A weekend away.........................................

Ever since I began my blog properly with Shimelle's class ''Blogging for Scrapbookers'', I have soooooooooooo hoped for a get together. And last weekend it happened, squeal of excitement. Ten brave, or alternatively  read mad, scrapbookers and crafters arranged to meet at a Youth Hostel in darkest Shropshire for a weekend of fun, eating, friendship and crafting. And that is exactly what we got.
Here are a few pictures of what we got up to and I will tell more of our antics later.

The front cover of my Christmas journal...............

 A beautiful card made by Jimjams................

 K, Lizzie and Alexa......................

 One of the old pottery kilns.......................

Our gorgeous youth hostel.........................

a surprise parcel................................

my surprise............................

Clair's wrapping class.....................

things I made...........................

the bracelet Clair is making for me (it snapped when she had almost finished it naughty wire.............)

and the beautiful Mel writing secret letters shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...................

In other news, I am off to be Mary Poppins to the cutest twins next week. Journal Your Christmas begins tomorrow with Shimelle and I am meeting my 2 girlfriends for a trip to London. Plenty to talk about if the twins let me have a minute off.

Today.............................

So it is the end of the week and a few things have happened................

Today I went to visit my friend Nancy in Colorado (well her blog anyways) and found this list so I am completing it at her behest.

Today I hoped it wouldn't rain.........................yeah right it is doing just that as I write.

Today I dreamed 

............a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving....................

Today I forgot to feel sad,

Today I heard that Benedict Cumberbatch is voicing the dragon in ''The Hobbit''.

Today I said ''I love you'' to my friend Luke

Today I read Alexa's blogpost and found her free digital downloads............

So I made this page in honour of her talent and also Mel's blogpost about scrapbooking pictures of yourself.

The papers and elements are by Meredith Cardall and called Apple Eye and can be found here.  The type is Travelling Typewriter and Ali Edwards own font of her handwriting.


Today I watched the final episode of ''The Shadow Line'' which has been such a brilliant series on BBC2. If you've missed it then watch it on iplayer.


Today I believed that prayers are answered.

Today I felt happy for the first time in ages and my friend said it was lovely to hear me laugh, aw bless.

Today I wondered what would happen this weekend

Today I bought a Fry's Chocolate cream.....................yummy.

Today I cleaned the kitchen in readiness to make cupcakes for Father' day and my mum's birthday

Today I was me.

Please pop by tomorrow when I will be a part of the second Colour Combo bloghop.............

Great crafting ideas.................

So today, I am still sick, went to the GP who has signed me off for this week with a viral infection which apparently is doing the rounds. She also wants me to have some blood tests, won't bore with the details. Anyway, as I cant go out photographing today, I thought I'd send you to some tutorials which I found today on some of the blogs I follow:

• the first one is a rose tutorial, similar I think to Tim Holtz and can be found here. Looks dead easy to make but really effective. Save abit of money too as these are quite similar to some Prima roses and you could glitz them up with different designed paper, stickles, glitter and flowersoft. You can find the link here at Minor Stamping  where Lourae does some brilliant crafting,

• the second is from Emy's craft blog, she is one of our classmates from Love your pictures if you're joining in and she has made a wonderful minibook of some of her sunrise and sunset pictures using card and acetate. She is also a wellknown scrapbooker in Bristol and has been published this month in Scrapbook Magazine.

• the third idea comes from Ideas for Scrapbookers  where Sara has given a g8 tutorial for making an original circle border on a layout using cirlces of card. This is an easy but effective way to make a border and again use up some of your card/patterned papers.

• next comes a new digital template designer the lovely Mel, she has designed her first one and is offering it for free, it's a simple design but looks really effective with all your digital goodness added, and of course dont forget you can hybrid scrap digital templates too.

• Finally I'd like to send you to my friend Sian's house where she blogged about some inspiring blog ideas hereself at the weekend. Sian writes a humerous scrapbooking blog where her wit and personality definately make her blog one to watch.

Anyway thanx for stopping by and I hope you enjoy visiting some new blogs and finding some new ideas to share and utilise in your own projects.

Three things.

Mel had this on her blog this afternoon so I thought I'd play..............

