Random news.......

So it's early on Tuesday morning and i have already been up for 3 hours - yes can you believe it, me up before the rest of the house, this is really quite unheard of.

The kids had a shock too - first thing they asked was - Is Daddy sick?

Unfortunately i just couldn't sleep - so thought it best to rise early in stead of just laying awake.

So my plans for the day have already changed - it should be a morning of mummy peace but unfortunately my little one is full of cold and not so sure Hannah should be at school, has developed a chesty cough, but has no temperature (at the moment) - so i have kept Sam home today.

I had planned to go to the local craft shop to see what delights i could find - but hey guess i am now saving pennies and will now make use of some of the mountain of unused stash i already have sitting in my room - too much to mention - thinking about it i might have a little clear out and see if i can find new homes for it.

Of course like so many other scrappers i am eagerly awaiting all the new lines from the CHA convention reaching our stores here in the UK, so need to save for them. I have seen a few new lines that i need, (lol) rather than want - 1 is the new line by October Afternoon, Cherry Hill - how awesome is this line

Have seen lots of embellishments that i quite like as well - from Prima, some beautiful flowers and the most delicate butterflies

So hopefully the goodies will be reaching the UK very soon.

On other news i was tagged by the lovely Vicki from confessions of a doll blog. This is quite a cool tag.

So here's how it works. You go to folder number 6 within your Photos on your computer and post the 6th photo in it.

So my 6th photo folder happens to be scanning i have done at my mums of various people and celebrations (there are hundreds i would love to scan - but don't always get the time) but my 6th photo is a picture of Dad, my older sister and myself - many many years ago. I am yet to scrap this - like so many, is sitting in a list of things to do. As many of you are aware i lost my Dad almost 2 years ago very suddenly to Cancer, so all photo's are now very precious.

My photo..................... sorry sister

Now i have to pass the tag onto another 5 people. I have chosen;

Amanda

Rachael

Angie

Sj

Annie

And lastly as we had a quiet weekend - as the next 3 weekend's we have parties to attend, Hannah decided to be creative with the Fimo Clay she received for Christmas form her Aunt.

Tim decided to follow the step by step instructions on how to make the cute teddy bear and Hannah used her own imagination and made a cute little cat to sit alongside Daddy's bear. I am totally in awe of both of their creations - they are amazing. Of course these had to be photographed.

Don't you think Hannah done well - she is only 5 after all, do i have a new Wallace and Grommet in the making (lol)............................................... she has now asked if i could buy her some more colours , and of course i will, i never mind spending pennies on things that get them to be creative rather than the normal DVDS, computer games etc etc or even chocolate and sweets.

So here they are Bear and cat................................ aren't they cute!!!!

So that's me for the time being - i do have some more news to share with you all when i can, it's a top secret at the moment - but fun.

Am also awaiting my new March kit from Cleo Crafts - time to start stalking my lovely postman again.

Have a lovely day and speak to you all soon

Take care

Sarah

oxox

Reveal Day has Arrived

Yeah........................... title explains it all really.

Today is the day that i am allowed to reveal my project for Cleo Crafts February kit. I had a total blast with this kit - when it arrived i knew instantly what i wanted to create and thus being perfect for upcoming Valentines day - i decided to do some little memento's for the children.

All the photo's used are of the children when they were 1 day old and all fast asleep - something that doesn't happen to often now. Love the pictures of them and brings back so many lovely memories of them all.

The hearts were cut from chipboard using a Creative Memories shape cutter, and then covered in the lovely paper and used various pieces both from the kit and my own stash to embellish them all.

I am really pleased with the outcome of them and they do look lovely hanging in my craft room.

If you feel you would like to sub to any future Cleo Monthly kits then click on the link on the right hand side and be sure not to miss out - i can tell you already that the March kit is looking even yummier.

So here you go. Will start of with Liam as he is the oldest...........

And now Hannah's

And last but no least my little Sam

So there they are - hope you like them and thank you so much for stopping by.

Have a great day

Take care

Sarah

xoxo

So Excited

So excited, look what i received!!!

An award for my Blog.

Emma of the excellent Scraps of my mind blog nominated me (shock horror) for Kreativ Blogger.

This means so much to me, obviously being my first little award as well.

With receiving this blog award, i now need to nominate 5 other blogs for the award and i must admit i do have a few favourites - here's hoping they don't already have one, although some of my favourites do already - so have had a long hard think and my final 5 are below.

