>>> Back To Victorian Times! <<<

It was my son's dressing up day today and he had to go in wearing a Victorian outfit. Managed to source one from an online store. Also a coincidence that my youngest has to go in next week as a Victorian lad too so one outfit fits all! Both of them happen to be learning about the Victorian era at the same time.

Well, I brought him to school and it was fun seeing the other kids all dressed up, some looking extremely gracious in their costumes. Even the teachers were dressed up, holding a cane too. I'm sure the kids are gonna have a fab time in school today! TTFN!

>>> On Display: BackPorch Memories <<<

It's reveal day today over at BackPorch Memories. The papers for this month's kit is just so scrumptious! I was given the Solo to play which consisted of Fancy Pants Rough and Tough collection... so appropriate for my boys. Here's they are:

Solo kit: Fancy Pants Rough & Tough collection.

Medley kit: Bella Blvd Plastino, WRMK Twirl & Crate Paper Seasons collections

BPM Nov stamp set

Paula also sells Unity store kit which can only be obtained from stores and not on the Unity website. Not surprising I'm a serial subber to this kit! Also, not surprising that it's sold out on the site!

Well, here's what I've come up with using the Solo kit:

My boys' first time doing 'trick or treat' so I had to document this! The papers somehow fitted the theme. Currently into sprays at the moment so glimmer mist a cobweb image onto the cardstock.


Captured this photo of my boys staring into the boat quay at Lyminton. It was such a lovely image of them both so had to use it. Got a large stencil from Glimmer Mist (at Hobbycraft) and just had to use it for the background. And just for the fun of it, punched a holely border around the edges.

Had this photo lying around and have been meaning to scrap for a while so I thought why not with these papers. True, they were meant for boys but hey, they can be used for gals too! Gave it my girly touch, lots of bling and glitter. Stamped images from Unity Oct store kit. Those swirls are Glimmer Mist stencil (again bought at Hobbycraft, NEC. Knew I had to have them when I spotted them. They are perfect for 12x12 pages).


Check out my flower, created using Tim Holtz' transparent film strip. The centre was done using the pom pom ribbon.

For my project, created some cards:

Luv that pin cushion image! Enough said!

A rather simple card.
I'm running out of time making Xmas card so the simpler it is, the more I can get done!

Background embossed with a new Cuttlebug snow embossing folder (bought at Hobbycraft. Now wishing I had gotten more Xmassy ones). Stamped snowman from Unity's Oct store kit.

This kit is so versatile. Although it has images for use on boy pages, I managed to turn it into a girly page as well, including a Xmassy card! Definitely had fun playing with them. And I still have loads leftover.... TTFN!

>>> 365 Cards <<<

Spent the weekend catching up on some card challenges at 365 cards. Here they are:

Day 252: White Space

Here's the sketch:

Here's my effort:

I embossed the white space. Patterned papers from Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses. Xmas tree is stamped from a newly acquired Unity stamp.

Day 251: Dream Duo

The challenge is to work with 2 colours. I've chosen green and white. Here' s my card:

I only chose these two colours based on the paper (BG Eskimo Kisses). Stamped images frm Unity (Oct store kit).

Day 247: Ad Inspired

This is based on this Ad:

Here's my card:

The wreath reminded me of the traditional Xmas colours and I found the perfect paper from Dovecraft Xmas range. Fireplace is from Unity's Jolly Little Winter set (one of my fav!). Created the wreath from punched our hollies and sprayed with a silvery mist.

Day 246: Super Sketchy Sunday

Here's the sketch:

My take on the sketch:

Changed the placement of embellishment and sentiment to suit my card. Sleigh image from Banana Frog's Retro Christmas. Sentiment from Unity. Patterned paper from Imaginisce's Polar Expressions.

Having fun! Another two more to catch... TTFN!

>>> Remembrance Sunday <<<

It's Remembrance Sunday today, day where we honour the soldiers who so valiantly fought in the wars and died. In fact again we hear of 2 British soldiers dying today in the Afghan war. It's sad when they lose their lives.

The boys who are in Beavers & Cubs respectively, had to be in church today. Zac was chosen as the flag bearer of his scout group. It's his first time being involved since joining Beavers earlier this year in Feb.

So at 11am this morning, we observed a 2-min silence.

After the church service, we headed to B'ham town centre to our fav Chinese restaurant to have tim sum. It was such a cold day today that tim sum and hot Chinese tea made a good companion! TTFN!

