Few new goodies

Hi, thought I'd do a quick post to show some new goodies I brought recently from Crafty Charlie. I do a lot of posting for Ian when he sells things so I run up a tab & then treat myself to lovely things with the money lol! 

I love the MFT stamp set with Audrey Hepburn sayings. I thought this would be ideal for making "just because" cards, ie none birthday, anniversary? Etc cards. 

I also ordered the MFT Polaroid die as I thought this would be handy to add frames to any Instagram photos I print off, but again would make an interesting feature on any project. 

Finally I ordered some staple October Afternoon mini market stickers. I like using small stickers on titles and have been using some Authentique letter stickers but I'm getting to the annoying stage where key letters are missing lol!  

Highs & lows of summer

I had intended to do this post last night but alas just as we are finally given a hint of summer I was hit with a Summer Low:

Hay fever: I love the summer, being able to sit outside first thing in the morning to last thing in the evening; getting out and about without numerous layers on, but it doesn't like me. As soon as June and the dreaded yellow fields arrive I get a heightened sense of smell around flowers like Superman and start sniffling & sneezing, and if I'm really unlucky as I was yesterday puffy alien bug eyes! I think because we haven't really had a summer as such I've been taking it for granted and not always taking a tablet first thing each morning. I learnt my lesson yesterday. I took a tablet just before we left the house, and I mean just, and had my sunnies with me (a hay fever survival essential as well as to look stylish) but didn't have them on all the time. Within half an hour I was sniffling but thought it would ease once the tablet kicked in but come the afternoon my eyes were itching and puffy all because I didn't wear my shades for a few minutes, rookie mistake! As a result I sat all afternoon inside rather than in the sun with cold flannels & spoons on my eyes! 

But where there are lows there are Summer Highs: 

Strawberry Picking: 

think of summer and what do you think of? Ice creams on the beach, Pimms, Wimbledon & strawberries & cream! Luckily we have a PYO strawberry nearby at Rutland Water golf course. So off we tootled yesterday morning to the little blue shack in front of lines of poly tunnels, grabbed a punnet each and went picking. 

 When you enter the tunnel you instantly smell the heavenly smell of fresh strawberries, and even though one of the rules is that you must pay for your fruit before you eat it, I defy anyone not to pop the odd one into your mouth! After all we're only human! And boy oh boy do they taste good, we were picking at them in the car I'm surprised we had any left when we got home! 

I solemnly swear to blog more

As the title of this post says I solemnly swear to blog. I know I have said this before, & I will probably say it again, but I really want to make an effort to blog more. When I started this blog it was solely for my scrapping projects which is why it was hardly used as I only manage a couple of layouts a month. But now that is going to change! I would like to say because I'm going to be scrapping more but unless someone can create more time in the day that's not going to happen. Instead I'm going to probably bore most of you with what I've been up to day in day out, blame Gemma for this as she said on the way back from Meadow Barn in March that she likes reading about people's everyday life's lol!  I promise I'll try not to bore you my lovely readers too much although I probably already have! In truth since I got an iPhone a couple of weeks ago I've become addicted to Instagram and find myself taking more photos & documenting more things, perfect ammunition for blog posts! 

Anyway yesterday while in Asda I noticed they had 3 paperbacks for £10 and I spotted a book from my favourite author Sophie Kinsella straightaway. I soon picked out two other books, the follow up to The Devil Wears Prada & a book about an ice cream shop, and there you have my summer reads

Keep your eyes pealed for book reviews in the future! 

A delightful display

On Monday I went down with Jess to Bubble London to do some buying for spring/summer 2014, scary but true! It was a long day but we ordered some gorgeous bits for next summer, fingers crossed we'll have the nice weather to go with them! One supplier we saw had a cute beach theme to their stand complete with beach hut & sandcastles! 

Jess has just discovered the world of blogging & has launched a blog for the shop & as live as a working mum so please stop by and check it out http://bubbleandsqueakstamford.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

Love & hugs

Jess

Xx

Best laid plans and all that

Today has been a lovely day, warm but not too stuffy but I have a feeling that is all going to change tonight with bad weather working its way up. Today was my day off so after doing my jobs on town I thought I would do some scrapping in the garden. So I took out my cutting mat, some photos and my trimmer and set myself up on the table. 

However I got as far as trimming my photos to size and nothing else. Don't you hate it when you really want to do something but at the same time just can't be arsed! That's what I had today! I tried to pick some papers but just wasn't feeling it. So I went back inside hoping the urge would come after lunch but...nothing! Not one to miss out on the chance to enjoy the weather I swapped my photos and papers for a magazine and a glass of Rosé! 

