used my new stamps and they are sooooooo lovely. Methinks they are going to get used lots and lots!!!
Have been meaning to scrap this photo for ages... it is Oliver's favourite toy. He has had so much money spent on new toys over the years, yet this £3:00 buy from a carboot sale is the toy he has played with the most!!! He was about 20 months old when I bought this... I walked into the house with it, and Oliver wanted to play with it straight away... however it was very dirty so needed a good clean first. The boy couldn't wait, and whilst I was scrubbing away in the kitchen, he came toddling through struggling to carry his box of cars... quite amazing seeing that he had only been walking for 2 months!!!
Sunday night... new pencil lines sketch!!! See you later....

Saturday 21 April 2007

New toys!!!

New toys for me and new toys for Oliver (and me...LOL!!!)

Yesterday I took Oliver to a craft store and we came home with a Hama bead set... I don't know who is more excited about them, me or the boy... ok, I do...ME!!!
I am so impressed with the little man... he managed to make this nee nar car all on his own, well I told him where the beads needed to go and he placed them... not bad for a 3 year old.

And what about my new toy? my stamps have finally winged their way from Canada...hurrah!!! I haven't opened them yet, but I have licked the packet all over as they are so absolutely yummy!!!

Currently sat with Niblet on my knee, but once he goes to bed I am going to have a play.



Thursday 19 April 2007

Rusks and smiling just don't go!!!

Have started weaning Harry as he is just sooooooo hungry all the time..... I know that the HV would have a dickie fit, but she's not the one pinned down for hours on end by a milk sucking monster!!!
Normally babies only take a few very small spoons of 'solids' when they first start to wean... NOT MY BOY... he has a full rusk mixed with milk!!! And just how yummy are Farley's rusks? I suspect that they are quite high on weight watchers points, although they are not listed in the hand book... can't think why...LOL!!!
The only problem I am finding with this weaning malarky is that Harry gets so excited when it is rusk time that he giggles and talks away, and the rusk gets everywhere!!!


Oliver had two friends round after nursery today, so from 3:00 until 5:45 the house was very noisy and extremely messy... just how quickly can boys get every single toy out?!?!?
When their mum's came to pick them up we decided to go to Macdonald's for tea... I know I know, Jamie Oliver would have me publicly flogged, but once in a while doesn't hurt anyone...
Whilst we were out Rob came home, and thought we had been burgled because of the state of the front room...LOL!!! Bless him, he tidied up before we got back, although I missed the photo op!!!

Wednesday 18 April 2007

Refreshed and ready to go....

Because I went to bed at 9:00pm last night!!! Oh my goodness, how embarrassing... I am an adult and went to be 1 hour after my children...LOL!!! But I am so glad I did,as Oliver has been the most testing little s*d today!!! Let's put it this way... he went to bed with no story and hasn't dared get out of bed!!!

Didn't get any scrapping done yesterday..... boooooooo hissssssss to children who keep mummy busy!!! But I did manage to get 4 cards made this afternoon whilst Oliver was at nursery and Niblet slept in my bed. Already started bad habits... he won't go to sleep in his own cot during the day, but snuggles down the moment he is put on my pillow..... but he does look so darn cute, an ickle pickle in a big double bed! I can feel a LO coming on...

Showed the cards to one of the DMN (Denton Mothers Network)... a nameRob had nicknamed me and the group of mums I chat too... he is just jealous because I find out more news/gossip than he does...LOL!!! anyway, I now have an order of cards to make for her. Have forgotton how much fun it is to makecards, and QUICK!!! these 4, and I know they are nothing special or complicated, only took 50 minutes to make...

Tuesday 17 April 2007

If bogies were valuable...

I'd be rich!!! Oh my gawd it seems like all I have been doing today is extracting bogies from one or the other of the boys!!! Very strange as neither of them has a cold... just both very productive on the bogie making front at the moment. Now if I were truely an obsessed mad scrapper I would do a LO on this.... I haven't....... yet!!!!

Rob's birthday today.... 38, the oldus farticus!!! Cooked a really nice tea for him, and bought a delicious Cadbury's chocolate button cake... yummy scrummy in my already too fat tummy!!! The diet starts again tomorrow...LOL!!!
As you can see I up too late again... but tomorrow night, well technically tonight, i am having a night off!!! CSI just cannot be scrapped through... and I really need an earlyish night too. Did this LO tonight... scraplifted the title in a box idea from a certain Ms Flannigan... and kind of used my new beautifulness... well traced round one of the Fancypants chipboard shapes... 'twould be criminal to actually use the chipboard so soon... will have to wait until the scent of newness has vamooshed!!!