The rules for the award are:

1.The winner may put the logo on their blog.

2. Put a link to the person that sent the award.

3. Nominate 5 other blogs.

4. Put a link to their blog on your blog.

5. Leave a message for the people you nominate.

So, i would like to nominate the following...................

1.Carole - 3 Dimensional Me, excellent work with fantastic eye for detail - lots of dimension in her layouts.

2. Jenn - My Creative Mess, Love this blog - funny, entertaining and lovely work.

3. Katie - She's Scrappy, Work just totally rocks, beautiful

4. Linda - Simple Things, Oh my, some past work has blown me away. Detailed and awesome.

5. Zarah - And in English, Beautiful, excellent use of embellishments.

The above blogs showcase excellent scrapping/altering crafts - totally blown away with the detailed work some of these ladies have shown - outstanding. Be sure to check them out.

So, hope you enjoy visiting these wonderful blogs.

I have some more news and reveals to share with you all - but will be back very soon

Have a lovely weekend

Take care

Sarah

A great start to the New Year

So, 2009 has got off to a good start - filled with exciting adventures and many things to look forward too.

As in my last post i had noted my resolutions for the year or rather what i would like to achieve this year and already some boxes are ticked.

Firstly i have booked to go on my first ever retreat and i can't wait - still have a whole 76 days to go, can you tell i am excited.

I am off to Northern Ireland in March for the Cleo Craft retreat with 17 other ladies for a whole weekend of fun, chatting, sight seeing and of course some scrapping (i hope). My flights are also booked - 3 of us on the same flight - which is good as i hate flying, but thankfully it should only take about an hour or so - least it's not long haul. So have this to look forward too.

I am also continuing my DT post with Cleo Crafts - so happy as i love this role tremendously - i am currently in the process of finishing off February's kit - which to be honest for me is my best yet - watch this space for some sneakies - have lots to reveal this month and guess what - have even seen next months kit :0)!!!!!

At the moment i am also doing another huge project which is top top secret, but do watch this space as all will be revealed soon.

I have been really lucky that the weather has been so cold here in England that it has meant i have been able to get on with my projects in time for the deadlines.

The temperature has dropped down to at least -9 on some days - never have i seen it so cold - but it did make way for some beautiful photography which is also a big goal for me this year. Although i do use my camera a lot i need to focus more on other subjects than the children.

As we had freezing fog on Friday night when we woke on Saturday morning everything was beautiful and white so i took the opportunity to go to the forest and experiment. I was so pleased with my efforts as i feel i captured some lovely photo's and as it was my first attempt think i didn't do to bad - here are a few of my snaps.

So as you can see i had a lovely time photographing nature.

Hopefully some of you might have some lovely photo's to share of the recent cold spell - if you do i would love to see some.

Here's hoping you have a lovely week and i will be back soon

Take care

Sarah

xoxo

A New Beginning - 2009!!!

WOW, We are already in 2009, it only seems like yesterday we celebrated 2008.

Happy New Year to you all and hope that the following year brings you health and happiness and of course but no least lots of scrapping!!!!!!

We had a lovely Christmas and a quiet New Year - and now today Tim is back to work and normality reigns again, although the children are not back to school until Tuesday.

So 2009, a new beginning for us - am hoping it will be filled with happiness and joy. I don't do New Year resolutions - never have done as i know i would keep to it for a week and then it would all go pear shaped. I do have a few things i would like to achieve this year though, 1, being a new hair style - yet to brave the scissors, will let you know if and when it happens, 2, to continue designing LO's and even better if i can be a DT member - i love the challenge and surprise of those pizza boxes, it really helps you to be creative. With thanks to Cleo Crafts i have been able to experience the fulfillment designing brings in the last few months and am grateful to both Louise and Tara for allowing me this opportunity.

My next goal is to go to a crop, monthly or a one off experience - i went to one last year a couple of times - but it was quite a drive and unfortunately the dates always clashed with something else - so hopefully i will be able to find a nearer one close to home, i actually still quite like the idea of setting one up myself but with the current climate it may not be a good idea just yet.

I am also very keen to go to Northern Ireland for a crop along the coast, but will have to see how the pennies go in the next few weeks and i will also have to pluck up the courage to get on a plane again - not something i think i can do, i hate flying the best of times, so deep in thinking about it at the moment but i know it would be a great weekend and one that i really feel i would like to go too.

