Leo's pressie

Well my aim for 2011 is to make pressies for special people in my life, and here is the next one. It is for Leo's 1st birthday pressie. He didn't seem all that bothered, but his mum liked it ;o)

I am just finishing off my sister's birthday pressie - but I can't put it on here yet in case she see's it!

Next for me is to start my Disney scrapbook....have all the photos and papers etc, just need the energy!

My exciting news has paid off! I have been asked by my work to design and deliver a scrapbooking course. Not intimidating at all then?!!!

Busy busy busy!

So I gave my friends their canvases and they loved them! Felt all warm and fuzzy, especially as there wasn't any reason for them so they weren't expecting them! So I am continuing with the 'making something for something just because....' theme. My next one is going to be a wedding keepsake box. However, when I asked her to tell me what her colours were I got:

Its all retro/vintage 'make do and mend' so all the Cath Kitson floral colours, without the red. xx

OMG - how am I supposed to use that information?!!!

Mum has now got a gorgeous little puppy called Lilly. She is sooooo cute, I was quite tempted to pinch her! This is her and Ollie having their first afternoon together!

Dad calls her Lilo Lil which has not gone down well - but we think the name might stick!

Here is a birthday card I have made (SHOCK HORROR!). We have a rota at work for birthday cards and the last person buys the next persons card. Except I made mine. Have to say I did go a bit over the top!!

So I have some exciting prospects coming up - going along the 'don't wait for your doors to open - just knock the bloody things down yourself' philosophy!!! I have a meeting tomorrow, so I may have some good news soon!!!

buddies!

I have been very thoughtful over the last week or so about my friendships. I am very lucky to have some great 'virtual' friends, who are crafty, fun and real in every sense! And I make things for them and chat to them all the time. But as I have been making my December book I realised how many wonderful friends I have in my life, here in 'real life'!! One of my virtual friends has really upset me and I have spent a long time worrying and trying to think what I have done to deserve the treatment, and then a friend who I see everyday got me some flowers the other day, just because I went to pick her up from the station cos it was cold.....and this got me thinking. I really do not appreciate the people I see everyday, who hug me, make me laugh / cry / dance / sing etc etc. I completely take them for granted, and I shouldn't! I love my virtual friends and so I am lucky to have both kinds!

And then I went onto my Facebook page and looked at all the people I have on there, and some of them I dread updating their status because they are always so negative or moany! and others I really disliked them at school! and some I can't even remember from school - so I removed them! It is soooooo liberating!

So I have made a promise (not a resolution cos I NEVER keep them!) to spoil my friends and show them how much I appreciate them. So I have made 4 of my friend's a canvas each. We met up over christmas, stayed in and ate too much and it was fantastic! Scarily I have known these women in total 55 years!! We have gone through births, deaths and marriages (and a couple of divorces too!) and I am very lucky to have them! I made one of them a quilt, but other than that they have only ever had cards from me......which is rude! One of them has a card I made her 5 years ago on her bookshelf....so hopefully she can update that now!

So now I am off to make something else for someone else...... don't know what or who yet!

ABC Update

It seems I haven't updated the last of my ABC pages. I am sad we didn't end the journey together, but I am glad I have done this. I just have X and V to go. X I keep thinking of xmas. I do have another one I want to do but it means getting staged photos and I'm not a huge fan of that so I think it will be xmas.....and V I have no idea!! All I can think of is Very >>> lucky or happy or something like that!

These aren't in order, so sorry for that!

Z was easy for me, I knew as soon as we started this what I was going to do for Z. For my 30th my sister got me a zoo keeper for a day pressie at Chester Zoo. This is me feeding the lemurs.

These are practice shots my hubby did when he got his new camera - love them!

A bit of a cheat here - N for 1972 lol! The tags say what happened in 1972 (apart from me being born!).

This is a page for my paternal side. These are pictures from my mum and dad's wedding day, with my dad, Uncle Ernie and Grandad.


This was a fav picture, taken in France with hubby trying to convince Ollie to get in the water. Now we can't keep him out!

This is one of my fav pictures of the Lakes. The page is on an acetate sheet but you couldn't see that in the original photo!

So any ideas for V would be VERY much appreciated! ;o)

Days of December book

(Monty just trying to help!)

And my first christmas card of 2011 - for Hazel's challenge.

Happy New Year

Hello! Thought I would dust off my little blog - one of my resolutions!

Have had a great few months. Now work in a fantastic team that make it a pleasure to go into work - am very happy there. Also, I have got my mojo back BIGTIME! Can't stop crafting at the moment! I am currently doing 25 days of December book. This is my third one and I do love going back and reading my others. I am doing it on my own this year, so I was worried that I wouldn't finish it but I am on day 18 and itching to go back into my room! Plus I am a bit chuffed as I have not bought anything new to do it, it is all existing stash so feels even better! One thing it has made me appreciate is how much time I spend with people I care about - almost every day is a day filled with smiles and hugs. I know this is the case, but to see it in a scrapbook makes it even better iykwim!! I have also got a list of to do's, including some canvases for friends, sewing projects and scrapbooking. Just a shame I have to work cos it does get in the way sometimes!

Since August I have been going to Slimming World. I never thought I would enjoy it so much - I love cooking (who'dve thought!) and have lost 2.5 stone so far! Another one of my resolutions is to walk alot more. There is no point living in the Yorkshire Dales and visiting the Lakes every weekend to not make the most of it! We have done two walks so far, one to the moors and one around Embsay res. I have to say, I have not found it too hard - so the loss is paying off already!

These are some piccies from Embsay Res, man it was bloody cold! The first one is Yorkshire's version of pebble skimming! The ice sounded really weird, the noise echoed round the whole res - very eerie.

And this was our walk yesterday - up on the moors, again flipping cold!

This is my first ever beacon touch - felt very proud to do that one!

So, here we are - crafting and walking, and life is gooood!