>>> Saturday! <<<

Spent the good portion of the day at the Hobbycraft in the NEC. Basically it's a craft exhibition. It's been a while since I went and as I managed to obtain a cheap ticket using my Tesco vouchers, I just had to make a visit. I had an enjoyable time. There were a few stalls selling scrapbooking stuff and I managed to grab what I wanted including some surprised finds too. I even had time to visit the Craft for Christmas fair as well and enjoyed the food section a lot! Hubs dropped me off as it was way too expensive to park there.... £8! I rather spend it on stash! Just as well, we only live about 10 min away from the exhibition hall (and the airport... very convenient!)

The day started out lovely, sunny albeit cold but when hubs picked me up, it drizzled. Shame as we wanted to have a firework display. So instead we watched other people did theirs! Think we will keep ours for the New Year! TTFN!

>>> Unity's Friends With Flair Friday! <<<

It's Friends with Flair Friday again. The days are simply whoosing by so quickly. We are well and truly into Autumn now. It has started getting darker earlier (i.e before 5pm.... so depressing) and colder too. Thankfully, we have Christmas to look forward to otherwise it will make this particular season rather gloomy!

Speaking of Christmas card, I've been steadily doing it although not fast enough. Anyway, played with my first free set of Unity stamps (got it by subscribing to the KOTM set way back in Feb). And it's one of favs too.... Jolly Little Winter:

A traditional Xmas colour combo. Took out my holly leave punch to create a wreath just above the fireplace. This was then sprayed using Moon Glow Spritz (a purchase acquired a few years ago). It gave a lovely sheen to it.

Created this LO last week when I received my Oct scrapbooking set from Unity called "UR etc." Have to say, I enjoy their scrapbooking set as the stamps are quite big and very well-suited for SB. Here's one that I've created for a little gal's birthday pressie:

Papers from Imaginisce Perfectly Posh collection ... such lovely papers, all glittery and girly!

Thanks for dropping by... have a great weekend! TTFN!

>>> Guy Fawkes Nite! <<<

It's Guy Fawkes day today. But in typical British weather, it rained and it's wet and miserable! However didn't stop hubs from lighting up a bonfire! He got in early from work (surprise! surprise! He normally doesn't return till 8pm most nites) and was seen taking out his tin and burning all the branches he had somehow acculmulated!

There were a lot of fireworks about too. Fireworks is associated with Guy Fawkes day. So we had a free display of them. Doubt very much we will be going out to any park to see any firework display.... it's far too cold at this time of the year! TTFN!

>>> On Display! <<<

Some creative stuff I've done over the past weeks....

Xmas card using Imaginisce stamp. Saw some new Xmassy ones and couldn't help getting them.

Card created using Banana Frog's latest stamp set Retro Space. They are just too gorgeous for words.

Had to do a wedding card for a relative. Made use of Unity wedding image.

The below stuff was done for Unity's Bachelor Brother challenges.

Challenge 6 requires a colour combo of pink and brown. That monkey is just too adorable. Come from Oct 09 KOTM set.

Another pink and brown card. Created this especially for another gal's birthday and she plays the guitar.

These tags were created for Unity's BBro challenge no. 7 which asks for a colour combo of purple, green, black and orange.

I particularly luv this tag. It has trick on the front....

and treat at the back!
Images from Unity's Oct 09 KOTM set and coloured using a mix of Copics and Promarkers. Background embossed using Cuttlebug folder and lightly sprayed with glimmer mist.

Another tag. Background sprayed using Maya mist. Unity stamped images from Oct store kit (gal) and Aug KOTM (wings). All coloured using either Copics or Promarkers.

TTFN!

>>> 365 Cards: Day 248 <<<

Having difficulty trying to keep up with the card challenges over at 365 Cards. One of my fav card sites but I've got so much going on at the moment. Now that it has calmed down, managed to snatch half an hour to have a play with today's challenge.

Day 248's challenge is 'Imagine This: Feathers'! I take it you have to use feathers on the card! Well, I took the cue from the DT member, Pam, and made use of my feathery fibres to create this card.

Got some new images from Unity and made use of them in this card. I wrap the feathery fibres around the Xmas tree to create a tinsel-like effect.

TTFN!

>>> Happy Halloween! <<<

Normally we don't celebrate Halloween but my SIL invited us over to a party and the boys became excited! So we had to get them a Halloween outfit including all the accessories.

