MORE TAGS AND A LAYOUT I ALMOST DIDN'T FINISH

Another two tags completed - but then I ran out of card, I considered hacking up cereal boxes but refrained. I love how the "What was the last thing you laughed at?" tag has turned out. I used some gorgeous flowers that I bought from Lynne at the Craft Den in Sheffield and used my new Copic pens on the lettering, I was a bit unsure of how to use these at first, but they are so easy to use and really made the letters stand out! Check Lynne's website out at http://www.craftden.co.uk/.

My other half walked through the door today bearing gifts - a huge bag full of greyboard/chipboard 1mm deep, acid free A1 size - huge - so loads of tags and no less than 8 sheets of the stuff!

Also finally finished a layout I started and didn't think I'd complete - you know how it is when you start a layout and then lose the plot with it. I decided I wasn't sure of the colour scheme, initially thought the colour match was wrong - it wasn't very 'me' but persevered and then my other half challenged me to include glittery items and hidden journalling which set me back on my way and before I set off for work this morning it was complete, with brads, stickles, frames, hidden journalling, stamping, flowers and glossy accents!

FANTASTIC QUESTIONS!

I bumped into Ann today and promised I'd put photos of my giant tags as well as the link to the bloggers site that got me started on them. The blog in question is http://embers.typepad.com/ her website is truly inspirational and I love how the questions make you think outside the box. The first tag I did was "Do you believe in fairies" but I've also done, "what makes me me?" "what is the truth" and "what keeps me awake at night". I've used acrylic paints as backgrounds or alternatively used up some left over pieces of scrapbook paper torn up and stuck down with mod podge which makes quite a pleasing background. I've used lots of different techniques including stamping, stickles, letter stickers, glossy accents and heat embossing. I've still got loads of the questions to catch up on but now I've found the way I want to document them (ie the big tags) I can get on. I did attempt to do them on an ATC card initially but to be honest they are simply far too big a question to answer on an ATC!

TOUGH DAY

I knew today was going to be tough - it's been 20 years since my Dad passed away, I've tried to stay calm and reflective but it's difficult, my Mum said to think of him sat by a lake fishing with rain falling which are our tears - I said he'd be really fed up that it was raining and therefore we should all stop - so even on dark days we can smile and laugh.

My brother who was only 6 when he died said he's spent every moment since his death trying to fill his shoes which was an impossible task but he enjoyed following in his footprints. Life is always changing, something I've known since that day, I miss my Daddy so much, he was only 40 when he passed away and he died suddenly, but the strength I have today are as a result of the lessons in life that he and my Mum taught me.

The photo is of my Daddy

WHOSE STOLEN THE WEEKEND?

Well Sunday evening here already, the weekend has simply flown and for the seventh day on the trot I've been to work albeit only briefly. Spent the remainder of the day either assisting with food prep or scrapping. Finally managed to get the last couple of layouts photographed, really pleased with both of them, although unsure if the photos do them justice. Both double page layouts, both on a day out to Portmeirion during a holiday last year at this rate the entire album will be based on one double page sketch - but thought that was a cool challenge, making a whole album with one sketch! The first layout is my Autumn layout, used some great K & Company papers from a pack I bought ages ago in a sale - American Girl Scouts, didn't think I'd be able to use these papers due to the girl scout moto around the edge - but decided to use a bit of paint and some extra stamping! The second layout is called Boat and uses some bargain papers I bought at the Craft Box at Elsecar yesterday, again some extra stamping to really make the papers mine!

FEELING REFLECTIVE

Well as it has been pointed out by my little bro, I haven't updated my blog in over five days! Why, just so very very busy! Monday was back to work and during the evening was another cracking scrapbook class down at the Craft Box at Elsecar, another great layout by Sandra - problem is she insisted on it being about me - which means I now need to find a picture that I like that isn't over 20 years old! Tuesday was a late night at work, almost a 12 hour day in front of a VDU - not much fun and I claim to work part time! Wednesday was a dash to school to play taxi to said 8 year old then dash to swimming baths for lesson, dash home and cleaned all night! Tonight, well we've been doing a competition for school, it should be said 8 year old has been doing a competition but it has been something of a family affair, mainly other half and little man but I've helped a little bit. Then tears over homework and finally a little bit of surfing.

