MS Cake Break-Free as a bird

On Friday afternoon I hosted an MS 'Cake Break' to raise funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society......tea,coffee and unlimited cakes......for a donation.....it all went well......everybody enjoyed a couple of hours of drinking,eating and chatting.......and we raised £102 for the charity.

4 of my neighbours.......who were unable to come along.......popped donations through my door....and I wanted to make some quick cards to pop through their doors to thank them.

One of Jennifer's challenges last weekend was to be 'as free as a bird' and

'Experiment on your next project by doing something you would normally steer clear of in case it ‘spoils’ everything'

I always avoid stamping directly onto a card in case I ruin it......so decided to be very brave and do exactly that......4 little cards.....all very similar.....very quick to make.....and not ruined!!!!

Onwards Together

I'm making my 2012 holiday album......I took part in Jennifer's weekend 'Onwards and upwards' extravaganza.....today the two collide.....Jennifer has challenged us to make a page inspired by her weekend posts.
Sorting through the photos for this album.....it hit me.....for the last 30 years OH and myself have been on holiday with friends....with the kids....with the kids and their friends....with my SIL's family......with our friends and the kids.....but [apart from weekend breaks] it has never been just the two of us since we went to Venice in the year dot!!
So this holiday was the beginning of a new part of our lives.....onwards together....it felt a bit strange at first.....just the two of us......but we loved the holiday.....and this year we will be off just the two of us again.

An early morning walk along the promenade at Palma port

culminating in a boat trip around the harbour and along the coast.

Onwards and Upwards blog hop

Today I'm taking part in Jennifer's blog hop......which is part of her 'Onward and Upwards' weekend extravaganza.....with posts going live every hour from Friday to Sunday.....If you comment on all the blogs in the hop, finishing at jennifergracecreates to let Jennifer know you've been all the way around, then you'll be in with a chance to win a prize pack of cheerful Glitz Designs Color Me Happy and Simple Stories 24/7, worth over £25! 

You should have arrived here from Jenny's blog.....if not......you may want to pop back to Jennifer to start the hop.

When Jennifer asked us to base a post on anything to do with an 'onwards and upwards' theme......I wasn't at all sure where to start!! But sorting through some holiday photos.....I realised just how often I point my camera 'upwards' to take shots of interesting looking,old buildings.....and a scrapbook page was soon taking shape.

I love old,distressed looking buildings.......and wanted the page to look a bit distressed as well.......so some stamping and masking with paints and inks......some gold rub-on.....torn paper and card......

 and a few 'vintage' embellishments.

Looking 'onwards' please do venture forward to Fay's blog....where I'm sure she'll have something wonderful for you.....and don't forget there are exciting things on Jennifer's blog ALL WEEEKEND.

A perfect May Day

Firstly I'd like to apologise for the lack of commenting on your blogs......we have an internet problem.....according to Sky our router is 'flatlining'......and passed its 'use by' date.....I think that means it's deceased!! Though they had to monitor it for 3 days.....just to be certain!! So we are awaiting a new all singing.all dancing,up to the minute,technically sophisticated wireless router....meanwhile I'm using OH's Orange dongle.....which is patchy and unreliable to say the least......which according to OH sums up Orange perfectly!
It's a bit of a standing joke in the UK that it always rains on Bank Holidays......only this May Day it didn't......it was a beautiful,warm,sunny day....perfect for our first BBQ of the year....and for a perfect photo for CSI Challenge 70.

2 little girls who far prefer playing to eating.

my evidence is flowers and labels......my testimony is documenting Spring and using journaling strips.

possibly a child who has her priorities right?

And please do join me tomorrow when I'll be taking part in Jennifer's 'Onwards and Upwards' weekend extravaganza blog hop......she'll be hosting loads of events over the weekend....with a new post every hour.....it's bound to be great fun. 

