First Digi Layout

Yeah I've finally mastered digi scrapping :)

I know, its a simple page featuring Lacie and yes it matches my blog header when I finally figure out how to remove the white background!!

The kit is from Shabbyprincess called Gabby

Thank you for stopping by and your comments whether good or bad would be really welcome.

Still Journalling

I certainly am and I'm really pleased with myself and I love the way my Journal is coming together even though I doubt I'll go as far as the 6th January, preferring to finish on New Years Day.

I hope you've all survived the Christmas madness and have found some precious 'me' time, we've had a fab holiday with lots of surprises which is always good.

OK here are my pages for my journal that I've been working on, some are a bit ropey but some I love like the stockings page, probably because its the first sign that Santa has been for my boys and that Jay says he's only able to fill the toes on mine and that's a total fib cos its always full of nice smellies and goodies :)

Day 21...


Day 22...

Day 23...

Christmas Eve...

My favourite day of the whole year, I love the anticipation and the excitement of the boys and well me too lol.

Christmas Day...

Excuse the cotton wool in Kyle's ear...bless he woke up Christmas morning sobbing in bed with earache, however, he is now my proverbial pain because I'm having to repeat and yell everything twice and when he's watching the telly its on full blast and makes the house vibrate!!

Boxing Day...

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas :)

Just a quick update with some pages pages I've done for the Journal.

Day 18...

Day 19...

Day 20...

Be back after Christmas, stay safe

Trying To Catch Time!!

Yep, its getting busy now...what with shopping for the food and those last minute pressies, not to mention baking cakes, mince pies, jam tarts and cookies...its all go in our house, so you won't be surprised if I tell you I'm about 5 days behind on my journal lol.

Here are all the days that I've managed so far from 12.

Day 12...





Day 13...



Day 14...





Day 15...


Day 16...



Day 17...

We went to the Hippodrome lastnight to see John Barrowman in Robin Hood and it was absolutely amazing and even better when he got the giggles...btw he's as sexy as Robin as he is Captain Jack...I wish he was behind me lol.

Happy Christmas,

Days 10 & 11...And Even Further Behind Now!!

Yes its true...my cold has really taken a hold now and my nose is as blocked as the M42 at rush hour so I'm now way behind but I've finished work for Christmas now so I hope to have an afternoon of playing catching up this week, hopefully!!

Day 10 - 'Wrapping' the job I'm always keen on doing until it actually comes round to doing it and by the time I've finished I've lost all interest and most corner become round lol. I made little parcels with the wrapping that the boys presents are wrapped in and tied with little bows.

Day 11 - 'Christmas Tree' and I love my artificial one that stands tall in the corner decked out in co-ordinated baubles which in turn match my living room decor.

That's it for today and only 10 more sleeps until that magical moment :)

Days 8 & 9...And Still Behind!!

I blame the cough for falling behind...its back with a vengeance today!!

Day 8 - 'Can You See What I Can' namely all things around you turning Christmassy how things take on a whole new look at this time of year. I just took some photos of things I've got around the house, there are lots of houses around the Crescent with lights up but its just too darn cold to venture out :)

Day 9 - 'Traditions' and we certainly have a few of those that we do every year. Also the journalling had to be hidden away from prying eyes. My traditions are...

Always unless its raining have an early morning walk on Cannock Chase.

Take the Escort for a nice car wash and hoover, our present to the car!!

Open our family cards together.

Split into teams and make up the Puzz 3D baubles for the tree upstairs.

Play carpet ten pin bowling in the evening with Santa/Snowman pins and a Christmas pud for the ball.

Christmas Day Traditions

Have a nice coffee and Jay has a big bowl size mug of tea in beds while its still peaceful.

And now its time for me to go and get the rest of the pages finished.

Claire xxx

Merry Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Days 5, 6 & 7 and Still Behind!!

OK I'm trying to keep up, honestly I am but its such a busy time of year and not helped by a cold that was outstaying its welcome and a poorly little boy whose had a cold and now has a nasty tummy bug...Bah Humbug!!

Anyway day 5 was 'Counting Down' to Christmas and I have a lovely little chalk board that comes out every Summer and hangs proudly in the kitchen until the jolly fella has been and so that's what my page is about, didn't think it needed journalling as its pretty self-explanatory.

Day 6 was 'Memories - Good & Bad' which was a little difficult for me as I like to keep things cheery so I've gone back to Christmas 2005 when Great Grandad Santa got it all so wrong but would he listen...oh no!!

My journalling reads...

Christmas 2005 and Great-Grandad insisted that my boys needed these Crazy Frog singing toys.

Despite all our best efforts Great-Grandad was insistent on giving Grandma the money and sending her out into the cold to get these annoying toys...any you don't argue with a determined man in his 80's!!

So Christmas afternoon and the frog was open singing his annoying frog song and this was the face that spoke volumes and I cried from laughing that sometimes Santa gets it so wrong...Bah Humbug!

Day 7 was 'Lists' which again I don't do lists...I'm one of those really annoying people that shop in January and by December I'm pretty much done apart from little stocking fillers and most are wrapped so I can sit and chill with a glass of Baileys with ice. Instead I included just a few of my receipts from a shopping spree I had on Saturday in Derby :)

Anyway things to do like another 2 pages so I'll be back again soon xxx

Day 3 & 4

Here are my two pages for days 3 and 4.