On the scrapping front, I'm trying to finish a mini book for new baby in family but need some more information, I've got a double layout to finish to mark our 11th wedding anniversary, which I might say was supposed to be a joint effort - but he was too busy buying wine when I was putting it together!

And finally, planning a big layout to mark Monday - which is my 'feeling reflective' bit, twenty years since my Dad passed away, 40 years old and in a breath he was gone. I still remember the day so vividly as if it was yesterday so much so that I think this year I'll mark it by making a layout retelling the story of my day, intend to ask other family members to tell their story, in the meantime still feeling reflective...

OUR ANNIVERSARY

Well 11 years today I got married, we didn't have the glorious blue skies of today but it stayed dry for the day which was the main thing - we'd had snow a week before and as we were getting married in the middle of the peak district it was a little worrying - but it had all disappeared by our wedding day.

I've had a weird day today, work this morning, then gardening this afternoon and now a tea time lull waiting for this evening when we can sit and have a romantic meal at home. We've decided against cards this year - I'll only put them in the office and not know what to do with them (as usual) so the challenge is to do a scrapbook layout that I can pop in an album to remind us of today - maybe it could be an annual layout that we do together - so I'm off for a bit of mutual crafting with my other half - if we get it finished I'll pop it on here.

Easter Monday

Well Easter Sunday started very early 3.30am no less thanks to little man! I sent him back to bed and he didn't get us up until 6.30am so that was much better! Hey ho the joys of parenthood, had a busy day visiting parents, brothers and sisters, step-daughter and brand new step-grandchild - although I seem far too young for all that at the grand old age of 36! All seem well and happy with the world so it was a good day all round. Today, well the washer has been going all morning and we seem to have spent the morning with little man's homework - bless him he's done some every day of the holidays up to now, despite all the sobbing that we've had about it! Spending the rest of the day chilling out and crafting - finished another double page layout this morning and if I get chance I'll upload it later. Run out of heavily patterned papers that I can cut out - so need another scrapbook class from the Craft Box at Elsecar to get me going again!

Fun Day Out

Well as requested we headed out today to have a family day together, it was a bit of a late start but didn't have far to travel. We'd decided on a day out at Cannon Hall farm and we were treated to new born lambs - quite literally moments old! New born pygmy goats (not sure if that's spelt right but hey ho - you know what I mean) and then to top it off a native woodpecker hammering away on a dead tree - bliss! We had lunch there and I have to say that the tea rooms serve a fantastic bacon and brie panini and awesome chips - why awesome you may ask - well they were real - none of that frozen chip problem there! Afterwards a wander around the shops and a purchase of homemade pies from the farm deli for a late tea tonight (actually it could be very late as the paninis were so filling!)

Back home showers were had, followed by the Easter special of Doctor Who and now Robin Hood whilst I'm sat playing with another double page layout - woo hoo! Hope everyone else has had a grand day too.

My double page layout from the February snow inspired by a page I did down at the Craft Box

Good Friday

Well all is well in the Celtic House today, Lil Man and DH are currently in Easter cooking mode and they are on with banana and chocolate chip muffins which means very soon the house is going to smell of all manner of beautiful food stuffs! Weight watching has left the building - at least for the weekend!

I've spent an idyllic morning playing with a double page scrapbook layout from our Welsh holiday last year, using the page I did down at my scrapbook class at The Craftbox at Elsecar last Monday as my prompt - in fact its sorted out the lack of mojo I've had recently, too many mini books and not enough 12 x 12 layouts - so much so that now the mojo has returned I've ended up with several double page layouts.

Well as this is my first posting I'm not going to make it very long - as it's bound to go wrong - but if it doesn't I might try and post a picture next