Bluewater

We made our annual trip to Bluewater yesterday, to meet up with Maureen and John to exchange presents. This year we took Rebecca with us for a bit of spoiling!  I really don’t like the shops now, I find it much easier to order online, but once a year I can cope with!
I’m slowly getting myself organised ready for December and the start of Shimelle’s class which you can find here http://www.shimelle.com/

digi layouts

Felt like playing with photoshop again as I have bought a few new kits. This layout uses Lindsay Jane papers and elements plus a shimelle paper.

Winter!

What do you do when the weather is bad and you don’t feel like going out?  Copy you’re clever daughter’s idea which you can find here http://www.jennyjens-journal.blogspot.com/!
I’ve had great fun this afternoon making a gifts book just like Jenny’s with last year’s Sarah’s Cards Christmas kit.
Yesterday Jenny and I went to see New Moon, it was very good if a tad loud! Ian and Peter chose to go to the O2 instead and watch the Federer v Murray match along with a few others. Which would you rather do?

Christmas Music

Much to the families disgust I have got the Christmas music out, I love to listen to it while I do some Christmas cooking, today it was my pudding.
The weather has been awful today but at least we are safe and dry.

Feeling Christmassy!

I’ve been starting to feel a bit Christmassy and thought I would treat myself to a new digi kit. I couldn’t resist Santa’s Kingdom by NLD. It’s been taking a long time to download so I made this page while I was waiting. It’s a bit of a cheat as I only had to add the photos.
What I really want to do is transform my blog for December, not sure if I will manage it though.

Christmas Cards

I’ve been busy making some more cards using digi stamps from DigiStamp Boutique, I also used their blog to get some inspiration as I find cards hard to do.

The cards haven’t scanned that well but I’m very pleased with the results, have barely started though, have lots more to do. Cards seem to take me as long as a layout!

Feeling chilli!

It’s been a miserable day so I thought I would get ahead with some Christmas cooking. It seems to have become a tradition in our house that David challenges us to eat something hot and spicy, well I thought I would do it this year and have made this sweet chilli jam, the recipe can be found here http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8257/sweet-chilli-jam
I’ve tasted it and it certainly has a kick!
 
I’ve also made these two cards for Christmas using some digi stamps I bought from the DigiStamp Boutique and my new promarkers. I copied my daughter's card as she is so much better at it than me ! You can find her blog here
http://www.jennyjens-journal.blogspot.com/

Classes!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about all the classes I have done. Sometimes I think I am a bit hard on myself as I have several that still need to be finished, so I thought I would make a list.

Shimelle Classes -
Christmas Journal – finished 2007
Learn something new – finished three years running (one was digi which was easier)
My Freedom – finished
No place like home – still some to do
When I grow up – finished
Picture worth a thousand words – completed some of it
You think you know me –finished
Scrap your day – finished
Go to press – still to finish
Blogging for scrapbookers – doing at the moment

Jessica Sprague classes
Up and running – finished
brushes class – finished
type +writer class – finished
Beautiful Evidence – nearly finished
Type+writer 2 – not started yet.
Stories in hand – finished
Holidays in hand – just starting
Listed like that I don’t think I’ve done too bad, think I might mark this as a scrapbook page to be done!

cyber crop

It was cyber crop time over on UKS and I was full of good intentions to do a lot of classes, unfortunately I got carried away with some pro markers and digi stamps! I did manage this layout from a class by traciedoodles which I really enjoyed doing although I finished it too late to claim any points.
There is so much to do at the moment as my new Jessica Sprague class has started today and I’m still behind with shimelle’s blogging class, better to be busy than bored though!

The Animals

Ian and I were out last night reliving our youth. We went to see The Animals, most famous for the song House of the rising Sun. They also had Spencer Davis singing with them so Ian was in his element! The lead singer had changed but there were still three original members in the band, but, shock horror, they were all heading for 70, I still think of them in their heyday! All the audience seemed to be 50+ too, I don’t feel that old. It was a good night all the same and I enjoyed singing along to all the old songs.
It was Jenny’s birthday as well so we all went out for a nice Italian meal and Jenny and I played with our promarkers in the morning, she has more than me though which isn’t fair.
I’ve been making a few Christmas cards and also having a look at the classes for the CC on UKS, haven’t had time to do one yet though. I haven’t scrapped for a while now and need to use some of my Sarah’s Cards kits, perhaps I will get something done tomorrow.

busy, busy, busy

I’ve been away from my computer for a few days changing our bedroom from this
  to this. This is the last room in the house to be done and I’m so glad I finally got rid of the horrible stained carpet. We now have shades of brown which goes very well with all my teddies!!
It took us hours putting everything back and embarrassingly Ian was right, one lamp and two books were the only things of his!! Andrew will have to move out so I can have his room as a craft room!
I’ve fallen behind with Shimelle’s class but I’m not going to worry. Today’s prompt was about posting a set theme on certain days which does appeal to me. Will have to give it some thought. My aim is to get things in place for the new year, but we will see.