Day 3 was about cards, not being a great cardmaker myself I pinched one I made from a Basic Grey kit and my journalling is hidden as an insert in the card.

Day 4 was to imagine a 'Perfect' Christmas...not hard as long as I have my boys with me then Christmas is complete and pretty perfect.

I used Basic Grey Wassail & Figgy Pudding patterned papers on all and I played around with my swirls card for the Slice, which I love now I've got to grips with it.

Supplies: Basic Grey Wassail/Figgy Pudding, K&Co stamps, MM Slice, Autumn Leaves stamps and Fiskars Threading Water punch.

Take Care,

Day 1 & Day 2 of Journal Your Christmas

Today I finally got round to doing some crafting for me as opposed to making Christmas cards which I love but scrapping is what I enjoy doing most.

So I've complete both entries for Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas and this is day 1...I'm not keen on the word Manifesto so I've completely left it untitled, Manifesto always seems a bit white collar for this time of year and I want my journal to be full of fun for the boys to look back on in years to come.

My journal basically tells of my enjoyment for the festive season and that I don't need to take 15 minutes out to spend time doing something I enjoy cos for me every little detail running up to Christmas is a pleasure...whether its chillin' with a glass of Baileys or frantically getting kids to performances, going to Nativity Plays or Christmas fetes etc... I love it :)

The prompt for day 2 was weather...hmmm now you see I like to see snow and deep snow at that but we really don't get any at Christmas time. Instead I decided to copy the weather forecast and ask Santa if there is a snow dance I can perform to guarantee me some magic on Christmas Eve...well every girl's got to have a dream even if they're 35!!

Basic Grey Christmas Cards

Hello, apologies I've been a bit busy to try and clear my December duties so I can commit to Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas and I've been wrapping the Advent Swap pressie up for UKS...I do hope my victim likes my choices :)

Just a few cards I made this morning.

Supplies: Basic Grey Figgy Pudding patterned paper and a Penny Black sentiment stamp.

Supplies: Basic Grey patterned paper, Hero Arts sentiment stamp, Penny Black brush stokes stamp and Marvy Le Plume pens.

Supplies: Basic Grey Mellow patterned papers and Figgy Pudding, American Crafts ribbon, Penny Black brush strokes stamp, Stamps Away stamp and Whispers ink.

Be back soon.

Journal Your Christmas

Yep I decided to join in the fun with Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas and have been busy creating my front cover. I decided to use a 7 Gypsies 6x6 in keeping with my CJs so they all look pretty on the book shelf, yes I know I'm anal lol.

I thought I might include a few acrylic pages along the way but we'll see...I get easily distracted!!

I'm using Basic Grey Wassail range. I wanted a really Christmas feeling front cover so used a nice deep red/burgundy paper, added some Playroom Thickers and used my Bazzill In Stitch'z for the holly and berries and used a white journalling pen for the rest of the title.

The inside covered was decorated with distressed white paper cos I didn't like the pattern on the front lol, and I added some embossed snowflakes sadly I did that after I had stuck it down and it wrinkled a bit, never mind. I used my new Sizzix die to create a reindeer which will probably feature quite a lot in my journal as I absolutely love deers and living where I do I can see them quite often when I go walking on Cannock Chase.

I've also done my page dates but only up to Christmas Day so far, I will probably go up to New Years Day but doubt very much I will continue until the 6th January. I used a 1" Woodware scallop punch and a EK Success 1 1/2" and used some red ink just to take the plain white off...OK so I went a bit mad with number 10 but I'm hoping once its on the page it will look alright lol.

When its finished it will have a selection of ribbons through the rings to make it look all festive but for now its just a working progress :)

Stash, Stash and Stash

What a fab day I've had out at the Hobbycrafts Show at the NEC.

I took lots of spends with me including Jay and his wallet just in case and I spent, spent and spent like a woman possessed lol.

I met Sandra aka GottaCraft and her lovely husband Simon and we've had such a fantastic day.

My only regret and disappointment of the day was seeing some gorgeous Bazzill pompom ribbon in Christmas red, green and white and thinking I will come back for that and when I did get around to going back it was all gone...totally gutted but on a plus side I did get the Doodlebug flock I've been after for ages, some gorgeous Penny Black stamps and of course more Basic Grey Wassail :)

On a Roll Now...

Indeed I am, I made 2 Birthday and 3 Christmas cards this morning. I now have the grand total of 8 Christmas cards which has taken me a whole two mornings... hmm not a natural born cardmaker lol.

Supplies: Papermania patterned paper, AC ribbon, DCWV textured cardstock and a stamp I love but haven't a clue who its by, sorry.

Supplies: Hero Arts Dandelion stamp, Anita's sticky ribbon, Marvy Le Plume pens, Stampin' Up! sentiment stamp and purple Bazzill (yep I used purple Bazzill and I've come out in a rash lol).

Supplies: Penny Black stamp, DCWV textured cardstock, Rhonna Farrer patterned paper, Marvy Le Plume pens, glitter twine from my box, Bazzill cardstock, Whispers Ink and Stampin' Up! sentiment stamp.

Supplies: Penny Black stamp, K&Co patterned paper, Marvy Le Plume pens, Whispers Ink, some ribbon and charm I've had for donkeys.

And finally this one is my favourite and I love it.

Supplies: Basic Grey Mellow patterned paper and rubber stamp, DCWV textured cardstock, AC ribbon and Hero Arts sentiment stamp.