As you can see it is another blue LO.... which brings me to my next self imposed challenge... to create something PINK!!!! I have been stroking the BG Blush papers I have stashed away, and really feel the urge to use them. I need to make a couple of birthday cards for my bestest friend and her little girl, but I think I still need to get more pink into my LOs.... could this mean a rare photo of me making an appearance?!?!? watch this space....

Monday 16 April 2007

Late Night Scrapping!!!

I really need to stop this late night scrapping and get my head down at a respectable hour!!! Told Rob I'd not be long, and that was over an hour and a half ago...LOL!!!
Anyway it is just a quickie to share my take on sketch #28 from Pencil Lines... I had so much fun doing this LO. After faffing for ages trying to select the papers right for the job and finding that there were none to be had... disaster was avoided and I made my own!!! And how pleased am I with the result.... wooooohoooooo shake your pom poms pleased

*\0/* *\0/* *\0/*
I used a red inkpad to smoosh shapes and smears over some grey textured card, then used a blue pencil crayon to doodle over the top and in the gaps. I added more detail with a blue biro and finished by adding a few black details.... result = funky customised patterned paper!


Sunday 15 April 2007

How stupid am I?

Only went and forgot the camera yesterday!!! I could kick myself... so many photo opportunities... the first time Oliver would go down the tube slide on his own, Harry's first time at the park, both boys in a good mood AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!

Oh well there will be many more trips to Bruntwood I'm sure.

Well the Easter holiday is almost at an end... back to doing the walks to and from nursery tomorrow. If this lovely weather continues I will walk with the pushchair for the couple of hours that Oliver is at nursery... I seriously need to do more exercise... I have bits hanging where bits shouldn't hang...LOL!!!! We have an 'instant abs' machine downstairs, that does get the dust cleaned off it quite often.... only problem is it gets cleaned with a duster NOT my fat bum using the thing!!! Soooooooooo, from tonight I am only allowed to scrap if I have done the 12 minute routine on the 'make mummy lean machine'.

Completed another LO last night. This one came out of my head... not from a sketch!!! I am challenging myself to use things that have been hanging around for a while... this time I used the left over fabric from a project I did ages ago, a punch that I got from a PIF on UKS, and the paper rippler that I had from a cardmaking starter kit from way back!!!

Used the sewing machine again too... much to Rob's annoyance!!! I'm sure if we ever got divorced the sewing machine would be cited as the cause...LOL!!!

Not planning on going anywhere today... just having a nice family day in the garden.
Have a good one.
X

Saturday 14 April 2007

Another beautiful day. Washing on the line, children and dog in the garden, so I am having a crafty sneak onto here to share this LO.

We decided that at the Cheadle crop on Tuesday we would work from Pencil Lines sketch 2, but on the night it just wasn't happening for me. Didn't really like the sketch... don't know whether it was because it was a DLO. Anyhow, last night I made myself have a go... after all isn't that part of the sketch challenge idea, to be challenged!!! And I am actually pleasantly surprised at the outcome... maybe the beer helped....hic!!!

AND another thing I challenged myself to do was to use only PP from my box of scraps... so apart from the background card stock, this DLO was created from leftovers!!! And I used one of the free foam stamps from Scrapbook Inspirations, which to be honest I nearly threw away... not usually my cup of tea but I think it works quite well here...
Right now I really must go and shower... we are taking the boys to Bruntwood Park this afternoon... get them lots of fresh air so they sleep well tonight.
Sleeping babies means Mummy can scrap!!!!

Friday 13 April 2007

A bright and beautiful morning...

And I have seen all of it!!! Niblet decided that at 4:17am it was time to get up... but guess who is fast asleep now!!! Typical, now I am wide awake and Oliver is up, Niblet decides to sleep... babies eh... you gotta love em!


Finished the LO last night... must admit that apart from the photos, I'm not loving it at all. Not sure why though.

Still waiting for stamps to arrive from Canada!!! Not ordering from that company again... I can't believe it is almost 2 months and they are still not here...

Thursday 12 April 2007

Our new project...

Look what we're doing now... bread decorations!!!

Oliver and I cut these today from a WHOLE loaf of cheapo white bread... can't wait to decorate them over the weekend.


Went to the Cheadle Hulme crop last night... had a really good time... lots of chatting, not much scrapping, but isn't that what crops are all about...LOL!!!

Got to meet Sam from Scrapfairies *hello if you read this*, always good to put a face to a name.... however I was forced to buy some beautiful buttons... not by Sam, but by the buttons themselves!!! They were calling to me... so I bought 2 packets of mixed blues, 1 each of mixed black and green... and some LUSH spotty and stripey buttons... and do you know what? Shock horror, I even used some straight away on a LO!!!!

The LO needs finishing... so better go and get it done...



Monday 9 April 2007

Sketch Junkie!!!


I think I am becoming addicted to working from sketches!!!