So what did 2008 bring me, well as previously said a DT member for Cleo Crafts, much happier scrapping in size 8.5 x 11 in, my love for bling gems, and also that i am addicted to all new paper ranges - my collection is growing at some rapid rate, just wish i could scrap as fast.

I know from blog hopping around at the moment some people are showing their 10 best LO'S of the year, i am lucky if i have done 10 in the last year (lol), yes i scrap at alarming slow speed. But to say this i do have 3 favourites from the last year which are the following

Just add water

Forty Winks

And lastly, Angel

My style has changed alot in the last year, guess it's trying new techniques and plus there are so many new products to use the creativity will never stop - i hope.

I would like photography to play a big part in my life this year, have been thinking about applying for a college photography course - but feel i really should invest in a better camera first - something that needs deep consideration - hopefully this time next year i will be well on my way. Photo's are so precious and tell so many stories. I will leave you with my last photo of 2008 and my first from 2009 - yet again both of the children

2008

and 2009

Thank you for taking the time to stop by - i am now off to do some scrap booking - hopefully to produce my first LO of 2009.
Take care and i will be back soon

Sarah
xoxo

Christmas has been and gone

Well i can't believe how quick Christmas passed us by - it's gone so quick this year and already Tim is back to work tomorrow.

We had a lovely few days with family and we all got some lovely presents - our family have enjoyed receiving the Nintendo Wii, Wii fit and Family trainer - so much fun, so there has been a few days of competition between us all. I also got 2 tickets to go see Girls Aloud in April at the O2, can't wait to see them, will be Hannah's first concert too!!!

I will post more about Christmas in the next few days as i have some photo's to share with you all but i am here to reveal my LO for Cleo Craft's January kit that i believe is shipping very soon.

I really hope you like what i produced with this kit - i loved these papers as it enabled me to produce a masculine LO, perfect for Sam's 4th birthday a few weeks back.

Would love to see What you all create should you sub to the kit. If you fancy a kit or maybe subbing to Cleo Crafts kits then pop along too http://www.cleocrafts.co.uk/ .

Here's wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a healthy 2009.

Will be back soon for another update - Thank you to those of you ho have kindly left messages over the last few months - i really do appreciate it.

My final reveal for Cleo Crafts

And now for some details.......

Take care

Sarah

xoxo

10 days to go

and i am not doing too bad, near enough all presents bought - but not wrapped, lots of food already in the fridge - just the fresh food run to do next Tuesday hopefully and then the stress of cooking begins!!!

So as Tim is out at his monthly meet with the Responders tonight i thought i would use the time to update my blog.

Am guessing this week will go fast as the children finish school for the holidays - they all finish on different days which is just so annoying, so no lay in until Saturday.

They are getting extremely excited - we are now having a count down as they realise there are not many doors left on their advent calendars to open, can't wait to see their faces on Christmas morning as it will be Sam's first year for really understanding what it's all about - and boy is he clued up!!!! Love the magical of Christmas through the children's eyes - although Hannah has been asking some very awkward questions , like how does Santa come down the chimney if we don't have one - i can see her little mind ticking over trying to suss out if i am telling the truth or not - it's so hard trying to keep cool calm and collective on such an important topic - but think i am doing just OK at the minute - will pass her to Dad if they get to complicated (lol)!

So last week saw me receive another wonderful Cleo Craft kit for January - and it was so nice to see papers other than Christmas. Well now believe it or not - i have finished my project already and i am about to share my first sneak peek.

So what do you think?? If you fancy a kit then pop along to http://www.cleocrafts.co.uk/ and place an order today.

Some other news i would like to share is my Secret Santa Swap parcel i received last week, my god who ever bought this for me, knows me very well - so me, girly, pink, princesses and a lovely stamp - just adored it. I know i should not of even opened it yet - but when it comes to Christmas i am probably the biggest kid in the house - i just could not wait, not like my other team members - they are all being really good. So look what i got

Can't wait to use these goodies. We are off to panto this weekend to see Cinderella, what better way to use these papers - just hope i manage to get some good photo's.

Anyway guess i better sign off - clock is ticking and it's bed time for me.

Will be back in a day or two with some more preview's.

Take care

Sarah

xoxo