They (including their cousin) attended a Halloween party first at Monkey Business, one of those soft play places. It started with a magician show which they got bored halfway and went off onto the soft play areas. Then it was followed by party food. After that, we whisked them home where they got ready to go out for Trick or Treat. It was their first time and they were dead excited! We adults accompanied them. Have to say that people were all ready with their treats when the kids knocked on their doors. The boys had their buckets full of sweets and chocolates!

Moi & the boys

The kiddies knocking on doors.

The boys' treats!

The party continued at my SIL's house. The boys played games and had a very spooky time. We even put on a fireworks display. Finally, to calm them down, they watch a DVD and eventually dropped off to sleep!

Fireworks display

Games the boys played... Oliver sticking his hand in some yucky stuff to find bones! Zac wisely refused to join in! LOL!

All wrapped up as mummy.

It was a great day today! Weather was fantastic too, warm and just perfect for trick or treating! TTFN!

>>> We're Off! <<<

It's half term this week and hubs took 2 days leave and we're off to Poole. SIL is having a Halloween party this Sat, so we are spending some time down south. The boys luv it there as it's near by the sea and they luv the sea a lot!

Our first stop is Lymington where we had a fish and chips lunch, much to the boys' delight! Took a quick walk around the town area before heading off to our hotel. We are booked two nites at the Holiday Inn.

I leave with some photos of today...

At Lymington Lifeboat Quay

A wonderful array of boats on display

Zac on the trampoline in the playground.

Later, ventured to Highcliffe coast. It's lovely to see the sea again.

TTFN!

>>> Wedding Party! <<<

We spent the afternoon getting new clothes for the boys, more precisely, Halloween costumes and a posh outfit for a wedding party tonight! The Halloween costumes were easy, the boys picked them out fairly quickly. The posh outfits, slightly more difficult. Somehow, we managed after a great deal of difficulty.

As the wedding 'after' party was family-based, the boys were invited and they had fun! It isn't often they get a chance to go out and they enjoyed it. There were other kiddies around too so they weren't so bored. They did look forward to the fish and chip dinner though!

It's so hard to get Zac to pose hence this particular stance!

The boys sharing a forbidden drink... Coke. I don't allow them to drink it but they somehow got their dad to get one for them!

I got to drive the Jag home as hubs had alcohol! That's the only time I get to drive that car! The boys were thoroughly knackered and couldn't wait to go to bed... not surprisingly since we got home at midnite! TTFN!

>>> So Busy! <<<

It's Friday and the last day of the school term! The morning saw Zac performing for harvest assembly. His class was chosen to give a performance and the past few weeks saw him singing and dancing at home in preparation for it. Only parents of his class could watch the performance due to lack of space in the hall. It was certainly entertaining and I took a fair number of photos. Thank goodness for my new external flash as it certainly made a difference to the pictures! They were so much better and sharper.

Here's Zac doing his harvest rock and roll.

In the afternoon, Oliver's school held a sponsored walk and the children could wear a fancy dress in an environment-based theme. The kids had to walk around the school perimeter 10 times. I did join him a couple of time. It was interesting to see the various fancy dresses donned on by both the children and teachers. Thank goodness the weather was brilliant and it was sunny!

Here's Oliver dressed as a cyclist... do your part for the environment and cycle!

Today also marks the start of half term! Can't believe 7 weeks of school term is now over. Looking forward to a week of not getting up early! Yay! TTFN!

>>> Unity's Friends With Flair Friday! <<<

Oops a little late in display but it's the last day of the school term and there was so much activities going on in my boys' schools! I've been concentrating on Xmas cards as I realised I do need a lot (like more than 30 and I'm no where near half that amount!) Anyway, without further ado, here's my offering this week.

Recently received this new Xmas stamp set and just had to have a play with it. Background was sprayed with glimmer mist. Paper by Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses.

Luv this particular stamp image. It's so versatile and I've used it for a Xmas card. Poinsettia came from Hodge Podge of Happiness set. Paper by BG Eskimo Kisses (gotta luv that set).

Have a great weekend (so glad it's here and even happier it's half term!) TTFN!

>>> On Display! <<<

Haven't scrapped for a while so decided to break into my new October 09 Scarlet Lime kit. Found this sketch on this blog and decided to have a go:

Here's my effort. Have to say, it was hard work as I've not scrapped for a while and was a bit rusty in the beginning.

All from SL kit apart from alphas & lace used. Journaling stripes from Unity Sep SB kit and background stamped images from Oct SB kit (only received recently and had to play with them).

TTFN!