Tomorrow night I will create a LO all on my ownsome without any sketches.... LOL!!! Although they are a super fast way to create LOs, I am worried that I will forget how to think creatively for myself...
Need to think of something I can make with Oliver this week too... he loves being arty crafty and I am really trying hard to feed his creativity.
Loving the felt bunnies that Elsie Flannigan has on her blog... but methinks needles and a three year old is not a good idea...LOL!!! Will think about it tonight....


Another day, another LO. This is my interpretation of the pencil lines sketch 27. Colin the caterpillar scrapped so soon after he hatched!!!




TUT TUT!!! naughty me... scrapping recent photos before the older ones... must set myself the challenge that for every new photo I scrap I have to scrap an older photo too!!!

Going out in a mo... taking the boys to the park
for some fresh air. And for once I am going to leave the camera at home so I can focus on the fun rather than getting that perfect photo!!!

Surely even scrappers need to step away from the camera sometimes?!?!?

Sunday 8 April 2007

OK so I know 3 posts in one day is a little excessive... but this is a quickie just to share this LO.

My lovely little super hero, a LO based on Pencil Lines sketch 26.

Two posts in one day.... I need to get out more!!!

While I am sat here feeding niblet, I thought I would pop on and show you my nice tidy work space!

I am so sad... I even sorted all my embroidery threads. I have a whole basket full of them accumulated over the years from lots of cross stitch projects. I love stitching on LOs but it takes soooooooo long....

The unit is from Ikea. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. It holds all of the stash I use on a regular basis (the rest is still in the loft). I sorted through my cardstock and paper so that I have a varied range downstairs, and it sits nicely on top of the unit in Artbins, and the 2 big white boxes underneath hold all my patterned paper scraps and cardstock scraps... well when I say scraps, quite often there is nearly a whole sheet left!!! My sewing machine has to be close to hand... so that is downstairs too, but the sizzix is upstairs in a wardrobe as I don't use it that often.
Have decided to do a Pencil Lines sketch tonight, so hoping the boys go down and stay down!!!


*****Happy Easter*****

The easter bunny visited our house this morning... leaving Oliver 23 little eggs and 2 big eggs, daddy 1 big egg, Harry some pennies for his money box and mummy some new jeans!!!

What a clever bunny, knowing what would make everyone happy!!!




Not much opportunity to scrap today... Oliver wants to play outside, which is good as he will be nice and tired tonight. But Harry wants to be held rather than being in his pushchair/bouncy chair/bumbo!!!!
He looks so funny in his bumbo... he's not very impressed with it, but me being the cruel mummy I am can't wait to scrap a picture of him in it, mmwahhhahahahahahahaha!!!!

Hoping that Rob will take the boys over to the park for half an hour so that I can sort out my work space. I want to match some stash together in the daylight so that I can just get on and do a LO tonight, rather than faffing for ages like I usually do!!!

Saturday 7 April 2007

Had a fab couple of days at my mum's. Yesterday we took the boys to Sundown Adventure Land. Oliver has been a couple of times before but it was Daddy and Harry's first time. The weather was perfect and a great time was had by all.




Tuesday 3 April 2007

Harry had to have his second lot of jabs today... it was awful. He was smiling away at me and 'talking' whilst we were in the doctors oblivious to what was about to happen... After the second injection he looked so upset with me that I started to fill up too. I'd be no good as a doctor or nurse...

It is very quiet without Oliver... I miss him loads when he is not here, but I spoke to him tonight and he is having lots of fun with Mama and Grandad. Tomorrow he is going to Center Parcs for the day... that boy really does have a very good life.

Managed to get another LO done today whilst Harry was in his calpol induced sleep!!! That must sound awful, like I drugged him so that I could scrap.....hhhhhmmmmmmm now there's a thought... LOL!



I am going to try and get another LO done tonight, but I really, really, really must go to bed early... I was up ironing until 12:30 this morning and then Niblet was up at 3:00 and again at 6:30.

I have so many LO ideas in my head and just never enough time to get them all done. I am awaiting some stamps from Fontwerks, and have a couple of pics set aside to use for these... and did I mention that I have ordered more stamps today?!?!? oops!!! just fell into my basket whilst I was 'just looking', no more buying stash...

I mean it.... I really do!!!

Monday 2 April 2007




Had a fabby weekend... Mum came to stay on Friday for a couple of nights, and went home yesterday taking Oliver with her on the coach. He has been looking forward to this for ages!!!




Also got some scrapping done... I am loving having my scrapping space downstairs... I am getting much more done. Here are 2 of the LOs I did....


I also did another mini book, this time in pink for a friends little girl. I can't believe she who said she couldn't see the point in mini books, has got into them in a big way...LOL!!! It is not doing my sleep any good at all... now I not only dream about LOs but mini books!!!!