Weekend at Dalby Forest

Last weekend saw us travelling back to Pickering for the MTB Cross Country World Cup. I'm not a biker at all but love going to the racing cheering on the riders.

Friday night was the Pro Sprint Eliminator around the centre of Pickering. The riders race in groups of four around the town, down tight alleys and even through someones garden!

Saturday was the first day of Cross Country racing. Last year one of Ian's heros, Thomas Frischknecht, was racing. He was there again this year but this time to cheer on his son who was taking part in the juniors.

 Of course no trip is complete without our fury friend Vern! Not to be left out he came along and even wore a British Cycling sticker to cheer on our riders.

He even tried to have some of Ian's cake!

We also found we were famous! We made it into the programme (I'm the one with the Shram Bam Bam's!)

First Page of Leah's Album

A few months ago I was asked but my Auntie Barbara to make a scrapbook of family photos for my cousins daughter Leah. We sadly lost nan at the start of the year and Leah loved looking through the old photo albums so rather than just giving her an album of photos, my Auntie thought it would be nice to present them in a scrapbook. A few weeks ago she dropped the scrapbook and some photos around but as we were going catsitting that week I decided it best not to start straight away unless I wanted a little kitty helper! Anyway I managed to make a start on it this weekend using this months sketch on Sketch & Scrap but you're going to have to wait until next week to see that one...sorry but its the rules lol!

Last night I sat down though and managed to finish another page which I can share with you now.

This photo is of my mum and dad, Leah's Uncle & Auntie, on their wedding day in 1976. That summer there was a nationwide drought but the day they got married the heavens opened and it poured all day, so much so that my dad says it was dripping through the church roof onto the register! The papers used are ones I brought ages ago when I started scrapping but have never used!

Stay tuned for the next page at the end of the month lol!

Cat Sitting

This week we have been looking after my furry niece and nephew while my brother and his girlfriend have been away in Egypt.

Meet Spook

And Axle 

Spook is laid back, lazy and very greedy while Axle is cheeky and mischievous. While she is quite happy to flop (and I mean flop) down anywhere after eating her food and trying to eat his, Axle will mew away to himself and run from one and of the room to the other, creeping up on Spook and pouncing her. Or as he has done on a couple of occasions jump up onto the dining table before jumping on top of the kitchen door! He also likes to watch television with us...

Like most people last Friday we sat and watched the wedding. Wasn't it lovely so laid back and genuine, not stuffy and pompous like some Royal weddings can be. To celebrate Ian and I had a mini tea party

.

I would like to say I made all the cakes myself but my baking skills only go as far as chocolate cornflake cakes! The Victoria sponges and carrot cakes are from Weight Watchers lol!

The reason I am a bike widow!

Its been a whole month since i last posted! I'm sorry the new shop I'm working in has opened and all is going great, my new bosses are lovely and we've had alot of positive feedback from customers. Anyway seems as its been a month it must be Sketch n Scrap time again!

This months sketch was set by Dee

I must admit I sat pondering this sketch for a long time as I'm not one for multi photo layouts, 2 photos tends to be my limit. The problem was trying to find a subject I had alot of photos of, then it hit me... BIKES! Ian is forever building up his bikes, riding them for a bit, taking oodles of pictures of them before dismantling them and moving onto the next. I am a bike widow!! I think if there was a fire some of the bikes would probably get saved before me lol! Anyway here is my layout...

I recently brought a grab box from Sarah's Cards which included a transparency sheet which I have never used before so used this for the circle. The sketch also gave me the opportunity to use my new Martha Stewart Bangle chain punch which reminded me of a bike chain.

Sketch & Scrap plus a sneaky one shh!

Its that time of the month again to upload our Lo's for the Sketch & Scrap challenge. This month we had this sketch to inspire us set by the lovely Sandra

Heres my interpretation of the sketch. The photo is of Buster after his busy afternoon playing with Ducky Poo. I also set myself a challenge to use old papers I've had since I started scrapbooking but have never used

Now for the sneaky one! I did a Lo at the wkend of one of my favorite pics of Ian when he was little. When I finished it though he insisted that it doesnt go onto UKS as he doesnt want everyone see him when he was little... so instead I'm going to post it here! Shh its a secret!

I got the idea of the photo mount from a Lo by Kirsty Maluga in an old issue of Scrapbook magazine which is where the free American Crafts papers also came from. Remember not a word!

A New Do

Well spring is in the air finally, and to celebrate a new season plus a new job (the shops opens next week) I went to the hairdressers today and got a new do! What do you think?

Latest Purchases

I've been both good and bad lately. Good in the sense that I have resisted buying anymore stash, but bad in that I've been buying other things instead hehe!

First up are a couple of new additions to my Momiji doll collection. There is a new range out called the Book Club which these two belong to. Danielle "enjoys reading cook books and dreams of becoming a pastry chef", while Alex "enjoys reading about magic and predicting the future."

The other thing I brought is a new laptop bag. We've been looking for a new one for a little while, Ian wanted one with super cars on I said no, I wanted a Twilight Edward Cullen one he said no! So I was surprised when he agreed to this one ...

A Bon Jovi bag!!!!! I'm a happy bunny! x