Homeward bound...

How quickly it's all over,we are all packed up - I hate this bit. When you know you are going home and you just want to be there!
I had a lovely surprise yesterday,it's actually my birthday today ( that's half the reason we came away this time as I couldn't bear being at home with Dad not around) I suppose it's another hurdle over..anyway- enough melancholy! One of the ladies from the reception at the villas here knocked and gave me a bottle of wine and cake so we could enjoy birthday celebrations yesterday as we are travelling today- how kind.

I even got to sit and play with paper for a while too..bliss

By all accounts and reading blogs lately I think it might be a tad wet when we get back- boo.

Well, I think it's time to make tracks - here's a wee collage of some of our trip..

Thank you Kamezi Villas for a fantastic stay.

Busy doing nothing

How tired you get doing not much at all! Our days have been lazy.....

Yesterday himself went along to the bar to watch football 'a crunch game' apparently...while he was along there,I settled myself down and did a bit of scrappy stuff. Yep I did actually  bring some paper and glue and sticky bits. I suppose It's that little bit of home. I finished a layout that I started at home using one of the Simple Stories new ranges.

The one thing that is really fascinating me here is the way the cacti are just growing wild..

I know - I'm odd- but when you think that we nurture them at home and seem to take such special care with them and over here they just grow by the seafront with wind and the elements bashing them. I'm a bit obsessed with taking photos of them.Himself thinks it's hilarious..

And last night on the walk to the restaurant I spotted some Poinsettias just growing along the way.

So- all good so far,lots of flower photos and odd ones of him and odd ones of me - must try and get some together.

It's nice to be able to do a little online diary of this to look back on later.I hope my obsession with the cacti isn't too boring- I suspect there might be a few cactus layouts when i get home..

Lanzarote day one

This is the first time we have taken a laptop with us on holiday - it's nice to have to be able to keep in touch. It was up bright and early this morning, we were so lucky, the flight was on time, check in was painless and all was well. After a four hour flight we were here- all that stressing beforehand - packing,washing,shopping - yesterday the thoughts were 'is it worth it?'.....

We managed to find the car hire people, located the car, worked out the directions and were on our way - AND we had no cross words over the map!

We found ourselves driving along the most amazing volcanic rock landcape -just like the moon ( or how I imagine the moon!) we even caught the camel convoy as we were driving along.

I'm determined to get some photos to scrap as I haven't had many lately...then we found our villa - what a cool name 

We were not disappointed- it's lovely - with a gorgeous view over the sea- now we are off to explore and find something to eat and a supermarket...so-over and out for now.

Weekend catch up

Well, where do I start? The weekend was so relaxed and fun, good company, good food and great classes..most of my time was spent with Jane and Karen,and lots of other lovely ladies.
I've still got loads of things to finish - all waiting for me in the tote.I was also chuffed that Mel and Jill who run the retreat  asked me to run a make and take on Sunday afternoon on distress inking.

I

I'm all fired up now to have a real sort out in my craft room and get it back to some sort of neat order. We are off for a break to Lanzarote in a couple of days so the boys are in charge of the house and the dog.They are under strict instructions to walk and feed him and not forget to change his water and all those other little jobs. AND wash up - especially as the dishwasher decided to give up the ghost!.Will have to wait till we get back for a new one.
So without further ado here are some of the pages I did manage to get finished....Mel's Prima Almanac class - two layouts - this one is an old photo of me when I was about two with my brother and my dad
                                                                              
   










and this one is an old one of himself and
me that I really like

Next up was Debbie's class using Crate
Paper's random collection...we made the flower using voile and a heat gun to shrink it and ruffle the edges..








                                                       




Then it's on to Karen Cole's double layout using Webster's Pages Everyday Poetry..

I know I posted this before from my phone but I really,really liked this one,we got very inky and messy in this class- using Glitz French Kiss papers and Prima canvas resist butterflies and flowers..lovely- another one of Mel's classes.
                                                                                                                                                                                              
             
So that's a bit of a round up so far.I hope your weekend was a good one too-be back soon!

Having fun

Time is whizzing by here. I was so happy last night as we had Lasagne and it was yummy. I'm doing this from my phone so I hope it works. 6 classes so far - three layouts finished and loads to do still. This afternoon we spritzed and inked using canvas resist
this was two of my boys when they were younger. The other is Prima Almanac and is of me aged two with Dad and my brother.
Here's hoping this works

Like a child at Christmas

Ooooh - the excitement is mounting here - my tote's packed to the brim,I've sorted my mini tote out, all the glues are together, all the paintbrushes and tools are together, I've got rid of all the bits of paper and odd sticky letters that get stuck on things,and I've actually found a few things I thought I'd lost - tut ! Blimey, how do other people stay so neat and tidy and  organised?
Tomorrow morning,it'll be a quick shower, pack clothes,make sure I've got enough kits,paper,card,to keep me going- toast and tea - then off - want to know where?
I'm off to the gorgeous Stoke By Nayland hotel for the A Trip Down Memory Lane retreat.The view is lovely from inside the hotel.

 

and their lasagne is to die for

and maybe tomorrow evening I might  have one of these - just because...

but most of all I will be spending time here...

It will be lovely to escape for a couple of days - I'll miss them at home but it will fly by I know...
back soon with photos.

Ten images on the tenth

From my weekend......

Nothing majorly exciting,middle son came home for the weekend with his girlfriend-and my Camelia bloomed!

Only one flower but it's a start.

♥ A Happy Saturday ♥

What a lovely day we had yesterday. The Eclectic Keepsakes crop wasn't on due to lots of Easter happenings and people having other things planned,and as Jane and I had said we would be going-Karen kindly invited us over to her house for a day of scrappiness.

we were greeted with a cuppa and some lovely cakes

then it was a little bit of chat a little bit of craft, a little bit of giggly stuff

trying very hard to work out how to do the 10 second timer and get back in shot and  get Keira in the picture facing the front with her toy in her mouth!

Success !

Then - we sampled Karen's recipe from last week's blog hop (which I hasten to add had  some yummy recipes) for lunch...

I even managed to do a layout

Such a lovely day- all too soon it was time to come home -thanks Karen it was great :-)

A layout and more Creative Chemisrty

Last week was a bit strange for me - the probate came through - a bit of an emotional feeling seeing it all in black and white and dad's house has now gone on the market.It's hard to believe that two months have gone by already.So I've been a bit pre-occupied,but now I have to get a grip and get back to normal.I wouldn't want this blog to be doom and gloomy but It's all a part of life isn't it? So I like to write about things...... it was back to  Creative Chemistry and I had a play with numbers 7 and 8 and I played with some gorgeous Prima Almanac papers and bits after seeing some that Karen had bought at the last EK crop. I knew I just had to get some after she showed me her collection.....
                                                      Anyway, here's day 7
                                                            Embossing
                                                   Nostalgic Batik technique

Embossing with distress powder

Day 8 

Using paint primers -crackle paint. 

I only did one - as the other technique was on canvas and I haven't got any canvas.

This is with crackle paint..

and then on to the Prima Almanac layout - I absolutely love this collection and these colours...

I stamped the butterfly and cut it out -punched the little flowers and the larger flower was made using a technique Karen taught at one of her classes at the EK crop a while back.. 

So, it's a nice long weekend now - what's everyone up to ?