Three names I go by:

1. Joanna
2. Jo-jo
3. Jo

Three places I've lived:

1. Southampton
   
2. Cambridge
3. Whitechapel, near the Jack the Ripper sights!!!1
   

Three places I've worked:

1. SCBU, Special Care Baby Unit,
   
2. Teashop
   
3. Supermarket
   

Three things I love to watch:

1. The sea
2. My cats playing silly games............seriously!!!
   
3. Doctor Who

Three places I have been:

1. Alice Springs
   
2. Paris
   
3. San Francisco
   

Three things I love to eat:

1. Sausages
   
2. Chocolate buttons
   
3. Any kind of cupcakes
   

Three things I'm looking forward to this summer:

1. My mum's 70th birthday
2. Starting my new job
   
3. Having some cash I can use to buy my family a meal and the ubiquitous new bras!!!!!!!
   

It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes...........

Personally I dont recommend this as my body is not in the full prime it used to be in. Is that a muffled laugh I hear? Ok it never has been prime muscle but I would not put you all through the terror of seeing me in my bikini...............althoug we did have a discussion about crocheted bikini's at the weekend as my friend had got one in her crochet book and ther was a story told about crocheted thongs and waterslides. I'll leave the rest to the imagination.
Firstly congrats on Saturdays bloghop, I would say ti was resounding success. So many amazing minibooks and Los, well done everyone and thanx again Mel for organising..........gratutitous applause. Secondly I had a Fab time scrapbooking this weekend at Scrapamia in Southampton. Saw Shimelle and did a minibook class. She is working on a top secret new project for us online class lovers which will be revealed in the not too distant future. Keep ur eyes and ears open. She was in fine form and I had my piccie taken with so u can see proof I saw her. The weekend was fun but tiring mainly cos it was so hot and we had no windows to open. But the event was well organised and I tried lots of new ideas. I will do some posting over the next few days to show u what I did.
Thirdly the next step in my job application is completed as I had to go to Occupational Health today for my check-up. The doctor was happy for me to start ASAP so just the CRB and the references etc to get back now. Things are looking up.
So I will see u all later this week for Scrapamia reveals. Thanx for all the lovely comments about my book and part 2 will be coming.....................;-)

All about me challenge.

HELLO BLOGHOPPERS AND HAPPY Saturday to you all. Now I know it's Thursday but u have arrived early to Mel's All about me bloghop. I have had to post early as I dont trust blogger to post accurately as it has let me down before. So if u are here on Thursday welcome and have a pre-bloghop read, if it's Saturday join in the fun as we hop across the world to visit over 20 lovely blogs who will show you there crafting acitivities for this blog challenge. Here is a list of everyone taking part in case you get lost.......................

I Speak Melsh (http://ispeakmelsh.blogspot.com) links to

Gallo Organico (http://gallorganico.blogspot.com) who links to

Life At The Gables (http://lizlee-liz.blogspot.com) who links to

Everyday Life of a Suburban SAHM (http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com) who links to

Hootings of an Owl (http://emhowl.blogspot.com) who links to

Helena's Creative Maven (http://helenascreativemaven.blogspot.com) who links to

PaperTurtle (http://paperturtle.blogspot.com) who links to

Blodwyn3's Night's Dream (http://blodwyn3snightsdream.blogspot.com) who links to

Heather's Scraps (http://heathers-scraps.blogspot.com) who links to

Kitty Scrapper (http://kittyscrapper-nancy.blogspot.com) who links to

{Behind the Purple Door} (http://purplecrazymum.blogspot.com) who links to

Curlyscrapbooker (http://curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com) who links to

From High In The Sky (http://fromhighinthesky.blogspot.com) who links to

Den's Crafty Diary (http://www.deecie.blogspot.com) who links to

Deb's World (http://www.debs14.blogspot.com) who links to

Over At Our Place (http://overatourplace.blogspot.com) who links to

Five... (http://www.joolsg.com/blog) who links to

Scrap Dreams (http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com) who links to

Journal of Curious Things (http://journalofcuriousthings.blogspot.com) who links to

A Roof of One's Own (http://gotham-gal.blogspot.com) who links to

Havoc and Mayhem (http://www.havocandmayhem.com) who links to

Enjoy The Ride Today! (http://www.enjoytheridetoday.blogspot.com) who links to

Captured On Film (http://mrsbeee.blogspot.com) who links back to

I Speak Melsh (http://ispeakmelsh.blogspot.com)

Ok so first off thanx to Mel for playing hostess and being the brains behind the idea. Secondly thanx to Stacy Julian for her free class on Big Picture Scrapbooking. If any of you find this hop fun and would like to make ur own minibook then please go on over and sign up for free. There are loads of fun, free classes to join in with as well as ones to buy. They are all excellent and lots of fun, plus you learn loads too.