A millionaires' playground

Last September we went to Majorca.....this August we are off on holiday again......and I haven't yet scrapped last year's one......sigh.........so I thought I'd make a start.....because it was only 6 days.......I don't have a zillion photos.......so I'm using an 11 x 8.5 album....one of my favourite sizes......but really difficult to get in the UK.
We spent an interesting afternoon on a boat trip around Palma Harbour and along the coast.....[there will be more pages].....and part of the trip took us through the marina.....one of the largest [and richest] in Spain.....packed full of boats that cost more than I'll earn in a lifetime!!

OH loved drooling over these yachts......he better keep playing the lottery!!

The colour theme of this week's CSI Challenge worked perfectly for these photos.

My evidence is circles,stripes and ledger paper......and my testimony is the circle spot.....I used some of their free downloads......I really do love this challenge site as being something just a little bit different.

A few more bloggers

After making my 'patchwork of people' page about meeting Deb.....I immediately wanted to get on and scrap a page about my other bloggers' get together this year......The Bloggers Craft Weekend......which was such a fun,productive weekend.....and will,no doubt, be one of the highlights of my year.

I used 4 photos again....so it sort of matches the other page.....a list of some of the things we did......and as we ate almost as much as we crafted.....that definately needed a few mentions [along with the cake,of course]!!!!

The 'marks' on the papers are not dirty finger marks......but part of the Cosmo Cricket papers.....they look good in 'reality'.....but looking at them on the screen......not so good!!

I'm also wondering why I don't use that 'Junk Drawer' alphabet more often....I really like it.

Thank you so much to all of you who left such lovely comments on my 'Pass the Page' post....and I've really enjoyed looking at everyone else's pages as well.

Pass the Page Blog Hop.....it ends here

Welcome....welcome.....this is the last stop on Julie's 'Pass the Page' Blog Hop to celebrate her Blogversary.....it's a bit like chinese whispers for scrapbookers.....Julie's initial page has been scraplifted and changed as its come down the line......with every participant only seeing the page before their own........until you get to the final version on my post.....which I'm sure is very different from the first page.

This is the lovely page I received from Jo

and the first things that immediately caught my eye were the beautiful hexagons and the title......and my own title immediately sprung to mind........because I already had some photos I wanted to scrap........and 'A patchwork of people' was the perfect theme.......and I've probably never started a page with a title before.......usually that is one of the last things I decide on!!!

But in March I was lucky enough to attend two events with fellow bloggers......first a Bloggers Crafting Weekend [and most of those lovely ladies who attended are taking part in this Blog Hop]......and then a lunch in London to meet Deb [over from Arizona] with nine other bloggers.

It was that second event that I had the photos all ready to scrap.

Because my first thoughts on seeing Jo's title were just how like a patchwork quilt the blogging community is.......

bright,colourful interlocking pieces......that join together to make something warm, comforting,secure and creative.

If you haven't arrived here from Jo's lovely blog......do pop back to Julie to start the hop and see all the twists and turns as the page progresses......and don't forget to leave everyone a comment.....there's a prize from Julie involved!

Thanks so much for joining us today. 

Pulling Faces

At Easter we had a large family gathering.....which included Little A and Bigger A.....who spent most of the day playing together

or should I say......Bigger A spent most of the day 'overseeing' Little A......who frequently baulks sulks when asked to do something by a parent......but will happily spend the entire day doing exactly what a 6 year old orders tells asks her to do.

And on this day......that included teaching her how to pull faces.....though she could....of course....have been teaching her to do far worse things!!

Please do pop back on Sunday......when I'll be joining in Julie's 'Pass the Page' blog hop.

A bit of advertising??

A bit of advertising today.....
The highly creative Jennifer is hosting another of her weekend blog spectaculars next month.....and they are always brilliant

please go and take a look....there's a prize to be won as well.