Lazy Sunday!

a day to relax, have a good meal and maybe play a game of sims!
That was the plan but Peter and Andrew decided to add to my neighbourhood. My carefully thought out houses now have The Office, Sopranos, Buffy and Everquest characters lurking about. I have to admit though they are much better than mine!

a favourite photo

a helping hand is always appreciated! I love this photo of Jamie helping his Great-Nan, he is such a caring little boy, I hope he always stays the same.

Some digi shopping

Just a couple of Christmas kits that happened to fall into my basket over at pickleberrypop!!!

an ordinary day!!

When we left our jobs and moved down here by the sea lots of people asked “how will you fill your day, won’t you be bored?”
My answer is “NO”, we don’t have time to be bored, we love it.
We have the sea to look at everyday and long walks to keep us fit
There are always new recipes to try like this mincemeat one I did from Delia’s Christmas book – recipe below
 
Now the days are getting colder I’ve suddenly rediscovered my love of knitting. There is nothing better than sitting by the fire with a good film and my knitting, bliss.

Books

Today’s prompt from Shimelle was to first put some links of favourite blogs you visit, I already have these at the side of my blog.
Next we had to list favourite books, holidays, or anything else you could think of and make a layout.
I did some of the books I have been reading.
1. Edward Rutherfurd –London
2. James Patterson – Violets are red
3. Michael Dobbs – First Lady
4. Stephenie Meyer – New Moon
5. Helen Carey – Some Sunny Day
I  have always loved reading and feel lost if I haven’t got a book on the go. My favourite place of all to read is in a lovely, very hot, bubble bath, I can be there for hours!

I used some free digi papers from 2peas and a template and free template.

Memories

So many memories waiting to be recorded. My children have all grown up and I am left with old photos gathering dust, I want to tell the stories before they are forgotten. This photo was taken over twenty years ago, oh dear, I’m getting old!
Sometimes it is good to concentrate on the past instead of today, especially when today hasn’t been that good! Stories of ghostbuster popper guns and Ewok villages, precious memories that make me smile.
My aim for the coming year is to scrap these photos and stories, my family, my memories.

Day 1

Shimelle’s class has started and after the first prompt of making a few computer adjustments we had to write our first post – why we blog.
I love my computer! I can sit here for hours playing on Facebook or reading blogs etc, the day can just disappear if I don’t ration it a bit.
I love all the inspiration out there, so many clever, talented people willing to share their ideas.
I love the idea of keeping a diary as it is so easy to forget and I love somewhere to show what I have made, it might not be that good but I’m pleased with it!!
Today I have been shopping with Jenny, looked round Hobbycraft and bought – nothing!
We’ve had the boiler serviced and I had to rearrange my dentist appointment as I’ve had a bad cold.
Still on track with my diet, we had a good walk round Jenny’s  to deliver a card to Jamie from David and Zen, my exercise for today.
I made pasta for tea and tidied up a bit. Now I can play!

New Jessica Sprague Class

If you are keen to learn digital scrapping then I can recommend Jessica Sprague’s classes. I’m registering for this free class today

Getting ready

It's Jamie's birthday today and although we haven't been round as we both have bad colds, nanny and grandad wish him a happy day with his friends.

I've managed to finish a little mini book I had on the go as I want to clear the decks ready for my new class. I've also been sorting out my stash, I really need to get rid of some of it but hate throwing things away, don't think Jenny would be pleased if I gave it all to the kids though!

My diet has been going reasonably well, at least I'm into the next stone down now (that's for you sister Sue!) Still a long way to go but when my diet goes well I feel like I'm in control of the rest of my life somehow.

I've been thinking about christmas too and have decided to make my own mincemeat this year, have got a good Delia recipe. I'm determined to get ahead with puddings, cakes, sausage rolls and mince pies, I think I will be getting the christmas music out soon, Andrew hates it!!

Was upset at strictly last night, Zoe shouldn't have gone out, how people can keep Craig in I don't know.

Have dentist tomorrow, a filling, that's if I'm well enough, that's something to look forward to.

Going to relax now or maybe play on facebook!