So back to the hop. The premise of the hop is to make a minibook all about yourself and here is mine.......................
I stuck some red cardstock to the tin and added ricrac to tie everything together once complete. The letters are Sassafrass and the other elements are Cosmo Cricket and handmade flowers.
I used a tin from Woodware which had a minibook accordian book inside and I made more pages to make it bigger.

This is one complete side of pages from the book
The front cover with photo of yours truly. I painted chipboard in blue acrylic paint and used a Sassafrass frame for my picture.
Here are the first 2 pages. The acrylic tags are by Maya road in this book. The writing reads: my lounge, sunsets, beautiful views, spring bulbs, summer, autumn leaves, winter snow, crucifix, books and singing.. The picture is the clematis by my lounge window.

I distressed the edges with Distress inks and attached coloured card and paperstock to make the pages stronger as they were abit flimsy. I then chose a range of photographs which say something about me and which I really love and attched them randomly to the pages, along with some quotes and poetry which I really love.
I love my orginal 80s music and this picture collage shows some of my faves. I still love Depeche Mode and Human League and the album by The The is one of my all time favourites. The quote wouldnt photograph properly but reads ''After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible in music'' by Aldous Huxley.
These ladies are 2 of my closest friends and I am seeing them for the first time in 6 months on Thursday. They are truly inspirational women in so many different ways and have taught me alot about being a Christian, a friend and about myself too. They have supported me through the worst times of my life. The quote reads ''What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in 2 bodies'' by Aristotle.
Oooh David Tennant yummy! Oh sorry ran away with myself then...................anyway, I love DT, most excellent actor and best Dr Who ever. The next picture is my Easter cupcake extravaganza. There were eggs and glitter and I love them. The quote is from Winnie the Pooh a truly wise old bear who says...............'' Just because as animal is large, It doesnt mean he doesnt want kindness, however big Tigger seems to be remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo!''.................awwwwww. I love Pooh.

Next pages are local images from my flat and at Wells moat
My fave coffee establishment.........................

One of my favourite books.....................the quote reads...............'' Our talents are the gifts God gives to us........What we make of our talents is our gift back to God'' by Leo Buscaglia. So the next time someone bemoans ur time scrapbooking tell them ur using ur talents as a gift for God.

The only problem was I couldnt fit in everything I wanted to share so another minibook will have to be made................All about me the sequel. It could become a franchise and a movie!!!
Now Stacy also suggested some questions to answer and these are mine:

1. What is your favourite indulgence..................I love going to Starbucks and having a Cafe Latte with their raisin toast and butter. I read a g8 book or magazine or simply watch the world go by.
2. If you had one afternoon to do anything what would you do?................I would drive to Lyme Regis in Dorset and walk along the Cobb. I would stand on the end and breath in the sea air, then go and look for fossils on the beach and treat myself to an icecream with a chocolate flake.
3. What is something you use everyday and could do without but wouldnt want to?..................I could do without car food but Holly and Willow would rebel and as I love them I put up with it.
4. What is something you buy in bulk just to make sure you have it?.....................pasta and tins of chopped tomatoes.
5. Where in your home do you love to be?..........................I love my lounge as it looks out across the other apartments here and when I have the window open I can hear the birds and cows. It is also a g8 place to craft and relax.
6. What in nature most inspires you?............................beautiful sunsets, rainbows, gorgeous views and cute fluffy animals.
7. What store wouldnt you live without?......................unlike my friend who said Asda, I couldnt live without Scrapbook shops or anywhere that sells cute household objects.
8. What is a little thing you do to spread cheer?..............................I love giving flowers and sending cards and I love speaking to my friends on the phone, oh and of course I hope I spread cheer through myblog
9. What is your happiest colour.........................bright pink!!!!
10. What book(s) have change your perspective on life...........................the more I read and learn from the Bible I find myself understanding my life and the life I want to lead. I have also read many other g8 books such as ''The Alchemist'' by Paulo Coelho and Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain. I love to read anyway but those 3 stick in my mind the most.
11. What is your favourite season?.................................spring for the spring flowers and baby lambs, summer for beautiful sunny days, autumn for childish leaf scuffing and winter for snow and frost.
12. What is ur fave symbol......................the cross/crucufix. It is such a simple object to look at but carries so much meaning.
13. Do you have a collection?...........................I have several but mainly books. I have books everywhere.
14. What is something you are really good at?..............................singing!
15. List 3 words that describe you...................................bubbly, loyal and intelligent