Lots of love & hugs

Jess

Xx

A Bon Jovi Birthday

Well today I turned **yrs old! I've had a lovely day with some lovely pressies and lots of lovely cards and well wishes so thank you everyone xx

As I mentioned in my last post the celebrations started last weekend. The week before my boss handed me an envelope and told me to open it straight away. Inside was a birthday card and inside this was a ticket to go with her to see Bon Jovi the following weekend! Cue me screaming and very nearly crying!



Fast forward a week with me being only ever so excited to last Sunday, Because we Can day! We had seats so didn't need to leave early to queue up. We left a cloudy quite chilly Stamford and headed to Villa Park in Birmingham where Mr Sunshine came out to have a sing and dance too. Our seats were good with a great view of the stage



The stage was set to look like the front of a vintage American car, not a radio as I first thought when we sat down lol! As the night went on the video screen above the stage would change to look as though you were driving down the highway with the roof down.



This was my 6th time seeing them and I have to say they didn't disappoint. Mr Jon Bon was as gorgeous as ever and we sang and danced to a mix of new songs and the classics. The only downside was that there wasn't the same chemistry as normal. Richie has been missing from the tour, walked, quit, sacked no one knows, and replacement Richie as we called him wasn't the same. He had long curly hair and looked as though he should have been more at home in Metalica rather than Bon Jovi!

Love & hugs
Jess
Xx

A Room with a view

It's my birthday weekend and I'm currently stuffed with take away curry and drinking wine. I had an early celebration last Sunday but I will share that in another post, probably tomorrow if you remind me lol! Anyway as it was a showery day today we didn't fancy going out so I managed to do some scrapping. I only managed one LO which took me all afternoon on and off.

This weeks challenge on UKS was set by the Bijoux Belles who asked us to scrap an outdoor theme, to use blue & to use stripes. As soon as I saw outdoor theme I knew I had to scrap one of our many camping photos so I rummaged through my photo box and came up with this



This photo was taken when we first went to Shell Island in 2010. It was soon busy as the weather was gorgeous. On the island it is a first come first served basis where you can pitch wherever you like. We drove all around the island looking for the ideal spot and eventually found a small spot on a cliff overlooking the beach. Next to the tent were a few steps down to the rock pools and we had the best view in town.

I originally pulled the stripe paper to use as a background but felt it was too busy so I decided on the reverse of a Kraft Jillybean Soup paper as a background instead. These were the only new sheets of paper I used the others were scraps. I also used a Creative Memories doily makes with some Mister Hueys on the background. I used American Crafts Thickers and Kesi Art alphas for the title and added some washi tape, an Elle's studio pennant and a camping flair badge to the top corner.

Love & hugs
Jess
Xx

Sketchy Scrappers: Showtime

Another has whizzed past and we are now into the summer months, which means another Sketchy Scrappers reveal. This months sketch was set by yours truly and I chose this sketch from Nuts About Sketches



I picked out two photos from my trip to London and came up with this LO



These photos were taken as we took our seats ready to watch Wicked. I picked up on the browny blue tones in the photos for the papers. The base paper is the B side of a piece of Echo Park, the others are Papermania & MME. I then chose some American Crafts Thickers and added some buttons and job done!



Love & hugs
Jess
Xx

Siblings

I like to try and manage at least one of the weekly challenges on UKS, so last night I sat down and completed this weeks. I had already chosen my photo & papers & had an idea of what I wanted to do on Monday when the challenge went live but it took all week to find time to do it (well it is a weekly!) For this weeks challenge we had to use this sketch



We also had to use pink and/or blue, and include punches and/or stamping. I picked another photo from my brothers wedding and came up with this



The photo is of myself and my brother. I admit I did a lot of tooing and froing in my head over what I wanted to do for this layout. I thought about using strips of Washi tape behind the photo instead of paper, then I thought about misting through the negative of a punched flower where the butterflies are but as you can see I did neither!

I matted the photo onto two different pieces of Crate Paper from the Pocket full of Posies Quirky Kit, and then onto some netting for texture also from the kit. The blue punched paper is Teresa Collins from the Roly Poly Lite Quirky Kit. Above this I layered a piece of Washi Tape and a MME sticker.






I then stamped some butterflies onto a piece of Papermania scrap and used the beads from the Quirky Kits as a trail. I slipped some hidden journaling into the Alison Kreft bag from the kit and slipped it between the layers.



Love & hugs
Jess
Xx