And thanks to one of Jennifer's Facebook comments.....I popped into my local TKMaxx on the way home from work......and came out with 2 12x12  Crate Paper pads......a 6x6 Crate Paper pad......a 6x6 Amy Tangerine pad....and a mega 24 spool pack of Amy Tangerine ribbons......all at bargain price.......so thanks,Jennifer......and you may want to pop down to one yourself [so much for trips to Exhibitions in London!!]

Shimelle is re-running her 'Scrapbook Remix' class.....if you took it originally you can get the daily email just by emailing her to let her know you're in.....if you didn't....why not?? Shimelle's classes are inspirational....packed full of content.....very cheap.....and you have permanent access to them. You might want to just get over there and join in.

On Sunday I'm taking part in Julie's 'Pass the Page' blog hop......each combatant has made a page and passed in onto the next team member......who've then made their own page based on a scraplift of what they recieved......and passed that on.....you get the picture.....it should be fun to see what everybody has come up with.

And finally.....if you're still with me......I'm seriously p**d with Google due to the upcoming demise of Google Reader......it's obviously not generating enough income for them!!! So I'm going to give Bloglovin a go....if I can work out how to claim my blog....though why anyone else would want it......I don't know!!! Though I may have a look at Feedly as well....a few bloggers are recommending it.Follow my blog with Bloglovin

A day in Lewes

I had a couple of photos from a day G and I spent in Lewes last summer to scrap......and was inspired by the current challenge over at the CSI Challenge blog.

I kept fairly closely to the sketch.......all the colours are used......the patterned paper is a free download from the challenge site......my 'evidence' is stars, sun and fussy cutting......and my 'testimony' is the handwritten journaling.

We went for a day trip to Lewes on one of the few sunny days last summer......we wandered round like tourists......up and down extremely steep old streets.......admired ancient buildings......quirky little shops......found a craft shop AND a patchwork and quilting shop......and had a lovely lunch in a tiny Italian restaurant tucked away in a backstreet.
After lunch we had intended to visit Anne of Cleves house......we should have visited in the morning........because in the afternoon it was closed for a private function......a wedding......I'm not really superstitious......but I think personally I may have thought twice about getting married in the house of one of Henry VIII's wives!!!!!
On our way back into town we came across a beautiful little park......and took some time out to sit,chill and enjoy our surroundings.....before heading back to the train station.
A perfect day.

CSI anyone?

No....not that CSI.....though it is one of my favourite TV programmes.......but the the CSI Scrapbook Challenge blog.........which I came across via Sheena's blog......when I saw this wonderful page she had created in response to one of their challenges.....and as I'm a bit lacking in creative inspiration at the moment I thought I'd pop across and take a look.....and I loved it.
Each challenge has the Scheme [colours].....the Evidence [embellishments etc.] and the Testimony [journaling].......plus there are free downloads to use.......it's fun.....and inspiring.
I was too late for the challenge Sheena had entered.......but still felt inspired to give it a go.....because I had the perfect photo.

The colours to use were black,greys,white and red.......I like that I could scrap this photo without using christmas papers......one of the embellishment choices was hearts.......one of the journaling choices was a pet.......so this photo was 'made' for this challenge.Another page made for my 2012 album. 

As our Spring now appears to be over.......and we're back to cold and wet.....I'm off to check out the current challenge.

Is it finally here??

I'm not sure if I should say this......and my fingers are crossed.....but it is possible....maybe.....that Spring could just have arrived in the UK!!!!
I've spent yesterday afternoon in my garden......with temperatures in double figures.....without a coat......in the sun.
And despite the fact I'm sooooo behind with my gardening due to our everlasting prolonged winter....there's plenty of signs of Spring.

 lupins are just coming through

 day lilies are shooting up

geraniums are spreading

 the Spring rockery plants are flowering

the hydrangeas and buddleia have been cut back

 [with Chester supervising]

the rose leaves are opening

the plum tree is budding

the garlic chives are just beginning

and nothing says "Spring" like a little patch of daffs

phew......I think we may have made it......it's raining today.....but that,of course, is typical Spring weather in the UK!!!