So I hope you have learnt some new things about me and will continue to hop on to the next blog who is the lovely Sian from the Emerald Isle, home of Guiness, lephrechauns and U2. G8 combination. She lives in the tall house with the tall one, the small one and the accountant and writes very witty and informative blogs. So hop on over to check out her All about me post. Au revoir etc.

Sorted.

Today I have finished my minibook for Mel's bloghop on Saturday. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. I have used up aload of scraps of card and paper and some cute embellishments. After yesterdays quiz and Saturday's hop u should know loads about me.
I have also been working on my flower for Saturday at Scrapmamia. I have got a piece of Oasis and pushed it into an old cardboard Starbucks cup. I painted the cup brown and will add some embellishments once dry. I have also covered a piece of doweling with green ribbon as I wanted to make a flower in a pot and then I can sit it on my workspace for the weekend and use it as a home decoration when I get home. Cute huh? I will post piccies when I finish.


In other news, last night I went to the library where Sheila Chandra, the author and singer/songwriter, was talking about her book ''Banishing Clutter Forever''. It was well attended by ladies, either this means men feel no need to sort out their clutter/didn't feel it was a manly thing to do or else sent their wives/girlfriends/mothers to do the research and report back. Anyway it was a g8 evening and Sheila talked really fluently and with alot of personal insight. Now I am a terrible hoarder and really bad at completing tasks. Luckily for you guys, scrapbooking doesnt seem to have the same task completion problem for me. I wonder why? Anyway she talked alot about decluttering your office space and we discussed emails. Today I have decluttered my email inbox by sorting out 920 emails into appropriate folders and deleting the rest. I now have an empty intray!!!1 Wow arent I good..................please give me a pat on the back.
One of the other things she described was how to declutter your wardrobe. Now to be honest I dont have that many clothes as alot dont fit, and I cant afford new ones so I live in the same small capsule of clothes. Sheila's idea is to open your wardrobe and look at it. You need to think of 3 words which describe you as well. Next starting at one end of ur clothes rail, you pick out all the clothes and try each one on. Does it fit? Is it past it's sell buy date? Does it fit your 3 word description of yourself? If the answer is no you bin it or send it to the charity shop. Then you sort your clothes by colour starting with black and working through to white so all your black trousers are together etcetera.
I am going to sit and read the book through properly, it is only a smallish paperback and cost £7.99. There is also a website and blog for further help and inspiration. I hope this helps me become a better homeowner and be more efficient and tidy. I'll let you know.
Do you have any inherent problems you feel need a good inspirational book/teacher to improve your life?

Mel's 8th picture challenge!

Mel had a challenge on her blog yesterday which she had found found somewhere on the web which said to find ur 8th file of pictures and to blog the 8th picture in the file so here is mine..................the angel on the top of the xmas tree!!!

I have had her for a number of years and I think she originally came from The Pier. They seem to have lots of unusual decorations there each year. This year I couldnt buy any newbies for the tree. I love my angel cos she is folksy and I love handmade things as u know and she has a cute apparel and facial expression,. She sits at the top of the tree for the xmas period never complaining and each year when she comes out of the wrapping paper she is in g8 condition. I think she is heading for about 15 years old now so not bad for a teenager. She is always well behaved and never back chats her mother!!!!!
So today I am working on making my flower for Scrapamia and also completing my All about me project minibook for this weekends challenge. Some sneaks to come soon. Watch this space and if u want to give the challenge a go hop over to Mel's for the instructions and joinus this weekend.